Page 19 of Seven is Swell

“You don’t have to make some big, romantic gesture, Delaney,” I say. “I really appreciate this, you know?”

“It’s not that, I just… I’m going to feel really bad if I can’t make this work. From what I’ve read or learned or picked up, it seems to work best if the recipient, that’s you, feels kind of lusty. And just to clear the air, is it me or them that’ll get you there?”

I eye the two men behind her and entertain the idea of being naked with them and my dick goes extra soft. "That’s sweet that you would consider my preferences, but if you think I can take my eyes off of you for one goddess damned second, you’re not as smart as you think you are.”

“Maybe it would be easier if we stepped out,” one of her bodyguards/mates offer.

“Hey,” I say as an afterthought, “are you two okay with this? I don’t want to cause any problems between you guys.”

One of them steps close to Delaney and wraps a very possessive hand around her neck and yanks her into him, and I can see the way his tongue isshovedinside her mouth. The other twin just snorts and smacks him on the back of the head and then pulls him out of the room by the back of the shirt. “She’s a conduit. If she wants to do this, we’re cool with it. We know whose cocks she’ll be riding later anyways,” he says with a wink, and then it's just me and her as the doors close.

“Holy fuck that never gets old.” She pulls her shirt back and forth to fan herself.

“You guys are cute. How long have you been together?”

“Honestly not all that long, but when it’s right, it’s right. Where were you going when you bowled me over?” She takes a seat on the edge of coach Adlers’s desk, feet crossed at the ankle just like he does. The similar mannerism is kind of weird.

Fuck. “Well, it doesn’t matter anymore,” I say as I ignore the incessant buzzing of my phone in my pocket.

“You know, I would apologize for causing all these problems, but I think you know I couldn’t have controlled them. Have you always been this sensitive to lust?”

“Unfortunately. It's such an inconvenience to have to fight a hard-on in every single class. There are a lot of horny students at Hemlock.”

She laughs and it lets set something free in my chest again. “Yeah, there sure are. Well, we should probably get this over with before my brother gets back. It might make it hard for me to get into it if he’s in the room. You can’t stand— is it okay if I like, sit on your lap?”

“You don’t have to try so hard; it’s just a kiss.”

Except I get the feeling as she closes the distance between us, minding my injured foot, that it’s so much more. This might change something.

“Is it?” she asks, holding my cheek like she likes me. Which is impossible because we don’t even know each other, but it’s fun to pretend.

“Sure,” I lie, and then I make the first move to spare her the effort. I wrap an arm around her lower back and pull her into me, similar to how her mate did. But I know I’m not going to kiss like he did. I’m not trying to possess or put on a show, I’m merely trying to figure out who this magnificent woman is.

I forget that she’s trying to heal me, instead getting lost in the way our lips seem to slide together so effortlessly, my breaths getting easier and easier as we can’t seem to pull away from each other. And then she lets out a little noise in the back of her throat that just does it for me, and I grab her hip a little bit tighter, wishing for just a second I could leave a mark there, something she could remember me by later when she’s in her room and in bed with her mates.

I want to see her tangled up with bodies everywhere, moans coursing around, and be right at the center of everything. I highly doubt that’s in my future, but what a fucking thing to imagine.

She pulls away as if the kiss was unexpected, eyes blinking slowly, trying to reorient herself. Then her hands fall to her lips, covering them, trying to figure out how she felt about it.

I try to subtly flex my foot and find it only has the slightest twinge now.

“I didn’t get it all, did I?”

“It's not your job to fix me, beautiful.”

“You saying that makes me want to though,” she argues as she dives in again. This time when she kisses me, I put my whole mind toward it in case this is the last kiss I’ll get with her. If I have to see her from afar, I’ll remember this moment, the way her knees split on either side of my hips as she towered above me, hair tickling the sides of my face as it tries to stay in place. The way she tastes like cherries, but it doesn’t feel artificial. It’s like it's soaked into her very being. And then a little spark ignites in my ankle, and I know that I’m well again, so I stand, keeping a hold on her curvy-ass frame, walking to the door so I can pin her against it. A show of strength while I create some time. Now her legs are wrapped around me and I'm enjoying the kiss far too much.

The knock on the door tries to ruin the moment, but both of us are far too good at ignoring what’s good for us. “All better?” she asks with so much breath in her tone it sounds like pure sex.

“I feel like I could tap dance with you like this and be just fine, I promise.”

“You are a bit of a surprise to me, Spencer.”

“Did you read that note I gave you?”

“Shit. I didn't, I’m so sorry. You have no idea what I've been dealing with today. It's been a bit crazy.”

“That’s okay, beautiful. Read it when you want; hopefully I’ll see you around?”

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