But I sure did want to.

Most of these thoughts I kept to myself. At Tessa’s unforgiving drilling I’d finally confessed to her that I really liked him. It didn’t go over well at first. But after she’d been around Brax a few times with me, I think she saw he wasn’t a complete beast.

It was a couple of weeks later when I lifted my cell phone off my nightstand and checked the time. Five a.m. A little earlier than I’d been getting up, but I’d had enough sleep and to lie in bed wide awake would just make me fidgety. Quietly, I crept out of the covers, pulled on the running shorts, tee shirt and footie socks I’d pulled out the night before, jumped into the bathroom for a sec and brushed my teeth, and rebraided my hair. As silently as I could, I eased out into the hall and headed downstairs. No one was up and about, and I liked it that way. The lights were dimmed in the common room, and I let myself out.

Outside, the air was still, breezeless, the sidewalks empty, and the pre-dawn sky was just starting to show a few streaks of radiance. A light mist hung through the oaks, making the old brick architecture of Winston appear haunting and ghoulish. I took off down the main street at a slow pace to warm up, measuring my breaths with each stride until I’d reached a perfect chorus of exhales and inhales. With each stride, energy shot through my feet and up my legs, my arms, and I picked up the pace. Early morning air filled my lungs; the heavy scent of pine and magnolia blooms saturated the slight breeze that passed through the trees, and I ran a little faster. The way a hard run made my muscles and lungs burn felt good, made my body feel alive and strong. Like I could conquer anything. Staying to the main streets, I found myself at Winston’s sweeping entrance, where I turned and headed back.

“Are you stalkin’ me now, Gracie?”

My heart jumped as I shot my gaze over my shoulder. The voice and body merged into Brax as he ran up behind me, and slowed to my pace beside me. He wore black shorts, black Nikes. Shirtless. He was absolutely shirtless. The hazy hue of the morning and his skin contrasted sharply to the black ink marked into his body and I found it hard to look away. His legs were long, his thighs muscular, his shoulders broad and he was light on his feet. His stomach was as chiseled as it’d felt when I held onto him while riding on the back of his bike. I sighed and shook my head, and took another quick peek at him. Godalmighty, he took the breath from my lungs.

“You scared me, dope,” I said, and kept running. In that quick look I noticed one side of his chest had a verse inked into it, leading up and over his shoulder with various works of art down his arm. On the opposite rib cage, another verse.

Brax laughed. “You didn’t tell me you were a runner, Gracie.” Runnah. He closed in on me and bumped my shoulder with his. “Or I’d have looked for ya.”

I picked up my pace a little. “I’m not a runner, really,” I glanced at him. His eyes were directly on me. “I just like to run.”

“How fast are you?” he asked, and pulled a little ahead of me.

“Fast enough,” I answered. I quickened, passed him.

Our breaths mingled as we ran, and Brax glanced at me. “To Rigley Commons,” he challenged. It was the main school centre park, a large grassy area where students reclined among statues and a mammoth fountain. “First one at the fountain—”

I shot out ahead of him and took off, pumping my legs and arms as fast as I could. I knew he’d catch me, but I’d give him work for it, anyway. I was fast—but I knew he’d be faster. I didn’t look back, or to the side of me. I just ran as fast as I could.

Brax caught up. Slowed. Taunted.

“Pretty slick move there, Sunshine,” he said, pacing just barely ahead of me to c**k his head and look me in the eye. “Know what we call that in Southie?”

We both crossed the street and hit the outskirts of the park, the grass, and the fountain was dead ahead. I reached over and gave Brax a shove. “A cheater!” I hollered. He stumbled, and I shot forward in a burst of energy. Again, I didn’t look back, I just focused on the fountain. Almost there—

My body suddenly left the ground in a swoosh as Brax dumped me over his shoulder and continued running. I squealed. “Brax!” My head bounced off his rock hard back until finally, he flipped me in his arms, and we were at the fountain. I looked up at him, mischief and deviltry in those crazy eyes. He leaned close to the water. “Know what we do with cheaters in Southie, Sunshine?” His breathing was somewhat rough, but not too labored to just have sprinted with a full grown person in his arms.

“No!” I pleaded. “Brax, no!” I wiggled and squirmed and tried to maneuver out of his arms. Those biceps and hands were like bands of steel. He wasn’t turning me loose.

He held me over the water, and I squealed louder. “We dump cheaters in the drink!”

“No! I swear!” I laughed and writhed and twisted. “Please!”

“Jesus fuck, girl,” he grunted as I tried to wiggle loose. “How much do you weigh?”

That did it. I pulled an old trick on him that I’d learned with my brothers growing up.

I went totally limp.

“Shit!” Brax grunted again and almost dropped me. When he tried to get a better hold on my full weight, I made my move. The moment my legs slid down far enough, I wrapped them around his and we both went down.

“Ugh, this fuckin’ grass is wet!” He pushed me to my back and followed me over, arms braced on either side of me. That shocking face stared down, just like it had almost three weeks before, and I was just as taken aback. His dark waves, damp from sweat, crazy flipped in all different directions, and the half-moon scar at his cheek intrigued me, made his irrational looks more appealing than frightening. Before, I’d been scared. Now I smiled up at him. I could even say I trusted him. More than I’d trusted anyone outside of my family in over a year.

“What are you grinnin’ at, gorgeous?” He braced on one hand, and with the other pushed several damp strands of hair from my face.

Brax’s fingertips against my skin, his mere presence, set my insides on fire and high alert, and I realized how badly I craved his touch. And I definitely wanted his mouth on mine. I didn’t care that it was six in the morning, or that we were sweaty and lying in dewy grass in the park’s center and anyone could walk or drive by at any time and see us. I wanted him to kiss me, long and deep, kiss the breath out of me …

Nutcracker!

Brax’s gaze was still on mine when the safe word popped into my head. The second it did, all of those ridiculous things Tessa had said about Brax that first night burst into my memory. A giggle began and bubbled up from my throat. I couldn’t contain it, no matter how hard I tried. It was just so damn funny! The puzzled expression on Brax’s face made me giggle even harder, and I squeezed my eyes shut to try and stifle it—

My mouth was seized then, and Brax’s warm firm lips slanted over mine and settled in, sufficiently knocking the giggle right out of me. His hand slipped behind my neck, his thumb grasped my jaw, and he held my head still as he deepened the kiss, teasing me with slight tastes of his tongue, nudging my lips apart and sucking my bottom lip, caressing my scar. I lifted my hands and sifted my fingers through his damp curls. He inhaled sharply, and took my breath right along with it.

When Brax lifted his head and looked down at me, it was as it had been that first day. Shock and wonderment in his eyes mirrored my own. Finally, a slow, sly grin spread across those perfect lips.

“I always keep my promises, Sunshine,” he said. “In the wet grass after a run wasn’t my plan.” He grazed my lip with his thumb. “Guess I couldn’t wait.”

“I was thinking you’d forgotten about it,” I admitted. I turned my gaze to the art and verse inked into the left side of his chest. “Or that you’d changed your mind.”

“Look at me,” he said. When I did, his mouth lifted at one corner. “I’ve wanted to do that since the first time I did it, and every day since.” His brows furrowed. “You got that?”

I smiled. “Yeah, I got that.”

A horn blasted from the street. “Get a room!” a male voice called out.

Brax grinned. “You ready to get out of this wet grass?”

I just kept smiling. “Not really.”

His features shifted then; went from light to dark, softening in a sensual way that surprised me. “Why’s that, Sunshine?”

Beneath the weight of his upper body, I shrugged. “Probably the ink.”

Brax pushed up, grinning, and pulled me up with him. “I knew you was checkin’ me out.”

Brax ran with me back to Oliver Hall, and at the door he grasped my hand, winding his fingers through mine. “We have a fall game Saturday against Conyers State. I’m pitching,” he said. I didn’t think I’d ever get tired of that raspy, crazy accent. He grinned. “Wanna come watch us kick some ass?” He pulled me close. “Pizza after?”

A shiver shot from my head to my toes. “Sure. I’ll ask Steven if he can change shifts with me.”

People were starting to move through campus now, and the sounds of voices and motors starting up and doors opening/closing filtered in through the haze of my amazement at Brax’s presence in front of me. He lowered his head and brushed his lips across mine, then grinned. “See ya in class.”

I smiled. “Not if I see you first.” I slid my key card through the slot and pushed open the door, stepping into the common room. I looked over my shoulder.

Brax laughed as he jogged across the parking lot.

When I turned back around, Tessa was standing in the middle of the common room, hair in a towel. Gaping.

“Holy mother of shit, did I just see Brax Jenkins kiss you?” she said.

I blushed. “You did.”

She gazed out the window in the direction he’d run. “Well I’ll be damned. An astronomy nerd freak of nature and two weeks is all it took to zap his magical p**n radar weiner into an out of commission state of existence.” Surprisingly, she grinned at me. “I gotta hand it to him, Liv. I’ve had my eyes on him. And other eyes.” She gave me a light punch in the arm. “I’m not completely sold on him, but from the looks of it you’ve tamed the biggest man slut ever to grace Winston’s campus, my friend. Kudos.” As she pulled me toward the stairwell, she stopped. “But fair warning, chica. This is bigger news than you think, and trust me, it’ll spread like butter on a warm tostada. Classic tattooed bad boy falls for straight-laced geek girl?” Her smile was tight. “I’ve seen it before. Epic. Brace yourself.”

I gave her a questioning look. “What do you mean?”

Her brows lifted, and she blew out a breath. “You’ll see.”

13. Fallen

I wasn’t completely convinced Tessa’s epic and my epic meant the same thing, judging from her history of being overly dramatic. The idea had been planted into my brain, though. After I’d showered and dressed for class, and stepped out of the stairwell and into the crowded common room, I glanced around. Waited. A few looks, but nothing more than what I was already used to. I stepped outside, looked around, waited for epic. I hadn’t been this suspicious since Y2-K. But nothing happened. No one gawked. No one rushed up to me with questioning eyes or accusing words. No scorned ex-lovers. No jealous hopefuls. Then again, it had only been an hour since Tessa’s declaration. What was I expecting? I would’ve laughed at myself but I was too annoyed. Seriously? Epic? Was college just a big glorified immature high school? God, I hoped not.

Across the parking lot I saw Brax jogging in my direction, and my heart took a dip. He had such an easy lope; effortless and weightless at the same time as he maneuvered through other students headed to their vehicles. Most of the mist had lifted, but there still lingered a haze that made everything seem surreal. Brax wore his Winston baseball cap, ripped jeans, a white tee shirt, and distressed boots as he ran straight up to me where I stood at the end of the walkway. Without hesitation he flipped his hat around, grasped my face between his hands, and those ethereal blue eyes flashed. Just before he slanted his lips over mine. Oh, dear God …

I melted against him, my hands against his chest keeping me upright, and as I inhaled I drew in his fresh-showered soapy scent. His fingers gripped my scalp, he nudged my mouth open, and his tongue swept against mine, tasted and played. Pulling back, he looked down at me, and his hands came to rest on my hips. A smile quirked his expression. “I couldn’t get here fast enough to do that.”

Two girls walked by then, their gaping gazes on me, but Brax’s strong fingers slipping through mine drew my attention back to only him. He gave me quick kiss on the nose. “You ready to head to class?” He dropped his arm over my shoulder and pulled me close to him. “You’re not saying anything, Gracie.”

“I’m trying to breathe,” I finally managed.

Brax laughed and tugged me up the walkway. “I could listen to you talk all day, with that cute fuckin’ Texas drawl.” He leaned his mouth close to my ear, and his breath brushed over me as he spoke. “I’d rather kiss you all day, though. Wanna skip class?”

“No!” I said, but grinned. “You’ve lost your mind.”

“Just so you know,” Tessa said, suddenly on the other side of me. She leaned forward and looked over at Brax. “I’ve got my eyes on you, gringo.” She pointed to him. “I’m watching. Like a hawk.”

As we walked, Brax smiled at her. “Oh yeah, Tessa? And why’s that?”

Tessa clutched her big zebra-striped bag to her side, and with her wedges on she was as tall as me. She lifted her jaw. “To make sure this isn’t just some loco phase you’re going through.” She frowned. “You know—where the idea of being with someone like Olivia just fascinates you. Until it doesn’t.”