Page 87 of Study Buddies

But hey, after all that time, he had to be pretty good at it. Otherwise, Natalie would’ve come to my room long before she did.

Jayden poked his head around the corner of the stacks. “You’re up.”

I got to my feet. “You’re welcome,” I said to Lucas as I passed by.

Jayden shot me an annoyed look. “Did you have to say that to him?”

“Yes.”

“What I said to Lucas goes for you, too. It wouldn’t kill you to think about what Tori wants. And I’m pretty sure it’s not to live in a war zone with the two of you taking swipes at each other all the time.”

I followed him along the poorly lit aisle. If he was hoping for a stepbrother truce, he’d be waiting a long time.

No one was around as we made two more turns. There were some faint voices in the distance, but otherwise, this place was fucking deserted. Which was perfect for what I had in mind.

Then I saw Tori ahead, in a dark recess surrounded by bookcases on three sides. Which meant as long as Jayden kept watch, no one was going to disturb us.

Perfect.

I clapped him on the back, striding past him.

Tori’s pink cheeks were so damn cute as she watched me approach. And yeah, her lips were swollen. Guess my stepbrother didn’t have his head so buried in books that he’d let an opportunity like this go to waste.

“Hi.” Her shy voice, the cute way she was looking up at me through her lashes… that lush little body… it was like she’d been genetically engineered to make me want to ravish her. But I had a little more control than that. Not a lot, but a little.

“Did you enjoy round one?”

“Yes.” She blushed harder and lowered her voice. “But if you tell me to fake an orgasm in the middle of the library, we’re going to end up reorganizing the books after all.”

I laughed. Sometimes she was like a kitten pretending to be a fierce tiger.

“Your time starts now,” Jayden said. We both glanced over to confirm his back was to us.

Immediately, I moved in, and even in the dim light, I could see Tori’s eyes widen. I caught her hands, linking my fingers through hers and then raising them up, pinning them against the edge of a shelf above her head. The stretch made her shirt ride up, and I glimpsed the smooth skin of her stomach.

Lowering my head, I paused just inches away from hers. “Do I get to kiss you now?”

“Yes,” she breathed, her eyes on mine.

“Do you want me to?”

“Oh yes.” Her gaze flicked between my mouth and my eyes.

I lowered my mouth to hers, watching as her eyes fluttered shut. But then I veered off, letting my warm breath brush across her smooth skin. I brought my lips to her ear. “First, I’m going to tell you something—something guaranteed to make you hot and bothered. Something guaranteed to make you instantly wet.”

Her breath caught, and there was a long moment of silence. “What is it?” she whispered, her voice full of need. Her hands pushed against mine, not because she wanted to get loose—but because she liked being pinned.

“Are you sure you want to hear it, Victoria?”

“Please,” she moaned.

Shit, I liked the sound of that.

I leaned in even closer and whispered in her ear. “I got an 83 on my paper.”

No reaction for a moment—and then she shrieked. Loudly. “Really?”

She wiggled free from my grasp, her eyes wide open as she stared up at me. “Really? You did?”

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