Page 132 of Zero Chance

“No.”I shook my head, refusing all cop-out answers.“Fuck that.I’m not asking for what you’d accept or settle for.I want to know what youwant.”

Her lips parted, her eyes full of hesitation.

“It’s okay to say it,” I assured softly.“Friends with benefits, casual fling, see where it goes, or full-on relationship?I can handle whatever answer you give.I just need to know where your head is.So… If I waswillingto give you everything that I am, what—from that—would you want to take?”

Her gaze went leery with suspicion as if she couldn’t trust me with the truth.Which is probably why she shied another step backward as she whispered, “All of it.”

Any resistance I might’ve had completely shattered.“I need to be inside you,” I said.“Right now.”

30

WAVERLY

Fear coated my skin in waves, prickling its way from my scalp down to my toes, and rippling its cold finger right back up to settle in my chest and tighten out the ends of my breasts.

But I’d never been more afraid that I’d hallucinated a moment than I was now.

For a beat, I didn’t react at all.I just blinked at Keene, sure I’d misunderstood him, convinced my brain had conjured the words in my own head.Because no way in hell had I heard him correctly.

There was zero chance he wanted me, likewantedme.

Except the heated way he was staring, as if he might rip my clothes off right there in the quad, looked kind of like he did.

I drew in a quick breath, then braced myself for the rejection I was sure I was going to get.“Dr.Lavano in psychology has a quiet room beside her office where people can go whenever they need a moment to themselves.No one’s ever there when I visit.And it has a couch.Plus the door locks.”

Keene blinked at me as if he couldn’t believe I would say such a thing to him.And I swallowed, feeling the color drain from my face because I’d been right; I’d hallucinated his interest.

But then he murmured, “God bless Dr.Lavano.”And reaching for my hand, he gripped it tightly.“Let’s go.”

Tugging, he led the way.I scrambled to keep up with him, needing to jog every few steps to match his pace.

“Really?”I asked.

“Fuck, yes,” he said.“I can’t wait until we get off campus.”

I nodded, stunned in the best possible way.“Okay.”

When the psychology building came into view, he pulled me to his side and took a big whiff of my hair before whispering into my ear, “Any objections to doing this fast and frantically?Because as much as I want you, I won’t be able to last long.”

I swallowed thickly, still trying to keep up with this sudden alternate reality, and I met his gaze, only to fall victim to those swampy, green-brown eyes.“No objections,” I rasped, needing to lick my lips to wet them.

Keene groaned, his attention fixed on my mouth.“We should walk faster.”

A flush took over my skin, unable to handle this level of attraction from anyone, let alone Keene himself.I was a little worried I’d burn up with giddy desire before we even made it to the room.

At the entrance steps, Keene started jogging, and I hurried along next to him because his hold on my hand was steel by this point.

He opened the door and stepped aside to let me go first, only to crowd in behind me, his chest brushing my back, his face against my hair, and his breath in my ear.“Where to?”

“Second floor,” I answered, taking the lead.

At the marble steps, we went left down a long hall that branched off into the professors’ offices, until the second to last door came into view.

I slowed in disappointment when I realized the door was closed.Except before I could even turn to let Keene know the room was already occupied, it opened, and a girl stepped out, rubbing tears off her cheeks.

A spark of guilt nipped me.People were supposed to come here when they felt down and needed some space to themselves.It seemed wrong to steal time from someone in real need.

But the warm hand at my hip reminded me of my own needs.Keene.

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