“That’s not why I want you. I want you because you’re hot.”
We stopped walking. Brax didn’t seem to have the same issue I did about wanting to protect what we were doing. He stood close, cupped my cheek, traced my bottom lip with his thumb, which made me chub up because, again, he was hot. “Truth, but it’s also because I don’t kiss your ass, and I don’t sugarcoat shit for you. Eventually, that’ll get old and you won’t want someone who makes you work for it.” For a second, I thought he was going to kiss me, right there under a palm tree, in the middle of campus, but instead he dug his teeth into my bottom lip and bit gently. “I’ll never stop making you work for it, Lacrosse.”
Please fucking don’t. I touched my bottom lip, lost for words. It wasn’t the first time he’d done something brazen like he just had, but it made warmth spread through my chest in an unfamiliar way. It made my blood rush faster through my veins and my pulse beat harder against my skin. I seriously doubted this would ever get old, and that…that was scary as fuck and something better thought about another day, so I said, “You like biting.”
“I like biting you.”
“Because you think I’m hot too.”
“Clearly.” He started walking again, but I was rooted to the ground for a moment before catching up with him. I still wondered why we were going to the library instead of somewhere we could fuck around and he could bite me all he wanted.
I followed him, though, and went up the stairs leading to the white-stucco library building. Brax skipped a bunch of empty tables, working his way toward the back, then to the second floor, and finally into a quiet, nearly empty corner there.
He took one of the chairs and sat with his back to the library and facing a window. I went to sit across from him, but Brax shook his head. “No. Sit beside me.”
Why was it so hot when he got a little bossy? “What if I say no?”
“Believe me, you don’t want to.”
Well, when he put it that way, I figured I should listen. But all he did was pull out his laptop, a notebook and pen, which surprised me since hello, computer. He eyed me, waiting for me to do the same. Grumbling, I tugged mine out of the bag too, and then…then we fucking did homework. Not what I had in mind.
But Brax did help me. It was him, so of course he didn’t make it easy on me, like, doing the work for me, but we spent over an hour there together, working through codes and processes until my head hurt and I wanted to cry thinking about this being my whole life. Every time I lost focus, he pulled me back into it, surprisingly without being a dick or seeming like he was losing patience. He didn’t have to do this; he could have walked. My friends wouldn’t have pushed, wouldn’t have kept me there and kept my head in the game, but Brax did.
“You really hate this, don’t you?” Brax asked. Behind us some people came in, others were browsing the shelves, but no one was close enough to listen to our conversation.
“Yes.” I looked away because it was embarrassing as shit. Why did I let my dad control me so much? Why did I do nothing more than pretend to rebel with a stupid-ass job? Why didn’t I call it a day?
“Why nursing?”
No one had ever asked me that before, but then, no one had known before either. My gaze found his again. “I don’t know. No real reason. I’m not one of those people who had a sick family member or whatever. I just…I don’t know. I like the idea of helping people that way. Of doing something that feels like it matters.”
His features softened, and he gave me an almost insecure smile, like it was him who had just shared something personal. “You did your work, and now you get your reward.” I went to close my laptop, thinking we were gonna get out of here so he could blow me, but Brax grabbed my wrist and stopped me. “You don’t want to come, Lacrosse?”
My eyes widened. “Here?” I’d never done something like this before. It was way fucking different than getting on my knees in an empty classroom with a locked door.
He shrugged. “Unless you don’t want it.”
“I want it,” I rushed out, making him chuckle.
“You’re responsible for making sure we don’t get caught.” I nodded dumbly, my body coming alive like a lit sparkler. Brax pulled my chair close. “Put your arm around me.”
I did as he said. He was about to jerk me off in the library. It wasn’t as if I’d argue with anything he told me.