But something . . . that fucking prickling sensation along the nape of my neck held me back. Having no idea where I developed this level of self-control, I made myself put her hand down and lean back before I did anything stupid. And right now, I was capable of a whole lot of stupid. Several seconds passed as I forced my breathing to slow and before I could look at her.
Shortcake was staring at me, her eyes a wealth of secrets. Our gazes locked and something infinite passed between us, a spark I swore I could almost see with my eyes.
God, I sounded like a vagina.
“Thank you,” she said, a bit breathlessly as she picked up her pen.
Sliding down in my seat, I spread my thighs, hoping to ease the ache, but I imagined I’d be walking over to the Butcher Center with a major hard-on. “Avery?” I whispered.
“Cam?” she responded back, equally low.
“Go out with me.”
Her throat worked on a swallow and her lips twitched into a small smile. “No.”
Tipping my head against the back of the seat, I grinned.
On Wednesday, I was supposed to be in Principles of Sports Nutrition, along with Ollie and Jase, but I didn’t feel like walking my ass all the way over to the Butcher Center. If I drove, I’d lose my parking spot and that would be a real bitch.
And I was outside of the Den, which coincidentally was around the time Avery ate lunch with her friends. Not that my presence had anything to do with Shortcake.
Oh, who the fuck was I kidding? I knew exactly why my lily-white ass was standing out in front of the Den. I started up the stairs when the doors to the bookstore opened.
“Cam!”
I started at the shrill cry, turning to see Susan and Sally. Or were they Molly and Mary? I had no idea. The two looked identical to me. One had platinum-blonde hair, the other light brown with platinum streaks. Both were tan. Both had rocking tight bodies, and I think I might have made out with one of them at some point.
Or both.
“Hey,” I said, smiling. “What are you two up to?”
“Nothing,” replied the überblonde. She bounced up the stairs, closely followed by her friend. It was then when I realized she was Susan, which meant the other had to be Sally. “I haven’t seen you in forever.”
“Like for-ever,” Sally reiterated. “You haven’t been at any of the parties recently.”
That much was true. It had been weeks, if not months, since I’d attended any of the parties being thrown at the frats. I started back up the stairs. “I’ve been busy.”
Susan pouted as she flicked her hair over her shoulder. “That’s no fun. Everyone misses you.”
I wondered who everyone was as I crossed the balcony and opened the blue-and-gold double doors, heading into the Den. “Have I been missing a lot of fun?”
“A lot.” Susan somehow ended up in front of me, and we were stopped in front of the couches crowding the TV. She placed her hand on my chest as my gaze moved beyond her, flickering over the rows of tables. “I’m sure we could get you caught up, Sally and I.”
“Is that so?” The top of a coppery head came into view, and I recognized the dark-skinned boy sitting across from her. The girls said something else, but I wasn’t paying attention. Stepping back, I smiled at the girls. “Look, I’ve got to run. See you guys later.”
I didn’t wait for a response, slipping away and cutting in front of a group of people heading out into the autumn sun. A wide smile broke out across Jacob’s face as he spotted me. He said something to Shortcake, and her shoulders tensed. I wasn’t surprised. I expected this. Every time we got together, we had to start over. Even I was amazed by my patience when it came to her.
“Hey, Cameron!” Jacob said, awfully cheerful. “How’s it going?”
“Hey, Jacob. Brittany.” I took the seat next to Shortcake and nudged her arm. “Avery.”
She murmured hello and then asked, “What are you up to?”
“Oh, you know, mischief and mayhem.”
“That so reminds me of Harry Potter,” Brit said, smiling faintly. “I need a reread.”
All eyes turned on her.
Red bloomed across her cheeks as she ran her hand through her hair. I didn’t know Brittany very well, but knew she had gone to my high school and seemed pretty cool. “What?” she said. “I’m not ashamed to admit that random things remind me of Harry Potter.”
“That guy over there reminds me of Snape.” I tipped my chin at the table behind us. “So I understand.”
A thankful smile crossed Brittany’s face.
“Anyway, what are you guys doing?” I shifted so that my leg pressed against Shortcake’s. “Playing with M&M’s and Skittles?”
“Yes, that and we’re studying for our history midterm next week. We have to map out Europe,” Jacob explained.
“Ouch.” I knocked my leg into hers.
She returned the favor.
“But Avery, wonderful, Avery . . .” Jacob’s grin spread as Shortcake’s glare increased. “She’s been helping us study.”
“That she has.” Brittany exchanged a look with Jacob, and my interest peaked.
Jacob leaned forward, resting his chin in his hand. “Before we started studying, I was telling Avery that she should wear the color green more often. It makes her sexy with that hair of hers.”
“Do you like the color green on her, Cam?” Brit asked.
I hadn’t noticed what she was wearing, but I turned to her, my gaze slipping over the green sweater. “The color looks great on her, but she looks beautiful every day.”
Shortcake flushed as she exhaled.
“Beautiful?” Brit sighed.
“Beautiful,” I repeated, nudging her knee again. “So did you guys learn anything from studying?”
Shortcake said, “I think we got it.”
“Because of you.” Jacob shared another look with Brittany. “Avery came up with this song to help me remember where the countries were.”
“Sing him your song.” Brittany elbowed her, causing her to bounce into me.
“What song?” I asked.
She shook her head. “I am not singing that song again.”
Jacob smiled. “It’s the Croatia song.”
The look on Avery’s face could kill.
I laughed. “The Croatia song? What?”
“No,” she said. “I am not singing again. That is so not my talent.”