He closed the tiny distance between us letting his lips crash onto mine. It was a desperate kiss, not gentle or sweet but it awoke something in me. I pushed forward meeting his hungry lips. Jamieson in turn threaded his hands through my still damp hair latching me to him. I opened my lips slightly and Jamieson’s tongue demanded its way inside. He lightly bit my lip in appreciation.

I had forgotten how strong our pull was to each other. Our bodies communicated in a way I had never experienced with anyone else. It was easy to lose control with him and let him take whatever he wanted, but I knew that would only complicate matters.

I lightly slid back toward the headboard, trying to pump the brakes on an already out of control situation. “Jamieson…”

He wouldn’t look at me. He only looked at the yellow and gray duvet cover on my bed. “I’m sorry, Jenna.”

“It’s okay; I just don’t think we should complicate things,” I said.

His eyes locked onto mine. “Aren’t they already complicated?”

He was right; things couldn’t possibly get any more complicated. “Yes but you know this will end badly and I can’t take that again.”

“You don’t know that, but if that’s what you want I will respect it,” he snapped and jumped up from the edge of my bed storming out of the room, slamming the door behind him. Great, we are back to him acting like a pissy teenage girl again.

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

October 30, 2012…

“Where are you going?” Audrey shouted from the couch. She was taking a much needed study break and was binge watching some UK show that seemed very similar to Laguna Beach.

“I’m meeting that con law study group again,” I said, grabbing my backpack full of books by the door of our apartment.

“Uh huh,” she said smiling at me.

“What?” I asked, confused at her insinuation.

“Nothing, I just know that a certain smarty pants hottie happens to be in that group. Are you sure that isn’t the reason you are going? You do hate study groups,” she prodded.

“No, it has nothing to do with it. I could give a shit less that Cain Stratford is in the group. You know I don’t have time for guys right now,” I snapped back at her.

“Uh huh…sure,” she laughed as I slammed the door behind me.

I wasn’t really upset with Audrey; I was more upset with myself. I did hate study groups. The truth was that I loathed studying in groups of people. In law school, I found them to be full of people who either wasted excessive amounts of time gossiping or spent the entire time arguing their point just so they could hear themselves talk. I preferred to study on my own or with Audrey. But when Cain Stratford jogged up to me after class a few weeks ago and asked me to join his group for some reason I agreed. I didn’t really want to go but I also didn’t want to disappoint Cain, he was just so charming and sweet. Audrey hadn’t been lying when she said he was hot. Cain Stratford was by far the best looking guy at Vanderbilt. He had messy dirty blonde hair and wicked green eyes that could convince me of practically anything. He also had a set of killer dimples that he didn’t hesitate to flash when he was really pouring on his southern charm.

As I walked to the law library on campus, I wondered why Cain really invited me to join his study group. My name had been called in con law the day he asked me to join and I did well. Our constitutional law professor was notoriously difficult. He was a large Greek man that thought nothing of belittling one of us for a wrong answer. I had witnessed many crying exits from his class and therefore I, like everyone else, lived in fear. Cain had probably invited me because so far I had faired pretty well in class.

“Jenna!” Cain called out from the corner of the small study room.

“Hi,” I greeted him and the rest of the group shyly.

“Come sit next to me. I saved you a seat,” he said offering me the empty chair.

I made my way over to Cain and settled in.

“Alright guys, tonight we are going to tackle the dreaded substantive due process,” Cain announced to a clamor of groans as people flipped open their text books.

I listened for nearly an hour as the group debated and struggled with the concepts as they tried to form an outline to study from. I didn’t share with them that I had already passed this point in my outline. I remained quiet and continued to listen to the painful discussion.

“I just don’t understand any of it,” Staci Crane whined from the other side of Cain.

There was something about Staci that I just couldn’t stand. Perhaps it was the fact that she seemed to whore herself out just to get good outlines or that she insisted on wearing low cut tops everyday to showcase her huge boobs.

“It’s really not that difficult,” I said out loud, annoyed.

The group looked at me in complete shock. I hadn’t meant to say it but I just couldn’t handle her whining any longer.

“Well maybe you could explain it to us then. It might be nice if you actually contributed to the group,” Staci bit back, clearly pissed at my jab.

I huffed out a breath and grabbed a piece of blank paper from my notebook. “Okay look, you are making it harder than it really is. You have to just parse through the language of the cases. Once you do, you will see there is three levels of scrutiny the court can apply; rational basis, intermediate scrutiny or strict scrutiny. Give me your text book,” I told Staci as the others watched what I was about to do.

Staci handed me her text book and I flipped through it highlighting a few key sentences. “Those are your levels of scrutiny and the test that accompanies them.” I said giving the book back to her.

“Okay but how do I know when to apply them?” she asked a little less hostile.

“You have to first ask yourself if you have a fundamental right at risk, if you do then apply strict scrutiny. If it’s not a fundamental right then most likely apply rational basis, unless it is a law involving abortion then apply intermediate scrutiny. It’s basically a flow chart,” I said finishing the drawing I was making on my paper.

I flipped my paper around and passed it to the middle of the table and everyone quickly began to copy it.

I grabbed my stuff and began cramming it into my bag. I’d had enough. Tonight had reminded me study groups were definitely not for me. I’m sure they all thought I was a bitch, but I could care less, I was done listening to Staci Crane whine and flirt with all the guys in the group. I had wasted my time and I wouldn’t be making that mistake again. I left the small room and walked along the stacks of books toward the main exit.

“Jenna wait up!” Cain called from down the hall of the library. He was met with dozens of angry glares from our fellow students quietly reading.

I slowed down just enough for Cain to catch up to me.

“That was really impressive back there.” He smiled at me.

“Thanks,” I muttered and continued to walk.

“You really get that stuff don’t you?” he asked.

“Yeah I guess,” I told him nonchalantly.

“I hope you keep coming to study group.” He smiled, showing me his million dollar dimples.

“I...uh…I don’t think study groups are my thing.” I told him.

“Oh, well damn,” he looked let down and it surprised me.

“I’m sorry.”

“Me too. I was really enjoying having you in the group,” he gave me a sweet smile.

“Yeah sorry it’s just not for me,” I tried again.

“I can see that. It’s just that I like hanging out with you,” Cain said, staring at me with a beautiful smile plastered on his face.

I didn’t know what to say to that so I just tried to ignore it.

“Jenna, do you think I could take you out sometime?” he asked boldly.

There were a lot of things I thought Cain might say to me, but asking me out was definitely not one of them. I wasn’t completely oblivious to his charms and he definitely was attractive. I considered how I was going to respond when I heard a voice in the back of my mind say, “What the hell, Jenna. Take a chance, its time.”