Saint

30

Thanksgiving Break comes and goes, and my fears and anxieties begin to settle down. Dylan never showed back up at Carley’s, and I think that means he’s let go of whatever he wanted from me. Things between me and Saint are getting better, it seems, though he seems moody and standoffish still. He’s dropped the topic of me going to another school, at least for the time being. That’s eased some of the tension between us.

Somewhat.

Another positive development? Liam’s started hanging out with Saint and Gabe again. The Monday after Thanksgiving, I walked into the dining hall and found him sitting at their usual table, and I couldn’t help the smile that curled my lips. It was such a relief to see all three of them together again. I hadn’t realized how much it bothered me that they were fighting until they appeared to make up.

All three guys have started inviting Loni and I to hang with them. We’ve been studying for finals all together, as well as interacting on campus like we’re actually friends. It’s surreal, but not an unwelcome development. The rest of the school has eased up on their hate of me again, and some people have even credited me with reuniting Saint and Liam once more. I’m the most welcome I’ve ever been, which isn’t really saying something, but still.

One night after di

“How’s Saint feel about you hanging with Liam without him?” Loni suddenly asks as we near the library’s entrance.

Her question catches me a little off guard and I have to take a moment to collect my thoughts before I can respond.

“Fine, I guess.”

Loni looks as though she doesn’t believe that for a second. “You’re sure he’s okay? After everything they went through?”

I pause just outside the library doors and face her. “Do you know something I don’t, Loni? Saint and Liam have made up. They’re cool with each other.”

She shakes her head. “Sure, they say that, but I don’t think they’re being totally honest. You can cut the tension between them with a knife.”

I had noticed that things seemed strained between them, but I had chalked it up to residual pressure from their fight that they would get over. Maybe I was just telling myself that, though, to make myself feel better.

“I’m sure it’s nothing,” I say anyway, and she makes a face.

“Maybe, but I’m kind of waiting for the next fight to go down.”

Well, shit. Am I really being that naïve about their relationship right now?

Heading inside the library, Loni and I part ways and I hurry to the study room Liam and I have reserved. He’s already there waiting for me.

“Hey,” I say as I settle into the chair across the table from him.

“Hey,” he says, tilting his head in acknowledgment. “How’re you?”

“I’m good,” I reply as I unpack my stuff and spread out my books. “You?”

“Hmm.”

This feels awkward. We haven’t really been alone since we started speaking again. Saint is still the one who comes to the pool when I work out at night, and we’ve only hung out in groups so far. I fidget with my pencil as silence falls between us. I want to say something, anything, but my mind is completely blank.

“So, how’s the swim team?” he asks, beating me to the punch.

I raise my brows, a little taken aback by the i

“It’s great,” I grin. “I mean, hard as hell. The Coach is a ballbuster, but I’m excited to be competing again.”

“Yeah, I bet you are.”

Silence again.

Shit. This was such a bad idea.

I nervously shuffle through my books and papers.

“We should probably get started,” I say in what I know is an overly cheerful tone.

He arches his brow, and I have a feeling he knows how nervous I am. I wish it could be easy between us, like all those nights in the pool. I half expect him to call me out and mock me for how weird I’m being.

Liam has mercy on me, though, and we dive into our studying without further delay. As we work, the tension begins to ease. Having something for us to focus on frees us to relax with each other. Soon, we’re chuckling and teasing each other, and a little while after that, we’re talking about things apart from English. The conversation flows easily, and for a moment, it’s as if our whole fallout over Saint never even happened.

And then my phone buzzes.

I pick it up, and see I have a text from Saint. My cheeks heat as I open it.

Saint Angelle: How’s studying? When will you be done? I want inside you.

My eyes widen at the message. He knows exactly what he’s doing it, sending me this. He’s trying to turn my focus away from Liam and get me hot and bothered at the same time.

He wants to remind me who I belong to while I’m with another guy.

Possessive, arrogant bastard.

I’m definitely not thrilled by this or fighting a stupid grin.

Not at all.

Liam releases a heavy sigh. “Saint?”

I glance up at him sheepishly. “Yeah, sorry.”

He shakes his head. “It’s fine. I should’ve seen this coming anyway.”

“What do you mean? Seen what coming?”

He leans forward on his elbows so that his face is closer to mine.

“Has Saint told you that he called dibs on you? Before you even threw that apple at his head, he claimed you and warned the rest of us the new girl was off limits.”

I stare at him, dumbfounded. “What?”

He shrugs. “It’s true. You were in Saint’s sights the moment you stepped on this campus. Kind of strange, huh?”

I struggle to believe that’s true. Why in the world would Saint be interested in me when he didn’t even know me?

“Are you sure about that?” I ask, half-expecting him to say he was just fucking with me.

“Ask him,” he says. “I’m sure he’ll tell you.”

Oh, I’m sure as fuck going to be asking Saint all about it.

Later, after I’ve left the library, having finished my study time with Liam, I hurry to Saint’s room. My mind is a whirl as I knock on his door. I’ve been burning with questions since Liam told me Saint had been interested in me before I threw the apple at him, and I’m determined to get my answers.

I knock again when he doesn’t immediately answer, and just as I’m about to knock for a third time, his door swings open. Saint stands in his doorway, shirtless, wearing a pair of low-riding gray sweatpants that reveals a tantalizing glimpse of his happy trail. I momentarily lose my breath and my ability to speak.

Goddamn, why’s he got to be so fucking hot?

“I hate waiting,” he reminds me with a smirk, leaning against the door frame and putting his impressive biceps on full display.

“So,” I murmur like an idiot. I can’t stop staring at his abs. Sonofabitch, why can’t I stop staring at his abs?

“Eyes up here, little masochist,” he chuckles. “I’m not just a piece of meat, you know.”

That manages to break my trance and I raise my gaze to his.

“Saint, I have something I need to talk to you about.”

Instead of replying, he reaches out and cups the back of my head, undoing my long braid as he pulls me in for a deep kiss. I gasp, and his tongue pushes past my lips to lap at mine. Moaning, I melt against his chest and let him pull me into the room.