Page 35 of I'm Not in Love (I Promise)

Me: I’ll talk to you later, this guy from class just sat down with me.

I click my phone off and grin. I know I’m being a brat and playing right into his possessive, jealous nature when instead, I could easily admit that I miss him and want to see him. It’s immature and irresponsible, yet I can’t help but picture his face when he reads the message. Maybe that makes me just as nuts as he is.

The server brings my lunch and I scarf it down, feeling my headache subside with each bite. In the spare half hour Ihave left, I grab my laptop and work on some of my ethics assignments. They’re pretty straightforward but I try to write well thought out responses. I had the same professor last year and he loved to have us do impromptu presentations, so this year I’ll be padding my answers just in case.

Clouds roll in, blocking the gorgeous fall sunshine by the time I pack up and leave the cafe for my last class of the day. In case I get lucky enough to get rained on, I zip my computer into my bag and shrug on the sweater I brought with me.

It’s a ten minute walk to the building and I’m speed walking. My phone beeps from my bag but I ignore it as the wind picks up. The building is within my line of sight when the first few drops of rain sprinkle on me.

“Shoot,” I say, picking up my pace. “Come on, I’m almost there.” No amount of pleading with the elements helps. The sky opens up and the soft sprinkles become a steady downpour. The few students around me race to get indoors, stomping through quick forming puddles in their pursuit.

I tug my bag higher on my shoulder and start to jog, when someone grabs me from behind. Disoriented, I swing my bag and struggle to break free until I hear his voice. “Where’s your lunch date? Not very chivalrous of him to let you walk to class alone in the rain.”

His smooth voice sends a tingle along my skin. “He had to go,” I lie. Damon chuckles, his warm breath skating along the curve of my neck. He spins me around and I’m struck silent by the heat in his amber eyes.

Rain is coming down in sideways sheets, muffling our voices and the sounds around us, but I hear him clear as day as he says, “If you think I’d let another man enjoy your company, you’re mistaken. There was no lunch date… if there were, he’d be dead.”

“How would you know? You haven’t been around,” I yell as rain pelts my face.

He swipes his hand through his hair and pins me with his gaze. “I know. Trust me on that.” This man is the most frustrating, egotistical, annoying… I stew over a response but I’m cut off by him leaning in. “If you were trying to make me jealous, it worked. That was a very bad thing to do, Blake.”

I scoff and turn my face away but he grabs my chin like he always does and draws me back to him. My skin is electric where he touches me. “What are you going to do about it?” I challenge him.

He claims my lips, rough and punishing. My heart pounds against my chest as he fists my hair and pulls me closer. Everything disappears. The rain. The students dashing to class. The entire world around us. There’s only him and his demanding kiss. My nipples harden to sensitive peaks against my soaked shirt and I moan into his mouth.

He pulls back, leaving a fire in his wake. Our breaths come in uneven pants and I’m reluctant to let him go. I’ve never been kissed like that. Not once in my twenty-four years.

He swipes his thumb across my bottom lip. “Smeared your lipstick.”

“Oh,” I say dreamily. I blink and come back to reality. “Shoot, I need to get to class.”

That dark laugh escapes his lips again. I hate how much it affects me. “I should drag you to my car and spank that sweet ass for being bad, but I won’t. Not yet, at least. I’ll think of something much better.”

He’d spank me? The thought doesn’t totally freak me out. If anything, I feel an ache growing in my core. “I’m not a child. You can’t punish me.”

“Get to class, Blake.” He responds with a grin and walks leisurely back to his car, not caring that he’s completely drenched too. Huffing, I turn and book it to class. I only lookover my shoulder once, but when I do he’s still there, standing outside his car, watching me.

A shiver runs down my spine imagining what he has in store for me.

I decideto take advantage of the empty house and sit cozy by the fireplace. Normally when it’s just Mischa and me here, I keep to my bedroom. I should ask Brennan if he knows where she’s been lately. She hasn't been home all week.

After sitting through ethics class in drenched clothes, even the sparse fire I managed to get going and my warmest pajamas aren’t cutting it. My body is chilled down to my bones.

I add another log from the stack I found in the garage and go put some water on for tea. While I’m in the kitchen, I imagine all the changes I’d make to this house if it were mine. It’s too big, but at least it has some of the home’s original features. Intricate crown molding, heavy wooden doors, and I’m pretty sure the windows are original too. I grab a mug and a peppermint tea bag and imagine how the space would look with black cabinets and white marble countertops.

I grab my phone to look up ideas when I notice a text from Falin.

Falin: Hey, call me when you get this!

I hit call right away and she answers on the first ring. “Tell me you love me,” she says instead of a greeting.

“Um, hi. I love you?” I say. I’m only mildly confused; this is Falin I’m talking to after all.

“That sounded more like a question, but I’ll take it. Guess what?” She sounds frenzied compared to my relaxed, quiet tone.The tea kettle whistles so I busy myself pouring the hot water into my mug.

“A spot finally opened up for you in the country’s best grippy sock jail?” I tease, stirring some honey into the mug.

“I wish,” she says. “This is even better. I just booked a flight to visit for your birthday!”

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