Page 57 of The Equation of Us
I break the kiss to trail my lips down her neck, nipping lightly at the sensitive spot where her shoulder meets her throat. “I wanted to do this at the party,” I murmur against her skin. “The second I saw his hand on you.”
“Dean,” she gasps as I suck harder at her pulse point, not quite hard enough to leave a mark, but almost. “We can’t—not in public.”
“I know.” I capture her mouth again, swallowing her small sounds of pleasure. “That’s why we’re here now.”
God, I want to fuck her so badly.
My balls ache.
My entire body is primed and ready to explode.
But… not yet.
My hands move to the hem of her sweater, ready to pull it over her head, when my phone rings from the coffee table. I ignore it, focusing on the feel of Nora’s skin under my fingertips.
It stops, then immediately starts ringing again.
“You should probably get that,” Nora says, breathless. “It might be important.”
I reluctantly pull away, crossing to the coffee table. The caller ID makes me freeze.
Daphne.
“It’s Daphne,” I tell Nora, whose eyes widen slightly.
“Are you going to answer?”
I hesitate, then hit accept. “Hello?”
“Dean?” Daphne’s voice comes through, shaky and tear-filled. “I’m sorry to call, I just—I didn’t know who else—”
“Daphne, slow down,” I say, concern replacing annoyance. “What’s wrong?”
“It’s James,” she says, hiccupping slightly. “He was supposed to pick me up from this work thing, but he’s not answering hisphone, and I’m kind of stranded, and I think—I think he might have ghosted me.”
I close my eyes briefly. “Where are you?”
“That marketing conference center off Route 9,” she says, sounding miserable. “The one that’s like twenty minutes from campus. I’d call an Uber but my phone’s about to die and I don’t have my charger.”
I glance at Nora, who’s straightened her sweater and is watching me with unreadable eyes.
“I’ll come get you,” I say after a moment. “Give me twenty minutes.”
“Thank you,” Daphne says, relief evident in her voice. “I’m sorry to bother you, I just—”
“It’s fine,” I cut her off gently. “Stay put. I’ll be there soon.”
I end the call and turn to Nora, whose expression has shifted from desire to something more complex.
“Daphne’s stranded,” I explain unnecessarily. “Her date bailed on her.”
“You should go get her,” Nora says immediately, reaching for her coat.
“Nora—” I start, not sure what I want to say. That I don’t want her to leave? That I wish this hadn’t happened? That I’d rather stay here with her? Daphne needs me, and she was always there when I needed her.
“It’s okay,” she says, offering a small smile that doesn’t quite reach her eyes. “She needs you.”
“Rain check?” I ask, hating how inadequate it sounds.
