The corner convenience store is crammed with students hustling to get to class.

“I’ll have a cinnamon raisin bagel, light cream cheese and small coffee,” Jenna says, handing the guy behind the counter a ten.

“A banana and coffee.” I drop the piece of fruit into my messenger bag and hand over some cash.

“I hate Mondays,” I grumble, tired from spending half the night revising the copy on my website. Gagging in the aftermath of the sorority girls who walk by, I wave my hand in front of my face and whisper to Jenna, “And biatches who wear too much perfume.”

Jenna elbows me in agreement. “And girls who over-pluck their eyebrows so they always look surprised.”

Laughing, I link my arm through hers, and we make our way out onto the sidewalk and wait for the light to change.

I scrunch my face in disgust. “I hate sauerkraut and yappy dogs.”

“Yes! And thong wedgies because even though that scrap of fabric is supposed to be up there, it ain’t supposed to be up there.”

I try not to choke on my coffee as she lowers her voice and cocks an eyebrow.

“And I hate used condoms. The way they sit there all deflated and judgmental, like little reminders of the dirty sex you had the night before.”

I snort before I get a chance to cover my face. “Jesus, Jenna.”

We trudge across Commonwealth Avenue with the hordes of other students, and we’re about to make our way to the Liberal Arts Building when I hear a familiar voice in the distance. Before I realize what I’m doing, I yank Jenna behind a thick row of hedges. She squeals as her knees sink into the moist dirt, and her coffee tumbles to the ground.

“Shhh!” I put my finger over her lips as we huddle like escaped criminals behind a bush.

Over the shrubbery, I hear their steps. The girl’s giggle precedes her high-pitched voice. “Thank God you liked my submission. I was so worried it sucked.”

“It is simply breathtaking, love. I’m confident you’ll be able to publish it, but we can talk about it more after class, perhaps over lunch.” His voice wraps around me like a python constricting. I close my eyes as I try to catch my breath.

I wait several minutes so I can be sure they’re gone, and then, like a little gopher in one of those arcade games, I pop my head up over the shrubbery to survey the scene.

Satisfied the coast is clear, I inhale several times in relief before I extend my hand down to my roommate who has a What the fuck was that? expression on her face.

“I’m so sorry, Jenna! I heard Wheeler’s voice and reacted. I didn’t mean to shove you into the mud.”

She pats me on the back. “You haven’t seen him yet?”

“Not face to face, and I’m wondering if I can go the whole year without any meet-and-greets. I already had a close call at the bookstore. Do you think I stand a chance of avoiding him until graduation?”

Her mouth twists as she contemplates my question. She shakes her head. “That dog doesn’t hunt.”

I stare at her and blink. I think she means no.

There’s nothing like Jenna’s Southern wisdom, but that wasn’t the answer I was looking for.

* * *

When the week starts with leaping behind shrubbery, I know I’m in trouble. I fumble through the next few days, sleeping through my morning alarms and running late to classes and work. No matter how much coffee I drink or attempts I make to plan my schedule, I can’t seem to get my act together. Wheeler’s presence anchors me like lead, and I find myself always looking behind me, worrying if I’m going to see him again.

So all I can mumble as I stare at the red scribble in the margins of my assignment is, “It figures.”

A C? Marceaux gave me a C?

“I got a better grade on this than you?” Jenna snatches my submission for our romance-writing class, and the delight on her face is unmistakable. I shoot her a dirty look, and she sticks out her bottom lip like she’s sad, which I know is complete bullshit.

“Yeah, it’s official now. I’m a loser.” I knew this wasn’t right when I wrote it.

After flipping through the pages, Jenna sighs. “Her comments are pretty intense.”

Harper, who has been half listening to our conversation, shuffles out of her room and drops onto the couch. “What did Marceaux tell you?”

“That my writing feels stilted and repressed. That I need to loosen up.” I could have told her that. “But she’s not half as tough as our critique groups will be.”

Harper frowns. “That sucks.”

“I’m just not feeling it.”

Jenna jumps up and bolts into her room, calling out, “I have a great idea!” She returns with her phone, and a second later my cell buzzes.

I glance down at my screen. “Jenna, why are you texting me when you’re three feet away?”

She smirks. “We’re going to play Out-Skank.”

“I’m sorry. What?”

“We’re gonna help you talk about sex. The point of the game is to see who can out-skank the other. Harper and I are going to send you dirty texts, and you have to write us back.”

“Where do you come up with this?” I’m shaking my head as I read her text out loud: I want you to touch my man-slinky.

Man-slinky?

I look up at Jenna and Harper, and the three of us crack up.

“You have to write me back. Or else.” Jenna waves her phone at me with a grin.

I roll my eyes.

I’ve never sexted, so I don’t know where to begin. Jenna has probably had tons of practice with Ryan. Gross.

Finally, I return the message.

Jenna reads it out loud: I would touch your man-slinky, but I don’t like jangly parts.

She looks up at me and laughs. “What?”

“Jangly. Penises are jangly,” I say as though this should be obvious. “They jingle and jangle. I mean, unless they’re erect. Ew. There’s a lovely word for you. Erect.”

“Hey, don’t knock it,” Jenna says. “Speaking of jingle and jangle, at Christmas I should sell mistletoe for the peen. Bet I’d make a killing.”

“You have a serious problem. I think you’re obsessed with your man’s junk.”

Jenna laughs before turning a serious shade of red. “Not as obsessed as he is with my girl parts. That boy is great at oral.”

Harper and I groan. I’m too embarrassed to say I’ve neither given nor received in the oral department. I am admittedly out of my league here.

“Maybe he could give Jonathan a few lessons,” Harper says under her breath.

At least I’m not the only one with issues tonight.

* * *

After the climbing wall on Friday—where I don’t tumble to my death, offering some hope that perhaps I’ve broken my streak of bad luck—Gavin and I grab some Thai and head back to his dorm room to work. We’re having a conversation about his journalism class, but all I can think about is how his t-shirt kept riding up while he was climbing, showing off that sexy-as-hell six-pack. And that little treasure trail leading south…

“You listening?” he asks as we reach his room.

“Oh, sorry, I was thinking about this horrible grade I got.” Lie. Lie. Lie. But I have been obsessing about that stupid assignment for the last twenty-four hours, so that might absolve me from being a total lunatic.

When we reach his room, I lament about my professor’s comments.

“Can I read it?” he asks, holding the door open for me. Shit. I never let anyone read my drafts except under extreme duress, like threats from professors or overly nosey roommates. He lifts his chin. “C’mon. I’m a writer. Maybe I can help.”

“I don’t know.” I raise an eyebrow. “You’re not in my circle of trust yet.”

Gavin pretends to be in pain as he clutches his chest. “Ouch. And after we’ve slept together? Clementine, you’re hurting my feelings.”

“Shut up.” I smack him in the shoulder.

He tilts his head down, staring at me through those dark lashes, and makes sad puppy-dog eyes. Oh, hell. Who can say no to that face? I stick my finger in his chin dimple and sigh.

“Fine. Here.” I reach into my bag toss it to him before I can reconsider. “But I’m warning you. You can’t laugh at me. I’ve already told you I don’t write this stuff.”

I grab some paper plates and serve our dinner as he sits at his desk and reads. I hand him his food and sit on the bed across from him.

During his silence, the axis of the planet shifts and then realigns as I watch him go through my draft. I don’t know why letting people read my writing makes me so anxious. And a little nauseous. Okay, a whole lot nauseous.

“This isn’t bad,” he says finally, “but can I make a suggestion?”

“I’m thinking about dropping the class, so go for it.”

“Okay, if this is a relationship between an RA and a girl on his floor, this makeout scene would never happen in the common room because it’s too out in the open. You need to make it happen somewhere more secluded.”

My eyebrows lift. “Make out with girls on your floor much?”

He laughs. “No, none, but you lived in Warren. Kids run in and out of the common room twenty-four seven. No RA who wants to keep his job is going to make out with anyone there.”

“I only lived in Warren for a semester. I don’t remember hanging out that much in the common room. It’s just where I got the idea to turn some dumb diary entries into a book. I wanted to get something constructive out of the hell I went through.”

He runs his tongue over his bottom lip. “So your stuff is autobiographical?”

Shrugging, I nod. “Loosely. I change the characters’ names and the settings and twist around a few details, but I get inspired by what I go through.”

He cocks his head and breaks out into one of those brilliant smiles.

“You, uh, you ever gonna let me read this mysterious novel?” He bats those eyelashes again, but even his nuclear level of sexiness can’t combat the nausea I get from the idea of Gavin reading my book. Gavin reading about how Daren cheated on me? With my best friend? My stomach flips.

“I’m thinking no.” I try not to look affected by his overt attempts to charm me.

His eyes narrow briefly before he whispers, “We’ll see about that.”

He grins, and I sense the wheels turning in his head. He likes the challenge.

Crossing my arms over my chest, I try to keep a straight face. We watch each other in a standoff, but then that devilish grin is back.

“Let’s go find somewhere more intimate for your scene.”

He grabs a basket of folded towels and reaches for my hand, pulling me out into the hall. I laugh as I get dragged because he’s acting like a crazy person. We zip down two flights of stairs and down another hall.

The laundry room is dark when we walk in, so he flips on the lights. A row of washers and dryers line both sides of the small room. He opens up a washer and dumps in his basket of clothes.

“Gavin, why are you washing clean laundry?” I can’t help the laugh that escapes.

He drops in a few quarters and starts the machine before he turns to me, grinning.

“I’m helping you get in the zone. Come here.” He wraps his hands around my waist, and I let out a surprised squeak when he lifts me up onto a washer. I can’t believe he just picked me up. Okay, that’s a stupid thought. He did carry me home two weeks ago.

His grip is firm on either side of me as he ducks down to look into my eyes. Even though I lean back, I can feel his minty breath on my face.

“Clementine, I want to warn you.” His voice is husky and deep. “I’m going to kiss you, and you’re going to like it. A lot. But I want to be clear that I’m not going to sleep with you, because I want you to respect me in the morning.” His mouth lifts up in a wry smile. “This is simply one friend helping out another. Okay?”

Wait. Is he serious?

He must sense my apprehension because he rubs his thumb softly across my cheek. “It’s just an exercise, to get you into your story. I promise.”

I laugh, embarrassed, intrigued, and a whole lot turned on by the idea. He smiles again, but this time it’s different. His eyes darken as his hands glide over my hips. My breath catches in my chest.

“Gavin, I don’t think—”

He rests a finger over my lips.

“I’m doing this in the name of academics. You need inspiration? You’re looking at it. Now shut up and let me kiss you.”

Holy. Shit.

Pressing his hand on the small of my back, he pulls me to the edge of the washer and stands between my legs, my thighs now on either side of his hips. He runs his other hand behind the nape of my neck, and I think I’m having an out-of-body experience as his touch leaves a trail of flames in its wake. My mouth is dry, and all I hear is the sound of my heart hammering in my chest. But before I can overanalyze it, he’s so close I can barely breathe.

“By the way,” he whispers when we’re nose to nose, “you should remember that I’m already dating someone, so don’t get too attached.”

And with the reminder that he has a fake girlfriend, he puts his lips on mine before I can tell him he’s insane.

Gavin’s lips are soft, but firm, and my body reacts, my arms lifting automatically to wrap around his neck. My hands are instantly in his hair, and my mouth opens, gasping from having him up close and oh so personal. He uses the brief opening to swipe my lips softly with his tongue. As he presses in closer, I tighten my thighs on his hips.

Gripping my hair with his hand, he tugs my head back and delves deeper, stroking my tongue with his. And dear sweet Jesus, Gavin can kiss. I’m all kinds of turned on, my body a pulse, a beacon of exploding light. We make out a few minutes, kissing, alternating between these sweet, heartbreakingly slow kisses and hard ones that make me feel like I can’t get close enough to him.

I use this opportunity to run my hand along his chest, descending down his hard pecs and ridged abdomen. I knew he was built—I mean, I’ve seen plenty of his defined body when we work out—but touching him like this has me lightheaded.

And this is not me, losing myself in the moment, but I can’t seem to stop myself. Hell, I don’t want to stop myself.

The wash cycle stops, the machine stilling beneath me, and he pulls away, leaving me out of breath.

Gavin looks into my eyes, and I try not to shy away, but when he kisses my forehead gently, I melt all over again.

He clears his throat.

“So now, because RAs don’t like to get caught making out with girls on their floor, I’m going back up to my room. You should come up when the laundry is done so it doesn’t look suspicious, and let’s see if you can’t get a little more done on your assignment.”

With that, he steps back, and I’m under his microscope, his eyes passing over me again. He chuckles and leans into me and whispers, “By the way, you’re one hell of a kisser, Clementine.” Then he winks and walks out.

Oh. My. God.

* * *

After throwing the towels in the dryer, I can’t bring myself to go back upstairs. What the hell do I say to Gavin? Do I even return? Hell, yes! my little inner voice cheers. But I’ve never kissed a friend like that before. I don’t think I even kissed Daren like that. And although Daren and I dated most of our senior year of high school, he never had me throbbing so hard it almost hurt.

Despite the increasing desire to hurl, after I fold the towels I head to Gavin’s room. When I get there, he’s engrossed in his article.

“Towels are dried and folded.” I put the basket back in his closet and walk over to the bed, reaching for my bag. “I’m gonna get going.”

He turns to me, his mouth tight. “Why? I thought you were going to write.” He gets up, comes over and grabs my shoulders. His head tilts down. “Did I offend you? I—”

“No, you didn’t.” Beyond that, I can’t speak. My mouth is open, but words don’t come out. I never understood the concept of someone kissing you senseless. Until now.

He laughs softly. “Clementine?”

“Uh-huh.”

“I didn’t mean to render you speechless. Here, sit down, darlin’. Eat something. I just realized I made you do laundry, and you hadn’t eaten yet.” He maneuvers me down onto the bed. I sit, obedient, because it’s possible I’ve had a stroke.

He hands me a plate of food and smiles, returning to work on his assignment as though his tongue wasn’t doing a tango in my mouth an hour ago.

After taking a few, slow bites, I begin to relax and reach for my laptop. Although I’m still trying to process tonight and the surprising desire I have to grope Gavin, the words are starting to flow, so I type a few ideas.

Rereading my draft, I can’t believe I turned in this turd. I kick off my shoes and open a new doc, working furiously for an hour before I close the laptop and lie back on the bed with my journal.

“How’s it going?” Gavin comes over and sits next to me, so I scootch over, turning to face him.

“Better, I guess. I won’t know until tomorrow when I read what I did tonight. You were right about the common room, though. How’s your article?”

His smile falters. “It’s fine. I just want to think about something other than a missing co-ed for a few minutes.”

“Are the cops any closer to figuring out what happened to Olivia?”

He pinches the bridge of his nose. “Not as far as I can tell. It’s becoming old news, which sounds terrible, but that’s how the media works. So I keep trying to find new angles to keep her story in the headlines.” He scrubs his face with his hands and sighs. “You want to take a break? Maybe watch a movie?”

“Sure.”

“Here,” he says, passing me his laptop. “Pick something.”

I sit up and scroll through title after title on Netflix. “This is too much pressure. Help me.”

He reaches into his closet, pulling out a few pillows, and props them up behind us before he settles down next to me, so we’re leg to leg, shoulder to shoulder.

“Do you like horror?” He clicks through a list of scary films.

I shake my head. “I run a lot at night, and that might freak me out. Plus, although I have three roommates, I’m actually at home by myself a lot, so no scary movies.”

“Chicken. How about a John Hughes film?”

I’m not in the mood for a girly romance. I used to love those, but not anymore. “I’m not a big fan of romantic comedies.”

“Says the girl taking a romance-writing class.” He looks at me like I’m a foreign species. “I thought all girls liked chick flicks.”

When I shake my head, he scrolls through a few more titles. We finally agree on The Breakfast Club, which isn’t too lovey-dovey. Fifteen minutes in, I need to editorialize.

“Can I be honest?” I ask. “I always thought Emilio Estevez was kind of a tool in this movie.”

“Agreed.”

“Can I also say that when I first saw this years ago, that little lipstick trick Molly Ringwald did seemed okay, but now I’m disappointed that her one skill is applying makeup with her boobs. It’s an insult to women.”

“Can you put on lipstick with your boobs?”

“I have no damn idea.” I look down at my chest and press my shoulders together to emphasize the girls. “I’ve never tried.”

When I glance up, he’s scoping out my rack, and I elbow him. He snickers as he says, “Maybe that’s a skill worth investigating before you criticize it.”

I feign concern. “But what if I’m not that talented? I don’t think I could handle that letdown.”

“I think you probably have all kinds of talents you’ve yet to discover.”

My face heats as I think about what he probably means, and he laughs.

We settle back into the movie, but halfway through the film, I can’t keep my eyes open. I’ve been up since six when I got up for a run because I was so anxious about my stupid story, and now it’s almost midnight.

“Gav, I’m falling asleep. I should go home.”

“Scoot.” He lifts my legs so now I can stretch out on his bed. “I have to write some more. Take a nap.”

I don’t argue with him. It’s a brilliant plan. I curl up on his bed, and he throws a blanket over me.

I’m not sure how long I’m asleep before I hear the light being clicked off, but I’m so tired that when he moves me over and wraps his arm around my waist, it barely fazes me.

“Clem, you smell really good,” he whispers into my ear.

My eyelids are heavy, and I start to wonder if I’m dreaming. “You kiss like a rock star.”

He laughs and pulls me tighter.

In the morning, my conversation with Jenna runs through my mind, and I think of that word. Erect. My professor’s directive to find fun euphemisms is now the only thing I can think about. Morning wood. Boner. Hard-on. Stiffy.

There’s nowhere to go. This morning, Gavin is draped over me. He’s like a freaking furnace, and his man parts are trying to poke a hole through my thigh. I try to wiggle out of his hold, but his eyes flutter open.

“Good morning, Clementine,” Gavin says, his throaty voice terribly sexy.

“Sorry if I woke you.”

I let my eyes adjust to the light. Clearing my throat, I mull over the question that’s burning on my tongue. “Gavin, so last night… you were just helping me… as a friend?”

“As a friend.” He’s wrapped around me, hard against my thigh, warm against my back, and nothing about this morning seems platonic.

“Can I ask… do you have a lot of friends that you, uh, help like this?”

He chuckles, his chest vibrating against me before he kisses my neck. “No, darlin’. I don’t really have time for many friends, especially since you’ll remember I have a girlfriend. I don’t want to spread myself too thin.”

I roll my eyes.

“Do you have to go to work?” he asks, yawning.

“Yeah, but I have to head home and shower first. If I come in wearing the same clothes I had on yesterday, someone will know I’m a slut who slept with you.”

He snickers. “You should go before you ravish me because then I’ll feel cheap.”

God, he’s such a flirt.

Laughing, I punch him playfully. “You’re incredible.”

“I know, but the next time you say that, you should add my name, like, ‘Gavin, you’re incredible,’ and maybe throw in a few moans. That would be hot.”

“Who are you?”

This guy is fucking with my head, and what’s worse is I think I like it.