“Oh yeah. Your panties.” I shrugged all nonchalant-like as I took another sip, even though I’d run out of coffee with the last one. “I threw those away, sorry.”
I regretted the words as soon as I said them, especially when her mouth opened as if I’d just stabbed her in the stomach.
Shit, I was such a bastard. I started to confess I still had them. I probably would’ve even offered to wash them and fold them and return them to her completely unharmed, along with her mug. But she narrowed her eyes and reached for her mug. “Give me my goddamn mug back!”
Being that it was still in my hand, I merely tightened my grip and refused to let go. No matter what thought had just crossed my mind a split second ago, I couldn’t give it up. Not while she was arguing with me. Besides, I needed this mug. It was hers. Which was probably why I really needed to loosen my hold and just let it go, but that stubborn gene in me refused. I was keeping as many pieces of her as I could possibly handle.
“No,” I muttered when she really started to yank on it and it slipped a couple inches between my fingers. Thinking quick, I leaned forward and licked the silver side. “There. I licked it. It’s mine.”
“Oh, well, if that’s all it takes to own something…”
Then she did the craziest thing in the entire world. She leaned in too, much like I had done, but her tongue didn’t go anywhere near the mug. It lapped its way up the back of my hand that was holding the cup.
My mouth fell open as she jerked upright and gaped right back at me, her eyes wide with shock as if she couldn’t believe she’d just done that either.
But holy shit, had she just claimed ownership of me?
What was even crazier, I think it had worked. Because in that moment, she did own me. She owned me completely.
“I…” She shook her head as if she were about to deny it, retract what she’d just done and take it all back. And I swear, if she had, I would’ve gotten up and left.
Except she wasn’t given a chance. The professor started class and we both straightened upright in our chairs and turned to face the front of the room, moving stiffly like robots. I honestly don’t think I was the only one who sat there like a frozen statue through the whole hour. I could practically smell the tension oozing off Julianna as she experienced the same dazed reality I did.
My heart pounded hard in my chest, and my muscles kept twitching with anxiety.
I wasn’t sure what this meant. I wasn’t sure what to do about it.
I just knew I liked her, despite everything. I was attracted as hell to her. But it seemed as if I shouldn’t be. I mean, what about Brandt? What about everything?
I was already dealing with enough shit. College, all the drama at home, my Vine business. I didn’t have the time or energy to be this mixed up over any girl. The back-and-forth with her was driving me crazy. I just…I needed a break. I needed to clear my head.
As soon as Dr. Taris called class, I shot from my chair, grabbing my books and mug, and I rushed from the room. Julianna gasped my name as if she wanted to talk to me, but I just couldn’t. I needed to process this.
JULIANNA’S CHAPTER | 15
I was still in a daze as I watched Colton race from the lecture hall.
I couldn’t believe what I’d done, but I didn’t regret it. The moment our shocked gazes had clashed after my tongue had claimed his skin, I’d been zapped with this surge of energy. He’d stared back almost as if he’d been afraid as if his entire future had just been laid out for him, whether he liked it or not, as if he realized he was mine now.
It was a powerful, almost overwhelming sensation. I sat, shell-shocked for the first half of the hour. Then I’d finally dared a sidelong glance his way only to find that he was still frozen with his own shock. For some reason, that made me feel better. I wasn’t the only one who knew something momentous had just happened. But apparently, I did seem to be the only one who needed to know what the momentous thing was.
I don’t think I’d ever seen a guy run away from me like that before. It probably should’ve worried me that he was resistant to the whole idea, but I don’t know. I just wasn’t. All it really filled me with was this determination to confront him. Right then.
So I gathered my things as quickly as possible. He’d gotten a good start, and all the people I had to dodge around were a nuisance. I panicked when I reached the entrance of the building and pushed outside, unable to immediately spot him. I turned in a circle, searching the stream of students coming in and going out.
Dammit. I’d lost him. I kept walking, not even sure which path he’d taken. Fate was on my side when I caught sight of him up ahead, standing at the end of the main courtyard in the center of the campus with his back to me.
As soon as I was within hearing distance, I called, “Colton!”
He ignored me, though I was sure he heard me. Instead of suffering through the humiliation of calling his name again and having him ignore me—again—I stormed closer and jammed my hands on my hips.