Fair Game (The Rules #1)

by Monica Murphy

  But I’m so mad right now, I could scream, and I think the emotion is warranted. Though maybe mad isn’t the right word. More like I’m super irritated. At my mom and the situation she put me in. Oh, and worried. Like, mega worried.

  What am I supposed to do? Where am I supposed to go? I spoke with Kelli earlier and she has no plans on staying here for the summer. She’s back to her hometown, where she’ll be working fulltime and hooking up with dudes she went to high school with—direct quote.

  A little over two weeks left until we finally must move out of our dorm and I have nowhere to go. I’m screwed.

  Absolutely, totally screwed.

  Thanks Mom.

  I skipped class. It’s the last one of the semester and I should really be there but come on. My mind is a little preoccupied. I asked my friend Nicole to take notes for me and I know she’ll keep me informed if there’s any changes to the final project that’s due next week. I’m halfway done with my project anyway.

  Instead of listening to my professor drone on for two hours, I’m trolling Craigslist on my laptop, looking up roommate listings, nibbling on my lower lip so much I swear I’m going to gnaw a hole in it. Shep texted me earlier, pretty much demanding we get together tonight, but I don’t know. I’m all stressed out and worried and he doesn’t want to deal with my shit.

  So I ignored his text. He thinks I’m in class anyway so it’s no biggie.

  Sighing, I run my hand over the top of my head, frustration swimming in my veins. The roommate listings either sound too good to be true or creepy as hell. There are quite a few expensive ones too. I stopped by Light My Fire earlier and talked to Enid, asking if she could hire me on fulltime for the summer. She said there was a possibility but she couldn’t guarantee it, which means I need to go in search of another job in addition to Light My Fire.

  With every bit of information I discover, my summer is going up in flames, pardon the pun.

  “Hey, what are you doing here?” Kelli asks as she enters our room.

  I barely glance up from my laptop. “I skipped class.”

  “But it’s your last one.”

  “I know. I didn’t think I could concentrate, what with everything going on. So I’m searching for a roommate instead.” I refocus my attention on the laptop.

  Kelli stops beside my bed to peek over my shoulder. “By trying to find one on Craigslist? Ew, Jade. You’ll probably end up with a psycho.”

  “They’re not all bad on here.” I hope. “Besides, what else am I supposed to do?” I’m bristling. My shoulders are stiff and my tone is the slightest bit screechy. I wish this day would just end.

  “I don’t know, go look on the community board? Ask friends? People in class? Spread the word that you’re looking for a temporary room for the summer? There’s gotta be a better way.” Kelli flops on top of her bed, lying on her back as she stares up at the ceiling. “I can ask around for you if you want.”

  “I would really appreciate it.” I slam my laptop shut and drop it on the mattress beside me, then stretch out on my bed. “I’m freaking out, Kel.”

  “I know. I’d be freaking out too.” She pauses. “Maybe you should come home with me. We can share my room. We’re already used to each other. We survived an entire school year together. It wouldn’t be such a hardship.”

  I’m tempted to say yes. Kelli and I get along great. I met her parents when they came to visit once and they’re nice. But I don’t think I could impose myself on her family like that. I’d need to find a new job too. “I don’t know…”

  “Think about it,” she says firmly. “I’ll talk to my mom tomorrow. I’m sure she wouldn’t mind.”

  What if she did mind? I don’t know how my mom would react if I asked to bring someone home for the summer. She’s a private person and she has her routine. A routine that’s probably totally changed since I left for college.

  Not that I can bring anyone home. I don’t even have a home…

  “You’ll figure this out,” Kelli says, her soft voice breaking into my thoughts. “Don’t freak out. You’re smart. Resourceful. Ooh, and you have connections.”

  “What connections?” I frown up at the ceiling.

  “Shep connections. That guy knows everyone. Have you told him what happened yet?”

  I don’t want to dump my problems on him. He didn’t sign up for them and I refuse to be a burden. I can figure this out on my own. I have before and I will again. “I haven’t talked to him.”

  “Well, what are you waiting for? I know he’ll help you. The dude is completely head over heels,” she says slyly. “I think he’d do just about anything for you.”

  “He is not head over heels,” I mutter, ignoring the giddy pace of my heart. He likes me. I know he does. But would he really do anything for me? I’m not so sure.

  “He so is. Have you seen the way he looks at you? Shepard Prescott doesn’t go out with a girl for a long stretch of time. He’s a love ‘em and leave ‘em type of guy. I don’t know how many times I’ve told you this.”

  She tells me this all the time and fine. I know it’s the truth. It doesn’t mean he’s changing his ways just for me. “I don’t expect him to drop everything and help me during my time in need.”

  “Isn’t that what a boyfriend is supposed to do?” Kelli asks incredulously. “Dane is so up in my business sometimes, I swear I need to tell him to back off.”

  “Shep isn’t my boyfriend,” I insist. I don’t know what he is. That guy I’m banging constantly? The one I also like to hang out with? I have no idea what to call us, what to classify our relationship as. It’s confusing. He confuses me.

  “Of course, he is.” Kelli makes an irritated sound. “You two are ridiculous. Tell him what happened with your mom and how you have nowhere to go. I’m sure he could come up with an easy solution and solve all of your problems.”

  “I doubt it,” I say with a snort. No one works that quick, not even perfect Shep.

  “Please, you know what he’s like. Don’t underestimate him. He’s crafty. And made of money. He can get whatever he wants.”

  “So you’re saying he could pull a roommate and a place for me to live out of his magical hat?” I start to laugh. It sounds crazy. Possible but crazy. Shep is filthy rich. He could probably buy me a house without even blinking an eye. No way would I ever want him to do that but I bet he could.

  I refuse to take a handout from him though. I’d feel like I owe him and no way do I want to deal with that. Especially if we don’t…last. Because this can’t last, whatever it is I’m experiencing with Shep. It’s fun, it’s a lot of hot sex and cute teasing and I have a good time with him, even when we’re not naked. I enjoy his company. He makes me laugh. He makes me think. He challenges me.

  But he’s leaving the minute school is done so I figure once he’s gone we’re done too. So I’m trying to mentally prepare myself for the inevitable.

  “I’m sure he could help you figure out something. The guy knows practically everyone on campus. Plus he comes from one of the richest families on the planet. He could probably buy a mansion for you to live in like it was no big deal,” Kelli says.

  My stomach cramps up at hearing her say he comes from a rich family. I always forget that. Yes, I spend time at his outrageously gorgeous house with the kitchen that makes me drool. Yes, we drive around in his mega expensive car that probably costs as much as my house Mom just sold. He doesn’t flaunt his riches and I’ve never met any of his family so it’s easy to forget that he’s a gazillionaire.

  “I would never expect him to buy me anything,” I mumble.

  “Of course. I’m just saying it would be so easy for him, you know? The guy has everything at his fingertips. So why not let him help you? I’m sure he’d love to.”

  I say nothing. If I told her I didn’t want to owe Shep anything—and that’s the truth—she’d argue I was being silly. And maybe I am. Plus, it’s not his job to help me. We hook up. That’s it. There’s no real romance here involved at
all. Yes, he says sweet, romantic things but I think that’s just because he wants to get inside my panties. And it works. I love all the things he says to me. The way he looks at me. How he touches me. It’s like I’m trying to convince myself there’s nothing between us, though it’s getting harder and harder to deny…

  My phone rings. Like, actually rings, which never happens and I practically jump off the bed.

  “Who in the world is calling you?” Kelli asks as I scramble to grab my phone.

  “Probably my mom,” I say as I bring the phone up, the air clogging in my throat when I see whose name is flashing on my screen.

  Shep.

  I answer tentatively, surprised that he would actually call. When we communicate we usually only text. “What did I do to deserve this call?”

  “Considering I have no idea where you are and you never answered my text, I thought I’d go straight to the source and hope like hell you’d answer.” He sounds irritated. Sort of pissed. Maybe even a little worried. “Why weren’t you in class?”

  “Are you checking up on me?” Uh oh. I’m getting a little screechy again.

  “I was waiting for you in the parking lot. I planned on picking you up but you never came out of the building. I started to…” His voice drifts and he’s quiet for a moment. “Panic.”

  My heart flips over itself. “Well, I’m fine. I’m in my dorm. I never went to class.”

  “Why not?”

  I glance over at Kelli to find her watching me with rapt fascination. Ugh. I hate that I have an audience. “I’ve sort of been having a bad day.”

  “I can change that,” he says swiftly. Confidently. His voice full of that sexy Shep swagger that only he can seem to pull off.

  “How so?” I ask.

  “I can come over right now, pick you up, take you back to my place and proceed to go down on you for the next two hours.” He pauses and my heart beat pulses between my legs, I swear to God. He knows it’s my absolute, all time, favorite thing. There is nothing better than Shep’s mouth between my thighs. Well, his cock runs a close second. In fact, they’re probably in a tie. “You game?”

  “Um.” I glance at Kelli again, hoping she doesn’t notice my blush. I can feel it so I know my cheeks are pink. “How soon can you get here?”

  “Ten minutes.” I hear him start his car. “Be waiting outside for me, baby.”

  “I’m going over to Shep’s,” I say after I end the call.

  “I figured that,” Kelli says wryly. “You’re going to tell him about your little problem?”

  “Sure.” I nod as I push myself off the bed, though I doubt I’m going to talk about my problems tonight. I’d rather just lose myself with Shep. Maybe I should change. I’m in a T-shirt and shorts, my hair is in a braid and I have no makeup on. But I think Shep likes me this way. Though he won’t like the hair. He prefers it down. Maybe I should…

  No. I shouldn’t have to change myself for this guy. I don’t believe he wants to change me either. I think he likes me for who I am.

  That’s sort of mind blowing.

  The second she slips inside my car, relief settles over me, leaving me weak with wanting her. Without thought I reach for her, cup her cheeks as I bring her face to mine and kiss her with all the pent up intensity I’ve been keeping inside me for the last, I dunno, six hours? Maybe more?

  I haven’t talked to her all damn day. Since we’ve started seeing each other, that’s never happened.

  “Well, hello to you, too,” she says breathlessly once I finally break the kiss.

  I’m still holding her face, my forehead pressed to hers and my eyes still closed. I decide to go ahead and be honest. “I missed you. A lot.”

  “You just saw me this morning.” She pulls away slightly so our gazes meet, her brows lowered in a frown. “Everything okay?”

  “Kind of a crazy day,” I confess. How can I admit to her that I was worried when she didn’t come out of that building earlier? That I seriously fucking panicked when I realized she never texted me back? I sound like an old married man but damn it, my mind immediately leapt to the worst possibilities.

  After being a guy who had zero interest in relationships or spending any extended time with a girl, it’s like I’ve done a complete one-eighty. The craziest thing? I’m okay with it.

  She chews on her lower lip and I brush my thumb across the plump flesh, tugging a little. A silent order for her to stop. I hate it when she hurts herself. “What happened?”

  I lean in to kiss her forehead, her cheek. “I’ll tell you about it on the drive home.” I say home on purpose because seriously, without her there, it doesn’t feel like one. A home. Craziest fucking thing ever but I’m rolling with it. Reveling in it. This girl, it’s like she belongs with me. To me. Not sure if she realizes it yet but I’m fairly convinced.

  After doing a lot of thinking and worrying over the last few hours while waiting for Jade to get out of class, I believe I’ve come up with a solution to our summertime problem. Now I just need to get Jade on board.

  That’s not going to be easy. I’m not sure how I’m going to approach her. And I really don’t want to talk about it tonight…

  “So tell me what’s up,” she says as I pull away from the curb and head back to my place.

  I let her know we’re closing the gambling house this weekend. How we’re having one last blowout event on Saturday night and then it’s dark until the fall semester resumes. She didn’t really seem to care all that much, not that I can blame her. She hates that place. Weird considering it’s how we met but the circumstances weren’t the best.

  After all, I did win her in a bet. Something I don’t mention anymore.

  “My mom called,” I drop nonchalantly as I turn onto my street.

  “Oh?” she asks just as nonchalantly. I never talk about my family with her. And she really doesn’t talk about hers either, though I know it’s just her and her mom. Family has turned into one of those off the table subjects for us.

  “They’re in Los Angeles for business this upcoming weekend and they’re stopping by here Saturday night.” I pause and slow down, turning into my short driveway and hitting the remote so the garage door opens. “They want to go to dinner.”

  “How nice. Though won’t that interfere with your gambling plans?” she asks, with just a hint of snark.

  I choose to ignore the snarkiness. “I was wondering if…you wanted to go with us. To dinner.”

  She’s so eerily quiet. I pull into the garage and shut the engine off, turning to look at her to find her staring straight ahead, an impassive expression on her pretty face. And damn, she really does look pretty. No makeup, hair pulled back into a braid, little wisps of red floating around her face. Painfully gorgeous.

  “Jade?” I urge when she still hasn’t said anything.

  Slowly, she turns to face me. “You really want me to go to dinner with you and your parents?”

  I shrug. “Yeah. I mean, I don’t necessarily want to subject you to them because let me tell you, they kind of suck. My dad’s a narcissistic asshole and Mom only cares about booze and shopping but she uh, made a special request.”

  Jade frowns. “What do you mean?”

  “She asked me to bring my new female friend.”

  “And how did she know about me?” She’s frowning harder, which I thought was impossible.

  “Tristan told his mom about us and so his mom told mine.” I smile, trying to make a joke. “We’re just keeping it in the family.”

  There’s no smile, no reaction whatsoever from Jade. “This sounds…serious.”

  I take her hand, slide my fingers between hers so they’re clasped. “It’s as serious as you want it to be.”

  She squeezes my hand. “We haven’t known each other very long.”

  “I know.”

  “So dinner with the parental units already feels…serious.” She turns her head to look at me, her eyes wide, lips parted.

  My heart is thumping so hard in my chest I
swear it’s trying to burst free. “I’ve never introduced a girl to my parents,” I admit.

  “Why not?” she whispers.

  “I’ve never been with one long enough to warrant an introduction.” I lick my lips, hoping like hell I say this right. “I know we haven’t been seeing each other for very long, but for me, this is…something. And maybe it freaks you out to meet my parents, but I’d really like it if you came with me Saturday night. I want you there. By my side.”

  She’s staring at me, her eyes still so wide. She presses her lips together, her expression unsure and for one horrific moment, I think she’s going to refuse me.

  “I’ll go,” she finally murmurs, squeezing my hand again. “If it means that much to you to have me there.”

  “It does. It means a lot to me, baby.” I lean in and kiss her again, like I can’t resist her, and the truth is, I can’t. I touch her cheek, drift my fingers across her soft skin and when she sighs, the softest, sweetest sound I’ve ever heard, I feel it right to the very depths of my soul.

  That’s my cue to get her the fuck out of this car and into my bed, stat.

  Tristan’s home but in his room and we sneak through the quiet, dark house, Jade giggling and trying to swat my hand away when I pinch her perfect ass. I put my hands on her hips, slowing her down and she leans into me with that perfect ass nestled close to my dick, making it stand at attention. She does this little wiggle move that has me gripping her hips too tightly and then she’s pulling away, practically running down the hall and slipping into my bedroom.

  I have no choice but to chase after her.

  She’s leaning against my dresser when I enter the room, her hands propped on the edge, her legs looking impossibly long as they’re stretched out in front of her. A mischievous smile curls her full lips and I stare at her as if I’m in a daze, captivated by the sight of her, shock and lust racing through my veins at how flirtatious she’s being. Since we’ve been together, she’s really come out of her shell but she’s still shy about some things.