He lifts away from me, his clear blue eyes meeting mine and I realize he’s frowning. Like he might be disappointed in me. “I have a different definition of hooking up then.”

“What’s your definition?”

“You giving me a blow job before I kick you out of my room. Or my car. Or the downstairs bathroom at the house.” His smile is faint, his gaze shifting into villain mode. “I’m a selfish bastard.”

“You do try to kick me out.” But he’s also been a giver with me, though I choose not to point that out. “You’re one of the worst people I’ve ever met.”

His chuckle is deep, making my pussy flutter. “Yet you invite me into your bed.”

“It’s a terrible bed. I hope you’re uncomfortable,” I immediately say, which makes him chuckle even more.

“The bed isn’t so bad.” He removes one of his hands from my boxer shorts and wraps it around the back of my head, holding me still so I have no choice but to stare at him in return. “I don’t particularly like you either.”

His words are like tiny stabs to my heart, cutting me deep. I lower my lids, not wanting him to see the turmoil that is surely swirling in my eyes, but his hand slides down and he squeezes the back of my neck, forcing me to look at him again.

“I didn’t like you at first,” he tacks on. “But now…”

He remains quiet, his fingers threading through my hair, stroking. Making me want to purr like a cat, his touch feels so good. How can he say such cruel things yet touch me like I matter?

“Now, what?” I dare to ask, bracing myself for another insult.

“Now I can’t stop thinking about you. Like, ever. It frustrates me. You frustrate me. You don’t back down from a fight and you seem to—like everything I do to you.” His gaze turns turbulent, like there are a thousand storms swirling in the blue depths. “And I don’t do those sorts of things to just any woman.”

My heart swells and I feel giddy, which is stupid. I shouldn’t believe anything he says. He’s probably just using lines on me to get me to do something even more depraved than usual. Right?

There’s something so sincere about the look on his face though. The sound of his voice. He almost appears pained that he admitted such a thing to me. Little ol’, not important to him whatsoever, me.

“Should I feel honored?” I dare to ask.

“More like you should run screaming from this room.” His lips lift in a barely-there smile and unable to help myself, I dip my head, pressing my mouth to his in the briefest kiss.

I try to pull away but his hand clamps tighter around my neck, keeping me there as he thoroughly ravages my mouth.His tongue is everywhere, searching, tangling with mine. I instinctively start rubbing against him, grinding my hips, desperate for friction. His dick pokes against my ass, insistent, teasing my crack and I grip his shoulders, moving my body over his, whimpering when he nips at my bottom lip with his teeth and gives it a tug.

“Such a horny little thing,” he murmurs once he lets my lip go. “Always trying to get off.”

I have no words. He’s described me perfectly.

“You want to lose your virginity to me in this stupid little bed on a Saturday night? What if your roommate shows up?” He kisses along my jaw. Down the length of my neck. Setting my skin on fire with his warm, wet mouth.

“I don’t care.” A moan leaves me when he pinches my nipple so tight the ache spirals throughout my body, settling between my legs.

“You don’t care? Really.” His voice turns flat and he removes his hands from me. His mouth. Shoves at me until I have no choice but to practically fall off my bed a gasping, shivering mess.

“What are you doing?” He climbs out of my bed and starts putting on his clothes, his movements jerky, his expression dark. Almost scary.

“Leaving.” He glares at me. “You don’t care, right? Find somebody else to fuck you then.”

August Lancaster storms out of my room, slamming the door so hard my teeth rattle in my head. I stare at the door for a moment, glancing down at myself. My skin is rosy red, my nipples aching hard points and the front of my boxer shorts are soaked. I was this close to orgasm, this close to knowing what it would be like to have August inside me and he…what? Got hurt because I said I didn’t care?

I start to laugh. This man is absolutely ridiculous.

He just might have feelings for me.

Chapter Thirty

SINCLAIR

Three weeks go by and I don’t see August, which is probably for the best. Midterms are happening this week and the school workload has intensified. Elise and I are constantly in the library, desperate for quiet time so we can get our assignments done. Working on papers and studying for tests and oh God, the group projects I’m currently working on make me want to curl up in a ball and die.