Page 6 of Under His Protection
Jason cups the back of her neck and gently massages it. “She’s had a busy day,” he says to me when he notices I’m observing their interaction. “The hallucinations are worse when she’s tired. We should head home soon.”
Layla looks far more relaxed thanks to the distraction of the music. She’s making eye contact with us again and smiling.
After we’re done eating, we make the short walk back to campus. The other couples hop into Jason’s car to head home.
Haley and I wave goodbye as they drive away.
When they’re out of sight, Haley glances up at me. “Can you stay a while longer?”
I reach for her hand. “I’ll stay as long as you want, sweetheart. Wild horses couldn’t drag me away.”
“How about forever?” she asks with a playful smile on her face.
If only she knew how much I want that, too.
* * *
When we’re back in Haley’s dorm room, we make her bed with the sheets and comforter she brought from home. I set up her laptop and connect it to the building’s Wi-Fi—the password is conveniently taped to the top of her desk—and a small laser printer that sits on top of the mini fridge. I’m guessing the girls will share the printer, too.
While I’m setting up her electronics, Haley puts items away in her nightstand drawers.
When she’s done, she wanders over to the other girl’s desk, which is neatly organized. Her roommate has set out her laptop, a cup filled with pens and pencils, a note pad, and a stapler.
Haley holds up an envelope she found lying on her roommate’s desk. “I hope she’s nice.”
“Who?”
“Melissa Becker.” Haley skims the titles of a stack of textbooks on her roommate’s desk. “Human Biology,Careers inMedicine,Anatomy and Physiology, andArt History. I’m going to go out on a limb and guess she’s pre-med, probably majoring in biology.”
“I’d say that’s a good guess.”
I kick off my sneakers and take a seat on Haley’s bed, my back propped against the plain wooden headboard. I hold out my arms to her, and she joins me on the bed. It’s a tight fit for the both of us.
“It’s too bad there’s no room for a sofa in here,” I say. “This is the only place to sit beside your desk chair.”
She frowns. “This room isn’t designed for hosting guests, is it?”
“I guess it keeps the partying down.”
She reaches for my hand and links our fingers. “I wish I didn’t have to live in the dorm. I’d love to have an apartment of my own off campus. Then we’d have a private place to hang out.”
I stroke the back of her hand. “That would be nice.”
“We could hang out at your place.”
“Yeah, but your dad’s apartment is just down the hall from mine.”
The sound of her soft laughter sinks deep into my bones, making me want things I don’t think she’s ready to give.
“So? My dad said we could date.”
“He did.” As she brushes the back of my hand with her thumb, goosebumps travel up my arm. “But somehow I don’t think he wants a reminder right under his nose.”
She grins. “True.”
“We’ll figure something out. I could move to a different apartment building.”
She frowns. “No. You’d miss living close to your friends.”
