In the heart of Harvard, Alessia Gilmore is ready to embrace her second year and the independence it brings. After a summer spent reconnecting with friends and discovering herself, she's determined to step out of her twin sister Rory's shadow and ca...
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The hotel room was quiet, save for the faint hum of traffic from the street below. Riley lay sprawled across one of the beds, his legs hanging over the edge, scrolling lazily on his phone. Beau was sitting cross-legged on the other bed, flicking through the TV channels without much interest.
"Anything good on?" Riley asked, not looking up.
"Define good," Beau replied, landing on a soap opera and letting it play. "How do people even get into this stuff? It's all dramatic stares and weirdly convenient amnesia."
"That's half the fun," Riley quipped, finally tossing his phone aside. He rolled onto his stomach, propping himself up on his elbows to watch Beau. "You get into it ironically, and before you know it, you're hooked. Trust me."
"Right," Beau said, smirking as he muted the TV and leaned back on his hands. "You secretly obsessed with As the World Turns or something?"
"Not yet. But give me a couple weeks, and I could probably write an entire season for this show." Riley's grin turned sly. Riley's grin turned sly. "Actually, you'd be the perfect soap opera character. Tortured hero with a tragic backstory. Always pushing people away because it's 'for their own good.'"
Beau rolled his eyes, but his smile lingered. "Please. I'd be the comedic relief at best. You, on the other hand? Brooding bad boy with a soft side. The ladies would eat it up."
Riley laughed, the sound light and easy. "You've got me all figured out, huh?"
"Someone has to," Beau shot back, his eyes glinting with mischief. "You're a walking mystery, Riley."
"Yeah?" Riley slid off the bed and crossed the small gap between them. He stood over Beau, his expression playful but his gaze steady. "What else have you figured out?"
Beau raised an eyebrow, his confidence faltering just a touch under Riley's intense stare. "I don't know. You tell me."
Riley didn't hesitate. He placed his hands on Beau's shoulders and gave him a light shove, sending him backward onto the bed. Beau let out a startled laugh, propping himself up on his elbows as Riley climbed on top of him, straddling his waist.
"What are you doing?" Beau asked, his voice low but teasing.
"Testing a theory," Riley replied, leaning in closer. Their faces were inches apart now, and the air between them seemed to hum with tension. "You mind?"
Beau's breath hitched, but he didn't look away. "Not at all."
Riley closed the gap, his lips brushing against Beau's in a soft, deliberate kiss. It deepened quickly, both of them giving in to the pull that had been building for weeks. Beau's hands moved to Riley's waist, gripping him lightly as Riley's fingers tangled in his hair.
Time seemed to blur as they lost themselves in the moment. Riley's heart raced, his skin buzzing with every touch, every kiss. He wasn't sure how long they stayed like that, exploring each other's mouths, until-
A sharp knock at the door shattered the bubble they were in.
"Hey, you guys in there?" Quinn's voice called from the hallway. "Coach wants everyone down at the rink for practice."
Riley froze, his forehead resting against Beau's. They both stared at each other, breathless and wide-eyed.
"You gonna get that?" Beau asked, his voice a hoarse whisper.
"Not a chance," Riley muttered, his lips quirking into a smirk. But when Quinn knocked again, louder this time, Riley groaned and climbed off Beau, running a hand through his hair to collect himself.
"Coming!" he called, shooting Beau a quick, mischievous glance as he headed to the door.
