Chapter Twenty Seven
“Thiago,” I breathe, barely loud enough to be heard over the rustle of nearby leaves.
I stand frozen with shock long after Everest has walked away, his broad back being cloaked by darkness before he vanished from existence.
My lips are still tingling from the roughness of his kiss, the ferocity of his protectiveness, but I don’t have the mental capacity to consider his thoughts right now.
I can’t even remember how I transported from Everest’s side to Thiago’s, his sudden appearance short wiring my brain. All I know is, I’m not ready to shake the weight of his arm around my back. He’s here. Actually here in person, as if the sheer desperation of my yearning has fabricated him.
Turning into his body, Thiago’s arms wrap tighter around me, the smile on his face reaching ear to ear.
My palms flatten on his chest, a war happening between my head and heart.
His face is smooth, his eyes twinkling blue and full of humor, exactly how I know him to be.
Except, he’s not sitting behind a screen.
I’m not getting pieces of him within a voice note or as a username in a game lobby.
I’m staring directly at him, his heart beating beneath my palm.
Inhaling deeply, I slowly come back to myself, able to set the shock aside for some clarity to glimpse through.
“Where the fuck have you been?!” I promptly shove Thiago a step away and then grab his T-shirt to tug him straight back. I’m not ready to break our contact right now. “I needed you, Thi. I…I always need you.”
“You have me, Meg. I’m here for you. This is for you,” Thiago opens an arm gesturing to the campus around us.
His hands raise to cup my face, alerting me to the welling of tears about to spill from my eyes.
I don’t even try to fight them, sick of pretending I’m strong.
Thiago has seen me at my lowest, he knows my damage.
Two thumbs stroke my cheeks, wiping away the wetness, and my lip wobbles.
“I’ve been through hell these past few days.” Thiago’s face softens instantly, the charm slipping away for a rare moment.
“Me desculpe, meu amor. I wanted to give you the space you were craving.” I could whimper.
That’s not what I wanted at all. I was just confused and stupid.
Although, now I’m looking back, now I’m pressed against the heat of his body, I can recognize exactly what I was doing.
An unhealthy dose of self-sabotage. I was trying to pull away.
A part of me thought my relationship with Thiago would stay virtual, and my head was screaming to live in this world. To be a part of what’s real.
“Besides, that admissions process was killer,” Thiago brings his smile back, nudging me out of my trance. “I haven’t slept in days.” I quirk a brow, huffing a small laugh.
“Exactly how have you managed to get accepted in four days?” I know as soon as the words leave my mouth, judging by Thiago’s smug grin, I shouldn’t have asked. His hands drop to my waist, his confidence oozing out in waves.
“Wellllll,” he tilts his head from side to side, “I might have planted a cyber hack in the IT department, set on a timer, and then used my entry essay as a coded guide to fix it. They could have solved it themselves, but admitting me on a full scholarship to remove the hack before all of their data was destroyed was quicker.” My mouth drops open, my head heeling.
“They let you join, just like that?” I ask, still hesitant. Thiago winks, his thumbs rubbing circles on my hips.
“It’s easier to work with a genius than against them. Consider me the new Hollowbrook cybersecurity consultant.” A choked laugh escapes me. I don’t even pick him up for his cockiness. I’m too comfortable leaning against his chest, inhaling his masculine scent, staring directly into his eyes.
“So you’re staying? This isn’t,” I glance down at the large duffels, “temporary?” Licking his lips, Thiago gives me a serious stare.
“I think there’s been some misconceptions about my feelings that I’m more than happy to clarify.
I am obsessed with you, Meg, I’m not ashamed to admit that.
I’ve been obsessed since the moment I met you, and I’m not sorry that I gave you time to find yourself again, but I’m here now.
I’m staying, and make no mistake. I don’t intend on being your friend.
” I drop my forehead against his shoulder, groaning softly.
“You listened to the voice notes.” There’s a low rumble in Thiago’s chest as he laughs softly, his arms tightening around me until I’m pulled flush against him.
“Only on the greyhound on my way over here,” he admits, his chin brushing the top of my head. “I made a list of points I need to resolve, starting with this one.” I tilt my head up to look at him, and suddenly the world seems to shrink.
The teasing arrogance that usually lives in his eyes has softened into something far more thoughtful.
One hand lifts slowly, brushing a loose strand of hair back from my face.
His fingers linger there for a second, warm against my cheek, before sliding down to cradle the side of my jaw.
A shiver rolls through me. Not like the electric jolt Everest woke within me, but something just as powerful settles in my chest. Thiago is grounding, he’s safe, he feels like home.
My heart stutters at the realization, and then he leans down.
His lips brush mine in a careful, teasing way, as if he’s giving me a chance to back out.
This is new territory for us, the closest we’ve ever been.
Yet, I know Thiago, and now I know how he feels about me.
My fingers curl instinctively into the front of his hoodie, encouraging him to kiss me deeper.
Thiago exhales against my mouth, the tension leaving his shoulders all at once.
The next time his lips meet mine, his kiss consumes me.
His softness, his warmth, his tenderness.
I drown in it, surprised at the strength of butterflies in my gut compared to the gentle touch.
Thiago surrounds me with everything I didn’t know I needed.
His thumb traces my jaw, drawing a path around to clasp the back of my neck.
I tilt my face closer, my body settling against his without hesitation, fitting there like it’s the most natural place in the world.
For the first time in days, the tight knot in my chest loosens.
The fear. The guilt. The constant weight of everything that’s happened.
It all fades into the background for a moment, leaving just us, kissing on the dimly-lit sidewalk.
When Thiago finally pulls back, he doesn’t move far. His forehead rests lightly against mine, his breath warm against my lips.
“First item on the list resolved,” he breathes.
My smile is slow to spread, but it’s full.
This is what has been missing, this is why I’ve struggled to find my way.
Thiago being on a screen was never going to be enough.
I needed him here. “It’s getting cold, Amorzinha.
Would you mind showing me where I’m staying? ”
Reluctantly, I nod and pull away, but the smile remains.
Thi flashes me his room allocation on his phone and I grab for one of his duffels.
The cab driver wasn’t kidding. Thiago’s bags are ridiculously heavy.
I grunt under the weight, dragging it along the floor behind me, my heels scratching along the pavement.
The wheels catch on the uneven tiles, forcing me to jerk the bag forward in awkward bursts.
I still can’t quite comprehend the man striding along behind me. I was supposed to be at Laura’s vigil, yet I’ve helped Everest through a panic attack, reunited with Thiago and kissed them both. Talk about a whirlwind of emotions. Oblivious to my thoughts, Thiago hums to himself.
“You know, I had a vague plan to sneak in and get a feel for the campus before I surprised you at your door with flowers. Although, I can’t say I’m mad about the scenery so far,” Thiago comments.
I glance over my shoulder, noting first how his gaze is openly on my ass, and second how he’s not struggling with the weight of his bag at all. I roll my eyes and face forward.
By the time we reach the dorm block, the adrenaline that carried me across campus has finally begun to drain from my system.
My limbs feel heavy, the exhaustion of the past few days catching up with me all at once.
I hook my shoulder against the main door and shove it open, the hinge groaning softly as we step inside.
Before I can drag the duffel bag through after me, Thiago plucks it from my grip.
“I’ll manage the bags now. You go on ahead.
” I raise a brow but obey, starting up the first flight of stairs while he lugs the bags behind me.
A small smile tugs at my mouth as I climb, because I know exactly what he’s doing.
Thiago might dress up his actions as chivalry, but I know this gentlemanly gesture is just another ruse to check out my ass.
I keep it to myself that he has Everest to thank for the black pantsuit that was delivered to my door this afternoon.
It is stunning, tailored with the kind of elegance I would never be able to afford on my own.
The fabric hugs my waist and hips, managing to be both professional and dangerously flattering.
If the Calloways wanted me to look like I belonged among Hollowbrook’s elite tonight, they certainly succeeded.
We reach Thiago’s assigned floor, his breathing a little harder from hauling the luggage but still appearing far too pleased with himself. He fishes a keycard from his pocket and swipes it against the lock. The door swings open, and I step inside before jerking to a stop.
“Thiago,” I gasp, turning in a slow circle. “What the hell?”
The room is enormous. In fact, calling it a dorm feels like an insult to the rest of the students sharing cramped spaces.
The suite opens into a wide living area with a velvet sofa, a large desk setup with dual monitors, a coffee machine, and tall windows overlooking the campus lawns.
The bedroom area has been separated by a pull-out divider, the foot of a large double bed just visible.
Off to the side, I spot an open door and private bathroom just beyond.
I finish spinning, stopping at the smug look on Thiago’s face.
“Another perk of the cybersecurity consultant?” I ask, not even joking about the title he’s no doubt bestowed upon himself. He shrugs, dragging his bags over towards the desk.
“I may have made a few extra demands, and luckily, this room had just opened up. Someone called Cynthia Farndon just transferred out. Her father is CEO for a big pharmaceutical chain that has recently taken a financial nosedive. He is really not having a good year,” Thiago pulls an exaggerated ‘yikes’ face.
I frown, looking at the room in another light.
“Cynthia has gone? But she was head of the cheer squad,” I mutter to myself. My thoughts are derailed as Thiago starts to unpack, pulling out stacks of hard drives and devices that I couldn’t even name. From the looks of it, he has more tech than clothes, and I find myself smiling again.
Sinking onto the sofa, I curl my legs up and lie my head back on the cushions, content to simply watch him.
It’s surreal to see him in person, more than just a head and shoulders, more than just a smirk and a compliment.
He sheds his hoodie, revealing a tightly fitted T-shirt above his sweatpants.
His biceps shift every time he leans down to lift another piece of equipment, his abs pushing against the fabric.
A computer nerd has absolutely no right to be this hot.
“Speak for yourself,” Thiago replies without looking my way.
My cheeks set on fire, realizing I said that last part out loud.
“You’re becoming quite the nerd yourself, and you’re fucking beautiful.
” I’m thankful that Thiago doesn’t see the way I melt into the cushions, swooning amongst the embarrassment.
In my newfound relaxed position, my eyes gently close.
I’m content to simply listen to him bustling around, the scrape of cables and tugging of zips slicing through the air.
I was dreading tonight. Dreading facing the guilt of standing in Laura’s vigil, knowing I’m the one who failed her.
Dreading the stares and whispers and flashing cameras.
I managed to avoid it completely, but stumbled into another emotional weight I wasn’t prepared for.
Now that chaos has faded and the quiet of the room wraps around me, the exhaustion crashes in.
My muscles ache, my head throbs faintly, and my lids become heavier.
“Na ah, come on. You need to get comfortable first.” One of Thiago’s hands rests on my thigh, the other holding a folded T-shirt of his.
I smile lazily, accepting the clothing. Pressing a kiss to my forehead, he stands and heads into the bathroom, leaving the door ajar as the shower turns on.
Maybe that’s an invitation, but I barely have the energy to peel off the expensive pantsuit, tossing the fabric into a heap on the floor and replacing it with Thiago’s shirt.
It smells of laundry soap and something distinctly Thiago.
This time when my lids close, it’s intentional.
There’s no returning to my room tonight, not when I have the option to simply be in Thi’s presence.
My breathing evens out, my limbs becoming weightless.
The shower pounds a steady rhythm, images forming within my mind.
Sinful images of flawless brown skin, tight muscles, water droplets, long dexterous fingers that will be skilled with more than just a keyboard.
I get carried away, imagining those hands washing his body, soap suds drifting south…
Suddenly, I’m airborne, being carried by strong arms. Lowered onto the bed, I barely stir as the mattress dips behind me.
Instinctively, I gravitate toward the warmth of him, the weight of Thiago’s arm settling over my waist and gently pulling me back against his chest. The steady rhythm of his breathing hums beneath my ear, calm and reassuring in a way that loosens the last of the tension in my body.
My mind goes quiet. Blissfully, wonderfully silent, except for one word that slips through my fog. Safe. I’m safe, protected, and secure as the world finally fades to black.