Page 16 of Redeemed

“Where’s your dorm?” I ask

“Don’t have one. I’m local. Live with my dad.”

“Oh. Then what were you doing over here?”

Colton shrugs. “Taking a walk. Was just gonna meander around campus for a bit, but then I saw you.”

“You… you stopped for me?”

“Mmhmm.” He nods to the lamp posts. “You came out of the dorm hall, and the lights reflected off your hair, and it stopped me in my tracks. It looked like you had a halo, like you were an angel or something.”

“Really?”

“Yep. You proved me wrong pretty quickly, though, what with the falling into the garden thing. I don’t think angels are that clumsy.”

As we step inside, I laugh. It draws the attention of a group of people talking around a table. One of the guys does a double take before standing and jogging over to us. Colton’s arm tightens around me, and I feel his body go rigid against mine.

“Hey, dude.” The boy stops in front of us, and while it’s obvious he’s talking to Colton, his eyes linger on me. “I didn’t think you were staying on campus.”

“I’m not,” Colton says, not bothering to hide his annoyance at being stopped.

“Branching out, huh?” he asks with a conspiratorial grin. “She’s not your usual type.”

Colton doesn’t say anything, and when I look up at him in confusion, I find his features hardened into a lethal glare.

“Right.” With a nervous laugh, the guy backs off. “See you around, man.”

Not bothering to respond, Colton ushers me toward the elevators. “What floor are you on?”

“The third.”

There’s a button on the wall with an arrow pointing upward, and he presses it. One of the elevators opens, and I make note that that’s how these things work. I don’t mind taking the stairs, but I think the elevators are faster.

“What did he mean by that?” I ask once we’re closed inside. “The… the thing about your type?”

“Don’t worry about it. He doesn’t know what he’s talking about, anyway.”

“You know him?”

“We went to the same high school.”

“But you’re not friends?”

He laughs darkly. “No. He’s an asshole.”

“Oh,” I mumble. “I thought he was being nice.”

“He wasn’t,” Colton says flatly.

Even though we’re out of sight now, Colton is still stiff, and I wonder if it’s because of me. “Does it bug you how many questions I ask?”

He squeezes my shoulder, I think in a reassuring way. “Nah. I think it’s kind of cute.”

Cute.That’s… not something I’ve ever been called before, except maybe when I was a kid.

The elevator doors open, and I take the lead, only now realizing that there’s no reason for Colton to be up here with me unless he intends on coming into my dorm. Being alone with a man in a bedroom has only caused me pain, and my palms turn sweaty at the thought of letting Colton in. I don’t think he’s that type of man, but I’m not ready to risk it.

When we reach my door, I slow to a stop, and Colton lets his arm slip from around my shoulders. Cold air rushes in as he steps back and slides his hands into his pockets.

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