by Ivy Smoak
I laughed. “Trust me, I’d rather walk barefoot. Plus, this way I can jump in puddles.”
“You can’t walk all the way back to your dorm with no shoes.”
“I can if we walk in the grass.” I hopped off the driveway and twirled around in a circle. The squish of the mud made me smile even harder. I felt like a kid running through one of the cornfields by my house.
He caught up to me and slid his hand back into mine, instantly warming me from head to toe.
I swallowed hard. I looked down at our intertwined fingers and reveled in how normal this felt. And perfect. Mostly perfect. I could get used to this. Before I looked back up, I noticed that he was barefoot too. “You took off your shoes.”
“Rumor has it that it’s better to walk barefoot. Plus, this way we can jump in puddles.” He pulled me onto the sidewalk for a moment so we could both hop into a huge puddle.
He kicked some of the water up onto my legs and I shrieked at the top of my lungs. Then I immediately splashed water at him before jumping back into the grass and running as fast as I could.
He caught me around the waist and lifted me slightly up in the air as my laughter cut through the silent night. His own laughter was hot on my neck, making goosebumps rise all over my skin.
“You’re so going to pay for that,” he said.
“You started it.” I tried to squirm out of his grip, but all I managed to do was slip in the mud.
He tried to catch me before I fell, but we both ended up toppling into the grass with a satisfying squish.
I started laughing even harder but stopped when I stared down at him. God, it looked like he wanted to devour me. I licked my lips and I swore I heard him groan.
He wanted me. Probably just as desperately as I wanted him. But he wanted to wait. He wanted more of whatever this was. And so did I. Screw a one night stand. I wanted every night with him. I moved my hand off his chest, leaving a muddy handprint on his t-shirt.
“Promise not to break me.” My voice was so quiet, for a moment I thought he hadn’t heard me.
But then he reached up and tucked a loose strand of hair behind my ear. “Let’s make a deal,” he said.
“Okay.” I felt like I was about to agree to anything that came out of his mouth.
“If either of us ever starts thinking we’ve lost ourselves, we take a step back. Okay?”
“Take a step back from what?”
He smiled up at me. “Are you seriously going to lie on top of me and pretend that we don’t have something here?”
I shook my head. “No.”
We were both silent for a moment as we stared into each other’s eyes.
“So we have a deal, girl-without-a-name?” he asked.
I laughed. “We have a deal.” I slowly got to my feet and helped him up.
“You’re really not going to tell me your name?”
I smiled when I saw that the back of his shirt and shorts were absolutely covered in mud. It was even in his hair. And the best part was that he didn’t even seem to care.
I hopped into another puddle. “What do you think it is?”
“Indigo?”
“Indigo?” I laughed. “I’m not a hippy. I’m a country girl.”
“Ah.” He shoved his hands into his pocket and then silently cursed when he pulled them back out and looked at the mud. He rubbed his palms off on the front of his shorts and looked back up at me. “I’m just going to start calling you mud girl if you don’t tell me soon. Speaking of which…how hard is this going to be to get out?”
“I’d kiss that outfit goodbye.”
He laughed. “I’d say tonight was worth it…Savannah.”
“My name isn’t really that country.”
“You’ve seriously given me zero hints then.”
“It’s not hippyish or country. That’s two hints.” I eyed my dorm drawing closer and wished I could stop time.
“Mud girl it is.”
I laughed and slipped my hand back into his. “It does begin with an M. But it’s not mud girl.”
“Madison,” he guessed.
“Hmmm…nope. But you did get three of the letters.”
He looked deep in thought as we stopped in front of my dorm. He didn’t pretend like he didn’t know where I lived. He had seen me move in after all.
“I just need to think of a good name for a girl that gawks when she sees someone she’s attracted to,” he said.
“I don’t do that.” I lightly shoved his shoulder.
He caught my hand and pulled me against his chest.
I wanted to start quoting Shakespeare whenever he stared at me like that. Be still my beating heart much?
His lips drew close to mine, but he didn’t kiss me. “Goodnight…Melissa.”
I was pretty sure I was smiling like a goofball. “Good guess.”
He stepped away, leaving my knees feeling week.
I didn’t know his last name. Or his phone number. How was I supposed to see him again? I was just about to open my mouth when he started speaking.
“I’ll see you tomorrow,” he said.
“Where?” God, why did I sound so needy? Be cool, Melissa.
He didn’t seem to notice my desperation. “I’m picking you up at 7 for dinner.”
I didn’t think my smile could get any bigger. “Okay.”
“Until tomorrow.”
“Wait,” I said. “My shoes. I left them at your house.”
“You left your shoes at the ball?” A smile stretched across his face. “How about that?” He winked at me and then turned and walked away. He left me standing there in the rain. With his coat and the promise of a date. He had even made me feel like Cinderella with my missing shoes. It felt like I was living a fairy tale. I couldn’t possibly ask for anything more.
I touched my lips where he hadn’t kissed me goodnight. Oh, he was good. The lack of a goodnight kiss just made me want him even more. I squealed and ran into my dorm. I couldn’t wait to tell Penny about what happened tonight.
When I walked into our dorm room, the lights were off. “Penny,” I hissed. I knew she was sleeping, but that didn’t stop me from saying her name again. I needed to tell someone about this because I couldn’t contain my happiness. “Penny.” I nudged her, but she didn’t open her eyes. A smile was plastered on her sleeping face.
She must have had a really great time with Tyler. She groaned in her sleep and I stifled a laugh. I guess she had a really, really great time with Tyler.
We could talk about everything tomorrow. It was so hard not to keep poking her. We were both going to be dating guys from Sigma Pi. That basically meant we’d be double dating non-stop. I practically skipped over to my shower caddy. I felt like Buddy the Elf. I wanted to scream, “I’m in love, I’m in love, and I don’t care who knows it.”
Part of me was worried that I’d wake up in the morning and it would all be a dream. Tonight had been that wonderful. So wonderful that my cheeks hurt from smiling. And that my heart felt full again. I hoped that feeling would never fade. For some reason, I didn’t think it would. Tonight felt too momentous and special and perfect to not be exactly those things. In the blink of an eye I somehow believed in love again. Josh had cured my recent streak of pessimism with just one kiss.
I glanced over my shoulder one last time at Penny sleeping. This really was going to be our best year ever. What could possibly go wrong after a night like tonight?
* * *
Thank you for reading BEST YEAR EVER! Now that you've read about Penny's best friend, it's time to get back to her and Professor Hunter in ADDICTION!
I never meant to fall in love with my professor. But it’s too late to turn around now.
You see, our story is only beginning. There are just two simple things I need to focus on: 1 – getting James to take me back, and 2 – making sure no one finds out about our affair.
Spoiler alert – I’m going to do the first one. But the second thing? I just hope to God that this love is the
real deal because I’m pretty sure I’m about to be kicked out of school.
One-click ADDICTION now!
A Note From Ivy
I roomed with a stranger my first year of college. She was super awesome and way more outgoing than me. And the boy I had a crush on always called her Melissa. Just for the record…her name was not Melissa. I have no idea why he insisted on calling her that. Well fine, I kind of do. Her last name rhymed with Melissa and he liked pushing people’s buttons.
Anyway, back to Melissa. My roommate freshman year was the inspiration for her character. I’m sad to say that we lost touch over the years. My advice? Hold on to your friendships tightly. People come in and out of your lives and I’m so happy that my characters are able to come in and out of your lives as well. It’s the memories that you hold on to that live forever. And it would mean the world to me if you could share your thoughts about Best Year Ever in a review. Because the memories I have of reading your reviews for the first time? Priceless.
Also, I’m going to send “Melissa” a copy of this...
Read More
Penny and Professor Hunter's sexy story continues in ADDICTION:
I never meant to fall in love with my professor. But it’s too late to turn around now.
You see, our story is only beginning. There are just two simple things I need to focus on: 1 – getting James to take me back, and 2 – making sure no one finds out about our affair.
Spoiler alert – I’m going to do the first one. But the second thing? I just hope to God that this love is the real deal because I’m pretty sure I’m about to be kicked out of school.
One-click ADDICTION now!
Also by Ivy Smoak
Not sure what to read next? Check out Ivy's suggested reading order!
The Hunted Series (James & Penny)
Temptation (Book 1)
Addiction (Book 2)
Eruption (Book 3)
Devotion (Book 4)
The Light to My Darkness (James & Penny cont.)
The Light to My Darkness (Book 1)
A Whirlwind of Color (Book 2)
This Is Love (Book 3)
Hunted Series Spin-offs
Best Year Ever (Josh & Melissa)
James the Christmas Grouch
City of Sin (Mason & Bee)
Third Chances (Rob & Daphne)
Missing Pieces (Tyler & Hailey)
Made of Steel Series (Romantic Suspense)
Made of Steel (Book 1)
Forged in Flames (Book 2)
Carved in Ice (Book 3)
Standalone Romances
Playing a Player
Going for Gold
A Christmas Wish
Standalone Thrillers
The Truth in My Lies
Pentavia Series (YA Fantasy)
Be Careful What You Joust For
To connect with Ivy, check out her Facebook, Twitter, and Goodreads.
Copyright
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is purely coincidental.
This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, downloaded, decompiled, reverse-engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system without the express written permission of Ivy Smoak.
Cover art copyright © 2018 by Ivy Smoak
Cover photo by Dean Drobot/Shutterstock.com
2018 ebook Edition
Copyright © 2018 by Ivy Smoak
All rights reserved