Ten minutes later, after finding a Nerf gun on a bookshelf, Hartley and I have a stack of Polaroids from players we’ve hit.
There’s a noise at the end of the hall, around the corner. Fast as lightning, I pull her through a nearby door.
It’s a dim closet, and tight quarters. I brush against Hazel’s chest. The upper half of the door has a stained-glass image, and as the light from the hallway spills through, colors splash over Hazel’s face.
My pulse jumps as I think about kissing her earlier. My gaze drops to her lips, so plush and soft. The perfect color of pink.
I wonder if her nipples are the same color. I wonder if they’d taste as soft and sweet under my tongue. If her breath would catch the same way, or if it would be more of a gasp. Or maybe a moan.
My eyes trace over the lines of her dress, the arc of dark fabric over each breast, and the slight swell of cleavage. I rest a hand on the shelf above her head, dragging a deep breath in. This small space smells like her—her hair products, her perfume, everything about her—and it’s making liquid heat pool in my groin.
Fuck. I want her.
“What’s that look?”
My gaze snaps up to meet her funny, amused smile. My throat works, and I clench my fists so I don’t sink them into those soft waves of hers again. Fuck the game. We could just stay in this closet for the rest of the night.
“I’m thinking about how much taller than you I am.”
She snorts, and the corner of her mouth slides up.
Fuck being subtle.
“Are you thinking about it?” I ask.
Her breath turns choppy. “About what?”
“When we kissed.”
“No.” At her side, she rubs her fingertips against each other. “I haven’t thought about it once.”
“Liar,” I whisper.
Her eyes flare. “Rory,” she breathes. She says it like she’s saying we can’t, but her eyes search mine.
She wants to kiss me again, too. I know she does.
“Not ‘Miller’？”
In the dim, dappled rainbow light through the door, I watch her throat work. “I mean, we’re friends now. Right?” Her eyes flick up to mine, questioning. “After Wednesday.”
Friends is one step closer to what I want with her, and I’m not going to mess this up.
“Yeah.” My voice is barely a whisper. “Friends.”
Her mouth eases into a smile of relief, and I want to kiss her again. Once tonight wasn’t enough. I don’t know if ten times would be enough. No matter how much I touch her, how much time we spend together, it’s never enough.
There’s a loud rumbling noise, and we snap out of whatever’s happening.
“Come out, come out,” Owens calls, and Hartley’s eyes widen as we listen to the sound of doors opening and closing. He’s making his way up the hall, and he’s going to find us.
“Rory,” she whispers, holding up the Nerf gun. “We’re out of ammo.”
“Shit.” We stare at each other. “We need to run.”
She nods, biting her bottom lip, starting to smile.
“Are you having fun?” I ask, grinning, and she nods again, smiling wider. “Good.” I take her hand, so soft and delicate in mine. “Ready?”
“Ready.”
CHAPTER 19
RORY
I throw the door open, and we sprint down the hall, away from Owens.
“Oh, ho, ho,” he calls after us, and Hazel lets out a shriek of laughter that sends happiness and joy streaking through me.
I’m flying. I’m on top of the world with her laughing with me like this. She’s holding my hand as tightly as I’m holding hers as we swing around the corner, and this feels like everything I’ve been missing in life. My pulse pounds in my ears as I take in Hartley’s bright eyes and face, flushed from exertion. Her chest rising and falling fast. The slender line of her throat as she swallows, still watching me.
“Hartley,” I hiss, picking a fully loaded Nerf gun off a side table.
She gasps in delight, and I feel like king of the universe. I hand it to her. She takes aim, and Owens bounds around the corner. Hartley lets the pellets fly and they hit him in the chest.
He deflates with disappointment. “Come on.”
Hartley shrugs, beaming. “Pay up, Owens.”
He pulls his Polaroid out of his jacket and hands it to her before hooking his arm around her neck, pretending to choke her as she laughs.
“See you two downstairs,” he says, letting her go and handing me his Nerf gun. He lowers his voice and leans in. “McKinnon’s on the third floor.”