“You’ll determine it out,” I say, “whenever you meet somebody you actually like. Issues will click on, and every little thing will stream simply between you, I promise.”

Eden seems to be troubled. She tears her gaze away from the carpet with a sniff. “Yeah, proper. Okay, um… textual content me whenever you’re completed?”

“I’ll. Thanks, Eden.”

“Positive.”

The door clicks shut behind her, and I stare round our room in a daze. The 2 of us aren’t sloppy, however we’re not neat freaks both, and I spend the following 5 minutes shoving sweatshirts in hampers, tugging mattress covers straight, opening the window andspritzing air freshener round. I tidy and fret like a madwoman, then bear in mind too late that I have to bathe, and sprint to the toilet in a panic.

After I come again, Ambrose Brent leans in opposition to the wall exterior my dorm room, trying so misplaced in his button-down navy shirt that it’s nearly humorous. He raises an eyebrow as I hurry towards him, wearing nothing however jersey shorts, a free white t-shirt, and bathe sandals that smack in opposition to my soles.

“Sorry.” Scrubbing at my damp hair with a towel, I allow us to into my room. “Hello. Are available in.”

Silent and looming, Ambrose follows me inside.

Six

Ambrose

All the things about this room screams that Lane is an undergrad, and that I’ve no enterprise being right here. The 2 twin beds, pushed in opposition to reverse partitions, every piled with cushions. The band posters papering the partitions, the bathe caddy Lane units on her desk, and the picket shelf above embellished with publish it notes about essay deadlines.

All the things about this room says it belongs to 2 younger girls on their first journey out into the world, and that I ought to flip round and go away.

I’m a lot older than Lane—in expertise if not in years. Scrubbing a palm down my face, I flip to my pupil. “How outdated are you precisely?”

She frowns, tugging a hairbrush by her damp hair. It’s darker blonde when it’s moist, and the scent of coconut is stronger than ever. My abdomen growls. “Twenty one. Why?”

“As a result of I’m seven years older than you.”

“Psh.” Lane waves a hand, draping her towel over the again of her desk chair. “That’s nothing.”

“It’snotnothing. I’m being—irresponsible.”

“If solely.” Lane’s teasing smile stops the panic clawing my throat, if just for a second. I tug at my shirt collar as she speaks, like I would like extra air. “You don’t have to remain, Ambrose, however I actually hope you do. We’re each adults. We’re not doing something fallacious. And moreover… I’ve missed you.”

She has?

Significantly?

Christ, I’ve missed her too. Over the previous few days, each errant thought in my head has been about one individual: Lane Rhodes. Lane, Lane, Lane.

Following her into these library stacks, whereas listening to the comfortable swish of her gown. Crowding her in opposition to these cabinets, and feeling her heartbeat the place her physique pressed in opposition to mine. The new slide of her tongue. The nip of her tooth.

Each element of our time collectively haunts me.

However that doesn’t imply I ought to make the identical errors once more. I’m supposed to show Lane about Astrophysics, not… notthat.

And but right here I’m in her dorm room. Right here I’m, watching her spin the lock on the door, my abs clenching underneath my shirt. My coronary heart thumps more durable. Can she hear it?

Lane is freshly showered, her naked limbs pink and scrubbed. What does her cleaning soap odor like? Would she let me shut sufficient to inform?

Thunder rumbles exterior the open window, the night sky clogged with clouds. Goosebumps rise on my arms, and static crackles within the air. This near the coast, Kephart Faculty will get lashed by loads of storms, however tonight’s seems to be like an enormous one.

“We might speak about aliens.” The phrases scrape out of my throat. “The seek for extraterrestrial life.” That’s a part of her module, proper?

Lane grins. “We might. Or you would educate me extra about kissing.”

Fuck.

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