So, That Got Weird: A Painfully Awkward Love Story (So Far, So Good Book 1)

by Amelia Kingston

  “Jackie,” she offers by way of explanation. Bless Jackie and her influence over Elizabeth’s wardrobe. I’m not sure which I appreciate more, that black dress or my jersey.

  Turning my attention to Devin, I give him a quick fist-bump.

  “Thanks for coming, man. You heading to the after-party with us?” I ask him as I wrap my arm around Elizabeth. He never comes, says it isn’t his scene, but I always extend the invite anyway.

  Elizabeth answers before he can. “After-party? It’s kind of late. I was just planning on going home.”

  No way is she weaseling out of this one. I played an awesome fucking game and I’m in the mood to celebrate. And I want her by my side while I do.

  “Oooooh, no, you don’t. You owe me after ripping my curtains off the wall,” I tell her with a teasing grin.

  Devin gives us both a confused look. Elizabeth doesn’t seem the destructive drunk type, but, alas, my wall tells a different story.

  “Don’t worry, we can pretend you aren’t invited if that makes you more comfortable,” I chide her, earning me a playful slap on the shoulder.

  “Princess!” Montgomery’s voice booms across the field, souring my mood. “Glad you could make it.”

  I move to confront him, but Elizabeth holds me back, clinging to my side.

  “I’m glad I made it too,” she chirps before turning to me and adding, “You were amazing out there tonight.”

  Monte chuckles. “Yeah, you really know how to take a pounding, Jacobs.” He winks at Elizabeth.

  I’m going to end this fucker. Right here. Right now.

  With more precision than the finest surgeon, Elizabeth tells him, “Jealousy isn’t attractive. Seems the rumors are true.” She looks over at Devin and with mock pity deadpans, “Giant ego. Tiny penis. Couldn’t make a woman come with both hands and a map where G marks the spot.” Devin nods with a smile and I can’t hold back a laugh, pulling Elizabeth tighter against me. Turning back to Monte, whose jaw is in the dirt and eyes are wide with shock, she adds, “Word of advice—you can either be an asshole or be shit at sex. Not both. A man has to have some redeeming quality, after all. Now, if you will excuse us, we have celebrating to do and an after-party to attend.”

  With a hair-toss and defiant strut, Elizabeth makes a grand exit leaving Devin, Montgomery and me dumbstruck. So long Dr. Timid. Ms. Feisty just gives me a raging hard-on.

  * * * *

  The house is packed tonight, busting at the seams. There’s always an extra buzz after we win one at home. Everyone is a bit more pumped, more eager to let loose. A drink in one hand and a tight ass in the other. These nights it’s stupidly easy to get laid. Half the girls on campus are here, wearing next to nothing and giggling like lunatics. They’re on the hunt for jock cock.

  Three sorority chicks have cleared a bit of space in the middle of the living room, dancing as half the team watches. The music is cranked up, some obnoxious pop shit that has them shaking what their mama gave them. They eye-fuck the shit out of me as I push through the crowd of gawkers on my way back from the kitchen. I could have any one of them if I wanted. Maybe even all three. I don’t bother giving them a second glance.

  I hand Devin a beer, eyeing the front door. I let Elizabeth drive herself home with the promise that she’d catch an Uber over to my place for the party. That was about forty-five minutes ago. She should be here by now and I’m getting pissy about it. This party has all the pussy and booze a guy could ask for, but sitting here waiting on Elizabeth it’s just a hot, crowded, noisy prison.

  “What’s up with you two?” Devin asks. I don’t need to ask who he’s talking about. The only reason he agreed to come tonight was to grill me about Elizabeth.

  “Nothing. She’s just a friend,” I answer, forcing myself to drag my eyes away from the front door.

  “You sticking your tongue down your friends’ throats now? Fair warning, I had onions for dinner.”

  “Fuck off. It’s complicated.”

  “No shit. You need to be careful with that girl,” Devin warns in his big brother voice.

  “Still afraid I’m going to break her? Don’t worry, she’s tougher than she seems.”

  “No doubt. I’m more worried about her breaking you, bro. I saw the look on your face when you caught her in the stands tonight.”

  I’m in no mood to have this conversation with him. Luckily, Jessie decides to interrupt us. Unlike most of the other girls, she is fully clothed, albeit in a tight T-shirt with the school’s mascot and jeans that hug her in all the right places. She doesn’t need to play it up and I can respect that.

  “Hey, Austin. Who’s your friend?” she asks me, but her eyes are devouring Devin. He takes a long drag of his beer, happy to let her get an eyeful but not bothering to introduce himself.

  “This is Devin. Rhymes with heaven, but he’s closer to the devil,” I sing with a wide grin. It’s not the first time I’ve used that line. Devin fucking hates it, which is about ninety-nine percent of why I say it. He glares at me and I can’t help but laugh. Jessie is oblivious. She hasn’t taken her eyes off Devin.

  I’m yesterday’s news.

  “I’m Jessica. Jessie,” she coos with a sweet smile. “Are you a transfer? I don’t think I’ve seen you on campus before.”

  “Not a student.” His answer isn’t even a complete sentence. He stares at her impassively. He’s my friend, but he’s also a prick.

  Jessie is undeterred. “Just visiting? It’s an awesome campus. I can show you around sometime if you want. How long are you going to be here for?”

  Devin shrugs. Jesus, he’s impossible. How the hell does he ever get laid?

  “Devin’s a local boy. But I’m sure he’d love to be shown around some of your sights.”

  Devin doesn’t appreciate my insinuation, judging by his glare, but Jessie doesn’t seem to notice. A loud crash draws our attention to the center of the living room where some guy just took a swan dive off the pool table. In the packed space, it causes a chain reaction of people falling like dominoes. The human wreckage sends Jessie tumbling into Devin’s lap. He wraps a steadying arm around her, pulling her against him and sheltering her from the spilt drinks raining down where she was just standing.

  “Thanks,” Jessie purrs at Devin as she tucks a strand of blonde hair behind her ear. She’s smiling from ear to ear, a total goner.

  Devin just huffs, but he hasn’t taken his hands off her. He glances at me, catching the satisfied smile on my lips. I’m about to spit out another one-liner when a quick nod from Devin sends my gaze searching the other side of the room. I spot Elizabeth quickly. Some guy has his arm wrapped around her waist, whispering in her ear. What’s fucking worse, she’s smiling.

  Fuck no.

  I cross the room in a matter of seconds, not caring who I shove out of the way to get to her.

  “Austin,” she calls out happily as soon as she sees me. It’s too late, my blood is already boiling.

  I turn to the guy, who wisely drops his arm from her waist and takes a step back.

  I step into his space and growl, “Fuck off.” Thankfully, he does. I don’t need to go to jail for cracking some guy’s jaw tonight.

  Elizabeth glares at me. I snake my arm around her waist and pull her against me. I don’t just kiss her, I claim her. It’s rough and dominant. She bends to my will, following my lead.

  Over the loud music I hear the din of voices surrounding us. Whisper-shouts of “Who’s she?” and “Are they together?” swirl around us. The crowd has cleared a small space, everyone keeping a distance. Watching. We’re on display. I’ve made us a spectacle.

  A spike of guilt shoots through me when I see Elizabeth wilting under so many questioning eyes. She hunches her shoulders and curls into me, trying to hide. Her face is flushed and her eyes are pleading.

  “Follow me,” I command, jealousy swirling in my veins. I take her hand and lead her back to my room. She doesn’t object.

  I close the door and pin her against it, c
aging her in my arms.

  “What took you so long?” I temper my harsh words with soft kisses on her neck.

  “I got a call from my father.” There’s a fragility in her voice that calms me a bit.

  “What did he want?” I ask.

  “To scold me for taking off last weekend.”

  I stifle the groan rising in my throat. Richard Wilde is a dick. I change the subject, not wanting to rehash the fight about her family.

  “And who was that guy?” I demand, pulling her bottom lip into my mouth.

  I grab her thighs, lifting her off the ground. She doesn’t miss a beat, wrapping her legs around me. Her hips are even with mine now. I grind against her, making sure she feels how hard my cock is.

  “No one. Just a guy from one of my classes.” Her voice is shaky from desire. She’s breathing heavily.

  “You seemed chummy,” I push.

  “The room was loud…” Her explanation trails off as my hands roam her body, teasing her nipples through the fabric of her shirt. She moans in my ear, driving me crazy.

  “I missed you,” I accidentally confess. “I love seeing you in my jersey.”

  “I can tell,” she says with a giggle that goes straight to my dick.

  “Fuck, I need to be inside you. Now.” I pull away from her, setting her back down on her feet, but keeping her pinned to the door. She kicks off her shoes and I kneel, peeling off her pants and panties all at once. The hem of the long jersey is the only thing between me and her naked pussy. I drag it up slowly, revealing heaven before my eyes. I kiss her hip as I drag my fingers up the inside of her thigh. She grabs my shoulder and moans.

  My desire to fuck her takes a back seat to wanting to taste her. I glide my fingers along her silky folds, feeling how wet she is. Fucking drenched. I slide two fingers inside her tight pussy, curling them against the spot that drives her crazy.

  “Austin,” she whimpers. The sound of my name on her lips make my cock harder. Kneeling in front of her, I lift her leg onto my shoulder, opening her more for me.

  “Did you miss me too, Goose?” I ask, working her pussy with my fingers. She nods. “Say it.”

  “I missed you.”

  I reward her with a slow lick, ending at her clit. I tease her with lazy circles, making her desperate.

  “Please, Austin.” I love the sound of her need.

  I relent and flick the little bundle of nerves with my tongue while I keep pumping my fingers in and out of her. It only takes a few seconds for her to come against my face, screaming my name. It’s the sexiest thing in the world. I will never get sick of making this woman come.

  I don’t wait for her to recover from her first orgasm, knowing she’s not done for the night. I stand up, unbuckle my belt and drop my pants to the floor. I grab her hips and spin her around. Her hands slap against the door as I press a hand into her back to bend her forward. I kick her feet apart and glide a finger against her overstimulated clit.

  I’m rougher than I’ve been before, but her heavy breathing and gentle moans tell me she’s enjoying it. I need her to know she’s still in control.

  “It’s okay to tell me to stop.”

  “I know,” she acknowledges but doesn’t say more.

  Game on.

  I grab her hips and in one hard thrust I bury myself balls-deep inside her. I pull out slowly, knowing she loves my head dragging against the walls of her pussy, before slamming back into her.

  Her moans get louder as my pace gets faster. I should tell her to be quiet, but I don’t. I love knowing anyone in the hallway can hear her calling my name. That they know she’s mine.

  I grab a fistful of the jersey, getting leverage to take her harder and faster. The bedroom is filled with the sound of our bodies slamming together. I lose myself in the ecstasy of her tight pussy wrapped around me.

  I lean forward, pressing my chest to her back, and tell her, “I want to hear you come. I want to feel you.” I slip my hand between her thighs, and a few quick strokes on her clit is all it takes. She’s writhing against me, moaning my name, her pussy squeezing my cock. It’s fucking glorious. I grab her hips and fuck her with everything I have. I claim her, coming inside her until my knees go weak.

  I drop my head between her shoulders, trying to catch my breath.

  I kiss her neck, below her ear, and whisper, “That was amazing.”

  Wrapping my arm around her waist, I lift her tiny body and carry her to the bed. I pull my shirt off and clean myself up.

  “You’re amazing,” she hums, catching her breath.

  “Yeah, worth every penny?” I quip as I climb into bed next to her. She winces at the comment.

  Jesus, I’m an asshole.

  “I didn’t mean…” Her embarrassed voice trails off.

  “Make sure to leave a positive review on scoreyourscore.com.” I can’t shut up. “Best boy toy on campus.”

  She cringes.

  “You’re more than that.”

  Our heads share a pillow as I stare into her eyes. Lying next to her, but not touching her, is a strange new kind of intimacy.

  “Oh, yeah? And, what’s so amazing about me?” I ask softly, legitimately curious.

  “You’re everything I’m not and wish I were.” She places her hand over my heart and it beats faster in response. “You’re fearless and strong. You’re confident and clever.”

  I shake my head in disbelief. I search for the sarcasm in her voice but can’t find anything but pure sincerity. I place my hand over hers and try to swallow past the knot of self-doubt in my throat.

  She nods with a smile and continues, “Life gave you nothing. You’re here through sheer willpower. Do you know how intimidating that is? You’re kind of my hero.” Her cheeks flush and she bites her lower lip. She drops her chin to her chest, but I’ve already seen the tears forming in her chocolate eyes.

  I’m nothing special. A nobody. I’ve spent most of my life just trying to get by, surviving with the mangled pieces of myself I could cobble together. Now this weird little goddess crashes into my life and calls me her hero. Suddenly, I’m standing on the edge of a cliff, staring down into the abyss. The fear of falling is as exhilarating as it is terrifying. I know in my head I need to step back, but I can’t force myself to pull away.

  Reaching out, I wrap my arms around Elizabeth. A bizarre warmth radiates from where her palm presses into my chest. Not the fleeting burn of passion or lust, but a searing ache deep inside. Something is changing between us. She’s reaching into me, exchanging one of my broken pieces for a pristine one of hers, and stitching us together in some permanent way. I didn’t let her in, but she made it here anyway.

  I brush back a strand of hair and lift her chin. My gaze traces up her beautiful, innocent face, pausing at her soft pink lips before settling on her gentle eyes. My heart soars at the simple acceptance I find in them. My breath catches in my throat. I trace the curve of her full bottom lip with my thumb, my pulse quickening as desire surges through me. I want to be her hero. I kiss her fiercely, with everything I am. With everything she believes I could be.

  This girl shatters me.

  She gives me hope that the world isn’t exclusively pain and shit.

  * * * *

  This time when I wake up with Elizabeth curled up underneath me, I shamelessly cuddle the shit out of her. I squeeze her into my chest and nuzzle against her neck until her grumpy morning voice chastises me.

  “It’s too early. Go back to sleeeeeeep,” she whines.

  “Too late. I’m up. And I’m hungry.” I hop out of bed, toss off the covers and give her naked ass a quick slap.

  “Aaauuustiiiiin,” she cries.

  “Damn, you are whiny in the mornings! Come on, Goose. Get up. I’m going to teach you how to make breakfast.”

  After fifteen minutes of cajoling and another fifteen of making out and groping while trying to get dressed, I finally get Elizabeth Wilde right where I want her. In my kitchen.

  “Crack two eggs into a bowl
and whisk them together,” I instruct from behind her, lazily holding her hips.

  “Like this?” she asks, tapping the egg on the side of the bowl.

  “A little harder,” I sing into her ear as I brush my lips against her neck.

  “Austin…” she murmurs as she twists slightly to have her lips meet mine.

  “Aren’t you two domestic as fuck,” Drew groans, making his way into the kitchen.

  Startled, Elizabeth gasps, jumps a foot in the air and crushes the egg in her hand. I pull away from her and lean against the far counter. Elizabeth rushes to the sink, dripping yolk across the floor. I cross my arms and glare at Drew. Three’s a crowd, dick.

  Swallowing a mouthful of milk straight from the carton, he elbows me and asks, “This going to be a regular thing then?”

  I gaze at Elizabeth, scrubbing her hands like she’s preparing for brain surgery. I take her in, head to toe. Her hair is a fucking mess. She’s wearing my jersey, wrinkled from being tossed on the floor last night. The pair of gym shorts she borrowed are rolled over half a dozen times and still fall to mid-calf. One sock is pulled up to her knee and the other is slumped at her ankle. They’re black with strings of white ones and zeros. She’s a beautiful disaster. Yeah, I could get used to this being a regular thing.

  Drew doesn’t need to know that. I hide my grin and give him a noncommittal shrug.

  He grabs a banana and a jar of peanut butter before heading to the living room with a dismissive, “Whatever, man. Better keep her away from Monte.”

  I growl. Monte better keep away from her.

  Elizabeth dries off her hands and faces me now that Drew’s gone. Tucking a nonexistent hair behind her ear, she gestures toward my bedroom and says, “I should get going.”

  “Why?” I shove off the counter and step in front of her, blocking her retreat.

  “Your roommates. I don’t think they want me here.”

  “Who cares what they want?”

  She tugs at the hem of her shirt and doesn’t look at me. “Don’t you care what they think?”