A Brush with Love(65)

“Harper, I—”

But he didn’t get to finish his thought. The secret world they’d built around their pleasure was invaded. The door handle to the study room turned sharply, the metallic noise piercing their quiet peacefulness. Reality began slowly filling in at the edges. Instant panic filled Harper, and Dan’s head whipped to the door.

It banged open and Thu’s voice cracked through the last remaining layers of their shared fog. Thu’s head was turned over her shoulder as she talked to Alex, who stood behind her. Alex’s eyes bulged, and he let out a wet choking sound as he gawked at Harper and Dan’s entangled form. Noticing his look, Thu’s head snapped forward.

Her jaw dropped open. She was silent for a moment. But, because it was Thu, it was only a moment. “Fuck. Yes.”

Her words broke Harper out of her shock. She pushed awkwardly against Dan’s frozen arms, which gave out more easily than Harper anticipated. She toppled out of his grip, sliding down the wall in slow motion until she landed in a pile of contorted limbs. She didn’t know if this could get worse.

“Holy shit, did you just drop her?” Thu’s voice rang out with an incredulous laugh.

Dan’s attention rocketed to Harper’s rag doll slump and his eyes went even wider with fear. She worked to maneuver herself into a more dignified pose, but every joint felt leaden and uncooperative.

“Dude,” Alex said with pure awe. He nodded slowly, a smile plastered on his face.

Something about their stupid grins allowed Harper to finally find her voice.

“Ohmygod, Thu, get out!”

“Get out? I feel like I should get a camera! I want to remember this for the rest of my life,” Thu said.

“Thu! Get the fuck out!”

“Calm down, it’s not like you were in full coitus … yet.” She gave a snort of laughter.

Alex looked between Harper and Thu with a mix of fear and amusement before giving a small chuckle. Harper found her feet and moved toward her friend.

“Okay, okay! We’ll give you a few minutes to—um—finish…” Thu grinned again, and Harper snarled at her. “Composing yourselves!” she added rapidly. “Finish composing yourselves. And then, Harper, you and I will teach these boys about bones.” Thu said with a wink, turning to leave the room.

But before she was out the door, she said, over her shoulder, “Although, it seems like you were giving Harper quite the lesson there yourself, Dan.”

Harper slammed the door shut and thumped her forehead against it.

Silence hovered in the room and Harper couldn’t bring herself to turn and look at Dan. She felt mortified and ridiculous. But most of all, she felt mad at the interruption—the exact opposite of how she needed to feel.

“I should … go,” she finally whispered to the wall.

“Can I come with you?” Dan’s voice was hoarse and lost.

Harper squeezed her eyes shut until she saw little stars. She tried to count them as she swallowed past the lump in her throat. Harper steeled her nerve and turned to face him.

“I don’t think that’s a good idea. Nothing’s changed. I’m still—”

“Leaving. In May. I know,” he said, raking his hands through his hair.

“Yes. Leaving.” Maybe if she said it enough times she could finally, finally, get that concept to sink into her own head.

He opened his mouth, looking like he was about to argue, but he slammed it shut.

She moved to the table and shoved her things into her bag, then walked back to the door. She opened it and paused, knowing what stepping out of the room would mean. She looked at him over her shoulder, meeting the hurt and confusion in his eyes.

“I’m sorry,” she whispered. “I really am.”

Then left.





CHAPTER 25





DAN

Dan stared at the door, frustration bubbling under his skin and threatening to explode from every pore.

Staying on brand for the world’s most unwanted visitor, Alex tapped lightly at the door before poking his head in.

“All clear?” he asked, shooting Dan a wink.

“It’s Friday night at a fucking school. Is there really no other room you could occupy right now?”

Alex stared at him blankly. “You okay, man?”

“Alex, get out.”

“Oh, sorry.” Alex whipped his head out of the door and slammed it shut.

Dan fisted his hands in his hair, pacing the small space and trying to adjust his aching cock to a more comfortable position. The walls felt close and suffocating, and he wanted to punch a hole through every inch of them.

He moved to the table, shoving his things into his bag and slamming the chair into place. One of the legs caught on something and he bent to pick it up. One of Harper’s notebooks. Dan thumbed through it. Her small, curvy letters filled every inch of the pages, notes and diagrams scribbled into connections only her brilliant mind seemed able to decipher. He closed the book and tossed it into his backpack with the rest of his things.

He left the study room and plowed through the school, wanting to escape its stale air and taunting echoes. The cold night ripped at his skin as he stepped outside. He wanted more of the feeling. It was sharp and precise and worked to erase the softness of Harper’s touch. He walked without direction, every step taking him somewhere farther from that room. It didn’t really matter where.