Ruin(17)

I shrugged. “Well, it’s in the description now. My new job description is making you laugh and chasing away the bad dreams.”
“I wish that was true.”
“Sleep.” I kissed her forehead. “And if you do any more crazy shit, can I be a part of it?”
“Sure, why?” Her eyelids fluttered closed.
Oh, you know, because I would murder anyone who touches you. “No reason, I just don’t like to think of you being all crazy without your partner in crime.”
“‘Kay.”
“Night.
“Night,” she whispered.



Chapter Fourteen

Maybe I didn’t dream because for once in my life I was living it.


Kiersten
“Morning, sunshine,” a gravelly male voice said next to my ear.
I jolted awake and almost knocked my forehead against his. It was a close call. Wes jerked back and laughed, putting his hands behind his head as he stared up at the ceiling. “So, no nightmares.”
“No nightmares.” He seriously couldn’t possibly know how life-altering it was to go through a full night without waking myself up screaming. Maybe it wasn’t a side effect of the drugs. Maybe it was just me. Maybe I was defective.
“Class?” He yawned again.
I looked at the clock next to the bed. “In two hours. I should go.”
“It takes you two hours to get ready? I had you more for a twenty-minute girl.”
I slapped him across his hard stomach. “If you must know, I take thirty, but I want to get back before Lisa sends out a search party.”
He was quiet for a moment and then asked, “Are you going to tell her where you were?”
“Maybe.”
“I’ll keep it a secret,” he said. “Friends have secrets, right?”
“Right.” I pushed away from the mattress and stood. It was the best night’s sleep I’d had in two years. Part of me longed to return to the bed, to his warmth. Instead, I marched into the bathroom, changed back into my clothes from the day before, and grabbed my keys and phone.
“Same time tonight?” He winked, and dang the man was sexy all stretched out on his bed. How the hell had I slept through that? With his body so close to mine? I must have been completely exhausted. Either that or I wasn’t attracted to guys or something.
“Uh, I have homework.”
“On day two of classes?” His eyebrows lifted and then his face fell. “Oh, I see, you’re going to do the whole avoiding thing. Well, let me shoot you straight. We didn’t have sex, so you’re not doing the walk of shame, things aren’t awkward, and if you avoid me like the plague I’ll just stalk you.”
“That’s not creepy.”
He shrugged.
I managed an eye roll and a smile as I unlocked the door and snuck out.
I made it all the way to the stairwell without anyone seeing me. Trying not to be loud, I padded down to my room and crossed the hall, just as Gabe came from the opposite direction. The grin on his face growing by the minute.
“Naughty girl, were you out all night?”
“Uh…” I looked away from him and tucked my hair behind my ears. “I fell asleep at the library.”
He sighed. “I tried that excuse once. Apparently they close at three a.m. and have security dogs check under the tables every night.”
“Damn.”
“Whoa, and a curse.” He wrapped his arm around me and walked me down the hall to my room. “Someone walking on the wild side?”
This time I rolled my eyes without any effort.
He paused, releasing his hold on my arm, and then his nose was in my hair, on my neck, everywhere.
Too much in shock to do anything, I froze.
Gabe pulled back. A smug grin plastered all over his chiseled face. “Sex. I smell sex on you.”
Guilt slapped me across the face. I tried to hide it, but Gabe saw it. He nodded once and then tapped his finger against his mouth. “My money’s on Michels.”
And heat just exploded across my face.
“In his room?”
I started fidgeting with my keys so I could unlock the door. Gabe grabbed my hand and held it captive. “A word of warning.” His eyes lost all hint of teasing. “He’s probably not the type of guy to get involved with for your first—”
Now Gabe was blushing right along with me.
“My first?” I straightened tried my best to look ignorant.
“Just your first.” He swore and put the key in the lock. “He’s rich. Women want him. Hell, my grandma wants him. Just — just be careful. Guys like that, they don’t do commitment. They do one night stands.”
“Funny,” I said with a snort. “That’s exactly what Lisa said about you.”
“Hey!” He twisted the key and pushed the door open for me to go through. “I don’t pretend to be innocent, okay? I screw girls, they say thank you, and I let them go on their merry way. Both parties satisfied, end of story. I’m up front about what I am and who I am…”
“And he isn’t?”
“He’s secretive.” Gabe swore. “And I know he didn’t rape that girl. I’m just saying, to be careful, that’s all.”
“Careful?” Lisa’s sleepy voice came through the bedroom door, and then she appeared in short white shorts and a tank top. “Who has to be careful?”
I shot Gabe a pleading look. He sighed guiltily. “I do. I totally got drunk and almost bagged your roommate last night.”
Lisa screamed.
Gabe smiled. “At least you’re awake now.”