Wasting no time, I reached into the bag for the donut and sank my teeth into its glory. “Oh, you are incredible,” I hummed with a mouthful.
Ollie climbed over the mattress and melted into a heap of pillows against the wall. “What are your plans for the day?” he asked as I fell over the mattress beside him.
“We’re on lockdown, so I guess nothing. I’m supposed to be in my dorm right now.”
“No, you’re good. Stanley won’t do a security check because of a storm.”
After finishing my donut, I sucked the glaze off my fingers as impulsive moans were liberated from inside. Ollie’s eyes lit up as I savored each finger. “Do you always moan when you eat? Because you’re sort of turning me on.”
I elbowed him playfully in the shoulder, and he fell back, pretending to be wounded.
“I’m told I make more noise when I eat than during sex, so yeah … as long as the food’s good, I can’t help it.”
“I like it,” he whispered, and another clash of thunder echoed in the room as the wind whistled against the window, “but I don’t want to hear about your sex life.”
“Jealous?”
Ollie shook his head. “Crestfallen.”
“I don’t know what that means.”
“Gutted”—he wrapped his arms around my waist and dragged me back against him—”discouraged”—he moved the hair from my neck—”crushed”—he grazed his nose across the skin below my ear—”Shall I keep going, Mia?”
All I could think about were his hands on me and his breath on my neck.
Yes, keep going, Ollie.
“I understand.”
Stupid, stupid mouth of mine.
Ollie released me from his hold and lay flat on his back behind me. It took all the strength I had to not climb on top of him. “So, how are we going to keep ourselves occupied?” I asked, wondering what was going through his mind, but then I remembered what Jake and Alicia had said. Their words replayed over and over. “Ollie doesn’t mess around. He’s not the type.”
Ollie turned over onto his side and lifted his head into his hand. “Okay, before you say anything—”
I fell to my side, facing him. “Why does the beginning of that sentence scare me?”
“Before you say anything more …” Ollie reached under his pillow. “You said you were willing to open up to me, knock down a wall …”
“Cut out a door,” I corrected with a finger in the air. “Don’t push your luck, Masters.”
Ollie laughed. “Alright, ‘cut out a door.’” He pulled a book out and handed it over.
I dangled it above my head. “The Notebook? The movie was based on a book?” A groan left me and I handed the book back. “No, I don’t read.”
“First of all, I’m going to read to you … and second, I saw you in the mess hall with To Kill a Mockingbird. Do you pretend to read to attract guys like me?”
“It was an assignment from Dr. Conway. I don’t read for pleasure.”
“Then it’s a good thing you won’t be the one reading.” He lay back against the pillow and opened the book, then looked up at me with a crinkle between his brows. “Something’s missing,” he muttered, and slipped his arm beneath me, dragging me closer to his side. My face fell into his neck as a giggle escaped. “Ah, much better. Now, quiet, Mia. I need to read.” Ollie kissed the top of my head as the rest of me melted beside him.
He flipped past the acknowledgments to the first chapter titled “Miracle.”
The moment the first sentence fell from his lips, I shifted my attention from the black ink inside the book to him, taking in the way his lips moved as his eyes danced along the page, flitting from one end to the other. His angelic voice remained steady as he ran his fingers lightly through my hair with one hand and held the battered book in the other. Ollie was captivating, and I was afraid if I turned away, even for a split second, I’d miss a beat—miss a word from his lips, and miss a blink of his thick lashes as he lost himself in the world the author had created. Absolutely breathtaking.
We stayed like that for hours, him reading, and me listening to his every word, every syllable as it rolled off his tongue. Enchanted by the words of Nicholas Sparks, but only because they were spoken with his sound of grace. It wasn’t only Ollie’s accent making the story come to life; it was the way he enunciated each word with a slow elegance.
I buried my cold feet between his legs, craving his warmth, and Ollie paused for a moment to press his lips to the side of my head before returning to the page. The rain picked up at one point, then slowly faded as it played of its own accord against the window. My lids grew heavy, and I fought against them, but eventually, Ollie’s poetic voice got the best of me.
It was Dean Lynch over the intercom who woke me, and my eyes opened to see Ollie’s chest slowly rise and fall with the open book sprawled across it. I tilted my head from his chest to see his face, and he silently slept with his mouth slightly parted, and I smiled to myself.
A part of me wanted to stay beside him and pretend time didn’t exist, but the rational side of me knew I couldn’t hold on to this moment forever. Carefully, I moved out from his hold, making sure not to disturb him.
Ollie’s hand sprang to grab my arm, and pulled me back on top of him without opening his eyes. I buried my face into the crook of his neck and giggled.
“Let me live in this moment for a bit longer,” he whispered.
Breathing in his skin, the mixture of coconut and sandalwood created a weak marine breeze. Turning to his side, the open book fell between us and his arms tightened around me. “It’s safe to say, you don’t talk in your sleep.” His eyes were still closed. It was a possibility if he opened them, a reality check would pour over us like the rain outside.
But only if he opened his eyes.
“That’s a relief.” Stay strong, Ollie, for both of our sakes.
Ollie opened his eyes, folded up the book, and stuck it under his pillow.
“Best nap ever,” he confessed, and moved the hair from my face. His hand lingered around my cheek and he traced his thumb over my bottom lip. “You haven’t got a clue how bad I want to kiss you right now, but I’m trying not to be selfish … for the sake of your wellbeing and all.” A small smile tugged on his lips.
It was torture for us both. I could see it on his face, him falling for me. My reflection stared back through his green eyes, and for a split second, I saw myself the way he saw me, and I was beautiful. I’d warned him. I’d told him before we kissed not to fall for me, but it appeared the heart had a mind of its own and these things you couldn’t control.