Total pages in book: 47
Estimated words: 45274 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 226(@200wpm)___ 181(@250wpm)___ 151(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 45274 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 226(@200wpm)___ 181(@250wpm)___ 151(@300wpm)
Anxiety washes over me when I think about anything more than sitting next to Tucker to watch a movie. “Maybe I should stay home. This is a bad idea, right?”
She steps into the room and presses her hands on my shoulders, glancing at me through the mirror. “Don’t be such a coward, Sam. You can do this. Think of the big picture.”
Eden hugs me from behind, wrapping me in her warmth.
“You have the upper hand this time; remember that. Tucker is the king of this campus. Getting closer to him will give us a bigger advantage.”
I nod, now realizing what she means. “Good point. The closer I get, the more we’ll learn about all of them.”
Our secret, one no one knows, has helped pay a portion of our tuition. We’ve used our investigative journalism skills since the beginning of the semester to earn extra cash.
Eden dated the president of Delta Sigma Phi to gain easy access to his fraternity brothers. That’s the beauty of being an average girl. Heads aren’t turning when I walk into a room. When The Queen approached us, we couldn’t turn down her offer.
“She will want details about your date with Tucker,” Eden says. “Pump him for as much info as you can get.”
I flash a wicked grin. “Easy.”
Crowded doesn’t even cover the current situation in the SAC. I scan the large, open room on the top floor for Tucker. He’s well over six feet tall and easy to spot most days. But not tonight. I’m too short, the surrounding guys towering over me, making it hard to see past them.
Standing on my tippy toes, I take another look, startled when strong hands wrap around my middle. I know it’s him before my feet hit the floor. His scent, clean linen, and spicy aftershave fill my nostrils. Tucker always smells so damn good.
“Looking for me,” he says against the shell of my ear.
My body responds to his touch instantly, his deep voice hardening my nipples. I can’t deny the effect he has on me. What I felt for him years ago hasn’t faded with time. Knowing what it’s like to be with Tucker makes me want him more.
But I can’t.
I won’t.
This isn’t right.
I shouldn’t even be here with him.
And yet, I am.
I suck in a deep breath, nerves shaking through my body as I peel Tucker’s hands from my waist and spin around to face him. “You showed. I’m shocked.”
“Don’t be,” he growls.
“You promised to behave yourself.”
He laughs. “I am.”
“No more touching.” I move my hands to my hips while giving him my best resting bitch face so he knows I mean business.
His eyes follow my hands and rake over my breasts before he meets my gaze again. “You got it, boss.” A crooked smile crosses his lips. “No touching.”
“Friends,” I remind him.
He nods and then threads his fingers between mine, leading me deeper into the room. Tucker couldn’t even make it two seconds before he broke the rules. With his skin brushing against mine, it’s harder to fight him. Heat travels up my arms, igniting a fire inside me. I’m angry with myself because I like how he makes me feel.
A massive projection screen is on the wall, paused on the opening credits of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. Tucker releases his grip on my fingers, and I miss his heat the second it’s gone. But I’m also relieved because we’re in public, where students in my class can see us holding hands. One complaint to Professor Frazier, especially after my previous warning, could cost me a job.
Tucker bends down to speak to the guys and girls in the front row. They lift their bags, blankets, and food, sliding to the right to make room for us on the floor. We’re at the dead center of the screen, our view unobstructed.
Everyone caters to Tucker. So, he expects me to grade him on a curve. No one has ever told him no. Well, he can kiss my ass. There’s no way in hell I’ll go easy on him. I meant what I said to him.
We sit with our legs crossed on the carpeted floor, staring at the screen silently. He doesn’t strike me as the Harry Potter-loving type. I would have guessed comic book movies.
I tap Tucker on the knee to catch his attention, now aware I broke my rule.
“Which book is your favorite?”
He gives me a blank stare. “What’s yours?”
His expression hasn’t changed.
Does he even know what I’m talking about?
“Hmm… I love The Deathly Hallows because it’s the book that ties everything together and wraps up the story, but I think my favorite is The Goblet of Fire. I love the competition aspect of the book.”
Another confused stare from Tucker. He nods, biting the inside of his cheek. “Right, I feel the same way.”
“You didn’t answer the question.”