16 | Books and Boys On Their Knees, What More Could A Girl Want?
Tip Sixteen; Eye contact can be a powerful tool to have in your arsenal. Use it. Make eye contact with your partner in bed, during conversation. Make eye contact with people who are speaking to you, look at that cute person you see across the room at a party or in the shops. Practice makes perfect.
I step into the coffee shop, the cool touch of air conditioning brushing over my skin. My mind is busy going over what I have due for class, but everything comes to a sudden stop when I spot the familiar blonde head sitting at a booth in the corner.
I weave through the tables and slide into the seat across from Charlotte. She startles, wide-eyed as she looks up at me.
"Ivy," she says in surprise, her fingers tightening around her coffee cup.
"Not excited to see me, Charlie?" I joke, offering her a grin, but there's a knot of tension in the pit of my stomach when I see the tension in her body.
She forces a small smile, the kind that doesn't quite reach her eyes. "No, I am. I just didn't expect you. Don't you have class?"
"At nine," I say, studying her as she looks around the café like she's waiting for someone. Her fingers trace the edge of her cup, a little too restless for my liking.
It's been like this for weeks now. Distance. Silence. Something feels off, and I'm not sure how to fix it. I miss my best friend.
"We should hang out tonight. It's been forever since we've had a proper catch-up," I suggest, trying to ease into things, to break down whatever wall she's put up between us.
"Yeah, maybe," she says, but the lack of enthusiasm in her voice is impossible to ignore and I feel my heart drop, my stomach alight with nerves. Her phone lights up on the table, and she quickly picks it up, slipping it into her lap like she doesn't want me to see whatever it is.
"Is everything okay, Charlie?" I ask, trying to sound casual but knowing I'm failing miserably. "I feel like we haven't really talked in ages."
She glances at her coffee, avoiding my gaze, and takes a sip. "Yeah, everything's fine. Just... a lot going on, I guess."
I bite my lip, trying to push down the frustration bubbling up inside me. This conversation is dying fast, and I don't know how to stop it. I glance out the window, watching people walk by, but I can feel the tension radiating off her like heat.
The silence stretches, and I'm about to say something when Charlie suddenly shifts in her seat and checks her watch. "Ivy, I think I need to go."
"Really?" I say softly.
"Yeah, sorry. I just remembered something." She stands abruptly, gathering her things with an air of urgency that makes my stomach twist.
"Is everything alright?" I ask, trying to keep the concern from sounding too heavy, but it's there, plain as day.
"Yeah, just some work stuff I forgot about," she mumbles, still not meeting my eyes.
"Okay." I force a smile, though disappointment settles in my chest. "I'll see you later, then?"
"Sure." She gives me one last half-hearted smile before quickly leaving the café.
I watch her go, a sinking feeling spreading through me.
Does she know? Does she know I've been lying and seeing her brother behind her back?
I glance at the empty seat across from me, the awkwardness of the whole encounter still lingering in the air.
Before I can dwell on it too long, Leon walks in, his tall frame unmistakable as he spots me and makes his way over. He slips into the seat across from me, taking Charlie's spot, and frowns.
"Where'd Charlie run off to?" he asks, glancing over his shoulder toward the door.
I sigh, running a hand through my hair. "Something came up, I guess." I shrug. "She didn't really say."
Leon raises an eyebrow but doesn't press it. He leans back in the booth, eyes narrowing as he looks around the café. "What are you doing here anyway?" I ask, crossing my arms. "I thought you didn't like the coffee here."
He shrugs, arm stretching over the back of the chair as he gets comfortable. "Thought I'd give it a second chance."
"Uh-huh," I say, not quite believing him. Leon is a creature of habit, and this café has never been on his list of places to be. "Right." I give him a weird look that he ignores.
We sit there for a moment, the two of us quiet as I mull over what just happened with Charlie. It doesn't make any sense. She's never been like this before.
Leon watches me for a moment, his eyes flickering with concern. "You two okay?"
"Honestly? I have no idea," I admit. "She's been acting weird lately. Distant." Leon shifts in his seat and shrugs.
"She'll come around," he says confidently, but it doesn't ease the knot in my chest. He glances at the time, then back at me. "You're gonna be late."
I check my watch and groan. "Shit, you're right. I've got class in ten minutes."
Leon smirks as I grab my bag. "Don't let me keep you, then."
"Yeah, yeah. I'll catch you later." I give him a wave and hurry out the door, my thoughts still on Charlie as I make my way to campus. Something's going on with her, and I need to figure out what it is before it's too late.
• • •
I can feel Asher's eyes on me, dragging over my face, neck, and shoulders like a physical touch. It's almost distracting enough to make me lose focus, but I keep my gaze on the notes in front of me, pretending not to notice. After a long minute, I glance up, raising a brow.
"What's wrong?" I ask, the words coming out more casual than I feel.
He just smiles, a lazy, knowing smile, and goes back to scribbling in his notebook.
I narrow my eyes but decide to ignore it, shifting my attention back to the textbook in front of me. The library is quiet, the only sounds coming from the occasional page turning or someone typing on their laptop. It's the perfect place to study, but with Asher sitting across from me, his eyes lingering like that, it's hard to concentrate.
A moment later, I feel it—his hand, warm and steady, slipping onto my thigh under the table. My eyes flick to his, and he just grins at me, not saying a word. I glare at him, whispering, "We're in the library, Asher."
He doesn't respond, just squeezes my thigh before his hand disappears like it was never there. I swallow, trying to focus on the pages again, but my heart is racing.
He sighs after a moment, stretching his arms over his head. "I need a book," he mutters, almost too casually.
I roll my eyes, suspicious of him. "Then go get it."
He doesn't move for a second, his gaze lingering on me like he's savoring the moment. "Yeah," he finally says, standing up. "I'll be right back."
"Good," I say, eager for the break from his presence, if only to give myself a chance to calm down. I need to focus—on anything other than the way my best friends brother is making my panties wet and all he's done is smile at me.
I blink and fidget in my seat before pushing from the desk. I look behind me but Asher is nowhere to be seen. I breathe a sigh of relief and move for a random bookcase, getting lost in the stacks and hoping to calm my racing heart.
The library is quieter here, deserted in a way that makes me feel comforted and I browse the titles, reaching for one when I feel him behind me. His presence is unmistakable, his body heat just inches away. Before I can react, his arms wrap around me from behind, pulling me against him. I gasp as he presses his lips to the side of my neck, a soft kiss that sends shivers down my spine.
"Asher," I whisper, half warning, half plea.
He spins me around, his hands gripping my waist as he pulls me into a kiss. It's heated, urgent, and for a moment, I forget where we are. His hands slide up my thighs, dangerously close to the edge of my skirt, and I regret wearing it today. The fabric does nothing to stop the heat of his touch.
I pull back slightly, my breath ragged. "We're going to get caught," I hiss, glancing around the stacks nervously.
"Isn't that the thrill of it?" he murmurs, his lips brushing my ear.
"No," I whisper back, trying to push him away but not putting much effort into it.
He just grins, his hands continuing their exploration, slipping under my skirt, sending sparks of sensation racing through me. I'm on edge, every noise in the library making me whip my head around, expecting someone to walk by at any moment.
"Asher, we can't," I say, but it's weak, and he knows it.
He presses closer, kissing me again, deeper this time, and I can feel my resolve slipping. It's not just the thrill of almost getting caught—it's him. He's making it impossible to think clearly.
He drops to his knees in front of me with a playful glint in his eyes. "I didn't get to do this yesterday," he murmurs, his hands sliding up my thighs.
I shoot him a warning look. "We're in a library."
"So be quiet," he says, grinning up at me, and despite myself, I can't help but smile back. I try to pull him up, but my effort is half-hearted, and we both know it.
"I'm supposed to be tutoring you," I whisper, my voice shaky.
"You are helping me," he replies, his hands dangerously close to lifting my skirt higher. "I passed my last test, didn't I?"
I can't argue with that. He's doing better in school, but the thought of what he gets out of our sessions is what keeps me distracted, what keeps me from focusing on the growing tension between us. I tell myself this can't last. That I can't be falling for him. But the truth is, I'm already too far gone.
His hands are at my panties, pulling them to the side and I purse my lips, refusing to look down at him between my legs.
His breath ghosts over my clit and I squeeze my eyes shut, holding my breath until I hear his slight chuckle and then my eyes are snapping open to glare at him.
"Asher, I swear to-"
He smiles mischievously and blows on me again before his head disappears fully between my thighs, his hands holding my legs open.
I suck in a breath at the first swipe of his tongue, biting my own when he sucks at my clit.
I gasp, my hands clenching into fists as pleasure washes over me. His tongue traces delicate patterns, igniting a fire within me that I can't control.
"Asher," I breathe, my voice trembling. "We can't do this here."
He looks up, his eyes dark with passion. "Why not?" he challenges, his hands sliding up my thighs. "We're alone, Ivy. Let yourself feel this."
My resolve wavers, the temptation too great to resist. I close my eyes, giving in to the sensations he's stirring within me, the forbidden nature of our actions adding to the thrill.
Just as I'm about to surrender completely, a muffled cough sounds from nearby. Our heads snap up, our bodies tense. Someone's approaching, their steps slow and deliberate. Panic grips me, my heart pounding wildly in my chest.
Asher stands quickly, his eyes wide with alarm. "Shit," he mutters, grabbing my hand and dragging me further into the shadows and towards another bookcase, listening for another person.
His eyes twinkle as he looks at me once more and dips down for a scorching kiss, his body flush against mine, his hands heavy on my hips, practically pulling me towards him.
Just when I think I might lose all control, he pulls back, breathless, and reaches behind me, grabbing a random book off the shelf. "Perfect," he says with a cocky grin. "Just the one I was looking for."
I stare at him, my pulse still racing, my body still aching from the kiss, and he just saunters back toward the table like nothing happened.
I watch him go, trying to collect myself. What am I doing?
Asher glances over his shoulder, raising a brow. "You coming?" he calls softly, his voice laced with amusement.
I mutter, "Not anymore," under my breath, but I follow him back to our table.
He laughs, shaking his head, and reaches back to take my hand, leading me the rest of the way. When we sit down, he actually lets me study this time, and for a moment, everything feels normal again. Almost.
It's silent for a while, the two of us focused on our work, but eventually, I can't keep the thought in anymore. "I think Charlie knows about us," I say quietly, not looking at him.
Asher's head snaps up, his brow furrowed. "Charlie?"
"She's been avoiding me. I saw her this morning, and she practically ran off without saying a word."
He shakes his head, leaning back in his chair. "If my sister knew, trust me, she wouldn't keep her mouth shut. She would've said something by now."
"I don't know," I mutter, fiddling with my pen. "It just feels like she's avoiding me."
"You and Charlie have been best friends forever," Asher says, his voice softening. "Whatever's going on, I'm sure it's nothing."
I want to believe him, but I can't shake the feeling that things are changing. Between Asher and me, and between Charlie and me. And that scares me. I don't want to lose my best friend over something -
I cut off the thought, looking at Asher across from me.
"Thanks for helping me with tutoring by the way, you've been a godsend." He says when my eyes catch onto him.
I nod but feel my heart drop. It's only tutoring. One thing in exchange for another.
I won't lose my best friend over something that's not going anywhere.
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