Total pages in book: 145
Estimated words: 138775 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 694(@200wpm)___ 555(@250wpm)___ 463(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 138775 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 694(@200wpm)___ 555(@250wpm)___ 463(@300wpm)
For a while, I’d been in there with them. But I got my homework done and then stopped, like a normal person. Clearly Lucas and Tori weren’t normal.
I didn't mind giving up my bed for Tori, but it would be nice to have a little privacy. If the basement weren’t so full of junk, I’d consider carving out some space for an air mattress down there, but the washer, dryer, and an old treadmill were the only usable things down there at the moment.
Finally, I sighed and set my phone down. Might as well grab a beer since those two were still going at it. So to speak.
Both of them had their heads down, laptops in front of them, piles of papers between them. They were two peas in a pod in some ways. Only one pea was far better looking.
"Seriously, guys, you need to give it a rest. It's nearly midnight." I needed rest, quiet, and darkness. And at least a little privacy wouldn’t hurt, either.
Tori nodded, and Lucas gave no sign of hearing me. I strolled over and came up behind them, putting my hands on each of their shoulders.
I tried again. "Bedtime!”
Lucas shook my hand off, but not Tori. She leaned her head against me, and that gorgeous hair of hers spilled over my forearm. Tonight it was loose, and it looked like silk, all slippery and soft. I had to admit I had a thing for women with long hair, but I never met a woman with hair as gorgeous as Tori's. The way it flowed over her shoulder, whether she had it up or down, it just spoke to me.
I squeezed her shoulder and said, "If you’re not going to go to sleep, at least take a study break.” This wasn’t one of our official study sessions, but the principle remained the same.
"A study break?" Lucas said, but he didn't stop typing on his laptop.
Tori was more amenable. "Forget the study break. How about... what have you got in the stress relief department? Because this paper I have to write... it's going to be the death of me."
"I can do stress relief." I centered myself behind her, trying not to notice the way her hair tumbled down her back and how close it was to my body. I brushed her hair aside and pressed my fingers against her temples, moving in slow, steady circles.
Her eyes fluttered shut as she exhaled, the tension in her face melting away. I enjoyed the way she responded to my touch. I kept the light pressure going and added the rest of my fingers, massaging the side of her head and feeling that thick, silky hair. Her head rolled back. Then a moan escaped her throat—a sound that entered through my ears and immediately headed south.
Uh-oh. That normally didn't happen in our study sessions.
"Let's do this right," I said. "Why don’t you go sit on the sofa?”
To my surprise, she opened her eyes and got up, padding to the living room. I took a minute to admire the view. There's nothing like a shapely coed wearing thin leggings.
"Come on," I said to Lucas. "We're taking a study break."
He muttered something, and I grabbed his shoulder again, this time gripping tightly until he finally looked up at me.
"Join us." I jerked my head toward the living room, where Tori was settling down on the sofa. Finally, he nodded and got up.
Tori was seated, leaning into the back of the couch. I watched, fascinated, as she slid her hands under her hair, gathering it up as if in a ponytail and then smoothing it over the back of the couch, letting it spill down. God, it was gorgeous.
I moved in, making sure she was aware I was there before I started with her temples again. Her eyes closed, and I could see the tension leaving her face. Using my fingertips, I trailed my fingers through her hair, feeling the weight of it as it slid beneath my fingers. I dragged my hands from the base of her skull up to the crown. I gathered the heavy strands, applying gentle pressure as I tilted her head back.
Tori moaned again, and I let my fingers sink into the thick waves, combing through slowly. I lifted my hands, letting her hair slide through my fingers. I hoped it felt good, to get some of the weight of it off her shoulders. Judging by her soft whimpers, she was enjoying this.
Lucas stared at my hands as I massaged Tori’s scalp. He stood in front of the sofa, his eyes wide at the way I was touching her—and at how much she was enjoying it.
Shit. He looked as betrayed as if I'd just asked Tori to marry me. But I wasn’t about to quit just because he looked hurt. Not when Tori looked so blissful. Instead, I jerked my chin toward the couch next to her, and he sat down a few feet from her.