Shit.
How do I keep losing track of time today?
I haul ass toward my Psych building, determined not to give Crawford an excuse to ream me out again. I make it to the building, spotting Crawford across the quad, and let out a breath of relief that I’ll actually beat him. Keeping up my pace so I don’t end up with a seat at the front, I glance behind me to make sure Crawford isn’t on my tail as I feel eyes on me, and I walk straight into a wall of muscle before bouncing back down onto my ass.
I groan at the ache in my tailbone, hoping that somehow, in the busy halls of this building, no one saw that absolute fail.
Looking up, I find the dark god that is Cole Beckett staring down at me, not quite glaring, but he definitely doesn’t look happy to see me. I let out a sigh and start to climb to my feet when a hand is shoved in my face.
I look back up and find him just watching me, disgruntled, like me not letting him help me is pissing him off. Though that could just be my existence. Cole Beckett is an enigma. He doesn’t seem to speak much. Well, not to me anyway.
“Briar.” My name rolls from his tongue, more of a rumble from his chest than an actual spoken word, and a part of me wants to be a stubborn asshole and just stand up my damn self, but manners don’t cost a damn thing, so I take his hand and accept the help.
“Thank you,” I utter, trying to ignore the tingle of my skin where it touches his, which is somewhat hard to do since he isn’t letting go. I try to pull my hand from his grip, but his fingers tighten on mine as he peers over my shoulder. I turn to look behind me at whatever he’s staring at, but don’t get the chance when he drags me into the room beside us which is, thankfully, empty.
“Cole, what the hell?” I ask, still unable to extract my hand from his. His eyes darken to pools as black as coal as he stares down at me, stepping closer. I take a step back without thinking and the corners of his lips tilt up. We repeat the push and pull until the wall is at my back and he steps into my space, pressing me against it with the hard wall of his body.
“You, Briar Moore, are a distraction I don’t need,” he says, his voice deep and growly as he uses his other hand to tuck my hair behind my ear. I feel like a deer caught in headlights: frozen, breath hitched, and entirely captured by his stare.
He strokes my cheek with his thumb and I let out a shaky breath, which seems to make his eyes light up. “Your heart is racing,” he murmurs as he tilts my chin up so I’m meeting his gaze.
I open my mouth to try and say something as I press my free hand against his chest in a feeble attempt to create some distance, but then his lips are on mine and it's like the world pauses. For a guy so big, his lips are incredibly soft. He gently teases my mouth with his, his tongue finding the seam, pushing through as a whimper escapes me when he releases my hand. Using both hands, he cups my cheeks as he steals my breath with his kiss.
He pushes harder against me, his kiss becoming more demanding, and rather than pushing him away, I find myself clinging to him like I don’t need air as long as he doesn’t stop. Fire licks up from my toes and through my entire body until I’m sure the world has burned around us and neither of us have noticed or cared.
He pulls back and I suck in a breath, my lungs screaming at me as I look up at him, trying not to look as doe-eyed as I feel.
Resting his forehead against mine, he strokes my cheek again before pulling away. “This was a mistake. You should stay away from me. From all of us.”
He stares at me for a beat before exiting the room, leaving me reeling, before I haul ass so I’m not any later for class.
What the actual fuck was that?
* * *
After arguing with Travis and coming out the victor—which I’m still not sure was the best idea, but screw it—I pull up at the Kensington McMansion in the Batmobile,Bite My Tongueby You Me at Six blasting loud enough that my thoughts haven’t been able to plague me, and my stomach flutters with the butterflies that have taken flight in there.
Not only have I not seen my mom in months, but we weren’t exactly on the best terms when I left. Not after her spectacular fuck up, but that’s not something I want to dwell on right now either. Add that to the fact that Travis is a cranky asshole whenever he’s in my vicinity and the warnings about Chase… I’m really not looking forward to anything about tonight.
Except for Tobias. He was all kinds of awesome when he welcomed me to my new ‘home’.
I’ve officially been back from California two weeks tomorrow… who would’ve thought my life would completely upend in such a small amount of time?
Sure as hell not me.
Taking a deep breath, I push the buzzer for the behemoth garage and wait for the door to rise before pulling the metal monstrosity of a Porsche inside and parking it where I found it before. Once I shut down the engine, I press my hands against my stomach and hope like hell that I can actually eat something tonight.
If not, there will be a ramen dash later, but still, I don’t want to offend Tobias and the other kitchen staff.
I slide out of the car, double checking I have my phone and wallet in my purse. Usually I wouldn’t have gone all out like this, but when Travis arrived at the dorms to insist I drive here with him and lost his shit at my jeans and t-shirt ensemble, I figured I should make a little more effort. Especially since he was in dress pants and shirt. He lost the argument of me arriving with him, obviously. Honestly, the thought of being stuck in a car with him for too long makes me feel suffocated. God knows what an actual car journey would feel like.
I smooth down the skirt of the dress for the millionth time, which is paired with a pair of shoes I borrowed from Penn since all I own are Converse and my trusty thrift store boots, but I look cute and I’m trying to remind myself this is just a simple family dinner.
Taking another breath to steady my nerves, I push my shoulders back and raise my chin before heading inside the house.
I’m definitely not wishing that Asher’s merry little band of Rottweiler puppies were here tonight. Nope. Not at all.
Dammit.