MATED TO SERIES COLLECTION

5. ARIANA: CALM AND COLLECTED

I was awake and up, moving around before my alarm went off. Unable to stomach any food, I forced down a cup of coffee and then made sure that I'd packed everything I'd need in my bag for my classes.

Eva's classes didn't start until mid-afternoon.

With a deep breath, I grabbed my toiletries bag and a towel but my steps slowed when I neared the door. I was tempted to wake Eva up and demand that she came with me.

But then I remembered everything that conspired after my freak out.

Shaking my head, I gripped the door handle and slowly twisted it. A peak through the gap assured me that not a lot of students were up.

If I hurried then I'd be able to shower before the bathroom got overcrowded.

One glance at Eva and then I slipped out of the room and hurried down the hall. Thankfully the bathroom was empty.

I chose the shower stall furthest away from the door. Placing my bag down on the shelf, I turned and pulled the shower curtain closed. It wasn't transparent so that was one less thing to worry about.

I was just about to kick off my flip-flops when I thought better of it.

I slowly undressed and neatly folded my clothes before placing them down next to my bag. The moment I opened the tap, I was blasted with icy water. Shrinking, I tried to step out of the way but ended up bumping into the shelf. Pain shot up my arm. A few more stumbling steps backwards and I suddenly slipped.

My hands shot out to grab onto something to stop my fall but there was only the shower curtain.

It ripped and was torn from the railing a I fell backwards

But suddenly I wasn't falling anymore.

My eyes shot open when I felt little lightning bolts shooting through my body, starting from where skin touched mine. I blinked at the face only inches from mine.

Nordic blue eyes, framed by long ashes, were locked with mine.

"The stalls with doors work better than these."

My eyes dropped to his lips when he spoke. They were pale pink and his top lip was arched like a cupid's bow.

The corner of his mouth tugged up.

Slowly, I became aware of the pull of muscles in my calves. It took me a few seconds to realize why. As if realizing it too, he pursed his lips and shifted slightly. He helped me straighten and made sure that I was steady on my feet before he took a small step back.

Now that we both stood upright, I took note of our height difference.

He was tall—the top of my head only reached his shoulders—and very slim. His dark hair was still damp from his shower.

I sucked in a breath and sighed. He smelled like lemons.

Panic hit when the sound of approaching voices penetrated my mind. They were getting closer and closer.

The stranger reacted before I could.

Wrapping an arm around my waist, he easily picked me up and stepped forward, nearly tripping on the shower curtain.

I sucked in a sharp breath when the cold water hit my back and then the top of my head. He kept moving until my back hit the tiled wall and he was standing directly under the water instead of me.

My heartbeat increased as his chest brushed against mine when he sucked in a breath.

The guy was looming over me in almost the same way as that stranger had done in the supermarket. I frowned. Why wasn't I freaking out? Why wasn't I pushing him away or running from him?

I haven't forgotten the fact that I was naked. His eyes hadn't drifted lower than my face which was so much more confusing. Any other man in his position would've looked. Not that I wanted him to look at my body.

Maybe he's gay?

As my eyes darted over his face, a memory tugged on my mind. There was something strangely familiar about him.

And then it hit me.

"Y-you were watching us," I whispered, aware of the fact that we were no longer alone. "The day we a-arrived. I saw you watching us."

"You."

My frown deepened.

"I was watching you," he whispered.

His words made my mouth drop open in surprise,

I swallowed and dropped my eyes to his chest. Questions flashed through my mind but I stayed silent in fear of being heard. The last thing I wanted was to be caught naked in a shower with a stranger.

I tensed when he reached up, but he didn't touch me.

Reaching to the left, he adjusted the water.

The corner of his lips tugged up again and a devilish glint entered his eyes. My mouth dropped open when his hand suddenly shot out to grip the back of my neck. I only had a second to suck in a breath before his lips were pressed to mine.

I stood completely frozen, until the unexpected happened. On their own accord my lips started moving with his. The pressure of his lips eased until they barely brushed mine. For some reason I couldn't explain yet, I wanted him to kiss me the way he'd kissed me only a few seconds ago.

His fingers dug into my skin when the pressure of his lips suddenly increased and his lips suddenly forced mine apart. A shudder raced down my spine the moment his tongue brushed mine.

I'd never been kissed like this before.

I'd never been kissed at all.

It hit me that a stranger was kissing me and I was kissing him back.

His tongue swiped across the roof of my mouth, making me shiver. He did it twice more before his tongue retreated. Our lips brushed twice more and then detached.

"The bathroom starts to fill around seven," he muttered huskily.

I blinked up at him in confusion but before I could make much sense of what he'd said, he stepped away.

"I'll see you around, doll"