Page 69 of Darkness Defined

I stepped up behind him to get a better look and started scanning titles. “This is the only place it would be.” I adjusted my focus to search the next shelf up.

“I’m telling you, I’ve checked like three times. It’s not here.”

I smiled and reached over him to grab a book that claimed to have both translations. “You’re such a dork. It’s right here.”

“It’s not my fault I’m short,” he grumbled. “You’re just freakishly…” He turned around and trailed off.

I hadn’t considered how close I was, and the move brought us face to face. He looked up at me and then immediately down. From a distance, I probably looked like I had him caged, with my arm still extended for the book. The smell of sage enveloped me. I’d kissed him before and the desire to do so again was overwhelming. I was pretty sure he’d kiss me back. That was, if I hadn’t imagined it the other day. It wouldn’t take much, maybe another half inch.

The roaring in my ears was so loud, I thought for sure it was going to draw another reprisal to be quiet. It looked like he was breathing hard, but I couldn’t hear over the noise, only feel his breath on my lips. “This is a bad idea,” I whispered.

His lips parted, and I wanted more than anything to taste them again. He wet them and swallowed before responding. “It’ll be fine.” He shadowed out, materializing behind me.

My hand not holding the book fisted by my side. It just wasn’t possible to be friends with someone you were in love with, but Matt was refusing to take no for an answer.

“Do you think we’ll need all of these?”

I took a deep breath to steady myself before facing him. “Let me see what you’ve got.”

He passed me his stack. After a quick look, I put three back on the shelf and gave him the one I’d retrieved and one other he’d found.

“That should be good for now. If we need something else, you can come back.” I ran my hand through my hair absently.

I don’t know how I’m going to make this work.

There wasn’t really anything else to say, so I grabbed my stack and headed for the checkout.

“Alex.”

I stopped, but didn’t turn around. It was bad enough he couldn’t even look me in the eye a minute ago. Why was he so damned determined? “Yeah?”

Suddenly, he was in front of me, the reference books tucked beneath his arm. “We’re still doing this together, right? Partners?” He held out his hand.

I looked at it skeptically, not sure I trusted myself to touch him.

At least he didn’t spit in it.

“Partners,” I finally said, accepting the hand. When I went to let go, though, he refused to release it, tightening his grip instead. I looked at him, a little alarmed. The blue of his eyes was like glass and sharp enough to cut.

“And friends. Best friends. I’m not going anywhere, Alex, so you might as well get used to it.”

The rush of cold air on my hand said that he’d finally dropped it. I stood rooted to the spot as I watched him go down to the end of the aisle. He looked back to see why I wasn’t following, and I quickly hurried to catch up.

The walk back to the dorm was relatively quiet. We made a pit stop at the dining hall for snacks and immediately got started when we got in. I set up things on the breakfast table while he plopped on the couch. He could say things were normal all he wanted, but his position did not invite company. His legs stretched all the way across, barring anyone from joining him. I sat down at the breakfast table, expecting to work in silence. I should have known better.

“What should our topic be?” he asked.

I fought back a groan. “You mean you didn’t already have something in mind?”

“Well… no. I figured you would.”

I rubbed my forehead. He was going to be the death of me. “Let me get this straight. You bullied me into doing this project with you and you don’t even have a thesis?”

“When you say it like that, it sounds awful. And I didn’t bully you. You agreed.”

I scoffed. “After you dragged me across the length of the library and made me feel like a selfish prat.”

“I don’t recall doing any of those things.”