Chapter Three

“You were amazing tonight.” Melissa knew she was gushing, but she didn’t care. She was walking back across campus with Jake. She had patiently waited as the other students dispersed and her reward was a chance to be alone with him. “I’ve been in class with you for a long time, but I had no idea you could be this passionate about something.” She was intensely aware of his presence at her side, and it made her chest tighten.

“So you did notice me!” He gave a small laugh. “Before tonight, I had assumed you had a boyfriend back home, and you were trying not to talk to any of the boys.”

Melissa laughed too, but Jake had spoken the truth. She didn’t have anyone waiting for her back home, but she had done her best to avoid the opposite sex. Boys were scary, and she wanted to find one who would treat her well.

She brushed her hair back behind her ear. “I wouldn’t say that. I just assumed the same thing about you.” Melissa had hoped that the hot guy behind her in class was single, but part of her thought he had to be in a relationship. Someone as good-looking as him shouldn’t be wandering around alone.

Jake’s hand found hers in the dark, and an electric tingle shot from her fingertips into her spine. “Would you like to come back to my room? I have some information from the other Liberator groups. I’d like you to look them over and see what you think.”

“That sounds interesting.” Melissa couldn’t understand why her opinion on them mattered. She was little more than a bystander in the organization. Melissa had done nothing but express mild interest, and that was because of her attraction to Jake. If the words had come out of someone else’s mouth, she might not have listened to them. But she didn’t want to blow him off. It would ruin any chance for a future. “You know something? Sure, that would be great.”

He grinned, and she could see the whites of his teeth in the darkness as they passed between buildings. “Thanks. JoAnna told me you’re an English major?”

Melissa nodded, grateful that the dim campus lights hid the flush overtaking her cheeks. She had no way of knowing if her roommate had volunteered the information or if Jake had asked. Either way, they had been talking about her. “I’ve always been interested in the written word. I’ve had some counselors and teachers tell me not to bother because I won’t make any money, but I love it. I can’t imagine doing anything else.”

Jake gripped her hand more tightly, pulling her closer. “That’s what I like about you, Melissa. You follow your gut. It doesn’t matter what anybody else thinks. Don’t let them tell you your skills aren’t useful. Having an English major look over these pamphlets is just what I needed.”

Girls weren’t allowed in the boys’ dorm after dark, but he didn’t take her through the front door. He ducked down an alleyway and boosted her up on the dumpster. “That window should be open.”

Melissa slid through the opening and into the darkness of a laundry room. She nearly twisted her ankle landing on the tile floor, but she made it through unscathed. Jake came after her with a landing that could have come from an Olympic gymnast. He looked fantastic. Her heart pounded in her chest, and she tried to slow down her breathing.

Jake took her hand again and led her out of the laundry room, through the hall, and up several flights of stairs. “We’ll have to get past the resident assistant’s room. It’s the third one on the left. He’s usually out by now, but there’s no point in taking extra risks.”

Soon enough, they were closing the door to Jake’s dorm room behind them, laughing quietly. “What about your roommate?”

Jake turned on a lamp. His room was almost identical to Melissa’s, except the comforters on the beds were blue and black instead of purple and teal. “He’s gone. I guess the professors let him take tests early because he has something happening back home. It’s just you and me tonight.” He plopped down on one of the beds and pulled a small stack of pamphlets off the desk.

Melissa sat next to him, at once both embarrassed and thrilled to be sitting on a guy’s bed with him. The knowledge that her presence was forbidden made the experience exciting, and she hoped he didn’t notice her hands shaking as she took the folded pieces of paper from him.

“You can take your time with them. There’s no rush. Bring them back with you and let me know if you think I should change anything. I probably shouldn’t worry about something as petty as a typo when there are lives at stake, but I want people to take us seriously.” The light from the lamp cast long shadows on his face that didn’t reduce the allure of his features.

Her heart sank into her stomach. Jake said he wanted her to take the pamphlets back to her room. Was she completely misreading him? Why would he sneak her into his dorm room if he only wanted someone to do an editing job? He could have met up with her the next day and given them to her then.

“Okay, I’ll make sure to do a good job. Thanks.” She felt awkward and unsure of herself.

“Melissa.” Her name sounded like music on his tongue. “Has anyone ever told you how beautiful you are?”

The compliment startled her, and she turned her head to look at his eyes. Was he serious? He kissed her suddenly, and she knew he meant what he said. Jake wrapped his arms around her and leaned back until they lay on the mattress and let their tongues explore each other. Melissa could feel every part of his body that touched her, from the roughness of his tongue to the gentle pressure of his hands as they swept over her back. Her core was on fire, and she put her arms around his neck to pull him closer.

Jake’s hands lifted her shirt and began roaming over her skin. He ran his palms around her waist and up her ribs until they cupped her breasts through her bra. He didn’t break their kiss as he slid one hand to her back and found the clasp.

Melissa arched her back to allow him access. The lacy scrap of cloth easily came undone. Jake pulled up her top. He was no longer willing to let her shirt come between them and took her nipple into the heat of his mouth. Melissa twisted her head in ecstasy as he nipped and sucked. She could feel the weight of his muscular body on top of her and the hardness in his jeans.

“God, you’re amazing,” Jake murmured as he moved to her other breast. “Do you know how long I’ve wanted to do this to you?”

She ran her fingers through his hair as she stretched out like a cat on the bed. “I have no idea. Tell me.”

“I’ve sat behind you every day in class and watched you. I didn’t even listen to the lecture half the time because I was fantasizing about bringing you back into my room and having my way with you.”

“You’re kidding me.” Nobody had ever talked to her like this, and she wanted to hear more.

“Oh, yeah. I wanted to see if you were just as hot without your clothes as you are with them. I wanted to bend you over this bed and ram my cock into you. Now I’m finally going to get my hands on your juicy ass.” Jake’s hand left her breast and made its way down, dipping into the front of her pants.

Suddenly, Melissa realized what was going to happen. This wasn’t just a make-out session. She barely knew this guy. Her legs automatically clamped together and she tried to sit up. “Jake, I think I need to go.”

He shook his head as he tried to push her back down onto the mattress. “You can’t, Melissa. I have needs.”

She wriggled out from underneath him and tugged her shirt back down. “I know you do. But I’m not comfortable doing this here.” It was a lame excuse, but it was the best one she could come up with quickly. She couldn’t tell him that she was scared and all relationships made her turn and run.

“The door is locked.” Jake had an earnest expression on his face. “Nobody will ever know.”

“Please don’t do this.” She sank her teeth into her lips, hoping it would hold back the tears threatening to fall from the back of her eyes. “I just want to go home.”

He sat back and sighed. “Fine. But I don’t know when we’re going to get another chance like this.”

Melissa didn’t want to lose him. He was everything she had ever dreamed of, and now she had gotten herself wrapped up in the Liberators for him. But she wasn’t ready. “I’m sure we’ll come up with something when the time is right.”

The corners of his lips turned up, but he didn’t look convinced. “Yeah, okay. Do you know the way out of here?”

She couldn’t be certain considering the building was in complete darkness, but it was similar to the layout of her dorm. And she didn’t want Jake to see her cry if she lost her composure. “I think I can take care of myself. I’ll see you soon.” She slipped out of the door and down the hall, sneaking slowly by the resident assistant’s door before she reached the stairwell. Melissa pulled herself through the window and ran into the night.