You Said I Was Your Favorite (A Lancaster Prep Novel)

I walk alongside Daisy as we head toward the library to continue working on the project that Vivian asked us to do yesterday, me basking in the glow of Daisy’s good mood. She was pleased by my gift and I sweated over that for way too long, so thank God, she liked it.

That hug she gave me more than proved she liked it.

This girl though. I can’t quite figure her out. She runs hot and cold. Standoffish or all over me. Currently, I’m thinking I could get her all over me and I’m down for that. Down for anything she wants to do.

Watching the orgasm sweep over her yesterday when we were at the ruins was one of the hottest things I think I’ve ever witnessed. The way her skin flushed, her gaze going unfocused when it first hit, her lips parting. Kissing her, touching her, letting her rub all over me—Jesus.

I wonder if she’d want a repeat performance in the library. No one would be around. No one would catch us. We could find a dark spot behind a shelf or a stack of boxes and I could press her against the wall, just like I did yesterday, slide my fingers inside her welcoming hot pussy and stroke her until she’s shouting my name. So loud I’d have to put my hand over her mouth, muffling her cries and…

Yeah. I need to keep my thoughts under control.

We don’t talk at all when we enter the library, where I shout a hearty greeting to Miss Taylor. She merely glares, not shushing me like she does everyone else, and I flash her the most charming smile I can muster.

The librarian merely scowls as we walk by her desk, Daisy sending me a nervous glance from over her shoulder.

I let Daisy lead the way through the library, enjoying my view as I trail behind her. The way her blonde ponytail swings. How straight her shoulders are, how perfect her posture is. The length of her neck. How soft her skin is there, how fragrant. That damn skirt and how it moves when she walks. The back of her thighs. Thighs that were wrapped around my hips only yesterday. Thighs I want to caress with my fingers. My lips.

I scrub at my face, mentally reminding myself I need to calm down.

By the time we’re in the back storage room, I give in to my lust-filled thoughts and grab Daisy from behind, whirling her around in my arms and kissing her. A noise of surprise leaves her right before my lips touch hers and I plan on keeping it quick.

Simple.

But when it comes to Daisy, I can’t do quick and simple. The kiss turns deeper. Longer. Until my hands are wandering and she’s whimpering and my tongue is thoroughly searching her mouth. It’s only when I slide my hand up her skirt is she pulling away, shaking her head.

“We can’t,” she says, her voice weak. Like my resolve. “Come on, let’s find the photos first.”

“First? And then what?” I follow her toward the stack of boxes, hating the thought of digging through those again.

I’m already over it. All I want to do is get my hands back on Daisy.

“If we find what Vivian wants, then you can do…whatever you want.” Her smile is shy. A little sexy.

“Whatever I want?” I lift my brows and she nods. “But it’s your birthday. Shouldn’t it be whatever you want?”

“I have no idea what to do…next.” She shrugs helplessly.

“Oh, give me a break, Daze. You read those sexy romance books. You have a few ideas running around in that pretty little head of yours.” My words make her blush.

This girl. She can play shy all she wants, but I read the passages in that one book with the cutesy cover. There was nothing cutesy about the contents though. Those sex scenes were pretty descriptive.

She ignores me and cracks open a box, searching through it. We keep this up for at least a half hour until we come across another box full of old black and white photos, mostly of campus and the buildings. I put it aside along with the first one that had a few photos in it that we found yesterday.

“I think this is good enough,” I tell her as I shove a lid on a box and stack it back into place. “We’ve found a decent amount of photos.”

“I’m sure Vivian will be pleased.” Daisy brushes her hair away from her face, trying to tuck it back into her ponytail. I’m disappointed she didn’t wear her hair down today. For some reason I thought she might. “Should we take the boxes back to the office?”

“I thought you were going to let me do whatever I wanted now.”

“But we’re all dusty,” she protests.

True. “How about lunch?”

“What about lunch?”

“Let’s sneak off somewhere. Just the two of us.”

“Um…”

“Maybe your place. Your dad will be on campus, right? Working? Or does he eat lunch at home?”

“No, not really. Especially not lately. I think he takes a later lunch so he can spend time with Kathy.” She makes a little face, and I wonder how on board she is with this new romantic relationship her dad is embarking on.

“Then let’s go back to your house for lunch.”

She shuffles her feet, her teeth sinking into her lower lip and I can tell she’s nervous. “I don’t know…”

“I won’t do anything you don’t want to,” I rush to say. “I won’t push, Daze. I just like—spending time with you.”

She actually laughs, like she can see right through me. “Spending time with me? Is that code for kissing me?”

“Well, yeah. Like I told you earlier, I can’t stop thinking about yesterday.”

“I can’t stop thinking about it either,” she admits, her voice soft.

“Yeah?” I lift my brows, pleased at her confession. I’ve already conjured up all sorts of mental images of what we can do next. How much further we can take it. There are what I consider natural steps to the process and I’m perfectly okay with making them. I’m not about to push this girl too hard. Even though I’m always impatient, always eager to get to the good stuff. The main thing.

Sex. Boning. Penetration. Whatever you want to call it. That’s what I’m down for always. Fucking.

With this girl, every experience, every interaction, touch, kiss and stroke I qualify as the good stuff. When she touches me, my entire body lights up as if she hit a damn switch and turned me on.

“Yes,” she says, standing up straighter and looking all prissy and hot. Odd combo but it’s working for me. “Can you grab the boxes and carry them to the office for me?”

“Whatever the birthday girl wants,” I drawl, teasing her.

She rolls her eyes, laughing, and as I grab the boxes and start to head for the door, I realize something.

I like making her laugh. Seeing her smile.

I like it—her—a lot.

We go back to the office and deliver the boxes to Vivian, who examines the contents with a pleased smile on her face. “You two did great.”

“I need to wash my hands. Do you mind if I go to the restroom?” Daisy asks Vivian, who dismisses her with a wave of her hand.

The moment Daisy is out of the office, Viv is turning on me with a frown. “What are you doing, young man?”

I rear back a little at her tone. “What do you mean?”

“I sincerely hope you’re not toying with Daisy’s heart.” I open my mouth to protest but she talks right over me. “I see the way you look at her. How you grabbed her hand yesterday and brought her a birthday gift today. If this is some sort of game to see how far you can take things with Daisy, may I strongly suggest you stop now before you do real, permanent damage?”

I’m actually fucking offended. And more than a little hurt. “I’m not playing a game with Daisy. I-I like her.”

The skeptical look on Viv’s face is telling me she’s not falling for my schemes.

But for once, it’s not a scheme. I do like this girl. A whole fucking lot.

“Really, Arch?”

“Really, Viv.” I let the nickname drop and irritation flares in her eyes. “And I don’t need you telling me what to do or how to treat her. I know how to respect someone and their boundaries. And that’s what I’m doing with our girl Daze.”

Viv snorts. “Our girl. She’s never been your girl before, Arch. You’ve never even looked twice at her before and now all of a sudden, you’ve got moon eyes and you follow her around as if she’s got you on a leash.”

“I do?” Shit, I didn’t think I was that obvious.

“Yes, you do, and if what you’re feeling is real, then more power to you. Daisy is a delightful, giving girl and she deserves the world. While most of the time you’ve spent here at Lancaster Prep, you’ve proven to be a spoiled brat and nothing else. Learn a thing from her.”

“Like what?” I ask, annoyed.

“Like how to be a decent, thoughtful person.”

“The house is kind of messy,” Daisy warns as we approach the front door. She glances over her shoulder, an unsure look on her face. “No judgment. We don’t have a team of maids like you do.”

I roll my eyes, hating how she always feels like she’s gotta remind me of our differences. “I’m sure it’s not that bad.”

“I never cleaned up our breakfast dishes.” She opens the door and steps inside, me right on her heels, following her into the house, closing the door behind me.

She’s got the miniature roses I gave her tucked in her arm and she sets it on a shelf that’s beneath the front window, arranging it carefully so it’s facing the light. I glance around the living room, taking in the shabby couch, the scratched-up coffee table. I didn’t even notice the furniture the last time I came in here, when Daisy just about fainted.

The house isn’t a mess like she said. More like it appears lived in. Like a home versus a museum, which is how my mother keeps our house. Not that she ever lifts a finger to clean.

We have a staff of housekeepers, just like Daisy said.

The scent of maple syrup lingers in the air, making my stomach growl even though the last thing on my mind is actual food. I’m hungry all right, but not for a meal.

I’m hungry to get my hands and mouth and whatever else I can get on Daisy.

“You going to leave the roses right there?” I ask, watching as Daisy darts around the living room and straightens things up.

“For now,” she says, grabbing a throw blanket and folding it carefully before she places it on the back of the couch. “My bedroom can be kind of dark throughout the day and the roses need light.”

I’d sort of hoped she’d keep it on her nightstand and always think about me when she’s in bed, but I guess beggars can’t be choosers or however that saying goes.

“Do you want something to drink? Or eat?” She twists her hands together, her fingers curled, her nervousness radiating from her.

Slowly I shake my head, making my way toward her. Drawn to her like a moth to a flame, a magnet to steel. Sappy thoughts run through my head when it comes to Daze, and I blame the damn romance book I read. The one that fueled my imagination and made me think of all the things I can do to Daisy. Things she’d like.

Things she might do to me.

I stop only when I’ve got my arms around her waist, my hands splayed across the narrow expanse of her back. She’s a tiny thing. Not very tall and she weighs nothing. I remember how I slung her over my shoulder yesterday and wonder why she hasn’t told me to kick rocks already.

But she doesn’t tell me to leave when I get my hands on her. Nope, she puts her hands on me, resting them on my chest, her fingertips burning through the layers of clothes I’ve got on. I want to feel her hands on my bare skin and I want to put my hands on her too.

I want to make her mine. Mark her in places no one else can see. Hell, mark her in places everyone can see so they know she’s my girl. I want everyone to smell me on her.

I want to smell her on me.

“Arch…” Her voice trails off and she takes a deep breath, like she’s trying to work up the courage to speak. “I’m nervous.”

I kiss her forehead. “I already said you don’t have to worry about it. The moment you say stop, I’ll stop.”

“I just—I don’t want to take it too far yet. Like what we did yesterday.”

I frown. “You regret it?”

She slowly shakes her head. “No, but I don’t know if I’m ready for…everything. Can’t we just kiss for a while instead?”

Yep. Yes. Whatever she wants, I’ll give her.

“You wanna make out on the couch.”

We turn to look at it at the same time and she wrinkles her nose. “It’s so saggy. No.”

“No?”

“How about we go to my bedroom?” Her delicate brows lift.

Triumph surges through me. I get her on a bed and who knows where things will go. “Okay.”