The Kiss

as he’d told her to leave, his body had led him closer to her. She could see a muscle on his jaw tick and she wanted to run her thumb over it. She wanted to place her fingers on the line formed between his brows and smooth it, banish it from the perfect features it was marring.
    She shook her head lightly, to clear it of the rogue thoughts, and pinned him with her gaze. “I will go.” She didn’t move. She’d only go if he did nothing to keep her.
    *
    He prayed she’d leave, because his self-restraint was wavering; if she stayed a bit more, he’d lose all semblance of control. And this time he wouldn’t stop at a kiss.
    Her skin seemed so smooth. The swell of her breasts, as her arms pressed them upwards, was begging to be touched. His fingers tingled with the need to trace her collarbone, feather over every part of her, before his touches became bolder. If she didn’t go, he’d make her his.
    He forced himself to move away and opened the door for her.
    Arms still crossed, she walked out of his bedroom. Just past the doorway, she turned and looked at him over her shoulder. “I guess I’ll go do what I feel like, then.”
    It sounded like a threat.
    ***
    She was glad she hadn’t run into his father on her way out. There was no way she’d have managed to hide her frustration longer than it had taken her to leave the Briggs residence.
    She hadn’t had something in mind when she’d said she’d do what she felt like. Truth be told, all she felt like was crawling into bed and sleeping for a week, but she’d promised Krista a late lunch, and it was almost time for an early dinner.
    She took her cell phone out of her back pocket and punched in her best friend’s number. “Chinese or burgers?” she asked the moment Krista picked up.
    “Hey, Eliza. Where are you?”
    “Hey. Chinese or burgers? We’ll talk when I’m there.” The pause on the other end was long.
    “Oh, I’m sorry, sweetie.” Krista didn’t sound very sorry. “Bill came by, and we’re going out to eat.”
    Great. Now she could hide under her covers and sleep for hours—or for a week.
    “Don’t worry about it. Have fun.” She hung up and started walking back to campus.
    She picked up her pace when the first drop of rain fell on her nose, but it soon became apparent she wouldn’t outrun the oncoming storm. She ducked into the first fast food place she happened upon, ordered some fries, and decided to wait the rain out.
    *
    Jonathan had managed not to run into his son’s bedroom the moment he’d heard the front door slide shut. More than half an hour passed without Nate showing any signs of leaving his room, however, and Jonathan was no longer able to hold back.
    “Care to tell me about the young lady?” He walked into his son’s room with a grin, both hands cupping the mug Nate had offered him earlier.
    Nate was sitting on the floor, back against the wall, gaze unfocused and vacant.
    Seeing him like that wiped the grin right out of Jonathan’s face. “Nate? What’s wrong?”
    “I’m wrong, Dad. Have been for a while.” The boy’s voice was as empty as his eyes.
    Jonathan sat with his son and listened to the entire story: how Nate had mingled with the wrong crowd early on; how he’d found the girl of his dreams but hadn’t been able to do something about it; how he’d driven that same girl away.
    Jonathan’s heart was breaking at his only son’s sorrow. He remembered a time when he was young and in love and so completely convinced that he was beneath the woman he loved. Bless Anne’s soul for not believing that same thing and giving him nineteen beautiful years. He knew Nate deserved more than he believed he did. What was more, he was convinced Eliza knew that too.
    “Nate, she came for you,” he said slowly. “She wouldn’t have come if there weren’t something there. Between you and her.”
    As if he hadn’t heard him, Nate muttered, “I don’t know what to do.”
    “Well, you can start by getting off your butt and running to her, dumbass.” Tough love was necessary some times. Jonathan held out his mug to Nate.
    “I’ve fucked up. I can’t—” Nate’s eyes widened in surprise when he took a sip from the proffered drink. “This coffee is spiked, Dad.”
    “You’re very observant today, huh?”

Chapter Eleven

    Eliza reached her dorm an hour or so later, just in time to see Cal exiting the front door. She should have braved the rain, she thought. Getting soaked would have been the lesser of