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“Oh…”

“Listen, I uh… I know this is bold, but I just can’t take my eyes off you. I was wondering if you wanted to go grab a cup of coffee or something? Maybe a drink?”

Now she smiles, but it doesn’t reach her eyes. She’s uncomfortable. She wants me to leave.

“Um, that’s sweet, but…” She curls her hair behind her ears. “I don’t go out with people I don’t know. Sorry.”

Shrugging her shoulders slowly, awkwardly, she closes her book and exits the aisle.

I purse my lips. I’m not used to getting turned down. In fact, this is the first time since starting college that it’s happened. Though I’m irritated, it’s not because she doesn’t want me.

I don’t want you either, princess.

Left trying to find a different angle to getting what I want, I return to my seat, but keep a close eye on them. They’re working quietly, individually. It’s not clear whether or not Avery mentioned anything to either of them about running into me yet.

Opening my laptop, I pretend to get back to work. But my eyes are still on him. On her. She looks over at me a couple times. The first time, she averts her eyes quickly, as though she’s embarrassed she got caught looking. The second time, she stares blankly, as though trying to figure out if I’m looking at her on purpose or not. The last time, her expression changes from anything remotely resembling relaxed and shifts to discomfort.

She leans in close to Mason and her friend and whispers something to them, pointing in my direction.

Mason whips around, eyes wide until he realizes who he’s looking for. They narrow immediately upon locking on mine, and the look of indignation on his face causes the corner of my lips to quirk. It’s difficult to keep my smug smile at bay.

Though I’m not trying hard.

I don’t hear what he says, but when Mason turns back to her and responds, she giggles. I expect him to get up, walk over, confront me.

Instead he does nothing.

We’re very different people, he and I. If that were the girl I was into, and I found out someone had approached her and then refused to take their eyes off her, they’d be on the ground faster than they could blink.

His disregard for me or my attempts to steal the girl he likes pisses me off. Irritated I have to change tactics again, I get up.

Slinging my backpack over my shoulder, I walk in their direction. As I approach their table, I notice the corner of the book Avery’s reading is hanging off the edge of it. I place my body close enough to it to be able to knock it off and into her lap.

“Hey!” Her screech is ear-splitting as I walk by without stopping.

“Cole, what the fuck?” Mason calls after me.

At that, I turn, and the nearby librarian as well as a few other students all shush us following the commotion.

“It was an accident, bro, chill.” Smiling at him, I cock my eyebrow, begging him to argue with me some more.

We’ll call it foreplay.

But all he does is shake his head and ask Avery if she’s okay. I know he’s not a pushover, if his reaction to me in our room on move-in day was any indicator. Which means he’s got a titan grip on his restraint, and it pisses me the fuck off. Rolling my eyes, I turn and leave the library, resigned to the fact that if I want him to respond, I’ll have to put more effort in.

My fucking pleasure.

After my last class of the day, I go back to the house to chill for a bit before I have to get ready for our mixer with the Delphis. When I get to our room, it’s empty. As much as I wouldn’t mind fucking with Mason some more, I’m glad to have a little time to rub one off before tonight’s festivities. It will help me deal with the frustration I’ve carried since Mason’s lack of response to me earlier.

Locking our door, I strip out of my clothes and begin walking to my bed. Only, a sudden, much more enticing idea springs to mind, stopping me. It would be fucking risky… But that only adds to the pleasure.

Pivoting, I pad over to Mason’s bed and lie on it face down.

It smells like him: like spice and evergreen.

It smells like every single darkest fantasy I’ve ever had, all rolled into one.

I begin to hump his comforter as though he were lying beneath me on it. My cock hardens quickly, almost painfully so. I need to fucking come so bad.