Single Mom's Protector - Complete Series

by Nella Tyler

  “Want to go to lunch? I’m going down there with Nicole.” There was a moment of silence.

  “Yeah, sure,” Andy called back the next moment. I heard him go back into his room and gathered up my keys, my wallet with my ID in it. I checked the time; I would need to head back up and start studying as soon as I could, but I thought I could spare at least about an hour. And hadn’t Alex been on me about finding a girl that would inspire me to do something other than studying all the time? I was just following his advice.

  Andy and I headed down and out of the building, and I walked across the courtyard to the next building down, the one that Nicole’s dorm was in. After a few minutes, she appeared at the entrance with her roommate Ashley at her side, and I thanked god that I’d gotten Andy to come with me.

  “Hey, Ashley—this is my roommate, Andy,” I said to the other girl, pointing to Andy.

  “Hi, Andy,” Ashley said, smiling at him. Nicole met my gaze and we both grinned at each other: it was kind of perfect in a way.

  “I, for one, am starving,” I said. “Let’s get across campus before I pass out from hunger.” Ashley and Andy fell into step together and I took advantage of the moment to put my arm around Nicole.

  “Anyone looking at us would think this was a double date,” Nicole said, glancing up at me as we walked across campus together.

  “It kind of is,” I pointed out. “Is Ashley single?”

  “I think so,” Nicole replied, frowning in thought. “I’m not 100% on it though. She keeps things from me.”

  “Terrible habit for a roommate,” I said, shaking my head. “Andy just got out of a relationship like…the month before the semester started. So if Ashley is single, it would be kind of perfect.”

  “Oh god, think of how cheesy it would sound, though,” Nicole said, shaking her head and grinning. “Though that’s reason enough to try and set them up.”

  “Let’s see how they do over lunch,” I suggested.

  We’d gotten to the dining hall right at the beginning of lunch; since it was the weekend, there weren’t very many people waiting in line. Ashley and Andy seemed to be hitting it off pretty well, from what I could see while we took our turns scanning our ID cards. The food wasn’t half bad—or maybe I was feeling more optimistic about it than usual, with Nicole at my side.

  We wandered around the serving area, looking at all the options, and both of us settled on a hamburger and fries. I grabbed a salad to go with mine, and Nicole got soup and some of the steamed vegetables. Ashley and Andy caught up to us when we got to the drinks station, still talking about some TV show they both were into.

  “I’m just saying the earlier seasons were better,” Ashley told Andy, grabbing a cup and putting it under the tap for the Dr. Pepper. “I feel like they’re not even trying to keep it in the story anymore.”

  “Well it’s been around for ten seasons,” Andy countered. “Things start to go kind of crazy when you’ve already covered all the normal stuff.”

  “What are they talking about?” I looked at Nicole. She snorted.

  “I guarantee you it’s probably Bones,” she said, sighing. “Ashley’s obsessed with it.”

  “It’s a good show!” I shook my head and we all went into the dining room with our trays, looking around for a table. Since it wasn’t that busy, in a matter of a few seconds we were all making a beeline for one of the smaller tables next to the windows. I sat down across from Nicole, and Andy sat across from Ashley.

  “Can we talk about something else?” I looked at the other couple at the table. “I have no idea what either of you are talking about.”

  “What are you up to this weekend?” I shrugged in response to Nicole’s question.

  “Mostly studying,” I told her. “I’ve got a huge test on Monday to look forward to. You?”

  “The same,” Nicole said grimly. “On the plus side, since I am no closer to understanding the chapter in Psych than I was before Game Night happened, Ashley has to help me with it.” We started comparing classes, talking about professors and the different TAs everyone was stuck with.

  “Man—if you’ve got Peters, then you need to absolutely make it to every class,” Andy told Nicole. “She cares more about attendance and trying than about the actual work you put out, so as long as you at least make an effort you should get through it okay.”

  “I swear,” Nicole said, shaking her head. “I feel like I’m absolutely hopeless some days. Everyone else has their majors all picked out and I still have no idea what I want to do.”

  “That’s not a big deal,” I told Nicole. “Andy didn’t settle on his major until last year. He bounced from Physics to pre-med before finally deciding that he was going to study up on computer programming and launch his own app company when he graduates.”

  “I keep telling her,” Ashley said, pushing her plate aside as she finished her tuna melt, “that she just has to figure out what gets her excited, and then she’ll know what she wants to major in.”

  “That would help if I didn’t feel like I was probably going to fail all of my classes except for Introduction to Academic Life,” Nicole said, rolling her eyes. “And even then I’m not sure I’ll do better than a C.”

  “They practically hand out As on a silver platter for that one,” I told her. “That can be your GPA buffer. Just show up, write the paper at the end of the semester, and you’ll get the A. I promise.”

  I found myself slowing down, getting some more food not because I was hungry but because I wanted an excuse to spend more time with Nicole. When I got a refill on my soda I shook my head to myself, looking out through the entryway that led between the serving area and the dining room.

  Nicole looked utterly cute and hot at the same time, in a pair of jeans that fit her like a glove, and a t-shirt for a local band. She’d bundled up her hair into a beanie and I wanted to come up behind her and kiss the back of her neck.

  I couldn’t stall forever, and I knew that I had to get to studying. When I absolutely couldn’t eat anymore, we all brought our trays to the return hatch. As soon as Nicole’s hands were free I grabbed one of them, giving it a squeeze as we walked across the dining hall to the exit.

  Andy and Ashley had gone back to debating their favorite TV show as we walked across campus and back to the dorm buildings. “I think they’re at least going to be show-buddies,” I told Nicole, looking at my roommate and hers with a grin.

  “Oh then it’s only a matter of time,” she said in a quiet voice, almost giggling. “They’ll end up making out while they watch a rerun and then it’ll be all over.”

  “We can go on real double dates with them, then,” I pointed out. “Not a bad deal.”

  No matter how slowly I tried to walk, I couldn’t walk forever; we got to the dorm buildings and Andy and Ashley parted ways with a quick hug. Andy called out that he was going to the Library to pick up some books he’d taken out on Inter-Library Loan. Nicole and I were finally alone for the first time since we’d met up.

  “I wish I didn’t have to study,” I told her, shaking my head. “But I have to graduate on time—and if I don’t pass this test I’ll probably end up having to re-take the class.”

  “No—it’s fine,” Nicole said, smiling as she looked up at me. “I have to study too.” I hesitated for just a second and then I leaned in, kissing her on the lips.

  Nicole wrapped her arms around my shoulders and kissed me back, pressing her body against mine and opening her mouth before I even tested the waters with my tongue. I lost all track of time as we stood there, kissing, and I didn’t even want to be aware of the time—I just wanted to stay there with her, or maybe go up to her room.

  But eventually I knew I had to stop. I broke away and smiled down at Nicole. “We have to go out again soon,” I told her, kissing her forehead quickly and letting her go.

  “Absolutely,” Nicole agreed. I gave her hand another quick squeeze and then stepped back.

  “I’ll text you later, and we’ll see how we’
re both doing.” Nicole nodded and I made myself walk away from her in spite of everything in me telling me that I should stay, and keep kissing her.

  I walked back to my dorm, trying to focus my mind on the studying I had to do; but I couldn’t wait for our next date.

  Chapter Seven

  Ashley worked with me for thirty minutes after we got back from lunch, giving me some hints and explanations for what I was trying to understand in Psychology. I started to feel a little bit better about it, and thought that maybe—just maybe—a little more studying would get the material into my head. But I kept thinking about Ty: how cute he was, how sweet he was, and how much I wanted to see him again.

  “What do you think of Ty?” Ashley looked up from her own study materials.

  “His roommate is kind of cute,” she said, shrugging with a little grin. “And I mean, Ty is totally just—completely into you.”

  “Do you think so?” I smiled, blushing.

  “Oh yeah. It’s obvious. He wants you bad, girl.” I snorted.

  “Should I have let him go ahead last night?” Ashley shrugged.

  “If you didn’t feel comfortable with it, then no. You shouldn’t ever do something with a guy just because you think that they expect it from you.” She looked at me more closely. “Did he give you a hard time about it?”

  “Oh, no.” I shook my head. “He was really, really sweet about it. He said he never wants me to feel pressured or uncomfortable or anything like that.”

  “In that case, he’s golden,” Ashley said. “And going to lunch with you less than a day after the first date is a good sign.” We chatted about lunch for a little while longer, but Ashley had to go off campus to get something for one of her classes. As soon as she was gone, I took my phone out.

  I told myself that Ty and I had agreed to check in on each other later; it wouldn’t be a terrible thing if I texted him first. I took a deep breath to steady my nerves and opened up my messenger app, pulling up my conversation from earlier with Ty.

  I had no idea why I felt so nervous, but I did; I thought I’d just send a quick little text—something he could ignore if he felt like it, and not too needy.

  How’s studying going? I added a book emoji and tapped send. I tried to go back to my own studying but I knew I was just waiting to see if my phone would buzz, if Ty would reply to me quickly or if he was too busy or didn’t care enough.

  Just when I was starting to feel stupid about even waiting, my phone buzzed on the table and I snatched it up, almost dropping it in the process.

  Slowly! I swear they must make these textbooks boring on purpose. How about you? I thought about the question for a minute. I did feel like I was closer to understanding the material I was supposed to know for the next class—but I was also dreading the possibility that in learning the new material I might have forgotten some of the old stuff. Even worse: I thought I might be totally wrong about understanding it.

  Brains are so weird, I wrote back. I now know for sure that I am never going to take another psychology class for the rest of my life. I tapped send, and then immediately wondered if it sounded too much like I was whining. I told myself I couldn’t go back in time and take it back, and if I sent another text it would look weird.

  I barely got out of my own psych class alive, so don’t feel bad, Ty wrote back, and I smiled to myself.

  How do you get through your studying sessions? Music or TV? Ashley had left NCIS playing on the TV in our room, but I didn’t mind; it was really just background noise.

  Either one. I can’t study in a completely quiet room! It drives me crazy. I chuckled, imagining Ty trying to study somewhere like the Library and eventually knocking over bookshelves just to make some noise. I wrote the idea back to him. I totally would! You’re right about that. Are you watching TV?

  I told him I was, and he asked what show; I told him what Ashley had put on, and he and I started texting back and forth about the episode, comparing our thoughts. There was a romance scene in the episode and at first we started making fun of it, but then it was like it had been the night before at the fair: we actually started getting into the idea. If I worked in a lab like that, I’d love it if someone surprised me in the middle of the workday with a little picnic in a closet, I wrote to Ty.

  I will totally keep that in mind, he wrote back. Let me know when you take Biology and Bio Lab. I snickered at the idea of Ty surprising me with a picnic in the Biology Lab closet; I didn’t think that would go over too well with the administration.

  I don’t think they’d let us get away with that. But I’m pretty sure we wouldn’t be the first ones to make out in that closet. I was tingling all over, watching the scene in front of me on the TV and imagining what it would be like if it was Ty and I instead of the actors in the show.

  What do you think it would take to get in real trouble? Making out…or would we have to do more? I licked my lips, already starting to get a little turned on.

  What did you have in mind? My throat felt tight and dry, and I remembered the way I’d almost given into the temptation to have sex with Ty the night before. I told myself that it would be good to know what he thought about sex before we actually did the deed—I was just being conscientious.

  Well hopefully it wouldn’t be our first time together, Ty wrote. So assuming that it wasn’t, I’d probably text you to tell you to meet me in the closet, and once we were in there, I’d start with kissing you. My heart beat faster in my chest and I could feel my pussy starting to get just a little bit wet, my body heating up bit by bit. I asked him what he’d do after that. I’d hope that you were wearing a skirt or a dress. It’d be a little weird to get totally naked in the closet, right? I giggled at that.

  Yeah, it would be kind of bad to get caught with both of us naked, I agreed. Maybe if I knew in advance that you were going to seduce me, I could wear a skirt and no panties underneath. My cheeks burned with a blush but I made myself send the text anyway. My heart pounded in my chest as I waited for his reaction.

  Oh god that’s so hot. I grinned at the response I got from Ty. Another text popped up while I was still reacting. One of these days if we ever get around to having sex, we have to do that. God. I’m picturing you in that closet, up against the shelves…you are evil! I giggled again and put my phone aside for a moment, breathing slowly to keep my own arousal from driving me out of my mind. I scrubbed at my face. My body was burning up, I was already so turned on; I wasn’t even pretending to look at my book anymore, and I wasn’t even really paying attention to the TV show. My phone buzzed on my lap and I picked it up, looking down at my screen. Do you want to come over here and study? I’m feeling a bit lonely in spite of the TV and the texts.

  I thought about it. Part of my brain screamed out that I would be absolutely stupid if I didn’t take the invitation. But the responsible part of my head told me that I’d be insane if I did take it. There was no way that Ty only had studying in mind, not after the conversation we’d been having. If I went over there, he’d almost certainly make a move on me, and I was pretty sure I’d let him, without even thinking about it. Even if I didn’t want to actually get studying done, I wasn’t sure if I was entirely ready to have sex with him yet.

  I cringed as I wrote my response to his question. I know good and damn well that we wouldn’t get any studying done at all! But once I’ve got this all down, I wouldn’t mind coming over to “study” sometimes. I took a deep breath and tapped send, hoping that I wasn’t totally ruining any and all chances I had with Ty. I didn’t want him to think I was some prude who would never put out; but I didn’t want him to think I was easy, either. And I didn’t want to think that of myself.

  You’re totally right, Ty wrote me back. Let’s both get really good studying in now so we can fool around later. I smiled with relief at the fact that at least Ty wasn’t offended by me turning down his invitation.

  Yes! I bit my lip as I typed out my response, adding, How about on Monday, once you’ve got the test behind you?
Ty texted back that he thought that sounded like a great idea, and I set my phone aside. I was hot all over, tingling from head to toe; I was never going to get any studying done when I was distracted like that. I put my books aside and went into my room to grab my towel and bathrobe, and then I stepped into the shower and turned the water on.

  The cold water that blasted me was the farthest thing from comfortable that I could imagine, but it did the trick within a few minutes, cooling me off. I was definitely looking forward to my date with Ty, and I thought that maybe—just maybe—I’d give into temptation the next time, if the opportunity came up.

  Chapter Eight

  Monday afternoon, I got my exam done as quickly as I possibly could; I knew I’d be seeing Nicole again that night, and I wanted to hurry through the day as much as possible, to get to the part of the day where we would be spending time together. I had made plans for us again, and I thought that maybe for the third date—if the second date went well—I’d open it up to Nicole to pick where we went. I’d called a restaurant that I used to work at in my sophomore year and got reservations for us; Monday nights were never all that busy when I was working there, so I figured it would be pretty easy to get a table. I’d been right; they were happy to have me in.

  I texted Nicole to make sure she was still going to be able to go out with me that night, and when she sent me a picture of her smiling into the camera in response, I got back to the dorms as quickly as I could and started getting ready to go out. I took a shower and checked on my bank account. Since I’d been to the restaurant before once as a customer, I knew I didn’t have to make myself crazy dressing up—and I texted Nicole to tell her that we would be going to dinner, and that she didn’t have to stress out too much, either.

  I changed into a pair of black pants and a dress shirt, and counted down the minutes until I could walk over to Nicole’s dorm to pick her up. I debated getting in my car and driving to the grocery store to buy her flowers; part of me thought it would almost certainly demonstrate how much I liked her and wanted to get even closer to her, but another part thought she would probably think it was hokey and lame. I told myself that I’d find a reason to get her flowers for another date, when I found out if she even liked flowers—and if she did, which ones she liked.