My only saving grace was that Stone had labeled me his girlfriend and not his fiancé, though there had been some comments about the diamond on my ring finger. With neither me nor Stone confirming it though, people had been left wondering.
Then there was also all the fakeness that had started emerging. Suddenly, people who have never spoken to me in all the years I’ve been going to Hales were waving at me or sending me friend requests or following my social media. However, the only new requests I had accepted were from Kincaid Black, Alexis Wyatt, Jennifer Polk, Ross Carmichael, Saxton Voss, Stone Lexington, and Fox Harrington. And if being linked to Stone hasn’t been enough, being linked to Ross, Saxton, Kincaid, and Fox had been sure to throw me into a new popularity stratosphere.
And though I had no idea how Alexis and Jennifer were handling all the craziness with The Order, their situations weren’t like mine. They weren’t contracted to marry their sponsors.
I felt him before I saw him.
That’s what he did to me.
That’s what this crazy thing between us felt like.
Ihad felt it when I’d run into him last week, but now with the knowledge that Stone wanted me, the sensation of having him near felt so much stronger and dangerous than I ever imagined it could be. I needed to keep a level head about me before I got caught up in the likes of Stone Lexington.
The guy had heartbreak written all over him.
His cologne invaded my senses before his ass hit the chair next to me, and it was just as distracting as the man wearing it.
“This isn’t exactly what I would call space,” I grumbled quietly, knowing everyone was staring at us without even having to look up.
“I left you alone after your Data Structures class yesterday,” he said, remarking on his efforts.
Ilooked over at him, and his looks made it very hard to concentrate. “And immediately went on social media and turned my entire world upside down.”
The bastard smirked right before leaning into my neck. His breath warm on my skin, he said, “Rylee, you haven’t seen anything yet.”
I couldn’t stop the tiny moan that escaped. “Stone, we’re in the university library,” I reminded him. “Behave.” His chuckle tickled my neck, and I knew-I just knew-I was going to fall hard for this guy.
He pulled back and atleast had the decency to keep his voice library appropriate. “I’m actually here to ask you a serious question.”
My eyes narrowed because I wasn’t buying it. “What?”
“How are we supposed to get to know each other better, during these next few weeks, if I’m supposed to give you space?” His arm came to rest on the back of my chair, and his fingers danced along the back of neck, giving me visible shivers. “Seems like a contradiction, don’t you think?”
“That’s what phones are for,” I reminded him. “Do you have anything against calling me and talking to me on the phone?”
“Other than thefact that only people over the age of sixty call to talk on the phone?”
“I’m serious,Stone.” I lowered my voice because I knew there were ears all around us, straining to hear our conversation. “I’m still feeling overwhelmed,” I admitted.
His dark browneyes flared. “Do you want to know what I feel, Rylee?” I nodded because he made the question sound like a seduction. “I feel like something’s missing when you’re not with me.”I almost tackled him.“After only a few days and a couple of kisses, I feel like everything’s just a little askew when you’re not with me, when I don’t know where you’re at.”
“This is crazy, Stone,” I whispered. He was talking about our chemistry like it was something more and deeper, and I wasn’t quite ready to allow myself to go there.
He just nodded. “Yeah, it is,” he agreed. “But I’m all in, Rylee.” He glanced down at my hand on the table, holding my book page open. “If that ring needs to be bigger, so that you understand that, then I’ll replace it today.”
“I don’t need abigger ring, Stone.” I glanced around, and just as I had suspected, everyone was watching us. Looking back at him, I said, “Truth be told, I don’t need this one. No one needs a ring this big. While stunning, who needs a three-carat diamond ring?”
He stared at me a long time before saying, “You’re going to be the most amazing thing that’s ever going to happen to me. I just know it.”
My heart started beating in a rapid tattoo of unexpected emotion. “You’re gorgeous, filthy rich, powerful, and part of a secret organization that’s going to help you rule the world.” I let out a sad laugh. “I’m going to be theleastamazing thing about your life, Stone.”
He didn’t remark on my realism, but insteadsaid, “So, you’re expecting nightly phone calls to get to know each other better?” My head dropped forward and stopped on his chest.
The dude was exhausting.
I felt his hand come up and startto massage the back of my neck. Next, his lips were on the back of my head, and it felt like we’d been dating for years, instead of the truth that we didn’t even know each other. The truth that this was crazy as hell.
“You’re driving me crazy,” I muttered.