“Our lesson isn’t until this afternoon. And you’re supposed to be teaching.” I cross my arms over my chest, digging my fingernails into the backs of my arms. “So what do you want?”
“What happened to you last night?” His voice is low, and when I don’t answer he strides over to me and cups the side of my face. There’s no hesitation in the fingers splaying over my skin, no asking for permission. My body betrays me almost immediately, and I turn my head, letting his palm mold against my cheek. “Evelyn?”
My breathing comes out in shallow spurts, and my chest feels like it’s about to explode. Everything is weighed down because of this boy—no, this man—and it shouldn’t be.
“Your girlfriend showed up,” I say hotly, taking a defiant step toward him. My breasts brush up against his chest, causing his body to jerk. “I wasn’t going to just sit there twiddling my thumbs like an idiot.”
“You are impatient.” He traces his thumb over my upper lip. “As soon as I sent Cari on her way—and we’re not together, nor did I touch her last night—I came out to get you. I meant what I said about wanting you. Imagine my surprise to find you gone.”
“How the hell could you be surprised when—”
Drawing my lip between his thumb and forefinger, he shakes his head. “Again, Cari’s not my girlfriend. I had no issue telling her that and telling her to leave.”
Running his gaze over the full length of my body, one corner of his full lips tilts into a smirk. His warm breath tickles my face when he says, “You stood me up again.”
“It was on your personal time, so I’m pretty sure it’s not against the rules.”
Dropping his hands to my hips, he yanks me to him so hard we stumble back against one of the shelves, sending a box of reeds tumbling to the floor.
“You didn’t give me a chance,” he tells me again. He crushes his mouth against mine in a kiss that’s too short and yet far too long. A kiss that tastes bittersweet, beautiful, and makes my chest seize up in the worst pain I’ve felt in a long time.
Rhys drags himself away from me, leaving me dizzy, and I trace my nail around the outline of my lip. Once he catches his breath, he leans close to me again. “But since you asked, yeah, it’s sure as hell against the rules. Everything with you is against the rules, and I’m kicking myself for breaking them. You’re eighteen—”
“Nineteen,” I correct breathlessly, “My birthday was August tenth.”
“Still, you’re almost five years younger than me,” he growls, “And yet, all I can think about is you.” He shakes his head, and I’m unsure if it’s at me or himself, before he tells me, “When you’re ready to finish this, just tell me.”
***
“I’ve missed you, woman! God, it feels like I haven’t seen you in years!” Kendra shouts four days later, on Friday, when I meet her at the front of my dorm. She all but tackles me as she launches herself into my arms.
“It’s only been six weeks,” I point out, laughing, but I hug her back as tightly as I can. I pluck her duffel bag out of her grip and swipe my student ID over the scanner by the front door. “You have no idea how happy I am to see you—I’ve been a mess without you.” And I have. Ever since Rhys pulled me in that music room four days ago, I haven’t been able to think clearly.
We take the elevator up to my room where we find Corinne trying on outfits for one of the many parties that will be going down tonight. When I shut the door behind us, she pops her head up, grinning broadly. “This must be the fantastic Kendra.”
“Oh God.” Kendra’s brown eyes shoot over to me. “What’s she been telling you about me?”
“Not nearly enough,” Corinne promises her before holding up two shirts for my inspection—one black and lacy and the other a fluorescent pink tube top. I point to the black one. “So, where all are you two going tonight?”
There are several bands scheduled to start playing in the next couple hours, and after that, I’ve been invited to parties all over campus—from Baseball House to the music fraternity and even to a few in-room parties from people I know from class. “It kind of depends on what she wants to do.” I glance at Kendra who lifts her shoulders slightly before I ask Corinne the same question. “What about you?”
She rattles off a list of parties she’ll be hopping to with her friends, and I get dizzy just thinking about it. After she finishes dressing, she stands in the center of our room and spins in a circle, and I give her an approving nod. “Be safe tonight,” I say, sounding exactly like Kendra, who gives me an amused look.
Grabbing her room keys, Corinne waggles her eyebrows suggestively. “Always. Have fun tonight, Evie.” To Kendra, she waves and says, “I hope we’ll be able to do something tomorrow so you can tell me all about Evie—she always tells me to piss off when I ask questions.”
As soon as my roommate is gone, Kendra spins in my computer chair, taking in Corinne’s tropical-themed side of the room before she rubs her chin thoughtfully. “She’s very nice,” she tells me carefully, but I clearly hear what she’s trying not to say.
“She reminds you of me, doesn’t she?” Squinting, she holds her purple-painted thumb and forefinger a few centimeters apart, and I groan. I throw myself on my bed and prop my chin up in my hands. “Yep, that’s what I was afraid of.”
We spend the next hour and a half catching up. I learn that my ex is dating a girl I was friends with in high school and that Kendra’s been seeing a guy I’ve never met—some basketball player from Denmark. “Oh, and I’m thinking about trying out for the tennis team next year. I was pretty good at it in high school, so I figured why the hell not.”
Flipping over on my back, I stare upside down at her. “You make me feel lazy, I haven’t worked out in months. I think about it and then I end up downing a Coke. My mother would be so proud,” I say, thinking of how even in the weeks following Lily’s death, and after the revelation about my dad’s affairs, Mom still attended her yoga and spin classes religiously.
“Whatever,” Kendra snorts. “You and Lily were always freaks of nature. I used to be so jealous of you two because you ate as much as my dad and didn’t gain a pound.” My phone beeps on my desk, and Kendra leans over. “Nathan?”
“Yeah, we’re supposed to be meeting them for the show tonight.”
Fifteen minutes later as we walk across campus to the courtyard to meet up with Nathan and his girlfriend, we talk about plans for winter break. We’ve almost settled on a spot to head to for a weekend trip during that time, when I see Rhys. And he’s coming directly toward us. I almost lead her in the opposite direction, but then I pull in a breath and face him head on. I feel Kendra go still beside me as he grants her a brief smile.
“You got my email?” he asks me, and I nod. His request to cancel our practice this afternoon had come through early this morning, but it had actually worked out to my advantage since Kendra was in town. His eyes touch my floppy black fedora, and he twists his full lips to the side in amusement.
“One of these days,” he promises.
“I stopped wearing them around you,” I argue, and then I realize how rude I’m being and twist to look at Kendra. “Rhys, this is my best friend Kendra,” I tell her and she smiles broadly at him. Clearing my throat, I tell my best friend, “And this is my advisor’s assistant.”
After they’ve exchanged greetings, Rhys lifts his eyebrow at Kendra who responds by doing the same. “Does she wear these ridiculous hats everywhere?”
“Even in the shower,” she jokes, and he nods his head as if she’s confirmed all his suspicions.
“Thought so. Look, I’ve gotta meet some friends, but let me know if you need anything before midterms, okay?” I don’t miss his longing look or the words left unsaid as he brushes past us, his arm skimming my wrist. Letting me know that his invitation to come to him is still open.
Kendra pulls me close to her, and I pump my legs faster to keep up despite the fact that she’s a little shorter than me. “I think my own underwear just melted at the way that boy stared you down,” she whispers, sounding nothing like the Kendra I’ve known for so many years. “Good God. You didn’t mention he was that gorgeous. None of the voice guys you were friends with last year looked anything like that.”