Page 21 of Nodus Tollens
“I can’t.” I responded with regret, though a light smile graced my lips. With my eyes now lowered, I knew I wouldn’t have the strength to see the expression on his face. Instead, I passed by him, and this time, he let me.
I wanted to feel sad and maybe even disappointed, but I held a little glimmer of hope that he wouldn’t give up. Maybe that’s what I needed. Constant pressure, then eventually, I’d cave. As I continued conversing with my inner thoughts, I felt the presence of someone come up right beside me, and I tensed. Glancing beside me, I noticed Hayes’ smug grin peering ahead as he walked to my left.
“Um, what are you doing?” I questioned as I slowly approached my door.
“I have something to drop off… and…”
Instantly, I felt a rush of fire spread through my body. Was he dropping something off at another girl’s dorm? If he was, why the hell did I feel mad?
As I stopped in front of my door, so did he. Cleary confused, his face scrunched up as he spun his head and looked at the door across from us, then back at mine. Narrowed eyes took in my door, then slowly fell onto me as he shoved a hand into his pocket. Pulling out something, he slowly reached his palm out and revealed a phone.
My phone.
“You must be Wren Baker.”
5
HAYES
“You must be Wren Baker.” I couldn’t help but grin at the strange coincidence that the chick I ran into was the same girl I was looking for. To say I wasn’t elated would be a lie. Frankly, I was hoping for some fucking miracle to happen that would get me back in front of this blonde beauty, but I didn’t expect it to be so soon.
Her bewildered eyes dropped to my palm where her phone lay, and before I knew it, her fiery stare was back on me. “Why do you have my phone?” She asked, but it came out more like a shout.
Jesus, even pissed she was a stunner. No make-up, freckles scattered over her heart-shaped face, and short, blonde hair. I think I was in love.
No, scratch that, I knew I was.
My mouth tilted at the way her chest was now heaving, and her small hands tightened at her sides. She was a short thing with a big attitude. Grumpy more than anything, but I knew if I just peeled back those stubborn little layers of hers, I could make her happy. Maybe even smile, too, because, right now, I wanted more than anything to see her beam at me.
“I found it.” I fabricated a bit, but at this point, it didn’t really matter who found it. I was the one who brought it to her, and that’s all she needed to know.
Her amber eyes narrowed at me suspiciously, and as she was about to grab the phone out of my hand, I playfully yanked it back.
“What’s that look for, Blue?” I chuckled while watching smoke practically ooze from her ears in rage. With her button nose scrunched, I almost tapped the tip with my finger just to get more of a rise out of her, but I’d rather not be smacked. Instead, I studied the bulging vein in her forehead, then connected our eyes again. “Don’t believe me?”
An almost nonexistent scoff fell past her lips as she pulled up her towel, causing my eyes to flutter down to her chest.
Fuck.
This definitely was not going to get me on her good side, me ogling the fuck out of the tops of her breast, but my god. I had already mistakenly seen them in their full glory, and right now, I felt like I was being teased. The plump, round handfuls stole the breath right out of my lungs the second the towel had fallen from her body. I’d never been rendered speechless before, but the second my eyes landed on her face, I knew I was fucked.
Royally.
The gentleman thing to do would have been to look away, and after the fact, I wish I had. Maybe she wouldn’t be so standoffish, but I didn’t blame her for acting that way. I mean, I did get an unwarranted glimpse of her body, and to make matters worse, I was a complete and utter stranger who submersed myself completely into every dip and curve on her body. No wonder she desperately tried to escape me.
“No, not at all, Hayes, because one, how would you know my name? And two, how would you know where I live?” She stated matter of fact, with the cock of her eyebrow.
Fuck. I obviously didn’t think it through, but my mind didn’t seem to care. I was too lost in the way she spoke my name. Slightly raspy, entirely sexy, I was a goner.
“You’re right. How would I know all that…” I teased with a smile. “Maybe I just took a wild guess on both and got lucky?” Giving her my best panty-melting grin, I waited for some kind of reaction. A smile, laugh, a slight twitch…something, but it never came.
“Ha, right. As believable as that sounds, I’d really like to have my phone back, please.” She stuck her palm out, waiting for me to place her white phone into her hand.
“Don’t I at least get a thank you?” I teased again, realizing I was probably pressing my luck, but at least now, she’d have a reason to think of me.
“You’ll get a thank you when you give me my phone back.” She ground out, but I had a strong feeling I wasn’t going to get that thank you. Just when I was about to give it to her, though, a rumble of loud voices materialized in the hall, causing Wren to freeze and lock her eyes onto mine. Quickly spinning around to face her door, she hastily unlocked it and stepped inside, hiding herself from anyone who could be in the hall.
“Give me my phone. Now.” She demanded, and suddenly, I knew the ball was in my court.
