Uncomfortable, Undone University Series, Book 1

Chapter 7

Jace

The first thing I notice when I walk into the small auditorium in Arthur Hall is Krystal. I don't know much about this girl besides her last name, but my body knows her; my brain knows her, my attention drawn to her like she's a lighthouse, a beacon calling me home after a long journey at sea. She feels like trouble and fresh air all at once, and the way my body immediately responds to her leaves me feeling off balance and a little out of breath.

I plaster on my widest smile, tear my gaze away from her, and pretend I haven't even noticed her when I announce, "Coffee's here!"

A handful of bodies immediately crowds around me, effectively blocking her from view, but I still feel her. She could be at the back door of the auditorium, as far away from me as possible while still being in the same room, and I would probably still feel her. Something about her has me hyper aware of her whenever she is near, and the more I'm around her, the more I want to be around her, despite the horrible blind date last night, despite the weird text exchange after. Despite the fact that I never bothered responding to her last message. Because why rehash the whole I-don't-date thing? As the crush around me clears, and I'm left holding far fewer coffee cups than I was a moment ago, I am unable to stop myself from drifting closer to where she has claimed a seat in the front row of folding auditorium seating.

"Coffee?" I offer, holding one of the carriers out to her with only one cup remaining in it. I have one more in the tray in my right hand, and that's for me. But if I were honest with myself, I would have to admit that I'd probably offer her that one, too, even if it were the only one left. The fact that I would be willing to give up my morning coffee after being up until 2 a.m. studying for next week's Anthropology final says a lot about how much I must like her. And that makes me want to stay as far away from her as possible.

"Bless you!" she exclaims and extracts the cup from the tray, then takes a long sip. I'm helpless to do anything besides stand and watch as she lifts the cup to her mouth. Her lips are rosy pink and lightly glossy, and they wrap gently around the plastic lid as she takes a long, slow pull through the hole there. When she lowers the cup, her pale pink tongue darts out to glide across her lower lip, and I swear I can feel the action on my own lips. And just like that, all I'm thinking about is kissing her, running my own tongue along her bottom lip, delving into the soft velvet of her mouth on a moan.

Too late, I realize I'm staring at her lips and raise my gaze to meet hers. She's staring up at me with a look of confusion, eyebrows raised, mouth slightly open. Cheeks rosy with a slight blush. Does she know that I was just thinking about kissing her? Would she want me to? Of course she would. She made that clear last night. And that's exactly why I shouldn't.

I shake the train of thought away before I get carried away. I'm not interested in dating Krystal, I remind myself and turn away from her before I can change my mind. I don't need her standing outside the dorm yelling about what an asshole I am. I won't be the next Ryan.

"Now that everyone's here." My buddy, RJ, looks pointedly at me. "We can begin."

I raise my coffee cup to him in mock salutation and wink. I know he's grateful for my morning cafe run. He probably woke up ten minutes before this meeting and didn't have time to stop for himself. I've known him long enough to know that he values sleep over pretty much all else and often pushes the limits of punctuality because he slept to the very last possible moment.

He holds up a clipboard with a few sheets of printer paper clipped in. "I have a list of all the tasks that need to be completed in preparation for Thursday night's charity dinner. This is going to be the last meeting before the event, so I thank you all for coming, and for bringing beautiful new friends." He casts an appreciative look at Krystal.