Page 88 of Of Flesh & Bone

CHAPTER 29

Adam

Iwalk onto campus, already knowing where I'll find her.I've tracked her phone to the Davenport Library, where she has sat unmoving for nearly two hours until 3 minutes ago.She must be getting ready to leave.As I approach the front of the building, I see her, but she's not alone.She's talking to a guy.My blood turns to lava in my veins, and I pick up my pace.He reaches for her, placing her elbow in his hand, and she visibly stiffens at his touch.Good girl.Now, stand the hell back so I can make his momma cry at the sight of him.

She touches her neck like she feels something there.Slowly, she turns her head toward me.Our eyes lock, and I stop at the base of the steps, waiting to see what she'll do.She turns and runs down the steps, leaping when she reaches the fourth step from the bottom.I catch her in the air as she wraps her body around mine.She's kissing my face all over and squeezing me so tightly with her arms and legs that I would feel pain if holding her like this wasn't so euphoric.

I see the luckiest man alive still standing at the top of the steps, watching us with a clear look of jealousy stretched across his face.He has no idea what she just saved him from by reacting to me the way she did.I lift my arm up behind Eve's back and flip the guy off.He cocks his head to the side before shaking it and walking back into the library.Turning toward the parking lot with Eve still wrapped around me, I head for her Jeep.

"You're early," she says as she pauses kissing my face, placing her cheek against mine, and squeezing me tighter.

"I told them they could be down a quarterback for the season if they want, but I was coming home."

"Adam!You wouldn't really do that.What happened?"

"I would and they knew it.The rest of the guys will be home tonight.They cut the whole thing short to save face."

"I've missed you."

"Oh yeah?"

"Mmmhhmm."

"Prove it."I challenge her.

"I will.Let's go home."

I shake my head slowly.

"Your Jeep."

Her eyes go wide as saucers.She's almost completely stopped trying to hide her feelings from me.The rest of the world gets the Eve that she wants them to see.The Eve that is empty and unaffected.I get her.The real Eve.

"Adam, you live 7 minutes from here.Let's just go to your house and I can prove it there."

"It rained this morning."

"Yeah."She says questioningly.

"So the top is up, right?"

"Oh my gosh, Adam.Yes, the top is up."

"I ubered here.You can give me a ride and I'll give you a ride."

Her face is buried in my neck, hiding her face from the world, and I know that I've already won this battle.I press her into the passenger door of her Jeep and kiss her deeply like I've wanted to do for the last several days.Never again.We'll never be apart again.Pulling back and opening the door, I place her into the passenger seat.Her feet haven't touched the ground since she leaped from that step.If I had my way, her feet would never touch the ground again.Making no attempt to hide my excitement, I run to the driver's side door and take a seat behind the wheel.The air inside the Jeep is thick and hot so I turn the key and crank up the air conditioning.Satisfied with the cooler air, I reach over and grab her face, kissing her.I suck on her lips, nip them, and caress her tongue with mine.

"Are you ready?"

"I have no idea.I don't think I even understand the logistics of this."

She's embarrassed by her naivety, but it stirs something primal in me to know that the extent of her experience begins and ends with me.

"Take off your jeans."

She does.No hesitation.Her trust in me has become complete in such a short time.She knows that I wouldn't risk letting anyone see what belongs to me.Nathan is lucky that his deception didn't alter her faith in me.No promise could have saved him from that.

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