Beautiful Disaster by Jamie McGuire Read Free Book Online

right.”
    I paused, unsure of our sleeping arrangements. Travis left the room and walked down the hall, mumbling something into Shepley’s room before turning on the shower. I turned back the covers and then pulled them up to my neck, listening to the high-pitched whine of the water running through the pipes.
    Ten minutes later, the water shut off, and the floors creaked under Travis’s steps. He strolled across the room with a towel wrapped around his hips. He had tattoos on opposite sides of his chest, and black tribal art covering each of his bulging shoulders. On his right arm, the black lines and symbols spanned from his shoulder to his wrist; on the left, the tattoos stopped at his elbow, with one single line of script on the underside of his forearm. I intentionally kept my back to him while he stood in front of his dresser and dropped his towel to slip on a pair of boxers.
    After flipping off the light, he crawled into the bed beside me.
    â€œYou’re sleeping here, too?” I asked, turning to look at him. The full moon outside the windows cast shadows across his face. “Well, yeah. This is my bed.”
    â€œI know, but I …” I paused. My only other options were the couch or the recliner.
    Travis grinned and shook his head. “Don’t you trust me by now? I’ll be on my best behavior, Iswear,” he said, holding up fingers that I was sure the Boy Scouts of America had never considered using.
    I didn’t argue, I simply turned away and rested my head on the pillow, tucking the covers behind me to create a clear barrier between his body and mine.
    â€œGoodnight, Pigeon,” he whispered into my ear. I could feel his minty breath on my cheek, giving rise to goose bumps on every inch of my flesh. Thank God it was dark enough that he couldn’t see my embarrassing reaction or the flush of my cheeks that followed.
    Â·Â Â·Â Â·
    It seemed like I had just closed my eyes when I heard the alarm. I reached over to turn it off, but wrenched back my hand in horror when I felt warm skin beneath my fingers. I tried to recall where I was. When the answer hit, it mortified me that Travis might have thought I’d done it on purpose.
    â€œTravis? Your alarm,” I whispered. He still didn’t move. “Travis!” I said, nudging him. When he still didn’t stir, I reached across him, fumbling in the dim light until I felt the top of the clock. Unsure of how to turn it off, I smacked the top of it until I hit the snooze button, and then fell against my pillow with a huff.
    Travis chuckled.
    â€œYou were awake?”
    â€œI promised I’d behave. I didn’t say anything about letting you lay on me.”
    â€œI didn’t lie on you,” I protested. “I couldn’t reach the clock. That has to be the most annoying alarm I’ve ever heard. It sounds like a dying animal.”
    He reached over and flipped a button. “You want breakfast?”
    I glared at him, and then shook my head. “I’m not hungry.”
    â€œWell, I am. Why don’t you ride with me down the street to the café?”
    â€œI don’t think I can handle your lack of driving skills this early in the morning,” I said. I swung my feet over the side of the bed and shoved them into my slippers, shuffling to the door.
    â€œWhere are you going?” he asked.
    â€œTo get dressed and go to class. Do you need an itinerary while I’m here?”
    Travis stretched, and then walked over to me, still in his boxers. “Are you always so temperamental, or will that taper off once you believe I’m not just creating some elaborate scheme to get in your pants?” His hands cupped my shoulders and I felt his thumbs caress my skin in unison.
    â€œI’m not temperamental.”
    He leaned in close and whispered in my ear. “I don’t want to sleep with you, Pidge. I like you too much.”
    He walked past me to the bathroom,