This Is How It Goes

Chapter Twenty Six: The Powerful and the Powerless

"There she is," James drawls, I turn around and break out into a grin when I see his face. "My have I missed you Katarina." 

I tilt my head to the side and try and appear seductive. "Have you now?"

He takes the last step between us and pulls me in for a hug. The leather of his jacket is cold against my skin but I don't mind. For once he doesn't stink of cigarettes. Burying his face into my neck he murmurs against the base of my throat, "Yes.  I have."

We stand like that for a moment, me with my arms looped around his neck, him gently kissing the spot behind my ear and then all the way down my neck. I feel warm all over despite the cold. 

"We should probably get inside before we freeze to death." I say into his ear.

He shakes his head and pulls away from my neck to give me a sly smile. "I can keep you plenty warm."

Chuckling I say, "I'm sure you could but if we go inside we'll have some privacy."

His eyes light up and he nods quickly detangling himself from me. "You are quite right. Let's get inside then."

He leads me by the hand into my dorm. We haven't seen each other since before Thanksgiving break so we're understandably a little eager to be alone. I spent all of Monday with Isaac and Natalie. Tuesday is for James. 

In the elevator James presses me against the wall and slides his hands under my top while he kisses me. My heart beats loudly in my chest. 

I unlock the door to my room and do a quick check for Natalie but like I suspected she's in class. I shut the door behind us and grin at James. He looks so out of place in my room, every time he's in here I can't help but secretly laugh at how odd he looks surrounded by my and Natalie's things. His hair looks blonder than it did before and it's shorter. But it looks good. Sexy.

Slowly, slowly I walk over to him, dropping my coat and scarf as I go.

"I forgot to tell you before," I say, now only an inch or two away from being able to touch him. "I missed you too."

"Oh you did, did you?" He says in a low voice. 

"Mhmm," I push him onto my bed and straddle his lap. "I can show you how much if you'd like."

He brushes my hair away from my face, his eyes now dark and stormy. "Oh I would."

I kiss him, soft at first but gradually faster and harder. My skin feels like it goes red where he touches it. 

I'm tugging on the hem of his shirt, about to try and take it off him when I hear a key turning the lock on our door. We break apart comically fast and turn to see Natalie opening the door. Her cheeks are flushed and she looks frazzled. 

I jump out of James' lap and almost knock my head against the bed frame. "Natalie!" I shriek.

She looks up in surprise, "Kat!"

"What are you doing here?" I squeak, smoothing my shirt down.

"I... I forgot my notes." She looks from me to James a few times before it clicks. "Oh, oh. Oh I'm so sorry. I'm so, so, so sorry,"

I shake my head at her and swallow a lump in my throat. "No, no it's fine. We weren't doing anything."

James scoffs beside me, I kick his leg. 

"I'll just get my notes and then I'll leave." Her whole face is a bright red now and I think mine is too. "I'm Natalie by the way."

"I know, Kat's mentioned you a lot."