Page 74 of Come As You Are

fucking finally

My smile at that is so huge, it’s somehow embarrassing me even with no one in the room to see it. But I don’t have time to dwell on my relief at getting Sabrina’s blessing, so I run to brush my teeth and throw on clothes.

And in five—okay, seven, because punctuality still isn’t Salem’s strong suit—minutes, when a knock sounds at the door and I swing it open, the smile that spreads slowly over Salem’s extremely kissable mouth when he says “Hi” would suggest that last night was very, very real indeed.

“Hi,” I say back, feeling inexplicably shy. This isSalem,and yet I suddenly have no idea what to do in his presence. Can I kiss him? Can I take his hand? Do we have to keep us a secret because of Jenna or just my generally being an embarrassing human?

He leans against the doorway, his long, lean body filling the frame and making it even harder to think. “Having second thoughts?” he asks, his lips still twitching with a smile that suggests he does not actually think that’s what’s going through my brain.

“Just… trying to figure out what to do here.”

His smile widens with a mocking lilt, and apparently, having feelings for somebody doesn’t mean you give them a break, ever. “What is it you want to do here?”

“Salem, stop being annoying. You know what I mean.”

“Are we having a ‘how do we label this’ conversation already?”

Great, another concern to add to the pile. “Well, weweren’t,but—”

“Evie.” Finally, Salem cuts me some slack, grabbing my bag from where it sits at my feet and slinging it over his shoulder, then pulling me out of the room with his other hand. “Shut your brain off for five seconds and let’s go get breakfast.”

I nod and close the door behind me, waiting for him to give me my bag or let go of my hand.

He does neither.

“You’re my boyfriend, aren’t you,” I say with wonder as he pushes through the exit onto campus.

“That’s kinda the position I’ve been angling for, yeah,” he says without missing a beat. His thumb softly strokes the inside of my palm, sending jolts of lightning throughout my entire body, and it’s so unfathomable to me that it can be like this, feel like this.

Why did I ever give a shit about Craig or Lucas when they were never, ever capable of making me feel anything like this?

“You okay?” Salem asks, and I realize I’ve stopped walking, and now, so has he.

I rise up on my uninjured toes—he is really damn tall—and throw my arms around his neck, kissing him with every ounce of strength in my body, despite the fact that we are very much in public. I don’t care. I can’t wait. And judging by the way an arm circles my waist, holding me close as he kisses me back, his corded leather bracelets pressing into my skin as if to leave no doubt as to whose arm it is, he doesn’t mind one bit. Not even when people start whistling and catcalling.

“Wow, okay,” he says, a little dazed, when we finally part and I retake his hand, swinging it as we walk toward the Beast. “So that’s a yes on the whole boyfriend thing, then?”

“Wereyoulooking for a ‘how do we label this’ conversation?” I ask in disbelief.

“In my defense,” he starts, and I love that his vampiric skin can’t hide the hint of heat creeping into it, “my parents have been bugging me about you every single day. I just wanted to know what I was supposed to tell them.”

“Tell them the wedding’s still on, and I’m ready to call them Mom and Dad as soon as they are. Which I guess was probably last week.”

“NowI’mhaving second thoughts.”

“No, you’re not,” I say, and it feels so good to trust it. Well, mostly trust it—it’s not like I’ve shedallmy baggage.

“No, I’m not.” He pulls me close and kisses the top of my head, and I float the rest of the way to breakfast.

Of course, the bliss lasts only a few minutes, and then, as I’m standing in line for waffles while Salem heads to the fruit table for his apple, I bump into the most smug, annoying smile on the entire campus. “All those guys in Rumson and you choose to fuck Grayson?”

Ugh, Duncan. Of course he would find a way into my space when I’m just trying to enjoy my waffles. I whirl around and meet his mocking gaze with my own. “All those guys in Rumson and you choose the role of Archie’s bootlicker? Itdoesn’t seem like you’re in any position to dole out relationship advice.”

His face turns a satisfying shade of red at that, but whatever nasty reply was hovering on his lips dies the very instant a solid arm wraps around my shoulders. “Hey, Peach.” Salem takes a big bite of green apple and chews loudly. “Did you know that Duncan here’s nickname at his old school was Crustysox? I guesshedidn’t know how to do his own laundry. Still, such a strange choice of moniker…”

I barely smother a laugh behind my hand as Duncan’s flush gets even more fierce. “You two are so fucking annoying,” he mutters as he moves on.

“Key word: fucking!” I call after him, relishing the look of disgust I get in response.

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