Page 56 of In For a Penny
Oliver claps his hands together once, bringing me back. “So, we’re good here? Can I go?”
“Yes, thank you.” Oliver and Josh say goodbye by giving each other a repressed male version of a standard human hug: a back-slapping man-clasp. These two care about each other more than they know. Who else would’ve stepped in to fix such a silly fight? I smile at how restrained they seem to be with each other.
“I’m happy for you, buddy. See you guys in class.” Oliver heads out, leaving a smiling Josh alone with me in the study pod.
Josh raises his wrist to look at his watch and says, “We have about forty-five minutes until our next class. Do you want to work on our final project? I think we can honestly hammer it out in a few days and finish it in the next couple of weeks.”
I shift uncomfortably from leg to leg, suddenly highly aware that we are alone in an enclosed space. My heart starts racing again. “Sure.”
What is happening to me???
I need to take the edge off. I feel anxious and like my own skin is on too tight.
“Actually,” I say, “I need to check on something super quickly with Oliver for that workshop we’re both in together. Would you mind giving us, like, fifteen minutes? Super quick, I promise.”
Yup. A quickie. A stress-reliever.
Josh furrows his brow, confused. “Sure. I’ll just finish this reading.”
“Great! I’m gonna go see if I can catch him before he leaves.”
I run out of theroom and take a deep breath. I move my head quickly in every direction, looking for him, praying that he hasn’t left yet. I find him by a table, emptying the contents of his messenger bag, preparing his workstation.
I walk up behind Oliver and start packing his bag up for him.
“What the bloody hell do you think you’re doing?” he whisper-yells. We start attracting attention from frustrated students. They don’t seem to be too happy with our interruption.
“Pack it up. Let’s go,” I whisper urgently, shoving his folder and pens inside.
He’s quiet for a beat as he watches me pack before understanding hits him. “What?Now?Here?” he asks, disbelief evident on his face.
“Yes, now. That okay with you?” My voice is urgent and low.
I need this now. I don’t know why, but I do.
“Fuck, yes.” He dumps everything else into his bag in one sweep of his arm, smiling from ear to ear. Oliver grabs me by the hand and drags me through the library stacks and students studying, making me stumble and struggle to keep up, his eagerness building. Subtlety is not one of this man’s strengths. He looks back at me as we walk-jog quickly to wherever it is he’s taking me, anticipation in his eyes.
We stop in the farthest corner of the library’s top floor, in front of the disabled bathroom. The coast is clear. There doesn’t seem to be anyone around to see us go in together and blow our cover.
“Now, I know it’s a loo, and it’s not exactly the most glamorous thing in the world, but it’s hardly ever used and—”
“I don’t care. We don’t have much time, and if it’s clean, I don’t mind.”
I push him against the door and kiss him deeply once, pressing my chest against him.
“Fuck,” he breathes. “Perfect.” He holds my face with both hands and kisses me, his tongue invading my mouth. Without breaking the kiss, my hand reaches for the handle, and I open the door. Oliver turns us with a laugh-moan, shutting and locking the door behind us.
I can feel him hard and ready as I wrap my arms around his neck, standing on my toes, pulling him closer to me. Walking me backward to push me against the door, his hand tightens in my hair, pulling my head back to adjust the angle. I moan and bite his lip, lust coursing through my veins, my breathing heavy.
God, he feels good.
“Shit, this is incredible.” His hands drag down my body, stopping at my ass. He turns and checks his surroundings. “It’s nice and clean. Let’s make it dirty.”
I snort. “Did you just say that? You’re ridiculous. You know that?”
“Me? You literally just came running for me to fuck you.” He laughs in disbelief.
“Ugh, please don’t remind me. Can we not talk? You’re ruining this for me. I don’t have much time, and you’re going to end up killing my lady-boner.”
