Page 235 - The Love Hypothesis

It didn’t surprise her, how soft his skin was beneath the night stubble,

how much warmer than hers. And when she bent, for once taller than him,
the shape of his lips under hers was like an old song, familiar and easy. It
wasn’t their first kiss, after all. Though, it was different. Calm and tentative

and precious, Adam’s hand light on her waist as he tilted his chin up to her,
eager and pressing, like this was something he’d thought of—like he’d been

wanting it, too. It wasn’t their first kiss, but it was the first kiss that was
theirs, and Olive savored it for long moments. The texture, the smell, the

closeness. The slight hitch in Adam’s breath, the odd pauses, the way their
lips had to work a little before finding the right angles and some form of

coordination.
See? She wanted to say, triumphant. To whom, she wasn’t sure. See? It
was always going to be like this. Olive grinned into his lips. And Adam—

Adam was already shaking his head when she pulled back, like a no had
been waiting in his mouth all along, even as he returned her kiss. His

fingers closed tight around her wrist, drawing her hand away from his face.
“This is not a good idea.”

Her smile faded. He was right. He was completely right. He was also
wrong. “Why?”

“Olive.” He shook his head again. Then his hand left her waist and came
up to his lips, as if to touch the kiss they’d just shared, make sure it had
really happened. “This is . . . no.”

He really was right. But . . . “Why?” she repeated.
Adam’s fingers pressed into his eyes. His left hand was still holding her

wrist, and she wondered distractedly if he was even aware of it. If he knew
that his thumb was swiping back and forth across her pulse. “This is not

what we’re here for.”
She could feel her nostrils flare. “That doesn’t mean that—”

“You’re not thinking clearly.” He swallowed visibly. “You’re upset and
drunk, and—”
“I had two beers. Hours ago.”

“You’re a grad student, currently depending on me for a place to stay,
and even if not, the power I have over you could easily turn this into a