Page 55 of Confusing Hearts

She blushed. “Um, yeah, about that. No, we’re not. We were only really using the time to see each other.”

I laughed, knowing that’s the only reason this study group ever got started, so Chase and I could spend time together without questions.

“But hey, if you don’t want to be alone with Chase, of course we’ll come.”

I snorted. “Why would I care about being alone with Chase?”

I was glad my back was turned to her when I realized what I’d just said. Luckily, she didn’t seem to take it that way at all.

“You’re right. Chase is a great guy and I know he’ll watch out for you. You know, there are plenty of ladies on this campus who would kill to be in your shoes.”

“Huh?” I turned to face her, trying to understand what she was saying.

“I know you and Chase have fooled around a little bit at least for that stupid challenge, but then again, what ovary holder on campus hasn’t?” I struggled to bite down the roar threatening to escape me at the insinuation about my mate as she continued. “But really, I mean you guys are like actual friends and you spend a lot of time together. I’m just saying. I know you don’t think of him like that, but Chase is pretty hot, too. Not as hot as Matt, but still h.a.w.t., hawt! Most girls would be super excited to spend some alone time with him in the library.” She waggled her eyebrows up and down comically and I laughed, shoving her aside and leaving on that note.

Shaking my head, I left her sprawled out on my bed. “See you later Anita.”

“Where are you headed?” Tessa called after me as I was leaving the house.

I turned to see her. “Oh, hey, Tess. Nothing exciting, it’s Sunday night, I have study group.”

“Oh right, I forgot. Well, have fun.” She waved and closed the door as I turned and walked across campus.

Chase was already in our regularly booked room with subs, chips and sodas laid out on the table for us. He looked over my shoulder as I closed the door behind me. I never felt like we had privacy in the room because you could see out into the library so clearly, but I did know we were entirely alone and those on the other side of that two-way mirror couldn’t see us.

“Where’re Matt and Anita? I grabbed extras figuring they’d be here.”

“Apparently she and Matt went public.”

“Public what?”

“They’re dating, Chase. As she put it, they don’t need to pretend they are studying to see each other now, so she’d rather not even bother. Anita hates the library, she only ever came to see Matt.”

“Oh,” he said, a wide grin breaking out across his face. He reached over and snagged me around the waist and pulled me into his arms. “That is great news to me.” He leaned down and kissed me. I was already breathless when he pulled back, still grinning.

We sat next to each other at the table, close enough to touch, and started to eat. The need to be near him was so much stronger than I had ever imagined it would be. Just sitting there in the same room, our knees touching under the table while talking amiably, made me feel so peaceful.

That peace was interrupted by a knock at the door seconds before it flew open.

Chase

Chapter 17

“What the hell?” I said as my head whipped around towards the door as Matt and Anita walked in, with Chad behind them.

“I thought you guys weren’t going to make it,” Jenna said.

Matt gave me a sincere apologetic look. “We weren’t, but um, Chad needs some calculus help. One of the guys told him about our Sunday night group and he asked to tag along.”

“Is one of those for me?” Anita asked, eyeballing the two uneaten foot long cheesesteaks on the table.

“Are you going to pretend you don’t want it?” I teased, taking out a salad from the other bag. “'Cause I grabbed a salad just in case.”

“Oh God, no! Leave that rabbit food for the other panthers who want to pretend they’re human stick figures. I’m past that,” Anita assured me.

Matt put his arm around her and grinned. “We had a long talk about that. She’s done trying to starve herself on my behalf.”

Anita punched him in the arm. “It wasn’t on your behalf, exactly.”

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