Chapter 21: Chapter 21

A gasp escapes from me when he rolls to the side and takes me with him so I end up sprawled across his chest. I squeeze my eyes tightly closed, unwilling to allow reality to intrude just yet.

What just happened between us was…

Perfect.

So perfect that moisture pricks the backs of my eyes.

What I don’t want is for him to catch a glimpse of the emotion I’m struggling with.

The gift he just gave me is exactly what I’ve been searching for all these years. A man who isn’t going to treat me like I’m fragile and need to be handled with the utmost of care.

I’m knocked from those thoughts when his arms tighten, pressing me closer to his chest.

His voice is a deep rumble. “Are you going to tell me your name, or should I just keep calling you sunshine?”

It’s almost agonizing, the way air leaks from my lungs.

If I were smart, I’d untangle myself from him before slipping from the bed. Then I’d make a promise to do a better job of steering clear of Maverick McKinnon in the future.

But…

How can I do that when he’s the only one capable of making my body soar?

His muscles fill with tension. “Is there a reason you won’t tell me?”

My heartrate kicks up tempo, beating faster. I nibble my lower lip before reluctantly admitting, “Willow.”

“Willow,” he murmurs, as if tasting my name on his lips.

That’s all it takes for a shudder to slide through me.

His fingers slip beneath my chin to lift it until there’s no other choice but to meet the steeliness of his mahogany-colored eyes. “Break up with him, Willow.”

When I remain silent, his voice dips, turning harsher. “Did you hear me, sunshine? I want you to break up with him.”

“I heard you.”

Tension vibrates off him in heavy waves. “Then give me an answer.”

I force myself to stay strong. “I can’t do that.”

A growl escapes him as he flips me onto my back and cages me in with his strength until he’s all I’m cognizant of. Before I can draw in a deep, cleansing breath, his lips slam into mine. His tongue plunges inside me the same way his cock had driven into my body a handful of minutes ago.

And then I’m lost in a sea of sensation.

In the taste of him.

The possessiveness of his touch.

Just when it feels like I’m drowning, he breaks off contact and rips himself away. It doesn’t escape me that our breathing has turned labored.

Anger sparks in his dark depths as he narrows his eyes. “Does he make you feel anything close to this?” There’s a pause. “Has anyone ever played with your body the way I do?”

I press my lips together and shake my head. This, at least, I can answer with absolute honesty. “No.”

“The fucker disrespected you by making out with another girl in front of your damn face.” His upper lip curls in disdain. “How can you want to be with someone like that?”

His question churns through my brain. The situation is so much more complicated than he understands. I’m afraid to tell him the truth. Afraid that it’ll destroy and taint everything that’s happened between us.

When I remain silent, he growls, “You deserve so much better. If he doesn’t realize how special you are, then fuck him. I would treat you like a queen.” There’s a pause as his deep voice dips, flooding with unspent emotion. “Give me a chance to prove it. Just one. That’s all I need.”

My heart twists beneath my breast. It’s so much more agonizing than I could have imagined. “Maverick…”

He shakes his head before nipping at my lower lip and drawing it inside his mouth. Our gazes remain locked in silent battle.

It’s only when he releases the plump flesh already swollen from his previous kisses that he demands, “Break up with him.”

“It would be for the best if we didn’t see one another again.”

There isn’t a single drop of humor in the laughter that escapes from him. “It’s much too late for that, sunshine. Your fate was sealed the moment I caught sight of you on the other side of the plexiglass. It’s just that neither of us realized it in the moment.”

He’s wrong.

The second our gazes collided, I felt the shift in energy. Almost like an impending storm was about to wreak havoc in my life.

And I wasn’t wrong.

In a blink, my world was forever altered. Never to be the same again.

But…

If he discovers the truth, everything will change. We’re nothing more than a sandcastle. All it’ll take is one strong wave to crash onto the shore and destroy everything we’ve built.

I can’t help but try to sway his decision one more time. “We can still walk away from this,” I whisper.

The steely look returns to his eyes. “How’s that possible when you’re my tutor?” He cocks his head. “We’re going to be spending a lot of time together this semester. Coach promised that you’d be able to help with all my classes if that’s what I needed.” His eyes glint. “And I do. I need it. I need you.”

My heart lurches. “I’ll find someone else. Stacie is the tutor you were originally scheduled to work with.” Even though I hate the idea, I force myself to say, “She’s great. If you gave her a chance, you’d really like her.”

His gaze bores into mine as he shakes his head. “Forget it. You’re the only one I’ll work with.”

“But—”

Dismissing me, he slips from the bed and straightens to his full height before stretching lean muscles.

Even though I should look away, I can’t. He’s beautifully built. All that tightly harnessed power humming beneath the surface, ready to be unleashed.

I can’t imagine what it would be like to have that kind of strength.

He probably never catches so much as a cold, while I’ve spent the previous four years being coddled as if I’m weak.

Sickly.

Maverick is the first person to come along and not treat me like one germ will be enough to take me down.

And I love it.

I’ve relished the time we’ve spent together.

But there’s a reason for that.

And it’s because he doesn’t know the truth.

There’s so much I’ve refused to share.

Everything would change between us if he knew. I wish he would accept that the decision I’m trying to make is the best one for both of us.

Unable to sit still for another moment, I throw off the covers and force myself from the bed. “I should go.”

He glances over his shoulder with narrowed eyes to meet my gaze. “Are you running back to him now?”

I hate that he thinks I’m happy to bounce between two men. “No. I just need a little time to think.”

He pivots, eating up the space between us with a few strides until he’s standing directly in front of me. Until I have to tilt my chin to hold his steady gaze. In silence, he unclasps the necklace before carefully placing it around my neck and fastening it so the delicate chain once again hangs there. He toys with the W pendant for a second or so before his fingers drift upward along the curve of my jaw. Only then does he tighten his grip so I can’t break free.

“Now that I’ve found you, I’m not about to let you go, sunshine. If you don’t show up at the library at six sharp on Wednesday, I’ll rip this damn campus apart to find you.”

My heartbeat stutters before slamming into overdrive. “Is that a threat?”

His lips lift into a wry grin as he brushes them across mine for a soft kiss. “No, baby. It’s a promise. And if there’s anything I pride myself on, it’s being a man of my word.”