The entire time we sit in Rickets' class, Sam has my fingers ensconced in his own as if for safekeeping. As if I might disappear if he relinquishes his hold for even a split-second. There's never a moment when he isn't toying with them or stroking his thumb against the sensitive flesh of my palm. It would be distracting if it weren't so cute.It's been over a week since the night at O'Brien's. I have to say, it's been pretty amazing. I keep waiting for the bottom to fall out. I keep expecting to feel itchy or antsy or whatever-it-is-I-start-to-feel before I decide to cut and run.That has yet to happen.My state of happiness is disconcerting. Almost as if everything is right in the world. I'm flooded with an overall feeling of wellbeing, which is scary.I've never felt this kind of contentment course through me. Certainly not over a guy. It's odd how such a subtle shift in our relationship has made me feel complete. Unexpectedly settled in a way I couldn't have dreamed p
Even though the building is closed for the evening and everything is dark and silent, I pitch my voice low in case the janitorial staff is hanging around. "Should we be here?"What if there are surveillance cameras capturing our every move?That thought leaves me gulping before my eyes search the corners of the echoing hallway we're currently sneaking down.All right, fine...I'm the one sneaking.Think Mission Impossible covertness. I'm pulling from all three movies at this point. Sam, of course, is simply walking beside me with a sexy-as-all-hell saunter. Like it's no big deal that we're prowling around the athletic center after hours. "As long as we don't get caught, there's nothing to worry about."The comment has me skidding to a halt. "You're joking, right?"His lips lift into an adorable smile that, under normal circumstances, would melt my heart and flood my panties with heat. At the moment, my nerves are too jacked up for melting or flooding of any kind.Which
He leans over and presses his lips against mine. As I open my mouth, ready to deepen the caress, he pulls away. Not far, just enough so that I can feel his warm breath drifting across my lips. Just enough to leave me yearning for more. Eyelids fluttering open, I find his blue depths piercing mine."Everything will be fine, Vi. You need to relax and stop worrying about the future."I almost snort. Sam has no idea what it's like to work your ass off academically. And the grades I'm pulling, they're not exactly stellar. I work hard just to earn B pluses and A minuses."It's so easy for you," I admit. "You've never struggled in school the way I have." Ever since I've known Sam, he's breezed through everything. Academics have never been a challenge. Even when he loaded up on AP classes junior and senior year in high school, I don't think he expended any more energy than before. I took two AP courses each year, and had to hunker down, carefully plowing my way through the mate
Our hands are all over each other, frantically stroking and exploring as we burst through the apartment door. Now that we're together, I have this insatiable need to touch Violet. Whether it's holding her hand, kissing those plush lips, or cocooning her body with my own, I crave that physical connection.No...not crave. Crave isn't nearly strong enough of a word.I need it.Like oxygen for breath.I need Violet.Even if we're sitting in class, I need the intimacy. The reaffirmation that this is really happening between us and isn't a dream I'm going to startle from.At this point, I'm chalking up all these out-of-control feelings to this being a new relationship. At least, I hope that's what it is. I've waited so damn long for her to see me as something more than a friend. And now that she does, I need my hands on her all the time. Violet Winterfield is like a drug pumping wildly through my veins.All I want to do is pull her into my room and have my way with her. Holdi
With a couple of hours to kill in between class and practice, I make a quick trip home to see my parents. It's a little after two in the afternoon when I walk through the front door."Hello?" My raised voice echoes off the hardwoods that run through the first floor. Since it's early, I know my sister and brother are still at school. Gavin is on the eighth-grade basketball team, so he won't be home until four, which is around the time my sister, Ari, gets off the bus from elementary school."Mom," I call out again, wondering where she is. After a moment, I hear footfalls coming up from the basement. I go to the door and pull it open as she appears with a few stacked boxes in her hands."Hi, sweetie!" She gives me a quick peck on the cheek before sweeping by. "This is a surprise." Concern flickers in her eyes as her brows slide together. "Is everything all right?""Yup, it's fine. Just thought I'd stop by and see how everything is going."When she doesn't respond, I poi
Mia knocks on my partially opened door before sticking her head inside. "Hey, Caroline and Maddie are ordering pizzas, are you interested in splitting one?"Pizza sounds amazing. Plus, I'm in desperate need of fuel for energy. It feels like I'm running on fumes. I've been bogged down most of the day studying for tests and making a last pass through a six-page paper due in sociology on Thursday."Count me in, I'm famished. I think my stomach has started to eat its own lining.""Okay...great." Her mouth hitches at one side. "About the pizza, not your stomach consuming itself. Should I get our usual? Pepperoni with extra cheese and an order of garlic knots?""Definitely." My tummy rumbles in agreement."Fine, I'll let them know." She disappears out the door and down the hall.Ten minutes later, I'm having a difficult time concentrating with pizza on the brain. I push away from my desk before heading out to our common area where Mia is sitting with her Kindle."Reading s
It's only when the pizzas have been demolished, and all of the football players have been thoroughly dissected, do voices finally settle and peace once again reigns over the land.Sheesh. You would seriously think these girls were discussing world politics or global warming by how fiercely debated some of these exchanges were.Once the conversation turns to the men's lacrosse team, I excuse myself to use the bathroom. I have zero interest in listening to them break down the lax players in the same manner they did the football team.And I don't want them asking any more in-depth questions about Sam. For the time being, I want to keep our relationship all to myself. What we do is private, and the last thing I need is a bunch of girls wanting to know how he is in bed. When I finally make it back from the bathroom, Caroline holds my phone in the palm of her hand. Four girls are crowded around her, staring at the screen. As I move further into the room, they simultaneously glan
If I didn't know better, I'd think people were craning their necks, attempting to catch a glimpse of me as I hurry my ass across campus. What I can't figure out is if it's all in my imagination, or if something is legitimately going on.Even though there are about twenty thousand students on campus, I'm not anonymous. Barnett is a huge football school. All of the players are well-known. Even third stringers have clout around here.And I'm no third stringer.That being said, I've never commanded this kind of snap-your-head-around attention before.I don't like it.Girls point and smile as I book past them. Some wave, and a few blush when eye contact is made. Then there are the others. Ones who are more brazen, who give me wolfish grins as their gazes run down the length of me. I have half a mind to stop and ask what the hell is going on, but I don't because I rolled out of bed late this morning. I was too cranked up after that phone call with Violet to fall asleep last nig