Total pages in book: 9
Estimated words: 7999 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 40(@200wpm)___ 32(@250wpm)___ 27(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 7999 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 40(@200wpm)___ 32(@250wpm)___ 27(@300wpm)
And when I’ve finally come down from the high, my legs feel like they’ve turned to mush.
He helps me up and I hold onto his shoulders to steady myself before I lean in and kiss him on the lips. Every kiss is returned with an equally needy kiss … and lingering doubt. But if I keep my eyes closed the world will fade and maybe we can stay like this for a little longer.
His lips part against mine. “We shouldn’t have done this.”
“We definitely shouldn’t have,” I mutter.
When my eyes open again, his are filled with regret. The dean … in shock.
Oh God.
What have I done?
I clear my throat and let him go, then jump off the desk, as he tucks his dick back inside.
“I’m sorry,” I mutter to myself as I pull my leggings back up and put my shirt down. “I don’t know what got into me. I—”
He grabs my arm and stops me mid-way through the room. “Don’t be sorry about something we both needed.” He gently smiles. “Once.”
“Once,” I repeat, telling myself it’ll be enough. “Making a mistake once is enough.”
His Adam’s Apple goes up and down as his eyes linger on my body, my face, as if he’s taking it all in at once. “I … wanted to thank you. For your help.”
I nod. “Don’t … mention it.”
“I want you to know that I admire you, and I wish I could, but … I’m a scarred man, Kayla. I don’t do relationships.” He looks away for a moment and releases me from his grip. “It wouldn’t be right.”
“I understand,” I say. “And also because I’m friends with your son and daughter.”
“Exactly,” he repeats, his voice unsteady.
I rub my lips together. “We just needed to fuck it out of our system. And that’s it.”
“Right,” he says.
“Okay. Well, it was fun.”
When I turn around again he adds, “I’m sorry. I wish it could be more. But I don’t want you to be in danger.”
I pause near the door. “I know. I promise I won’t tell a soul. Not about the man you killed. Or what we did in here. But don’t ever ask me to forget.” I look him in the eye one last time, but the moment he takes a step towards me, I close the door behind me.
***
The next day
I take my earbuds out and stop jogging, right near the spot where Mr. Rivera killed that man. But there is no body. Not a speck of blood. Nothing left of the crime he committed. It’s as if it never even happened.
But I know I didn’t dream it up.
How did he clean up this body in a single day?
Even if I’d ask him, I doubt he’d tell me the truth. Not just because he doesn’t want to, but because he’s protecting his family. Because he wants to protect me.
I shudder and turn around again, jogging all the way back to campus where the bustling school life almost makes me forget about what I’ve witnessed. Until I see him. Standing there with a cigarette in his hand, leaning against the side of the main building, wistfully staring off into the distance.
I wonder what he’s thinking about.
If he dreamt about me last night like I did about him.
If he’s already forgotten me.
That man … I could never forget someone like him.
I gulp and resume my jog all the way back to the sorority, where I shut the door and breathe in and out a few times. Until my breathing comes to a full stop. Because on the table, right next to the door, is a giant—and I mean giant—bouquet of flowers with my name on it.
I stare at it for a moment as I gather the courage to approach, but my curiosity is too big to ignore.
I pick up the note and open it up. I’m blushing so hard it feels like my head is going to explode along with my heart.
I knew you’d remember me. Don’t ever forget or give up.
…
Good girl.
Yours,
Salvatore
###
Thanks so much for reading MEN WHO YEARN! I hope you enjoyed. This story was a short prelude into BOYS WHO HUNT, a new Dark Bully RH/Why Choose Romance in the Spine Ridge University world.