Page 29 of Blitz

I’ve never been more sure of anything in my life. Pushing back my seat, I walk around to his side of the table. He scoots his chair back, and I settle myself in his lap, wrapping my arms around his neck. His big hands come up to settle on my hips.

“I love you,” I tell him again, and when the world doesn’t end, I laugh for ever thinking it would. “I want to be with you in whatever way you’ll let me. If you’re not ready for this, we can take it slow. We can—”

His mouth slants over mine. He licks into my mouth and deepens the kiss. He tastes like the peanut butter sandwiches he’s been devouring. His thick fingers thread into my hair, and he tugs ever so gently.

“I’ve missed you,” he murmurs against my lips. “So much, Princess.”

I sigh, and he kisses me again, and again, and again, until I’m panting and breathless in the middle of the dining hall. Need has me aching for him. My nipples are stiff peaks inside my bra. I shift on his lap, desperate for some friction, and his hands tighten on my hips.

“Not here,” he says.

“We can skip dinner… go straight to dessert…”

Tucker laughs. He tucks a strand of hair behind my ear. “Nice try. You need to fuel up for tomorrow.”

Disappointed, but knowing he’s right, I slide off his lap. His hand catches mine, and he presses a chaste kiss to my knuckles.

His friends are assembled at the back of the dining hall, blatantly watching us. Well, all except for the guy on the end. He’s absorbed in a thick book.

“Come on,” he says, standing and shoving all his things into his backpack. He pulls out a plastic baggie and tucks away that third sandwich for later. “It’s chicken parm night. You love chicken parm.”

“I do.” And the dining hall’s rendition of it isn’t bad for mass-produced school food.

He offers his hand, and I take it. We meander through the tables until we get to the front of the food line. We each grab trays. I have to let go of his hand. I feel bereft without it. Funny how I don’t realize how much I need it until it’s taken away from me.

I can’t believe he’s hungry again, but Tucker has always been a big eater. He didn’t get to be his size by skipping meals. He loads his plate with chicken, pasta, and a whole lot of salad. Tonight’s offering is mixed greens with marinated tomatoes, small cubes of fresh mozzarella, and a balsamic glaze that makes my heart sing. We both scan our selections into the school’s nutrition app, where it calculates our macros for us. Georgetown didn’t have anything near this fancy, only once a semester counseling about maintaining weight and calorie counting.

There are five guys already sitting at the table in the back of the dining hall, plus the blonde chick that likes to wrap herself around my man. But not for much longer. Tucker approaches the table and clears his throat.

“Um, hi.”

Caveman beard—Greg, from the party—turns around and eyes us curiously. “Uh, hi? Dude, are you going to sit down?”

Tucker coughs. “Everyone, this is Mason. Mason, this is… everyone. She’s going to sit with us.”

The guy directly in front of us, with his back to me, pushes back his chair. I take a step back. He’s tall and wide—they all are—with golden brown skin that doesn’t come from a spray tan.

“Nice to meet you,” he says, holding out a hand and then, realizing I can’t shake, takes the tray from my hand. “I’m Amir.”

“Hi.”

He sets the tray down in his spot, pushing his to the empty seat across from it.

“You sit here,” he says, his hands curling on the back of the chair. “That way you can sit next to each other.” He winks, and some of my nervousness fades away.

Amir moves around the table and takes his new seat. With a glance at Tucker, who nods, I slip into the freshly vacated seat.

“I’m Barrett,” says the guy on the end, Asian, with a ton of freckles dotting his fair skin. “I don’t think we’ve officially met yet.”

Right. The guy who peed—completely naked.

The guy on the right raises his eyebrows. “When was this?”

“We went to her track meet last week,” Barrett says.

Oh, yeah. Right. He was there, too.

“We have another one tomorrow, if you guys are looking for something to do.” Our stands are nearly empty. Nobody knows what indoor track and field actually does.