Co-Ed(37)

It was the first time someone with that face, that sort of body, that sort of mystery, had ever looked me in the eyes and said something so poetic, so real, that I felt my eyes well with tears.

It was in those moments when you hadn’t realized how starved you were for the words that mean something, that a god descended from above and whispered truth into existence, and suddenly, you believed him.

I opened my mouth to say something, but he pressed a finger to my lips and turned around and slowly, painfully, pressed buttons on the microwave, then faced me and crossed his arms. “Any questions?”

“You didn’t press start.”

“You like pushing buttons. You press start.”

I rolled my eyes, hopped down, and hit the button, but I could feel him staring behind me. When I turned, he didn’t even try to hide that he was looking at my ass. “Seriously? All of that just to stare a bit?”

“Hell yes, and it worked. I got an extra five seconds in.” He smiled wide.

Damn it, he was pretty. So pretty.

“Also?”

“Yeah?”

“Worth it.” He pushed away from the counter and then wrapped an arm around my waist. “So glad we decided to be friends.”

“You just kissed me.”

“I slipped.”

“Oh?”

“Yeah, the radiation from the microwave got to me.”

“So anytime I stand in front of the microwave—”

“I won’t be able to control myself.”

“Just microwaves?”

“Trees,” he said once the microwave beeped, “air…”

I shoved him and started laughing as he grabbed the bag and kissed me on top of the head.

“…movies…” He kissed near my ear. “…study sessions.”

“So just be prepared to get pounced at any time?” I pulled away, searching his eyes.

He just shrugged, opened the popcorn, and tossed a kernel in his mouth. “Guess so.”

“You’re impossible to figure out.”

“Heard you like puzzles,” was all he said before opening the door and showing me a spot next to his bed; pillows and blankets were everywhere. I grabbed a bowl and let Knox fill it up then laughed when both Leo and Finn flanked either side of me during the movie.

And didn’t even flinch when Knox sat behind me and pulled me into his arms like it was normal.

As if all college women had three guys surrounding her like a celebrity.

Nothing was normal.

And yet, not one part of me felt weird.

So, when Finn started playing with my hair casually… when Leo rubbed my left hand and massaged my stiff fingers…

I didn’t think twice.

And as I fell asleep against Knox’s chest, I could have sworn I felt two different sets of lips caress my cheek and one touch my mouth.





Chapter Twenty-Six


Knox

“Do you want me to say told you so?” Leo whispered.

The movie was long over. Shawn was tucked into my arms sleeping soundly. The guys had done their job.

They’d gotten her relaxed.

Which was what she deserved. A moment of just… peace, where she didn’t have to worry about someone spiking her drink, or a guy taking advantage of her. We had our reputations, but that was not what we were about.

We protected.

We proved what guys could be like if you gave them a chance.

We were the best of the best, and we were that way for a reason.

Because when you fell from the pedestal, you had no other choice but to brush yourself off and become better.

“No.” I finally found my voice as I pushed her hair away from her cheeks. “I like her.”

There. I’d said it out loud.

“Thank God,” Finn grumbled. “I thought I was going to have to sleep with her to get you to notice.”

I glared at him.

He grinned. “Kidding. You know I love pissing you off.”

“Consider me pissed,” I ground out through clenched teeth.

“Go be angry by the unicorn. We’re all full up here.” Leo sighed as if I was the heaviest burden of the bunch. “Seriously, go tuck her into bed and keep your hands to yourself. I doubt Slater would mind if you slept in his bed.”

“Slater?” Finn repeated. “He would rip Knox’s nuts off and feed them to Horny!”

“Never—” I closed my eyes and pinched the bridge of my nose. “—never utter that sentence again.”

Finn waved me off. “Whatever, you knew what I meant.”

“Right, that’s the problem, ass-face.” Leo cleaned up some of the popcorn while I gently lifted Shawn into my arms and started the trek back to her room.

I got her door open and laid her down on her bed, and like a creeper, I watched her sleep for a good ten seconds before realizing that I wasn’t just hovering over her like a serial killer, but staring at her like some hormonal teenager. I brushed a kiss across her forehead and started to walk away when her hand shot out and grabbed mine.

I stopped as she sat up, looked at me through sleepy eyelids and tilted her head. “Thank you.”

“For the popcorn?”

A smile spread across her face. “Yeah, for the popcorn.”