Page 23 of Take What You Want

“Exactly.”

“I don’t know, LJ. It just doesn’t sound like something you’d do. Is it really that big of a deal?”

Lots of people go to college without any experience. I wouldn’t be one of them, but then again, I’m not going to college either.

Her shoulders slump, causing her jacket to fall closed, and I don’t miss the way she pulls it even tighter.

“You wouldn’t get it. Guys don’t look at me like that. They never have and it feels like they never will.”

“I do.”

“No,” she sighs, looking exhausted. “You don’t.”

“You’re beautiful, Jane.”

“Don’t lie to me.”

“I’ve never lied to you.” I push off the wall and crowd her against it until her back presses into the corner and she has no way out.

“Nikolai,” she says, looking over my shoulder. “Back off. People are watching.”

“Let them.”

“Walker—”

The reminder of him should have me stepping back, but the need to have my words sink into Jane’s thick head overrides everything else. Does she really think so little of herself? Where did that confidence go when I first met her a couple years ago?

“Why don’t you see what I see?” I ask, the words coming out in a soft brush against her cheek.

She clenches her teeth and darts her eyes to our feet.

“Nikolai, stop. Please,” she says.

I grab her chin and tilt her head up. Our gazes collide and while she might be telling me to stop, there’s a spark behind her eye that I didn’t realize has dulled lately.

Have I been missing something? Have I not been seeing something that’s right in my face?

Someonewho is right in front of my face?

Alarms blare in the back of my head as I continue to hold her chin, slightly scraping my thumb across her jaw. I shouldn’t be touching her like this.

This is Jane.

But also…this isJane. And it feels right to touch her like this.

I shouldn’t be offering this to her. I’m drunk. She’s drunk.

And yet…

“Tell you what. My offer stands. We’re both drinking, and clearly”—I look inside my cup and realize somewhere along the way, I emptied it to the last drops—“Shit.”

“What?”

“Right, sorry.” I laugh. “We’re both drunk. So take some time to think it over with a clear head. And let me know if I can be of service, LJ.” I mock a bow, and once again have to catch my balance with a hand slapped against the wall.

“Are you sure this isn’t just you giving yourself an out?” She crosses her arms and narrows her eyes. “Because you don’t have to give yourself one. My answer is no.”

I should be relieved. I’ve never thought of sleeping with Jane before. Sure, I mean seeing her grow into her body more over the last year or so, I definitely have stolen my fair share of glances her way when none of the guys were looking. And her intelligence has always intimidated the hell out of me, but also lit a fire inside my chest whenever she gets into a debate with Reid.

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