Page 47 of Depths of Desire
Me:Are you saying what I think you’re saying?
The reply came fast.
Oliver:Come over.
Just that.Two words. And I felt like someone had lit a fuse inside my chest.
Apparently, the look on my face wasn’t subtle.
Patrick leaned over the table, pointing his bottle at me. “You’re so freaking in love, you can’t even deny it.”
I didn’t answer. Just took a long sip from my empty glass, hiding the grin stretching across my face.
Easton raised an eyebrow, Elio wiggled his brows, and Rhett snorted under his breath, eyes still on his phone like he hadn’t seen a thing.
But I caught the knowing tilt of his lips.
“Go on,” Patrick teased. “Girl? Boy? Both?”
I snorted.
“Boy,” Easton said, pointing. “Snort means boy.”
Yeah. They all knew. It was as easy as that, in the end.
My shoulders lifted, fell, and beer trickled into my mouth.
“You gotta give us something,” Elio said.
The guys laughed as I shook my head, a grin splitting my face against all my attempts to control it.
And I didn’t even care because tonight, I was going to see him.
I didn’t remember most of the walk to Oliver’s place.
I remembered getting back to my dorm and practically sprinting through the door.
Showered. Changed. Changed again. Stood in front of the mirror like a complete idiot, trying to decide if “messy hot” was a real aesthetic or just something people with better cheekbones could pull off. Changed back. Debated cologne. Palms slick with sweat the whole time, heart kicking against my ribs like I’d just finished a third period in overtime.
Now, I was outside his building. The stone facade was old, but in a charming, cared-for way. Wrought-iron railing lined the steps. The buzz-in keypad looked newer than the doorframe surrounding it.
I pressed the button.
A moment later, a quiet buzz signaled the lock releasing. I pulled the door open, stepped into the entryway, and exhaled like I’d been holding my breath the entire walk. Maybe I had.
The elevator hummed to life as I stepped in. Polished brass buttons, clean floor, a little window to the city night outside. Nice place. Better than mine and Rhett’s chaos corner, that was for sure. I swallowed and checked my reflection in the chrome finish of the doors.
Hair: perfectly imperfect.
Face: trying not to smile like an idiot.
Heart: critical speed, overload unavoidable.
I reached his floor and stepped out into a hallway lined with understated lighting and clean carpet. His was 4B. I passed 4A, slowed, raised a fist…
And the door opened before I could knock.
There he stood.
