Chapter 8

• The next few weeks were crazy.
• For three hours every week, Rowen was a complete and total stranger to her. He was nothing more than a professor who taught Statistics and treated her with casual indifference whenever they were in a classroom.
• All that would change whenever they were alone.
• Behind closed doors, whether it was in his office, in his car, or in his apartment, they would make out so intensely that each time it proved harder and harder to stop him.
• It would’ve been the easy, sensible thing not to allow herself to be alone with him, but Rowen was like a drug she had become addicted to. He was a great and terrible distraction that made focusing on her studies near impossible, but she couldn’t help it.
• “It’s the spring of Hayleigh Sullivan,” Tara commented back in their dorm. “Stop grinning like an idiot. It’s almost infuriating.”
• “What?” Hayleigh absently replied as she finished replying to Rowen’s latest text. “What did you say?”
• “Ugh, see what I mean?” Tara rolled her eyes as she closed her laptop. “You’ve been texting that Ryan dude nonstop for weeks. Is the d really that good?”
• “If you must know, I haven’t had sex with Ro—Ryan.” Hayleigh corrected herself at the last second.
• “Oh no, so it’ll only get worse from here?“ Tara dramatically sighed. “On the one hand, I suppose I should be happy for you. At least you’re finally getting some action like everybody else.”
• “But...?”
• “Nothing. I just hate that you’re still managing to maintain your GPA.” Tara snorted. “You keep saying you can’t concentrate, and yet you’re passing just fine.”
• “So you want me to fail and lose my scholarship.” Hayleigh laughed. “What kind of a friend are you?”
• “An awesome friend,” Tara emphatically said. “But I’m telling you, don’t get too crazy with this Ryan dude, okay? I don’t wanna have to pick up the pieces if he turns out to be some fuckboy and screws you over.”
• Hayleigh’s phone vibrated again. She picked it up and read Rowen’s latest reply.
• Do you want to stay over on Friday?
• She nearly dropped her phone. “Fuck.”
• “What is it?” Tara asked. “Did he send you a dick pic?”
• “What is up with you and dicks?” Hayleigh’s laugh was short-lived. “No, he uh... invited me to stay over at his place on Friday.”
• Tara slowly raised her eyebrows. “I guess someone’s cherry is finally getting popped.”
• “Don’t say that!”
• “Well, that’s obviously what’s going to happen if you say yes. The only question left is: do you like him enough to let him do the honors?”
• Without a doubt, Hayleigh liked Rowen. But to give up her virginity for him, after only a month of dating...
• “Maybe it’ll be a harmless sleepover,” she murmured. “You never know.”
• “I guess we’ll both find out this weekend.” Tara knowingly grinned.
• “That was probably the best pot roast I’ve ever had.”
• Rowen raised his wine glass. “Thank you. I try.”
• “You’re such an amazing cook, it’s ridiculous.” Hayleigh shook her head as she sat with him around the dining table in his apartment that Friday evening. “It’s almost unfair, really.”
• “I told you, it’s all online.” He chuckled. “It’s not like I came up with it.”
• “Well, I’m sure it wasn’t easy,” she said, standing up to clear the plates. “At least let me do the dishes.”
• “Don’t be ridiculous.” He rose after her. “You’re my guest.”
• “For all the times I’ve been here, I don’t think I can be called a guest anymore.” She laughed, heading towards the kitchen. “It’s fine, really. At least I can show you I can manage at least one household chore.”
• He gently took her plate before she could place it on the sink. “While I’m sure that’s exciting to watch, you’re staying over tonight. You should go ahead and shower so you can get comfortable.”
• The reminder that she was sleeping over drew a tight knot inside her. With a sigh, she allowed him to let the sink faucet run and followed him to the bathroom.
• Rowen’s bathroom was just as stunning as the rest of his apartment. The walls were made of smooth, black slate that covered the entire bathroom from ceiling to floor, while a transparent glass wall separated the shower from the toilet and sink. It was clean, minimalistic, and reflective of Rowen’s simple but impeccable taste in things.
• “Turn left for hot. Left switch is for the top shower, right for the nozzle. Fresh towels and hair dryer are under the sink.”
• Hayleigh nodded, admiring the sleek, stainless steel handles of the shower. It wasn’t her first time in this bathroom, but it almost felt like it. Damn it, why did Rowen have such a nice place? It just made her want to keep staying and never leave...
• “Anyway, you go ahead. I’ll shower after you.”
• He closed the door behind him. Hayleigh looked around his gorgeous bathroom with a dreamy sigh before taking her clothes off.