Page 30 of Wish You Were Mine (Kings of Eden Falls #3)

LUCY

I blinked awake to soft morning light filtering through a window that didn’t belong to me.

For a second, I didn’t move—just stared up at the ceiling, my brain slowly trying to piece together where I was and why everything smelled like clean laundry and faint cologne instead of the vanilla diffuser in my dorm.

Then I heard the low hum of a fridge and felt the weight of the throw blanket draped over me.

Right. Owen’s couch.

And then, the rest hit me all at once.

The dark walk. The man following me. The stairs. The fall. Owen opening the door like a real-life superhero. Wrapping me in his arms. Icing my leg. Standing way too close.

And me…falling asleep on his couch.

Oh gosh.

I sat up slowly, glancing around, and pushed a hand through my hair that I was ninety percent sure looked like a bird had nested in it overnight.

My stomach twisted. What must he think ?

I wasn’t even supposed to be here. I hadn’t planned to stay.

And now I was just…casually waking up in my professor’s apartment like it was normal or something?

I reached for my phone and saw a string of missed texts from Nora.

Nora: Where are you??

Nora: Are you okay??

Nora: I’m trying not to freak out, but you said you’d be home by ten and it’s LITERALLY one a.m.

Nora: Checked your location. Looks like you’re somewhere near campus??

Nora: Soooo either you’re fine and had a long night with a hot guy or you’ve been kidnapped. Text me either way pls.

Oh no.

I winced and quickly typed a reply:

Me: So sorry. I’m fine. I fell asleep. I’ll explain when I get home…

I didn’t dare say more. The last thing I needed was some nosy teammate seeing Nora’s phone and realizing I’d spent the night at the apartment of a man whom I was only ever supposed to see at the front of my college chemistry classroom.

My eyes darted to the window. It was 7:05. Early enough that hopefully not too many students would be walking past yet.

I needed to get out of here before anyone saw me. Before this whole situation became something I couldn’t explain .

I was still calculating my exit plan when Owen’s bedroom door creaked open. I turned quickly, heart jerking like I’d been caught doing something wrong.

He stepped out wearing a worn gray T-shirt and the same sweats he had on last night, his hair slightly mussed like he’d just woken up.

He blinked at me, his expression somewhere between surprise and a kind of awkward tension. “Uh, good morning.”

“Morning,” I said, my voice scratchy with sleep and way too much self-awareness.

“I was just about to make some breakfast—eggs, toast.” He looked around awkwardly, like he wasn’t sure what the protocol was for accidental overnight guests who were also your students. He cleared his throat. “You want some?”

“That’s really nice,” I said quickly, standing and brushing imaginary lint off my jeans, “but I should go. I promise I didn’t mean to sleep here. I really wasn’t…trying to stay over.”

“It’s okay.” His brows pulled together. “You were exhausted. Had a scare. It was…fine. No problem.”

“Okay…” I shifted my weight like I was auditioning for Most Awkward Exit Ever. “Again, I promise it wasn’t on purpose.”

“Don’t worry about it,” he said gently, stepping toward the fridge and pulling out things. “I’m glad you felt like you could come here. I know things have been…complicated, but I want you to be safe.”

Something in my chest gave a little tug at that. “Thanks.”

I looked around, like maybe the couch or the blanket could give me a clue on what to do next. A huge part of me didn’t want to leave. Even if I know I should.

“You sure you don’t want anything to eat before you head out?” He nodded toward the counter where eggs, sourdough bread, and half an avocado were now laid out like the world’s most wholesome trap.

Tempting. Stupidly tempting.

But no. I couldn’t stay. Not when he looked that good in gray sweats, with his sleepy eyes and that soft, scruffy jaw that had absolutely no right to make my pulse spike.

And I definitely couldn’t stay in the same clothes I’d worn yesterday with mascara probably smudged halfway down my face.

“I probably look terrible right now,” I muttered under my breath.

“You look just fine,” he said.

Which meant he’d totally heard me.

Oh well. At least I looked fine.

“Thanks,” I said, forcing myself to take a step back. “But I should go. I still need to shower and get ready before class.”

He nodded slowly. “Okay. Well…I guess I’ll see you later on, then.”

“In chemistry,” I said, my voice faint as I grabbed my backpack. “Have a good day.”

“You too.”

I walked to the door, my hand hesitating on the knob before finally turning it. Then I cracked it open just an inch and peeked outside.

No one in sight.

Good.

Slipping out quickly, I pulled the door shut behind me and hurried down the steps, my pulse only calming once I’d made it half a block away—far enough from Owen’s apartment that hopefully, no one would connect the dots.

Still, as I walked toward my place in the early morning quiet, I couldn’t help but feel like the dots were already connecting inside me .

And that…well, that was the most dangerous part of all.

Nora and I were sitting side by side on the mats in the gym an hour later, reaching for our toes in a slow hamstring stretch, the smell of chalk and sweat already in the air.

“So…” Nora leaned over and bumped her shoulder into mine. “Where were you last night?”

I paused. Not sure if I actually dared tell her.

When I’d gotten home this morning, there had been no time to talk.

I had to quickly shower, switch out my backpack for my Wednesday classes, give my phone a quick charge, and then rush out the door with Nora, practically running the whole way and promising that I’d explain everything once we were here.

But…could I actually trust her?

I mean, not that anything bad or super forbidden had happened. I’d simply fallen asleep at my professor’s house on accident.

But…most students didn’t know where their professors lived. Or had casual text sessions with them on the weekends.

“You said you’d tell me when we got here,” Nora said, prodding me. “Come on, Lucy. The only times you ever haven’t come home were when you stayed with Josh. So, were you with another guy?”

I bit my lip and drew in a deep breath before saying, “Yeah… I mean…not in the way that you’re probably thinking. But I did stay at someone’s house last night.”

“Who is it?” Nora asked, her eyes wide with intrigue. “Anyone I know? Brody, perhaps?”

“No, definitely not Brody,” I hurried to say. “We’re only friends. ”

Though…technically, Owen and I were only friends, too … If that was the right word for it.

Acquaintances, maybe?

We certainly weren’t dating or anything like that.

“So?” Nora prodded.

“Okay,” I exhaled, knowing she wasn’t going to back off until I gave her something. “But you have to promise you won’t tell anyone.”

“Ooh, so it’s one of those secrets?” Nora sat up straighter, instantly intrigued. “Then I won’t tell a soul. Cross my heart.” She held up her hand like she was swearing an oath, then made an exaggerated zipping motion across her lips.

I hesitated again. Because once I said it, there was no taking it back. Once someone else knew about it, it would be more real.

But knowing it was too much of a secret to keep all to myself, I folded forward, staring down at my toes so I wouldn’t have to look at her as I whispered, “I was at Owen’s apartment last night.”

“Owen…” Nora froze, repeating his name slowly. “As in…New Year’s Eve Owen?”

I nodded, still not looking at her.

And then, in a stage whisper laced with shock and glee, she said, “As in, you slept at your professor’s house?”

“ Shhhhh! ” I hissed, jerking my head upright and scanning the gym to make sure no one—especially Coach Chambers—was in earshot.

A few of the other girls were stretching across the floor, but no one seemed to be paying attention.

Still, I scooted a little closer to Nora and lowered my voice. “You’re making it sound like I slept with him. I didn’t. I just…crashed on his couch. Nothing happened. ”

“Nothing happened?” she asked, a hint of disappointment in her tone. “Not even a little kiss?”

“No!” I said, probably a little too quickly. “Of course not!”

She gave me a look. “Well, that’s too bad.”

I opened my mouth to say something, then closed it again.

Because…was it?

I mean, of course it was better that nothing had happened.

Safer. Smarter.

But there was a traitorous part of me that couldn’t help thinking that a kiss of comfort would have been nice.

Except those didn’t exist. Kisses of comfort weren’t a thing.

Were they?

Comfort hugs , on the other hand… I knew firsthand that those were totally a thing since I had definitely gotten one of those.

And it had been perfect.

The way Owen had pulled me in like he didn’t even have to think about it. The way his voice had gone all low and steady while he told me I was safe.

The way I had believed him.

Which wasn’t something that happened with many guys. Definitely not with Josh. With him, I always had to convince myself that everything was okay, even when it clearly wasn’t.

But with Owen…every time I was remotely near him he had a way of quieting everything else going on in my head.

“Hellooo,” Nora sing-songed beside me, cutting through my thoughts. “Earth to Lucy.”

“Sorry,” I said, bringing myself back to the present.

“So,” Nora continued, “do you have class with Professor McDreamy today?”

“Yeah.” I sighed, pushing my hair out of my face. “First thing after lunch.”

“Think he’ll look at you differently now?” She grinned as she wiggled her eyebrows. “I mean, you have seen him in pajamas.”

Not to mention shirtless in swim trunks, I thought, my mind conjuring up the memory of his tattoo with the two eagles.

“I don’t know.” I tried to laugh, but my nerves fluttered. “I always look forward to seeing him.” Even if chemistry and I are in a very toxic relationship. “But now…I just hope he doesn’t think I made the whole thing up about the guy following me.”

“Wait—” Nora gasped. “A guy was following you last night?”

“Yeah,” I said, then explained more about that scary moment. “Anyway, I just hope Owen didn’t think my showing up was some sort of… I don’t know, tactic.”

“Tactic?” Nora tilted her head to the side, confused.

“Like…maybe he thinks I was trying to seduce him for an A or something.” I buried my face in my hands.

Ugh. I never should’ve made that joke last week.

Nora laughed under her breath. “Well, for what it’s worth, if I were a guy and you showed up at my place looking like a damsel in distress, the last thing I’d be thinking about is your GPA.”

I gave her a look.

She laughed. “I’m sure everything will be fine. In fact, he’s probably counting down the minutes until he sees you in class today.”

Which was something I really shouldn’t be excited about.