Four Of A Kind Chapter 171: [3.73] The Door Clicks Shut

"That’s the least convincing confession I’ve ever heard."

"Shut up. I’m trying." Her fingers kept moving. Combing through my hair in slow strokes. "You’re different from everyone else. You don’t run when I’m difficult. You don’t tell I’m broken. You just. Sit there. And explain quadratic formulas like it’s the most important thing in the world."

"It’s kind of my job."

"No. Your job is tutoring. This." She gestured between us. "This is sothing else."

My mouth went dry. "What is it?"

"I don’t know. But." She leaned down again. Her face inches from mine. "I want to figure it out."

Her weight shifted. My body reacted. Completely involuntary. Biology doing what biology does when an attractive girl grinds on your lap while playing with your hair.

Cassidy’s eyes went wide.

"Oh my god," she whispered.

"I’m sorry."

"You’re."

"It’s not. It’s just a reaction."

"To ?"

"To the situation."

"The situation where I’m on top of you?"

"Yes."

She bit her lip. Moved experintally. Just a little. My hands clenched on her waist hard enough to probably bruise.

"Cassidy," I said. Warning.

"What? I’m just." Another shift. "Adjusting."

"Don’t."

"Why not?" Her face was red now. But she wasn’t moving away. "You’re the one who got hard."

"Because you’re grinding on ."

"I’m sitting."

"You’re torturing ."

"Am I?" She smiled. Wicked. "Is this torture?"

She rolled her hips. Slow. Deliberate. My vision went a little white at the edges.

"Fuck," I breathed.

"You swear now? That’s new."

"Cassidy. Seriously. Stop."

"Why? We’re just lying down. Like you said. Nothing weird."

Except everything was weird. Her hands in my hair, her body on mine, the way she was looking at like I was the test she actually wanted to pass.

My phone buzzed. Loud. Right next to us on the nightstand.

Cassidy ignored it. "Let it ring."

"Could be Iris."

"Harlow’s with her. She’s fine."

"Could be important."

"I’m important." She leaned down further. Our noses almost touched. "Right?"

"Yeah," I said. "You’re important."

"Then stop thinking about your phone."

The buzzing stopped. Started again imdiately.

"Scholarship boy."

"What?"

"Touch ."

My brain flatlined. "What?"

"Your hands. They’re just sitting there on my waist like dead fish. It’s weird." She grabbed my wrists. Moved my hands up her sides. Slow. Over her ribs. "There. Better."

Not better. Worse. So much worse. I could feel her breathing. Feel the curve of her body under my palms. Feel her watching with those sharp purple eyes that saw too much.

"You’re shaking," she said.

"No I’m not."

"You are. Right here." She pressed my hands firr against her. "Nervous?"

"Trying not to get fired."

"For what? I’m the one on top of you." She grinned. "If anyone’s getting fired, it’s ."

"You can’t fire yourself."

"Watch ."

My phone buzzed again. This ti Cassidy grabbed it. Looked at the screen. Her expression changed.

"It’s Vivienne," she said.

"What’s she want?"

"She’s asking where you are." Cassidy’s thumb hovered over the screen. "Should I tell her?"

"Probably not."

"Yeah." She tossed the phone onto the nightstand. "Probably not."

She settled back down. This ti she wasn’t teasing. Just. Resting. Her cheek against my shoulder, her body relaxed, her fingers still playing with my hair in absent strokes.

"I really did fail," she said quietly.

"I know."

"And you’re really going to get fired."

"Maybe."

"Doesn’t that scare you?"

I thought about it. About losing ten thousand a month. About going back to the Velvet Room and the five-hour commute. About Iris’s face when I told her we couldn’t afford Hartwell.

"Yeah," I said. "It scares ."

"But you’re still here."

"Apparently."

"Why?"

"Soone has to make sure you don’t spiral into a tennis-induced coma."

She pinched my side. "You jerk."

"nace."

"Scholarship boy."

"Problem child."

She laughed. Soft. Then lifted her head to look at . "If you lose your job because of ."

"Then I lose it."

"That’s stupid."

"Yeah. But." I brushed hair out of her face without thinking. "So things are worth being stupid for."

Her breath caught. We were staring at each other now. Her body warm on mine. Her hands in my hair. My hands on her waist. The room suddenly way too small and way too hot.

My phone erupted. Multiple buzzes. Aggressive.

Cassidy groaned. "Make it stop."

"That’s probably Vivi having a breakdown."

"Let her."

Another buzz. Then another.

"She’s going to co looking," I said.

"Then we hide."

"In your room?"

"Under the bed. It’s big enough."

"Cassidy."

"What?"

"We have to get up."

"We really don’t." But she was already moving. Sliding off . The absence of her weight left cold.

I sat up. Adjusted my shirt. Tried to look like I hadn’t just spent fifteen minutes with a girl on my lap getting increasingly aware of biology.

Cassidy grabbed her phone. "Twenty-three ssages. New record."

"From Vivi?"

"Yep. She’s spiraling." Cassidy scrolled. "She wants to know where you are. If you left. If you’re okay. If you forgot about tomorrow." She looked at . "You should probably go."

"Yeah."

Neither of us moved.

"For what it’s worth," she said. "I’m glad you ca to find . Even if it was stupid."

"You already called it stupid."

"Because it was. But." She looked at her hands. "Thanks anyway."

I stood. She walked to the door but didn’t open it yet. Just stood there, blocking my exit.

"Tomorrow," she said. "After Vivi’s party thing. Co back. We’ll study. For real this ti."

"You sure?"

"I’m going to beat this test. And you’re going to help . And then." She hesitated. "Then you’re going to tell who you actually like. Deal?"

"What if I don’t want to?"

"Then I’ll make you." She poked my chest. "I’m very persuasive."

"You’re very annoying."

"Sa thing."

I opened the door. Checked the hallway. Empty. "I’m going."

"Wait."

I turned. She grabbed my shirt. Pulled down. Her lips brushed my cheek. Quick. Barely there.

"Thanks," she whispered. "For everything."

Then she shoved out the door and locked it before I could respond.