Between The Books-Michael Clifford

Fifty

I'm walking upstairs. It's weird to be staying at the library, on a Saturday night after work. Usually I'm headed out to the bars.

Of course after my....weak moment with Michael, I wasn't able to stop thinking about him the rest of my shift. Just replaying that kiss over and over in my mind. Leo kept giving me shit about how proud he was that we were staying away from each other, and that he was glad we weren't doing anything until I broke it off with Jax.

It's not my fault! I seriously try. It's just...when he's close to me, I become controlled by my fucking hormones.

I get to the floor Michael's on and start walking back to the maps. This floor doesn't get too many people. It's primarily engineering students, geography etc. It's really a great floor to study on because it's absolutely quiet. Only the occasional sound of a chair scraping on the floor, someone coughing, or a file cabinet opening or closing. It smells like old books and there's tons of binders and file folders too, filled with who knows.

I pass by a table of three guys working on something. They have a couple of maps spread out across two tables they've pushed together. Looks like they're mapping a route of some sort. Could be for a history class. They all look up at me as I walk by. One of them smiles. I smile back and continue walking to the back.

I can see Michael through the open door of the quiet study area. His arms out in front of him across the table, his History of Civ book open in front of him. He's got his jacket off, laying on the table beside his book bag. Kyle was right, he really does study a lot. He's ALWAYS at the library. I should be here more, and not just for work, but I have other things I like doing more.

That's why your grades suck and your parents made you get a job.

I walk into the study area and Michael looks up.

"Hey. Close the door." He says, sitting back.

Uh...not a good idea.

"Don't worry, I'm not gonna try anything." He says, grinning. "I just want to talk to you, and well, the QUIET area, is not really meant for that. Those guys still out there, the ones with the maps?"

"Yeah. Looks like they're routing something." I say, shutting the door behind me. This room only has three tables, with three small lamps, those ones that have the green glass top you always see in libraries. It's sorta creepy.

"How's your week been...well, since I saw you Wednesday night?" Michael leans back in his chair stretching.

I drop my purse on the table and start to pull out the chair across from Michael.

"No, sit next to me." He says, pulling out the chair beside him. He grabs his coat off the table and puts it over the back of his chair.

"Well, I saw this GREAT band last night at the Newport." I say, grinning, and walking around the table.

Michael smiles. "Really? What was so great about them?"

"Oh, they had a kick ass sound...and a REALLY hot guitar player." No lie.

"I see. You into guitar players?"

"Well, no not especially, but this one was different." I turn my chair so I'm facing Michael, and sit down.

He turns around in his chair and faces me. "Different? How so?" He takes my hands in his and brings them up to his lips, kissing them, slowly.

I REALLY love it when he does this. Probably he shouldn't do it, but....yeah, I'm not going to stop him.

"He's got this hair, it's always changing colors, and he has the most beautiful green eyes..."

"Oh, you've been close enough to see his eyes?" He says, staring into mine. I can see he's fighting something.

Probably the same thing I'm fighting.

"Yes, actually. Very close. Beautiful."

He just continues to stare at me. He's not saying anything, and while this would probably make most people uncomfortable, I can't look away.

"I'm not gonna do anything else, so relax. You want me to though....don't you, Baby?" He says, quietly.

I look down at my hands in his. I can't breathe. I shouldn't have come up here. Should've just gone home, Star! SO much easier.

"Can't look at me? Why, is it because you don't want to...or because you don't trust yourself?" He says.

I pull every ounce of strength I have, and look at him. He said he wasn't going to do anything. He's right...I desperately want him to, but I trust him. We managed somehow to get through Wednesday night without attacking each other. We were completely alone then. We're in a public library now! What can happen?!

"Michael..."

"Just a kiss, Star. That's all I want. I PROMISE I won't take it any further." He says, letting go of my hands and bringing one hand up to my neck, sliding his fingers up into my hair.

Ok....this is happening.

"Ok." I say.

He takes his other hand and places it between my legs, grabbing the edge of my chair and pulling it up against his. The scraping of the wood against the tile is loud and startles the shit out of me. I suck in my breath....because of the chair. Nothing else.

Just a kiss. Just like downstairs.

He places his hand against my lower back and jerks me forward, scooting me to the edge of the chair.

Ok, that was WAY HOT.

Our legs slide between each others. We're literally inches apart. I can hear myself breathing faster. I'm sure my heart is beating loud enough those map geeks in the other room are hearing it.

"Just a kiss...calm down, Baby." He says, grinning.

Fucking ASS! How does he do it?!

He puts his other hand on the opposite side of my neck and pulls me to his mouth, softly pressing his lips on mine. Instantly my skin reacts to his touch, goosebumps rising all over. My eyes close and I just let go.

Fuck all of it.

Fuck Jax.

Fuck Michael and I's feelings of needing to wait.

If he even tries to go further....no way I'm stopping him.

NO FUCKING WAY.