Kane sat in one of the rocking chairs, and the moment he noticed my car, he leapt up and jogged down the steps. Before I could turn off the engine he was reaching for my door handle. Surprised, I looked at his face; wrought with worry, lines pulled around his eyes, and his brows gathered together. I put the car in park, my doors unlocked, and he opened it.

“Hi,” I said cautiously, and climbed out. He stood over me, close but not touching, although I wanted him to. His vibe was different; worrisome? Anger?

“You turned your phone off.”

“Are you angry at me?” I asked. “I…you know I don’t keep my phone on me like most girls.”

His features shifted, eased, and those eyes searched mine, so deep, emotions raw. Then he sighed. “I’m not used to worrying—” he closed his eyes, sighed again. “I missed you.”

That brought a smile to my face. A real, genuine smile. “I missed you, too.” I glanced around the parking lot, just in case someone was watching. The thought made me a little edgy. “But I thought you rode with Olivia and Brax to her place?”

“I decided at the last minute to follow them instead,” he answered, and his eyes dropped to my mouth. “Something in my gut told me I might want to come back a little early.”

“Something other than the Thanksgiving Day football game?”

His eyes smiled. “I didn’t need to be here for the game.”

“Oh,” I answered. My fingers itched to touch his soft, messy hair. I inspected him, and realized I’d missed everything about him. “Your nose is red.” I grinned.

“So’s yours,” he replied. “And your lips are, too.”

I glanced at the house. “Do you want to come inside?”

His gaze followed mine, then returned to me. “I thought you wanted to keep us a secret.”

“Well, no one’s around yet,” I answered. “And it’s not that I want to keep you a secret, Kane.” That wasn’t entirely true. I just didn’t want him knowing about me.

He shifted his weight, and it moved him closer to me, crowding me against my car, and I found I liked it very much. “I thought maybe you’d want to have dinner with me. At Brax’s place. Olivia’s mom sent a ton of food with me and no way can I eat all of it by myself.” He ducked his head, watching me. “You’ve no meetings. No homework. No fundraisers to attend. Right?”

A smile tugged at my mouth. “Right.” My body leaned closer to him. “Can I meet you over there in an hour? I’d like to clean up a little.”

Kane’s eyes smiled, and he bent over and sniffed my head. “You do smell a little smoky.” The corners of his mouth lifted. “I like it. Even your cheeks are rosy. You must’ve had a good visit home.” He winked. “I’ll see you in an hour.”

“See ya in a few,” I said, and watched Kane as he shoved his hands in his pockets and started the walk back to Brax’s apartment off campus. He glanced over his shoulder at me once, and I saw the whites of his teeth as he flashed me a smile. I waved and headed inside.

Quickly, I shed my clothes and showered, washing the wood smoke from my hair and body. Something was making me ache inside; it was an unfamiliar feeling, accompanied by dread. I knew what it was, actually. Only I didn’t know what to do about it.

The Dare. I wanted no part of it now. Kane was not Dare material. Other than the fact that I wished like crazy he’d stop wasting his life running numbers. I still planned on convincing him to do something else with himself. But the Dare? Now that I knew him? He was above that. Above fraternity and sorority pranks and humiliation. It was stupid. And I was stuck. And despite the humility Olivia and Macie had endured, did I really, truly care a lick about the Kappas? I didn’t. And it all seemed so childish now.

Part of me wondered if I should just tell him. But I quickly squashed that idea. He’d think I was an idiot for not only participating in it, but for thinking it up.

I’d have to figure out something else.

After I dried my hair and applied light make-up, I pulled my cream cashmere sweater dress from my closet and slipped it on, along with a pair of matching socks to wear beneath my black leather boots. Wearing my hair down, I tucked it behind my ears, gathered my coat, keys and purse, and headed to Brax’s apartment. For a change, my mood felt light. Never had I returned from Belle House after Thanksgiving, or any time, really, to be greeted by someone like Kane. Never. I was usually filled with terror. Guilt. Now? My heart raced at the thought of being alone with Kane McCarthy, shaded from view, just the two of us. Worry niggled my brain, though. Would he see things I didn’t want him to see? See me with those dark, wise eyes? I almost wondered if they contained super human powers. I shook the feeling off, deciding to treat myself for once to something I’d never had: companionship.

I parked in front of Brax’s studio apartment, and before I made it to his front door, Kane had stepped out, grabbed my arm, and pulled me inside. The door hadn’t even shut before his mouth was there against mine, seeking and tasting, and his hands loosened my coat and purse and dropped them onto the table by the door. Then his arms went around me, slid down to my waist, and pulled me against him as his lips moved over mine. My hands eased up his chest and found their way around his neck. I couldn’t help the groan that escaped my throat, and he swallowed it down and deepened the kiss. Sensations rocked me, heated my insides, and I thought I’d melt into a puddle right there on the spot.