~ Chapter 27 ~
Campus felt louder than usual.
Not in an overwhelming way.
More like... alive.
The kind of alive that hummed under your skin.
Students sprawled across the grass with backpacks as pillows, music drifting faintly from someone's speaker, couples walking hand in hand, athletes in practice gear cutting through crowds like they owned the place.
Eva stood near the fountain with Sandra, Parker, Cassie, Anand, and Alia, iced coffee sweating in her hand, pretending she wasn't scanning the quad every thirty seconds.
She told herself she was just people-watching.
She was lying.
Sandra noticed immediately.
"You're looking for him."
Eva blinked. "I'm not."
Parker didn't even glance up from her phone. "You absolutely are."
Eva sighed, shoulders slumping. "I just... want to say hi."
Cassie smiled knowingly. "You've been dating for like five minutes and you already miss him. It's cute."
Eva's cheeks warmed. "We are not—"
Sandra cut in. "She's in denial. Let her process."
Anand bumped Eva's shoulder lightly. "So, squirrel. When are you introducing us officially to Reed as your boyfriend?"
Eva nearly choked on her drink.
"He already knows you exist!"
"That's not the same," Anand said seriously. "I need ceremonial acknowledgment."
Alia nodded in agreement. "Preferably with snacks."
Eva laughed despite herself.
And then—
"There," Parker said.
Eva's heart stuttered.
Her gaze followed Parker's.
Reed stood near the student union steps with Vinod, Ryan, Felix, and Caleb.
Hands in his pockets.
Black hoodie.
Dark jeans.
Tall in a way that always startled her, even though she'd seen him a hundred times now.
He looked unfairly good doing absolutely nothing.
And standing a little too close to him—
Was a cheerleader.
Blonde.
Long legs.
Crop top.
Confident in a way Eva had never been.
Laughing too loud.
Angling her body too close.
Touching his arm.
Eva felt it before she could name it.
That slow, hot pull in her stomach.
Not anger.
Not insecurity.
Something sharper.
Something possessive.
Sandra leaned in. "She's talking to Reed."
Eva swallowed. "I see that."
Parker watched carefully. "He's not flirting."
Eva knew that.
Reed wasn't leaning toward her.
Wasn't smiling the way he smiled with Eva.
Wasn't touching her.
He looked polite.
Neutral.
Still.
But the girl was very clearly trying.
She touched his arm again.
Eva's brain shut off.
She didn't plan.
Didn't weigh consequences.
Didn't talk herself down.
Her body moved before her mind could catch up.
Across the quad.
Straight toward him.
She barely registered her friends yelling her name.
All she knew was that Reed was right there.
And she needed to be closer.
Eva wrapped her arms around him from behind.
Her cheek pressed between his shoulder blades.
Her hands slid around his waist.
She felt his body immediately tense—
Then relax.
Completely.
"Hi," she said softly.
Reed froze.
Then melted.
His hands came up over hers, big and warm and sure.
"Hey," he said, voice dropping.
That alone almost killed her.
The cheerleader blinked.
Once.
Twice.
"Oh."
Eva tightened her hold without realizing.
Reed felt it.
Everywhere.
He turned his head slightly, looking over his shoulder.
Smiled down at her.
Soft.
Private.
His.
The girl cleared her throat. "I didn't realize you were... busy."
Reed didn't look away from Eva.
"I'm not," he said calmly. "I'm taken."
Ryan made a choking sound.
Felix muttered, "Jesus Christ."
Vinod smirked.
Caleb whispered, "Damn."
The cheerleader nodded awkwardly and walked away.
Reality slammed back into Eva.
She realized what she'd done.
Publicly.
On campus.
In front of God and everyone.
Her entire body went molten.
She tried to let go.
Reed didn't let her.
He turned fully, one arm sliding around her waist, pulling her into his side.
Given their height difference, her face ended up right at his chest.
Safe.
Trapped.
Very aware.
"Don't run," he murmured.
Her face burned.
"I'm sorry, I just— I didn't even think—"
Reed leaned down, lips brushing near her ear.
"I liked it."
Eva nearly passed out.
The rest of the group had arrived.
Sandra stared.
Slow grin.
"Oh my god."
Cassie clasped her hands. "SHE MARKED HER TERRITORY."
Parker covered her mouth. "Eva!"
Anand blinked. "I leave you alone for ten minutes—"
Alia nodded approvingly. "She chose violence."
Eva buried her face in Reed's chest.
"I want to disappear."
Reed laughed.
Actually laughed.
Deep.
Warm.
Unfiltered.
"Not allowed," he said, squeezing her slightly. "You're mine."
Something hot and dangerous curled low in Eva's stomach.
Ryan pointed. "You just publicly claimed her in front of half the quad."
Reed shrugged. "Good."
Felix shook his head. "This man is gone."
Vinod looked at Eva. "You okay?"
Eva peeked out.
"...Yes."
Sandra smirked. "You looked hot doing that, by the way."
Eva whimpered. "Please stop talking."
Reed looked down at her.
"You don't have to worry," he said quietly. "I don't want anyone else."
Eva's throat tightened.
"Okay," she whispered.
Reed brushed his thumb along her side.
Not innocent.
Not sexual.
Possessive.
Grounding.
Claiming.
Eva realized something then.
She wasn't just sweet.
She wasn't just soft.
She could want.
She could choose.
She could claim too.
And she really, really wanted Reed.
----
Reed did not stop touching her.
Not in a blatant way.
Not in a "we're about to fuck in the middle of campus" way.
But his hand stayed at her waist.
His thumb kept moving.
Slow.
Absentminded.
Like his body had decided Eva belonged there and was unwilling to negotiate.
They started walking.
Not toward anywhere specific.
Just away from people.
Away from noise.
Away from the quad.
Eva stayed tucked into his side, smaller against him, his arm naturally curving around her shoulders as if he'd been doing this his entire life.
Reed's mind was not quiet.
At all.
Images replayed on a loop.
Eva wrapping around him.
Eva claiming him.
Eva hiding her face in his chest.
Eva's small voice saying okay when he told her he didn't want anyone else.
His body was reacting accordingly.
Low.
Heavy.
Insistent.
He clenched his jaw.
Focused on breathing.
Focused on not embarrassing himself.
Focused on not picking her up and carrying her somewhere private.
Eva tilted her head up to look at him.
"You okay?"
He laughed once, short and quiet.
"Barely."
Her brows knit together.
"Did I... do something wrong?"
Reed stopped walking.
Turned fully toward her.
"No."
Firm.
Certain.
"You did something very right."
Eva swallowed.
Her hands slid up his hoodie, resting lightly on his chest like she didn't even realize she was doing it.
"I just didn't like her touching you," she admitted softly.
Reed's restraint cracked a little.
"I don't like anyone touching me," he said, just as soft. "Except you."
Eva's breath stuttered.
"Okay," she whispered.
That single word hit him straight in the gut.
Reed took her hand.
Interlaced their fingers.
Led her off the main path, toward the side of one of the quieter academic buildings where shadows pooled and foot traffic thinned.
They stopped beneath an overhang.
Dim light.
Brick wall behind her.
Reed standing in front of her.
Too close.
Very aware.
His hands went to her hips.
Not squeezing.
Not grabbing.
Anchoring.
Eva's back brushed the wall.
She didn't move away.
Didn't try to.
Her chin tipped up slightly.
Reed noticed.
His control frayed another notch.
"Eva," he said quietly.
"Yes?"
"If I start kissing you, I'm not going to want to stop."
Her lips parted.
"I don't... want you to stop."
That was it.
Reed leaned down and kissed her.
Not gentle.
Not rough.
Deep.
Slow.
Claiming.
His mouth moved against hers like he had all the time in the world and none at all.
Eva melted.
Hands fisting his hoodie.
Body pressing closer without hesitation.
She made a small, involuntary sound into his mouth.
Reed groaned.
Low.
Barely restrained.
His hands slid up her sides, thumbs brushing just under her ribs.
Not inappropriate.
Not explicit.
But intimate as hell.
Eva tilted her head, giving him better access without realizing what she was offering.
Reed took it.
His mouth moved to the corner of hers.
Her cheek.
Her jaw.
Just below her ear.
Eva's knees actually wobbled.
"Reed," she breathed.
He paused.
Not because he wanted to.
Because he had to.
He rested his forehead against hers.
Eyes closed.
Breathing hard.
"Tell me what you're thinking," he said.
Eva didn't overthink it.
"I like when you touch me."
Reed nearly lost his mind.
"I like that you're bigger than me," she added quietly, cheeks pink, honesty spilling out unchecked. "And that you make me feel small. But safe."
Reed's hands tightened on her hips.
"Jesus, Eva."
She blinked up at him.
"Is that bad?"
"No," he said immediately. "It's dangerous."
Her lips curved into the tiniest, shy smile.
"I want you."
Reed swallowed hard.
"I want you too."
Silence.
Heavy.
Electric.
Reed leaned in again, slower this time.
Another kiss.
Deeper.
More intentional.
His thumb brushed along her jaw.
Her neck.
Eva arched into it without thinking.
Reed felt it everywhere.
He pulled back again.
Breathing rough.
"This is me trying to be good," he said.
Eva nodded.
"I like that you're trying."
He rested his forehead against hers.
"You make it very hard."
Her lips brushed his.
"I'm sorry."
He huffed a breathless laugh.
"No, you're not."
She smiled.
Soft.
Guilty.
Beautiful.
Reed kissed her one more time.
Long.
Lingering.
Then forced himself to pull away.
Hands still on her.
Not letting go.
Not yet.
"Come here," he murmured, tugging her gently into his chest.
Eva wrapped her arms around his waist immediately.
Buried her face against him.
They stood like that.
Breathing.
Grounding.
Neither pretending this was casual.
Neither pretending this was small.
Reed knew one thing with terrifying certainty.
He wasn't just attracted to Eva.
He wasn't just infatuated.
He was in deep.
And if he didn't keep controlling himself...
He was going to cross lines he wanted to cross with her right.
Which meant slowing down.
Even when everything in him screamed to speed up.
Reed kept his arms around her longer than necessary.
Long enough that Eva's breathing evened out.
Long enough that his heartbeat started to slow.
Long enough that he could almost convince himself he had control again.
Almost.
Eva shifted slightly.
Not pulling away.
Not moving back.
Just enough that her forehead brushed his collarbone.
Just enough that her lips brushed the skin of his chest through the hoodie.
It was accidental.
Probably.
Reed sucked in a breath through his teeth.
Eva felt it.
She lifted her head slowly.
Looked up at him.
Not shy.
Not bold.
Open.
Curious.
Wanting.
"I don't want you to stop touching me," she said softly.
Reed closed his eyes for half a second.
When he opened them, something in his gaze had changed.
Darker.
He lifted one hand from her waist.
Slow.
Deliberate.
Ran his thumb along her jaw.
Tipped her chin up.
"You're playing a dangerous game, Eva."
Her lips parted.
"I'm not trying to play," she whispered. "I just... want you."
That was it.
Reed leaned down and kissed her.
Not slow this time.
Not gentle.
Deep.
Hungry.
Like he'd been holding himself back for too long and finally stopped pretending otherwise.
Eva gasped into his mouth.
Her hands slid up his chest.
Under his hoodie.
Bare skin.
Warm.
Solid.
She pressed closer without thinking.
Reed groaned.
Low.
Unfiltered.
His hands moved.
One sliding up her back.
The other gripping her hip.
Pulling her flush against him.
No space.
No pretending.
Eva felt everything.
His body.
His hardness.
His restraint unraveling.
Her knees weakened.
Reed shifted his stance, bracing himself between her thighs, trapping her gently against the wall.
Not rough.
Not rushed.
Controlled.
But dominant.
His mouth left hers.
Moved to her jaw.
Her neck.
Just below her ear.
Eva's head tipped back.
A soft sound slipped out of her before she could stop it.
"Reed..."
Hearing his name like that nearly ended him.
He sucked lightly at the skin of her neck.
Not marking.
Just tasting.
Eva's fingers tangled in his hair.
Tugged.
Not hard.
But enough.
Reed swore under his breath.
His hips rocked once.
Unintentional.
Eva felt it.
Her breath stuttered.
"Oh."
Reed froze.
Pulled back just enough to look at her.
Eyes dark.
Jaw tight.
"If we keep going like this, I'm not going to be able to stop."
Eva swallowed.
"I don't want you to stop," she said honestly.
Reed leaned in again.
Forehead to forehead.
Hands still gripping her like letting go wasn't an option.
"I'm not taking you against a wall on campus," he said. "No matter how badly I want to."
Her cheeks flushed.
Her eyes dropped.
Then lifted again.
"I like knowing you want to."
Reed laughed once.
Broken.
"Fuck."
He kissed her again.
Slower.
Deeper.
Tongue sliding against hers.
Exploring.
Claiming.
Eva kissed him back like she was learning his mouth.
Like she was memorizing him.
His hands slid under her sweater.
Bare skin.
Warm.
Smooth.
He didn't go far.
Didn't rush.
Just held her there.
Felt her.
Let her feel him.
They broke apart breathing hard.
Foreheads pressed together.
Bodies still locked.
Reed brushed his thumb across her bottom lip.
"You're going to be the death of me."
Eva smiled shyly.
"I don't mean to."
He kissed the corner of her mouth.
"You do it anyway."
They stayed like that.
Holding each other.
Not finished.
Not satisfied.
But connected.
Which somehow felt more dangerous than anything else.