Stupid Girl(54)

Nutcracker!

Brax’s gaze was still on mine when the safe word popped into my head. The second it did, all of those ridiculous things Tessa had said about Brax that first night burst into my memory. A giggle began and bubbled up from my throat. I couldn’t contain it, no matter how hard I tried. It was just so damn funny! The puzzled expression on Brax’s face made me giggle even harder, and I squeezed my eyes shut to try and stifle it—

My mouth was seized then, and Brax’s warm firm lips slanted over mine and settled in, sufficiently knocking the giggle right out of me. His hand slipped behind my neck, his thumb grasped my jaw, and he held my head still as he deepened the kiss, teasing me with slight tastes of his tongue, nudging my lips apart and sucking my bottom lip, caressing my scar. I lifted my hands and sifted my fingers through his damp curls. He inhaled sharply, and took my breath right along with it.

When Brax lifted his head and looked down at me, it was as it had been that first day. Shock and wonderment in his eyes mirrored my own. Finally, a slow, sly grin spread across those perfect lips.

“I always keep my promises, Sunshine,” he said. “In the wet grass after a run wasn’t my plan.” He grazed my lip with his thumb. “Guess I couldn’t wait.”

“I was thinking you’d forgotten about it,” I admitted. I turned my gaze to the art and verse inked into the left side of his chest. “Or that you’d changed your mind.”

“Look at me,” he said. When I did, his mouth lifted at one corner. “I’ve wanted to do that since the first time I did it, and every day since.” His brows furrowed. “You got that?”

I smiled. “Yeah, I got that.”

A horn blasted from the street. “Get a room!” a male voice called out.

Brax grinned. “You ready to get out of this wet grass?”

I just kept smiling. “Not really.”

His features shifted then; went from light to dark, softening in a sensual way that surprised me. “Why’s that, Sunshine?”

Beneath the weight of his upper body, I shrugged. “Probably the ink.”

Brax pushed up, grinning, and pulled me up with him. “I knew you was checkin’ me out.”

Brax ran with me back to Oliver Hall, and at the door he grasped my hand, winding his fingers through mine. “We have a fall game Saturday against Conyers State. I’m pitching,” he said. I didn’t think I’d ever get tired of that raspy, crazy accent. He grinned. “Wanna come watch us kick some ass?” He pulled me close. “Pizza after?”

A shiver shot from my head to my toes. “Sure. I’ll ask Steven if he can change shifts with me.”

People were starting to move through campus now, and the sounds of voices and motors starting up and doors opening/closing filtered in through the haze of my amazement at Brax’s presence in front of me. He lowered his head and brushed his lips across mine, then grinned. “See ya in class.”

I smiled. “Not if I see you first.” I slid my key card through the slot and pushed open the door, stepping into the common room. I looked over my shoulder.

Brax laughed as he jogged across the parking lot.

When I turned back around, Tessa was standing in the middle of the common room, hair in a towel. Gaping.

“Holy mother of shit, did I just see Brax Jenkins kiss you?” she said.

I blushed. “You did.”

She gazed out the window in the direction he’d run. “Well I’ll be damned. An astronomy nerd freak of nature and two weeks is all it took to zap his magical porn radar weiner into an out of commission state of existence.” Surprisingly, she grinned at me. “I gotta hand it to him, Liv. I’ve had my eyes on him. And other eyes.” She gave me a light punch in the arm. “I’m not completely sold on him, but from the looks of it you’ve tamed the biggest man slut ever to grace Winston’s campus, my friend. Kudos.” As she pulled me toward the stairwell, she stopped. “But fair warning, chica. This is bigger news than you think, and trust me, it’ll spread like butter on a warm tostada. Classic tattooed bad boy falls for straight-laced geek girl?” Her smile was tight. “I’ve seen it before. Epic. Brace yourself.”

I gave her a questioning look. “What do you mean?”

Her brows lifted, and she blew out a breath. “You’ll see.”





I wasn’t completely convinced Tessa’s epic and my epic meant the same thing, judging from her history of being overly dramatic. The idea had been planted into my brain, though. After I’d showered and dressed for class, and stepped out of the stairwell and into the crowded common room, I glanced around. Waited. A few looks, but nothing more than what I was already used to. I stepped outside, looked around, waited for epic. I hadn’t been this suspicious since Y2-K. But nothing happened. No one gawked. No one rushed up to me with questioning eyes or accusing words. No scorned ex-lovers. No jealous hopefuls. Then again, it had only been an hour since Tessa’s declaration. What was I expecting? I would’ve laughed at myself but I was too annoyed. Seriously? Epic? Was college just a big glorified immature high school? God, I hoped not.