Page 258 of Forbidden Billionaires: Vol. 1
I wasn't sure what I was going to tell him about today. He already had enough to deal with. I didn't want him to have to worry about me on top of everything else. Maybe it was good that I had come to my dorm and cried for a while to get it off my chest.
My phone buzzed. "I'm here. Do you want me to come up?"
I wiped my eyes and looked down at my phone. How did he know that was what I wanted? I liked my room. It was warm and cozy. His apartment was big and cold and empty. I quickly texted him back. "I'll come let you in."
I blew my nose and then left my room. I just wanted him to hold me. I didn't want to talk about today. When I opened the door, he was standing there, concern etched on his face before he had even seen me.
He took the stairs two at a time and wrapped his arms around me. "Penny, what's wrong?"
His arms around me and his soothing voice made me burst into tears.
"It's okay," he said and kissed the top of my head. "It's okay, I'm here." He lifted me into his arms and carried me through the hallway of my dorm and up the stairs.
I felt safe in his arms. He smelled like his cologne and sweat. It was my favorite combination of things.
He opened up the door to my room, kicked it closed with his foot, and then set me down on my bed. He put his hands on the bed on either side of me.
I was momentarily distracted by the sight of him. He hadn't changed out of his workout clothes. He was wearing athletic shorts and no shirt. It looked like he had thrown on a zip up hoodie at the last second before coming to get me, but it wasn't zipped. His torso glistened with sweat. God was he sexy.
"Penny." He grabbed my chin in his hand. "Talk to me."
"I just wanted to see you. Can you hold me?"
He smiled. "I'm all sweaty."
"I like when you're sweaty."
He smiled again. "Okay, move over." He kicked off his sneakers and climbed into my bed next to me, wrapping his arms around me.
I sighed and pressed the side of my face against his chest.
"If you're upset about your conversation with Joe, I convinced him to change the incomplete to a withdrawal. It looks better on your transcript."
"But Mr. Vespelli said you couldn't withdraw from a class that was canceled."
"Yeah, well Joe was being an asshole."
"Thank you." I listened to his heart beating.
"If that isn't what's bothering you, what is it?"
"It's nothing important."
James was quiet. He ran his fingers through my hair. "Why did you come here?"
"I don't know. It's cozy."
"Okay." He tilted my head up to his and pushed a strand of hair out of my face. He seemed hurt that I hadn't come back to his apartment.Ourapartment.
"I'm sorry. Your apartment is so big and it's always cold. And it was farther away and I was crying."
"Why were you crying?"
"It doesn't matter."
"Penny, no more secrets. Just tell me."
I put my hand under my head to prop myself up. "It's harder than I thought it would be. I don't know if I can do it, James."
