Page 55 of Hard Rock Love

19

“AHarry Potter exhibit?!” I squealed and threw my arms around Seth’s neck, squeezing the life out of him.

He made a choking sound and I eased up.

After a quick trip to his apartment to grab a shower and a change of clothes, Seth had come back to pick me up, but hadn’t said a word about where we were going.

Then we pulled into the parking lot of a building and I saw the sign hanging from a large banner.

“It’s a temporary thing, only here for a few weeks before it moves on to the next city,” Seth said. “Someone in class was talking about it.“

I took in the many dozens of people snaking around the corner of the building as they waited to get in.

“It looks popular,” I said. “There’s a really long line.”

“I’ve got that covered.” Seth pulled out a pair of tickets with the wordsfast passon them. “We get to skip the line with these,” he explained.

“You thought of everything,” I said, clinging to his arm.

“I’m a rock star,” he said. “VIP treatment is the only way I know how to live.”

Marching right up to the door and showing our tickets probably wasn’t as glamorous as flashing a backstage pass at a rock concert, but to me it was every bit as exciting.

My mouth dropped open when we walked into a dimly-lit vast open space decorated to look just like the Great Hall.

“Oh my god,” I breathed. “They have the floating candles and everything.”

“Where do you want to start?” Seth asked, holding out the exhibit map to me. It was designed to look like the Marauder’s Map.

“I can’t— I just—” My throat closed up. I couldn’t find the proper words to express how touched I was. “You’re amazing.”

“I’m just doing this to procrastinate on studying.” The corners of his lips tilted up. “You took me to see robots beating each other up. I thought I should return the favor with something you’d like.”

“I do like it,” I said effusively. “I love it.”

“What do you say we check out the replica of the library?” Seth asked. “Maybe we can sneak into the restricted section and make out.”

“Don’t get us banned from this place, please.”

“You’re no fun.”

He took my hand in his and led me through the exhibit. There were costumes and props from the movies lining the hallways on display. It took us forever to make our way from room to room because I stopped to examine every piece and read every placard.

Whenever I found something that referenced Seth’s studies, I made sure to point it out and explain the finer details. He listened when I talked, nodding and absorbing the information, not just humoring me. When I got too excited and let out a muffled squeal behind my hands, his expression would turn soft and indulgent.

“You’re too adorable,” he announced as I pressed my palms and face against a glass box that contained the Sorting Hat, wide-eyed. “It’s not fair. I just want to smother you with kisses.”

“Why don’t you?” I replied with a coy smile as I turned away from the hat and met his eyes.

“You asked me not to get us kicked out,” he reminded me. “Are you re-thinking my restricted section idea?”

I looked around furtively. We were alone in the area. I stood on my tiptoes and stole a quick kiss.

Seth had other ideas. He cupped the back of my neck, holding me in place as he deepened the kiss, his tongue swiping at the seam of my lips.

I clutched at his shirt, mind going foggy. He backed me up against one of the displays, sending a pedestal wobbling dangerously.

“Don’t break anything—!” I pulled away long enough to gasp, but he thrust his tongue into my mouth and I moaned, sinking into him and letting him continue to ravish me.