The Mistake (Off-Campus, #2)

by Elle Kennedy

Hannah bursts out laughing. “Wow. Corruption in the Greek system. I’m shocked, I tell you.”

“Guess who just showed up,” Dean murmurs. “Your freshman. Well, I guess she’d be your sophomore now.” My pulse quickens. “Grace is here?” He nods. “Yeah, but…she’s, uh, with someone.”

I had no intention of throwing down tonight, but if some slimy mofo so much as looks at Grace wrong, he’ll be leaving this party on a stretcher.

“I take it we’re wooing again tonight?” he says wryly. Damn right we are.

Fat Ted, by the way? Not fat. Sometimes I really don’t understand nicknames.

His blue eyes conduct a slow sweep of my bare legs, and I curse Daisy for convincing me to wear a short skirt tonight. I then curse myself for allowing his sultry gaze to unleash a flurry of hot tingles, most of which scurry downward and congregate between my legs.

I want to slide my hands beneath his shirt and run my hands over every hard ridge. And then slide them in the opposite direction, slip them inside his pants and wrap my fingers around his⁠— Snap out of it.

From the way his breath hitches, I know Logan senses the change in my body, the quickening of my pulse. The sexual awareness heating the air between us. “How long are you going to keep fighting it?” His voice is husky. Laced with desire.

“Because I’m still attracted to you.” Heavy-lidded eyes rake over my body. “If anything, I think I want you even more.” I know what he means. The attraction seems a thousand times stronger. It’s hot and fierce and I can feel it pulsing deep in my core.

My gaze is glued to his mouth, to the sensual curve of his lower lip. I miss kissing him. I miss the greedy thrust of his tongue, and the way he groaned when it swirled against mine.

One kiss wouldn’t be the end of the world, right? I can just get it out of my system. Get him out of my system.

lol

I grab the back of his head and bring his mouth to mine, kissing him as if possessed. When he groans against my lips, I feel the strangled sound in my clit. Oh God. I can’t breathe. Can’t concentrate on anything but his hungry tongue in my mouth and the rapid beating of my heart.

He growls softly, then slips one hand under my skirt, his fingers tickling my thigh, gliding higher, moving closer to the spot that’s begging for his touch. Millimeters. That’s how close he is. I want to scream for him to touch me already, but he’s taking his time. Rubbing my inner thigh with his thumb. Slowly. Too damn slow.

And yes, I know the name of the guy Grace came to the party with last night. After she’d deserted me upstairs, I asked around and found out everything I needed to know. His name, his rep, and of course, his dorm. Which happens to be my current location.

Me: Are you home? Him: Yup. Me: Text me your address. I’m coming over.

Him: What if I don’t want any visitors? Me: Seriously? After all your “wooing” you’re really gonna say no?

His next message pops up in no time at all. It’s his address. Ha. That’s what I thought.

I stalk inside and close the door behind me, requiring privacy for the tongue-lashing I’m about to give him.

“What is wrong with you?” I say in lieu of greeting. “You went to Morris’s dorm and declared your intentions?”

He offers a faint smile. “Of course. It was the noble thing to do. I can’t be chasing after another guy’...

“I’m not his girl,” I snap. “We went on one date! And now I’m never going to be his girl, because he doesn’t...

“What the hell?” Logan looks startled. “I’m disappointed in him. I thought he had more of a co...

I grit my teeth so hard my jaw aches. “He said he’s backing off because he doesn’t want to get in the middle of something so complicated. I pointed out that there’s nothing complicated about it, seeing as you and I are not together.”

My aggravation heightens. “And then he insisted that I need to give you a chance, because you’re a—” I angrily air-quote Morris’s words “—‘stand-up guy who deserves another shot.’”

Logan breaks out in a grin. I stab the air with my finger. “Don’t you dare smile. Obviously you put those words in his mouth. And what the hell was he jabbering abou...

“What did you say to him, Logan? Did you brainwash him or something? How are you guys family? You don’t even know each other!” Strangled laughter sounds from Logan’s direction. I spin around and level a dark glower at him.

“He’s talking about the joint family we created in Mob Boss. It’s this role-playing game where you’re the Don of a mob family and you’re fighting a bunch of other mafia bosses for territory and rackets and stuff.

We played it when I went over there, and I ended up staying until four in the morning. Seriously, it was intense.” He shrugs....

I’m dumbfounded. Oh my God. Lorris? As in Logan and Morris? They fucking Brangelina’d themselves? “What is happening?” I burst o...

“He’s a cool guy. Actually, he’s even cooler in my book now for stepping down like that. I didn’t ask him to, but clearly he grasps what you refuse to see.” “Yeah, and what’s that?” I m...

Your actions scream ego, not genuine feelings for me.” “That’s not true. What about the night I came to the dining hall? How did that benefit my ego?” His voice is gruff. “I like you, Grace.”

“Why?” I challenge. “Why do you like me?” “Because…” He drags a hand through his dark hair. “You’re fun to be around. You’re smart. Sweet. You make me laugh. Oh, and just the sight of you gets me hard.”

I swallow a laugh. “What else?” Embarrassment colors his cheeks. “I’m not sure. We don’t know each other very well, but everything I do know about you, I like. And ...

As if sensing my doubts, he hurries on in a pleading voice. “Give me another chance. Let me prove to you that I’m not an egocentric ass.”

I hesitate. “Please. Tell me what’ll it take for you to go out with me, and I’ll do it. I’ll do anything.” Well. That’s interesting.

I’m not the type to play games. I’m really not. But I can’t fight this nagging distrust, the cynical voice in my head warning ...

Yet I also can’t bring myself to say no again, because another part of me, the one that loves spending time wit...

God, maybe I do need him to prove it to me. Maybe I need him to show me how serious he is about dating me. An idea niggles at the back of my m...

But hey, if Logan can’t tackle a few simple obstacles, then maybe he doesn’t deserve another shot. “Anything?” I say slowly. His blue eyes shine with fortitude...

“What rhymes with insensitive?” I tap my pen on the kitchen table, beyond frustrated with my current task. Who knew rhyming was so fucking difficult?

Garrett, who’s dicing onions at the counter, glances over. “Sensitive,” he says helpfully. “Yes, G, I’ll be sure to rhyme insensitive with sensitive. Gold star for you.”

Tucker finishes loading the dishwasher and turns to frown at me. “What the hell are you doing over there, anyway? You’ve been scribbli...

“I’m writing a love poem,” I answer without thinking. Then I slam my lips together, realizing what I’ve done. Dead ...

Garrett and Tucker exchange a look. An extremely long look. Then, perfectly synchronized, their heads shift in my direction, and they stare at me as if I’ve just escaped...

There’s no other reason for why I’m voluntarily writing poetry right now. And that’s not even the craziest item on Grace’s l...

The little brat texted me not one, not two, but six tasks to complete before she agrees to a date. Or maybe gestu...

I get it, though. She doesn’t think I’m serious about her and she’s worried I’ll screw it up again. Hell, she probably believes this list of hers will scare me o...

But she’s wrong. I’m not afraid of six measly romantic gestures. Some of them will be tough, sure...