21. VERENA GRAVENHURST
TWENTY-ONE
VERENA GRAVENHURST
“There’s my girl,” Reed murmurs into the crook of my neck. He nuzzles his nose against my flesh, inhaling a lungful of my perfume. Reed’s warm hands slink around my stomach, brushing against the sliver of exposed skin between my blouse and skirt.
“What do you want, Sullivan?” I roll my eyes.
“You know what I want,” he whispers against the shell of my ear, his voice as smooth as silk.
His hands roam over my hips, gripping them firmly before pulling my body flush against his.
“How about we make a deal?” His voice drops low enough so only I can hear him.
“You skip your last lecture of the day, and I’ll make you come so hard you’ll forget the plethora of useless questions swirling around in that pretty head of yours?
” he suggests, placing a soft kiss on the sensitive flesh below my ear.
“Hmm,” I pretend to debate his offer, pressing my ass into his already swelling cock, “that does sound tempting…but you know what I want, Sullivan.”
“Fuck, Gravenhurst, not this again, please,” he groans, running his curious hands over my thighs. “I’ve missed you.”
Spinning on my heel, I break our connection. “Do you miss me enough to spill your secrets?” I raise my brows, crossing my arms.
Reed tips his head back, dragging his hands over his face. “Come on, Gravenhurst, I’ll die without you!” he whines dramatically, ignoring my question, as I back away from him, smirking. If he wants to play games, then I’ll be his greatest opponent.
I raise my brows suggestively and shrug. “Then die.”
Reed stands in the middle of the hallway, dumbfounded, but amused. “You can’t be serious!” he shouts after me, despite the busy hallway. This might be the first time in history Reed Sullivan has ever been rejected, and satisfaction blooms inside of me as I spin on my heel, flipping him the finger.
“See you later, Sullivan!”
When I reach the end of the hall, Mauve is leaning lazily next to the classroom door, one boot propped up against it, her arms crossed over her small frame.
Short lilac curls cradle her face in loose, untamed tresses, just barely reaching the peaks of her shoulders, some wayward strands falling over her honey brown eyes.
“Trouble in paradise?” Mauve smirks, raising her eyebrows.
I glance behind me and watch as Reed disappears into the sea of students. “No, just Reed being…well, Reed.” I huff a laugh, waving her off.
Mauve stands up straight, linking her arm in mine. “Are you alright?”
“Yes,” I tell her, mustering up a smile, “except for the fact that I miss my best friend!”
Mauve giggles, pulling me closer to her side. “I miss you too. I feel like we haven’t had enough time together lately. Want to grab coffee at the cafe before class tomorrow?” she asks, excited.
I nod. “It would be my pleasure,” I say, my accent suddenly posh.
“Ah, marvellous! It’s a date,” she quips without missing a beat as we make our way into the lecture.
My last lecture of the day dragged on, and when I finally make it to the campus parking lot, I spot Reed leaning up against the passenger door of his Mercedes. His arms are folded over his chest, a wicked smile and deep dimples on full display as he watches me approach him.
I raise my brows. “Waiting for someone?”
He nods, smirking. “Just my beautiful girlfriend.”
“I see,” I say, glancing over my shoulder at the students exiting the building, pretending to look for someone, “tell her I say hello, would you?” I offer him a playful smile and begin walking away, but Reed slips his hand into mine, pulling me back towards him.
My breasts press against his hard, unmoving chest.
“Must you always be such a brat?” His voice is husky between us. His eyes are low and clouded with sinful intentions.
“Only when my boyfriend is keeping things from me.” I raise my brows, and any sign of lust he had for me a moment ago is gone in an instant.
Reed closes his eyes, tipping his head back. He’s clearly annoyed with me. “I don’t understand why you insist on pestering me about this.” He drops my hand.
“Reed, Come on, I—”
His gaze returns to me, but instead of soft hazel eyes promising pleasure, I’m met with disdain.
I shrink under his stare, wishing I hadn’t said anything at all.
Maybe I have been a little pushy about the subject, but I like Reed a lot, and I fear the skeletons in his closet are going to be our downfall.
“What have I ever done to lead you to believe you can’t trust me? I’ve done everything right, yet still you refuse to let down your walls.” He shakes his head in disbelief, and panic begins to seep in. The look in his eyes is one I know all too well. It’s the one that comes right before a goodbye.
“You’re right,” I say quickly, as if I might not get the chance to. I wrap my arms around his abdomen, pressing myself back into him. “I do trust you. I won’t ask you anymore, I’m sorry.”
He avoids my stare for a long moment, and my heart twists like it’s caught in a vice. When his gaze finally returns to me, there’s a softness within it that sends relief washing through me. “I’m sorry,” I repeat again, quieter this time, and place a gentle kiss on his full lips.
Reed brushes a loose strand of hair behind my ear, drinking me in for a moment before kissing the top of my forehead. “Get in the car, Gravenhurst. I want to take you somewhere.”