by Laura Pavlov
“I turned him down. He was nice about it. You’re the only one acting crazy.” She turned angrily and stormed to the door.
I wrapped my hand around her small wrist as my chest crashed into her back. She whipped around and her back pressed against the door. Her breaths coming hard and fast, chest rising and falling, and I couldn’t pull my gaze away. She was fucking gorgeous.
“Your nipples weren’t hard when you were talking to that asshat.” My breathing was out of control, and I couldn’t get close enough. I leaned forward, my lips so close to hers I could taste all that sweetness and my tongue ached to dip inside. “They didn’t go hard until you were looking at me. Why do you think that is?”
She searched my gaze, and warm breath tickled my cheek. Her hands came up and fisted my T-shirt. “I don’t know.” Her words were breathy and laced with need, and my dick throbbed against my zipper, desperate for more than just the fantasy of this girl. To touch her. Taste her. Feel every soft curve.
My hand slid up her body and my thumb traced over one hard peak and she gasped. Her eyes closed and her head fell back. I doubted Gigi had ever been touched. I didn’t know for sure, but I got the feeling she’d never allowed anyone access to her sweet body. And she certainly shouldn’t now.
I nipped at her bottom lip because I just needed a taste. Something to hold me over. My hand cupped her perfect tit, and it fit there like it belonged there.
Jesus, I wasn’t this guy.
I didn’t take what wasn’t mine.
And Gigi Jacobs was not mine. She never would be. She deserved a good guy.
And that wasn’t me.
I leaned down and adjusted my angry dick, before stepping back.
“Put a shirt on or go home. This never happened.” I ran a hand through my hair and watched as her desire-filled gaze changed in an instant.
“You’re an asshole, Gray Baldwin.”
“Can’t argue with that,” I said, as she turned on her heels and stormed out of my room.
I made my way back out to the party and Lila walked over. I saw Gigi talking to Addy across the room, and she glanced over, and her gaze locked with mine. Her face was still flushed from our encounter. I leaned down and covered Lila’s mouth with mine. She was all too quick to tangle her fingers in my hair and tug me closer. She groaned into my mouth and I looked up to see Addy, Jett, and Gigi walk out the front door.
Good.
Mission accomplished.
I pulled away and Lila pouted. “Sorry. Not happening tonight.”
I made my way through the party and looked out the front door to see the three of them walking down the street toward the dorm.
She’d be okay.
I’d done the right thing.
And it was the hardest thing I’d ever done.
But I silently praised my angry dick for showing the restraint he did. Because the fact that I’d just held Gigi’s perfect tit in my hand and grazed her soft lips against mine—I didn’t know where I’d found the strength to walk away. But I had.
It wouldn’t have happened if I hadn’t been sober.
Another reminder that it was time to get my shit together.
I’d driven home in hopes of finding my dad. Willow Springs wasn’t big enough to hide for long. My grandparents still didn’t know he’d left rehab, and I wanted to keep it that way. Cade agreed to meet me there for the weekend and help me try to find him. My hope was that I could get him back in the program, and no one would ever be the wiser that he’d left. I’d spoken to his counselor there, and they were hoping I could find him and get him back there as quickly as possible, so all would not be lost.
Cade was happy to go home for a visit, and he’d told me that Gigi and her friends would all be there for the weekend.
That had nothing to do with my desire to go home. At least that’s what I was telling myself. She hadn’t responded to one text since the party. I’d gone by her dorm room twice and she didn’t answer the door. The annoying chick I’d seen in her room before was always lurking around and told me that Gigi was at the library. I’d gone there, and there’d been no sign of her.
She was definitely avoiding me.
Hell, I understood it. But we’d need to get past it. It was a moment of weakness. Nothing happened aside from the fact that it had been apparent we both desperately wanted it to happen.
Hopefully we would just act normal when we were home. Cade expected me to stay with them, and I hadn’t said anything different. I highly doubted she would want anyone to know, so it would probably be fine.
I stopped by my mom’s house because Simon was at work. I wanted to see the girls as they’d just be getting home from school.
“Gray,” Beatrice shouted, as she sprinted down the driveway toward me. I caught her in my arms and spun her around. “Are you going to take me out for ice cream like you promised while you’re home?”
“Of course, little nugget.”
Penelope raced toward me, and I set Bea down and scooped her up. “I’m so happy you’re home. I miss you.”
My sisters were identical twins, seven years old, and complete opposites. While Bea was outgoing and funny, Penn was sweet and quiet. They both owned my heart, and they knew it.
“Missed you too, Penny Pie. We’ve got an ice cream date tomorrow, right?” I asked, setting her on her feet.
“For sure. I’m wearing a dress and everything.”
So much sweetness in one little package.
“Sounds good. Let’s go see Mama. Your dad’s still at work, right?” I asked like I always did when I came home.
“Yep. Daddy’s still at work.” Bea sprinted up the driveway and shouted through the house. “Gray’s home.”
The girl was larger than life.
“Hey there, handsome,” my mother said, and I wrapped my arms around her. I loved this woman more than life itself, but her husband had put a huge strain on our relationship. I couldn’t tolerate his verbal abuse, and my mother turned her cheek because she didn’t want to deal with the fallout.
So, she allowed me to basically live at the Jacobs’ house when I was home and we just didn’t talk about it. I’m sure Simon bitched about me as much as I bitched about him, and Mom was between a rock and a hard place.
She poured me a glass of sweet tea and we both dropped to sit at the big kitchen table in their grand estate. This place had never really felt like my home. Maybe because Simon and I didn’t get along. The twins ran off to get some toys that they wanted to show me.
“Any news on your dad?” Mom asked, and her eyes looked sad. I was hesitant to tell her much because I feared she would tell her husband, who would in turn throw it in my face.
“Nope. Wren hasn’t seen him. I called the rehab and he’s been gone for three days, but they are willing to take him back since he paid for a ninety-day program.”
“Your grandparents paid, Gray.” Mom’s tone was harsh. She had given up on my father’s recovery and I understood it. I just didn’t share the same opinion. He was still in there. I believed that in the depths of my soul.
“Semantics. So, how are you?” I changed the subject.
“Good. Simon asked if we could all do dinner while you’re home.”
My eyes bulged out of my head. “Why?”
“I think he’d like to repair some of the damage he’s done. We’ve had a few of my famous come to Jesus meetings lately.” She laughed.
My mother was a kind woman, but when she lost it, she let it all out. And you listened because it didn’t happen often.
“All right. Well, let me know. I’m picking up the girls tomorrow afternoon to take them for ice cream.” I pushed to my feet to go check on my sisters.
“Are you staying at the Jacobs’ this weekend?” she asked, and I saw the hurt there.
“That’s the plan. But I’m happy to come
for dinner.”
I wanted to offer an olive branch. Hurting my mother was the last thing I wanted to do.
I spent the next hour playing out in the backyard before heading out. Katie Jacobs had texted me and told me there’d be a spot for me at the dinner table and she hoped I could come.
When I pulled up to the Jacobs’ house, I saw Gigi’s car in the driveway parked beside her brother’s. I made my way inside, and Katie hurried over to hug me.
“So happy to see you. I love when y’all come home. Gigi said you’ve been really helpful to her at school.”
Interesting.
I’d helped myself to a handful of her tit, but I’m guessing she didn’t throw me under the bus.
“Yeah. She seems to be adjusting well.”
“She does. I’m proud of my girl. Come on in, we’re just sitting down.” Katie led the way down the hall, and I followed.
“There he is.” Cade pulled me in for a hug and Bradley Jacobs followed.
Gigi didn’t move to her feet, and she avoided eye contact as I took the seat beside her.
My seat.
“Hey,” I said, looking over at her as Cade moved to the kitchen to help his parents carry out the food.
“Hi.” She didn’t look at me and held her head high.
“Are you mad at me? I’ve tried calling a few times. Stopped by your dorm too,” I whispered, leaning close and taking in all her sweetness.
She turned to look at me and shrugged. “Oh. I hadn’t noticed.”
I laughed and she turned away.
Okay, then.
The table was filled with platters of fried chicken and ribs. Mashed potatoes and coleslaw. My stomach rumbled as I dropped my napkin in my lap.
It felt good to be home.
“Tell us what’s happening, sweetheart,” Katie said, looking up at her daughter. “What happened with that boy Jaden?”
My shoulders stiffened.
I thought we were done with that asshole?
“He asked me to dinner and a movie. We’re going out when I get back next week.” Gigi shifted just enough to make sure I could see the smile spread clear across her face.
My fucking blood boiled.
And I couldn’t get back to school soon enough.
I had some ass to kick.
Chapter Seven
Gigi
“You should have seen his face. It was priceless,” I said as we drove out to the lake in Coco’s car. I was sandwiched in the back seat between Addy and Maura, and Ivy sat up front next to Coco.
“So, do you like him?” Maura asked.
“Of course not. I hate him.”
“She likes him more than she hates him. Trust me.” Addy shrugged and I rolled my eyes.
“I do not. But I know he doesn’t like Jaden, so I enjoyed telling him that I was going out with him. And I am. I don’t know why I was so quick to shut him down at the party.”
“Um, I think you shut him down because you like someone else,” Coco said over a chuckle. “And that Gray Baldwin is so freaking hot. I see why you’re under his spell.”
“Pfft, please. I am not under any spell. Sure, we had a weird moment in his room, but I was two beers deep and not thinking straight.”
“He cupped your boob,” Ivy reminded me, and I mentally kicked myself for feeling the need to tell them everything.
“Please. As a proud member of the itty-bitty-titty-committee, it barely counts.” I laughed, trying to make light of it.
The truth—that moment was the most sensual experience I’d had in my life to date. How sad is that? A brief moment of weakness with a boy who didn’t even kiss me. And then he followed up by kissing another girl right in front of me. After grazing his lips against mine and touching me in a way no one ever had. Sure, Tony Franco had gotten a little under-the-shirt action sophomore year, but it wasn’t like that. At least not for me. I squeezed my thighs together at the thought of it. The way his thumb flicked my nipple, and his warm breath tickled my face. His words were laced with need and I’d all but combusted and made a complete fool of myself. He was messing with me, per usual. It was Gray we were talking about. But he’d never teased me this way before. Nor been so hurtful either.
Annoying was more his shtick. But he was turning up his game and I was disengaging.
“It’s okay to like him, you know,” Addy said, squeezing my hand. My sweet, hopeless romantic.
“I don’t. You know I don’t. And let’s not even get started on how Cade would react if he knew this had happened. Not that anything really happened, but my brother would lose his shit if he knew Gray was teasing me this way.”
“That’s what doesn’t make sense.” Maura unbuckled when we arrived at the lake and we pulled in a parking space. “I don’t think he’d do it just to mess with you.”
“I agree. I think homeboy has all the feels and doesn’t know what to do about it. I love it. A tortured bad boy and an angelic virgin,” Coco said, as we all stepped out of the car and burst out in a fit of laughter.
“Um, tortured bad boy and angelic virgin? I think you’re being a bit overdramatic,” I said, as we walked down toward the water. There was a big group of people already gathered around two different bonfires.
“I think I’m spot on. Come on, just for a minute go with me on this.” Coco flipped her hair over one shoulder and glanced over as she spoke. “Let’s say he likes you. He has a reputation of being quite the manwhore and he’s best friends with Cade, who happens to be the most overprotective brother I’ve ever met. Like I said—he’s in a predicament.”
I thought about it. Did Gray look at me like that? There’d been a few times that I’d wondered. But I’d always assumed it was just me reading into things. This was Gray, after all. Maybe it was just the chase that he liked. Maybe he truly was just messing with me. I certainly wasn’t his normal type. Not that anyone was. Gray moved through girls faster than most people changed clothing. Either way, it was a huge red flag. Gray Baldwin was not the boy for me for a multitude of reasons.
He was my brother’s best friend.
He was a massive playboy.
And he didn’t do committed relationships.
There you have it. I’d forget what happened and write it off as a one-time lapse in judgment. I was human. We all had them. I’d go back to school and go out with Jaden and forget what it felt like to be pressed up against Gray and all his hardness.
My mouth went dry at the thought.
I shook it off and dropped to sit by the fire. It was a perfect night, and I was happy to be with my best friends.
Starting tomorrow, I was washing all thoughts of Gray away. I’d give myself one more night to enjoy him in my dreams.
“I’m glad you agreed to go out with me,” Jaden said, as I reached for a piece of bread in the basket and dropped it on my plate.
“Of course. Thanks for inviting me.”
He nodded. “I thought you were done with me after the party last week. You shut me down pretty hard, but I figured I had it coming. I’m sure your bodyguard told you I hooked up with someone.”
I was surprised by his honesty and laughed at his description of what I could only assume was his fraternity president and my annoying nemesis.
“Who, Gray?” I chuckled. “He’s not my bodyguard. Just my brother’s best friend.”
“He ran me off that first time I tried to hang out with you, which is why I hooked up with someone else that night. Nothing happened. We just made out. But then I couldn’t stop thinking about you and I asked him if he’d have a problem with me asking you out,” he said, his ocean blue gaze locking with mine. His blonde hair was cut close to his head, and he had a perfect dimple when he smiled. Pearly white teeth and broad shoulders. Jaden was a beautiful boy and looked a lot like Chad Michael Murray from One Tree Hill. He appeared to be a st
raight shooter.
“What did he say?” I asked because I was desperate to know.
“He said you were too good for me, but that the decision was ultimately yours. I mean, he’s supposed to be my fraternity brother. He hardly knows me. How the hell does he know I’m not good enough for you?”
I shrugged. “That’s just Gray. Don’t take it personal.”
“I guess he’s right. You’re a big girl, you can make your own decisions, right?”
“Definitely.”
I reached for my water and took a sip, trying to push away thoughts of those emerald green eyes and the way he’d been looking at me lately. I shook it off.
“So, tell me what you like to do, Gigi Jacobs.” He forked a huge bite of lasagna and popped it in his mouth.
“You know, all the regular things. I love the lake, swimming, bonfires, all that good stuff. I also like to paint and create things. That’s sort of my specialty.”
“You’re an art major, right?”
“Yep. How about you?” I asked after I’d swallowed the best spaghetti I’d ever had.
“I’m a business major. I’d like to have my own startup company someday.” He oozed confidence as he spoke.
“Oh, that’s cool. What kind of business do you want to own?”
His head cocked to the side and a little line formed between his brows as if he were completely perplexed by my question.
“I don’t know. I haven’t thought that far into the future. I just basically know I want to work for myself and make a shit ton of money.”
Not the soundest business plan, but hey, I was an art major. I was all about thinking and dreaming about my future. But it seemed odd that he didn’t have any idea what he’d want to own. Sort of like creating a puzzle but not taking the time to open the box.
My phone vibrated in my purse and I leaned down to check it.
Gray ~ Where the hell are you?
I rolled my eyes and put it away without responding.
“That sounds good,” I said, but my words were empty. Because his plan wasn’t something I related to. “So what movie are we seeing?”