Chapter 69
Julia
McKinley Library is nearly silent, except for the low hum of the ceiling lights and the occasional squeak of someone’s sneaker on the tile floor.
Ace is slouched in the chair across from me at one of the back study tables, a pencil stuck behind his ear, one hand tangled in his hair, and absolutely no clue what I’m talking about.
“For the third time,” I say, tapping my pen on his notebook, “if you increase the angle of the incline, the parallel component of gravitational force increases too.”
Ace stares at me blankly.
I sigh. “That means it’ll slide faster.”
“Ohh,” he says, grinning. “You mean like how I slid right into your DMs freshman year?”
I throw my head back and groan. “You never slid into my DMs.”
“Because I was already in your life since we were kids,” he says, leaning forward on his elbows and lowering his voice. “Living right in your heart and you didn’t even know it.”
I stare at him.
He grins wider. “You know, it was all part of my plan…getting into all your classes. Moving across the hall from you. Studying with you. I was playing the long game of trying to make you fall in love with me. If that doesn’t prove that what I feel for you is true, all-consuming love, I don’t know what does. ”
“Or it proves you’re insane,” I reply.
He shrugs. “Insane for you, baby.”
I try not to laugh. “Ace. Focus. You have to pass this exam, or you’ll blow your GPA. And a shitty GPA could quite literally fuck your title as president of Double C.”
He sighs dramatically and drops his forehead onto the open physics textbook. “Then teach me the sexy way.”
I raise a brow. “The what?”
He looks up at me, eyes mischievous. “I’m just saying… I’d retain a lot more if you were, I don’t know, maybe whispering formulas in my ear while you undressed me.”
“Oh my God.”
“I’m serious. You have a gift, Julia. Use it.”
I roll my eyes, trying not to smile. “You’re impossible.”
“And yet, here you are. In love with me.”
“You’re lucky I am,” I mutter.
“I really, really am.” His voice softens at that, and when I glance up, he’s looking at me like I’m the only thing that’s ever made sense in the whole universe.
Which is why I get a ridiculous, impulsive idea.
I glance around, confirming no one is close by, and stand up. “Come on.”
Ace straightens. “Where are we going?”
“Just follow me.”
I lead him down a quiet hallway near the staff offices and find the door I clocked earlier. The janitor’s closet. Unlocked. I pull it open and motion him in.
He looks delighted. “Oh, hell yes.”
Inside, it smells faintly of lemon cleaner and old books, and there’s only enough space for two people to stand shoulder to chest. Which is exactly what we’re doing.
I press him back against the wall and reach up to run my fingers through his hair. “Maybe I need to teach you using the laws of physics.”
“Oh?”
I smile and slide my hands down his chest, fingers teasing the hem of his shirt. “Let’s start with the law of universal gravitation.”
Ace’s breath catches. “Which is?”
“All objects attract each other with a force that is directly proportional to the product of their masses…” I lean in and press a kiss to his jaw, then lower “…and inversely proportional to the square distance between them.”
“God, I love you.”
I grin. “I know. I love you too.”
I sink to my knees.
His breath stutters as I tug at the button of his jeans. “Are we still…studying?”
“Oh, we’re studying,” I murmur. “This is kinetic energy in motion.”
“I think I love kinetic energy.” He lets out a shaky laugh, but it turns into a groan as I pull him free and run my fingers along the length of him. He’s already hard and swollen and begging for my lips. “Holy shit, Jules—”
“Shh.” I look up at him. “We’re in a library.”
He gently cups the back of my head as I take him in my mouth.
He tastes sweet and salty and something distinctly Ace. My favorite freaking flavor. And he tightens his hands as I hollow my cheeks and move slowly and methodically, taking as much of him into my mouth as I can.
“Fuck.” His head thumps gently against the wall. “Best. Study session. Ever.”