Fierce(28)

“What?” I gape at her. “Why?”

“Well, you know, ever since …” She purses her lips and rolls her eyes.

It’s enough to let me know what’s the matter. I’ve known about her likes and dislikes for ages, but I guess her parents never saw it coming. They don’t accept her for the way she is.

“Look, I don’t want to go into that right now. Scarlet needs help, she offered me cash, I could use the money … one plus one equals two, right?”

“Right …” I say. I’m still reluctant to say I like the idea, but I don’t want to be a bitch either. I don’t want to claim her as my study buddy, but at the same time I don’t want to lose her either.

“Everything all right in there?” Scarlet yells through the door.

“Yeah, we’re fine. Just discussing some things before we go.”

“Okay. Let me know when you’re done.” She laughs awkwardly, and it makes me chuckle.

Evie puts her hand on my shoulder. “You okay with this?”

I sigh and nod. “Yeah.”

“You sure you’ll be okay?”

“Yeah, I’m fine. Don’t worry about me. I can study on my own.”

She smiles and then pulls me in for her big bear hug, making me choke. After a while she lets go again and opens the door.

“Ready.” Evie turns her head to me again. “See you tonight.”

“Yeah, see you later,” Scarlet says.

I really have to do my best not to roll my eyes at her. They hurry down the hall, and it surprises me they’re not hooking arms yet.

I sigh and turn around, but before I can close the door behind my back, someone pushes it back open.

With furrowed brows I look down at a foot that’s jammed in front of the door. What the …

“Got a minute?”

My eyes widen as I hear his voice.

I turn around and stare straight into his fierce gray eyes. Hunter. He looks much better than yesterday. Less blood. Still a lot of bruises, though. But his face is no longer swollen.

However, that smile of his hasn’t changed a bit. It still makes me giggly.

I open the door maybe a little too recklessly, because it slams into the wall. I immediately feel embarrassed, and it shows on my skin. Hunter laughs. The sound of it makes me quiver.

“Hey,” I say with a chirpy voice.

“Hey yourself.” He puts his hand on the door frame, and it makes him even larger than before, even though I thought that wasn’t possible. He’s so tall and masculine. My eyes feel glued to his skin. It’s like when he’s around, I can’t look at anything else anymore.

“What’s up?” I say, clearing my throat. I have to ask something. Otherwise I’ll come across like a stammering, drooling chick. And I don’t want to lower myself to that state. Although I know I already have, plenty of times.

“Hmmm, nothing. Just thought I’d come visit.”

I laugh, but my eyebrows draw together in confusion. “For no reason?”

“Yeah? Why? Can’t I come visit the girl who patched me up?”

“That’s not it, I just …” I stammer.

He lets go of the door frame and steps forward, so I step back. “You want me to leave?”

“No, no, no,” I say.

Each step he takes closer, I step one back, but the moment my back hits the wall, I have nowhere else to go. I’m trapped between the wall and his delicious body that towers above me.

A coy smile appears on his lips. “I think you do. You just don’t want to say it. You’re scared of me.”

He leans forward and puts his hand on the wall beside me. I shudder from the predatory look in his eyes. Those damn mesmerizing eyes that turn me into liquid.

God, I could stare at those for ages.

But at the same time, I want to run.

My heart is throbbing in my throat. He’s right. I’m terrified.

“That’s it, right?” he says with a voice so gruff it makes my pussy clench. And it’s just his voice. Just the sound of it is doing this to me. I don’t understand why.

He laughs, but it sounds more like a low groan. It’s a guttural sound, turning me into a puddle. For some reason I want to hear more of it.

“Even if you told me, I still wouldn’t leave. I always go against the rules.” He leans in closer, and my breath hitches in my throat the moment I feel his hot breath against my ears. “That’s why you want me.”

He moves away again. He steps back, giving me room to breathe, but all it does is make this space suddenly feel very empty. Quivering, I just stand there, as he stares at me with a devilish look on that pretty face of his.

God, I want to jump his bones and kiss him.