by Abbi Glines
I would prefer we go somewhere more private but that wasn’t a possibility. I’d never be able to explain how it was I could sneak into her room so easily and I didn’t have a room for her to sneak into.
That was something I really needed to rectify. I needed a place to at least appear as if I lived there. She was going to be curious and until I knew she loved me I couldn’t tell her who I really was. I didn’t think she’d accept me if I explained my existence any sooner.
The library. It could be secluded if you went to the right places. “What about the library?” I asked. Her eyes lit up.
“Perfect. We need to get you a copy of Ethan Frome if you haven’t already read it.”
We could pretend I needed the copy of Ethan Frome. “Let’s go get that book,” I replied.
Pagan nodded and started to walk toward the library. I took her book bag. I hated seeing her carry it around. It looked so heavy on her shoulders. “I got this. Lead the way.” I told her when she looked back at me. She blushed and mumbled a thank you as she headed toward the large stone three-story building that I knew had a very quiet and secluded top floor. I’d checked it out already.
I opened one of the large double doors and let Pagan walk inside. “Go to the top floor,” I whispered to her and nodded toward the staircase to our left.
Pagan didn’t argue. She did as instructed and I followed behind her. The view of her cute little bottom in the shorts she had on today was making this idea an even better one. She reached the top floor and glanced back at me. “Where to?”
“There is a study area in the back that is usually empty so we can talk without disturbing anyone,” I explained.
No one was back here. If they were I’d been prepared to convince them to leave.
“Do you have another class today? This was it for me.” Pagan asked as she pulled out a chair and sat down.
“I’m done for the day too, so no need to hurry,” I replied. I wanted all the time I could get up here alone with her.
“Okay good,” she smiled and pulled out her literature book and a notebook. “My handwriting can be sloppy when I try to write fast. I’m supposed to be getting a laptop in the mail next week. Mom is sending it to me. Until then I have to scribble everything down.”
She had to go a week without a laptop. I knew it would be difficult for her. I wanted her to have something to type on. Pagan liked to take thorough notes. She wouldn’t be able to do that with a pen and paper. “I’ve got a lap top I’m not using. You’re welcome to borrow it until yours gets here.”
Her eyes lit up, “Really? You have an extra?”
I didn’t own a laptop but I’d go purchase one as soon as I left here. “It’s all yours.”
“Thank you. You’re a life-saver. That is such a sweet offer. I promise I’ll take care of it.”
The look on her face made me want to go buy her five lap tops and anything else she wanted.
“About the concert Friday night,” she began. Please don’t let her be backing out on me now. I wanted her there.
“What time do we need to be there? Do you go early and warm up?”
“Concert starts at eight but we’ll warm up around five. Then we relax and hang out backstage until show time.”
“Oh, wow. What time should we get there?”
I hadn’t been prepared for this question just yet. I’d wanted to ease her into coming to my practice with me, and letting Miranda come with Gee later.
“Would you be against riding with me to practice and staying the entire evening with me?”
She didn’t respond right away. I watched as a series of emotions crossed her face. “Um, well. What about Miranda and Gee? Would they be coming early too?”
I shook my head, “No, they’d come a little later.”
I wanted her without her posse.
“Oh,” she replied and bit her bottom lip several times before looking back up at me. “Would it be okay if I just came with them? Miranda is looking forward to this and Gee still makes her nervous. Plus while you’re warming up I’ll be all alone.”
I tried hard not to let the disappointment show on my face. “That’s fine, Pagan. Whatever makes you feel comfortable.” Reminding myself that this was going to take time was difficult. I wanted to get back what we had. But to Pagan I was still a guy she’d just met. One she wasn’t sure she trusted.
“Okay, thank you,” she replied and began pulling more papers out of her book bag. I’d forgotten we were here to catch me up on what I missed in class. “Like I said, I took notes but I probably took more than necessary. You can look over them and write down the highlights. I’m going to go find a copier and make you a copy of the syllabus. Oh, and I’ll look for the book too.” She stood up and headed for the stairs. I leaned back in my chair and closed my eyes. One day, I’d have her back.
Chapter Nine
Pagan
Finding the copier was easier than I’d thought. Finding Ethan Frome was also a breeze. Seven minutes later I was headed back upstairs to the little secluded hideaway with Dank. I had used finding the copier and book as an excuse to get away from him so I could take a deep breath and gather my thoughts. He was definitely interested in me. I couldn’t deny that now. I was also more than positive he’d picked this area for more than study purposes and it excited me and scared me all at once.
Dank was leaning back in his chair with his feet propped up on the table and crossed at the ankles. Something about that pose was oddly familiar. This was the second time I’d felt like I had seen him doing something similar before. Was I dreaming about him? Was that it?
“That was fast,” Dank drawled as he turned his head and his blue eyes met mine.
I placed the book in front of him and walked back over to my empty chair. “Here you go,” I handed him the syllabus. “You are all set. Did you look over my notes?” I asked to make small talk.
Dank let his legs drop back down to the floor and he leaned forward on the table, “Yeah. I got what I needed. Thank you for helping me get caught up. I shouldn’t have missed this morning.”
When he dropped his voice like that I wanted to fan myself. He was already lethally sexy. He didn’t have to make his voice go all husky and deep. It made the sexy worse.
“I’m glad you’re coming Friday night,” he said leaning closer to me. I felt myself leaning toward him, unable to stop the pull.
“Thank you for inviting me,” I replied. My voice sounded breathless. Just great. I sounded as affected as I felt.
Dank pushed his chair back and stood up. I watched as he walked over toward me then held out his hand to me. I knew what he wanted and I wanted it too. If I was going to get a re-enactment of what happened yesterday by the tree, then I was very okay with this.
Dank pulled me up and wrapped my hand back behind his neck. I threaded my fingers through his hair and he closed his eyes and took a deep breath. I liked seeing how my touch affected him like that. Slipping my other hand up his arm and around his neck I watched his face, fascinated by the eagerness evident in the tight way he held his mouth and the gleam in his eyes.
I decided I wouldn’t wait for him this time. I pulled him to me and captured his mouth with mine, and took the liberty of licking his bottom lip. It was so full and soft looking that I’d wanted a taste of it since the first time I’d seen him.
Dank’s hands slid up my ribs until they rested just below the underside of my bra. As far as knowing about boys, I was pretty naive. Jay and I had done some kissing and rubbing but nothing that exciting. I was more than positive that if Dank touched my breasts, I would burst into flames. There was no way he wouldn’t notice my rapid breathing. I was almost embarrassed by my reaction to his touch, but the soft appreciative growls coming from his chest as he tasted my lips and my skin, assured me he was enjoying this just as much as I was.
“Please ride with me Friday night,” Dank begged as he continued kissing down my neck and along my collarbone. This was an unfair request. He got me all
hot and bothered then begged me. How was a girl supposed to think clearly?
“I can’t. Miranda needs me,” I replied my heart slamming against my chest. His mouth hovered over the low neckline of my shirt and his warm breath tickled the sensitive skin there. I was almost at the point of begging when his hands slid down and cupped my butt and picked me up and sat me on the table behind me. Dank stepped between my legs and put his hands back on my waistline.
“It’s probably for the best,” he finally said as his mouth lowered to cover mine again. I wanted to know what he meant by that but his tongue was inside my mouth doing things to me I’d never had done before. I pulled his body closer to mine and kissed him back with all the excitement and need he was provoking in me.
“If you come I won’t be able to practice. I’d want to be alone with you. Listening to you talk, watching you smile, finding reasons to kiss your body.”
Whoa. Maybe I should go…
His hands slowly slid up my stomach until his hands were each gently cupping one of my breasts. When the pads of his thumbs grazed my nipples I broke free from the kiss and gasped for air. The sensation coming from his touch shot through my body straight to my core.
Dank stilled and watched me. He didn’t move his thumbs again but he didn’t move his hands away either. I gazed up at him letting him see I was waiting. He’d surprised me but I wanted more of this. His thumbs moved again and this time his hands shifted until fingers were slipping into my bra and tugging it down.
That’s when we heard the footsteps and voices on the stairs. Dank’s hands were gone instantly and he was straightening my shirt as he backed away from me. I scrambled off the table and sat back in my chair because I wasn’t sure my legs were ready to actually walk just yet.
I braved a glimpse at Dank who was sitting back in his chair with my notes in his hands. His mouth was fixed in a crooked grin and I could see traces of my lip-gloss on his lips. Reaching over I ran my thumb over his lips to wipe away the traces our kiss had left. Dank grabbed my wrist and kissed it before letting it go and standing up.
“I can’t stay in here and look at you without touching you. I need some fresh air,” he admitted.
I liked that. I liked that a lot.
Dank
My concentration was shot to hell. All I can think about was the way Pagan had felt in my hands, all soft and sweet. If we hadn’t been interrupted I wasn’t sure how much further she’d have let me gone and if I’d have been able to stop if she hadn’t stopped me.
I would be leaving to gather souls soon but first I had a band practice. I didn’t show up for all the practices but luckily the band members never remembered that. Sometimes they were too high; other times I had to help them forget.
“You practicing tonight?” Gee asked as she appeared in front of my Harley after I’d parked it.
“Yeah, why? Is Pagan okay?” I asked not getting off in case I needed to leave.
Gee rolled her eyes and shook her head, “Pagan is fine. She’s holed up in her room studying. I’ve been banned from entering. Apparently I interrupt her.”
Smiling, I got off my bike and headed for the entrance to the club we used for practice. They had a back room with a smaller stage that was a good set up. The drummer, Loose, was related to the owner. Gee fell into step beside me.
“What are you doing?” I asked glancing over at her.
“I’m bored. And Loose is sexy as hell.”
Great. Not what I needed. Gee hooking up with a human. The Deity would be all over me. “You can’t do anything with him, Gee. He’s human.”
“It ain’t like I’m gonna marry him and have his damn babies, Dank. The guys a man whore. A sexy dirty boy who appeals to me. Just a night of fun is all I want.”
I stopped outside the entrance and put my hand on the door to keep her from opening it. “You can’t go in there and flirt with him. I have the Deity screwing with me right now because I pissed them off. If you break the same rule it will be me who suffers.”
Gee rolled her eyes, “Drama much? I just want to have a little kinky fun with him. That has never been a rule breaker. It’s the falling in love with humans that is a no-no. Fucking the naughty ones isn’t a big deal. It’s been done before.”
I couldn’t argue with her because she was right. As long as she wasn’t going to fall in love with Loose then we’d be safe. And I knew Loose was in no danger of falling in love with any one female because he loved them all.
Gee walked in front of me into the practice room and I realized she’d done a quick clothing change. The jeans and “Fuck You” tee shirt she had been wearing were now gone and she was in a short tight red dress with black boots that had red skulls on the sides. Shaking my head, I headed over to the cooler and grabbed a bottle of water.
“Look at you. Thank you, all that is holy, for the tits about to fall out of that dress,” Loose called from behind the drums.
“Down boy. We have to run through Friday night’s songs before you haul her off to the restroom and make use of your favorite stall.” Les, the other singer and bass guitar, warned him.
“Dank just got here. Why don’t y’all do your warm up thing while I keep his friend company. You are sharing aren’t you Dank?” Loose asked.
I silently cursed Gee before turning around to face the band. “She’s all yours.” I replied.
Loose was off his stool and jumping down from the stage in seconds. “I’ll be back,” he called out as he slipped a hand over Gee’s ass. When he lowered his head to her ear to start whispering I blocked them out. I did not want to hear that. The boy had just met his match. He’d never be the same after this.
“You okay letting him take your girl like that? ‘Cause I don’t want any fighting before a gig as big as the one Friday night,” Les said as he walked over to get a bottle of water.
“She isn’t my girl, just an old friend. If it was my girl he wouldn’t have walked out of here alive.”
Les nodded and took a swig. “Noted. You want to go ahead and run through cords while Loose entertains himself and we wait on the other two to get here?”
“Yeah, let’s get it done.”
Chapter Ten
Pagan
Only my Literature and Calculus professors felt the need to start classes a week ahead of time. The rest of my classes didn’t begin until next week. We were welcome to go meet the professor and pick up our syllabus, so after I’d done that, my first week of college classes was over.
I could reread Ethan Frome since it had been two years since I had read it. I could also go get coffee and go over my Calculus syllabus. Calculus scared the hell out of me; I was not a math person and never had been.
Miranda walked out of the bathroom dressed like she was going out clubbing, but it was only one in the afternoon. “How do I look?” she asked twirling around.
“Like you want to dance the night away and have free drinks brought to you all night long,” I replied.
Miranda grinned, “Good. Because I do.”
“Wait. What? You do realize it’s just one o’clock? Clubs don’t open until eight and without Gee you’re never getting in.”
Miranda shrugged and began posing in the mirror. “Not going to a club. I’m going to my very first frat party.”
“At one in the afternoon?”
Miranda gave me an exasperated look then looked back into the mirror and puckered her lips. “No, silly. Nathan will be here to pick me up at six. We are going to get something to eat then head to the ATO house.”
She still wasn’t making sense. “Then why are you ready five hours early?”
Miranda stopped doing sexy poses in the mirror and turned around and looked at me. “This is a trial run. I have a couple more to do before he gets here. I’m seeing how I look like this. Then I’m going to change and pull my hair up and maybe use a little blue eye shadow---or do you think that is too much? Maybe I should go with the silver.” She continued to ramble and I covered my face with a pillow. I wa
s exhausted just thinking about getting ready once, much less a few times.
“I think you are officially insane,” I replied.
Miranda laughed, “I know you do. But I have to be perfect. This night has to be perfect. I really like him, Pagan.”
I was glad she did, but honestly, did she have to play real life Barbie doll in order to impress him?
A knock on the door interrupted us and I moved the pillow from my face and sat up. Miranda walked to the door and opened it up without asking who it was first. When I saw who was standing there I really wish she had. It was Victoria.
“Can I help you?” Miranda asked when she recognized her. She stepped in front of Victoria and put her hand on her hip. She was doing her protective stance. Like Miranda was big enough to take down anyone.
“I’m here to see your friend,” Victoria replied.
“This is not your day then, ‘cause that ain’t gonna happen.”
I could hear the snarl in her voice. Miranda had just made an enemy. “You do know that Nathan is screwing my Kappa sister Siera? They’ve been fuck-buddies now for over three months. He was with her last night after he left you.”
I was off the bed and moving Miranda out of the way before the bitch could say anymore. I didn’t believe her but I knew Miranda did. I was good with reading people and I had seen the way Nathan looked at Miranda. I didn’t doubt he had once been messing around with this Siera but I didn’t think for a minute that he still was.
“You came here for me. What do you want?” I demanded, wishing I had kept my distance from Jay. This was the kind of drama I hated and avoided at all costs. I was not into catfights---especially over a guy I didn’t want.
“Whatever you think you and Jay are going to rekindle; you need to think again. Back the hell off bitch. I’m not sharing. He is in my bed most nights. You’re just a new flavor. He gets bored with them fast.” The venom dripping from her tone was really uncalled for. She was upset over nothing.
“I hope you and Jay have a long happy life in bed together. I don’t care. I’m not interested in him. He’s an old friend and nothing more. So take your threats and go share them with the redhead down the hall because she is the only one in the building who wants Jay.” I didn’t give her time to respond. I slammed the door in her face.