Page 18 of The First Year Continued
If she was surprised, she didn’t give it away. I hadn’t called her that before but it fit. “You were not, Sol.”
“Yes. I was. I actually pride myself in causing chaos. A little bit of trouble is the spice of life.”
“I must be every spice imaginable, then.”
“You are. And what was that comment about the female population?”
She shrugged and came to stand near me. She leaned against her desk, resting her ass on the edge. Those little things made her three times more attractive. Had no idea why but they did. Too much more, and I was going to break the mating rule.
“The comments I get in the hallway. The whispers. The nasty looks. They all think that I’m seeing you or Odin or Evander. They can’t make up their minds, but they are not pleased with me or the situation.”
“Who cares? Even if you weren’t here, I wouldn’t be with any of them. What matters is what you want.” I paused. We were treading into new territory. “What do you want, Roxy?”
“In general?”
“In general. Specifically. Broadly. Obtusely. Tell me all of it.”
She nodded but a yawn took over. She stretched her arms over her head. “Can I get in bed first? I’m sorry. I know you brought a game but I really just want to get in bed.”
“No problem. Whatever you want.”
She cocked a brunette eyebrow. “Whatever I want?” She bit that lip again. Dangerous woman. “Can you sleep with me? Just sleep.”
“Of course. Give me a minute.”
I ducked into the bathroom and brushed my teeth. I was already in a hoodie and some shorts and they would stay put. The last thing I needed was her skin touching mine any more than it already would.
Then again, holding her all night sounded perfect.
“Lights off?” I asked, stepping out. Roxy lay down on her side and had moved over to make room for me.
“Yes, please.”
I walked over and got in bed with her—my chest to hers. It was a single bed, so there was no stopping our bodies from being pressed together. I heard the click of the lock to the dorm room. Sure, I could bypass it if I wanted, but I didn’t want to.
There was nowhere else I wanted to be.
We lay there for a few minutes not speaking. I laid my arm over her waist and she hooked one of her ankles over mine. “You wanted to know what I want.”
“I do.”
I could almost hear her thinking. Hear the cogs turning in her head. “I want a normal life. As stupid as that sounds. I want to go to Urban Academy. Finish school. Find a career-driven purpose for my life. Find my mate or mates.”
“Mates?” I asked. “Are you destined for more than one mate, Roxy?”
For some reason, the thought didn’t bother me as much as I thought it would. As long as I was one of them.
“I think so. There was a girl at my old school, Valentina. She had a reverse harem. She was happy and they all worked like a pack. It stirred something in my wolf.” I felt her shrug. “I don’t know.”
“What else? Give me the details.”
“I want a cabin. In the woods. With a greenhouse. A hobby that makes money on the side, but I don’t care if it does because it makes me so happy.”
“Sounds like a great life.”
She nodded. Even in the dark, my shifter sight let me see her as though it was day.
“You think so?” she asked. Her hand moved to touch my face. I sunk completely into the sensation.
