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She crossed a long leg over the other, flashing me a glimpse of thigh—a painfully transparent move—and my jaw worked as I bit down on a bunch of rather ungentlemanly retorts.
“I don’t know. I froze my balls off just the other day,” I said with deliberate lightness, shaking my head and chuckling.
Unbidden, Mia’s lock screen came to mind. The glass groaned in my grip, and my molars ground together, before I caught myself.
“Might be time to retire it.” I shrugged, casting my eyes around the room.
“Too bad, I wanted a go on it.” She pouted, full lips broadcasting about a dozen things in neon signs. I took a long gulp, relishing the burn, and considered how to shut it down.
“Oh, yeah?” I chuckled. Easy, light, unbothered. “There’s a line, sweetheart.”
“Hell, yeah! Me first,” Liam piped up, wrapping his arm around me.
“You’re really not helping rumours, you know?” I chuffed, though I was grateful for the lifeline. “Get your hands off me.”
“But I wanna go.” He mock pouted.
With a put-on sigh, I pointedly pried him off me.
“Fine.” I let out a long breath. “Or I might lock it up for winter—just so I don’t have to deal with you.”
He gaped at me, like I’d insulted his ancestors, and the laugh I’d been holding back tore free—rich, hearty, unrestrained.
When Tiffany excused herself to the bar to comfort Oliver, Liam inched in and dropped his voice.
“Speaking of avoiding…” He let out a heavy sigh that wasn’t put on this time.
The echo of my laugh died in my ears.
“Yeah?” I bit out, nearly a growl.
Matthew winced and sucked in a sharp inhale, and I cursed myself inwardly, but Liam held his hands up in surrender and chuckled in that easy manner of his.
“Just lookin’ out for you, man. People are starting to notice,” he said, for the fourth time that week.
I watched the amber liquid reflect the dim bronze light, as it swirled around the large ice cube clinking against the glass.
His brows furrowed, and the curl of his lip spelled out concern.
I dragged a hand over my face, drained my glass, and stood, buttoning my suit jacket.
“Noted,” I said, not unkindly.
Then, I excused myself, bade my friends goodnight, and with deliberately unhurried steps, made my way to the beautiful redhead who had been making eyes at me the whole evening.
The moonlight caught the wrought-iron railing of her apartment’s balcony as I took a long pull of my cigarette.
The smoke curled up in white puffs that swirled and chased each other, and I loosened a sigh of relief—the first full one since this cursed semester started.
I just needed to get laid.
Chapter ten
Mia
Four things kept me afloat in the dark riptide that was this place: Pri’s bubbly chatter, Liam’s easy humour on the rare occasions he joined us for dinner, the library—and sheer force of will.
The rumours shadowing me wherever I went didn’t bother with subtlety anymore. The consensus was that I’d slept with half the professors to get here. No doubt they’d soon say I was servicing the other half, just to keep my spot.
