The Same Side (University Park #2)

by CM Doporto

  “What exactly do I have to do?” He turned in her direction.

  She crossed her arms over her body in a coy manner. “I just need to take some photos of you, candid ones, which will tell your life story. And maybe get some of your past pictures as well.”

  “That’s easy. The media’s always taking pictures of me and my mom has a crap load of them since my childhood.”

  “Really?” Delaney’s blue eyes brightened. “You’d really let me tell your story?”

  Raven shrugged. “It’s not like it’s a big secret or anything. People know more about me then I probably do.”

  “Thanks, Raven. I appreciate it.” She started to walk off and then stopped. “When do you think I can get some of those pictures from your mom? My project is due next Tuesday.”

  Raven reached into his back pocket and pulled out his phone. “I’ll call her now.”

  Delaney extended a hand. “Oh, I didn’t mean for you to ask her right now.”

  Walking off, Raven ignored her comment. He began speaking with his mom, so I turned away, not wanting to seem nosey.

  “Can you believe he’s going to let me tell his story?” Delaney whispered in my ear.

  “I know. But you better be on your best behavior.” I eyed her.

  “What?” Her head jolted back. “That’s your guy, not mine. Besides, I just plan on hanging out with you two and taking some pics, if that’s okay?”

  Rave stepped between us. “She said yes, but on one condition.”

  “What’s that?” I asked.

  Raven smiled at me. “We come over tonight for dinner.”

  I tried to conceal the smile, but it was useless. “Great.”

  “But first, I want to teach you how to catch and throw a ball.” Raven reached over and gathered me in his arms.

  “What? No,” I protested as he lifted me off the ground. My arms flailed about, trying to break free from his grip.

  He pitched me over his shoulder and carried me toward the center of the commons area. “Raven! Put me down!”

  “Josh. Toss us the ball. I want to show her how to catch,” he yelled as he placed me on my feet.

  “Raven, I’m telling you… I can’t catch a ball,” I begged but his smile only deepened.

  I looked around for Delaney, finding her walking toward us, taking pictures. I held my arm out, desperate for her to help me. She raised her head from behind the camera and shot me a thumbs up.

  Raven laced his hand around my arm and drew it in. His big, strong arms surrounded me and his face rested against mine. “Bend your knees slightly and get ready to catch the ball when Josh throws it to us.” His intoxicating scent made it difficult to concentrate. I sucked in a deep breath, trying to clear my airway.

  About thirty yards away, Josh prepared to throw the ball. “Go easy,” Raven reminded him.

  Josh extended his arm back and released the ball. In slow motion, the brown leather spun in the air directly toward me. Raven held on to my hands, drawing my arms in as the ball flew straight toward me. In the blink of an eye, the ball hit me square in the chest. I coughed as it took the little air I had left in my lungs. I looked down to see to the ball, clutched between my hands.

  “I did it!” I held the ball up in the air for everyone to see. “I caught the ball.” A few passers-by had stopped to watch the guys play and clapped when I bragged about my victory.

  Raven straightened. “See, you can do it.” He patted me on the back and my body lunged forward. “Sorry.”

  I pulled my hair back into a ponytail. “Remember, I’m not one of the boys.” I raised the sleeves of my fleece shirt, ready to try again.

  “Alright, now I want you to throw the ball to Josh.”

  Over the next thirty or so minutes, Raven showed me some of the basics of football. There was something about him that made me want to try my very best. He didn’t treat me like I was an idiotic girl that had no clue when it came to sports or a loser without coordination, but rather someone who had never been shown or taught how to catch or throw a ball. Instead of making fun of me or tearing me down, he built me up. Just like I did when I taught him how to become a better writer.

  With every throw and catch, I continued to gain more confidence. By the end, I was running alongside him, trying to catch a ball that Josh had thrown.

  “Come on, Lexi! Reach for it!” Raven yelled as I held my hands up high above my head.

  With one quick movement, Raven jumped behind me and caught the ball with one hand, tackling me in the process. We tumbled to the ground. The cold ground seeped through the back of my clothes while the front of me felt like an oven simmering on high.

  My lungs heaved for air as Raven lay partially on top of me. “Are you trying to kill me?”

  “No, just having fun with you.” He propped himself up on his forearms, allowing me to take a breath. “I told you that I wanted to have fun with you, remember?” His brows raised and my heart fluttered.

  If this was having fun, then I wanted more of it.

  “Yeah, I remember.” I stared deep into his eyes.

  “So, do you want to have some wild, wild fun with me?”

  “More than you’ll ever know.”

  “Good, because I’m just getting started on that list of yours.”

  “But I haven’t even made it.” My hands rose to his face and I drew my lips closer to his.

  “That’s okay, we’ll make it together.” His warm breath spread across my face and my eyes struggled to stay open.

  “That sounds like a great idea. I guess I can check this off.”

  “A game of football?” He stalled a few inches over my lips.

  I shrugged. “Not just a football game, but a football game with The Raven.”

  He lips spread into a full grin. “I’ll play with you anytime, Lexi.”

  I started laughing. “I’m going to be so sore tomorrow, I won’t be able to walk.”

  Raven snickered. “Damn, baby. And I haven’t done half of the stuff I’m dying to do to you.”

  A whimper escaped my throat. He was making me lose my heart and mind all at the same time. He was driving me insane and quickly becoming part of my every thought. I was pretty sure I was going to fail all of my classes. His mouth met mine and my eyes fluttered to a close. I heard Delaney snap a picture of us and I knew I was right where I wanted to be, in The Raven’s trap.

  ∑

  Chapter 5

  I grabbed my purse and then stuck my head in the doorway to Delaney’s room. “Raven is downstairs. Are you ready?”

  She slipped on her shoes. “Yep, let’s go.” Hooking her backpack over her shoulder, she followed me out the door. I was a little excited to meet Raven’s mom and brothers. I couldn’t help but wonder what he had told them about me, if anything at all.

  I locked the door behind us. “Hey, did you tell Luke where you were going?”

  “No.” She adjusted her backpack. “I haven’t talked with him since earlier. He was studying. Why?”

  “I was just wondering if he knew anything about me and Raven.”

  She gave me one of her looks, but I didn’t elaborate. “I haven’t mentioned anything to him. But if he saw the pics of me with Matt on Facebook, then I’m sure he saw you two together.”

  “Hmm, I didn’t think about that.” Had Luke saw them but just avoided the situation since he didn’t want to get in the middle of my recent split with Collin? “He didn’t ask me or comment that he saw them when we talked earlier this morning.”

  “Are you afraid he’ll tell Collin?”

  The doors to the elevator opened and we stepped in. Resting my head against the wall, I sighed. “I don’t know.” I looked at her and she raised a brow. “I just don’t want Collin to find out… I mean, I’m sure he will eventually.”

  “What if he already knows?”

  My head jolted. “Do you know something I don’t?”

  “No.” She raised her hands in surrender. “I swear I don’t.”

&n
bsp; The elevator opened and we exited. “You’d tell me if you did, right?”

  “I swear. I…” she hesitated for a moment before continuing. “I’ve only seen him a few times since you broke up with him.”

  I blocked the door leading outside as I waited for her to finish. “And?”

  “He just seemed kind of sad, that’s all.”

  “Oh.” A little piece of my heart stirred. I hated not knowing how he truly felt, if the end of our relationship had a significant bearing on him or if he was glad I had called things off. But I refused to call him. If he couldn’t speak up when he had the chance, then it was clear to me that he didn’t love me enough to get married. If he did, he would have already called me by now.

  I sighed heavily and pushed the door open. Leaving him was for the best. At least, I hoped it was the right decision.

  We walked down the steps to Raven’s car and got in.

  “I love your Challenger,” Delaney said as she got in the back.

  “Thanks.” Raven smiled at me as I sat in the front seat and goose bumps formed from my head to my toes. I wondered how he afforded such a nice car, but I refrained from asking. When he shared some of his dreams with me at the stadium suite, he insinuated that his mother struggled financially. My curiosity peeked, but I withheld my questions.

  Raven revved the engine and raced down the narrow drive and onto the main street. A chill set in as the sun disappeared behind the skyline and I shivered. Winter was quickly approaching, but in Texas it could be icing one day and sunny and warm the next.

  “Cold?”

  “Yeah, a little.”

  Raven turned up the heat, but instead of returning his hand to the steering wheel, he reached for mine. I interlaced my fingers with his and the warmth from his palm thawed mine instantly. It felt good to feel his affection for me and I relished every tender moment of it.

  “Hey, did your mom want us to bring anything?” I asked as we passed a grocery store.

  Raven shrugged. “I don’t know. I didn’t think to ask.”

  “We should probably bring a dessert or something.” I pointed behind me, indicating for him to turn the car around.

  “Yeah, I think we should.” Delaney leaned between the two front seats.

  “Okay.” Raven made a U-turn at the next light and pulled into the parking lot.

  I opened the door and Delaney and I got out of the car. “We’ll be right back.”

  “I got this.” Delaney urged me to get back in the car.

  “Are you sure?” I gave her a confused look.

  “Yeah.” She winked, but I wasn’t sure what she was trying to tell me. “Is apple pie and vanilla ice cream okay?”

  “I guess.” I turned to Raven as I got back in the car.

  “Yeah, that’s fine.” Raven reached in his pocket. “Here’s a twenty.” He waved a crisp bill in front of me. I took the money and handed it to her.

  “That’s okay. I’m the one who asked for this favor, I can at least bring something.”

  “Okay,” Raven responded and I handed him back the bill.

  I closed the door. “Thanks for agreeing to help Delaney.”

  He flipped through the radio and I could tell he was avoiding my comment. The muscles in hand tensed and his jaw jutted out.

  “Raven.”

  “Huh?”

  “You don’t have to do this, you know.” I placed my hand on his arm. “She’ll understand.”

  He stopped flipping stations and Boom Clap started playing over the radio. He turned toward me and I shifted closer to him. His jaw relaxed and he let out a full breath. “I’m not going to lie to you, this project of hers will stir up some past hurts.”

  “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have offered for you to help her. It really wasn’t my place.” Even though I knew bits and pieces about him, I realized that his story wasn’t a lighthearted one. He had some serious baggage and I felt guilty for placing him in that position.

  He looked down and picked at the leather that wrapped around the gearshift. “But that’s just it. I do want to do this. I’ve been holding it all in, maybe this will help me.” He glanced at me and I saw the hurt embedded deep in his eyes. “Like bring some closure or serve as therapy.”

  “I’m definitely no therapist,” I cupped his face with my hand, “but like I told you, I’m here for you.”

  “I don’t know what it is, but when I’m with you, I feel like I can conquer the world, like I can defeat any obstacle that I encounter. You’ve been more than a tutor to me, you know that?”

  I inclined my head. “Damn, Raven, you make me sound like I’m your heroine or something.”

  “That’s because you are. Being around you does something to me. I want to be good… do everything right.” In a gentle motion, he pulled my hand away and raised it to his lips, giving me a tender kiss. His eyes meet mine and for a moment, we simply stared at each other.

  “My world is so much better with you in it, Lexi.”

  I took in several deep breaths, trying to calm my racing heart. Raven definitely knew how to make me feel like I was the queen of his trap. I didn’t mind because it was a kingdom I wanted to be a part of. “When I’m with you, I feel so safe. I know there’s nothing in this world that I can’t face.” I covered my mouth, hiding a snicker. “I do have to admit something, though.”

  “What’s that?”

  “When I’m around you, I want to be bad.” I traced a finger down his chest, not afraid to show him how I really felt. “A very bad and crazy girl.”

  His eyes drilled in to me and in an instant, Raven captured my lips with his. Our breathing became rapid as our kiss intensified. It was as though we couldn’t get enough of each other. His sex appeal was more than I could handle and I was ready to tell him to take me right there. My hands spread across his chest and I squeezed his shoulders tightly. Without notice, his hands flew to my waist and he pulled me closer to him. I started to cross over the console when I remembered Delaney was in the store. I pulled back slowly, letting out a slight moan.

  “Sorry.” I licked my lips, savoring his sinful taste.

  He didn’t move, keeping his position like he was ready to take me at my command. “Remember what I told you. You don’t ever have to apologize to me for anything you do.”

  I straightened my shirt, trying to regain my composure. “You also said that you wouldn’t do anything unless I asked you to. Is that still true?”

  “Yes,” he whispered. “Because when it comes to you, Lexi, I don’t want to screw things up. The last thing I want you to think is that you’re just another girl to me, because you’re not.” His eyes appraised me with finite detail. “You’re so much more.”

  I felt the boom of my heart as he dressed me up with his luring words. Raven knew how to deliver the reassurance I needed to hear and within them, I sensed his sincerity. “Good, because I want to be so much more.”

  “So, you’re not keeping count of why you shouldn’t be with me?”

  I had to stop and think for a moment. “Oh, you mean the fifteen reasons I gathered?”

  “Yes. Are you still keeping count?”

  I shook my head. “No. I’m actually thinking of all the reasons I should be with you.”

  He smiled. “I was hoping you were going to say that because all I know is that together we will stand tall, but apart we will fall.”

  “Oh my God.” I snickered. “Is that another one of those sayings you’ve heard?”

  “I don’t know. Maybe.” He nuzzled my ear and my body hummed in delight. “I just like the way it sounds.”

  Just as he was about to kiss me again, Delaney knocked on the window.

  I opened the door and leaned forward so she could crawl in the back.

  “Damn, were y’all making out or what? The windows are all fogged up and it’s hot as hell in here,” Delaney huffed.

  My cheeks flushed with heat, but I didn’t say a word.

  “Sorry,” Raven commented before cracking
the window and turning the defrost on.

  We passed several neighborhoods before slowing to a small wooden frame house. A single car driveway led to the house and Raven parked in the street. Cream-colored paint matched the reddish brick along with the black shutters and the front door. “It’s not much, but my mom makes the best of it.”

  “I think it’s charming.” I opened the door and got out of the car.

  Delaney handed me the bag with the pie and ice cream. I moved the seat forward and she crawled out of the back. “Oh, it is cute. I like it.” She pulled up her jeans and huffed as though it was a chore to wiggle her way out of the vehicle.

  “Thanks.” Raven took the dessert from my hands and led us to the door. He knocked and opened the door. “We’re here.”

  The smell of home cooked food wafted through the air and my stomach growled. We entered the living room consumed by a large, overstuffed, black leather sectional and a huge flat screen TV. Trophies were stacked from the floor to the ceiling on bookcases, along with pictures of Raven and his brothers, leaving no wall bare. The accomplishments between him and his brothers were shown with great pride.

  Raven’s two brothers were sitting on the couch, playing a video game. The older one gave a slight nod to us while the younger jumped at the sight of Raven.

  “Raven! You’re home.” The young kid high-fived Raven while revealing a mouth full of braces and rubber bands. “Great game! You kicked their butts.”

  “Thanks, Ashton.” Raven rubbed his head. “I’d like you to meet some of my friends. This is Lexi and Delaney.”

  “Nice to meet you, Ashton,” I said, shaking his hand.

  “You kind of resemble your brother.” Delaney smiled at him and waved.

  “Hey, Trey, put the game on pause for a minute,” Raven told his other brother.

  Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a tall, slender woman with bleach blonde hair and fair skin come around the corner. She wiped her hands on a dishtowel and then swung it over her shoulder. “Hi. I’m Trish Williams, Raven’s mom.” She had a strong Louisiana accent that fit her perfectly.