𝐑𝐞𝐝 𝐑𝐢𝐝𝐠𝐞

F A R R I S

Reed gets a ride home with Maddie while I go back to my own dorm to shower and get changed for dinner. My heart is racing and my smile won't seem to waver. My thoughts never drift away from Reed's smile, from her reaction to when I put my hands on her.

A groan sounds out beside me. "Remind me to leave you there next time," He says, whining from his position behind the steering wheel of his car.

"Green isn't a good color on you, Xan," I tease and watch him roll his eyes, holding my hand out the window and closing my eyes from the feel of the breeze washing over my body.

"That's a bold-faced lie." He's right. Even I can admit that the guy looks great in anything.

I chuckle. "We're technically going on our first date tonight," I admit and his eyes widen but he doesn't take them off of the road.

"You guys haven't even—Damn." And here I thought you two were winning this race by a long shot."

"It's not a race, and you happen to have a very large obstacle in your way that would make this very unfair if it was." He runs his hand through his hair and nods.

"No, I know. I can't help but compare to you guys sometimes," He says and I purse my lips.

"Don't forget that Reed and I have been friends for a long time. You two were practically strangers."

"Thanks to me," He mutters.

"No use in having regrets now. Especially when she's practically out of the woods. You two will have lots of time to catch up."

"At least you didn't give me the whole it was all meant to happen this way bullshit."

"I was thinking it," I smile and his deadpan expression cracks into a smile.

"Alright alright get out and go get ready. I'll park and see you up there," He says, dropping me off right in front of the doors.

"Thanks man," I tell him, slapping the roof of the car once after closing it and jogging into the dorm building. I don't want to keep her waiting.

My foot is tapping as I lean against the parked car, waiting for Reed to appear and it only stops when she does. She got a little black t-shirt and a long, white-ish skirt and she looks amazing. A strip of her tan, toned stomach is on display and all I can see below that is her calves but she looks gorgeous.

I can't help but laugh when her eyes go wide and she holds up a finger, signalling that she'll be another minute and that she most likely forgot something. My hand goes to pinch my lips horizontally when she turns around though, showing how the satin skirt clings to the curve of her ass, the light fabric leaving very little to the imagination.

She appears again and I've since regained my composure, now prepared for the sight that awaits me every time I let her walk ahead of me. Now that she's closer, I see how tight the black top is and shake my head, grinning as she walks right into my open arms.

"You look so beautiful," I say, playing with a piece of her hair that is sticking straight up thanks to the clip holding it that way. She's got a purposeful, spiky, bun thing going on and I love the way it displays the skin of her neck, golden thanks to the time spent in the sun. Thankfully for me, my skin was well protected today and I came away with no trace of a sunburn.

My hands slide around her bare waist and I have the urge to lift her in my arms and wrap her legs around me in order to be closer, but I hold myself back. I don't say anything, just taking my time looking at her. My eyes flutter closed when she runs her fingers through my damp curls.

"You always looks so good. Seriously," She says, widening her eyes up at me in emphasis. "At the beach? I could not stop looking at you," She admits with a smile and I can't help but mirror it, squeezing her to me once.