Page 251 of Boys Who Taint

A knock on the door makes me panic, and I swiftly grab a pair of his sweatpants and a black shirt, which are way too oversized for me, and put them on right as someone walks in.

“Wait, wait, I’m not dress—”

My words are interrupted by the giant bouquet shoved in front of my face.

“I love you.”

The voice behind it nearly drowns in the sea of roses.

Grey goes to his knees in front of me, eyes down at the floor. “Please forgive me, Aspen.”

“Wha—”

“You said I needed to work hard to earn your forgiveness. I’ll beg for the rest of my life if I have to, but I will not give up on you. Whether I have to wait days, weeks, months, or years to earnyour love again, I’ll wait forever if I must. Because your love is worth it.”

I don’t even know how to respond.

My hands move to the flowers instinctively, my heart thrumming when I smell their rosy scent. “I …”

I put the flowers down on the floor and wrap my arms around him.

He raises his head, sucking in a breath. “Wha—Why are you hugging me?”

I snort. “Can’t I hug my boyfriend?”

“I …” His hand finds its way to my back as he lays his head on my shoulder, breathing out a sigh of relief. “God, I don’t deserve you.”

“After the stunt you pulled with all those cameras? No.”

“I’m sorry, I’m a goddamn lunatic, and I know I wasn’t raised properly. I didn’t have any parents, and my guardian was pretty much absent. All they cared about were my grades, and that’s it. And then I saw you here on campus. You were so cheerful, as bright as the sun, and I was immediately consumed by your fire, obsessed to the po—”

I pull back and plant a finger on his lips. “I understand.” I smile briefly before saying, “I love you.”

His whole face lights up. “You do?”

“Yeah … even though you have very … peculiar kinks,” I reply, making him laugh.

He scratches the back of his head. “You noticed, huh?”

A knock on the door makes me look up. “I don’t mean to butt into this obviously very mushy apology, but it’s nine o’clock,” Apollo says.

“And?” Grey mutters, frowning.

“Oh shit!” I yell, immediately crawling up from the floor.

“She has a test today,” Apollo says.

“Wait, how do you know?” Grey asks.

Apollo leans sideways against the doorframe, wriggling his brows. “You’re not the only one who’s obsessed.”

I rummage through Levi’s closet, but I can’t find anything that’ll fit me. “Shit, shit, shit! I can’t go out like this. What do I do?”

Apollo casually pulls a set of my leggings and a purple shirt from behind his back like it’s a surprise. “Got them from your room.”

“How did you get those?” I try to snatch them from his hand, but he won’t let me reach and lifts his hand high.

“I know my way into a woman’s frat …” He winks. “First, we say thank you.”