Just a Little Crush(11)

He smiled. “I need to get to class, but I’ll see you tomorrow, then?”

“Yeah. Tomorrow.”

After we parted ways I was in some serious need of caffeine so I made a stop at the campus coffee shop.

“Double skinny caramel latte for Brinley,” the girl behind the counter called out.

I grabbed my drink and my phone chimed. I stopped at a small round table, set my cup down and pulled out my phone.

Ryder: Double, huh? Long night?

I stared at the screen, rereading the message. My brain didn’t seem to want to comprehend the words. For one, why was Ryder’s number programmed into my phone? And two, how did he know—

My head shot up and I looked around. Tucked into the corner was a delicious specimen of man. Ryder freaking Briggs. His overgrown hair fell over his forehead; he brushed it away, exposing gorgeous green eyes. His navy blue T-shirt clung to his chest and his legs were stretched out as he slouched back. He grinned, lifted one finger and motioned me over.

My body, on autopilot, obeyed. One part of me wanted to run the opposite way but the other part of me wanted to curl up in his lap. God, I was pathetic. With my bag slung over my shoulder, I made my way over.

Using his foot he pushed the chair out in front of him. “Sit.”

I dropped into it like a goddamn dog in obedience school.

Shaking my head, I started to stand. “I can’t stay. I have—”

“You don’t have class.”

I plopped back into the chair. “What? How do you know?”

“I have my sources.” He grinned. “I’m not asking for a life commitment here, Brinley. Just sit. Drink your coffee and talk with me. That’s all.”

“Do you even realize we went to high school together?” I blurted.

“I know exactly who you are.”

“Oh.” I sipped coffee.

“So you didn’t answer. Long night?”

“No. I just like strong coffee.”

“Good answer. I’m not going to lie. Thinking about what might have kept you up at night both irritated and intrigued me.”

I sputtered coffee.

He raised an eyebrow. “You okay?”

“Fine. Um, I think I need to go.”

“Do I make you nervous, Brinley?”

Nervous? That was putting it lightly. His nearness raked my body with about a hundred different emotions.

“I don’t want to—although, I do find it adorable. Actually, that’s not the right word.” He leaned forward. “When your cheeks get red like that, I start thinking about other ways I could make them flush. Then I start thinking about keeping you up at night, which leads to thoughts about the way you kissed me. If that was fifteen, I can only imagine what a little time and experience can do. But then I see the way you get when you’re around me and it makes me wonder how much experience you’ve had since then.”

Anger squashed all those other emotions. “That’s none of your business,” I snapped.

“You’re right. It isn’t.” His voice went all low and husky. “But trust me when I say, I want to make it my business. But girls like you and guys like me don’t work. I’d ruin you and I don’t want to do that.” He stood, placed both palms on the table and leaned dangerously close to me. “Though I will tell you, you ruined me. I’ve held a lot of girls I kissed to your standard and I’ve been sorely disappointed.”

My pulse pounded so hard I could barely hear the words coming out of his mouth. This was not happening. He did not just say I’d ruined him at fifteen. I hadn’t even known what the hell I was doing.

He stared down at my lips and I held my breath. If I moved a fraction of an inch our lips would touch.

He closed the distance and brushed his lips against mine. When the metal ring made contact with my mouth, I shivered.

“Fuck,” he whispered, then spun around and left without another word.

I glanced around, wondering if anyone had noticed our exchange, but no one seemed to be paying attention. The few people there had their heads buried in their laptops or were engrossed in conversation. I was grateful, because Ryder had left me all sorts of flustered.





Chapter Four


The next evening my phone chimed with a text.

Noah: Chem lab ran late. Jumping in shower now. Meet me at my room? Roommate will let you in.

We were supposed to meet in front of his dorm but now that wasn’t happening. I debated what to do. After yesterday, I thought of Noah as a lot more harmless.

I called Fallon. She wasn’t exactly my first choice, but she’d have to do at the moment. I needed to tell someone where I was.

“Would you do me a favor?”

“Depends.”

“Will you text me in ten minutes, and if I don’t respond call Mason and tell him I’m at Noah’s?”