Just Once (Book 1 in the Just Once Series)

Chapter Seven

Jack’s POV:

Last class and I was almost ready to kill that arrogant son of a bitch for even thinking, for one second, he was even close to being Brook’s.

He didn’t deserve a woman like Brooklyn. He was a slimy, two-faced bastard, with an ego the size of Texas and, the brain the size of his dick, which, judging by his grades this last term, are pretty small.

            As soon as I entered the classroom, I took up the seat next to Brook. She cast me a soft smile as she looked my way and I couldn’t stop the curving of my own lips in answer, I felt my anger melting away.

We sat at the back of the room, furthest away from the teacher and I had to smile. Because even though I knew for a fact, Brook loved English Lit, I also knew she hated the teacher to no end.

“As most of you have already read King Lear by our very own, Englishman, Shakespeare, I think it will aid us, if we watched the film, also,” the teacher, Mr Hendricks, said now as he pulled down the projectile screen and began messing about on his laptop.

            I looked over at Brook; she was staring at Hendricks will nothing short of hatred in her eyes.

I looked down, unable to stop myself as I took in her soft summer dress and almost groaned when I caught a glimpse of the skin on her leg.

“Ok, everyone, quieten down,” he ordered as his gaze travelled across the classroom.

 Nodding to himself, he switched the lights off and starting up the film.

 Gasping softly as darkness engulfed us, Brook’s hand suddenly gripped my forearm tightly as she moved closer to me and I frowned.

Surely she wasn’t still afraid of the dark? She was nearly nineteen... but then again, she still screamed every time she saw a spider and that had been going on just as long.

“Brook?” I whispered softly, though I knew no one would hear me, the film was seriously loud.

“Don’t let go,” she whispered frantically, her nails digging into my arm and I scooted closer to her.

“Hey, don’t freak; it’s ok. I’m right here next to you,” I breathing in her ear and I felt her shiver as I did so.

The sudden, undeniable urge, to touch her, feel her, kiss her, was almost overwhelming and I locked my jaw and swallowed hard as I tried to control my own body.

Leaning back a little into my own seat, I lace my fingers through hers and felt her begin to relax a little.

I shouldn’t have looked down earlier, then I wouldn’t have seen the soft, creamy skin of her leg and my fingers wouldn’t be tingling right now with the desperate need to feel that skin beneath my fingertips.

 I looked at her; her face lit slightly by the light from the screen, her hair falling in waves over and down her shoulders, her dress fitting her body perfecting and outlining her curves, her breasts... her lips slightly wet as her tongue darted out to dampen them, her breathing soft and shallow, at complete odds with her hand, which was gripping mine tightly.

I told myself to keep my hands to myself; I knew if I touched her, I would most likely lose her.

She’d pull away from me, I’d lose her friendship, and it would kill me... but right at that second, all I could think about was her, touching her skin, feeling her shiver with desire against me, my breath tickling her neck as she moaned and gasped my name...

Damn it all to hell, but I couldn’t, she was worth more than that, she deserved more than me. I couldn’t, I wouldn’t hurt her... and yet as if on its own violation, my hand had moved and I closed my eyes as it came to rest on her knee.