"Talon Kelly, if you tell me you took advantage of me while I was blackout drunk, I swear to God--"
"What? Fuck no." He seems really insulted, and explains that I'd spilled nacho cheese all over my clothes during the movie. "I threw your stuff in the wash and gave you my shirt, gave you my damn bed, and slept on the couch. Knee brace and all."
I feel my flush return. As if to drive home his point, he begins to unwrap something he had hanging from one of his crutches--a grocery bag with my jeans and shirt inside. I feel sheepish, and look down. "Thank you," I say, my voice soft as I try to hide behind my hair.
Talon reaches a hand forward and brushes my hair aside, and I am taken aback by the kindness of his gesture as much as the rush of heat I feel where his skin touched my face. His blue eyes go dark as he asks, "What had you so worked up yesterday?"
I exhale and shake my head. "It's too humiliating."
"What? More humiliating than spilling nacho cheese all over yourself when you could have been banging the quarterback?"
I throw the empty water bottle at his chest and pull the covers over my head. He persists. "Hey, Serena, I am fresh from surgery and slept on a sofa a foot shorter than me. You owe me your tale of woe."
"Gah! It's so bad." I take a deep breath and speak quickly. "I made a pass at Professor Jacobs and he didn't even acknowledge it basically, but he pretty much asked me to leave his office."
Talon whistles. I pull the covers down so my face peeks out and he flops back on the bed next to me. "That was pretty ballsy of you. So you like older dudes, hey?" He lies on his side, his head propped on his hand, his eyes teasing.
"Not normally. It's just…he's like a celebrity in the stats world. I've been obsessed with him for years and now he's here this semester teaching. God! I ruined everything." I feel tears start welling as I talk about what happened. "How can I even go back to class now?" As soon as I say it, I start crying, which makes me feel even more embarrassed, if such a thing is possible. "God, what am I even doing? I shouldn't be telling you all of this."
He puts a hand on my arm. "Hey, it's ok, you know? You're my research partner, right? I've got your back."
I look over at him, blinking away tears, trying to slow my breathing. My god, he's good looking, I think. "How am I supposed to just go back to class after I made a pass at the professor?"
He keeps his hand on my arm and I feel my pulse quicken. I become increasingly aware that I'm lying half dressed in Talon Kelly's bed with Talon Kelly, the length of his body mere inches from my own. "Look, Serena, I know this might come as a shock to you, but I make passes at girls all the time. And sometimes they even turn me down. And you know what? Fuck that. You can't let it ruin your day."
I laugh a little and catch myself, staring into his intense blue gaze. My arm is stiff beneath his fingers, which wrap around my bones. His hands are so large and up close I can see the taut muscles of his arms. "Who turns you down, Talon?"
CHAPTER FIVE
His fingers begin to stroke my skin lightly. "You did, the other day." He doesn't let me break his gaze. I shudder as he drops his hand to my body beneath the duvet. He walks his fingers up my chest and places his hand on my collarbone. I'm sure he can feel my heart pounding through the material of his t-shirt and my breath catches as his thumb rubs along the notch at the top of my sternum. "Anyone would have to be crazy to turn down an offer from you, Serena."
I open my mouth to say something, but he leans in and kisses me. His lips are soft and thick, pressing into mine hungrily. He grazes my bottom lip with his teeth and nudges my lips apart with his tongue. A moan escapes my throat as he adjusts his weight until he's lying against me. I can feel every firm inch of his body through the duvet, and I hesitantly move my hands onto his rounded shoulders.
Talon's hand on my chest begins to slide downward until he's cupping my breast through the shirt, his palm pressing against my stiff nipple, fingers gently massaging the soft weight of my tender skin. Suddenly, I want nothing more than to feel his lips around the taut peaks, to feel his thumb rubbing the sensitive tip until I melt beneath his touch. "Talon," I whisper, and as if he's read my mind, he dips his curly head, sliding soft kisses along my jaw and chin, sliding down until he flicks my nipple through the fabric.
The material is wet and hot from his mouth as he works first one, then the other breast while his hands wander along my body. I wind my fingers into his hair as he sucks my breast into his mouth. I yelp as his teeth graze my nipple and he laughs,
