She sighed. “I feel so bad.”
I cupped her cheeks. “Stop it. You’ve got enough pressure on yourself right now. You don’t need this perceived one, either.”
She sighed. “When did you get so wise?”
I snickered. “Popular question, apparently.”
She furrowed her brow in confusion, but I only kissed the tip of her nose. I stood up and walked back over to my cereal, intent on finishing it. I wolfed it down before pouring myself another mug of coffee. I watched Rae gather her things, double- and triple-checking her purse.
“How much time do you have before you go?” I asked.
She sighed. “Uh, fifteen, twenty minutes?”
I wiggled my eyebrows. “How about a quickie for good luck?”
She laughed. “I just did my hair and makeup. It’s not happening.”
“Oh, come on, gorgeous. You know how fast I am in the mornings.”
She shook her head, giggling. “Not a chance. But if you play your cards right tonight, you won’t have to make it quick.”
“Mm, is that a promise?”
She smiled up at me and I chugged back the rest of my second mug of coffee. I walked over to her, threading my arms around her waist. Touching her ignited a fire in my gut. Gazing into her eyes seized my heart within the palm of her hands. Every time I held her, she held me back. And the idea that there would come a time when an hour would sit in between her holding me held my gut hostage with terror.
“I promise, but you’ll have to wait until later. You know, after we find a fun party to go to and all.”
I grinned. “I’m holding you to it, then.”
She giggled. “Good. Because you know you’re my favorite way to unwind.”
“Oh, really now?”
“Mm-hmm. Really.”
“Well, I’ll keep that in mind while I’m watching Mike and Ally suck face all day.”
“What in the world do you think they did for all that time before dinner yesterday?”
I snickered. “Do you really want me to recount it for you?”
She paused. “Wait a second, am I missing something? Did you and Michael talk? What happened?”
I threw my head back in laughter. “I don’t know any details for sure. But I’m sure it involved a lot of cuddling, heavy petting, and Mike begging to get between her legs before Ally came to her senses and wrapped herself up in a petticoat.”
“You’re so mean.”
I chuckled. “Do you have another idea of how that went down yesterday?”
“Actually, no. I don’t.”
I kissed the top of her head, trying to respect the boundaries of her makeup. I didn’t like that, though. It wasn’t Rae, and I didn’t like the fact that she felt she had to doll herself up to make a good impression. Especially without me next to her on campus while those horny-ass college boys roamed around. Even in her nice black pants and button-front shirt, she looked outstanding. Her clothes didn’t have to cling to her like some girls in order to showcase the beauty of her body.
And I wouldn't be there to protect it.
“Call me if you need anything, okay?” I asked.
She nodded. “I promise I will.”