Page 67 of Campus Crush
She smiled up at me, no trace of discomfort in her expression. “It’s okay. You don’t have anything to apologize for. Sorry we were a little late.”
I smiled down at her and slid my hand through her hair then cupped the back of her neck. Her hair was like silk between my fingers. I used my thumb to tilt her chin up as I angled my face down and kissed her gently. Her lips were warm and yielding under mine, tasting faintly of cherry lip balm.
“I’m glad you’re here,” I said as I pulled away, though I kept her close, unwilling to break contact completely.
“Me too,” she whispered against my lips, her breath mingling with mine.
“Alright, you two are adorably sickening so I’m gonna gomake the rounds,” Sam said, rolling her eyes but smiling as she did.
We both grinned at her as she walked away, disappearing into the crowd with a confidence I’d come to associate with her. Then I took Abby’s hand in mine and our fingers interlaced perfectly, like they were made to fit together. “You want a drink?” I asked her.
She nibbled that bottom lip of hers, and a bolt of lust struck me. My gaze darkened as it narrowed on her plump pink lip, and the ache to replace her teeth with mine was almost too strong to ignore. Heat pooled low in my stomach as I imagined all the ways I wanted to taste her.
“Or we could skip the party and go up to my room.”
Red stained her cheeks, spreading across her face in a blush that I found endearing. For all her intelligence and confidence in some areas, she still had this adorable shyness that made me want to both protect her and corrupt her in equal measure.
“I think we should stay. You wanted this to be our big coming out. We can’t really announce to the world that we’re together as a couple if we hide away in your room.”
She had a point. Plus, I didn’t really want to rush this.
Don’t get me wrong. I was desperate to be inside her, but I also wanted to savor every touch and every moment we had.
I wanted to take my time with her.
The guys would probably have called me a pussy for that, but Abby made me want to be tender. I wanted to make it special for her in a way it had never been for me. I’d always seen it as scratching an itch and a brief moment of connection. But I felt more connection with Abby just holding her hand, looking into her brown eyes than I ever had when I’d been having sex with someone else. And Iknew being with her like that would ruin me for anyone else.
We walked around the party and I got us some drinks. I introduced her to people, my arm around her waist, my thumb occasionally brushing the strip of skin exposed when her sweater rode up. Each touch sent electricity through my fingertips.
We joined in a game of beer pong and it was fun to teach Abby how to play. Her aim was surprisingly accurate, and the concentration on her face as she lined up her shots was adorable. She was pretty good although she claimed it was beginner’s luck.
I wasn’t so sure about that. She seemed to be good at anything she put her mind to. I’d seen how she approached her studies, how she’d figured out methods to help me with math when no one else had ever been able to. She had a way of breaking problems down and finding solutions that was nothing short of impressive.
It only took a few introductions of her as my girlfriend before word spread through the party. It was almost amusing watching the looks and the whispers, the awe in some of the faces, the smiles and the claps on the back from other guys.
A few of the hockey guys who didn’t live with us came over to meet her, and I could tell they were impressed by how easily she kept up with their banter. Seeing her fit in so seamlessly with my friends just drove home the fact that she was perfect for me.
As I looked around the room, very few of these people actually knew me, and none of them knew me as well as Abby except for maybe Gordy, Drew, and Liam. So why did it even matter what they thought?
Why did it even matter that we made this official in this way?
Abby was mine and I was hers. No one else got a say in that.
As if sensing my thoughts, she squeezed my hand and leaned up to whisper in my ear, “I’m having a really good time.”
I pulled her closer, wrapping both arms around her waist and resting my forehead against hers. In a room full of people, it felt like we were the only two that existed. “Me too,” I murmured. “But mostly because you’re here.”
Her smile in response was worth every moment of nervousness I’d felt earlier. This wasn’t just another party. This was the start of something that felt bigger than anything I’d experienced before. And for once in my life, I wasn’t thinking about hockey or my father or what anyone else expected of me.
I was just thinking about her.
THIRTY-FOUR
I was just finishing my makeup when my phone started to buzz on the bathroom counter. I figured it was Sam, or maybe Foster letting me know he was on his way, but when I saw Mason’s name, my heart dropped.
My brother didn’t call.
Ever.
