Page 74 of The Player

“A little.”

He pulled her back against his chest, and she tucked her hands under his, letting her shoulders relax. From here, she could see students passing along the path below. A girl near the doors laughed so hard she had to set down her drink, and someone called to a friend across the lawn.

Drew lowered his face beside hers. “Better?”

“Mm-hmm.” She liked having him behind her, his knees on either side of her and his voice close to her ear. Her books could stay in her bag a little longer. She’d be stuck in a lecture hall soon enough. “Do you get any time off for Thanksgiving?” she asked.

“Not enough to go home. My parents are coming down, though. We’ll have dinner together, and they’re staying for the game.”

“Oh, good. I’m glad you’ll get to see them.”

“Me too.” His chin brushed her hair as he looked down at her. “You’re going home, though?”

“Yeah. I’m having breakfast with my dad at his hotel, then going home to be with my mom.”

Drew’s thumb slowed over her hand. “How you feeling about all that?”

Nicole looked down at their fingers. “I don’t know. I want to see them both. It’s just . . . Thanksgiving. I’ve never had to make separate plans with my parents before.”

Now she’d have to leave her dad at the Ritz-Carlton and go home to a house he wasn’t welcome in. She hadn’t let herself think much about saying goodbye after breakfast.

“I wish he could come home,” she said.

Drew tightened his arms around her. He was quiet for a second, his cheek resting against her hair. “You can call me,” he said. “Any time.”

Nicole turned enough to look up at him and nodded, smiling a little. “You know I will.”

“Good.”

His eyes moved over her face, and she tipped her head back to kiss him. He bent to meet her, one hand coming up to her cheek, and when she settled back, she kept hold of it.

A few students climbing the steps looked their way. One white guy’s eyes went from Drew to her, and he kept staring as he got closer.

“You need something?” Drew asked, sounding every bit as annoyed as Nicole felt.

“Nah, man.” The guy looked away and kept walking toward the doors.

Nicole watched him go, glad Drew had said something. A glance was one thing, but damn. They were sitting on the steps, not putting on a show.

Drew rubbed his thumb over her knuckles.

“What time is it?” she asked after a while.

He turned his wrist so she could see his watch, and she groaned. How had they used up so much of their break already?

“I need to go,” she said.

“Yeah. Me too.”

Neither of them moved for a few more seconds. Nicole leaned her head back against his shoulder, and he kissed her temple before loosening his arms. She made herself get up.

“Which way are you going?” he asked.

She pointed across the lawn. “Over there.”

“I’m the other way.”

They walked down the steps together and stopped where the path split. Nicole turned toward him, not ready to start walking again now that it meant leaving him.