Claire (Hart University Book 2) Read Online Free PDF Page B

failure and loneliness.
    How could I be lonely if Will was with me?
    But then, slowly, I thought about what that meant.
    I’d broken up with Ted last night. Last night.
    I wasn’t thinking clearly. I wasn’t being rational. I was—
    And then Will made this sound—a sort of half snore, half snort. Was he waking up?
    His arm around me tightened, and every cell in my body responded.
    Then I had to stifle a gasp. Behind me, Will pressed himself closer. And there, nestled right against my butt, was either a piece of lead pipe or Will’s hard-on.
    He was hard. Wanting me.
    But in his sleep. Right? That didn’t count. Guys woke up with erections all the time. It was biology. Nonspecific biology.
    He would have reacted that way no matter who was in bed with him—and probably if he was alone, too. It didn’t have anything to do with me.
    But maybe I could make it have to do with me.
    I could turn around in his arms and wake him up. I could kiss him, say his name, make him say mine.
    Claire.
    And oh, did I want to. I wanted to hear him say my name with hunger, with longing, with—
    Love.
    A rush of shame followed the rush of lust. Love? I had loved Ted. We were together for four years. What was wrong with me?
    Slowly, I eased myself out from under Will’s arm. Slowly, I moved to the edge of the bed. Slowly, I—
    “Claire?”
    I whipped my head around and saw that Will’s eyes were open. His expression was confused and sleepy, but he was definitely awake.
    “Good morning,” I said, trying to sound cheerful and normal and like everything between us was still exactly the same, even though a moment ago I’d thought about using him to forget about Ted. My voice was a little raspy, but I’d sung my guts out last night.
    “You okay?” he asked, and a shiver went through me. His voice was raspy too, but in a different way. Rough and gravelly and so…
    I got a grip on myself.
    “Oh, sure. Of course. I mean, it was a rough night, but I’m fine. Thanks for letting me stay here. Really. I mean it.”
    “No problem.”
    He was a little more awake now, and he was close enough to touch. I could sink back into bed and crawl into his arms and we could—
    What? Have sex? Decide to be boyfriend and girlfriend? Get married and have kids?
    I got up and found my sandals. “Okay, then. I guess I’ll head back to Bracton now.”
    “Are you sure you’re okay?” he asked. “You sound kind of… I don’t know. Weird.”
    I had my back to him while I slipped on my sandals. Now I turned to face him, figuring it would be safe to look at him now that I was out of bed with my shoes on.
    I was wrong.
    He was sitting up, which gave me a view of his upper body.
    Man, he was perfect. How had I not noticed before? I mean really, really noticed?
    Maybe there was something to be said for the whole sports thing. Because every inch of Will was ripped, from the heavy bands of muscle on his arms and shoulders to the powerful chest and flat abs. And I felt weak, almost helpless, in the face of that overwhelming masculinity.
    I’m strong, that masculinity seemed to say. I can take care of you.
    I cringed internally. Was that what I wanted? Some guy to take care of me?
    It wasn’t just his physical strength that was so appealing. There was also his kindness, the decency that seemed to radiate from him. His green eyes were sweet and full of concern, his face handsome and a little scruffy, his auburn hair tousled and touchable.
    He was basically a six-foot-two package of smoking hot male protectiveness, designed to push every emotional—and physical—button in my female self.
    Everything in me was screaming stay .
    “I have to go,” I said abruptly.
    I kept enough presence of mind to turn once I had my hand on the doorknob.
    “Thanks again for last night, Will. Really. You’re a good friend.”
    And then I fled.
    * * *
    When I got back to Bracton, Ted was gone.
    I leaned against the doorjamb, looking around my room and feeling like crap. The