Page 52 of Colton

Soon rather than later, I’ll have to speak to her about it. If she continues to act with such apathy, it will become a part of her. And that’s not something I can watch happen.

19

Yet again, I cannot sleep.

It’s too hot in the dorms, and Sophia hates it when I open the window, to let some fresh air in during the night. She gets cold easily, and she’s no stranger to getting sick because of it, so I won’t risk it.

Despite it being early fall, I’m still using my summer pajamas; a pair of shorts and an oversized shirt. Usually, we’re not allowed to go outside of our dorms at night, but since all of our exams are right around the corner, the dorm supervisors turn a blind eye when we decide to pull an all-nighter in the library.

I’ve been studying for the past two hours, and I haven’t been alone. Lila and I were sitting in utter silence, with another couple of desks filled around us. It was peaceful; quiet and perfect to do some last minute cramming.

Lila decided to stay longer than I did, since she was so far behind on her studies. I packed up my things once I realized how much I needed sleep, and headed out of the library. I forgot my notes and textbooks because the tiredness hit me so quickly.

A yawn slips my lips as I enter the corridor, my eyelids growing heavier with each passing second. I’m so sleepy, goosebumps tug on my flesh, and I shiver. I pause for a moment, rubbing the sleep from my eyes, forcing myself to continue my walk, until I see something.

I have to turn left to another corridor, where I’d find the stairs to take me down, and out of the building. However, if I were to take right, I’d be close to Colton’s office and I can see the door from where I’m standing — more precisely, I can see light under the door.

A frown appears on my face, and my feet carry me in that direction before I can seem to stop myself. It seems as though the sleep vanishes, and suddenly I’m wide awake. There’s no reason for him to be in his office this late.

Not that I’ve checked before or anything, but I may or may not have found myself in this same situation the past couple of nights. It’s been four days since the kiss in his office, and although I can’t stop thinking about it, I haven’t done anything about it, either.

All of me wants to talk to him, but then I remember how his lips feel against mine, and I’m a mushy mess. One would think it was my first kiss, and in a way, it was. It’s my first kiss like that — so passionate that it completely blurred the lines of reality.

I come to a halt right in front of his door, only to find it slightly ajar. What if it’s not him? What if it’s an intruder? It would be too bold, too daring of anyone at the Academy, to even think of doing something like this.

But it could be one of the professors, or perhaps, the nurse? Maybe even the librarian, since she wasn’t at the library when I was there. My heart beats wildly in my chest, my hand is already on the knob, ready to push.

The door opens, and my breath hitches.

There, behind the desk, sitting in the leather chair, is Colton.

His shirt is unbuttoned, and I have trouble prying my eyes off his chest. My throat goes dry, my heart skips a beat. The tie is undone, too, falling down his shoulders. His arm is draped around his face, his breathing is heavy, and I’m mesmerized.

It should be illegal for someone to be this pleasing to the eye. His breathing is rapid, as if he’d been running, and there’s sweat dripping from his neck. Oh, God — that neck. By this point, my heart is beating uncontrollably, and I don’t think I’ve blinked more than three times, too scared to miss seeing anything.

Colton seems to be in deep thought, his eyes closed, and he’s yet to notice me. It gives me just enough time to creep in a little, and stare at him. It’s the first time he seems so… disheveled, not entirely put together.

I take a deep breath, and that’s my second mistake of the night — because his posture goes rigid for a moment. Then, slowly, he lowers his arm from his face and opens his eyes. He stares right at me, though he makes no attempt to straighten up in the chair, or button up his shirt.

A minute passes by, with the two of us just staring at each other. The words die on my tongue, and my brain short-circuits momentarily. Colton looks at me, head-to-toe, dragging his eyes painfully slowly all over my figure, tracing it numerous times, before settling on my eyes again.

“Close the door, Avalon.”

His deep, gravelly voice sends shivers down my spine. I don’t think twice before doing as he commands, stepping further into the office, allowing the door to close behind me softly. My heart is beating so loudly that I’m surprised he can’t hear it — as if it’s ready to leap straight out of my chest.

“Come closer.”

My feet carry me on their own accord, and everything seems to be happening in slow motion. Colton barely blinks, his hungry gaze focused entirely on me. The soft, dimmed light of his office falls over his face, making his features more prominent; sharper.

I come to a stop right in front of his desk, breath hitching in my throat. His brows narrow a fraction and he quirks a brow, though he doesn’t say anything for a moment. He’s looking at me so deeply, he’s so focused on me that it makes me uncertain of what my next move should be.

“Closer, Avalon.”

His tone is tender, though the command in his voice is as clear as day. I move to the side, walking around his desk, as he rotates the chair, and I find myself standing right in front of him. His legs are spread, his knees almost touching me as I come to a stop.

I can’t hold in the gasp that escapes my lips, when his hands come to rest on either side of my hips, dragging me closer to himself, until I’m between his knees, not a single inch of distance between us.

My eyes fall down, looking at his lips. It’s like he’s hypnotizing me, and I can’t look away. My heart is beating louder, and louder, quicker than ever. A feeling I’ve never felt before.