Hot & Nerdy

by Shannyn Schroeder

  Her lids fluttered and she looked up at him. “Stay with me.” He thrust deeper and pulled out. As he slammed into her again, her eyes started to close. “Uh-uh. Open, Felicity. It’s me and you.”

  Felicity forced her eyes open, but it was so hard. The pleasure sang through her body, and she couldn’t control her hips. Everything was too much. Lucas, big and overbearing above her, muscles flexing around her. The rasp of his leg hair rough on her inner thighs. The delicious hard length of him pushing into her. Her entire body vibrated with need.

  But looking into Lucas’s eyes undid her. This was more than just different. It was special, but she didn’t even know how or why. She wanted to close her eyes and enjoy the pleasure of the moment, but Lucas wouldn’t let her. He was so close. She leaned up and kissed him. His mouth was gentle, his lips barely brushing hers.

  He began to move faster, the friction of their bodies making Felicity crazy. Bracing on one elbow, Lucas reached between them and rubbed her clit as he collided with her. She saw stars as her entire world exploded. Waves rolled through her and she clung to him, wrapping as much of herself around him as she could so she had something to hold on to.

  Lucas stilled against the spasms of her body and just held her. His face came back into focus, and he smiled at her. Then he began to move at a frenetic pace looking for his own release, but he never closed his eyes or looked away from her.

  The muscles in his neck bulged and corded as he growled and bared his teeth. She felt him pulsing in her, against her. He pumped a few more times and then rested his forehead against hers. Sweat dripped from his face. One arm came up and swiped at it. His body pressed on her, though he didn’t quite collapse. He finally broke eye contact by nuzzling her neck just below her ear.

  Her legs slid away from his hips and landed on the bed, and she focused on getting her lungs to function properly. Lucas rolled off her, sticky sweat smearing across their bodies, a sucking sound where he’d pulled out of her.

  She felt spent and useless. For a blissful minute, her mind was blank.

  Lucas stirred. He stood and went to the bathroom. In that moment, panic speared into Felicity. What the hell happened?

  He came back from the bathroom and she sat up. He needed to leave. This would’ve been better if they were in his room because then she could leave. How do you tell a guy to get out?

  He sat on the edge of the bed, and Felicity did her best to ignore the glorious nakedness of his body. He looked almost as stunned as she was.

  They both seemed to be out of words.

  “You can take the car back to your hotel if you want. That way you won’t have to take a cab. Then you just have to pick me up tomorrow.”

  “Tomorrow?” He looked confused.

  “Dinner, remember? I said I’d come. You’ll make your family happy one last time before heading home and then I’ll go practice my flirting skills at another bar.” The words fled from her mouth without thought. They had a deal, and she was holding up her end just like he’d held up his.

  “You sure?”

  The question held so many possibilities, but she couldn’t focus on any of them. Her chest tightened in an unfamiliar pain. She forced a bigger smile.

  “About what part?” She waved a hand. “It doesn’t matter. Yes, I’m sure to all of it. I think I owe you more than you owe me. Your lessons in being a social butterfly are amazing. Before I know it, I’ll be the life of the party.”

  He seemed stiff and awkward, which for Lucas looked strange. “Okay. I’ll call you tomorrow and let you know what time I’ll pick you up. You sure you won’t need your car?”

  He spoke while he gathered his clothes from the floor. Felicity felt exposed lying there in a wrinkled skirt and nothing else, so she pulled her tank over her head. “I’ll probably just hang out on the beach for a while tomorrow. I can walk from here.”

  He headed to the door and paused before opening it. She thought for sure he was going to turn and say something, anything, and the urge to tell him to stay burned in her throat, but she remained quiet as he walked out.

  Felicity closed the door and slid the lock before leaning her forehead against the wood. She thumped her head against the door as if that had a shot at beating some sense into her.

  Pushing away from her spot, she peeled off her clothes and went to the bathroom to shower. Disappointment and longing weighed her down, but she couldn’t explain why.

  Every time she closed her eyes under the warm spray of the water, she saw Lucas’s eyes, warm and friendly and inviting. Everything she was supposed to be.

  Then she remembered that he saw her as a project. Something to fix on his short vacation from his real life, a nice diversion from his ex-girlfriend. Becky had been right. Lucas would get bored with her, just like every other guy she’d ever tried to date. She thought she could accept his friendship the same way she had with Layla and Charlie, but now she had her doubts.

  Sex with him had been amazing. She could’ve continued with a friendship after the first time; they had both been scratching an itch while under the influence. Even though that had been different, she knew she’d be able to ignore it.

  She’d believed it wouldn’t be a problem. She even thought they could get together when she moved back to Chicago after graduation because things were easy with him. He didn’t make her feel like she needed to censor herself, other than when they were in fake relationship mode, and even then, she chose to limit what she said and how she said it. He just let her be.

  But tonight shifted everything in her. They had only met three days ago, but it felt so much longer.

  The shower hadn’t relaxed her the way she’d hoped. Restlessness coursed through her, and the sensation was odd. She didn’t like it. For the first time in her life she felt like she couldn’t focus. Her brain flitted around and it unnerved her.

  She grabbed her e-reader, determined to focus on the story, but less than a paragraph in, she knew that wouldn’t work either. Her mind filled with images of Lucas running his large hands over her body, grabbing her, and pulling her to him.

  “Ugh.” She tossed the reader aside and grabbed her phone. Charlie was always up late. She would tell Felicity what was wrong with her. Charlie didn’t sugarcoat anything.

  “Hey, Felicity. How’s vacation?”

  “It’s okay, I guess.”

  “Okay? Why aren’t you out getting drunk and partying and getting laid?”

  Felicity huffed out a breath. “Layla’s stuck in Atlanta, didn’t you hear? I’m alone. Kind of.”

  “Ooo . . . kind of sounds interesting.”

  “I met this guy on the plane. Lucas.” She paused, not sure what exactly to tell Charlie about how her relationship developed with Lucas. Relationship? Three days and they had a relationship?

  “Hello? Did I lose you? Tell me about Lucas. Is he hot?”

  “Yeah.” She sighed. “He asked me to pretend to be his girlfriend for his brother’s wedding.” Felicity curled up in the bed under the covers and told Charlie about her three days with Lucas. For a change, Charlie didn’t interrupt to call her an idiot once.

  “Go you,” Charlie said when Felicity finally finished.

  “I don’t know what’s wrong with me. He taught me how to flirt, Charlie. And let me tell you, he did a much better job than you did. But I’m sitting here now and I can’t think straight. My brain is bouncing everywhere.”

  “Oh crap, hon. You’re falling for him.”

  “What? No, I’m not.”

  “When you see him, do butterflies invade your stomach? Do you smile without having to tell yourself you’re supposed to? Does he laugh at your nerd jokes?”

  Felicity’s heart pounded. She swallowed hard.

  “I take your lack of protest to mean that I’m right. You may have the IQ of a genius, but you need to learn to just trust me when it comes to people.” She paused and her voice became quiet. “Is it mutual?”

  “How the hell should I know?” Felicity squeaked.
“I can’t read people. You should’ve come with me. If you were here, you’d be able to tell me.”

  “Take a deep breath.” Charlie waited.

  “I don’t think I want to fall for him, Charlie. You know how that works for me.” She twisted the corner of the blanket in her hand. “I like him. It’s like being with you and Layla. I’m not on guard with him.”

  “That’s good. That’s the way it’s supposed to be.”

  “But he’s a fixer. He’s in this because he agreed to fix me. I’m not totally fixable.”

  “Did he tell you this? Because I might have to fly down there to kick his ass.”

  “No, I heard his ex-girlfriend say it. But I’ve watched him for days. He really is a fixer. Everyone comes to him with their problems and he fixes them. Plus, he said he’s on a moratorium from women. No dating.”

  “Why?”

  “Why what?”

  “Why is he not dating?”

  “I don’t know.”

  “Jeez, you really do need me. No guy says that without expecting to answer some questions. You should’ve asked. Maybe he just said that because he wanted to have an out in case you turned out to be crazy. He could claim that he’s taking a break from dating, and he wouldn’t have to hurt your feelings.” Another pause. “But, if he’s laughing at your jokes, he must like you.”

  “Not funny.”

  “Of course I am. That’s why you keep me around. Seriously, though, ask him. Be bold. You can do it. See what he says and go from there.”

  They said their good-byes. Although she felt lighter after talking to Charlie, Felicity was still confused. She only had another day until Lucas left. She couldn’t drill him over dinner with his family, especially if Becky was in attendance.

  She sent Lucas a text. You awake?

  Yep.

  Why are you on a dating moratorium?

  Because I have some stuff to think about. Get my head on straight.

  So it was a real moratorium. Or he thought she still had the potential for crazy. Either way was indicative of his need for distance from her.

  What are you doing? Reading your porn books?

  She smiled in spite of herself. Maybe.

  I shouldn’t have asked. I don’t need that image in my head when I’m trying to fall asleep. I’ll talk to you tomorrow. Sleep well.

  So he didn’t want to talk. She had no way of knowing how to navigate this mess, so she curled up and sought sleep. When she closed her eyes, she dreamed of Lucas wanting her to stop pretending.

  Chapter 10

  Lucas fielded a handful of questions from his mother and sister before telling Felicity what time he’d pick her up for dinner. Both Mom and Mia were getting suspicious about his relationship with Felicity. Telling them that she was staying here for the remainder of the week without him had been a mistake. He’d almost told them the truth, but then he thought about Felicity.

  If he came clean about their phony relationship, he would have no reason for her to join them for dinner. And he really wanted to have one last night with her, even if her mind was on picking up other men. All day, he’d thought about how to approach the topic of her giving them a chance at a relationship. She’d said her past relationships hadn’t worked basically because she was weird.

  He liked her weirdness. It was a long shot, and he knew it. He was going back to Chicago to work, and she was returning to Harvard. But after graduation, she was coming home to Chicago. They could do the long-distance thing for a couple of months. He had sick days he could use to take long weekends to visit her. And he had a free plane ticket from his trip down here. It could work.

  If she wanted it to.

  His phone rang, and he answered without looking, hoping it was Felicity.

  “Okay, I think I have it.” Mia again.

  “Have what, Mia?”

  “She’s a hooker, right?”

  His brain took a minute to figure out where Mia was going with this. When it hit him, he burst out laughing. Felicity, a hooker?

  “I won’t tell Mom. Tell me the truth.”

  “Felicity is not a hooker.” He shrugged his shirt on and straightened it. The best thing about having a wedding and all these family obligations at a tourist resort was that at least he didn’t have to dress up.

  “But I know something’s up. Just spill it.”

  “Mia, leave Felicity alone. I like her. A lot.”

  “I know that, dummy. But she’s not your usual type.”

  “I have a type?”

  Her groan came across the line, and he could almost hear her eyes rolling back in her head.

  “You like damaged damsels in distress.”

  “What?”

  Another suffering sigh. “Come on, Lucas. You know, for such a smart guy, you sure are dense sometimes. Look at your girlfriends: Carrie, Lisa, Megan . . . and who was that one with the wild hair? The one who came to the house . . .”

  “Denise.”

  “Yeah, her. They all were messed up. Addictions, neediness, self-destructive behavior. How can you not see that?”

  He sat on the bed and felt his shoulders sag. When Becky had accused him of just this, he’d broken up with her, telling her that she was controlling and manipulative. She was the reason for his moratorium on women. He’d wanted to believe that she was wrong, but now Mia saw the same thing.

  What the hell was wrong with him?

  “I like her too.”

  Mia’s words broke through his concentration. “Huh?”

  “Felicity. I like her too. Try not to screw it up.” Mia hung up without another word.

  His fear was that he already somehow managed to do just that.

  Hours later, Felicity sat by his side at a table with his family like she belonged there. Mia had her laughing about something that happened at school, and Lucas’s chest loosened the tension it had been holding on to. Mia had said nothing else to him about Felicity, and he hoped she wouldn’t mention their conversation to Felicity.

  He was still sorting out how to talk to her, to see if they had a chance as dinner wrapped up. His parents had already taken care of the bill and left. The newlyweds had been so close to getting naked at the table that Mom had shooed them off first. Only half the bridal party remained, and unfortunately, Becky was one of them.

  As chairs emptied, she scooted closer to sit beside him. Felicity was still engrossed in her conversation with Mia. Now, they were talking about perfume and how people smell, and even if he wanted to follow the conversation, he couldn’t. Felicity’s hand landed on his leg, palm up. He interlaced his fingers with hers just as Becky bumped his shoulder.

  “About the other night at the wedding,” she started, her voice so low that he needed to lean closer. “I don’t know what Felicity thought I was doing. I didn’t know what I was doing.” She paused and closed her eyes for a second. “That’s not true. I thought we might get back together at the wedding. I thought she was some floozy you picked up to be able to keep your distance from me.”

  His spine stiffened, and he glanced out of the corner of his eye to see if Felicity showed any reaction. Her thumb stroked the back of his hand. The slight movement soothed him. Becky’s comments bothered him on many levels. First, because there was truth to them. He was guilty of exactly what Becky accused. But never had he thought Felicity to be anything other than brilliant and funny.

  He was really an ass to use her the way he had.

  Becky patted his other leg. “I just wanted to apologize. I wish you both the best.” Then she stood and walked away.

  Lucas stared after her for a moment. The conversation to his left quieted, and he turned to Mia and Felicity. Felicity looked around him, saw that Becky had left, and slid her hand from his grasp. Again, the idea struck him that she thought she was socially inept, but she’d instinctively known what he needed in that moment.

  That wasn’t something he’d taught her to get through cocktail hour.

  Mia suddenly excused herself, and Luca
s realized that he and Felicity were alone at the table. Everyone had gone in their own directions. She smiled warmly at him. “That went well.”

  “You’re a natural.”

  A small laugh puffed through her lips. “When are you leaving tomorrow?”

  “Late morning.”

  “Oh.”

  “Thank you for everything. All I expected from this weekend was for you to make it bearable for me. You were so much more. I planned to apologize for using you, but I have no regrets. I hope you don’t either.”

  “Regrets?” Her forehead wrinkled like she was faced with a puzzle. “I owe you a thank-you. You taught me so much. I’ve had a great time, and I never thought that was possible without Layla and Charlie.”

  He tossed his napkin on the table. “Do you want to go for a walk or . . .”

  “You can go. You’ve taught me well. Time to remove the training wheels. I think I’ll take my chances at the bar over there. Besides, you probably have to get ready for your plane ride tomorrow.”

  His stomach twisted at the thought of the plane again. Especially knowing she wouldn’t be there to hold his hand and talk him through. “I don’t suppose you want to take that plane ride with me. I could use a partner to keep me sane.”

  She lifted a shoulder. “Sorry. My plane doesn’t leave until Saturday.” She pushed away from the table. “Do I owe you anything for dinner?”

  He stood beside her, searching for the words that might keep her by his side. None came. “My parents took care of it.”

  “Well, tell them thank you.” She rose on tiptoe and kissed his cheek at the same moment he turned his head to kiss hers.

  Their lips collided in a clumsy mess, more awkward than any interaction they’d shared. But even in the accidental kiss, he felt her soften against him, and he wanted more.

  She jerked her head back. “Sorry. I didn’t mean—”