Beautiful Legend: An Angsty College Romance

by Waverly Alexander

  He shifted, and I frowned at the loss of contact, but he seemed to sense it or was feeling the same way because his hand was back on my thigh when he said, “And I’m not sorry for kicking Ash’s ass.” He wasn’t smiling.

  He leaned down, our foreheads not quite touching, but his eyes bored into mine with such intensity that I thought I might actually burst into flames.

  “And I’ll do it again if he comes anywhere near you.” I swallowed hard, unable to speak with his eyes consuming me like he was staring right into my soul and didn’t have any plans to release me any time soon. He winced as if he were remembering something that cut him deeply before he said, “I’ll do anything to protect you, Addie.” He leaned into my touch when I reached up to cup his face, the need to soothe him unbearable and instinctive. “When I found out about the attack on Laney, that it could have been you, that’s when it changed for me. I’ll always keep you safe.”

  This was deeper than attraction. I hadn’t figured out why Josh affected me the way he did, or why I allowed it. Hell, I enjoyed it. The way he held me, I knew at that moment, it didn’t matter why. I just wanted to savor it while it was happening.