I pushed off Chase thoughts and headed to the bookstore. My love life may have been out of control, but I was going to make sure to keep on top of my classes.
***
My afternoon class was far less eventful than the morning one. It was a lecture on basic supply and demand economic principles, and I just made sure to take good notes. I had dinner at the house and watched a movie with some of the girls. I followed that up with something I never did. I actually did some school work on a Friday night. I’d just finished my reading for the night when my phone rang.
As soon as I saw Chase’s name on the screen, I picked up. So much for acting cool and collected. “Hey. Did you survive the arduous journey?”
“I did. We’re here and I have an hour before the show. I just have one problem though.”
“What?” I leaned back against my pillows.
“You’re not here.”
“Yeah… that is a problem.” I missed the way his fingers felt running up and down my body.
“How was your day? What did you learn?”
“I got so intense in a discussion today that I got kept after class.” I picked up the giant teddy bear from my friends. I’d put it on my dresser but one of them had moved it back onto my bed.
“Oh yeah? What topic?”
“I don’t want to bore you.”
“If it was exciting enough to get you worked up, it won’t bore me.”
“The representation of women in southern lit. This kid pretty much told me my opinion didn’t count because I was in a sorority. I made my point loud and clear.”
“Good for you. I love that you’re willing to speak your mind like that. I was always pretty quiet in class.”
“Where did you go?” That topic had never come up.
“Emory.”
“So you were down south for a while?”
“Yup. I left New York for a little while.”
“Oh, okay.”
“Could you do me a favor?” His voice wavered a little, as though he were nervous.
“Maybe.”
“Maybe? After last night you’re going to give me a maybe?”
“I like to play it safe. I’m not promising something I can’t stick to.”
“Send me a picture of you.”
“A picture?” I sat up a little. Why would he need that?
“Email or text me one, please.”
“I don’t even have your email.”
“It’s Chaseforever55 at zmail.”
“Chase forever?” I laughed.
“I made it ages ago.”
“Fair enough.” I stifled a yawn. It had been a long day. “What kind of picture?”
“Preferably a dirty one, but you know.”
“Chase.”
“Yeah, I had to ask. Just a picture. Of you. Think you can do that for me?”
“That depends.”
“On?” Why was his voice so sexy when he asked questions? It wasn’t fair.
“Whether you’ll send one to me too.”
“You want my picture?”
“I need to prove to my friends that you’re real.”
He laughed. “Jade didn’t tell them?”
“Okay, you got me there. I just want one.”
“So, you can stare at it longingly when you go to sleep?”
“When I go to sleep, when I get up in the morning, before class, after class, pretty much all the time.”
He laughed again. “I’ll send you any picture you want.”
“Make it shirtless.” I bit my lip. What was I saying?
“If you’re getting shirtless, I’m getting a bikini shot.”
“What makes you think I have a picture of me in a bikini?”
“You’re a nineteen-year-old girl with a rocking body. You have bikini shots.”
“Deal. Send me a shirtless shot and you’ve got a bikini one.”
“Promise?”
“Yes, and I’m good about promises.” I set aside the bear.
“I trust you.” He sighed. “And I want you.”
“Join the club.”
“When do you usually go to bed?”
“Around eleven, why?”
“Just wondering how late I can call you.”
“When you get home from your shenanigans at two a.m., I’ll be asleep.”