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“Well, you have me for a few hours, Mr. O’Malley. What do you plan to do with me?” I toss my now-empty glass to the floor.

“First, I’m going to lick every drop of this thousand-dollar bottle from your chest. Then I’m going to lick every single inch of your body.” His tongue runs along my cleavage.

“Mmm, I think I like those plans,” I tell him, watching as he unbuttons my blouse. I’m going to have to trash it. That champagne is not coming out. Thankfully, I won’t be needing this uniform for much longer anyway.

“Fucking perfection,” Connor groans, his hand cupping my breast while his tongue continues to lap the spilled champagne from my skin.

Chapter Twenty-Two

People say that the high school years are the best of your life. As the ticking time bomb of graduation approaches, I’m starting to think they might be right. I know that once this year is over, whatever Aurora and I have won’t be the same.

It’s easy to sneak around here without getting caught. She doesn’t intend to go to college; otherwise, I’d be following her there. I got accepted to Harvard. It was always my number onechoice, and I got in on my own merit, not because my father paid them off.

He didn’t know I’d applied until I presented the acceptance letter I received last week. I haven’t told Aurora yet. How do you break it to the girl you love that you’re going to be leaving? I know she can’t come with me. I’d take her. I’d support her if that’s what she wanted to do.

In our worlds, you don’t always get to do what you want, though. And even if she wanted to, she can’t leave her family. The fact I have to let go of one dream to have another is pissing me off. I want it all. I want everything. But more than I want Aurora for myself, I want her alive.

I want her to live a full life. I want her to be safe. For that to happen, I have to leave her behind. I just don’t know how I’m going to tell her. Or even if I should. It might be better for both of us if I just disappear. She’ll be able to move on. She’s fucking gorgeous. It’s not like she’ll be alone for long. I see how all these fuckers look at her. And I’m sure if they weren’t so fucking chicken shit, they’d have made a move by now.

I’m certainly not complaining that I found her untouched. I love knowing I’m the only guy who’s ever seen her come. I’m the only guy who knows what she feels like. I plan to keep it that way.

There’s also the whole thing of me getting accepted into such a prestigious school. Aurora is very self-conscious about her academic ability. Personally, I think she’s a lot brighter than she lets herself believe. But how can I bring up Harvard when she’d never be able to attend an Ivy League? Well, not without paying her way in. I don’t want to make her doubt herself or let her think she is less-than.

She’s not. Aurora is the single most perfect thing I’ve ever touched. If I could get her to see herself how I see her, she’d never have a single doubt again.

Kenny plops himself down next to me. “You’re actually gracing us with your presence for lunch today? What happened? Your date stand you up?” he says.

“Fuck off,” I grunt at him. Aurora didn’t stand me up. She said we need to eat lunch with other people occasionally to keep up appearances. I told herfuck appearancesand that the only one I cared about was hers. Naked.

“Wow, the honeymoon period over already.” Kenny laughs.

“You done?” I ask him.

“Yep,” he says, filling his mouth with a forkful of today’s pasta. “Party tomorrow night. You’re coming.”

“Am I?” I raise a brow. I’d much rather say I was there and go hide out with Aurora. We only have a few months left of school. I want to spend as much time with her as possible. Not around Kenny and his jock friends.

My phone vibrates against my leg. Hoping it’s Aurora and she’s changed her mind about meeting up with me in the library, I pull it out of my pocket and smile when I see her name.

SB:

You should eat.

I look up and across at the Valentino table. Sure enough, she’s staring back at me. I return my focus to my phone and type out a reply.

Me:

Are you stalking me now?

SB:

I’ll be stalking you forever.

Me:

Forever is a long time.

SB: