by Laura Ward
My head tilted against my will, and I knew the moment when he realized he’d gotten to me. She was going to happy hour with this bag of dicks instead of going out with me? I didn’t care if she made a promise to her sisters. I wasn’t okay with the idea of her hanging out with Pickles.
“Aw. Didn’t she tell you?” His forehead creased in mock sadness. “I guess she didn’t want you to know. I’m her dirty little secret.” My eyes squinted, and his face lit up when he noticed. “Don’t worry, buddy.” He reached out and clapped me on the shoulder, and I fisted my hand to keep from reaching out and ripping his fucking arm out of its socket. “I’ll keep my eye on her for you.” He winked and then turned around to walk away with his friends.
When he looked back over his shoulder at me, the grin he gave me said, “I win, fucker.” My body was so rigid with fury I was afraid that if I moved, I would go on a rampage and destroy everything I touched.
I watched him until he disappeared, and then I threw the entire pizza into the nearest trash can. Jogging across the road, I headed for the stadium steps where I knew I could get some release.
I needed to chase my demons away before I did something I’d regret.
Chapter Twenty-Three
TAREN
I slid into the seat next to Alec’s. “Hey, you.” I kissed him on the cheek and his jaw tensed under my lips. What the hell? We looked forward to Tuesday morning seminar all week. This was our only class together this semester, and probably the last one we would share. For our final two years of college, every other course we took would be required for our majors.
“What’s wrong?” I looked around the room. The teaching assistant was passing out papers, and neighboring students were focused on their phones or completing the daily crossword in the campus newspaper. What could possibly have pissed him off?
Alec turned to face me with a stony expression. My stomach fell to my feet. Had I done something wrong? He seemed fine when he left last night.
“You never mentioned spending happy hour with Pickles.” A muscle twitched in his jaw as he clenched his teeth.
Crap. Until he mentioned Pickles’ name, I’d forgotten that he’d be at the happy hour with my sisters. I bounced my knee, nervous energy coursing through me. “I’m sorry. I knew we had a happy hour with Delta Epsilon, but I didn’t even think about Pickles. I avoid him like the plague.” I reached over and rubbed Alec’s forearm.
He scowled and squeezed his hand into a fist. “Why would you want to go anywhere Pickles will be? He cheated on you. He’s a dick. I don’t want you anywhere near him.”
I placed my hand on his fist and pulled his fingers apart so that I could slide mine in between his. “He is a dick. That’s why I hadn’t given him a second thought. I promised my sisters I would go to happy hour, and I don’t want to ditch them. I’ll just have a few drinks and talk with the girls. There’ll be no interaction with Pickles at all.” His shoulders relaxed, but he looked up at the ceiling. “Alec, look at me. Please.”
His eyes met mine, and his mouth twisted to the side.
“You don’t have to worry about him. He never crosses my mind. You’re the only guy on my mind. You’re the only one I want to kiss or touch.” I took a deep breath. “Or taste.” My body tingled from the memories my words conjured. Alec’s pupils enlarged, and his lips parted. “Now that I have you”—I shook my head and grinned—“There’s no room for anyone else in my head or my heart. Believe me.”
Alec stared at me for a long minute and then leaned forward to press his lips to mine. His tongue darted out, sweeping into my mouth for a brief second. I groaned and felt him smile in return. He pressed his forehead to mine and whispered, “I believe you, babe. It just makes me crazy to have to share any part of you with him. I can’t get enough of you.”
Just like that the two hour seminar that had been one of my favorites became a very painful exercise in restraint.
***
“What do you mean you’re only going for an hour?” Julie stomped her foot. Her clunky heel made a surprisingly loud sound on the hardwood floor of our room.
Alexis rolled her eyes. “I have to study. I always have to study. I sound like a damn broken record.” She leaned closer to the mirror and dabbed on a light pink lip gloss. “Organic Chemistry is meant to weed out all the lazy asses who won’t hack it in med school.” She smacked her lips together and stood up straight. “I refuse to be weeded out.”
I winked at her and then sobered my face for Julie. “I might not stay the whole time either. Alec has off tonight. I think I might leave early to spend some time with him.”
Alexis sat on the chair and fixed the strap on her sandal. “Is Alec okay with you going to a party with Pickles?”
No. No he’s not. “Well…”
“Don’t even tell me you are going to be one of those girls. Everything is fine and dandy until you meet some guy and then you ditch us to hang out with him all the time.” Julie shook her head and pressed her lips into a tight line.
I rubbed lotion on my hands and arms. “I’m not ditching you. I’m going to happy hour, just like I promised, but Alec is important to me, too. I can understand why he doesn’t like the idea of me hanging out or drinking where Pickles is going to be.”
“Taren, you’re in a sorority. You’re going to be drinking with guys. This is what I’m talking about. Alec doesn’t understand Greek life.” Julie placed her hands on her hips. Alexis stood up, looking between the two of us with a frown.
Irritation crawled under my skin, but I tried to remember that Julie had always been on my side. “No, he doesn’t understand why Tri-Gam is so important to me, but the Acroletes are a mystery to me, too. The important thing is that we’re trying to understand one another and learn to live with our differences.”
“Your lives are completely opposite. Don’t you think that lack of understanding is a pretty big deal?”
“We understand each other in the ways that matter. He’s so good to me, Jules.” I slung my arm around her shoulder and squeezed. “Maybe you just need a little time to get to know him better.”
Julie looked at Alexis who nodded encouragingly. Julie rolled her eyes. “Okay, fine. But only if you promise there will be no juggling.”
I burst out laughing and hugged her. “No juggling, but I do have to warn you about his friend, Caz.”
***
“Hit me!” Pickles bellowed and slammed his glass on the bar. The group of rowdy fraternity brothers surrounding him cheered, egging him on.
Alexis sighed and glanced at her watch. “I’m sorry, Taren. I’m going to head out. I have a lot to do, and I’ve had about as much of that as I can take.” She hooked her thumb behind her to where I could hear Pickles harassing the bartender to hurry.
I looked toward Pickles to find he was already staring at me with a sloppy smile on his face. He’d reached the level of drunk where he would think it was appropriate to paw at me. Time to go. I stood up from my barstool. “I’m out, too.”
She frowned. “Jules is going to be pissed we’re leaving at the same time.”
“Nah, she’s lip-deep in a new flirtationship. Her happy hour is getting happier by the minute.” Alexis giggled, and I grabbed her hand. We wove our way through the crowd to hug our friend goodbye.
We left the bar, and Alexis was shaking her head as the door swung closed behind us. “I wonder how long that one will last?”
I snorted. “If he lasts longer than two weeks it’ll be a record.” I hooked my arm through Alexis’. “What about you? Are you and Asher serious?”
She looked up at me with a sad smile. “The only thing I’m serious about is school. I don’t have time for a love life.”
We walked along the sidewalk, but I stopped when Alexis turned to go toward our house. “I’m going to see Alec. I’ll be back later.” I couldn’t keep the grin off my face, and I felt bad because Alexis deserved to have the kind of happiness I had with Alec.
Alexis pinched her eyebrows
together. “How do you know he doesn’t already have plans?”
“He said he was studying. He always studies at his place.” I waved and headed for the apartment complex where Alec lived. The walk was short, and I got lucky enough to be able to follow a group of people into the lobby so I didn’t have to buzz in. I rode the elevator up to his floor, and excitement grew in my chest as I imagined the look on his face when he answered the door.
The television was loud coming from inside the apartment, and I had to knock a few times before the door finally swung open. When Caz saw me, the goofy smile he was wearing fell, and he frowned at me.
“Donuts?” He opened the door wider and looked around me to find only empty hallway. “What are you doing here? I thought you and Alec were going to the National Harbor.”
My head tilted in confusion. “No. I had a happy hour with my sorority tonight.” The words came out slow and unsure. Why would Alec tell Caz we had a date? “I left the party early. Alec told me he’d be studying so I came to see him.”
Jon appeared behind Caz. “He’s studying at the library.”
Caz whirled around to glare at Jon. “I thought he took the night off to take Donuts on a date?” Then he turned his glare on me. “You stood him up for happy hour?”
Guilt gnawed at my stomach, even though I hadn’t done anything wrong. “No. It wasn’t like that. I already had plans when he asked me out.” Why was I explaining this to Caz? My relationship with Alec was none of his business. “Which library did he go to?” I asked Jon.
“McKeldin. But he won’t be there much longer. He just texted to see if we wanted to meet up with him for racquetball.” Jon held up his phone.
Caz’s face brightened, and he backed away from the door. “Fuck’n A. He deserves an ass kicking. Where the hell did I leave my racquet?”
My excitement at seeing my boyfriend sputtered and died as Caz disappeared into the apartment. Even though Alexis had mentioned it, I hadn’t expected Alec to have plans. My shoulders sagged as I backed away from the door. “Okay. Thanks, Jon. I guess I’ll call him later.” I turned to walk down the hallway.
“Taren?” I looked over my shoulder to see Jon leaning against the doorjamb with a serious expression on his face.
I turned and wrapped my arms across my chest, wondering if he was going to give me some sort of lecture on my choice to spend time with my sisters. “Yeah?
He sighed and shook his head. “Do you know where the racquetball courts are?”
“The lower level of the building where you practice, right?” Hope bloomed in my chest.
Jon nodded. “He took the night off to be with you.” He gave me a suggestive arch of his eyebrow and then pushed off the wall and went inside his apartment, closing the door behind him.
I nearly ran down the hallway to the elevator.
***
The gym was almost empty as I made my way to the racquetball courts. Small doors that led to each court lined both sides of the hall. Only one of the rooms had any sounds coming from it, and I peeked through the tiny window to see Alec punishing a tiny blue ball as he slammed it against the wall. He’d taken his shirt off, and his muscles flexed and strained as he chased the ball down, crushing it with each swing of his racquet. He was so delicious to watch that for a moment, I’d forgotten the reason I’d come.
After drooling for a few minutes, I pushed the door open and ducked as I stepped into the room. “What did that ball ever do to you?”
Alec spun around, the ball forgotten as it continued to bounce around the room. The surprise on his face morphed into appreciation as he took in my outfit. He stalked across the room, and when he stopped in front of me, he was so close I could have licked his chest. God, I wanted to.
He placed his racquet behind my waist and used it to pull me against him. His skin was hot, and I thought I might melt into a puddle at his feet. “You’re here.” He grinned. “This is so much better than racquetball.” He dipped his head down to my shoulder and nuzzled his lips against my neck.
My head tilted back as a pleased sigh echoed in my throat. “I couldn’t bear the thought of not seeing you tonight.”
“Ditto,” he mumbled against my skin.
“Want to get out of here? I want to show you something.” I gasped as he nibbled the soft skin of my neck. “And I got dinner.” The last few words were breathless as I jiggled the bag of food I’d bought.
“I’m only hungry for you.” He kissed me on the lips, and then he smiled when his stomach growled. “But whatever you got smells fucking delicious. I guess I’ll just have to have you for dessert.”
I laughed and pushed him away when he tried to dive back in for a kiss. “Come on. No dessert unless you eat your dinner like a good boy.”
Alec groaned but went to the corner of the court and grabbed his shirt. He put it on and then grabbed my hand, sliding his fingers between mine.
We found a nearby bench and I laid out a spread of subs and sodas. As we ate, I looked up at the sky. Noise from nearby traffic reminded me that Route One was close, but here, in this moment with Alec, I felt secluded. I felt a peace I’d never known.
“So where are you taking me?” he asked as he ate the last bite of his sub. We tossed our trash into a nearby can and his fingers found mine again.
“I don’t want to ruin the surprise.” I rubbed the inside of his palm with my thumb, loving it when he squeezed my hand tighter in response.
“You couldn’t surprise me anymore than you did when you walked through that door. You have no idea how much I needed to see you tonight.” He pulled me to him and placed a lingering kiss on my lips, stealing my breath with the demanding heat of his mouth and tongue.
“I have some idea.” I exhaled a pleased moan.
He laughed and released me so we could keep walking. “Did you have fun hanging out with...your sisters?” His jaw tensed, and he looked straight ahead. I could hear the unspoken words. He was worried about Pickles.
“I did, but I’m glad I’m here with you now.” I squeezed his hand, and we walked in comfortable silence across campus. The darkness made it feel as if we were in our own little world.
“Here we are.” I led him off the sidewalk and down the hill to the small dark tunnel that went under Regents Road near the chapel. The edges of the tunnel were overgrown with weeds and ivy so that it was almost hidden. Once we stood in the opening of the tunnel, I turned to face him, and his arm circled my waist, pulling me close.
He reached up with the other hand and tucked my hair behind my ear before leaning down for a kiss. “Where are we?” Each word was punctuated with the gentle press of his lips.
“This is the kissing tunnel.” I tilted my head up so I could see his expression. He gazed down at me with such adoration that my knees almost buckled. I couldn’t believe I almost missed out on this tonight. “It’s supposed to be one of the most romantic spots on campus.”
“The kissing tunnel?” His smile was dangerous as he slid both hands into my hair and lowered his mouth until it hovered just above mine. “I love that you came to find me tonight.” His lips descended, smoldering against mine. “I love that you brought me here.” His mouth branded a trail along my jaw to my ear. “And I’m going to love kissing every part of your body until you beg me to never stop.”
He pulled me close, and as he kissed me in the moonlight, my soul felt like it was lodged in my throat. My heart beat erratically because with every part of me, I was sure.
I know it. I love him. I love Alec Hart.
Chapter Twenty-Four
ALEC
I wrapped the grips around my hands and Caz shoved his hands into the chalk bucket next to me.
“How’s Donuts?” Caz’s tone was serious, and my eyebrows pulled together as I looked down at him.
“Good.” The word was short and clipped because I had the sense I wasn’t going to like his train of thought.
He rubbed his hands together, spreading the chalk over his palms. “Do you think
she’s going to choose you?” He met my eyes, and his jaw tensed.
“What the hell is that supposed to mean?” Anger laced my words.
He slapped his hands together in a cloud of chalk dust. “You planned a date night, and she ditched you for happy hour.”
“You don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Really? At some point she’s going to have to choose between her party life and her drug-free boyfriend. Do you think she’s going to choose you?” He walked between the parallel bars and reached up to grip one as he stared at me.
“I’m not asking her to choose. She doesn’t have to.” I glared at him.
“I hope you’re right.” He turned away from me.
I bit back the words that I wanted to say, that on Friday she did choose me and that was enough. Caz had no idea what he was talking about. I looked over at him, ready to tell him so when I remembered the truth: Taren came to see me after she’d already been to happy hour.
Had she really chosen me or had she just made room for me in her busy party schedule?
Fuck. Caz’s comments were like poison, worming their way into my brain and planting doubt I didn’t need.
***
We grabbed a quick dinner at Marathon Deli, and then I took Taren on the second part of our date, which was back on the other side of campus. When we arrived at the building where the Acroletes’ practice was held, she looked at me strangely.
“I thought we were going back to your apartment. Don’t tell me you want to play racquetball instead?” She pouted, and I leaned over to suck her bottom lip between mine in a gentle kiss.
I pulled back and grinned. “Just a quick stop in here. It’ll be fun.”
She tucked herself under my arm and let me lead her inside the building. I pulled Caz’s duplicate key out of my pocket and unlocked the side door to the gym.
“They let you have a key?” Taren’s eyes widened in surprise. “I can’t believe they give everyone a key.”
“This is Caz’s actually. And he doesn’t know I have it.” I winked at her and led her into the gym.