Page 37 of Icebound Attraction

“Don't you want to take advantage of your evening to celebrate your victory?”

“No, I have to study again tomorrow. Now that I've got a good teacher, I mustn't waste these efforts,” he replies with a casual smile.

I look at him thoughtfully for a moment, then finally nod, as if guided by a remote control.

As we stand up, he puts his hand on the small of my back again and we maneuver through the crowd.

We barely speak the whole way. To tell the truth, it's only a ten-minute walk and I feel like I'm walking on cloud nine.

Once we’re in front of my residence, I rummage in my purse for my key.

“Thank you and good night, Liam,” I say before turning towards the door, leaving him little choice as to the outcome of this evening.

“Good night, Emily.”

The sound of my name in his mouth electrifies me, and I try to put the key in the lock so as not to snap. But behind my back, I don't hear his footsteps receding, on the contrary, he's drawing closer to me and once again the warmth of his presence stuns me.

That's when my body takes control of my mind. I turn around and find myself very close to him. Unable to resist, I grab his jacket and close the distance between us. Rising on tiptoe, I search for his lips.

7

Liam

Her lips are on mine. And she made the first move. I can hardly believe it.

My heart is racing, and I feel like I've been struck by lightning. I'd been dreaming of this moment for so long, and now it's as if I've been transported. A tingling runs through my body, followed by an incredible shiver. Her kiss tastes of honey, of temptation, and also of something more... Is this what Eve felt when she bit into the apple in the Garden of Eden?

Now's the time to have a thought like that!

As my hands press her against me, our tongues meet, our embrace becomes more intense, all of a sudden, an icy coldness grips my face. Emily has stepped back. Her fingers are no longer clinging to me, and it's as if I've just been violently deprived of something. Something good. Extremely good.

“Good night, Liam,” she murmurs before unlocking the damned door and disappearing into her dorm.

For a few minutes, I stand there, perplexed. A thunderous erection twisting my dick in my too-tight jeans. Then I realize the obvious: she's gone and left me there like a dying beast.

On the way back to the pizzeria, I can't help but turn the situation on its head. And paradoxically, I smile like an idiot. One of those goofy smiles that have always made me hate people in love.

In love? Wow, calm down, man!

However, I am aware that what just happened was a mistake. A huge mistake. A mistake I've been wanting to make for some time now. This girl has been on my mind for weeks. During our study sessions, I completely melted. Shoehorned, trapped, caught in the grip of her blue eyes, and she was oblivious.

Is that what I like about her? That she doesn't realize the undeniable charm she has?

Truth be told, I love everything about Emily. When she nibbles her pen, when she tucks a blonde lock behind her ear, her concentration, her bursts of good humor, her passion for journalism, and her ass too. Because yeah, she really is gorgeous.

I sigh.

I'm in deep shit.

And despite that, I want more. The kiss we shared only fueled my desire for her. The fact that she's pushing me away only makes it worse.

Yeah, I'm playing with fire.

When we left for our last work session, I felt angry with her. She was implying that she had done her job, and that I was just a student to be coached. I felt like a jerk because I was already on my knees in front of her. That's why it took me so long to tell her that I'd more or less passed my exam. I wanted to see if she'd care. Her message made me jump to the four corners of my room, and for all that, I played the asshole by replying very succinctly. Seeing her then at this party, so sexy, so desirable, and at the very least disturbed by my presence, gave me a surge of hope. Driven by the alcohol and the festive atmosphere, I broke down and went to flirt with her. I had to know for sure. And I was right!

From then on, I grew wings. And now that I've just taken off, I'm tumbling down. But for all that, I know it's dangerous to try to regain momentum. Very dangerous.

Is there room in my life for Emily Hansen? I swear by hockey...

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