“I’m touched, Kat.” He leans closer, his hot breath on my ear, and a shiver travels down my spine as my thighs clench with desire. “I don’t need to stalk you, you’re everywhere I look. As for why I’m here… I couldn’t stay away.” He stares at me, my eyes drawn to his lips that are spread into a small lopsided smirk. It should be a sin for a man to have lips like his, wide and so kissable. “I need this class to graduate.” He chuckles under his breath as my brows draw together, and I resist the urge to stick my tongue out at him for being an ass.
He made me think he was here for me for a second there. He reaches across me for my cup of coffee and snags it before I have a chance to stop him. With slow ease, he places the lid against his mouth and takes a drink. I’m going to beat him over the head with his hockey gloves, because you do not take coffee from a woman.
“Granger!” I gasp out loud without meaning to and take my cup out of his hands before he can drink the whole thing.
I grumble under my breath and stare straight ahead at whatever the professor is lecturing about. I missed the whole thing and have no clue what’s going on, all because of him. He’s a distraction, and I can’t have that.
I can feel him staring at me, and out of the corner of my eye, I see his knuckles turning white on his desk cover. I can’t help but look up at his towering figure, and a gasp softly leaves my mouth. His eyes are burning hot, desire swirling in the depths as his chest expands with every breath.
“Say it again,” he growls deeply in his chest, and I really feel that as my panties soak within seconds, as if his voice is pulling me tight into his grasp. It’s like the feeling of not getting enough oxygen, terrifying and intoxicating.
“Say what?” I whisper, releasing the breath I didn’t realize I was holding. I edge closer to him until his thigh is scorching mine and radiating heat I’d like to cuddle in for a long time.
It’s a staredown, one I can’t look away from, and I don’t know if I want to. That’s what scares me the most—he’s bringing this side of myself that I’d rather keep locked away. It’s scary as hell, feeling these emotions.
“My name, say it again. It’s fucking irresistible coming out of your mouth. Almost sounds like you want me, Princess,” he purrs, but the sharp line of his jaw is clenched tight, highlighting his high cheekbones and his dark eyebrows clash together with a scowl as his eyes slowly darken. His annoyance is directed at me, like it’s my fault I’m making him feel things he doesn’t want to.
I wonder why that is? Why is he so angry at the world and practically snarls at the female population when they fawn all over him? Heck, half the women here can’t stop staring at me, even though he’s not giving them any attention. Is this a hockey thing?
His eyes change to a darker color, a jaded green that pierces me in place. Fire burns in the depths of his expanding pupils, and I realize two things at that moment. One is how close we’ve moved towards each other, his face inches from my face, and the second is that I like the anger in his eyes.
Call me crazy, but it’s kind of hot. Like, I want to push his buttons, and it’s the frosting on top of the cake to know the anger is all his own. It’s not even about me really, I recognize the pure hatred in his eyes at not being able to have something you want.
“Granger,” I breathe, my chest expanding on a deep exhale so close to his, and I notice his scent flooding my senses for the first time. It’s a masculine smell of earth yet spicy like cinnamon, and my mouth starts watering.
“Fuck,” he mutters under his breath, not looking away from me, even when his name is called three times in the front of the class.
Our bubble pops, allowing me to breathe as I glance quickly to the front of the class to see the professor leaning against his desk with his arms folded over his chest.
“Since you're very involved in this discussion, Mr. Wilder, why don’t you tell me about Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Raven” and what the story is about?” Professor Roz smirks, gladly catching us not paying attention and drawing all the gazes of our classmates to our cozy corner.
Granger’s face doesn’t change, he just stares at me with an intensity that has the hairs on the back of my neck standing on end as he answers the question.
“A madness descending on a man who’s felt pain, mourning a lover, and never being able to love again. Loneliness will keep him company until it’s all he has left,” Granger says, his deep voice echoing around the silent room, and the spell breaks as he looks away from me to stare at his desk, as if he didn’t suck the oxygen from the room.
“Well, uh, that would be part of it. Miss Talin, please explain the theory on the Raven.” Professor Roz moves on, picking on his next victim, but I barely notice because I can’t look away from the man who draws me with his anger, passion, and the confusing way he stares at me.
Time passes fast, making me jump when the other students start packing up and filing out of the room. I think I may have been lost in thought the whole
