A slow smile spread across his face. “Just to see my pumpkin drink a pumpkin latte, I’m in.”
“You wouldn’t have taken me if I’d told you I wanted a different type?”
“I would have, especially since you just described it as me taking you for it. That means you view this as a date, and I win.”
I groaned. “Can’t you give it a rest?”
He took my hand. “Let’s get you caffeinated.”
Settled at a small table with Colton, I finally relaxed. I was still a mix of emotions, but at least I had a good coffee drink and a comfortable place to sit.
“How’s the drink?”
“It’s good. How’s yours?” I loved pumpkin flavoring. Coffee, muffins, cupcakes, you name it, I loved it all. It’s like tasting fall.
“It’s coffee.” He took a sip. “I still can’t believe I’m drinking it at night.”
“It’s not like we have to go to sleep early.”
“Are you in charge of my bed time now?” He scooted his chair closer.
“No. But after your ‘the night is young’ speech, I assumed you’d want to stay up later than ten.”
“I would if I got to go to bed with you. I’d be all about seven o’clock at night if that were the case.”
“Seven? Not six?”
“We’d still be at dinner at six. I can’t exactly expect you to stay up with me all night if you don’t eat.”
I laughed. “Now I’m staying up with you all night?”
“I wouldn’t mind.” His eyes locked on mine and my whole body got warm—and not from the coffee.
“I wish you had your own place.”
He didn’t miss a beat. “I can kick my roommate out.”
“In your dorm? I don’t know about that.”
“You still have a question to answer before we go there. Are we going to do this?”
“I can’t believe I’m into the one guy who won’t do casual sex.”
“Tough luck, pumpkin. I want more than your body.”
That was it. His words got me, and before I knew it, my reply tumbled out. “Yes.”
He grinned. “Say it in a complete sentence.”
“What?” I stared at him open mouthed. “Are you kidding me?”
He leaned over to whisper, letting his lips brush against my ear in the process. “Tell me what you’re saying yes to.”
“I want to be with you, Colt. Is that what you needed to hear?” This was ridiculous. Did I really want him badly enough that I was willing to put up with his antics? Yes. The answer was yes. When I was with him, all worries about my future, Dad, Gasden and everything else disappeared. I just needed him close.
“Yup. Are you done with that?” He tapped the cup I held in my hand.
“Yes.” I set down my empty cup.
“Good.” He stood up, holding out his hand so he could help me up.
“We’re not going back to your dorm.” I walked next to him, shrugging off the arm he tried to put around me.
“Then where are we going?” He turned to look at me. “Your eyes are telling me I should be working really hard to get you alone.”
“The library.” I knew of the perfect spot.
“The library? First coffee and then the library?” His hand brushed against mine. “Maybe I should be reconsidering my choice in girls.”
“Do you or don’t you want to have sex with me tonight?” I kept my voice low but above a whisper.
“Do I really have to answer that?” He got a wicked grin. “Better yet, I’ll show you the answer.” His lips crashed into mine as his arms wound around me. I forgot about being on the street as his lips moved against mine faster and faster.
I broke the kiss. “Library. Now.”
“Yes, Ma’am.” He took my hand, and I didn’t stop him.
The bright lights of the library spilled out onto the sidewalk as he held open the door. I led the way up three flights of stairs and down into the humanities stacks. No one would come back this far on a Thursday night.
I dragged him past bookshelf after bookshelf, and into a little alcove tucked under stairs that led to a storage area. I’d discovered this spot when I was working on a Lit paper the year before.
“Here? This is your perfect spot?” He looked around at the piles of books everywhere. This seemed to be the place where people dumped the books they weren’t checking out.
I backed him up against a table, using every ounce of courage to be the one making the first move. “Yes.” I reached up and pulled his head down to mine. His lips met mine and he quickly deepened the kiss, pushing his tongue into my mouth.
I slipped my hand under his t-shirt, and he cupped my breast through my dress. “Should I feel some guilt that I’m thinking about doing some really bad things to a girl dressed like an angel?”
I’d forgotten I was still wearing the angel dress. “No. Just do them.”
He laughed. “All right.”
I unbuttoned and unzipped his pants. He groaned when I slipped my hand in.
A loud throat clearing from behind me had me burying my head in Colton’s chest.
“Maybe you two should find another spot,” a male voice said with a laugh. I didn’t even turn around, but by the voice, it had to be a librarian or a professor or something. I hoped it wasn’t any one who knew me, or if they did, they didn’t recognize the back of my head.
“Does my dorm room still sound that bad?” Colt whispered once the sound of the footsteps disappeared.
My heartbeat slowly returned to normal. “Fine. I guess that’s our only choice.”
If Colton was embarrassed, he didn’t show it. He repositioned himself and took my hand.
“Before you even ask, no we are not going in separately. Refraining from broadcasting that I’m dating my dream girl is different from feeling like I’m sneaking around.”
“Dream girl? I’m your dream girl?”
He got that goofy grin again. “Yeah, and I probably shouldn’t tell you what you do in all those dreams…or maybe I should.” He raised an eyebrow.
I playfully hit his arm. “Let’s get this over with.”
“You better be talking about the act of checking in to the dorm and not the sex.”
“Of course, that’s what I mean. The sex better take longer than that.”
He laughed. “Have no fear, pumpkin. You know I’ll take good care of you.”