Total pages in book: 84
Estimated words: 80199 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 401(@200wpm)___ 321(@250wpm)___ 267(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 80199 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 401(@200wpm)___ 321(@250wpm)___ 267(@300wpm)
“No need to apologize. You don’t owe me anything,” he replied, barely looking at me. “I just didn’t want to interrupt a hookup or whatever.”
“A hookup? Hell no. I told you…”
“Actually, you never admitted anything. And besides, maybe you’re bi or pan.”
I stopped short and stared at him. He was right. I had never admitted anything because I was too scared. Right then, I wanted nothing more than to spend time with him, get to know him as an adult. I tugged on his arm. “Come on.”
“Where are we going?” Lark asked but followed easily as I walked toward the center of campus.
“I’ll show you.” I was taking a chance leading him to my most private place on campus, but I had a feeling he would appreciate it—or at least understand it.
When we neared the bell tower, I looked in all directions to make sure nobody was around. I stuck my finger through the tight enclosure to pop the latch, a little trick I’d learned. It was never truly locked.
His eyebrows knitted together when I opened the door to the narrow staircase.
“Um, this isn’t helping,” Lark said, taking a step back.
“Just…trust me?”
He stared at me hard before nodding. Lark went up first, and I stayed behind in case he tripped or got overheated because the stairwell could get muggy. When we got to the top, I heard him breathe out as he took in the view—the whole world laid out before us. Really just the campus, but still.
We stood inside one of the carved gables that resembled windows without the glass and sucked in the cool air crossing through the openings on four sides.
With a look of awe, he angled his head to glance at the gigantic bell hanging there.
“That part of the tower is called the belfry. It houses that ancient monstrosity.”
Lark pointed to the dangling cable. “And they use that rope to ring it?”
“Uh-huh. Apparently, it takes a lot of strength to get it going.”
The groundskeeper was a big, muscled guy, though, so maybe he didn’t struggle as much as someone else would.
“I can only imagine,” Lark said, turning to look out at the rolling hills again. “So cool.”
“This is where I come if I can’t sleep or if I need to think.”
“Really?” His eyes sprang to mine. “Does anybody else know?”
“Only you.”
He dipped his head in this shy way that made my stomach feel funny.
After another silent beat, I asked, “Do you feel better?”
“Yeah, thank you.”
I stepped backward until my shoulder blades met the solid column of the belfry.
When I slid down the wall to sit on the concrete floor, Lark did the same. From that vantage point, the only thing visible was the midnight-blue sky and twinkling stars.
We were quiet for a beat, and then, “I can see why you like this.”
“Yeah, it’s calming.” I always felt secluded here, like no one would find me while I gazed at the ceiling of constellations. Normally, I brought a towel or blanket to cushion the harsh ground, but tonight all I felt was pinpricks all over my skin from his company.
“Good game, by the way.”
“Glad you made it.”
“I didn’t come for you. I came for Emil,” he said teasingly.
“Oh, I have no doubt.” I chanced a look at him, and Lark smiled.
“I didn’t have a clue what was happening, but I do know you looked impressive.”
“Yeah?” I asked, and he nodded. “Thanks.”
“If I had huge guys trying to crush me, I would run the other way and hide in the locker room.”
I burst out laughing. When I felt him staring at me, I met his gaze. “What?”
“Nothing, I just…forgot about your laugh…and how much I enjoyed it back then.”
Fuck, my chest clenched. Why did I suddenly feel like I couldn’t breathe?
Maybe it was time to set some things straight.
“For the record, I’m not interested in girls. Never have been. Sometimes I pretend to flirt so no one questions me. Though they still do because I never hook up.”
“But you’ve tried? To hook up, I mean.”
I frowned. “Yeah, but it hasn’t been great.”
“I get it.”
It grew quiet as we pressed our shoulders together. Our knees were bent, our elbows propped on them, and I had the urge to put my arm around him. But I didn’t know how he’d respond. When our arms brushed, I felt Lark shiver, so maybe I wasn’t way off.
“Besides, I was barely listening to whatever the girl was saying because I was too busy watching you move those hips.”
“Oh my God.” He placed his face in his hands.
“Don’t be embarrassed. You’re good. But you already know that.”
He shrugged. “Just like you know you’re talented on the field.”
“True. It’s funny that I am, when I actually don’t have any aspirations to play beyond college.”
“Maybe that takes the pressure off and you can just enjoy it.”
“Yeah, maybe.”