Free Crushed (Rushed #2) by Gina Robinson Page A

between downtown and the big apartment complex up the hill.
    I stopped abruptly. She slid into me. I caught her, holding her by both arms. There was a second when our eyes met and we had a real connection.
    As I lowered my head to kiss her, she looked away. "It's a maze up there."
    "One of my frat brothers lives in the apartments. I know my way through." My heart was pounding. Disaster averted.
    I led the way as we cut up the hill, through the apartment breezeway, and came out behind the engineering labs. I held my hand out to her. "We're back on asphalt. It's slick."
    She took my hand without hesitation. I walked to the back door, with Morgan clinging to me. "They never lock this door." I pulled it open for her.
    A blast of hot air blew out.
    "Toasty," Morgan said. The clang of the ancient heaters made her jump. "And scary."
    I laughed. "Perfect pre-Halloweekend atmosphere."
    "Don't remind me! The only Saturday Halloween of my college career and I'm on social probation." Morgan frowned and made a face. "This place should be condemned."
    "Yeah, but it's warm."
    "It's a maze," she said.
    "Good thing I left breadcrumbs last time I was here." I didn't drop her hand. And she didn't pull it free.
    "Lead on, Hansel."  
    "Whatever you say." I took off running, pulling her with me. We ran hand in hand, laughing as we ran around corners and past bare pipes. Past things that went bump in the night. Past the inner workings of the heat plant that generated the steam for the heated sidewalks around campus. By the time we reached the far side of the building, I was sweating.
    I paused at the door, reluctant to let go of the mood. "Fifty feet and the heated sidewalks start. Think they've turned them on?"
    "In our dreams." She looked at me with sparkling eyes. "What are you waiting for? You've taken me this far."
    I wanted to take her, period.
    "Do I detect a note of trust in your voice?"
    She smiled. "No, that's hero worship." She linked her arm through mine and clutched my bicep.  
    Outside, the coating of ice was growing thicker and the heated sidewalks were off, as predicted. But we were up the hill and beneath tree cover as we hit the edge of Greek Row. It was just after eight, on the early side, but parties were gearing up, despite the bad weather. Guys were out, sliding down the roads and showing off.
    "The frat's just ahead." I hesitated. "Why don't you come in for a while? Warm up. Wait for the storm to pass."
    "This ice isn't going to melt until morning." She paused. "Are you inviting me to spend the night?" Her voice was soft, almost sorry, but it was hard to read her expression in the dark.
    I swallowed hard against my desire for her. "We have beer, obviously. And I have an excellent selection of T-shirts at your disposal for a shacker shirt."
    "Dak." She bit her lip. "As your sobriety buddy it's my duty to tell you that beer is off limits. Didn't you learn anything from class?"  
    She looked so damn hot with her pink cheeks and nose.  
    I leaned in close to her. "So come in and save me from myself."
    "Dak." Her cold breath curled skyward on a sigh.
    I knew from her tone what she was going to say before she said it. I waited for it anyway, feeling like a fool in the freezing rain.
    "I'm your sobriety buddy, not your fuck buddy." She looked away. "I'm not that kind of girl." She laughed softly.
    This was news to me. "Since when?"
    She bit her lip and gave me a pointed look. "Since you almost ran me over."
    "That's cruel."
    "That's true," she said. "Take heart—you were my last hookup." She smiled again. "It's time to stop screwing around and find a real relationship. Obviously, as my dad says, I need someone steady." She waited a beat. "You can run for the hills now."
    I stood my ground. "Why would I run?"
    "'Cause that's what hookup partners do." Maybe she was just being coy. If she was, it was working. "Anyway, I don't mean with you ."
    "Thanks for that," I said. "I appreciate the concern."
    She laughed again. "You're