Total pages in book: 99
Estimated words: 95950 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 480(@200wpm)___ 384(@250wpm)___ 320(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 95950 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 480(@200wpm)___ 384(@250wpm)___ 320(@300wpm)
“How can I do that when we’ve only just begun?”
Even though his response doesn’t surprise me, my heart sinks.
Before anything else can be said, the bell signaling the start of first hour rings throughout the halls. Even though I can’t see around him, I hear people’s rushed footsteps scurrying past us.
His grip never relents.
“Austin…” My voice trails off when his lips settle over my pulse.
“If you’re not with Jasper, then it shouldn’t matter what happens to him…right?”
I freeze.
When I remain silent, one hand snakes between us before settling over my breast.
“Give me your words. I want an answer.”
He squeezes the soft flesh before flexing his palm. A sigh is on the verge of escaping from me when his fingers wrap around the hardened tip of my nipple, giving it a pinch.
“We’re not together,” I gasp.
His eyes continue to study mine, picking through all the bits and pieces of information. “Are you sure about that?”
He tweaks the little bud.
“Yes!”
Releasing the tip, his hand drifts down my ribcage before sliding beneath my skirt. His fingers strum my bare thigh, moving dangerously close to the edge of my panties.
My breath catches as my eyes widen. Before I can protest, one finger strokes across the seam of my lips.
His eyes darken as he smirks. “Already nice and wet, huh? That didn’t take long. I’m beginning to think your ex didn’t understand you at all. What he needed to do was stroke your petals softly and you’d open like a flower. The problem with Jasper is that he thinks everything needs to be taken with force. Between you and me, I’m pretty sure he enjoys it.”
The gentle pressure never lets up. I can’t stop my eyelids from falling to half-mast as arousal explodes in my core. It doesn’t matter if we’re standing in the middle of an empty hallway and anyone could stumble upon us.
All that matters is—
“What the hell are you doing, Hawthorne?”
Irritation flashes in Austin’s eyes as his hands fall away and he swings around.
“Nothing that concerns you. So, feel free to move it along.”
Duke steps to the side until he’s able to meet my gaze. His tone softens. “Delilah? Are you all right?”
I comb my fingers through my hair before slipping past the other boy. “I’m fine.”
Eyes narrowed, Duke gives me a quick once over as if checking for bodily injury before glaring at Austin. “Come on, I’ll walk you to class.”
A shudder gallops down my spine. I can practically feel Austin’s gaze burning holes into my back. It takes every ounce of self-restraint not to throw a glance over my shoulder.
“Thank you.”
When I reach Duke’s side, he wraps a muscular arm around my shoulder and propels me forward, leaving the other boy to stand alone in the alcove.
A shaky burst of air escapes from my lips.
The day can only go up from here, right?
DELILAH
As I round the corner of the hallway after fourth hour, my pace slows when I catch sight of Austin leaning casually against my locker, staring down at his phone. It’s enough to make my belly hollow out. I don’t understand what it is about him that affects me this way.
What I do know is that I felt this attraction from the first moment I saw him in the office and showed him around school. His gaze never deviated from mine as he stood too close, crowding into my personal space. After that, I did my best to avoid him since I had a boyfriend, but it was never enough to evict him from my mind.
I have no idea if anything can do that.
Even though I should hate him for what he’s doing, I don’t.
I understand his anger and why it’s directed full force at me.
For a handful of seconds, I allow my gaze to rove over him while he’s unaware of my presence. Even though his posture is relaxed, the tightly harnessed power is there, simmering beneath the surface, ready to break loose. And that notion turns me on and sets my blood on fire.
A tiny voice in the back of my head prods me to close the distance. The pull is magnetic, and I’m powerless to resist the lure of him. Even when I understand that it’s bad for me.
After a handful of seconds, he straightens, turning as if he’s able to feel the penetrating intensity of my stare the same way I’m aware of his. It’s just another strange connection we have when there should be nothing. Our gazes collide and electricity sizzles through my veins as my pulse kicks up a notch, thumping an insistent beat.
Instead of giving into the attraction thrumming through my veins, I stay rooted in place, needing to prove to him as well as myself that he doesn’t have total control over me. When I don’t budge, one side of his mouth hitches as if he knows exactly what thoughts are circling through my head before he eats up the distance between us with long-legged strides.