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“Maybe I should put some where they can.” “Better not,” I whisper. “We aren’t even supposed to be doing this.”
“I know what I said before, but I didn’t mean it, Vi. I’ll respect your wishes if you want to wait until the semester ends. I’m not going anywhere. Or with anyone, if that’s what you’re worried about.”
Nash’s fingertips trace my upper arm, lightly tickling my skin in the best way. “I’ll do everything I can to make sure you don’t get in trouble. Promise. And if it ever comes down to it, I’ll take the heat so you don’t.”
“Uh-oh. Think I got payback for that hickey you left behind.” “Huh?” He cranes his neck, his mouth pulling into a smug grin. “Nice. I didn’t even feel that.”
“Memento mori, amor fati,” I read aloud. “Latin, right? What does that mean?” “Remember death, love your fate.”
It’s 1:42 a.m., and Violet is curled up on her side facing me. Her smooth, bare curves are pressed against my body, and her top hand is still intertwined in mine, the way she fell asleep.
“Hmph?” Violet mumbles groggily, hand landing on mine in the dark. “No, don’t go.”
“Trust me, Petal. I don’t want to, but I have to get back.
“No shit, Vaughn said you were late as hell. Where did you disappear to, anyw—oh.” Connor’s eyes track over to where I’m looking, and he laughs. “You were with her, weren’t you?” “Zip it, you dick.” I try to punch him in the ribs from across the aisle, and he dodges me.
“But you’re involved again,” he observes. “You followed her out of the pool last night.” Fuck me.
“I don’t know how to answer that,” I admit, reaching down and fumbling for my water bottle, my fingers finally landing on it. “Look, Richards.”
severe. “I like Violet, and I’m not here to ruin anyone’s internship or chances at graduation, nor am I going to tell you what to do on your own time. But make sure you keep it professional on the clock going forward, okay? My discretion ends if it becomes a problem.”
“Thank you, Coach. I will. You have my word.”
“He’s grown so much.” “Because he eats everything in sight,” Nash says, shutting the door behind me. “Even if it isn’t food.”
Breaking away, he squeezes me tighter, a satisfied hum resounding in his chest. “Missed you,” he murmurs, kissing me again. I smile against his lips. “It’s only been one day.”
“Two days since I was able to kiss you.”
“We have the place to ourselves,”
Every single wall around my heart crumbles to dust. “Oh my gosh.” I step closer, admiring his handiwork. “You made us a pillow fort?” A pillow fort on steroids might be more accurate. It’s a work of art. White sheets draped atop a furniture frame form the walls and roof, with one side left open to the flat-screen TV. Inside, there are twinkle lights strung around the top and flameless candles on the floor, both casting the space in a warm glow. The floor is covered with stacks of pillows, a tray filled with all of my favorite snacks off to the side. It’s dim and cozy, not to mention incredibly
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“If I can’t take you on a date in public, I figured I should do something else.”
“Though it took twice as long as it should have because someone ...
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“Thank you.” I swallow, blinking back the moisture pooling behind my eyelids. “This is so sweet. I love it.”
“Gotta say, tears aren’t quite what I was going for.” “They’re happy tears.” I bury my face in his chest, circling my arms around his waist for a hug. He plants a kiss on the crown of my
“Let’s go snuggle.” We duck beneath the sheet, and Nash lowers to sit on the floor, widening his legs. His arms wrap around my waist, hauling me down with my back against his chest. He rests his chin on my shoulder, his temple pressed to mine, and I get butterflies without a single kiss.
“What do you want to watch?” “You can choose.” Truth be told, I’m so happy curled up like this together that I could watch paint dry and love every minute. “No, you pick.”
“Trapped in Heaven?” “Done,” he says, reaching for the remote.
“Admit it. You were totally invested in that movie. You wanted Elle and Ryder to end up together, too.” “Maybe a little,”
“It was better than some of the action movies Connor and Drew make me sit through. Those are nothing but three hours’ worth of explosions and gunfire with zero plot.”
“There’s always the hot girl consolation prize, at least. You know, with the obligatory shot of them running in a tight white tank top during a...
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“The only tits I’m interested in seei...
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“Speaking of that, these fucking yoga pants make your ass look unreal. I want to bite it.” His fingers trace the inner hem at my knee, desire stirring in my core as he inches upward. My leggings are so thin, it’s almost like he’s touching my bare skin. When he’s halfway up my thigh, a frown overtakes his face, and he stops abruptly. “On second thought, come here.”
Shifting his weight, he pulls my legs into his lap, readjusting us both so we’re facing each other. The energy in the dimly lit tent transforms, taking on a sudden weightiness.
“Give me another chance, Vi. A real chance. No more one foot in, one foot out.”
There is no playing it safe when it comes to love; it’s a contact sport for your heart.
Falling for him again is a foregone conclusion. I’m so head over heels that I think I might be permanently upside down.
“It’s nice to know the other night wasn’t just about sex to you, that’s all. It meant something to me, but I wasn’t sure…” “For the record, it has never been ‘just sex’ with you,”
“Sex makes me feel closer to you, sure. But you could remove it from the equation, and I would still want to be around you all the time.” “You would?” “Of course.” I love spending time with Violet. She’s one of the only people on the planet who doesn’t annoy the shit out of me.
Her pink tongue darts out, moistening her lips, but she doesn’t say anything. My heart clenches until my ribs ache, praying this doesn’t turn into a repeat
“Talk to me, Vi,” I say hoarsely. Her throat bobs with a swallow. “I want to be with you, but I’m afraid you’re going to pull back like you did last time.”
got scared.” “Scared of what?” “Lots of things. Fucking it up. Not living up to what you needed. Losing you.”
“I know none of this makes sense when I say it out loud because it was a self-fulfilling prophecy. I’m working on it. Not saying it’s fixed, but I understand it a little better now, and that’s the first step.”
“Working on it? What do you mean?”
“In therapy,” I finally force out.
“Coach sent me after my injury because I wasn’t coping well. Hockey is my outlet for things, and I was a little lost without it.”
“How do you know you’re not going to get scared again?” Her voice is so gentle, it almost hurts. She’s always been good to me, even when I don’t deserve it. “I’m scared now,” I admit. “But I’m here, and that part won’t change.”
“If this is going to work, I need you to be honest with me and tell me if there’s a problem instead of withdrawing.” “I will. But speaking of problems, I need you to handle something for me.” “What’s that?”
“You need to deal with Preston because if he touches you like that again, I’m going to break his fingers, and that might interfere with his career plans.”
“Touches me?”
“You mean, on the bus? Preston was trying to make me feel better so I didn’t throw up all over the aisle. For everyone’s sake. He wasn’t doing anything dif...
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“I’m serious, Vi. Dude needs to be set straight. If you won’t, I will, and I won’t be nearly as nice as you.”
“I assure you, it’s not a thing. But if it makes you feel better, I’ll talk to him. In fact, I was trying to talk to him at Fall Fest until someone interrupted us.” “Don’t regret it, and I’d do it again.” “I know.” She laughs. “That’s the problem.”
