Total pages in book: 162
Estimated words: 158848 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 794(@200wpm)___ 635(@250wpm)___ 529(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 158848 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 794(@200wpm)___ 635(@250wpm)___ 529(@300wpm)
He walks on my left and slightly behind me. Like my own personal bodyguard. At my dorm door, I swipe my card against the reader and hold it open for him.
“Am I allowed in here?” he asks, following me inside.
“We can have guests. Just not overnight.” Not that the policy seems to stop anyone from having their boyfriends stay every weekend.
“Is it safe?” He glances at the door. “Are you safe here?”
Is anywhere really safe? “I think so.”
I take the stairs quickly. But when I reach the first landing, I realize Griff hasn’t even cleared half the steps yet. He seems to be favoring one knee and gripping the handrail hard.
“Are you okay?”
His pained eyes meet mine. Then his jaw tightens, and he nods quickly. “I’m fine. Go ahead.”
“Men,” I grumble. “You can’t just admit something’s bothering you?”
“Yes, my knee hurts.” He groans. “I think I overdid it with the yardwork this weekend. But it’s still better than it was when I first came home, so keep going.”
Wow, never expected him to share that much.
Guilt slows my steps knowing that he’s possibly in pain. All because I chose to live on the third floor. “I thought at least I’d get some exercise every day if I have to hike to the third floor a bunch of times,” I explain.
He nods once, still concentrating on the stairs. “Solid plan.”
My room’s at the end of the hall and I hurry toward it, pulling out my key. I knock and push the door open slowly in case Denise isn’t in class for some reason. The room’s dark and empty. I push the door all the way open and flip the switch on the wall.
“Here we are.” I set the coffee and muffin on my desk and stand back, so Griff can enter. “It could fit in my closet at home, huh?” I joke.
“It’s, uh, small, yeah.” He slides my backpack off his shoulder and sets it on the floor next to my desk. “You share this with someone?”
“Yeah, she’s nice, though.”
“That’s good.” He hands me the bag with the coat and I take it out, shaking it a few times before opening my closet door and hanging it inside.
Griff jams his hands in his pockets and awkwardly leans against the wall. He glances at my bed. “Where did you find a purple-and-red comforter?”
I chuckle and duck my head. “I don’t want to say.”
“Okay. Yeah.” He crosses his arms over his chest and shifts on his feet.
Oh, no. He probably thinks Torch bought it for me or something. “I found it in the kid’s section of Pottery Barn on clearance,” I admit.
A wide, relieved grin spreads over his face. “Nothing wrong with that.” He steps closer and picks up the black stuffed bunny he gave me. His grin widens. “She even matches.”
“She does,” I agree, a little embarrassed he now knows the stuffed rabbit he gave me lives on my bed.
I grab the bag with my ugly old snow boots and stick it in my closet. “I don’t know why Remy was so worried. It’s not like I plan to go sledding or something.”
“Yeah, he seemed really stressed about it for some reason.” He clears his throat. “Can I walk you to your class?”
“Oh, shoot! I better get going.” I’m torn. I don’t want Griff to leave but I can’t be late to class. “This professor locks us out if we’re late.”
“Well, let’s go.” He opens the door and holds it for me. “I’d hate to have to kick your professor’s ass on my first visit.”
He says it teasingly but knowing Griff he’d probably go bang on the classroom door if I got locked out. The thought propels me forward.
It’s a small space and our bodies brush against each other as I pass. Griff’s warm, woodsy scent wraps around me. I close my eyes for a second. So many things have changed between us, but his familiar scent still both comforts and excites me.
Class. I have to get to class.
“You okay, Muffin?” Griff asks.
Why does he have to call me that now? I blink up and find him staring at me.
“Uh, I, yeah,” I mumble and duck my head, then hurry into the hallway.
Griff follows, closing the door behind him.
I drag my feet the whole way downstairs—I’m worried about Griff’s knee, and I want to delay him leaving as long as possible.
My class is in a brick building kind of shaped like an old church on the far side of campus. “Where’d you park?” I ask Griff.
“In that visitor’s lot near the cafe.” He waves his arm in the opposite direction of where we’re headed.
I stop walking and face him. “You don’t have to walk me all the way to class. It’s kinda far…”
He glances ahead, as if judging the distance, even though I haven’t told him where it is yet. “But I want to see where your class is.” He taps the side of his head. “Then I’ll know what to picture when I’m thinking of you.”