Afloat

Chapter 8

INCOMING CALL: FLETCHER

I smiled down at my phone, immediately answering even though I could've really used both hands to pack up the three books and laptop still laying on my desk. "Hey."

"Hi, Sleeping Beauty." His voice rang through the phone, so melodic I almost missed the sound of a wave crashing in the background.

"Hello, Wyatt."

"Whatcha up to?"

"My Con Law class just ended."

"Ah yes, Con Law," he mused. "What did you learn today, Duke Jamie?"

"The history of Separation of Powers."

"Oh, baby," he whined. Teasing. "Tell me more."

"In 1871, US v. Klein decided that Congress—"

"Nope, that's good, I'm good actually."

I laughed, managing to place the last book on my desk into my backpack with my only free hand. The crackling sound of a washed up wave came through the receiver again. "Are you surfing?"

"Was. Now I'm laying on the beach."

I smiled, imagining him sprawled out on the sand, his brown hair a shade darker from the salt water and swiped across his forehead.

"Been thinking about you," he added, his tone a little quieter.

With my backpack now zipped up and thrown over my shoulder, I headed toward the doors of the now empty lecture hall. "Is that so."

"Don't deflect," Fletcher responded easily. "I know you think about me too."

Of course I thought about him. It had only been two weeks since we saw each other over Fall Break. Four days and four nights together that completed and confused me, at the same time.

I was supposed to be having fun in college. I was having fun in college. But how could I, and really why should I, when every second with Fletcher made me feel whole.

I was in love with this guy. He was what I wanted.

But, even when we together during Fall Break, he never failed to remind me— I only got to be a freshman in college once.

Even the night before I left to go back to school, our naked legs entangled as my hot cheek lay against his bare chest, both of us still trying to catch our breaths after arguably the best sex we'd ever had, he murmured, "I'm so proud of you, Jamie."

I hummed in question, despite having heard him.

His lips pressed against my hairline. "You're doing so well."

I tilted my head up, catching his brown eyes with mine in the dark. My stomach flipped and, honestly, I wasn't sure if it was my love for him or nausea over the fact that I'd kissed someone else. And still hadn't told him. "I'm not perfect."

A small, but goofy grin slipped across his lips. "Oh, I know. That's why I said you're doing well."

I managed to scowl through my laugh as I shimmied my body up until the tips of our noses were touching, our breaths mixing together. "I miss you."

His lips brushed against mine. "I miss you more."

"Impossib—LE," I screeched as he swiftly pulled me on top of him so my thighs were straddling his hips. His fingers dug into my waist, pulling my body taut against his.