He's definitely doing everything right.
He's kind, charming, doting on me every chance he gets, making it clear in front of everyone that he cares about me.
It's the total opposite to how he behaved after that last night on the beach.
I could stay mad at him and make him really pay for how he treated me, but while I haven't been going out of my way to spend time with him like with the others, I can't deny that I do have strong feelings for Devon.
Especially since he's got back that warmth in his eyes, that way of looking at me that made me fall for him on the beach.
At first we seemed to have issues when we went to a party together and I was there specifically as one of the guys’ date.
The others seemed to always wanna hover around, not respecting the fact that I was on a date with someone else.
But they must have figured this out among themselves because lately, they make sure that I can spend quality time with the guy who asked me out even if we’re all in the same room.
So tonight after the game, I ride to Tripp’s house with Devon and when we get there the guys make themselves scarce, hanging out with their teammates or playing party games with the other team.
Devon guides me towards the living room where several couples are dancing and asks me to dance with him.
I say yes and when a slow song starts and he surrounds me with his arms, it's almost as if I were magically transported back to South Carolina when we went to this little dive bar that had live music and danced in each other's arms all night.
And I’m almost unprepared for the onslaught of feelings that invades me being so close to Devon again after a long time.
He still has that subtle ocean scent, carried by the wind on the beach: clean, vibrant, and sexy.
I rest my head on his chest while we dance, closing my eyes and inhaling his scent, my nose and lips on the crook of his neck.
His body feels strong and solid against mine and I feel that undeniable attraction, that made me decide to go all the way with him last summer.
He opens his eyes and I feel his dark green gaze on me and I can't help but melt when he smiles at me.
He whispers in my ear, and my skin erupts into goosebumps as his warm breath tickles the sensitive spot behind my ear.
“Baby, there's something I need to talk to you about, can we find some privacy?”
I nod and take the hand he offers me as we walk away from the dance area.
I don't know what he wants to tell me or if it's just an excuse to be alone with me but right now I don't really care if it's the latter, because I really want to kiss him and I’d rather not do that in front of an audience.
I spot Tyler making out with Macy in a corner at the edge of the dance floor but his gaze is fixed on me as Devon and I walk by.
I also see Margaux standing at the opposite corner of the room and her eyes shift from Tyler to me and Devon.
Her lips are flattened in a thin line and she doesn't look pleased to be on her own.
I know that my hanging out with all four of my guys has definitely attracted the attention of a lot of people at school and I heard some snide comments from a few girls on the cheer team.
I feel relieved to be away from her scrutiny: Margaux has never been intentionally mean to me but she makes me nervous because I witnessed more than once how she treats the people who cross her in some way.
And I catch her staring at me intently.
I guess I need to find out what Knox told her because in all honesty, I understand how the situation can look and if I ever felt that someone was cheating on one of my siblings my claws would definitely show.
The hallway immediately outside the living room is lined with people drinking and talking and with couples kissing, so Devon steers me towards the stairs.
We open one of the many doors lining the long corridor of the first floor and we see a girl obviously giving head to her partner.
“Hey, fuck you!”
He shouts aggressively and we shut the door and move on.
We get similar results with a few of the other doors until we find a bathroom at the end of the hallway that is fortunately unoccupied.
Devon locks the door behind us and then turns to look at me.
“So, what did you wanna tell me?”
He sighs and takes a step towards me, taking one of my hands in his, stroking the skin between my thumb and my index finger in a soothing circular motion.
“I’ve been considering this for a while Aubrey, and after how I almost blew my chance to even be friends with you because of my distrust, I hesitated to speak up but after what happened earlier—”
If I expected some kind of love declaration or some hot advance I’m sorely disappointed and for a second, I worry that he's back thinking that I was the one to drug him, Teague, and Landon.
But his suspicions aren't directed towards me.
“Did Margaux touch those drinks, the day we failed that drug test?”
I nod.
“Yeah. She actually asked me to help her, Macy and Rachel to give those drinks out. She gave me the cooler with yours.”
“Fuck!”
“Why? Do you think she could've been involved—”
He shakes his head and tells me that he thinks that she could be the one who did it.
“I don't know, Devon. I thought about it but I'm not convinced. She loves the team and she takes her cheer captain role extremely seriously.”
So seriously that she suggested I blow Teague to ‘lift his morale’.
I don't say that out loud.
“I thought that maybe Macy or Rachel could be involved or know something? They were really mad at Teague and Landon for refusing their rally girl offers to, uhm ... blow them.”
Devon smirks for a second but then he returns to being serious and he tells me how Margaux has been throwing herself at him since school started.
“Yeah, I know that she definitely likes you. She asked me once or twice if we were more than friends and at the time I said no.”
Devon’s voice lowers to a whisper as he asks me:
“What about now? Are we more than friends now?”
My gaze meets his head on.
“Maybe. It depends.”
“On what?”
I tell him the truth.
“On you letting me in, Devon. For real this time. No lies and no assumptions that I won't understand you or where you come from.”
His arms close around me and his lips find mine in a kiss that starts as sweet and hesitant and grows hot and intense when I don't reject him.
His tongue pries my lips open and I taste his sweet flavour that will always bring me back to the summer, to those warm, romantic nights on the beach.
He kisses me breathless, every swipe of his tongue against mine chipping at my resentment towards him, reminding me how he made me feel before things started to go wrong.
When we part, he cups my jaw and groans as if he were in pain.
“Baby, I wanna keep kissing you but first, I have to tell you what happened with Margaux. I promised no more secrets and no more bullshit and believe me, I always keep my promises. Especially because I know that if I didn't, I’d lose you.”
He tells me about the aggressive way Margaux has been pursuing him and how she basically threatened to tell everyone about his parents legal battle and how he grew up poor.
“She told me that if I agreed to date her, she’d make sure that the cheerleaders that know about it would keep their mouth shut. And then she implied that you’d never give me the time of day if you knew.”
“Is this why you came to my house to tell me about your parents a couple of weeks ago?”
He nods and his eyes are shadowed by worry.
“Yes. I knew I had to tell you if I wanted you to give me a second chance, and I was hesitant because I was worried that you'd really think that I wasn't worthy of you.”
“Devon!”
I scold him and he nod
s.
“I know, I was so fucking wrong to think that you’d care about money and status and all that meaningless shit. But I—”
I don't blame him completely, I see lots of the girls at school weigh up a guy's net-worth before even agreeing to a single date.
“Aubrey, what if she fucked with those drinks because she was jealous when she realised that you're the one that I want?”
I admit that Margaux seems the vindictive type but would she go that far because she felt rejected?
And would she try to get me blamed for it?
In a way it's possible because when Devon hated me, that would eliminate me as a possible rival to Devon’s attentions.
I’m about to tell him my considerations, when Devon asks me:
“There's another thought that has been swirling in my mind and I have to ask you this, Aubrey.”
It can't be anything good, judging by the darkness in his eyes.
“Do you think that Knox could be involved in any way?”
I begin to protest but he explains that Knox and Margaux are really close.
“He’s really protective of his sister and if she asked for his help ... especially because in a way, with me out of the way, Knox got a spot on the starting team.”
“No. Knox is a good, honest guy. He would never play dirty to get ahead. And you're right that he loves Margaux but he knows that his sister’s a real handful and he totally disapproves of her ‘mean girl ways’. And even admitting that he’d given into helping her, he’d never allow her to try to blame it on me.”
Devon seems convinced.
“Ok. I’m sorry but I had to ask you this, baby. I see how close you are to Knox and I don't want you to get hurt.”
I take a step away from him, bothered by the distrust between my guys.
I know that despite being teammates, they aren't exactly friends and that lately they've been hanging out with each other more because of me.
I guess a part of me still hopes that they could become friends like Abi’s guys, or like Alex, Sam, and Tuna.
If that happened, maybe I could convince them that I could love them all.
But the look in Devon’s eyes tells me clearly that while they play football together and they tolerate each other for my sake, they lack the trust that's indispensable for the kind of relationship I yearn for.
That’s a huge source of trouble and anxiety because I’ve no idea of how I’ll ever choose only one of them, so I instinctively turn my back to Devon trying to hide how upset this whole thing makes me.
He's immediately close to me, encircling me with his arms, his strong chest against my back.
“Baby please, don't be upset. I only wanna protect you. This is the reason for every single shitty decision I’ve made lately. Ignoring you and staying away because I thought I was protecting you from the drama in my life. And that in turn is why I thought you wanted payback, because of what an asshole I was to you. And this ‘relationship’, knowing that your heart isn't completely mine and that you not getting hurt is out of my control makes me feel somehow responsible. Because if I hadn't been an idiot for so long you’d be just mine and I know that I’ll never, ever hurt you again. Not intentionally. Aubrey, the reason why I've been acting so stupid is that I love you. My stupid behaviour on the beach, that last night, was because I realised that I was in love with you and I wanted you more than was rational or sane. And yes I thought that maybe, once I had you, those feelings would fade. Because I didn't think it was possible to fall in love that fast and hard. But my feelings for you only grew. Even when I thought that you could've fucked with my drink. This is why I hated myself because despite everything, deep down, I still loved you.”
His words feel wonderful and scary at the same time but I’m tired of holding back, so I tell him that I love him too and that's why I gave myself to him that night on the beach.
He's still hugging me with his chest against my back and I don't turn completely, I just rest my head on his shoulder to offer him my lips.
This is the deepest, sweetest kiss I’ve ever had: it's warm, soft and demanding all at once and it grows hotter and hungrier with each stroke of his tongue against mine.
His hands were closed on mine but as our kiss deepens, Devon starts skimming them on the sides of my body, leaving a trail of fire in the wake of his touch.
His lips leave mine to trail hot kisses down my neck and where my shoulder is left exposed by the sweetheart neckline of my dress.
I feel my body tighten with the sensation coursing through me and my nipples harden instantly when he cups my breasts in his hands.
I’m grateful for the support his body's providing as I lean against his solid frame, because his kisses are making liquid heat pool between my thighs and my knees feel so weak that without him holding me I think I’d melt in a puddle of scorching hot desire.
All I can think about is his touch and how I want more of it, forgetting about the party still raging outside.
“Aubrey, will you be my girlfriend?”
His question is whispered into my ear while he presses himself closer against me, making me feel his hardness against my ass.
Even through the haze of desire that makes me focus on getting more of his touch and his kisses, I hesitate to answer him.
I want to be his girlfriend but that doesn't mean that I don't wanna be Knox’s, Teague's or Landon's.
And I tell him clearly.
“Yes, Devon. I do. But I still feel the same way about the others.”
His hold on me tightens, possessive but not angry.
“Did you sleep with them, Aubrey?”
He grits through his teeth as his hand slips into my cleavage and his fingers find one of my nipples.
“Knox and Teague.”
He grunts as he bites on my neck, not as gentle as he was nibbling at me before but not so hard that it hurts.
The contact with his teeth sends a jolt of violent heat straight to my core and I clench in search of relief.
“Baby, I know I messed up on that beach. But I can make you feel as good as they can.”
“Prove it!”
I egg him on.
And he loses every ounce of restraint and lowers the zipper on the back of my dress so fast, that I fear that he’ll tear it right off.
My dress is discarded on the bathroom floor and as I take my bra off, he quickly sheds his clothes.
He's still standing behind me when he begins to trail kisses on the back of my neck, all the way down to the base of my spine, making me shiver with pleasure.
His hands are gripping my hips and when his lips travel back up, he presses his hardness against the lace of my panties and he whispers in my ear how much he wants me.
“Please baby, give me a second chance, let me show you how much I love you.”
I want this so much that I'm almost unable to utter any words out loud but I manage a breathy ‘yes’ while Devon's fingers trace the edge of my underwear at the apex of my thighs.
When he gets my consent, things happen quickly: he bends me over, making me lean against the bathroom wall and at the same time he moves my panties aside.
“Devon, please ...”
I moan and he pushes himself inside of me with one long thrust, stopping only when he's completely sheathed in my soft heat.
This time he gives me a few instants to get used to his size and I feel so deliciously full that I know I'm becoming more wet.
He must feel it too because he begins to move in and out of me slowly at first but going as deep as my body will allow.
And with every thrust, with every delicious inch of him, my breathing speeds up as my inner walls rhythmically clench around his steely flesh.
His hands are closed around my breasts and his fingers are rubbing the peaks of my nipples, pinching gently but decisively and adding to the heavenly sensations his body is creating.
Soon his thrusts become more purposeful and his hands move down to my hips, encouraging me t
o lean further against the wall in order to allow him to go even deeper.
His body is so close to mine and as he pushes with each deep thrust, my front meets the cool ceramic tiles of the bathroom wall and I gasp at how good this feels.
I start moving my hips matching his movements, greedily meeting him half way every time he pulls out of me.
“Aubrey, you're so fucking tight ... you feel so fucking good!”
His voice is so low and soft and his warm breath tickles my neck but his words are what contribute to pushing me to the brink of a powerful climax, as I feel my inner walls starting to tighten around his throbbing hard length.
“Devon ...”
The moan that escapes my lips is so desperate that I almost don't recognise my own voice but Devon knows exactly what I need and as he thrusts into me deep and hard, one of his hands sneaks to my front, and his fingers brush against my centre.
Lightly at first but with harder strokes when I encourage him with a breathless gasp.
That's the end for me, I scream incoherent things as spasm after spasm of blinding ecstasy shakes me until I forget where I am, how loud I’m screaming and that there's still a fucking party out there.
When I think I’m riding the last wave he starts pulsing inside of me, flooding me with his release and prolonging my pleasure until he almost collapses on me, pushing me fully against the wall.
We remain joined for a little longer, both of us trying to regain our bearings.
Devon withdraws from me slowly and spins me around as he leans against the wall, hugging me tight against him chest to chest.
I feel his lips tracing light kisses along my hairline and I relish his closeness and the fact that he isn't trying to rush to get dressed.
“Aubrey, I love you.”
I look up, into his gorgeous green eyes and I really wanna say it back but he says that he's really lucky to have the sexiest girlfriend in the world.
That's when I snap back to reality.
I summon all my courage before I speak next.
“Devon, I love you too and what just happened between us was —”
“It was exactly how it should have been that night on the beach. I should've taken care of you but I got so carried away that—”
Beverly Hills Prep Academy The Complete Boxset : A Light Bully Romance Page 85