Page 40 of Cruel Devotion

“I saidenough,” the instructor said. “If you want to do that, get a room. My apologies for being late, but this is not the room for that.”

Either deaf to her words or defiant enough not to care, the guy and girl continued to grope for each other and smash their mouths together.

“Excuse me!” the teacher said louder, finally getting their attention.

“Aw, come on,” a guy teased. “You can’t blame Jonas for making a move on a fine piece of ass like that.”

“I’m merely stating that they can get a room,” the teacher said coolly.

“It happens, Mrs. B. You know how it is.” Another guy laughed and nodded as others cracked up at his remark. “Everyone’s prone to getting a little loving in when they can.”

“Not in my classroom,” she replied.

As she got ready for class, getting her book out and moving to stand in front of the desk to lecture, I lowered my gaze to my materials. That was when I realized Eli wasn’t reading the paper I set down. It was also the moment I registered that he was staring at me.

At my lips. Then into my eyes. Almost as though he were measuring me up and wondering if he could?—

I reared back, alarmed by the insane and totally wild idea that he could’ve been close and cozy with me, staring at me like he wanted to kiss me.

Nope. Not going there.

My usual method of ignoring, avoiding, and enduring Eli Young wasn’t working anymore.

But there is no way in hell…

I couldn’t acknowledge the notion that I could be…

Forget it.

I wasn’t so stupid that I’d develop a crush on my bully.

14

ELI

“Ithought that after I made that dumb fuck apologize to Haley, she’d be a little sweeter on me.”

Finn raised his brows at me, a week after that incident. “She didn’t say thanks at all?”

We lounged in our dorm room, done with classes. I tossed a ball up and down as I lay back on my bed, needing a little peace and quiet before I’d head to the library and meet her there.

“No. She said two wrongs don’t make a right.”

He chuckled. “Technically, they probably don’t.”

“Oh, shut up. Whose side are you on?”

He sat up, swinging his legs over the edge of his bed to face me. “Yours.” His sigh lacked enthusiasm. “Which is why it worries me that you’re going to be fucked.”

I cringed, not wanting to admit or accept defeat.

“You have less than a week before that dance, man.”

“Five days,” I grumbled.

“And she’s not…? She’s not warming up to you at all?”

“If anything, she seems more guarded than before. She was still bristly. While she isn’t rejecting me when I try to be a friend, she doesn't seem to take the hint that I want more.”

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