Chapter 95 TEMPERAMENTAL BASTARD
MERRIELYNN.
I sat at the long wooden table in the school pressroom, trying my best to keep my eyes open.
The editor-in-chief stood at the front of the room, droning on about our responsibilities and the upcoming assignments for the paper’s next issue.
My head felt heavy, my eyelids drooping with every passing second. It had been such a long day.
Finals were just around the corner, and the entire campus seemed alive with energy. The annual fair was in full swing, the last few game days were being hyped to the max, and every club seemed to have some event they were hosting. It was all fun and exciting for most people, but for me, it was overwhelming. Everyone seemed to be buzzing with enthusiasm, laughing and talking about their plans, while I just wanted to curl up in my bed and sleep for a week.
At least today’s meeting was the last thing on my schedule. Thankfully, there was no committee meeting after this, so as soon as we were done here, I could head back to my dorm and rest. That thought alone kept me upright in my chair.
The editor-in-chief, a guy named Greg who took his job way too seriously, started walking around the room, pulling folded papers out of a hat. “These are your assignments,” he said, his tone brisk and no-nonsense. “No trading, no complaining. You get what you get.”
One by one, he handed out the slips of paper. I watched as my fellow writers unfolded theirs. Some smiled in excitement, others groaned quietly. I didn’t care much about what I got; I just wanted to be done with this day.
When Greg finally reached me, I took the paper from his hand and unfolded it. My assignment read: Football: The Heart of Pinnthorpe.
I frowned, a sinking feeling settling in my chest.
Emorie, who sat beside me, leaned over to peek at my slip. She hummed in approval. “That’s a good one,” she said.
I wasn’t so sure.
The meeting wrapped up quickly after that. Greg reminded us of the deadlines and dismissed us. I grabbed my bag and followed Emorie out of the room, glad to be free.
“Does this mean I have to interview one of the players?” I asked her as we walked toward the main hall.
“Probably,” she said with a shrug.
I inwardly groaned. The last time I’d tried to interact with the football team,Valtor had practically thrown me out of the locker room. The memory of his scowl and biting remarks made my stomach twist. He’d made it clear I wasn’t welcome, and I had no desire to try again.
“Maybe you could ask Chaos,” Emorie suggested casually.
Her words made my mood sour even more.
He’d been blowing up my phone since our last encounter.
Asking where I was, what I was doing, who I was with.
The last thing I wanted wastorely onthat temperamental bastardfor a school project. “I’ll figure something out,” I muttered, brushing off the idea.
Emorie, meanwhile, was practically bouncing with excitement over her assignment. “I’m doing a cheerleader collage,” she said with a grin. “But no way am I working with any of the actual cheerleaders here. They’re all bitches.”
I couldn’t help but laugh. “So what’s your plan then?”
“Improvise,” she said, her grin widening. “Let’s go to the mall. I need some cheer wear.”
Before I could protest, she grabbed my arm and started pulling me toward the parking lot.
––•––
My schedule had been a complete mess for the past three weeks.
The festival was coming up, and Emorie decided she wanted to have a booth on the day of the event.
Of course, that meant I had to help. From brainstorming ideas to gathering supplies and setting up, it felt like we were always working on something. And that wasn’t even counting my regular schoolwork, committee responsibilities, and finals prep. I barely had time to breathe, let alone deal with anything—or anyone—else.
That was the reason I’d been ignoring Cormac’s adamant calls and texts.
Or the reason I was telling myself.
He’d beenpersistent, sending messages almost every day.
As well as apologies.
But I just couldn’t deal with him on top of everything else. This afternoon, I’d finally responded to one of his texts, just to get him off my back. My go-to line to his recurrent ‘I need to see you text’ text today was 'Can’t, maybe some other time.’
I sent it quickly and got back to work without waiting for a reply.
By the time I got back to the dorms that evening, I was exhausted.
My shoulders ached from carrying supplies around campus, and my feet felt like they might give out. All I wanted was to collapse on my bed and sleep for a week.
I unlocked the door, flicked on the light, and screamed as I locked gazes with blazing green eyes.
Cormac was leaning against the wall right next to the door, his arms crossed over his chest, watching me like he’d been waiting all day.
His stance was so casual, like he had every right to be there.
Again.
When was he going to quit pulling this stalker act?
“What the hell?” I snapped, clutching my chest as my heart raced. “You scared me half to death!”
A-fucking-gain!
He didn’t even flinch.“You’ve been avoiding me.”
I walked past him, setting my bag down on the desk and refusing to look at him. “You can’t keep coming into my room uninvited. It’s creepy.”
“I came because you wouldn’t answer my texts.” He straightened, his tall frame suddenly feeling a lot more imposing in the small room.
I turned to face him, trying to keep my voice steady. “I’m busy, Cormac. I have a life.”
“And no time for me, apparently.”
I sighed, running a hand through my hair. “What if I needed to study or something?”
“Then study,” he said with a shrug, taking a step closer.
“With you here?”
“Why not?”
I glared at him, taking a step back. “Because you’re a distraction.”
His lips curved into a small smirk, and before I could say anything else, he closed the distance between us. My breath hitched as his hand came up to touch my cheek. His fingers were rough, calloused, but his touch wasgentle.
“Am I really that distracting?” he asked softly, his voice low.
I didn’t answer. I couldn’t. My heart was pounding too hard, my thoughts racing too fast.
He wasn’t even really touching me and... goddess.
“Why don’t we discuss later?” And then he kissed me.
His mouth closed over mine,hands sinking into my sides as he backed me up against the wall.My hands moved up his arms, trailing up his biceps, my fingers digging into his shoulders.
“Fuck, I’ve missed you.” He pulled away from the kiss, his mouth trailing along my cheek, pressing hot kisses against my jaw, my chin.
My body went plaint in his arms.
This wasn’t the type of rest I’d foresaw. But suddenly, I couldn’t find it in me to tell him to stop.
Iwas helping with his rut right?
That was our agreement, enemies with benefits and all?
It didn’t hurt that I found myself enjoying it just as much as the other times.
His hands slid up my shirt, the rough callouses moving over my skin like he was indecisive about where to touch. He reached for the clasp of my bra, undoing it with a single flick of his wrist.
I gasped, but he swallowed my next breath with another searing kiss. My body thrummed like an electric coil. He was frantic with his movements, not rushing, but not hesitating either. His hot palms slid to my front, slipping through the loose fabric of my bra and cupping both my breasts.
I tossed my head back, pulling away from the kiss and taking in a much-needed breath of air. He kissed down my neck, pulling at the skin with his teeth before sucking it into his mouth.
“Cormac,” I was breathless, barely able to get the words out through all the sensations assaulting my body. He’d barely done anything, but I knew I was drenched. I could feel the dampness on my panties each time I shifted my legs.
He groaned, tweaking my nipples underneath my shirt, “It’s been too long.”
“It’s been three weeks.”
He pulled back with slight irritation.“An eternity.”
A laugh tumbled out of me, but I choked on it as he hoisted me into the air, my legs automatically wrapping around his waist.
“Why did you come here?” I asked as he moved away from the wall and further into the room.
“You.” He grabbed my ass in both hands, squeezing the flesh. “Right now, all that matters is this.”
The sex.
Only the sex.
Because he was never going to let me into his head.
Or his heart.
I needed to do same.
My fingers sank into the soft curls at his nape, pulling him in for another searing kiss. He groaned into my mouth, and I lost myself in the taste of him. Our tongues dueled, teeth clinking against each other, both of our mouths wrestling for dominance.
He spun around, dropping a knee to the mattress before setting me on my back. I blinked heavy-lidded eyes up at him as he straightened, his chest heaving as he stared down at me.
He leaned forward, hooking his fingers into the top of my skirt and dragging them down my hips. I lifted up a little for easy access, and he slid them all the way down my legs, dropping them to the ground.
Darkness licked at the edges of his eyes as they raked down my body slowly. He pressed his hands on either side of my knees, dragging them up the outer parts of my thighs. He moved onto the bed, resting on his stomach as he inched them apart.
Immediately, he buried his head between my legs.
My back arched as his nose nudged my clit through my underwear. “I’ll never get used to the scent of you.”
He needed to stop saying things like that.
His finger slid into the lace band, pulling it away from my folds. I sucked in a sharp breath as his knuckles grazed my clit.
“So wet for me.”
He reached for the band of my panties, gripping both ends and ripping the material straight off my body.
I gasped, “Cormac!”
He pushed my thighs apart wider, ignoring my reprimand as he glided his tongue through my folds.
“Oh!” I cried out, my hands immediately seeking out his hair. He groaned against my flesh, sending delicious vibrations throughout my entire body.
I felt electrified, seconds away from detonating like a bomb just after the first few swipes of his tongue. My back arched, the soft friction consuming me.
His tongue dragged up my flesh, circling my clit gently and then swiping over it in tiny strokes.
I could feel the orgasm building already.
His mouth closed around the sensitive bud, and then he sucked, hard.
My hips shot off the bed, pressing into his mouth as the build-up crested and boiled over. A shudder rolled through me as I came around his face.
We ended up on the bed after, tangled together in a mess of limbs and emotions. When it was over, we lay side by side in the quiet, our breathing slowly returning to normal.
I was just starting to drift off when Cormac’s voice cut through the silence. “Ask me anything.”
I blinked, turning my head to look at him. He was lying on his back, one arm tucked under his head, staring up at the ceiling.
“Anything?” I asked, my voice heavy with sleep.
“Anything,” he confirmed.
I didn’t even have to think. The question slipped out before I could stop it. “Why doesn’t your sister go to our school?”
Cormac didn’t answer right away. His jaw tightened, and for a moment, I thought he wasn’t going to say anything.
Then, finally, he spoke.
“My father is conservative like that. He felt the crowd and competition would be too much for a girl.”
I wrinkled my nose. “That’s… outdated.”
“Tell me about it,” he muttered.
“So she’s in the palace?” I asked, curiosity getting the better of me.“She wasn’t around when we went, was she?
“She was.”His answer was so soft, I almost didn’t hear it. “She’s always there.”
“How often do you visit?” I felt myself drifting off again, but I wanted to hear his answer. He’d never let me get out more than a sentence when it came to his sister.
“Whenever I’m home, we spend a lot of time together.”
“You guys must be close then,” I murmured, my eyelids growing heavier by the second.
“She’s only my twin.”
That woke me up a little. “Twin.”
“Yeah.”
One could tell.Her image was a carbon copy of a feminine, softer Cormac.
I wanted to ask more, but sleep was pulling me under.
Lolette Graves was a lucky girl.
Cormac Graves loved her to death.
I barely heard him say something else before I drifted off completely.