spoke when we got close to campus, directing him to my dorm.
There wasn’t too much student traffic this early on a Saturday and for that I was glad. Stepping out of his truck in front of my building, no one I knew was around. No one to witness me wearing my clothes from the night before and assume I was getting dropped off after a hookup.
Standing, one hand on the door handle, I looked back at him. “Thanks. For everything.”
It was a weird moment. As anxious as I was to make my exit, I knew I’d never see him again. We didn’t move in the same circles. I certainly wasn’t going back to Maisie’s. Realizing that kept me rooted to the spot, staring at him longer than I should. Kind of like I was memorizing him. A guy unlike any other guy I allowed myself to be with.
“Sure.” His eyes looked dark as they held mine. “Stay out of trouble.”
I felt my mouth twist into a smile at the irony of some guy I met in a biker bar telling me to stay out of trouble. “I’ll try. You, too. Don’t get in any more bar fights.”
His eyes glinted. “Yeah? Well, you don’t start any more.”
I laughed once. “Yeah. No worries. That so won’t happen again.”
“Bye, Emerson.”
I closed the door on him and walked to the front door of my dorm. I concentrated on putting one foot in front of the other and ignored that small thread of sensation running through me that felt an awful lot like regret.
The suite was empty. Not a surprise, but I checked both rooms anyway just to be sure. Pepper had a fabulous new boyfriend. Ever since they’d gotten together she spent most nights at his place. And Georgia had Harris. Not a fabulous boyfriend, in my opinion, but a boyfriend nonetheless.
For once I was glad they weren’t around and I didn’t have to explain where I’d spent the night. I loved them, but they tended to worry about me. They would love nothing more than me putting my wild streak to rest and getting a boyfriend.
Stripping off my clothes, I slid on my robe and grabbed my shower caddy and headed across the hall to the shower, trying not to shudder at the idea of a boyfriend. Boyfriends kind of wanted you to let them in. Among other things. And that so wasn’t happening.
I spent at least half an hour under the hot spray of water before washing my hair and body. I kept thinking about last night. And this morning. Waking in Shaw’s bed. Despite his bad-boy edge, he hadn’t made a move on me. Sure, the invitation had been there when I’d practically straddled him and licked him like candy the night before, but he hadn’t jumped my bones. He hadn’t pushed for more or tried to manipulate the drunk girl. And this morning . . . this morning he just wanted to get rid of me.
Turning off the water, I shook my head and reminded myself not to be offended. It wasn’t like I wanted him.
After drying off, I reached for my robe and slipped it on. The shower rings screeched as I pulled back the curtain. Suzanne stood in front of the mirror brushing her teeth.
“Hey, you!” she mumbled around a mouthful of toothpaste.
“Hey. How was your date?” Rolling her eyes, she bent her head and spit in the sink. “Fine until his ex-girlfriend walked into the place with her new boyfriend and then he couldn’t stop staring at them all through dinner. Turns out he took me to her favorite restaurant. Nice, right?”
I winced as I inched toward the door. “What a dick.”
She nodded. “ I would have had more fun going out with you.”
“I’ll remind you of that the next time you ditch me for a date,” I called, halfway through the door.
“Hey!” she called out defensively. “I’d understand if you canceled your plans for a date.”
I snorted. “And why would I ever do that?”
“Oh, someday you will. I just know it! When you meet Mr. Right.” Her words rang out as I headed into the hall.
Suzanne read too many romance novels. She was started to believe in them. Shaking my head, I entered my room and made