The Scars of Anatomy

29. Alarm

Her teeth sink into her bottom lip as she looks at me with vulnerability and restraint, her eyes shifting between my eyes and my lips. "Remember when you said for the next bet I could set the wages?" she asks, nervously fingering at the collar of my shirt.

"Uh-huh."

"Well, what if I said I want to go to Florida."

I blink, surprised. "Florida?"

She nods. "Over winter break. I've never been to the beach before... and maybe we could go see your grandma."

My body stiffens.

A flash of worry crosses her face, sensing my unease. "We don't have to see her or interact with your mom whatsoever," she insists hastily.

I will my body to relax. "I don't know, Finch," I admit, uneasy.

Her bottom lip juts out in an adorable pout. "Please? You said to come up with something crazy, something I never done before. I want to go to the beach. With you. Seeing your grandma was just a suggestion."

I let out a sigh, contemplating. I haven't been to Florida in forever. That place doesn't hold any good memories for me, and the thought of taking her there unnerves me a little.

I have a feeling, in her head, the trip will be some sort of nostalgic, bonding experience. That it will make me see where I grew up with fresh eyes and reconsider.

Looking at the hope in her eyes, I realize maybe going back won't be so bad with her...

And I made her a promise, after all, that she could set the wages. I won't back out on that.

"Fine. If you get an A on the final and I get a B, we'll go to Florida," I bargain reluctantly.

A wide grin breaks across her face. "Really?" she asks excitedly, her voice raising a few octaves.

I chuckle. "Really. So you better hope you didn't flunk," I tease.

She rolls her eyes, looping her arms around my neck and drawing me closer. Gladly, I reconnect our lips and kiss her eagerly.

As we kiss, her hands slide around my shoulders, stroking down my chest to my abdomen. Electricity shoots through my veins when her hands hesitantly slip under my shirt, her cool fingers touching my bare skin, running along the plains of my stomach.

I growl at the contact, kissing her harder and grabbing her left leg, hooking it around my waist. Unable to restrain myself, I lean my weight in my pelvis, pressing it against hers. Slowly, tantalizingly, I gently rock my hips against hers.

Olivia gasps at the feeling of my arousal pressed against her, and I take advantage, slipping my tongue between her parted lips to brush against hers, loving the little sweet noises coming from the back of her throat. Her legs tighten around my hips and she surprises me by gliding her hands around to my back, her fingers pressing into my skin, pulling me closer.

Just as I grab the collar of my shirt, ready to yank it off, an ear piercing shriek goes off, nearly giving us both a heart attack.

We both pull away, panting heavily from the kiss and sudden surprise.

"What the hell?" I mumble, unhooking Olivia's leg from my waist and jumping off the bed, the shriek of the fire alarm persistent and ear piercing.

I crack open my door and stick my head out, watching the warning lights flash in the hallway with the alarm, and people unenthusiastically file out of their rooms, heading outside.

I groan out in agony, looking back over my shoulder to see Olivia already slipping on her shoes.

"Fucking fire drill," I mutter, grabbing the nearest hoodie and slipping it on with my shoes.