Page 13 of Beautiful Beginning

“My professor thinks I should run for SGA president.”

Because our scheming ass president and vice president left a vacancy. “And what do you think?”

“It’ll be like rolling a boulder uphill to get votes. And” he wagged his head then turned toward the stage, “being in the spotlight isn’t my thing.”

I joked, “So, you won’t be reciting a poem for me on stage?”

His deep stare. The way he observed every line of my face before his turned up into a slight smile. “Not tonight.”

“Too bad.” I stared at the woman on stage before looking at him thoughtfully. “I agree with your professor.” It was a proclamation I could make. Based on his character. “At the least I don’t suspect you’ll get wrapped up in any sort of scandal.”

He shook his head. “Doubt people will be running to vote for me because I’m the lesser of two evils.”

I tilted my head to the side. “We’ve seen that be the case in many presidential elections.”

That must have piqued something inside of him because the way he licked his lips like he wanted to devour me. I wiped the back of my neck.

“You’re right,” he whispered.

“But I don’t suspect it would come easy, anything worth having ever is.”

“In short, you’re telling me I’m going to have to work to have you.”

The side of my lip quirked up and I said, “Oh that’s a given, baby.”

His forearms rested on the table. The veins protruding as he adjusted. “I’m willing to work for you.”

That made my pussy flutter. But I wanted to know, “And are you willing to work for you? To not fade into the shadows? To let people hear your voice?”

He cringed. “Sounds bleak.”

I looked up to the stage. The words coming from the girl’s mouth poured out smoothly. Like salve to a wound. As I listened to the few lines of her poem, I felt at ease. “What will you do to bring back the hope?”

The girl stepped down from the stage, and the hostess took the mic. Announcing, “And that’s it for tonight. Let’s give it up for these brave souls.”

“Hope, huh?” He reached across the table and took my hand. “I’ll think about it. Who knows, maybe someone will vote for the unknown guy they hardly see on campus.”

I rubbed my finger against the back of his hand. “See, that’s where I can help. I happen to know a few people.” I frowned. “Including the past president. Give me the word, and I’ll volunteer to campaign for you.”

He raised my hand to his lips, but they didn’t touch. “You’d do that for me? Someone you recently met.”

“I may have to understand what you plan to do for the university.” In the four years on campus, I didn’t help any other student campaign. I always watched the chaos unfold. Flyers, fundraisers, people standing in front of classrooms shouting out the candidate’s name. I could never decide on one side or the other, so I stayed neutral.

His lips grazed my knuckles, then he said, “I can do that. But for tonight, I should get you home. Can’t have you slipping on your test tomorrow.” Before I could stand he had his hand on the back of my chair, helping me out of my seat. Wrapping our hands together as he led us out of the lounge.

I sank into his passenger seat and waited for him to get in on his side. Before he pulled out of the parking lot I said, “I thoroughly enjoyed myself tonight.”

“Good, then that means we can go on another date?”

I wanted to scream, “Abso-fucking-lutely.” But I nodded. “I’d like that.” Trying not to give him too much enthusiasm.

He leaned in closer, wrapped his hand around the back of my head and tilted me forward until our lips connected. If his stare had me melting before, his lips completely decimated me. Remnants blasting from the inside out. I didn’t want the kiss to ever end. And although I was losing my breath, I held it a little longer when the kiss ended. Kept my eyes closed and didn’t move. I felt his lips on mine once again. A soft peck that sent bits of me flying into the universe.

ChapterSix

Chaz

I’d never climbed a mountain before. Pushing a boulder up a hill seemed like a task I’d never want to endure. But there I was in the SGA office standing in a short line. Because the school announced the special election for president and vice president.

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