Page 68 of Chess Not Checkers
I pause my note-taking to take his hand and flip it over on my knee. He squeezes my leg in response, a small smile on his lips. I go back to typing. I make it through a few slides with decent focus, but my attention span is ripped apart at the seams when Shepherd starts drawing lazy circles with his thumb. Each swirl sends a tidal wave of heat washing over me.
I grab a piece of paper and a pen out of my backpack to scribble a note to Shepherd.
You’re going to pay for this, Captain.
I slide it over. His eyes cut to me, curiosity shining in them, then he pulls the note closer to look at it. He takes my pen I left on the table and writes his reply.
I hope so, Chef.
Our gazes catch. I mouth,Not a chef. He grins as he mouths back,yet.
Chapter thirty-four
Together
Shepherd Kingsley
An autumn breeze tousles my hair. I breathe in the crisp scent of damp earth and falling leaves. The weather is finally starting to cool down, which makes the brick wall I’m leaning against extra cold tonight. I check the time on my phone. 11:59 p.m. Any minute now…
The sound of footsteps makes my heart skip a beat. I watch the corner up ahead and break out into a grin when a familiar head of wild curls rounds it. As soon as Jasmine sees me, she breaks into a run. I set off too, and we collide halfway. I wrap her up in my arms, spinning her around while she giggles next to my ear.
As soon as her feet are on the ground again, she’s dragging me down by my neck to kiss me. I don’t have it in me to tease her, not after missing her so desperately the past few days. Only seeing her during class isn’t enough. I let out a low groan as soon as her lips touch mine. She smiles into the kiss.
I walk her backward until she’s leaned against the wall, not breaking our kiss. She gasps when her back hits the cold brick,and I use it as an opportunity to deepen the kiss. She tastes like cinnamon sugar and feels like a dream. Her body molds to mine. I hold her close, memorizing every soft curve.
A branch snaps nearby, making me jerk my head back. We both survey our surroundings, our breaths intermingling in pale white puffs. Jasmine lets out a giggle when we determine the coast is clear.
“This probably isn’t the smartest place to make out.” She looks up at me through her lashes while playing with the strings of my hoodie.
“You’re the one who started it,” I tease.
“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” she says with a smile that makes my stomach swoop.
“You are the most gorgeous woman to ever exist,” I say, speaking my thoughts as they come.
Jasmine ducks her head, tucking herself into my chest. “You can’t say things like that,” she mumbles.
I kiss the crown of her head, her curls tickling my nose. “Why not?”
“Because I’m liable to melt into a puddle in the middle of campus.”
I smile and hook my finger under her chin to lift her gaze back up to mine. I lean down and press a slow, lingering kiss to her pink lips.
“I like when you melt for me,” I whisper against her mouth.
She kisses me in response. It’s frantic and hungry and everything I’ve craved since our knees brushed in class. My willpower to follow through with my plan for tonight is fraying with each hard, possessive crush of her lips. When she pulls back for a breath, I have to press my palms against the icy brick to bring myself back to my senses.
“I had a plan,” I rasp out.
She looks up at me with a dazed expression.
“It’s very difficult to recall it when you look at me like that,” I murmur.
“Like what?” she asks innocently while her hands roam over my chest.
“Like—”
I’m cut off by the sound of the campus security cart. Jasmine pulls my hoodie up over my head and yanks me closer. In the shadow of the building, away from the lampposts’ reach, our forms should be hidden. We hold our breath as the crunch of wheels on dead leaves sounds closer, closer…Jasmine’s hands grip my hoodie. Her eyes squeeze shut as if that will keep us from being found. The sounds of the security cart fade away once more. We’re safe.
