74 - The chapter with all of Christian's provocations

ROSE

" I would have given anything to have entered with both of them, just to see how Liam would do," I commented with a small smile as I walked beside Christian down the hall where my room was located.

It was almost two o'clock in the morning and we were almost barred at the entrance of the dorm that only allowed students to enter until two o'clock on weekdays and until three thirty on weekends. We stayed late at the studio, and on our way back Skyller asked me to invite Theodore and Camille to keep us company at Brigitte's, since she wanted to talk to Liam.

" I heard that she held his hand the whole time, and from the way they both looked, I doubt it was just that," Christian answered, walking beside me with both hands in his pockets.

I looked down at my hands, remembering earlier, when he held them as he got out of the car. That small intimate gesture seemed so natural and right, that for a second I didn't recognize myself.

" Well, it was her idea to let them go back alone. So I'll have a lot to ask her tomorrow, maybe we'll get together during lunch or after school for a girl talk," I explained.

" I hope the two of them work things out for good," Christian commented.

Yes, this was a soap opera that seemed far from its end. But my mind still went back to everything that was happening between Christian and me that night. First I was literally on top of him and he hesitated. All right, I had been a big bitch about what I said, but still. And then there was the matter of holding hands around town, not that it bothered me, since I kissed him myself in a place where anyone could see. The truth was that after our friends found out, I cared less and less about the possibility of anyone else knowing that the two of us had sex sometimes. I watched our separate hands again, wondering what was going on in his mind about our situation.

" Your tattoos turned out really nice," he prompted when we were almost at the bedroom door.

" I know, Josh was amazing! Can you believe he hit on me? " I let go without thinking.

" What? Was he inappropriate or…”

That's when I realized that he probably imagined that the guy tried something while he was working.

" No, he seems like a nice guy, he complimented me, talked about pictures and asked for my number so we could talk more about it," I explained, unlocking the bedroom door. “I think he should ask me out sometime.’

" And would you accept? " Christian seemed curious about my answer.

I turned to him, analyzing his face in an attempt to understand his emotions, but if he felt anything specific about this subject he was disguising it well.

" I don't know, maybe. He seems like a nice guy," I shrugged, feeling a slight discomfort in the newly tattooed area.

" Got it," he smiled, although his smile didn't seem as spontaneous as his earlier ones.

I wrapped my left arm around his neck, stretching out to kiss him, not caring whether or not we were still in the hallway, deciding to get rid of the issue of not being seen in public with him once and for all. Christian again seemed to hesitate, but soon his hand came to my lower back.

" Are you sleeping here tonight? " I asked as I pulled away just a little to look into his eyes.

" I think I'd better not. We have class tomorrow and it's very late. I'd better go to my room," he denied with a small smile, kissing me on the cheek before walking away.

" Good night," I stammered in reply.

I blinked dazedly as Christian walked away, retracing his steps from moments ago with his hands in his pants pockets. I couldn't even see his tattoo!

I went into my room feeling disappointed by his refusal, I really wanted to spend some time alone with him, I didn't just want to have sex, but I also liked it when we enjoyed it without each other.

But it was no use thinking about it, he was right, the next day I would have a museum class early in the morning and it was better not to be late, the best thing was to get ready for bed.

The next day I got ready for class, receiving a message from Liam that he had bought breakfast for everyone.

I wore a sweater with a neckline that left my shoulders exposed, baggy jeans, and sneakers, and went downstairs to meet them in the common area after grabbing a jacket and putting my hair up in a bun to make the designs visible. Theo was sitting on the floor, Christian had settled into the armchair while Skyller and Liam were on the larger couch. She stood with her ankle on his legs and he admired her tattoo.

I had no doubt before I followed him to the armchair expecting Christian to stand up as usual, but to my surprise he just raised an eyebrow while staring at me.

" If you want to sit down, be my guest, I'm not getting up," he warned, giving me a petulant look.

I held his gaze for a few seconds trying to understand what he wanted with this attitude. What? Did he think that I would be uncomfortable with some more intimate attitude in the middle of everyone? Well, he's very wrong if he thinks he's going to intimidate me.

I sat on one of his legs, partially turning toward him and watching my group of friends. It wasn't long before I felt his fingertips skimming the reddish skin around the tattoo on the back of my neck, causing me to take a deep breath as a shiver ran through my body.

" You made them very visible," I felt his breath near my ear, forcing me to bite the inside of my cheeks to keep my body from reacting to him.

" It wouldn't be cool if I didn't show it," I stammered.

I tried to ignore him, grabbing a muffin that Skyller reached out to hand me. But his finger, which had been circling the drawing on the back of my neck, went down my shoulder.

Why is he doing this to me! Especially after he let me down yesterday.

" Liam, will you let me see your tattoo? " I tried to distract myself.

" Sure," he smiled, turning around before pulling down the collar of the sweater he was wearing and showing me a pot of paintbrushes tattooed on the side of his left shoulder.

" It looks great. We're proud of you," I smiled.

" Yes, we are," Sky added with a smile for the boy.

I held my breath as I felt Christian's fingers caress the skin of my shoulder up to my ear before moving down once more, in an almost non-existent contact, speeding my heart faster and faster.

" Will Cam pin her hair up to show off her tattoo? " I tried to focus on that conversation.

" I hope so," Theo commented, drawing attention from everyone else.

Christian ran his fingers down my spine.

HE HAS TO STOP!

Just when I thought it couldn't get any worse, he put his hand inside my sweater, working his way around my lower back to the side of my hip, adjusting my position a little while he stroked my skin discreetly. He had joined the conversation in a natural way, saying something about Theo being so interested in Camille, but I couldn't focus on anything, and when he began to move his hand up my waist I reached my limit.

" I have to go! " I jumped up from his lap.

" What? But it's early " Sky stared at me in surprise as Christian settled back in his chair, staring at me with an amused expression, but I avoided looking in his direction.

" Yes, and I have some work to catch up on," I lied as I put on my coat, "I'll meet you in the cafeteria for lunch!