A sharp breath causes my lips to part as I take notice of Liam's poised posture and killer jawline. I begin getting phantom feelings in my hands at the remembrance of his smooth skin, the feeling of his warm body inches from mine.

I advert my eye contact, but not soon enough; Liam's eyes have already latched onto mine from across the room. My mind ventures back to the moment in his, bed where he stared into me from that kneeling position, the position where his magnetic force drew me in. I sense that I will be reminded of that feeling every time he looks at me.

My thoughts are distracted by fingers dancing on my shoulders. I don't have to turn around to know who it is; I know it's Liam. He's the only one cocky enough to tease me in public.

"It's nice to see you," he whispers into my ear, sending shivers throughout my body as his lips brush against my earlobe.

Liam retreats as quickly as he appeared, like a gust of wind. His touch leaves goosebumps on my skin that lingers long after he's pulled away from me, making it known that my body is aching for him. I hope he didn't take notice before walking away.

I can still feel the sensation of his fingers on my back as the conductor steps onto the podium and leans against the metal backing. "Good evening, everyone," his voice booms into the theatre, causing the rather loud conversations to dissipate.

His grey mullet is far from this century, but his bulky glasses suggest that he's trying to throw himself into it. "I assume you've all had too long of a break from playing," he comments, which brings laughter out of some students, "but we're back now, so let's get to it. Pull out the Beethoven!"

***

The rehearsal was much more intense than I expected; diving right into a performance piece was not how I pictured starting the semester. I thought we would begin differently, like in my other classes, with introductions and amusing antidotes, but nope, we jumped right in.

I take my time packing up my instrument, being mindful of the space around me. My mind is fairly unfocused due to Liam being in the room. Part of me hopes that he approaches again, but the other part understands if he doesn't. He's with his friends, and why would he choose to talk with me if they're here?

Just as I'm slipping my cello case onto my shoulders, Liam comes into my sightline.

"Hey," he grins.

"Hi."

He stares at me for a moment before speaking again. "So?" he says, giving my body a once-over.

I watch his eyes trail over my body, stopping momentarily on my chest and hips before making his way back to my face. Without a word, I start walking away, not thinking for a moment how it would affect him.

"Wait," he says as his fingers brush over mine, but I keep walking. I don't want to draw any attention to myself; I don't want people thinking I'm his next conquest. I refuse to be.

Liam catches up to me relatively quickly, letting me pass through the door he's propped open. "You can't do that," I say once we're outside.

"Do what?"

"You can't look at me like a piece of meat; I'm not like that."

"Ly," he says, placing his hand on my shoulder, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean-" he stops mid-sentence and starts over. "I'm sorry."

I soften my features and allow myself to melt under his touch. "I don't want people thinking I'm some doe-eyed girl, because I'm not. I'm not naïve; I know what I'm doing, and I know what I want."

Liam's soft eyes stare into me as I trail off. The way he looks at me is entirely captivating.

"Will you at least let me walk you to your dorm?" he asks.

"Sure."

As soon as the words leave my mouth, a small grin appears on Liam's face.

I start walking but stop abruptly after a few steps. "This isn't an invitation to come in," I say, turning to face Liam again, "I have a roommate."

Liam chuckles and holds up his hands. "Don't worry. I won't come in unless you invite me."

I roll my eyes at his retort and turn away from him. After a second, Liam appears at my side, and we head in the direction of the dormitory.

The walk is surprisingly silent; not many students are out and about on a Tuesday night. I'm glad that I'm not alone right now; who knows how many weirdos make their way onto campus at night?

I feel safe with Liam, which calms me. If I were alone, I would be speed-walking back to the dorms rather than taking in the sounds of the city. There are far more police sirens than I would like, but I guess it's part of the esthetic, part of what makes New York, New York.

Liam holds the door of the residence building open and allows me to pass through. I can feel his body heat radiating off him as we make our way to the elevator. I look at Liam as he presses a button and the doors seal us inside the small box. The atmosphere changes immediately.

My body overpowers my mind as I turn into Liam. He doesn't falter, swiftly placing his hands on my hips as I press my mouth to his. His taste is electrifying, and his touch sends jolts of energy throughout my body.

Liam breaks apart from me, placing his cheek on mine. "I've wanted to do that since I saw you in the theatre," he whispers as he pulls me in closer.

I giggle into his embrace as the elevator halts to a stop and dings.

Liam breaks from me as the doors slide open, revealing the empty hallway. The sound of his laugh echoes in my ears as he takes my hand and leads me into the hall.

I stop just outside my door and watch Liam as he leans against the frame. Hand still in mine, he pulls me into him, this time placing his free hand on my cheek.

His lips hover over mine briefly before gently pressing into them, feeding my body's hunger.

"You're sure I can't come in?" Liam pouts when he pulls his mouth off mine.

"Yes," I whisper. "Roommate, remember?"

"Hmm," he hums before claiming me again.

Liam sucks on my mouth for what feels like forever until he breaks away from me. He proceeds to drag his lips across my skin, tracing my jawline to my ear.

A soft giggle escapes my lips, which only causes Liam to kiss me harder and more frequently. His affection engulfs my mind, causing everything else around me to become a massive blur until I hear a faint cough.

"Well, don't you two seem cozy."