I lay beside her, grabbing her by the waist and bringing her head to my chest. “Missed that,” I breathed in her hair.
“Me too.”
Silence filled the air. There was a lot running through my mind, but yesterday during the seminar got to me the most.
“The boy who was touching you…is it serious with him?”
“No,” she answered, and she almost sounded sad about it.
I picked her head up, forcing her eyes on me. “Do you like him?”
She stared into my eyes, and before she even responded, I already knew the answer. “He’s a good guy. A really good guy, actually.”
“How so?” She tried to pull away, but I kept her chin trapped between my fingers. “How so, Kandy?”
“I don’t know, he just is. He does little things that any sane girl would kill to have.”
“Things like what?”
“He’s attentive and caring. Patient. He holds doors and offers to buy me lunch, and apologizes way too much, even when he really didn’t do anything wrong. We’re not together, and I feel bad that we aren’t because he’s such a nice guy.” Her eyes fell. “He’s the complete opposite of you,” she whispered. “And I think that’s why I can’t bring myself to want him.”
Wow. That had truly shocked me to hear.
“Damn.” I released her chin and she dropped her head, placing her cheek on my chest again. “Is that a bad thing? Him being the opposite of me?”
“Kind of. For one, being around him made me realize that I’m not ready to move on yet.” She ran the pad of her forefinger over my ribcage, drawing the shape of a heart. “And two, because kissing him didn’t feel anything like kissing you.”
“You kissed him?” I frowned, grabbing her chin and putting her eyes on mine again.
“You shouldn’t be so surprised. I was trying to move on.” Her voice was light.
My nostrils flared, but deep down, I knew I couldn’t be too upset. I’d allowed this to happen. Still, it didn’t stop me from being a possessive asshole.
I leaned forward, cupping her ass in my hand and shifting her up just enough until her lips were hovering above mine. My other hand wrapped around the back of her head, my fingers getting tangled in the loose strands that’d fallen out of her ponytail, and I kissed her.
I kissed her hard and deep and she moaned, body melting into my grasp. I kissed her until my lips were raw and almost numb. “He doesn’t have shit on me,” I growled. “Kissing him didn’t feel like this because he doesn’t know what you like.”
She let out a sharp breath, pushing her groin into mine.
“I know what you like.” I brushed my lips across hers, teasing. “I know what you need.” I kissed her once then tugged on her hair to force her mouth away, and she made a noise of defeat. “I know what riles you up and what keeps you sane. You are mine. Always will be. No matter the situation, no matter how fucked up life gets. Mine. Do you understand?” I kissed her harder, sliding my tongue over her lips before plunging it through. Her body was lax, her breaths intense and quick as our tongues collided. Blood pumped between my legs, bringing my cock to life all over again. Fuck, she drove me crazy.
She sucked on my bottom lip and my hardening cock twitched, eager to be inside her again. She then looked up at me with a face so angelic, it made my heart boom, knowing I probably wasn’t worthy of a presence like hers, but was also too damn stubborn to let this angel go.
When our mouths parted, they hovered. Hovered, but hardly touched.
“I will always be yours,” she whispered.
And I knew she’d meant it.
Chapter Twenty-Six
KANDY
Cane ordered room service for lunch. Hot sandwiches and Mountain Dew were on the menu and I was glad he’d remembered my favorite soda.
There was a reason I’d taken so long to meet him at the gas station. I had contemplated before going. I literally paced my dorm room, after pretending I didn’t feel up to par to shop with Morgan and Gina, debating whether or not to meet Cane. I weighed the pros and the cons repeatedly, and somehow the pros outweighed them.
I met him because I knew I would regret not going to see him. It was a good thing I showed up when I did too. I could tell he’d gotten tired of waiting.
We lounged around on his bed, the perfect lazy Sunday. He’d answered a few business calls, but I didn’t mind. I was just happy to be around him.
“So how was it your sister’s idea for you to come here?” I asked when he sat in the chair across the room. I was laying belly-flat on the bed, my phone in hand, waiting for an email to show up to tell me my grade for a quiz we had the past Friday.