Patience

by Sydney Lane

  Patience

  By Sydney Lane

  For those who know the real me and love me anyway...

  Copyright @2013 by Sydney Lane

  Cover image designed and owned by Melissa Storm Allen

  Cover model Sarah Kay Bacle and Drew Richards

  Edited by Erin Giblin, KM Krick

  Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without prior written permission of the above author of this book.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, brands, media, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of various products referenced in this work of fiction, which have been used without permission. The publication/use of these trademarks is not authorized, associated with, or sponsored by the trademark owners.

  Chapter 1

  Jenna

  "A bet? You put me through this torture for a bet?" I cross my arms over my chest, my eyes pinning him where he stands, as if his life depends on it. Hell, maybe it does. I feel downright murderous.

  "Jenna, please. Sunshine, just listen. I-"

  "Oh, hell no, Eric James! I've heard enough. Of all the immature, stupid, dumbass things you could have done, this takes the damn cake. A freakin' bet!" I may be mad, but even I can see the humor in this situation. I bite my lip to hide the smile that threatens to expose me. Like he's getting off that easy. "What the hell were you thinking?"

  "I wasn't. I-"

  "Damn right, you weren't! You made a bet for a measly five hundred bucks that you could abstain from sex for sixty days. Here I was, thinking you didn't want me, wondering what was wrong with me, and all you got was five hundred dollars?" I begin pacing back and forth, my fists clenched by my sides. I have to make this look good.

  "But I didn't even know you when-"

  "Nope. Uh uh. No more excuses." I stop directly in front of him, looking up into those extraordinary blue eyes I've come to know and love. If he wasn't so damn cute when he grovels, he'd be in deep shit. For real. "I just have one more thing to say."

  His eyes cloud with dread, maybe a little hope, and sadness. A whole lot of sadness. "Anything, Jenna. I'll do anything to fix this. What do you need?" His words ring with truth, and I know that without a doubt, he means every word he says.

  "I need my two hundred fifty bucks. Quincy and I are going shopping." His head shoots up, his eyes searching mine. I can't do it anymore... a bright smile betrays me as it slowly spreads across my face. I couldn't stay mad at him if I tried.

  "What the hell, Jenna? You're not-" he hesitates, confusion on his beautiful face. "You're not mad?"

  "Eric, this is me you're talking to. I'm a 'cup half full' kind of girl. Sure, you lied to me and made me a paranoid, whiny bitch, but even I can see the good in this. So give up the money." I extend my hand, palm up, between us, waving my fingers at him. "I earned it just as much as you did."

  For the first time tonight, he relaxes, turning on the signature James smile, the one that gets him whatever he wants. "Oh no, sweetheart. If it had been up to you, we would've lost this bet a long time ago. You didn't earn a dime." I cross my arms again, attempting to look serious and resist those damn dimples.

  "Boy, you better turn over my money, or-" Suddenly, his mouth crashes into mine, essentially stealing the words from my lips. Desire, hot and deep, ignites inside of me, fueling the heat that began two long months ago when I first laid eyes on him. I open my mouth, fully intent on objecting, but his tongue seizes the opportunity, exploring my mouth in ways I've only dreamed of. Just when my arms encircle his waist, drawing him close to me, he pulls away.

  "Or what, Jenna?" His voice is deep, his eyes probing mine. I don't even know what I was going to say. I'm lost, my head full of dirty thoughts and my body tingling all over. A chuckle rumbles in his chest, rugged and masculine, erasing the last chance I had at saving myself. "Or you'll agree to go on a trip with me this weekend? Where we can be alone with no bet between us?" He places a soft kiss on the end of my nose. "Nothing between us?"

  Oh, hell. I'd do anything for this boy. But I'm not telling him that. As I struggle to gain control of my runaway, sexually charged hormones, I pick at my nails in disinterest. "I might be interested if something better doesn't come up. What did you have in mind?"

  "Asheville? The Biltmore?" His brows furrow, as if he really thinks I might say no. So freakin' adorable.

  I squeal in excitement as my heart pounds in my chest. "Yes! Yes! Yes! Omigosh, I can't believe this!" Eric knows what a huge history buff I am, and I've always wanted to visit the Biltmore. My major is interior design, and I can't wait to see the grandeur of the mansion. Mostly, I just can't wait to get Eric alone in one of the most romantic cities in the South. "And what, pray tell, will you do with me once we're alone in a hotel room?"

  "I will respect you." Not the words I expected. He pulls me closer, molding my body against his. God, I love the way he smells.

  "What if I don't want to be respected?" I flirt, batting my eyelashes at him. Oh, how I have dreamed of this.

  "Then I will hold you, touch you -" Leaning closer to me, his lips graze my ear as he whispers, "Lick you, taste you -" A tingle runs down my spine when he licks my ear, and I shiver in his arms. "And discover all those curves and dips I've been dreaming about since I first saw you."

  Breathless, I speak the only coherent thought in my head. "Let's pack our bags."

  Chapter 2

  Eric

  When I met Jenna, everything changed.

  Everything.

  I'd already been at the University of Tennessee for two years, and I was having the time of my life. The son of two lawyers, I grew up in a very strict household. They had high expectations for me, and I rose to meet them. I played baseball, had decent grades, and earned a full ride to UT. Even as I went along with their plans, I learned to party with the best. Everyone needs to blow off a little steam here and there, and if you knew my parents, you'd know exactly what I mean.

  That's how I met Jenna. As the informal party planner for my fraternity, I scope out the hot chicks on campus and make sure they end up at our house.

  So, there I was, sitting in Lit class, when she walked in. Tall, leggy, blonde... everything I could've asked for. The kind of girl a guy thinks about while he's taking care of personal business, if you catch my drift.

  I still remember the way my heart stuttered in my chest, pounding hard against my ribs. Subconsciously, I think my mind knew she was 'it' for me way before my heart did, because it didn't take long before I was consumed with her. I sort of loved her the moment I saw her. That's why I approached her that day.

  I just couldn't stay away.

  I don't even remember what I said, but I remember every other detail like it happened yesterday. Wearing a short sundress and cowboy boots, she was the hottest piece of country to ever walk into my life. Her shoulders were bare, revealing tiny freckles sprinkled across her bronzed skin. I watched her mouth move while she spoke, her full lips curling into a smile. And her eyes, those eyes, so blue I wanted to go for a swim in them. Smelling like a bouquet of wildflowers, she stormed in and turned my world completely upside down.

  And that's when things went terribly wrong.

  That afternoon, I ate lunch with Declan, one of my best friends and fellow fraternity brothers, and I spilled my guts, telling him how awesome this girl was, that she might be something special. "I've never met a girl like her. I mean, yeah, she's hot, and that's probably all it is, but I can't wait to find out."

  "Y
ou know, if you really want to know what it's about, don't have sex with her. The wait might be worth it. It's all about the chase anyway, right?" His eyes glinted with mischief. Did I mention that Declan is the fraternity chaplain? He's the best guy a girl could find but no way was I taking his advice. Not an option.

  "Man, I don't know what works for you, but I don't see any reason to wait if we both want it," I smirk. "Besides, I don't need to wait to know she's different." And that was the honest truth.

  I already knew.

  Declan leaned back in his chair, linking his fingers over his chest. "You know what I think? You don't know how to romance a girl without having sex with her." His gaze challenged me, even as his eyes crinkled in amusement.

  I've never been one to turn down a challenge. I'm competitive, and it goes against my grain. So, I opened my big mouth. "Wanna bet?" Two words. One colossal fuck-up.

  His smile was so big it almost blinded me. That's when I knew he had me. Bastard. He had planned it all along. "Absolutely. I bet you can't go ninety days without sex."

  "Thirty," I countered.

  "Sixty."

  "Ok. Sixty. So what do you want to wager?" I had walked right into his trap, and I somehow knew I would regret it the minute the words left my mouth.

  "If you win, I'll owe you five hundred bucks. If I win..." He raised his eyebrows as if he was pondering the fate of the world. "I get your guitar." Oh, hell no.

  "Dec, man, you know I can't do that. I can't put my guitar on the line. What else?" There's no way I'd give up my custom Fender Strat. Not for a bet, not for a girl.

  "No. It has to be the guitar." He shook his head slightly, determination in his eyes and the set of his shoulders. "It has to be something you value, something it would hurt to lose, like a hit to the nuts. That's the only way I'll be able to trust you." Looking back on it, that is when I should have backed down. It was the stupidest bet I'd ever made, much worse than betting I could get in some girls pants. Of which, I have outgrown by the way.

  "Deal," I agreed, against my own instincts, my better judgment having flown out the window.

  "Deal?" His eyes widened with surprise since he'd been expecting a battle. In my mind, this was going to be the easiest sixty days of my life. Jenna was just a girl I met in my Lit class, and like others, she would come and go. I convinced myself it wasn't going to be a big deal.

  I was wrong.

  Because she found out. Well, I had to tell her. Fifty-eight days in, and she was going to leave me. Something about how I didn't think she was attractive, that I couldn't possibly want her if I wouldn't even touch her. I thought she was totally exaggerating, but I didn't dare point it out. She couldn't have been further from the truth.

  I almost lost my damn guitar at least thirty times in the last sixty days. Declan said no sex, but he didn't say I couldn't touch. We've done a lot of touching.

  And kissing.

  And licking.

  Lots of licking.

  Let me tell you something about my girl. She is the most positive, happy-go-lucky, good-can-be-found-in-anything girl you will ever meet. But she is also the fiercest, bust-your-balls, explosive chick I've ever met. The last thing I wanted to do was confess, but there's no way I was gonna let her walk out of my life. So, against my better instincts, I told her. I confessed. Like most things 'Jenna', she didn't react the way I expected. Sure, she was mad as hell, but when she calmed down, I described everything I wanted to do to her, everything I had dreamed of every time I closed my eyes, and she was in my arms again.

  Damn, I want that girl, but mostly, I just want to keep her.

  Chapter 3

  Jenna

  "Quince, this is complete bullshit. What was he thinking?" I still can't believe Eric did this to me. If I was one of those spineless bitches, this would have totally devastated me. Maybe I would be thinking I didn't mean anything to him or that his guitar meant more than I did. Instead, I can't help but laugh. I mean, all he did was torture himself. What an idiot. I shake my head before plopping down on the bed beside my best friend. I would go crazy without her.

  "At least now you know it wasn't about you." She throws an arm around my shoulders, gently laying her head against mine. She's had her fair share of problems in life, making my issues with Eric pale in comparison, but she always makes me feel as if I'm just as important.

  "I know, right?" I laugh, wrapping my arms around Quincy. We fall back on the bed, staring up at the ceiling. "You know I can't let him off the hook that easy. What do you think I should I do?" I imagine all sorts of things, things I know he wouldn't like. The best one being that I hold out on him for another sixty days. An eye for an eye deal. Except, then I'd be just like him - punishing myself. And I'm not an idiot.

  Another sixty days and my panties will combust.

  "Who says you have to punish him at all? I mean, think about it. There are some types of torture that are painfully pleasurable. You know what I mean?" She turns her head, smiling mischievously at me as a blush steals across her cheeks. Until recently, Quincy was a virgin. Who knew she'd be the one giving me pointers?

  My heart picks up its pace, racing against my ribs. "Holy shit, Quince! You're a freakin' genius!" I sit up, giddy with excitement. I just had the best idea ever, and I can't wait to start planning. This trip is exactly what I needed to put this train in motion.

  "I knew you'd come up with something... I'm almost afraid to ask." She throws a knowing look in my direction. That's why I love this girl. She not only gets me, she appreciates me. Most people think I'm over the top, and sometimes, they just don't understand me. While they moan and groan about every little thing, I try to see the best in every situation. People like me scare people like them, but I've got a secret weapon.

  I've got Quincy Priest.

  We met when I moved to Collier, TN. On the first day of school, I was scared to death, but little bitty Quincy walked right up to me and introduced herself. To everyone else, we might seem like a mismatched pair, but there's no one else I'd rather call my best friend. That day was one of the best days of my life.

  When I invited her into my life, she invited me into hers. Turns out, I was one of the few people to enter Quincy's world. Her sister, Katie, has bipolar disorder. She's also a manipulative drug addict who Quincy loves with her whole heart.

  I've seen Katie when she was up and when she was down. I've seen her do some crazy shit. That's why Katie is Quincy's guilty secret.

  I would wilt under the pressure of keeping that secret.

  Not Quincy.

  Her answer is to prove everyone wrong, to make up for all of the wrong her sister does, and to live her life in spite of it all. She got dealt a bad hand, but she's a survivor.

  No one who meets her would ever guess the things she's been through, and that's why I always try to find the good in the things around me. If you can't fix it, and you can't change it, you gotta just pick up your boot strings and make the best out of it. That- that strength and resilience I've seen in Quincy- that is what makes me smile when no one else would. I just happen to comprehend something most people my age don't. Things can always be worse than they are. And sometimes, those bad things happen to the people you love.

  Seeing her sister wig out with needle marks down her arms makes my problems seem insignificant in comparison.

  "Well, when I get the deets worked out, I'm sure you'll be the first one I tell." My cheeks grow warm, and I think I may actually be blushing. That would be a first.

  "I'm sure I will. Just don't get too crazy," she mumbles under her breath. She knows I can't keep secrets from her, and I wouldn't even try. However, I have been known to downplay some of my schemes here and there. She knows me too well.

  After hugs, I rush out the door. On my way across campus, I try to think about all the things I could do to punish Eric, but I'm distracted by images of the last night I spent with him. He may have avoided sealing the deal, but that boy touched me in places I never knew existed, made me feel things
I'd only ever read about.

  He made me want... more. All of him. The whole package.

  I've had sex before, but his no-sex moves did more to me than any fling I've ever had. I felt a connection, an intimacy that went beyond every other experience in my past. It's almost as if I've been waiting for him all this time.

  "Do you like it when I taste you, Jenna? Tell me." As his breath whispered across my cheek, I could smell the hint of lime on his lips. Tequila shots were the drink of choice, and he'd squirted that very lime on my neck before slowly, sensuously licking it off. His tongue swirled at the base of my throat, igniting a fire deep inside me, causing me to crave him, to need him so much it hurt. His lips hovered over mine, a whisper of promise, of the something 'more' that I craved.

  I was trembling beneath him, afraid to move and unwilling to break the connection. I raised my head a fraction of an inch, his lips an elusive ghost above mine. He pulled away just as our lips touched, smiling down at me. "Patience, Jenna."

  I opened my eyes, shocked by the harsh lights above me. I'd almost forgotten I was laying on the kitchen counter of his fraternity house, like some groupie. Except I know I'm not, and I don't give a shit what any of these people think anyway. The guys clapped around us, and when one of the brothers asked if he could have a turn, Eric shot him an eat-shit-and-die look, stopping him in his tracks. "Fuck you, Drew." He's joking, but even I hear the undercurrent in his voice.

  I sat up, smiling, as Eric took my hand and helped me from the counter. I looked longingly at the stairs that led to his room, my body swaying toward his. Maybe I was the one who needed the tequila shot. Or maybe I could get him drunk and take advantage of him.

  Patience? It's for the birds.

  "Jenna!" A loud shout brings me back to the present. As my eyes search for the owner of that deep, familiar voice, I find him leaning against a tree in the courtyard. A soft breeze musses his blonde hair, twisting my insides into a knot.

  I'm meeting the object of my fantasies for lunch. Maybe I can get through the next two days without attacking him.