Privilege 5 - Pure Sin (13 page)

Conrad's face broke out in a grin that could have stopped traffic. "It does?"

"Of course. She really likes you, Conrad," Ariana assured him. "And I think you've been really good through everything that's been going on with her. Clearly you're a stand-up guy."

Taking a sip of his coffee, Conrad seemed to mull all of this over. "Well, I wouldn't want to lose my reputation as a stand-up guy," he said finally. He gave her a light tap on the arm, which almost knocked her over. "Thanks, Ana. I'll take her out tonight."

"Cool. Have fun!" Ariana called after him as he descended the stairs.

He lifted his coffee by way of a good-bye, then disappeared out the front door. Ariana smiled to herself over a job well done. Babysitter acquired. And all for the small price of a cup of coffee. "Okay, here's an easy one," Palmer whispered, leaning toward Ariana across the corner of the table they shared in the library that night. "Which amendment started prohibition and which amendment ended it?"

Ariana stared across the packed library study section at the glowing green exit sign above the door. When Jasper had said he'd be waiting, did he mean in general, like waiting for her to break up with Palmer, or did he really mean he'd be waiting for her tonight? Was he back at Privilege House right now, actually, physically waiting for her?

"Ana?"

Ariana blinked and looked at Palmer. God, he was gorgeous. His brow knit in concern, and he reached for her hand under the table. His palm was warm as he cupped her fingers atop her leg. His fingers brushed her skin just under the hem of her skirt. Two weeks ago that contact would have sent her skyrocketing through the ceiling. Now all she could think about was Jasper's hands. Jasper's fingers. Jasper's touch on her thighs. . . . What was wrong with her?

"Are you okay?" Palmer asked. "You seem kind of out of it."

"Do I?" Ariana asked, tucking her hair behind her ear. "I'm sorry. It's just . . . I can't stop thinking about the English exam I have on Friday. Lexa told me what to do to study for it, and I just think I should be doing that right now."

Palmer leaned back in his chair. "Oh, okay. Yeah, I guess this can wait."

Ariana started to gather her things. Suddenly she felt almost panicked to get back to Privilege House. To just be by herself, in her room, where things were infinitely less confusing.

"It's just, I feel like I have the government stuff down, but for the English . . . there are just so many books. I really think I need to start making notes," Ariana told him. She slammed her heavy government book closed, and the noise drew attention from all the neighboring tables.

"No problem. Do what you've gotta do," Palmer said. He stood up as she stood up and planted a quick kiss on her lips. "I'll call you later."

"Okay. Cool. Bye," Ariana said.

And she was out the door without a second glance. She struggled outside with her unorganized books and notebooks, her laptop weighing down her bag against her hip. Then she hoofed it up the hill to Privilege House.

Once in the elevators, Ariana tapped her foot impatiently. The ride seemed to take forever. When the doors finally slid open, Ariana ducked out and sprinted for her room. Inside, she dropped her bags on the floor and turned to switch on the light, but before she could, a hand came down over her mouth. Ariana's heart leaped into her throat. She opened her mouth to bite down on the hand, but then she inhaled and stopped. It was Jasper. She could smell his piney cologne.

"Shhhhh," he said in her ear, his chin brushing her neck from behind.

Ariana pressed her lips together to keep from giggling with relief. Then a blindfold fell over her eyes and was tied tightly at the back of her skull. She felt a brief twinge of fear mixed with annoyance over being manipulated, but then decided she didn't care.

And just like that she surrendered herself to him. She relished the feeling of his strong grasp on her arms as he turned her around and led her silently through the door. She basked in the fact that she trusted him completely--that she was letting him do what he would. It was in that moment that Ariana knew, truly knew, that she was falling in deep.

Because there was no one, absolutely no one, for whom Ariana Osgood was willing to lose control.

At least, no one who was still breathing.

Finally the blindfold slipped from Ariana's eyes, tickling her cheek as it fell. She gasped when she saw the spread before her. The large movie screen standing near the edge of the roof. The piles of pillows and blankets strewn across the floor. The stars twinkling overhead. She turned to Jasper, and he smiled. He was wearing a gray sweater and a black coat, and looked so handsome Ariana wanted to melt.

"Jasper. This is amazing," she said.

"I know," he replied with a self-satisfied grin.

Ariana clucked her tongue and rolled her eyes. "How did you do this without anyone seeing?" she asked. Then her heart skipped a frightened beat. "No one saw you, right?"

"Of course not," he said. "Stealth is my middle name."

"But what if someone comes up here?" she asked, her eyes darting to the door. "What if--"

Jasper closed the distance between them and pressed one finger to her lips. "No one ever comes up here between the months of October and April. May, June, and September are another story, since apparently the girls around here are still interested in contracting skin cancer. But November? Don't worry about it."

Ariana took a deep breath and let herself relax slightly. She turned and walked around a low brick wall that ran across the center of the roof. She noticed that some of the pillows had been propped up against it on the other side, forming a makeshift couch.

"Y do realize that we have a movie theater right downstairs," Ariana teased, lifting one of the velvety red pillows. "As I recall it's supposed to be

ou one of the privileges of living in Privilege House."

"Privilege my ass. Do you know what they're showing down there right now?" Jasper said, walking around to join her. "Avatar."

Ariana snorted a laugh.

He walked over to the projector and hit a button, bringing the machine to life. "I, however, have a real movie on tap."

Suddenly the screen flickered to life, and Ariana saw the familiar opening scene of Breakfast at Tiffany's. Audrey Hepburn traipsed along the New Y streets in her black dress and tiara, smiling her bright Hepburn smile. Ariana sighed contentedly. Audrey Hepburn was her favorite

ork actress of all time, and this was the greatest of all her films.

"Shall we?" he said, gesturing at the ground.

"We shall," Ariana replied giddily.

They sat next to each other, and Jasper reached around for the bottle of champagne he'd stashed nearby. He popped the top, and Ariana squealed as foam sprayed out, soaking one of the blankets near their feet.

"Sorry about that," Jasper said, looking not at all sorry.

"I'll bet," Ariana replied, gently wiping her toes with her fingertips.

"I've been thinking," Jasper said, holding the bottle between them. "You should come to my soccer game on Friday."

Ariana pulled a baffled face. "And why would I want to do that?"

Jasper lifted a shoulder. "Because I am excellent at soccer. If you saw me play you wouldn't be able to resist me."

"Y ou'd be surprised at my capacity for self-control," Ariana replied smoothly, even though just being this close to him was making her nerves sizzle and her mouth water.

Jasper didn't respond. He simply smirked, as if he knew she was exaggerating. "Also, I think you should come home with me for Thanksgiving next week."

Ariana blinked, unable to contain her surprise. Thanksgiving was big. Thanksgiving was the kind of holiday one only attended if things were serious. "Really?"

"Y eah. I mean . . . with your grandmother gone and everything . . . it might be a little depressing to go home," Jasper said. "And we have a huge party. My family comes from all over, and we cook all weekend and eat and drink and dance. You'd love it."

"Nothing depressing about that," Ariana replied with a smile.

She hadn't even thought about where she might go when the school closed down for Thanksgiving break. But now she realized it might be nice to go down south. Almost like going to her real home. And she'd never gotten the chance to meet Jasper's parents over the weekend.

"Okay," she said, feeling all warm and fuzzy inside. "I'll think about it." She glanced down at the open champagne bottle. "Are we going to be drinking that anytime soon?"

Jasper smiled. He brought the bottle to his lips, taking a long drink. Then he offered it to her.

"What? No glasses?" Ariana asked.

"Afraid you're going to catch my cooties?" Jasper asked, raising one eyebrow.

"Oh, I think we're well beyond that," Ariana said.

Normally not one for drinking and the surrender of control that inevitably occurred, Ariana decided this was a special occasion. She took the bottle from him and allowed herself one good sip. When she lowered it again, she looked at Jasper, holding his gaze, then licked the tingling liquid from her lips.

Jasper smiled slowly. "You know exactly what you're doing, don't you, Ana Covington?"

"Always," Ariana replied. And then she leaned forward and kissed him. And as Jasper turned toward her, as he slipped one hand around her neck and the other inside her coat and over her flat stomach, something flipped inside Ariana, and she just let herself go. She stopped thinking. Stopped planning. Stopped wondering what it would all mean. Stopped wondering how she would break up with Palmer. For once she just let herself feel.

She felt his lips pressing firmly against hers. Felt the cold touch of his hand as it slid beneath her shirt and lay against her warm skin. Felt her body arching toward his, wanting to know every single inch of him. When his lips left hers and trailed over her cheek, down her neck and onto her shoulder, she felt as if she might explode with happiness.

Jasper knew what he was doing. It was as if he knew exactly where she wanted to be kissed. Exactly how she wanted to be kissed.

"I've wanted to do this since I first saw you," Jasper whispered in her ear, sending delicious shivers down her spine.

"When did you first see me?" Ariana breathed, her eyes closed, her leg wrapping around his waist.

"The first day here. Out on the quad when we got our colors. Y were with your friends, and you looked so damned gorgeous," he said, gasping

ou for air as he kissed her. "Every second since then I've been dreaming about this."

Ariana brought her mouth down on his and kissed him like she'd never kissed anyone before.

Suddenly Jasper pulled back. One hand cupped her face and the other was on her thigh. His lips were pink and raw, and his breath was quick, but he seemed suddenly, perfectly serious. He looked into Ariana's eyes, his own so clear they were almost startling.

"I love you," he said firmly.

Ariana blinked. There was no hemming and hawing. No "I think I'm falling for you." No "I can totally imagine myself loving you." None of those vague, hedgy things boys usually said to give themselves a safety net. This was not a statement he was going to back away from anytime soon. But that was Jasper. He knew who he was. He knew who he wanted. And the person he wanted was Ariana.

No. The person he wants is Briana Leigh Covington.

And suddenly tears sprung to Ariana's eyes. She pressed her hands into the blanket at her sides and scooted herself away from him.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

"You can't say that," she told him. "You don't even know me. Not really."

Without hesitation, Jasper closed the gap between them. He took both her hands in his and sat cross-legged, looking at her openly. "I can say that. Because even though I might not know every little thing about you, I know there's nothing you could ever do, nothing you could ever say, that would make me not love you."

Ariana's jaw dropped slightly. He couldn't have said anything more perfect if he'd had a thousand screenwriters working for him. How did he know? How was he always able to do and say exactly what she needed him to do and say at any given moment? Suddenly Ariana was back at that restaurant table with Palmer. Hearing him say that he could never be friends with anyone who'd let themselves get involved in a scandal. If Palmer knew who she really was, he'd drop her in a second. But Jasper . . . Jasper was going to love her no matter what. A tear spilled out over her cheek, and Jasper reached up, touching it away with the pad of his thumb.

Ariana opened her mouth to speak. "I--"

The sound of squealing car tires split the air, followed by a shout of surprise and a scream. Ariana and Jasper looked at one another, startled, then jumped up and ran to the side of the roof. A black Cadillac Escalade whipped around the turn in the parking lot below and into a spot where it slammed on its brakes, sending smoke and the scent of burning rubber into the air.

"Isn't that Royce's car?" Jasper said.

Oh crap.

Conrad hurled himself out of the front seat, slamming the door so hard it was a miracle the thing didn't fall off its hinges.

"I have to go," Ariana said without a second thought.

"Wait. Why?" Jasper asked.

But Ariana was already gone, sprinting down the stairs toward the first floor of Privilege House as fast as her quaking legs could carry her. "Connie!" Ariana said, gasping for breath as he slammed the front door of the dorm. She'd just made it to the lobby as he stormed inside--and right past her on his way to the elevators. "Conrad!"

Connie completely ignored her and stepped into the waiting elevator. She heard him curse under his breath as he drove his fists into the back wall with a bang. Ariana's heart was in her throat. What had happened? Where was Lexa? What had she done?

Dear God, what had she said ?

Blindly, Ariana shoved open the door and ran for the parking lot--ran for Conrad's car. From three feet away she saw Lexa doubled over in the front seat, bawling her eyes out, her long dark hair half covering her blotchy, tear-stained face. Ariana sprinted over and tried the door. It wouldn't budge.