Beck let go of her, put on a fresh tee, and then he sat down, before lying out on his bed. He held his arms out for Raven to join him.
Kicking off her shoes, Raven stretched out next to him, enveloped in his arms with her thigh resting over his. She nestled her face into his chest and took a deep breath. He smelled clean, fresh, and sexy as sin.
“Tell me about your family,” he said surprising her. She thought he wanted her to go back to his room for a repeat of the afternoon, but instead he was asking about her parents?
They spent the next hour talking about their families. How Raven’s mother was a veterinary surgeon and her dad was a high ranking police detective. They’d married after college and two years before her mother had graduated veterinary school, Raven was born. Her parents were loving, giving, and very protective of her.
“My dad’s an asshole,” Beck said suddenly.
He told her about his dad being a ruthless businessman. His main focus was his business and the family name. He didn’t care much about anything else other than those things. As Raven heard more about him, and the way he treated people, she liked him less and less. Especially when Beck was the complete opposite.
He also told her that his dad cheated on his mom a few times and that’s why they’d divorced when he was twelve. Since then, he’d been bounced between the two, feeling as though he never really belonged anywhere. It was as though he was only wanted when it was convenient. He’d become detached because of it.
It had made Raven understand his rules a lot more.
“Is that why you took your classes? Because of your dad?” she asked, stroking his jaw with her fingertips.
The corners of Beck’s mouth turned up under her touch.
“Partly. My family played a big part in my decision, but it’s also what I’m good at.” He shrugged a shoulder as if it was nothing.
Raven knew Beck was
exceptional
, not just good. His father wanting him to work for him, finally taking over, made complete sense. Having a son as smart as he, he’d be a fool not to.
“So that’s where you’ll be going after graduation?” she asked, realizing that they’d be in different cities when the time came.
Beck’s eyes snapped to hers. It was as though he’d been thinking the same thing. It also looked as though he didn’t like that thought.
“I will, but I might have to get myself a sexy office partner,” he said, seriously. Raven’s eyes widened. “One that wouldn’t mind staying after work so I can have her over my desk.” The corners of his mouth twitched, and his lips pursed to stop himself from grinning.
“Really?” she asked dryly.
“Oh yeah. If I play my cards right, I might even get to kiss her…” he paused. “…Again,” he added quickly, and chuckled.
Raven lightly smacked his chest. “Not funny,” she pouted trying not to laugh at his cheeky grin.
“I’m sorry, I couldn’t resist,” he said, cuddling her to his chest. “There’s not going to be anybody else, you do know that, right?” Beck pulled back, his hand on her cheek, and tipping her head to look into her eyes; he looked serious.
Raven melted inside. Beck was telling her she was his only. All his joking aside, he was being deadly serious about them.
She nodded.
“I hope that goes both ways,” he whispered, tucking a stray hair behind her ear.
“Definitely,” she replied before Beck’s lips took hers in a deep, passionate kiss.
His arms banded around her, pulling her close. One arm up her back, fingers threading in her hair. Raven swept her hands up his torso as Beck’s tongue entered her mouth, licking her own. She felt up over his shoulders, to his neck.
One of Beck’s hands found its way under the back of her tee, stroking over her skin. The warmth of his palm sending prickles over her skin. His kisses were already enough to cause her center to fire up and her heart to race.
Before they could get any further, a banging sounded on Beck’s door.
“Beck, you in?” It was Donnie’s voice from the other side. “We’re going to dinner. You coming?”
“No!” Beck called out, then resumed his previous task of driving Raven insane with desire.
“Come on, Beck,” Ava called out. “I’ll get Raven to come along!” she teased. “I’ll call her now.”
Raven’s phone began to ring. The ring tone already told her it was Ava.
“Raven are
you
in there too?” Ava called out, knocking again.
Raven blew out a breath. “Yes!” she groaned. “We’ll be right out.” Beck pouted. “We may as well go, she won’t go away otherwise,” she whispered.
*****
After Ava had given Raven the cheesiest knowing grin of all mankind, the four of them walked to dinner in the main hall.
“Can I sit with you?” Beck asked into her ear as they entered the hall.
“Of course,” Raven replied. “You don’t need to ask.”
Beck smiled shyly.
They approached the table they usually sat at, and Kerry and Leila were already there. The girls looked up, surprised, to see both Donnie and Beck standing there.
“We’ll grab the food,” Donnie said when Ava sat. “What’re y’all having?”
Kerry and Leila sat with their mouths open.
Raven and Ava told the guys their order, and then the girls snapped out of it. “Um… burger and fries.” They said together.
“No problem,” Donnie said, patting Beck’s arm to go with him.
“Be right back,” Beck said quietly, stroking Raven’s fingers with his as he left.
“What the hell’s happening?” Kerry asked, her eyebrows high up her forehead.
“The guys want to sit with us today,” Ava replied. “Is that ok?”
“Yeah; of course,” Leila replied. “It’s just… we were a little surprised that’s all.”
Raven understood. Only the day before she and Beck weren’t talking -not that they did anyway- and Ava had only just confessed about her relationship with Donnie.
Things were changing, and for the better; she could feel it in her heart.
She turned to watch Beck as he helped Donnie. He was looking back at her whilst Donnie put in their order. She smiled widely when he winked in his usual sexy way that went straight between her legs.
Beck walked over with their trays and sat next to Raven. The heat coming from him had her wanting to take their meals elsewhere.
“Here you go, babe,” he said to her; the others watching them.
“Thanks,” she replied not saying anything about the fact he’d called her ‘babe’ again. Raven liked it now that she knew the way he’d meant it.
As they sat, the girls began to chat. Beck’s thigh pressed against Raven’s under the table. His arm ran across the back of her chair as he ate with one hand. She liked that too. The only problem with their closeness… she wanted to touch him, and inappropriately.
Raven chanced a glance around the room and saw that a lot of people were looking in their direction, and whispering.
Beck leaned into her, and her breath caught when his breath fanned over her skin.
“Do you care that people are looking?” he asked.
Raven turned to look, and Beck was watching her. It was as though he was watching for any signs she wasn’t happy about it.
“I don’t care one little bit,” she replied.
“Good, because neither do I.”
“So,” Kerry spoke up. “Any plans for later?” she asked around the group.
“We’re going to study,” Ava replied, gesturing to her and Donnie.
Raven chuckled. “Yeah, ok. Like that’s what you were doing every time you told me you were ‘studying with Lenny’” she said, holding her fingers up in emphasis.
Kerry and Leila laughed.
Donnie grinned.
“Something like that,” Ava said, her face turning pink.
“I actually do have to study,” Raven grumbled. “I have an E-studies assignment due.” Beck flinched, the movement so small it was barley noticeable. She wondered if Beck had reacted that way because he wanted to see her. The only way to find out was to ask. “Do you want to keep me company?” she asked, facing Beck.
His expression softened, and he smiled, showing his teeth. “Sure. I could do that.”
Raven flinched when she felt his fingers brush the back of her shoulder blade. The electricity from his touch sparked over her skin.
His smile widened and then allowed his fingers to strum over her shoulder.
He knew exactly what he was doing to her. He was turning her on just from the tiniest of touches.
“We’re going scouting at the Green Bridge,” Kerry spoke up and Leila glared at her. “What?” she asked, as though it was nothing.
“That sounds like we’re on the prowl for guys,” Leila whisper shouted.
Beck pulled his lips into his mouth, Donnie too.
“That’s because we are,” Kerry replied.
“True, but you don’t need to tell everybody.”
Kerry shrugged and continued eating.
Leila shook her head, embarrassed, but nobody said anything else. The girls were single and could do whatever they wanted. Plenty of seniors did the same thing, and nobody batted an eye.
Raven finished her dinner, and Beck did at the same time. She was surprised when he picked up her plate and stacked them together. It reminded her of when she went to restaurants with her parents. Her dad did the same thing to hers and her mom’s plates.
It was a really sweet thing to do.
Ava noticed too and looked from Beck to Raven, giving a small twitch of her eyebrow in recognition of what he’d done.
“Did you ever go ‘scouting’?” Beck asked when they left the hall and walked towards her dorm.
Raven could see from the way his mouth quirked that he thought it was funny.
“
God
no!” she replied, shaking her head.
“I didn’t think you would,” he said. “That’s not like you, Goody-Goody.”
“Hey!” Raven swiped his arm. “I’m not a Goody-Goody. I’ve skipped class, beaten a guy, and I’ve…” she paused before she blurted out what she was thinking.
“You’ve what?” Beck asked, hiding his amused grin. “You’ve done something naughty?” His eyes flashed playfully.
“I…um…”
Beck stopped their walking and turned to her. “You gave yourself to me, Raven. That’s not naughty…” he shook his head. Raven smiled. He opened his mouth to finish. “…It’s sexy as hell.”
Raven groaned. “Seriously?”
Beck laughed loudly. “Sorry, I couldn’t help it,” he apologized, still laughing. “But I
am
serious though. You
are
good…in more ways than one.”
“Let’s just get my books,” she sighed, rolling her eyes but the corners of her lips turned up.
Beck waited patiently whilst Raven picked up her books for E-studies. She locked the door and began to walk down the hall.
“Let me carry those,” Beck said, holding his hands out.
“You don’t have to do that,” Raven snickered. “I can carry them.”
“I want to.”
Raven watched Beck as he took the books out of her arms. He held them easily with one hand.
“What?” he asked, narrowing his eyes.
“Nothing,” she shook her head. “Just, look at you… carrying my books.”
“Now your hands are free,” he grinned.
“Why would I need my hands free?” She was confused. “Actually,” she held her hands up, “I don’t want to know.” It was probably going to be something dirty, and Raven surprised herself by
wanting
to know. She wasn’t about to admit that
just
yet.
Beck laughed his throaty laugh, and her heart skipped at his expression when his eyes trained on her again.
“I like how you think,” he beamed. “But I meant something else; this time.”
Beck reached out and ran his fingers down her forearm to her fingers, before taking her hand in his.
Tingles shot up her arm, and her skin prickled, tickling her from the contact.
“Let’s go,” he gestured with his head in the direction of the library.
They walked hand-in-hand across the green with Raven’s insides swirling.
Heads turned as they walked, and Raven felt a little self-conscious. Not to the fact that she was holding Beck’s hand, but the fact that it would be big news that she was. She didn’t want unnecessary attention brought to them because of it, and wanted to be like a normal couple.
Couple? Am I getting carried away with myself?
Raven stopped the thoughts from running wild through her head. Beck had told her he wanted her, yes, but he never said it would be a long term thing. She wondered if Beck would come to his senses any time soon and tell her he’d had enough.
That thought hurt more than it should have, and Raven understood why.
She'd fallen hard for him. She had a long time ago, but it had taken her a long time to realize it herself.
“Hey, babe, are you ok?” Beck asked, stopping as they reached the table Raven usually sat at to study.
“Yeah, I’m fine,” she replied, looking down at the table.
“Look at me,” he said, lifting her chin with his finger. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing, it’s fine…really,” she smiled.
Beck stared for a couple of seconds before he leant down and pressed his lips to hers. His lips parted, and he ran his tongue over her lip, seeking entrance. Raven opened up for him and tasted his tongue within her mouth.
His hand moved from her chin to her jaw, his fingertips caressing the hair behind her ear.
Raven fisted her hands in the front of his tee as she pressed herself against him. Beck’s other hand pressed her lower back, pulling her closer.
Beck slowly broke their kiss and gazed at her once more. “Better?” he asked.
It was as if he knew what she’d been thinking and was easing her mind.
Raven nodded. “All better.”
Beck smiled, then pulled out her chair. He was such a gentleman when he wanted to be.
“So, what do you need to do to complete this?” Beck asked when Raven set out her textbook, notebook, and MacBook.
“This part is about natural resource management,” she explained. “My topic is ‘Ownership Regimes’.”
Raven opened her notebook, and brought up her assignment document on her MacBook.
“Can I read it?” he asked.
“Um…sure.” Raven turned the MacBook to Beck and watched whilst he read through her work. She was surprised when he started to type something. He seemed focused on what he was doing, just like in class, so she remained silent.