First - day jitters cause me to wake much earlier than my 6 am alarm dictates . To work off some stress , I go for a 45 - minute jog around the property . By the time I re - enter the house , I'm much calmer and mentally prepared for what's to come . After a thorough shower , I dress in high - waisted jeans that hit mid - thigh , a white lacy button - up short- sleeved shirt , my favorite pair of golden lace - up sandals , and finish it off with some light make - up and a messy topknot . The weather is still sweltering , and I have no desire to be sweating my tits off by noon . Stepping into the kitchen , I find Moira setting down a plate at my usual spot on the bay window bench seat . It's loaded with creamy scrambled eggs , crispy rashers of bacon , golden toasted sourdough , and a couple of slivers of avocado . There is even a glass of orange juice . I inhale deeply as I sit down , groaning at the heavenly smell that wafts towards me . " What's the occasion ? " I ask her as I start digging into the spread before me . Each bite is life - altering , and I think I might just have a food - gasm right there and then . " I thought I'd spoil you kids this morning seeing as it is your first day back . " My fork stills on the way to my mouth , and it takes a couple of seconds for my brain to compute what she just said . Of course , Xavier is also attending Saxonsea U. Michael wouldn't enroll us in different institutions . Urgh ! My nerves are back in full force . I decide to not get ahead of myself . With the size of the campus , the chances of running into him should be slim . Right ? Right ! After I finish the rest of my breakfast , I rinse my plate and glass , placing them in the dishwasher . Pouring myself a travel mug of coffee comes next . As I'm heading out the door , I thank Moira for her extra effort and promise to help her with dinner tonight . She beams at me before wishing me luck for my first day . I am running a few minutes late ; my previous meeting is running over . Cade texted last night and asked if I wanted to meet up with him in front of the administration building to give me that personalized tour . Of course , I said yes . Walking up to the building I spot him leaning against the wall - his one leg kicked up so his foot rests on the wall behind him , and his arms crossed over his chest . His head is dipped down and his brow is scrunched as if he is deep in thought . I seize the moment to drag my gaze over his figure . Tall and muscular , with biceps that are straining his t- shirt sleeves , and an unmistakable aura that is mysterious yet peaceful . Our kiss replays in my mind's eye , and I take a deep breath to steady myself before I cover the last couple of yards that separate us . 1/4 8:03 pm Chapter 13 : Layla POV His head snaps up , almost as if he sensed me as I drew closer . The smile he bestows on me makes butterflies erupt in my stomach , my returning smile is automatic . " Good morning , Sunshine , " Cade says as he pulls himself away from the wall and comes to a standstill a few inches from me . Our height difference forces me to look up at him , but I don't feel intimidated at all . " Good morning , Handsome Barista , " I playfully retort , making him smirk at me . " How are your first - day nerves ? " he asks sincerely . " The verdict is still out on that . But I'm cautiously optimistic . " I give him a slight smile . He takes my hand and gives it a light squeeze , " You've got this . I have the utmost confidence in you . " His words and the earnestness in his tone make me blush and I drop my head to break our intense eye contact . His pointer finger crooks under my chin and draws my head back up , " Don't hide those beautiful eyes from me . " For a few seconds , the world around us ceases to exist . There is only his body against mine , his cerulean - blue gaze , and his intoxicating aroma of sandalwood and freshly cut grass that wrap around me. " I have a confession to make , " I say , effectively breaking the tension - filled moment . " Should I be scared ? " he hitches an eyebrow , and a sly smile plays on his lip . " I technically don't need a tour of the campus anymore ; I explored on my own yesterday . " He places a hand over his heart in mock outrage , " So my generous offer of being your personal tour guide was not appealing enough to you ? How will I ever get over this heartbreak ? " he swipes away an imaginary tear from the corner of his eye . I giggle at him at his playfulness . " I'm willing to make it up to you … " my comment is loaded with insinuation , and he picks up on it without missing a beat . " Anything ? " the devilish look on his face should have sent me running for the hills , but I'm like a moth that's drawn to a flame . " Within reason , but I'm open to most things as long as we can negotiate if I'm not happy with all the terms and conditions . " I wink at him , and he gets giddy with excitement . " How about you meet me for lunch in the student center , then we can discuss the various options and their terms and conditions . " " Deal ! " There was no way I would have declined his offer . Before I get to step away , he slinks an arm around my back and pulls me in closer . " Have a good day , Sunshine . " The gentle , yet toe - curling kiss that he plants on my lips , makes my heart flutter and my blood turn red hot . How am I supposed to focus on my classes after a kiss like that ? 2/4 8:03 pm 30 D Chapter 13 : Layla POV We break away slowly and without another spoken word , we split into our respective directions . Cade messaged me after his second class , asking me if we could postpone lunch . He needs to pop over to his parent's house to help with some kind of family issue . Of course I'm bummed , but family comes first , and I'll never give him grief about something like that . After picking up a quick lunch at one of the food stalls , I find a cozy spot underneath a maple tree that is a bit more off to the side . I just need a moment to find my center again before I tackle the rest of my classes today . A hubbub catches my attention halfway through me enjoying my club sandwich. On the walkway that runs past me , a small group of girls are swarming around someone . Their giggles and fake nasally laughs give me the idea that the person is of the male gender . I roll my eyes and decide to ignore them . As the small crowd draws closer , there is a sudden gap between a fake - breasted redhead and a bottle - blond petite girl . And , lo and behold , whose obsidian black hair and emerald - green eyes come into view ? The great Xavier Reed . Why am I not surprised ? Gag ! His gaze locks onto mine and he visibly stiffens , irritation coming off him in waves . I don't understand why my presence irks him so , I've avoided him as much as possible to minimize his temper tantrums . But that , too , doesn't seem to satisfy him . He'd probably prefer it if I dropped off the face of the earth . The redhead notices his stare - off with me , a nasty sneer coming to her mouth just before she runs her nails down his arm in a vain attempt to stake her claim on him . He is all yours , my dear ! They pass me but I refuse to break eye contact with him . I have done nothing wrong and refuse to let him intimidate me . This campus is big enough for both of us , if you don't take his massive ego into account , that is . The rest of the day goes by relatively uneventfully , and by the time I get home , my brain feels like it was put through a blender . I think a nap is just what the doctor ordered . Unfortunately for me , the universe has other ideas . 3/4