Page 24 of Give In

“Like he can’t talk to hot chicks without babbling like an idiot,” the drunk kid put in.

My hand holding my empty cup went to Brooks’ abs as I smiled up at him. “That’s sweet.”

“You should’ve heard how nervous he was about talking to you,” drunk kid further shared, pissing me off. “And it took him long enough. He’s been asking about you since the first day of classes.”

“What’s your nickname?” I asked one of the guys, trying to switch the focus off Brooks.

Brooks’ muscles relaxed, but his arm around me tightened.

“I’m Holden, but in this house, I’m Bear.” Smiling, he stroked his thick beard and seemed purposefully nonchalant as he added, “‘Cause of the hair and the men.”

Ohhh.

I got what he was saying. One of the bouncers at Sinners was into big, burly guys and often said he was off to go bear hunting.

Holden’s chestnut hair was an overgrown mass, and he was over six feet of thick muscle. With his warm brown eyes, he looked like a teddy bear turned into a person.

Grinning, I nodded. “It fits.”

He held my eyes for a moment before grabbing the keg’s tap. “Want a drink?”

I handed him my cup.

As conversation flowed, I got to hear more hilarious stories and my sides hurt from laughing so hard. I no longer felt like an outsider. There were no more pangs of envy in my chest. The hollow pit in my stomach had been filled with beer, which gave me bubbly, weightless happiness.

It also gave me a full bladder.

Leaning into Brooks, I tipped my head up. “Where’s the bathroom?”

“I’ll show you,” he said before leading me to a surprisingly clean bathroom.

When I finished and opened the door, he was still waiting in the hall for me.

“Ready to head back down?” I asked.

“Come here.” Grabbing my hand, he gently tugged me down the hall and into a room before closing the door behind us.

I was about to ask what we were doing when he turned and covered my mouth with his.

Thank God he didn’t ask this time.

Brooks’ hand travelled slowly down to my ass. Squeezing it, he walked me backward until my legs hit something and I fell, landing with an oomph on a firm mattress.

Lowering himself to kiss me again, Brooks moved with me as I shifted up the bed, his body covering mine. His hands went slowly up under my sweater, skimming my stomach before hesitantly cupping my breast over my bra, his thumbs trailing the line where lace met flesh.

I knew he was taking his time and giving me the chance to stop him. As sweet as it was, it was also frustrating—and not in the good, teasing way.

Grabbing his belt loop, I yanked him closer, making us both moan when his hardness slammed between my legs.

There wasn’t sizzle and crackle necessarily, but there was heat and hormones and fun.

It was nice to have fun for once.

Finally,finally,he went faster, pulling my sweater off before I did the same with his shirt. He ran his lips and tongue along the curve of my breasts before trailing kisses up my neck. When he reached my mouth, his tongue swept in as his hands went to work between us, undoing my pants. His hand angled into my pants and panties. It was a tight fit, and I was certain he was about to dislocate his wrist, but I wasn’t about to stop him.

His finger hadn’t even grazed me when the door opened.

“Shit!” Brooks dropped to block me with his body.

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