Page 34 of The Love Penalty
It starts out as more of a croak. “I guess I’m crazy, too, then.” I clear my throat, quickly licking my lips before admitting, “For reasons only the universe will ever understand, I kinda can’t stop thinking about you.”
Her lips part just a fraction, and I imagine kissing them again. Taking that beautiful face in my hands and pressing my lips to hers.
Would that freak her out?
I curl my fingers and shuffle in my seat. “Look, I don’t get it. I mean, that kiss was…” I puff out of my cheeks, then give her an appreciative smile. “But even before that, being around you is…” My eyes soften as I drink her in. “I don’t know why I like you so much, but I do. And it’s not just because you’re sexy as hell. You… talking to you is…” I lick my lips again. “It ignites me.”
We stare at each other for a few thick beats, and then when she still doesn’t say anything, I give her a hopeless shrug.
She purses her lips, like she’s fighting a smile, then softly admits, “I kinda can’t stop thinking about you either. Which is super annoying.”
“Yeah, it really is.” I grin, and her smile grows to match mine.
We get caught in something then. I don’t know what it is, but if this were a movie, the camera would be spinning around our heads right now, capturing this chemistry from all these different angles.
It makes it hard to think past my next breath. It makes it easy to forget her accusations about how I’m different around my fellow athletes. Shit, maybe I am. Maybe it’s safer that way. Maybe it’s just fucking easier to show them what they want to see.
Which means… fuck, I’ve been showing Lani a side of myself that no one else knows. And I’ve been doing it without even thinking. Zero hesitation or worry about what she might think of me behind my back.
I didn’t give a shit because she didn’t mean anything to me.
But she does.
She fucking does.
And the weirdest thing is, I want to show her more. Because she likes me better that way.
The words whistle through my chest, warm and intoxicating.
I have to kiss her again.
I want to take our connection to the next level, so she knows how much I meant what I said.
I like her.
I like her a whole fucking lot.
She blinks and clears her throat, reaching for her bag. For a second, I worry that I said all of that out loud. She had me in some kind of trance; I could have easily opened my mouth and let all that shit tumble free.
“I should probably get going.”
“Wait, what did I say?” I reach for her arm, lightly wrapping my fingers into the crook of her elbow.
“Nothing.” She smiles, and the light in her eyes tells me it’s okay. “I just noticed the time, and I should probably get ready for my next class. Thanks for hanging out with me.”
That’s too polite.
I don’t want that kind of thanks.
She stands and I scramble for my bag, flinging it over my shoulder as I chase her out the door.
“Lani!” I call her to a stop, and by some miracle, she does.
Slowly turning to face me, she waits while I approach… and doesn’t step back when I stop mere inches from her.
Staring down into her eyes, I slowly cup her cheek, my thumb gliding along her cheekbone.
She’s gazing at my face, her big brown eyes drinking me in as I move in even closer. I’m taking it easy this time, giving her every chance to back away, but she doesn’t.