Veering around a couple holding hands and a guy walking his dog, Danny came to a quick halt in front of McKinnis, flipping his board up into his hands. “Excuse me,” he said to a passing student. “What time is it?”

“Seven thirty,” she said, hurrying down the stairs.

He was half an hour early. This was what happened when none of his friends had a reliable watch. Danny blew on his cold fingers, considering his options. He could go get something to eat and come back at eight. Or, he could just be early.

He grinned. Getting to see Ryan half an hour early sounded good to him. Skateboard under one arm, Danny walked into the university library. Ryan was usually on the fourth floor somewhere, so he took the stairs, his footsteps echoing in the otherwise silent stairway.

Stepping onto the fourth floor, he was surrounded by somber silence. Libraries were too quiet for Danny, too serious, and he moved self-consciously towards the stacks, trying to keep his sneakers from squeaking as he left the carpeted area, passing students absorbed in their work.

Danny tended to do most of his research on the Net or by borrowing books from other students. Whenever he used the library, he did it as quickly as possible, in and out, a man on a mission. He preferred a little more action in his life than the library provided. But Ryan was an English major, always reading and studying, and Ryan liked the library, the quiet, the structure, the books, the overwhelming volume of knowledge.

They’d actually met in the library. Danny had been looking for a book on Eskimo mythology or something, and Ryan had been standing right there in front of that section. He’d been cute as hell, just Danny’s height with a mop of brown curls, really dark brown eyes, and the sweetest curve to his ass. When Danny said hi and Ryan said hi back, flashing him a nervous smile, and Danny saw dimples, it was game over. Nothing got to Danny like dimples, and Ryan’s were a mile deep.

That had been months ago, and Danny was still hooked. Roaming the stacks, he spotted Ryan searching the shelves. Grinning to himself, Danny propped his skateboard at the end of the aisle and approached his prey with caution.

Ryan sighed, running a distracted hand through his curls, reaching for a book.

Danny snuck closer, closer, closer.

Ryan opened the book, flipping through its pages.

Danny pounced. Ryan’s back hit the shelf; the book hit the floor. After a moment’s struggle, Ryan moaned, giving in, wrapping his arms around Danny’s waist. Danny cupped Ryan’s jaw with one hand, making love to Ryan’s mouth with his kiss, his other hand splayed against Ryan’s chest. The warm welcome of Ryan’s embrace invited Danny to settle in and stay, and Danny kissed with a little more aggression, rubbing Ryan’s chest through the layers of clothing.

“Mmm.” Ryan pushed him back slightly, breaking their kiss. “You’re early. And your nose is cold,” Ryan added with a smile, brushing a soft kiss across his cheek.

“It’s cold outside,” Danny said. “What’re you looking up?”

“I’m working on my Copperfield paper,” Ryan said, taking his hands and rubbing them. He was wearing fingerless gloves, which weren’t the warmest thing in December, but the way Ryan kissed his fingers made up for that. “I can’t find a book I