Cynthia.”
I rolled my eyes and reached for my phone, sitting up to through the numbers. I sent Beth a text message, giving her the all clear and to let her know I would be at study group later.
Jared slipped his shirt over his head and then pulled me onto his lap. My phone buzzed and I smiled at Beth’s apology-ridden reply. I tried to send her back my unconditional forgiveness, but my attention was drawn to the nibbling at my neck.
“I thought you said it was a good thing we were interrupted,” I smiled, tilting my head against his tickling breath.
Jared’s head jerked up to face me. “I never said that. I said I was beginning to think there was a reason for it.”
“And by that you mean…?” I prompted.
“I was thinking about what Eli said. Surpassing a certain point of intimacy could hinder my ability to protect you.”
“He also said they weren’t sure because we’re different.”
“I’m not sure we should chance it,” he frowned.
“What are you saying? That we can never…?”
He pressed his forehead to my cheek. “I’m saying that it might not be a good idea to test Eli’s theory while we’re in the middle of a war.”
“War,” I grumbled.
“Nina….”
I stood up and walked to the other side of the room, crossing my arms. “No, I get it. Abstinence it is, then. I don’t want you upset that I’m not taking things seriously, again.”
“Nina,” he said, patient, “I’m not happy about it, either. But I have to put your safety first.”
“You sound like a Planned Parenthood commercial,” I snapped.
Jared burst into laughter. “That’s not the safe I was referring to.”
“I know,” I said, narrowing my eyes at his infuriating amusement.
“I’ve never seen a woman so beautiful when angry…especially when you’re angry about this. It’s very endearing.”
“I’m glad this is so entertaining for you,” I said with thick sarcasm.
Jared shook his head, trying not to smile. He held out his arms. “Come here.”
I stood there a moment, arms crossed, eying him suspiciously. The plan that he would change his mind from my protesting had backfired. He was maddeningly resolved.
I didn’t want to give in, but his arms looked so inviting I couldn’t help myself. Before I knew what I was doing, I curled up in his lap.
“You’re making me crazy, you know. I don’t know why you’re being so stubborn,” I grumbled.
Jared’s shoulders shrugged around me. “I’m being cautious. Beth and Chad walked in on us.”
I looked up at him with a dubious expression. “Since when do you care what other people think?”
“I didn’t hear them. They caught me off guard,” he said in a low voice.
I felt one corner of my mouth turn up. “Obviously.”
“That’s never happened before. I should have been able to hear them exit the elevator. I should have heard her pull out her keys. I heard nothing until they walked through the door. If that had been one of Shax’s men, you would have been dead.”
My grin faded quickly, and I struggled to push away any worry. “What does that mean?”
“That means Eli was right. When I’m with you like that, I can’t focus. I’m not only fighting my feelings, Nina. When we’re alone and things get intense, I struggle with your…desires as well. Can you imagine what you were feeling doubled? It’s impossible to think about anything else.”
“Doubled? I don’t think that’s possible.” As soon as the words stumbled from my mouth, I felt my face flush with crimson. “I just meant that I wouldn’t complain about it.”
“I’m not complaining,” he said, kissing my forehead. “I’m saying we’re going to have to wait until I can afford to be distracted. If anything happened to you …I’ve already put you in danger from my selfishness, Nina. I have to keep my priorities straight.”
I grudgingly nodded. By keeping me safe, he was safe. I couldn’t argue with that.
Jared stood up, taking me with him. “Let’s get out of here. Get some fresh air,” he said.
I smiled. “We’d better.”
Jared chuckled and held the door open for me. He had the quilt his father had bought me when I received my acceptance letter from Brown. It had the school colors in different scraps of fabric that somehow formed the Brown University crest.
“What is that for?” I asked, stopping in the doorway.
Jared shrugged, the blanket folded tightly under his arm. “I thought we could hang out in the sunshine for a few hours.”
I fingered the blanket with sentiment. “I haven’t used that blanket, yet. I’ve been sort of saving it as a keepsake.”
Jared’s mouth turned up into a half smile. “Why?”
I shrugged. “I don’t know. Gabe bought it for me.”
“Is that what he told you?” he asked, raising an eyebrow.
“Yes. Why?”
“I had my mother make it for you when you were accepted into
Brown. It makes sense, I suppose. He couldn’t tell you it was from me.”
“This blanket was a gift from you?” I said, my eyes wide with disbelief. “Lillian made this?” I touched the blanket as if it were gold.
“Yes. So you don’t have to keep it preserved. We can use it for the first time together,” he smiled.
I knew the touched look on my face was pathetic, but I couldn’t help it. His first present to me had been sitting in my closet and I had no idea. “Aw!”
Jared flinched. “Don’t say ‘aw’.”
I couldn’t change my ridiculous expression. “It’s sweet, though.”
“You say ‘aw’ when your boyfriends give you junk,” he said, his face twisting into disgust.
The wheels of my mind thrust into high gear, and I scanned over everything Stacy had ever given me, trying to remember if I was ever insincerely appreciative. I came up with nothing.
“I’ve only had two boyfriends, and neither of them gave me junk.”
Jared’s face scrunched into a doubtful grimace. “You said ‘aw’ when Chuck Nagel gave you that crappy mixed tape.”
My mouth fell open. “It was sweet! Do you know what lengths he must have gone to? Where would you get a cassette tape these days? And he wasn’t my boyfriend,” I argued, shuddering at the thought. “And I can’t believe you remember that!”
Jared rolled his eyes. “I had to watch that simpleton pine for you for months. You may not have noticed him, but I did.”
I pressed my lips together in an amused smile. “I love the blanket. Thank you.”
“You’re welcome,” he beamed, kissing me.
What I thought would be a peck turned into a longer kiss, and with his free arm Jared pulled me to him, pressing his fingers into my back. I found myself hoping he would pull me back into the room.
He leaned back with a jerk, keeping his eyes closed. “We’d better go.”
“Laying on a blanket with me in public isn’t so tempting?”
“Right,” he said, nodding once.
We walked to the Main Green hand in hand, weaving through the sea of students. On the few warm days during the school year, the campus lawn went from being desolate to bustling with movement in every direction.
The clusters moved in a distinct way. A game of touch football was in full swing, guitars were being lazily
