Faking It: A Small Town College Bad Boy Romance

by Hunter Rose

  “Maybe.” I lean closer, wondering how we got on this subject again.

  “So maybe one day you can read me a poem.” His eyes are as wide as saucers, and he sticks out his lower lip. I want to suck that lower lip so badly. Not in a devouring, nasty kind of way, but in a sweet, he-turns-me-on kind of way.

  “Are you pouting?” I ask, snickering.

  “I just want to ensure I get a poem read to me.”

  “Okay, maybe one day,” I say, deflecting his request, which I don’t intend to fulfill. I mean, how can I?

  “What do you write about?” he asks, rubbing his chin.

  “Everything.” I raise a hand to my chest in a swoon-worthy fashion. I’m passionate about my poetry, and sometimes I almost get a little too excited.

  His laughter stops and he looks straight through me with pure lust. “Have you ever written about me?”

  I look up to the sky then again to the floor—anywhere but at him, as he leans closer to me.

  “You have, haven’t you?” He places his hand on my chin, directing my eyes to his.

  My palms shake. How did we get on this subject? I want to jump off this boat and swim home at this very moment, but his hand on my chin keeps me focused.

  “I can’t wait to hear this poem.”

  “What, right now?” I whisper.

  “Oh wait—you have it memorized?” He is relentless.

  I let out a breath and nod my head yes.

  9

  Trace

  The poem is memorized and about me. I’m a little intrigued. Okay, I’m curious as hell. I don’t know a thing about poetry, but the idea of hearing her thoughts makes my heart thump loudly in my chest. No one can ask for a better moment: on the deck of the boat, the stars shining and the breeze lightly brushing her hair around her face. She has these little flyaway pieces that sway sexily in the night air. She looks like a princess in her light blue dress with shimmers of silver. Take this slow, I keep telling myself. But how, when her eyes are the same blue as her dress? I haven’t had a girl affect me this way in God knows how long.

  Having her here has been one of the best times I have spent with a girl, ever. She knows how to keep my interest with our conversation and is absolutely, fuckingly, insanely—and a few more adverbs—gorgeous. I can’t stop looking into her eyes, so blue, so pretty.

  My heartbeat amps up, and I swear something takes hold of me.

  She is nervous as she closes her eyes to recite the poem. I lean back in the chair and study her. Her charisma is charming and has me hornier than a teenager hitting puberty.

  “Whenever you’re ready,” I say, egging her to start.

  Her eyes flutter open and she smiles. She closes them once more and speaks. Her voice hums as the words flow.

  “Impure thoughts of lustful desire

  Enter my brain and set my heart afire,

  Our bodies colliding

  And never denying;

  Hold me, touch me

  Never leave me,

  Put out the heat

  That can never compete,

  That burns through my soul

  A need, I’ll never control.

  Words will not do for me,

  Words have no gravity.”

  My mind is thought-free, and my mouth is speechless. She dips her nose and lowers her eyes to the ground as she finishes. So innocent, and it turns me the fuck on. My need to have her overcomes me. I have to kiss her. I claim the sweetness of her mouth and gently swipe my tongue along her bottom lip, demanding to move inside. She opens her mouth, and I feel her tongue slide along mine.

  Her skin is soft like velvet that has never been touched. She lets out a tiny whimper that makes my skin prickle with pure heat, the kind of heat she talked about in her poem. I explore her mouth deeper and move my hand around to the back of her neck, grabbing a handful of locks and bringing them to my nose. I inhale the smell of coconuts and pineapples, which intoxicates my senses.

  I could kiss her all night if she’d let me. She grabs the hair at the back of my neck and tugs, moaning my name, which makes me pull her hair tight and break our kiss. I pull her head to stare into her hazy eyes that beg me to claim her lips again. I can’t get enough of her. “Vanessa, we should slow down. You have no idea what you do to me.”

  She breathes heavily onto my lips, and I can taste the champagne. I want her. I want her bad, and that’s my cue to stop. Releasing my hold on her, I adjust my shorts. She opens her eyes as I stand up from the chair and back away. She stands and comes up close, too close.

  “Trace, please don’t stop.” Hearing her soft bedroom voice draws me closer again. I rub my hand down her cheek, and she purrs.

  “Fuck, Vanessa, I can’t,” I say, barely audible.

  I rub my hands through my hair as I stare into her eyes.

  She backs away slightly and sits herself back in the chair. She seems hurt that I have stopped. Her pouty lips and frazzled hair are the biggest turn on, ever. “I know. We should stop.” She breathes, running a hand across my arm.

  My breathing is labored, and I want to protest. This bet is trouble.

  “Where to now?” she asks, as we exit the boat when I return to our slip. The night is young, and there is no way in hell I am taking her home just yet.

  “Anywhere you’d like to go?” I ask, hoping she doesn’t say home.

  “Well, a few of my friends are downtown at a bar called Sofa Kings.”

  Anywhere but there. Shit. But, wanting to spend more time with her, I agree to go.

  Sofa Kings is packed with people when we arrive. The ride from the docks was quiet, and I was tempted to run the car off the road and continue our make-out fest. But I was restrained by one thought: I can’t lose this bet; my car and reputation depend on it.

  Why? Have you met Tony? He’s a little crazy, and the type who never lets you forget every single bet you’ve ever lost. Last year, we had a bet to see who could get the most girls’ numbers in a night. We were at a bar, and I wasn’t having any luck, but Tony got over twenty numbers that night. For months, I had to listen to him mock me. He even interfered when I tried to get lucky with some sorority girl I’d met. He told her all about my “conquests” and then fibbed in some stories, so the girl high-tailed it out of there. Tony is an ass sometimes, but when we aren’t making bets, he’s there for me.

  Vanessa grabs my hand, and we walk through the open doors, past a security guard. The lights are low, in shades of dark blue and red. There are giant sofa booths in dark navy pleather. The bar is offset towards the left of the room, and people are packing the seats. The music booms loudly throughout the building, and there’s a nice, tile dance floor in the middle of the place. Girls gather on the floor, shaking their bodies to the beat, while men watch from the outskirts. A handful of rowdy girls come barreling past me to get to Vanessa, screeching and cheering her name. Among the ladies is Maxine from the beach, the girl who had that little impromptu house party. The other girls bouncing around her are a blur to me.

  I spot Tony and our friends at a booth near the back of the bar. We make eye contact; they all wave at me. I place my hand on Vanessa’s back and lean into her ear. “Hey, I see a few friends. I’m going to go over and say hi.”

  She turns and leans in, planting a kiss on my cheek. Her lips are warm, and I think back to how she kissed me on the boat, how sweet she had tasted.

  I squeeze her body and don’t want to let go. Mesmerized, awkward, and unsure of my next step, I shake my head and smile. “Come and join me after you say hello to your friends.” I walk away from her and wade through the crowd.

  As I slide into the plush booth, I smile at everyone. Darren is chugging a beer, as Craig smiles and asks, “So, how’s the date going?”

  “Oh, you know, pretty typical.”

  “Where did you take her?” Tony asks, grabbing his drink of what appears to be some liquor mixed with Coke.

  “Nowhere special,” I answer as I look over to Ashton and Darren. Darren loo
ks around me and spots Maxine.

  “Oh God, what is she doing here?” Darren asks, sinking lower into his seat.

  I glance over and catch Vanessa’s eye. She smiles as she and her friends head our way.

  Tony leans in. “Nowhere special, huh?” His eyes glaze over, showing his intoxication.

  Vanessa scoots into the booth alongside me, and my dick twitches a bit when her thigh brushes up against mine.

  “Vanessa, this is Tony, my roommate.” I point to Tony, who looks up from his glass.

  “Oh, we know each other.” Her tone indicates more, but she stops speaking and looks across to Darren.

  “Yeah, hey,” Tony grumbles, as his drunken state deepens.

  “And this is Darren, my other roommate.” I point over at Darren, as Maxine drapes an arm over him.

  “Yep, I know him, too. He is, uh . . . seeing my roommate, Maxine.” She shrugs.

  “Well, you’re quite the social butterfly, aren’t you?”

  She nudges her shoulder into my chest and says to the table, “This is Kristine and Meghan.” She points at the two redheads, who are sipping their drinks and swaying to the music.

  I lift a hand and wave to the ladies, giving them both a smile.

  “This is Ashton and Craig.” They are both busy staring at Vanessa’s friends as they shake their asses.

  Ashton and Craig, after hearing their names, give a nod and smile at Vanessa.

  “Sorry about Trace,” Tony says, leaning across me to speak to Vanessa. “He didn’t even offer you a drink. What an ass. Whatcha drinkin’?”

  “Oh, I’ll take something fruity,” she says into my ear.

  Vanessa stands so I can slide out of the booth. “I’ll be back.” I smile at her as she sits back down by Tony. She acts uneasy, but offers a smile back.

  The bar is across the club, and I stake a seat on one of the stools. Leaning across, trying to get the bartender’s attention, we make eye contact, and he heads my way. Before I can order, though, I feel a set of hands on my back and smile, thinking Vanessa has followed me. I turn in my seat and see Hailey as she flings her hair across her shoulders.

  “Hi there,” she says, sitting on a stool next to mine.

  I smile and turn my head back to the bartender as he asks for my order.

  “A gin and tonic and something fruity,” I say, nodding to him before he turns to make the drinks.

  “Ooh, how did you know I needed something fruity?” Hailey hisses. She crosses her legs and reaches her toes to my legs.

  I shoo her leg away and turn my head to face her. “Not for you, Hailey,” I say, turning my head back to watch the bartender finish making the drinks. I hear her sigh, and I dread talking to her anymore. What did I ever see in this girl? Vanessa is fun to be around, and I enjoy talking to her much more than Hailey. She and I only ever partied, but Vanessa is real.

  “Are you here with someone?” she asks, smacking on her bubble gum.

  “Yeah.” I grab my wallet and throw a few bills onto the bar as the bartender hands over the cocktails.

  I slide from the stool, nodding to Hailey as I walk back to my friends. The music drowns out whatever words she shouts as I continue walking.

  I hand Vanessa her fruity drink and slide back into the booth. She is now sandwiched between Tony and me. Craig is telling everyone a story. She takes a sip of her orange concoction, and I realize I can’t keep my eyes off her. A new song blares through the speakers, and the girls go wild, calling to Vanessa to come dance. I slide out to let her pass.

  They make their way to the dance floor as we watch, grinning like idiots. I sip my drink and watch Vanessa twist and turn to the beat. She dances sexy, catching my eyes ever so often. I try to talk to the guys, but they’re so enamored of the girls’ grinding and dancing that I just sit back and stare, too. I feel no shame as my eyes follow Vanessa; she puts on a mini-dance off just for me. Her hips sway to the beat, and the more she dances, the more turned on I become. I sport a wicked grin as I watch her, but I just don’t care. She bends her finger to me, calling me over.

  An overwhelming pull draws me towards her. I wrap an arm around her waist and move to her rhythm. We pound and smash our bodies to the music as I wrap the other arm around her waist. She leans her head into my chest and rubs her ass against my groin. I growl at the contact and lean my nose into her hair. I close my eyes and enjoy moving our bodies in unison. She is several inches shorter than I am, but our bodies fit together perfectly.

  She turns after a few minutes of dancing and leans her lips to my ear. “I’ll be right back.” I watch her walk away and am left standing on the dance floor. What has come over me? I make my way back over to the guys and slide into the booth.

  “What happened? You lose your girl?” Craig yells over the music.

  I just offer a curt nod his way as I peruse the bar. Vanessa’s friends continue to dance. “Why don’t you go and ask them to dance?” I yell back to Craig, as he makes googly eyes at them.

  “I need a lot more booze in my system before I dance.” He laughs.

  “I’ll dance.” Tony brushes my arm, and I jump up. He scoots out of the booth and heads to the dance floor.

  We all laugh as we watch Tony trying to dance. He is a good-looking guy, but in his state, he isn’t even trying. He dances off to the side of the floor and smiles at all the women. Maxine watches our table closely, trying to get Darren’s attention, but he sits texting on his phone.

  “Hey, I gotta take this call. It’s my brother from Texas,” he says, getting up from the table and rushing out the doors with his cell phone pressed to his ear. I watch Maxine’s eyes follow him out.

  Vanessa walks back from the restroom and sits next to me. “Are you ready to go?” she asks, grabbing my hand and standing.

  “Sure. Whatever you want to do.” I lean over and slap Ashton and Craig’s hands as I say goodnight to them.

  I follow Vanessa as she makes her way to the door. We head outside, and hear Darren yelling at his brother through the phone.

  “Listen, I’m not doing that anymore. I mean it! Leave it alone,” he screams.

  Vanessa and I make our way around him, and I give a wave.

  He looks up from the ground as he paces, smiles, and then continues yelling into the phone.

  Meandering through the parking lot, our hands intertwined, we walk over to the Cobra. I help her into the seat. The night is alive in the streets of Palm Beach, and the salty air breezes through her hair. She smiles, and I laugh as she tries to control the flyaway pieces. God, she’s sexy. I slow my car when we near her house and pull into the driveway. She turns to face me.

  “Thank you, I had a great time.” She grins, reaching for her purse and pulling it to her lap. She finds her keys as I open my door and race to her side of the car.

  Opening the door for her, I help her out. We walk side by side to her front steps. On the porch is a gigantic, overpriced flower arrangement. There are roses in it of every color, along with other types of flowers I can’t recognize.

  Vanessa sucks in a deep breath and turns to face me. “Did you do this?”

  “I wish I could say yes, but no. When I get you flowers, believe me, you’ll know they’re from me.” I lean in close as she smiles.

  Her hand lowers to the note that sticks up from the middle of the gaudy flower arrangement.

  It’s on a generic florist shop card. As she reads it, a look of concern crosses her face. She hands me the card, and I see the black print on the page.

  To Vanessa,

  You are mine.

  “So, it looks as if I may have some competition.” I hand her back the note, which she shoves into her purse. Her hand shakes as she puts the key into the lock.

  “No, I don’t think you do, but do I?” she asks, turning around to face me.

  “Wh . . . what?”

  “Are you dating anyone else?”

  My throat constricts, and my mind races. “No.”

  “Are you sure? Wha
t about the girl from the party?”

  “Party? No, I promise, you are it for me.”

  I gaze into her eyes, and their magic blinds me. Her ability to overpower my senses rocks my unstable world. She has to believe me. The girl from the party? Hailey? Oh, hell no.

  She leans in closer as I close my eyes. I taste her lips as they brush against mine. I suck on her bottom lip, and then release my hold on her. “Have a good night.” Then, she smiles and bends down to pick up the vase of flowers.

  “Oh, I will, sweetheart,” I say, walking down the path. After I’ve made sure she is safely inside, I hop in my car and pull out onto the road.

  10

  Vanessa

  I shut the door and press my back against it, as I lift my finger to my lips and sigh. Trace is a fantastic kisser! In fact, his lips are so soft, they make me want to do it again, soon. I was having a wonderful time tonight, until we went to the club. Seeing my friends there made me happy, and I loved dancing with Trace. His muscular arms wrapped tightly around me, moving and swaying our bodies to the music. I felt safe. Seeing Tony there made me a little uncomfortable, though.

  When I left the dance floor in search of the bathroom, the night took a turn for the worse. While I was in the bathroom, a certain brunette entered the room and spoke to me like I was the scum of the earth. She told me she and Trace were an item, and for this reason, I needed to keep my “paws” off him. A few choice words were thrown my way, and then she flung her hair over her shoulders and left the bathroom. I noticed it was the girl from the party, and my good mood left quicker than a bullet from a fired gun. Should I trust him when he said they weren’t dating? Knowing Trace, he doesn’t date anyone, so what are we doing then?

  Every time I close my eyes, I can still feel his lips pressed against mine.

  I read my poem to him. The way he looked at me had made me forget about my insecurities and had made me want to bear my soul to him.

  He is everything I hadn’t expected. I had expected him to want to woo me and try to get frisky before the end of the night. Yet, when things heated up on the boat, he had backed away. I have to admit, I was upset at first, but now I’m glad we slowed things down. Although I could definitely go for more kissing right now.