Page 49 of False Assumptions

Chapter Twenty-One

Evan sat at a table in the library with a view of the circulation desk where Layla sorted books onto a cart so they could be reshelved. He was supposed to be doing his homework, but he’d been watching her for the last fifteen minutes. Plotting. Because the way her hair fell over her shoulder on one side and left her neck exposed made him itch to go up behind her and put his lips right there. Which made him imagine how she’d melt back into him with one of those sighs that went straight to his dick.

Jesus Christ, he had it bad for this girl. Not that he didn’t already know that, but usually when he got hard in the library, it was because he’d snuck a make-out session in the back corner of the computer technology section upstairs. It was the perfect place, because the computer tech majors did all their research online.

Now that sounded like a great idea. Spring break had spoiled him, and the last week had been rough. She’d started back at work on Monday and worked until close three nights during the week, then most of the day Saturday. His brilliant plan to convince her to stay over with him, or let him stay over with her, had yet to work. And while they’d spent her free nights together, and he’d gotten to see her a little on the days she worked, spending the night at her place Saturday night and spending most of Sunday with her hadn’t been enough to make up for the lack of her. Over a week of her in his space then going back to living with Carter—who was a good roommate, really—sucked ass.

And Sunday had been two days ago. She’d worked again last night. He was dying for a taste of her, the feel of her pressed against him, even if only for a few minutes. She had to get a break at some point, right?

Like she knew what he was hoping for, she reached her hands over her head to stretch, revealing a tantalizing strip of skin and running her fingers through her hair to sweep it down her back, then began to push the cart away from the circulation desk. Evan grabbed a book and followed behind her, catching up once they were around the corner, he caught the other end of the cart and tugged it toward the elevator.

“Evan!” She was surprised, but a smile tugged at her lips.

He stepped close to her, glancing around them before giving her a brief kiss. That only made him want more. But he’d wait until they got to that back corner. The librarians here didn’t look kindly on students making out in the library, which he’d discovered first hand a time or two before. And they were Layla’s bosses. Or coworkers. Anyway, he didn’t want to get her in trouble. But he couldn’t stop himself from getting at least that little kiss. Maybe just one more.

Pushing on his chest, she stepped back. “Evan! I’m at work!”

He grinned at her shouty whisper. “Come upstairs with me for a few minutes. No one’ll find us there.”

Her eyes darted around, and she bit her lip, but she nodded, following him to the elevator. They stood casually, and he made sure to keep either Layla’s cart or the book in his hand covering his junk. No one needed to see the bulge in his jeans, and you never knew when someone would walk by.

While they waited, Layla tried to wipe the smile off her face, but it kept coming back. Good. She was as excited about the naughty interlude that he had planned as he was.

When the doors opened, a woman stepped off the elevator and nodded at Layla. Layla nodded back, her smile now gone. Evan tugged the cart onto the elevator, and she came with it, her eyes still following the other woman. The doors closed, but she shifted nervously, looking all around.

When they got to the second floor, she wouldn’t let him lead the cart the direction he wanted. “Evan, I’ve got to put books away. That woman is my supervisor. If she catches us …”

He stepped around and tugged her hands from their death grip on the cart, pulling her into his arms. “I’m sorry. I don’t want to mess things up for you here, but I miss you so much. I feel like I barely see you now.”

Her head moved against his chest, and she pushed up on her toes to give him a kiss. It started out sweet, but when her tongue slid along his lip, he couldn’t control himself. He took over the kiss, trapping her against him and dominating her mouth.

His brain reasserted itself for a moment, and he broke away. “Come on.”

This time she followed where he led her cart without protest. He used it to block the front of the aisle that led to his destination, and then pulled her into the back corner, caging her in against the books with his arms. “I just need a few minutes, Layla. That’ll be enough to last me until you get off work tonight.” He was lying. It wouldn’t. Not really. But he didn’t have a choice. Even though he wanted to beg her to leave early, he knew she couldn’t. She needed her job.

He dipped his head, his lips touching hers softly, but she surged against him, snapping his control again. His arms wrapped around her, holding her where he wanted her, not giving any quarter. Her hands clutched at his shirt, and she clung to him like it was all she could do to stay on her feet while he kissed her. He knew the feeling. He felt it every time she touched him. She made his knees buckle, his muscles lose their ability to hold him up.

His hips found hers, and she arched against him when he pressed into her. Damn. He wished he didn’t have on clothes. And that she didn’t either. And that they weren’t in the fucking library. His fingers slid under her shirt, needing to feel her skin.

This girl. He couldn’t get enough of her. Even if he moved her into his room and never let her out, he didn’t think he’d ever tire of her. Of her little sighs and the nonsense that came out of her mouth when she was close to coming. The way she pulled her hair over her shoulder into a fall of black silk. How her eyes lit up when he came to get her.

Some part of him still couldn’t believe that she’d given him a chance. Was letting him do things for her. She was so fiercely her own person, not letting very many people in. He’d watched her for a long time, especially after she’d rebuffed his first approach last year. She had friends, she got along with people, but she was just as often on her own. No one seemed to know her all that well.

And now, here he was, with her. Having spent tons of time in her apartment, getting her to spend a week in his and still let him take her places, even though the didn’t have her ankle as an excuse.

When his hands slid higher under her shirt to the band of her bra, her hands came down to his arms, and she broke the kiss. Her breasts rose and fell with her rapid breathing, which matched his.

Closing her eyes, she shook her head. “Not here, Evan.”

He made a low sound in his throat. Even though she was right and he knew it, he didn’t like being stopped. He didn’t like not getting his way. And his way would be to rip all her clothes off and slam himself inside her. But this was the library. He knew of people who’d had sex back here, but he wasn’t one of them, and he wasn’t going to start now. No matter how much part of him—specifically the part of him that made his zipper seem like an instrument of torture instead of a device for closing pants—wanted to. She was at work. He needed to remember that. If for no other reason than that he wouldn’t jeopardize the job of the woman he l—

Her lips against his neck derailed his thoughts. “Layla.” He groaned. “If you want me to stop, you have to stop too.”

Her tongue swiped at his collarbone, and she pulled back with a smile on her face and a gleam in her eyes.

“You are such a tease.”

She laughed. “I’ll make good on all my promises after work.”

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