“I’m not dating anyone.” He leans in closer, his fingers flexing around my neck. “How about you, Smoky Girl? Any more guys I need to chase off?”
“There’s no one.” Once the words are out, I feel even more foolish. I’m not trying to sound so desperate, we only had one actual night together. I shouldn’t be this broken up over thinking he’d cheated on someone with me. Yeah, that’d be bad. Terrible even. But it should’ve just made me angry, not heart broken.
Then his words register, “Wait, what do you mean chase off more guys?”
“Babe, what happened last night was a misunderstanding. But you,” he pulls me closer, “I’ve already had to deal with two assholes. How many more are out there trying to take what’s mine?”
I’m not usually left speechless, but this whole conversation puts me on my back foot.
“Two?” Once I think about, I assume he’s referring to the night Adam tried to crawl into my tent, but… I glance at the now closed door. “You can’t mean-?”
I swear his jaw flexes. “Mr. Standing In Your Classroom Trying To Flirt With You. Yeah, I’m talking about him.”
His tone is so serious, it almost makes me laugh. Almost.
“Mr. Olson was not flirting with me.” I tell him, not sure I believe it.
“Gotta convince yourself of that before you’re able to convince me,” He tips his head down, mere inches left separating us. “Now, are you gonna let me kiss you, or do you want to question me some more?”
I use my free hand to press a finger against his chin, keeping his face where it is, “One more question.”
He lifts his brows, encouraging me to continue.
“You knew that I saw you last night, so you had to know what I assumed.” Even knowing the truth, an unpleasant feeling roils through my stomach. “Why didn’t you stop me? Correct me?”
His smirk is not what I was expecting, “Promise not to hit me?”
I scowl, “No.”
He lets out a breath of laughter, before his face turns serious, “I liked seeing your jealousy.”
My brows furrow together.
For an instant he lets go of my hand, snagging my other one, and before I can react, he has both my hands pressed to his body.
We’re still standing, him palming my neck while keeping my hands trapped between our chests, and it feels more intimate than anything else we’ve done before.
“Thoughts of you have plagued my mind since the moment I stepped out of that damned tent.” He bends towards me, “I wasn’t just going to walk away. That wasn’t going to fucking happen. Sooner or later, I was going to end up right here, chasing you right to your classroom. The one place I knew where to find you. Only I wasn’t sure you wanted to be found.” His breath fans over my lips. “But then I saw you last night, and I knew exactly what you would’ve assumed. And you looked hurt and angry and beautifully jealous. And even though I hate that I put those emotions on your face, I relished in their meaning.” He angles his head, putting his lips next to my ear. “It meant you wanted me too.”
Shivers trace down my spine as his words roll over my skin.
I really should hit him. I wish I wanted to hit him.
“You’re a dick,” I whisper, with no real anger.
“I certainly am. But I’m not a liar. And I’m not a cheat.”
The last of my tension seeps from my bones. I believe him. And as mad it makes me, I understand him.
“Okay,” I tell him quietly.
“Okay?” he questions.
My head tips in the smallest nod, “Okay, you can kiss me now.”
Like magnets that have finally been released, we gravitate into each other.
His lips press against mine, warm and firm. A caress.