Fighting Fate (Granton University #1)(84)

With a frown, Logan shifted closer to her and grasped her hand, holding tight enough that she couldn’t let go. “That doesn’t sound good. Paige, if this kid is so obsessed with you—”

“He’s harmless,” she assured, leaning against him since he seemed to want to ignore her warning to keep his space. “Einstein is just—”

“He sounds disturbed. Like really—”

“He has his issues. I know that, okay? But he also needs a friend. He’ll never get better if no one befriends him.”

With a surrendering sigh, Logan wrapped his arm around her, sealing her to his side. He kissed her temple. “You have too good of a heart, do you know that?”

She smiled and snuggled close, then tipped up her face for a kiss, which he gladly obliged. But as they approached her building, she held her breath and her joints stiffened with anxiety.

Keeping an eye out for Einstein as she unlocked the door, she eased inside the foyer with Logan unwilling to let go of her hand.

Einstein didn’t appear.

Her shoulders fell with relief as she exhaled, but she just as quickly frowned. “Hmm. I wonder where he is.” Biting her lip, she glanced up at Logan. “Do you think he’s okay? With a killer on the loose—”

He shrugged. “I’m sure your little friend knows how to take care of himself and stay safe.”

“You think?”

“From what little I’ve seen of him, I think he knows exactly what to do to survive.”

Paige wanted to keep defending Einstein. She knew he had problems, but what person didn’t? Except Logan went and buried his nose into her hair, distracting her. He kissed her temple as they ascended the stairs.

“Though I have to admit,” he murmured, “the kid does have great taste. If I had to pick one girl on campus to become unhealthily obsessed with, I’d pick you too.” When Paige turned them down the hall toward her room at the top of the steps, Logan pressed his mouth to her jaw. “Actually, I think I’m already unhealthily obsessed with you.”

When she paused in front of her door, she looked up at him before digging her key from her purse. “Unhealthily?”

He pressed his forehead to hers. “Yeah. After last night, I know you need time and space to get over what happened, but I can’t keep my hands off you. I’m still just so amazed you’re letting me touch you, that you want me to touch you.”

With the reminder of what had happened less than twenty-four hours before, Paige shook as she tried to fit her key into the lock. “Wow. So much has happened today, that feels like ages ago.”

He covered her hand to help her unlock her door. “But it’s still only been a day.” He turned the handle and then preceded her into her room, turning on the light and glancing around before he fully let her in.

Grinning, she shut and locked them inside alone before grasping his arm and whirling him around to face her. When she looped his neck with her arms, he caught her waist and let her lean flush against him.

“Were you checking out the place for bad guys before you let me come in?”

His blue eyes glittered as he kissed the end of her nose. “Maybe.”

She let out a big, dramatic sigh. “My hero.” Stepping up onto tiptoes, she pressed her breasts against his chest and fused their mouths together.

The man must be the best kisser on the planet. Strange, amazing things happened to her when his lips touched her. Then they opened and his tongue tangled with hers, and she moved into him enough to make him stumble backward. Using her momentum, she corralled him toward her bed until the backs of his legs bumped the edge. When he lost his balance and went down, she happily went with him, landing on his lap as soon as they hit the mattress. Smothering any possible protests with another soul-searing kiss, she plastered herself to him.

He was all in, kissing her back just as heartily until she let her hand wander between their bodies so she could explore him through his jeans. Then he rocketed backward, tearing his mouth from hers.

“Wait, wait, wait,” he panted. “We need to slow down. Jesus. We need to stop.”

“Why?”

“You’re not ready. It’s too soon. I—”

“I’m ready.” She assured him, caressing his face and kissing her way along his jaw.

He drew in a heavy breath, and his body tensed under hers, but when she slid her hand down his ribcage and toward his lap again, he caught her wrist. “No. You’re not. I Googled this today, and rape victims have to go through a bunch of steps before they can heal. There’s fear, shock, disbelief, denial, a complete breakdown of out-of-control emotions and anxiety along with depression. And then you can finally accept and move on. You—”

“Oh my God.” Clutching two handfuls of hair, Paige clenched her teeth and scowled at him. “You just won’t give up about this, will you?”

“No. I know you, Paige. You’re not over it. You’re just pushing it down, and that’s not healthy.”

“Okay, fine.” She blew out a disgusted breath. “Let’s see. What did you list? Fear? Check; I definitely experienced that already. Shock? Oh, yeah. I’ve had some of that too. Disbelief? Totally. Denial?”

When he arched his eyebrow, she rolled her eyes. “Oh, shut up. So, I’m pushing it down. Would it make you feel better if I had a total breakdown and freaked out on you right now?”