Tutoring the Player (Campus Wallflowers #1)(51)

She does, stating random facts as I glide my lips along her soft skin. I don’t hear a lot of it. I’m too wrapped up in her. She consumes me. Kissing her, touching her, just being near her alters everything around me where it’s only her.

“His later works include Autumnal Tints, The Succession of Trees, and…” Her voice wavers, and she lets out a little sigh as I suck lightly on her neck.

“And?”

“I can’t remember.”

I open the book. Who would have thought I’d be spending my afternoon reading Thoreau?

“Here it is,” I say.

She looks up at me with hooded blue eyes. “What is it?”

“You tell me.”

“I don’t care anymore,” she says, and tries to kiss me.

I take a step back. “Tsk, tsk, sweet Daisy.”

She cares. Maybe not right this second, but no way I’m letting her off so easy.

She growls and tries to reach for the book.

“No cheating.” I move closer, dip my head so my lips are within millimeters of her neck, and blow lightly, teasing her.

She leans into my touch, eliciting a laugh from me.

“Give me a hint.”

“One of them starts with a W.”

“Wild Apples,” she says quickly, looking so damn proud of herself.

I love it when she smiles at me like she’s doing now. I feel a thousand feet tall.

“A-plus.” I drop a soft kiss to her lips.

“You’re a really good tutor.” She wraps her arms around my neck. “And really, really good with your mouth.”





On the last day of our lab, I stare at her, wondering how the hell she got so far under my skin.

“We did it!” she exclaims after we turn in our tests.

Liam holds up his hand for a high five. She slaps his palm and then looks at me. With a smirk, I lift my hand, let her slap it, then curl my fingers around hers, holding on a fraction longer.





I go to Daisy’s Friday afternoon before she leaves for home. Violet opens the door with a scowl. “Finals are over.”

“Uh, yeah,” I say.

“Why are you here?”

“Vi,” Daisy admonishes and pulls the door wider to let me in. “Ignore her. Come on. I have your notes upstairs.”

“Notes. Right.” I smirk and push past her cousin to follow Daisy upstairs.

“Sorry about that,” she says as she closes the door.

I sprawl out on her bed with my feet hanging off the side. “What time are you leaving?”

“An hour. I’m following Violet. We’re meeting her parents for dinner, and then I’m driving the rest of the way to Flagstaff.”

“Sounds nice.”

She shrugs. “What about you?”

“Not sure. Maybe tonight. Maybe tomorrow.”

“You don’t seem very excited,” she notes. “Liam was practically bouncing yesterday to have a week off hockey.”

“I like hockey.”

“You can like something and still want a break from it.”

I grab her by the waist and pull her down on top of me. I’ve barely had time to work my hand under her shirt when there’s a knock at the door.

“Daisy?” Violet calls from the other side.

She scrambles off me, face bright red. “Just a sec.”

I sit up, and she walks over to the door, then smooths a hand down her hair and over her mouth before she opens the door. “What’s up?”

“How long until you’re ready?”

“Uhh. I thought we weren’t leaving for another hour.”

“It took me less time to pack than I thought. Your stuff is already in the car, yeah?”

Daisy nods. They share some sort of silent communication, and then Daisy says, “Give me five minutes.”

She shuts the door and then turns to face me.

“Five minutes, huh?”

She straddles me and glides her hands along my chest and around to my back. “Sorry.”

“It’s okay. I’ll swing by and see if Gavin wants to grab food or something.”

“You’re really avoiding going home.” Her brows lift in question.

“It’s not my favorite time of year.”

“You don’t like the holidays?” Her expression goes serious. “Oh no, are you a grinch?”

I laugh. “No, it’s just… my buddy, Mark…” I search for the right words. It isn’t something I really talk about with anyone but my friends from high school. No one else really gets it in the same way. They’re supportive, but unless you’ve lost someone like that, it’s hard to understand.

Her mouth makes an O. “Oh my gosh. He died on the twenty-third.”

I nod. “We were at a party to celebrate everyone being home for break.”

She wraps herself around me and squeezes tight. “I’m so sorry.”

“Thanks.” I clear my throat and lift her off me. I stand, and then she does too, watching me with sympathetic eyes.

“I should go so you can get on the road. Have a nice break.” I start toward the door.

“Wait.” Daisy goes to her desk and grabs a black folder. She holds it to her chest as she walks to me. “Your notes.”