Page 34 of The Swap Masquerade

Gavin’s eyes were like saucers as he leaned back in his chair. “How did you…”

“You told me. Well, in your own way you did.”

“What are you talking about?”

“In class today. You used that quote. The Tyrion Lannister one.”

“I drink, and I know things,” we both said at the same time.

Gavin ran a hand over his face. “Fuck! I’m an idiot. I didn’t even think about it. But how did you know from that? Lots of people are familiar with that quote.”

“I wasn’t sure at first. Not until I started putting things together. Like your height and build being the same, the fact that your hair color and voice matches his, and seeing the scruff on your face helped too. I knew then that you were him. Tyrion, the stranger in the black and red mask.”

I watched as he closed his eyes, pinching the bridge of his nose. He spoke so quietly, I had to lean forward to hear him. “So, what now?”

“What do you mean?” He looked up at me and I hated the resignation and sadness I saw swimming in his gray eyes. Eyes I’d stared into as he’d slid in and out of me. A shiver rose up my spine, sending goosebumps skittering across my skin.

“I mean, what happens now? Are you going to launch a formal complaint with the school? I wouldn’t blame you. You’d be completely within your rights. I’d simply prefer a heads-up, if you don’t mind,” he responded softly.

I frowned. “Do you actually think I’d do that, given what happened? I know you couldn’t have known it was me, anymore than I could have known it was you. We were both in disguise from the moment we laid eyes on each other.”

“Then why are you here?” he asked cautiously. I wanted to go to him, to wrap my arms around him the way I had at the hotel. I’d felt so safe holding him and after the strange day I’d had, I needed to feel that way again.

“I’m here because I’m scared of losing this…whatever it is between us. I’ve never experienced anything like it before—this connection—and I don’t want to lose it. I can’t. I’ve spent my whole life doing things other people wanted me to do and acting like someone I’m not, simply to make everyone else happy. But what about me? Aren’t I allowed to have something for myself? And you, too. You have to hide who you are to protect your job here at the college, but don’t you deserve the same chance at happiness as all those other people?”

“I thought you told me once that you didn’t scare easily,” he quipped instead of answering my question.

I ignored his attempt at deflection, refusing to let him brush this aside. “There’s something happening between us and I know you feel it too. There was a connection there from that very first night and it’s continued to grow the more time we’ve spent together. And it’s more than just sex, although, that was amazing. I never imagined my first time being that good. You made me feel so safe and…cared for. But the truly remarkable part is that the entire time, we were building a friendship outside of the party scene. We connected in our everyday lives too. That has to tell you something.”

Gavin sat motionless, but I could tell he was listening to every word. Taking it as a good sign that he hadn’t kicked me out yet, I continued. “You mentioned before how I’d told you I don’t scare easily, and that’s true, but right now, I’m terrified. I’m scared to death of letting this thing between us slip through my fingers because of some bullshit rules from a school that I’ll be done with in a few weeks. The day I told you the truth about baseball and about my relationship with my dad, you made me promise you I wouldn’t let anyone stop me from going after what I wanted. Well, this is me keeping that promise. I want you and I can’t lose you. I won’t.”

The conflicted look in his eyes made it clear he was battling with himself. I waited to see which side he would land on, but his next words brought me hope. “There would be consequences if we got caught. Serious consequences.”

“Then we won’t get caught. Gavin, if there’s one thing I know for sure about the two of us, it’s that we know how to keep a secret.”

His lips twitched, and I knew I had him. “Say that again,” he whispered.

“Which part?”

“My name. Not Tyrion, not Professor Holt. Gavin. I need to hear the sound of it again as it comes out of those perfect lips.”

I held his gaze as I stood and made my way around the desk. He turned his chair to face me as I knelt in front of him and took his hands in mine. “Please, Gavin. Tell me you won’t turn me away. Tell me we can try—”

I didn’t even get to finish because before I realized what was happening, he’d lunged forward and slammed his mouth over mine. The backs of my eyes burned as I reached up and wrapped my arms around his shoulders.

“We’ll have to be careful,” he said between kisses.

“Yes, of course. Whatever. You. Want.”

He pulled back and I whimpered at the loss of his lips on mine, but I was soon entranced by the fiercely protective look on his face as he cupped my cheeks in his hands. “No, I mean it. Not only for my sake, but for yours, too. You have your own reasons for keeping quiet and we don’t have that long until graduation. I won’t let anything we’re doing—hurt you in any way.”

I looked up at him with a watery smile. “You truly are a remarkable man.”

He pulled me into his arms then and I went willingly, nuzzling my face in his neck and breathing him in. “I just hope I’m not being a fool,” he whispered in my hair.

Chapter 14

GAVIN

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