“I’m too scared,” Gracie whispered.
“Don’t be scared,” David leaned into her. His lips were less than an inch away from hers. She could taste his breath on hers. “You’ve just spent an amazing weekend with your boyfriend, remember?”
Gracie didn’t know what else to say, so she closed the distance between them and pressed her lips against his. His lips were soft and tasted like cinnamon chewing gum. He didn’t pull away when she pressed her tongue in between his teeth. Instead, he opened his mouth to welcome her. She slid across the gear shift of the truck, focusing all her nervous energy into kissing David so hard that neither of them would be able to breathe. He slipped his hands down her shoulders and around her waist, pulling her even closer.
Someone knocked on the window of the truck.
“What the fuck?” David pulled back away from Gracie abruptly.
Gracie cracked open one eye and peered over David’s shoulder. A disappointingly familiar, curly-haired brunette standing outside the driver’s side window of the truck. Gracie buried her head in David’s shoulder, seeking shelter in the comfort of his hot skin pressing against her forehead. “I hate this place,” she whispered. “Get me out of here.”
David twisted to the side, shifting Gracie onto his other shoulder as he used the hand crank to lower his window. “Who the hell are you and what do you want?” He practically spat the words at the girl who was still patiently standing outside the truck, peering in.
“I’m Patty Possier, Colloway Hall’s Senior Resident Adviser.” The brunette addressed herself to David with a distinct tone of superiority. “I’m sorry, but public displays of affection are not permitted on or around the Colloway Hall premises. Y’all are going to have to go somewhere else if you want to behave in a sexual manner.”
“We’re not in Colloway Hall, Patty. We’re in our own truck.” Gracie pulled away from David so that she could glare at Patty Possier, a self-righteous thorn in her side since the day she’d set foot on campus.
“You’re in the parking lot,” Patty said patiently. She appeared slightly embarrassed but Gracie didn’t care. Austin’s death wasn’t the only reason she was less than eager to return to dorm life. “All school buildings and property are considered family-friendly environments. No sexual behavior of any kind will be permitted in any public area. The student handbook clearly states-.”
“I definitely don’t care about the student handbook,” David cut Patty off.
“It doesn’t matter whether or not you care about the handbook,” Patty peered into the truck, “As long as y’all are students here you have to follow the rules.”
“Patty, don’t take this the wrong way, but I don’t care about stupid dorm rules. I’m 18 years old and legally, I can kiss whoever I want, wherever I want.” Gracie laced her fingers back through David’s. “If I want to make out with my boyfriend in the cab of his truck, I’m going to.”
“Not on campus, you won’t.” Patty seemed to remember who she was supposed to be and what she was supposed to be doing. “Gracie, I don’t want to write you up but I will.”
“Write her up for what?” David slid the sunglasses up onto the top of his head, narrowing his eyes at Patty. He put one arm across the edge of the truck’s window, giving Patty a preview of the tattoos that covered most of his torso. Patty took half a step back away from the door. She opened her mouth once and then closed it again abruptly. Gracie almost laughed. Almost.
“Inappropriate sexual behavior,” Patty replied with a slight hesitation in her voice. “You can either stop making out or drive off campus, but I cannot allow you to continue behaving in a sexually deviant manner in an area of campus that is supposed to be a safe learning environment.” She sounded like she was quoting a manual because she was. Patty had a habit of quoting the student handbook anytime she got flustered by the behavior of the girls on her hall.
David turned to face Gracie. “Is she serious?” He jerked his chin in Patty’s direction.
“She can kick me out of the dorm for it,” Gracie told him. “I told you I didn’t want to be here anymore.”
“That’s stupid,” David replied. “Since when are college students not allowed to make out?”
Gracie shrugged her shoulders. Patty surprised them both by answering the question.
“The rule was made so that no one, absolutely no one, will ever feel uncomfortable in the dorm,” she said. “My freshman year here, we had a lesbian girl sharing a room with an extremely Christian girl. The Christian girl complained to Campus Housing about how uncomfortable she felt in her own room whenever her roommate brought her girlfriend over. It wasn’t the first time someone had complained about being made uncomfortable by other student’s sexual behavior. The college’s board of directors decided the easiest way to eliminate problems like this was to ban all sexual behavior from public locations.”
“Explain again how my truck is a public location?” David didn’t look remotely amused.
“You’re parked on campus. I saw y’all making out, which means anyone can see you.” Patty shrugged her bony shoulders, making her lime green shirt slide to one side. “Look, I’m not trying to make problems. I just want everyone to follow the rules. If someone sees y’all making out here and decides to complain to the dean, I’m the one who has to explain why I allowed this type of behavior to occur.”
“You can really write Gracie up for kissing her boyfriend in a truck?” David asked.
“I can. If I catch her again, I will,” Patty spoke the words firmly. “Now I suggest y’all either go somewhere else or get out of the truck and go about your business.”
“Just go away, Patty.” Gracie glared at the other girl. “We’ll do whatever we damn well please.”
“A written reprimand will go in your student file, Gracie.”
It was on the tip of Gracie’s tongue to tell Patty exactly how much she didn’t care about her student file when David nodded at Patty. He squeezed Gracie’s fingers tightly. “I guess we’ll just have to behave ourselves then. Can’t risk baby Gracie getting in trouble.”
“One kiss isn’t worth the formal reprimand,” Patty told them with a small, smug smile. “You’re making the right choice.”
“I’m sure we are,” David smiled back at her. The smile went nowhere near his eyes.
“Well, now that you understand how to behave appropriately, I’ll leave you two lovebirds be.” Patty smiled at Gracie again. “Are you coming to our movie social tonight?”
“Avocado facials with 150 giggling girls and a chick flick?” Gracie rolled her eyes as Patty nodded. “Not a chance.”
“Suit yourself,” Patty said with a small sigh. She turned back to face David. “It was nice to meet you,” she lied. “Have a nice evening.”
“You too,” David shook his head as he rolled the window of the truck back up and smirked at Gracie.
“Are you starting to understand why I hate it here?” Gracie gave David the most pitiful, pleading look that she could manage. “Take me home. Please.”
“If I didn’t think the cops would be looking for you by the end of the week, I would.” David ran one hand through her long hair, playing with the tips of it. He chewed his lower lip for a moment. “That chick was serious about the no sexual contact policy?”
“Very. Patty writes people up all the time. No one wants to be assigned to Colloway Hall because of her.”
Much to Gracie’s surprise, David smiled. “You care if you get written up?”
“Of course not.” Gracie frowned at him. “When have I ever cared if I got written up?”
“True.” David gave her a wicked grin. “Remember when I said that we needed to make sure everyone in this dorm remembered you came back from the weekend with your boyfriend?”
Gracie suddenly had a pretty good idea of where exactly David’s train of thought had derailed. “I’m about to get written up, aren’t I?”
“Damn right. And believe me when I say you’re going to have fun
doing it.”
*
“Pappy, is there any way I can I talk to you alone for a minute?”
Cal’s grandfather looked mildly surprised at the request, but the 82-year-old man pushed his empty pie plate aside and stood up. “Porch?”
Cal nodded and allowed his grandfather to lead the way onto the old porch of the farmhouse. The old man settled down in a thick-bodied rocking chair and gestured for Cal to take the one across from him.
“What’s bothering you, son?”
Cal took a deep breath, unsure how to start the conversation he’d been rehearsing all day. “First off, before I say anything else, I want you to know how much I appreciate all you’ve done for me. Most guys my age don’t have half the things I do. I want you to know that I do realize how lucky I am to have a steady, guaranteed job, and the property y’all gave me for graduation.”
“You’re welcome son,” Pappy said softly. “I’m glad to hear you’re grateful.”
“I’m very grateful,” Cal frowned and wondered if he was making the right choice. This was his last chance to change his mind.
“But?” Pappy cut right to the point.
“I’m bored to tears working in the shop,” Cal admitted. “I don’t want to sound spoiled, but I feel like I need to let you know how I feel now. I’ve been doing a lot of thinking lately, and I just can’t see myself spending the rest of my life running the cash register, ordering supplies, and stocking shelves like Dad has.”
“Is that so?” Pappy’s expression hadn’t changed. He appeared to be more curious than anything as he studied Cal in dim porch light.
“Yes sir.”
“May I ask what it is you do see yourself doing?”
Cal took a deep breath. “I’m not exactly sure yet, but I’ve decided to enroll in some classes at Coastal Community College and start working towards my bachelor’s degree. I’ve really enjoyed drafting and designing my house. I’m thinking I might try going into architecture and design.”
Pappy considered the information Cal had just given him and then nodded. “Are you asking for my permission or are you just making me aware of your plans?” Pappy asked him.
Cal considered for a moment before he responded. “I’m telling you my plans, and hoping you’ll support them.”
“And if I didn’t?” Pappy wondered aloud. “Would that change anything?”
“No sir. I don’t think so,” Cal admitted. “I can’t spend the next 50 years selling PVC pipe. I’ll go crazy.”
Pappy sat quietly for a moment and then the old man smiled.
“So what you’re telling me, grandson, is that I’ve worked my whole life to build a company that would support you and your family in complete and total comfort without ever requiring any real effort from you, and you’ve decided to walk away that cushy life so that you can go work your own rear end off doing something for yourself?”
Cal thought about his Pappy’s words and then nodded in agreement. “Essentially, yeah. That pretty much sums it up.”
Pappy stunned Cal by breaking into a wide, gap-toothed grin. “It’s about time one of y’all showed some sign of ambition.”
“What?” Cal’s jaw nearly hit the ground. Pappy laughed.
“I started that business, and both your daddy and your aunt were perfectly content to ride to success on my coattails. April Lynne will be working in my store for the next 50 years. So will Leroy. I knew from the start that neither one of them had an ounce of ambition, but I honestly wondered about you, Cal. You’re smarter than the rest of them put together. I figured you’d get bored sooner or later. I just wondered if you’d have the guts to go out on your own or if you’d take the easy way out and accept mediocrity like the rest of them.”
“Dad thinks I’m making a stupid decision,” Cal said, unable to keep the relief out of his voice.
“Of course he does,” Pappy snorted. “He’s never worked anywhere but the hardware store his whole life. He’d have a nervous breakdown if he had to do anything else.”
“You think I’m doing the right thing?”
“Absolutely, son. A man’s got to make his own way in life,” Pappy said. “In fact, if you’re serious about taking college classes, I’d be more than happy to pay for them.”
“I can’t thank you enough,” Cal felt as if a tremendous burden had just been lifted off his shoulders. For the first time in a long time, he felt like his life was getting back on track. “That would be great.”
“I’m proud of you, Cal.”
*
“I never thought I liked pink on you, but I think I’ve changed my mind.” David grinned at Gracie, his green eyes flashing in the dim light that was being given off by the chandelier outside the double-door entrance to Colloway Hall.
“I never thought I’d go out in public wearing a dress that was completely see-through and made entirely out of lace.” Gracie glanced down at her own flesh, which was pretty clearly exposed through the clingy, hot pink fabric. “Mom was right; you are a bad influence on me.”
“You know it.” David held his arms out wide, showing off his incredibly well-toned abdomen. He’d bought a black leather Harley Davidson vest during their impromptu detour to University Mall. He was wearing it without anything underneath. He was all toned muscle and tattoos.
Gracie still didn’t think he looked as good as Cal did, but she doubted there were very many girls who would agree with her. David Breedlove was a sight worth seeing when he took his shirt off. “You look yummy,” she told him.
“Good. Now comes the fun part,” he smirked at her. “Now you get to eat me alive.”
“David, we aren’t going to be able to undo this once we start doing it.” Gracie took a deep breath. “If I get expelled, you have to take me home.”
“You’re not going to get expelled.” He threw his head back and laughed. “Believe me, Gracie Jayne, you don’t get thrown out of school just for making out with a guy. Hell, I can’t believe it’s against the rules.”
“Me neither,” Gracie admitted as she wrapped both of her arms around his neck. She wasn’t used to being tall enough to look him directly in the eyes without looking up at him. The cheap pink plastic high heels she was wearing had eliminated their 3-inch height difference. The whiskey he’d given her in the truck had drowned the self-consciousness she’d felt when he’d first talked her into playing show and tell in front of the entire dorm. “Are you sure this is going to work?”
“Thirty minutes from now, no one is going to remember you were supposed to go on a date with old what’s-his-name last Friday night. No one. The only thing they’re going to remember is what you look like with your tongue down my throat.” He licked the corner of his lip and grinned at her. “Come on, Gracie. Let’s give these goody-goodies a show they’ll remember.”
He pressed his lips to hers before she had a chance to hesitate. His lips were forceful and Gracie opened her mouth for him without thinking about the implications of everything they were about to do. As she leaned into David, he ran his fingers through her hair and opened the door that would lead them into the main recreational room of Colloway Hall.
Over 100 girls were lounging on various couches, chairs, bean bags and pillows. Roughly half of them were watching the large projection screen at the far end of the room. Most of them had green goop smeared across their foreheads, chins and cheeks. A third of them stopped what they were doing and stared when David and Gracie spilled into the room, her tongue so far down his throat that she wondered if he would choke on it.
David grabbed her by the hips and lifted her into him, making it easy for her to wrap her legs around his thighs. He pinned her against the wall with his body, breathing heavy as Gracie focused all of her attention on kissing him. So long as she didn’t stop kissing him, none of this could possibly be real.
“Oh. No. No, no no. Absolutely not!” An official sounding voice broke into Gracie’s concentration. Someone started laughing.
Gracie started to pull away
but David pulled her back to him. He kissed her deeply and with a passion Gracie hadn’t thought he was capable of. She tangled her fingertips in his shaggy brown hair.
“Excuse me! You two! No, no! This is not appropriate behavior!”
David let out a low laugh under his breath as he broke the kiss, leaving Gracie feeling exposed with swollen lips. She eased her legs back down his thighs. He held her steady as a chubby girl who Gracie recognized as one of the 4th floor resident advisers came stumbling across the room at them, shaking her fist angrily. The girl had green goo all over her face.
“What do you think you two are doing?” The girl demanded.
David looked over at Gracie, his eyes sparkling with genuine amusement. “What do you think we were doing?” he asked the girl.
“No. No. No.” The girl kept shaking her head. “You two know the rules on sexual behavior and you cannot just come in here acting like-.”
“Gracie, I am so disappointed in you.” Patty had appeared to their left.
Someone turned all the lights on. Gracie was suddenly extremely aware of exactly how much skin her dress was showing. Every eye in the room was turned to them. David had one arm around her waist. He used it to pull her closer to him and then he winked at her as he slid his hand down her side and made a very public show of grabbing her butt.
“We’re over 18. We’re legal adults. We can make love anytime we want to,” David told Patty. He was having entirely too much fun with this, in Gracie’s opinion.
“Maybe, but you can’t make love anywhere you want to,” the chubby girl told him angrily.
“I’d love to see you try and stop me,” David replied as he turned his attentions back to Gracie. He wasn’t gentle as he pressed his lips back against hers. She kissed him back because she had no idea how not to. He’d pushed the charade much, much further than Gracie had ever imagined going with it. The crowd of girls who were watching them let out a combination of catcalls, whistles and cheers.
“No! Stop it! Stop! You can’t do that here!”
Gracie twisted to look at the chubby RA. The girl’s face was set in a firm scowl of disapproval. Gracie, for some unknown reason, suddenly found the girl’s anger hilarious. She burst into giggles without meaning to.
Feeding Gators: Book 1 in the Shiner's Bayou Series Page 22