Chapter 5 : Colton

Her brows skyrocket across her forehead before she does the unthinkable and shakes her head. "Sorry, maybe another time. We're in the middle of something."

I'm a little thrown off by her behavior.

First of all, I'm damn well aware of what they're in the middle of and that's exactly what I'm attempting to break up.

Second, is Alyssa really telling me no?

Me?

Is this the same girl who would have spread her legs for me at one of Beck's pool parties? Let's get serious here-or any other time I wanted?

"Look, Mont-"

"Shut the hell up," I glance at Jameson and snap, "this doesn't concern you. So stay out of it."

His eyes widen. I don't think he could be more surprised if I actually tackled him to the floor in the middle of the library. Jameson Daniels might be a senior, but I don't give a flying fuck. Alyssa is mine and he's encroaching on my territory. By the end of this, he'll know it and stay away.

Alyssa's mouth falls open. Whatever she was expecting, that wasn't it.

Since they're both in a state of shock, I take this opportunity to pull her away. Alyssa has always been something of a wildcard, I don't bother to pretend that it's not part of the attraction I feel for her. Once she finds her bearings, she'll probably rip me a new one.

I grab her hand and yank her to her feet before flicking a glance at Daniels to make sure his ass stays glued to the chair. Even though I can tell he's tempted to get in my way, he doesn't move a muscle. The guy has always struck me as a pussy, so this isn't a total surprise. All bark and no bite.

"Colton," she says in weak protest.

"You've got two minutes, Montgomery," Jameson mutters.

Or what? What's he going to do?

He's already proved that he doesn't own a pair of balls.

Instead of jumping further down his throat and getting into a physical altercation in the middle of the library, my grip tightens on her. That one touch has the brightest part of my anger and jealousy diminishing. Alyssa has always had this effect on me. She settles something deep inside me. Something I've never wanted to inspect too closely. Only now do I realize that I might have to. If the only alternative I have is to lose her, then there might not be a choice in the matter.

Not bothering to answer Jameson, I wind my way through the stacks, looking for a private place we can converse without interruption.

"Colton!" She tugs on her hand, trying to pull it free. "Stop! You just can't come here and hijack-"

Want to bet?

When I grind to a halt, she slams into me from behind before stumbling a step. I swing around. My hands lock around her slender shoulders as I turn her body. She has no choice to scramble backward. Her eyes widen as her spine hits the bookshelf and she realizes there's nowhere else to go. She's effectively trapped.

And at my mercy.

I'm close enough that our chests touch with each rise and fall of her breath. Our gazes stay locked as my lips hover over her parted ones. Her warm breath feathers across me. The scent of her is intoxicating. I've spent so much time keeping her at a firm distance that being this close drives me insane. It takes everything I have inside to keep myself in check.

I want this girl in the worst possible way.

I've always wanted her.

Now that I've allowed myself to finally touch her, I'm finding it difficult to control myself. The floodgates have opened and there's no way to close them again.

"What are you doing?" Her voice shakes as her hands press against my chest as if she's capable of holding me off. The heat of her palms burns through the thin cotton of my T-shirt, singeing the skin beneath it. Tattoos that will forever be a reminder of the day I lost my battle.

"This."

I step closer, pressing our bodies together until I can feel every rise and fall of her chest against mine. Her breath catches at the contact right before my lips crash onto hers. For a heartbeat, maybe two, I wonder if she'll fight me or try to push me away. Fuck, I wouldn't put it past her to bite me. Her body goes stiff before finally melting against mine as if she's wanted this for as long as I have. But that's not possible.

When my tongue sweeps across the seam of her lips, demanding entrance, she opens, and I delve inside. Her fingers curl, sinking into the cotton fabric of my shirt. The crescent shape of her nails bite into my flesh, grounding me to the present, to the moment unfolding between us. It's only now that I'm exploring her mouth do I realize how much I've wanted this. How did I ever think that one taste of her sweetness almost a year and a half ago would be enough?

I lose all sense of time as our tongues mingle and dance. I've missed the taste of her. No matter how many girls I've been with, they've all paled in comparison. Needy little noises escape from her and it only drives me on.

When I finally lift my mouth, we're both breathing hard.

There's a dazed expression filling her face. "I don't under-"

"Go out with me."

Every bit of haziness disappears as her eyes widen. I have to admit that the words shock the hell out of me as well. I stiffen and wait for panic to crash over me. Instead, I'm filled with relief.

"You want to go out on a...date?" The question is forced out as if every syllable is foreign on her tongue.

Again, I steal myself for an avalanche of panic to bury me alive. When that doesn't happen, I release a pent-up breath as the corners of my lips bow up. "Yup, I do."

Her brows draw together as she carefully searches my eyes. "You don't date." There's a pause before she tacks on in a harder voice, "You fuck around."

Guilty.

That's what I've always done. Although not for the reasons she thinks. I've spent years running away from the one girl I've always wanted, and I can't do it any longer.

I don't want to.

Only now do I realize that she might not give me a chance. I've lived the life of a manwhore, fucking whatever girl I wanted all in an attempt to forget the one in my arms. It didn't work. And I can't bear the thought of her with anyone else.

For all I know, she's over it.

Over me.

Fear pools in my gut.

Fine. I'm up to the challenge. It'll just take my powers of persuasion to change her mind. I press closer before ghosting my mouth over hers. She tilts her head as if trying to give me better access. The way her breathing hitches and her lips part, tells me that she wants me.

Wants this.

Instead of giving us what we both want, I whisper, "Let me take you out."

Her teeth sink into her bottom lip as indecision flashes across her face. I loosen my grip on her shoulders before gliding my fingers down her bare arms until arriving at her hands and interlocking our fingers. Then I drag her arms over her head and pin them to the bookshelf.

"Give me a chance."

A groan slips free from her as I bury my face against her neck, licking and nipping her flesh. My cock stiffens in my jeans. I've never wanted anyone the way I want her. And I'm so damn tired of fighting this need I feel for her.

"Okay." The word falls from her lips in a breathy little sigh.

It takes everything I have to beat back the beast inside and not take her right here in the library. I want to brand Alyssa as mine. I want every guy on this campus to know that she belongs to me.

"Good." My lips curve. "Now get rid of Daniels."