Page 10 of Freshmeet
I gripped her hips and slid my thigh between hers. I wanted to be as close as possible, no matter how fucking hot the room was. I needed to feel her generous curves against me, to test just how well we fit together.
I traced my fingertips up her spine until I reached the bare, clammy skin between her shoulders, just grazing the nape of her neck. I felt a small puff of air on my throat as Sarah shivered against me, her thick thighs squeezing around mine. Biting the inside of my cheek, I kept my gaze on her face, loving how her eyes never left mine.
We fell into an easy rhythm, our bodies communicating perfectly. One song blended into another, but the speed of our dancing never changed. Sweat rolled down my back, the heat and humidity oppressive, but there was no way in hell I was going to create space between us. I would melt into a puddle before I let her go.
Sarah dragged her hands down my chest, pushing up on her toes until her lips were next to my ear. “It’s kinda hot in here. Want to go outside for a minute?” She tilted her head toward the door, and her soft hair brushed against my cheek, the floral scent of her tresses overpowering the smell of sweaty coeds.
The flashing lights danced across her face, and I froze, unable to do anything but smile.
Damn, she’s pretty.
She scrunched her nose. “You okay?” She reached up and rubbed the sore spot on my head. “Did that speaker do permanent damage?”
“Uh, I’m fine.” I cleared my throat. “Sorry. Let’s go.”
Sarah leaned toward her friend, whom I’d totally forgotten even existed. After a quick back and forth, Sarah laughed and turned toward me, gesturing to the door. I placed my hand on the small of her back and helped her down the tiered stage, creating a path through the drunk dancers. There was no way in hell I was going to let one of those fools stomp on her pretty, painted toes.
We cut through the crowd, finally making it out to the equally hot, but slightly less humid night.
“Phew. That’s better.” Sarah lifted her long blond hair and held it off her neck, fanning her face as she glanced around. “Quick,” she whispered, walking over to a couple of chairs set up on the edge of the building. Letting go of her hair, she gracefully sat, smoothing her dress down. “You going to sit, or . . .”
I dropped into the chair across from her and wiped my hands on my thighs, not sure if they were sweaty from the heat or nerves.
“So,” I said, not actually sure what to say. I felt off balance, which was unfamiliar territory for me.
She smirked and leaned forward, the tips of her fingers brushing my denim-covered knee. “Are you nervous?”
Laughing, I sagged back in my seat. “A little.”
“I like that.” She bit her plump, pink lower lip.
“Don’t get used to it. I’m just a little out of my element.”
“Oh, yeah?”
I looked around the parking lot, shaking my head at the stumbling people. “Yeah.”
She scooted her chair until our knees touched. “Tell me, what is your element?”
“Nothing quite so fratty. I’m used to more low-key hangouts.” Tilting my head to the other side of the parking lot, where a few folks were asking a Ouija board questions, I added, “Less communion with the other side.” I slid my feet to the outside of hers, enjoying the way her legs pressed against mine.
Glancing over her shoulder, she nodded. “Fair. This is a lot.” Sarah tapped the tops of my knees. “Just wait until Freshman Week.”
I bent forward, hooking my fingers in hers. “Do they raise the dead?”
She chuckled. “Not yet, but the fact I’ve made it through three of them is a miracle.”
“Well, there’s that at least.”
We sat looking at each other, smiling and rocking our legs back and forth to the muffled music.
“So, are you a big partier?” I placed our hands on my knees, getting a thrill from the small contact.
Her eyes followed the movement before she looked up at me through her lashes. “Not at all. I hadn’t really drank until this year.” Her shoulders tensed, and her focus dropped back to where our hands rested against my jeans. “The week of my 21st, things got a little out of control, and I ended up getting an MIP a couple of hours before my birthday, I just . . .” She blew out a breath, giving me a small smile. “I just wanted to let loose a little, you know?”
“I can relate. Until now, I’ve been so busy working that I haven’t had time to just kick back and have fun.”
“Exactly! It sucks that the one time I decided to act like everyone else, it blew up in my face.” Her stare grew distant, and a deep frown pulled her eyebrows together as her hold tightened. That wall she’d had up inside was back. At least this time, I was physically tethered to her.
