Page 23 of Love: Take Two

I nod again.Hell yes, I want to!I want you, Awa!

But of course, I don't say that aloud. Instead, I settle my breathing. Keep my expression calm. One wrong move could send her running.

"I've wanted to ever since I borrowed that pen. I thought I was being obvious, but you always just wanted to study, and I respected that." Sighing, I let go of her hands. "I'll respect that if that's what you want now, too. And we'll be friends either way."

Her wheels are turning again, and I try to imagine what she's thinking. I've only been here a few months, but I already don't have the best track record with girls. Why should I? It's college; we're here to have fun.

I'm guessing Awa's not here to have fun, though, which makes this a risk. She could say no, and then our study sessions would get real awkward, real fast. She could say yes, but then expect hand-holding and poetry—I know that's not where I am.

So where does that leave us?

"As afriend," she starts slowly, "I can't go all the way. But I think I would like making out. And maybesome…'hand stuff'."

I grin.Hand stuff. God, she's cute. And smart as a whip, as always. She knows I'm not cut out to be anyone's first. I'm not even up for being a girl's "good night" text. Now with guardrails in place, we can explore this attraction between us without anyone getting hurt.

I extend my hand and breathe a sigh of relief when she takes it.

"Thank you, Awa," I murmur, tugging her towards her bedroom. I walk slowly, giving her ample time to reconsider if that's what she wants.

"For what?" she asks, following me across the threshold into her room.

I turn to her and am met with wide, curious eyes.Interestedeyes. She's never looked more innocent.

"For saying yes. For trusting me to take care of you. And I will take care of you, Awa. This is one of the few things I'm good at."

She shakes her head.

"You're good at a lot of things, Noah. You're smart. Everyone you meet likes you. It's actually amazing to see, coming from someone who can be a bit…closed off."

I close the door behind us and pull her against my chest. My dick, standing at attention since the conversation veered away from studying, gets impossibly harder.

"I wasn't fishing for compliments," I say, pushing one of her thick twists behind her ear.

She looks down at the floor.

"Sorry."

"Don't apologize," I insist, lifting her chin with my thumb. "You're not messing up or doing anything wrong. I just know my strengths, and one of them is bringing pleasure."

Behind her glasses, I can see her pupils enlarge, taking all of me in. I lean forward, angling my head down. I halt when she slams her eyes shut.

"Awa," I urge, my voice stern, "do you not want to do this?"

She shakes her head. I immediately step back, and her owlish eyes pop open again.

"No! I mean,yes, I want to do this. You used a double-negative, and I wasn't quite sure how to respond."

I can't help but smirk.

"Only you would critique my grammar when you're about to be kissed."

She squeezes her eyes shut once more.

"I'm nervous," she wails. "I want this. I wantyou. But I've obviously never done this before. And the way you're looking at me..."

I take her face in my hands again, her words still ringing in my ears. She wants this. She wantsme. I drop my head against her hair and inhale. Shea butter and plumeria; a pairing I'll forever associate with her.

Now that I finally have permission to touch her supple skin, I caress her jaw, her cheek, and higher, to smooth her furrowed brow. Her face looks less tense now, her eyelashes fluttering against her cheeks and her mouth parted in invitation.She's waiting for me to take her. And I can't resist any longer.