Convergence: Remington Carter Series Book One

by M. E. Coleman

  After Samantha says her goodbyes and leaves I poke around a little. The fridge is partially stocked with a mixture of healthy and junk food, the pantry is much the same. When I say pantry, I mean store aisle. That thing is as big as a walk-in closet and in the back of it there is a large chest freezer. I decide to go make a quick run to the dorm to pack up what I can this afternoon after I see there is a separate laundry room. Yay, no lugging laundry around. With a little luck I can have my clothes clean by tonight and my other things out of the dorm and unpacked into my room before dinner. My packed stuff I was saving for the move in with Alex had already been put into a small storage unit before the flood, so it shouldn’t take me long with the things I had. I head to my dorm and make it through the crowd of other residents trying to move their things. It takes three trips to get everything down to my car. I read the instructions one more time to make sure I didn’t forget anything. The housing authority wanted each room to be left the same way, apparently the flood restoration company told them it would be faster to have everything already moved to specific spots in the rooms. I find my roommate Cindy as I go back into my room. She’s come back for a few odds and ends.

  “Hey, I was wondering when you were coming. I saw the notice they want everyone out by seven tomorrow morning.” Cindy is nice, but I don’t really know her that well. Being a sophomore in a freshman dorm makes things interesting. She mostly hangs out with a different crowd than I do.

  “Yeah, I was meeting my contact for the apartment I’m staying in. I got assigned the Greyside Security building.” Cindy squeals and jumps up and down. I’m a little stunned, this is the most emotion she’s shown towards me since she found out I was only with her for a semester.

  “OMG I am so jealous.” Really? The valley girl act? She even jumped up and down and clapped her hands together. Hands that had cotton candy pink nails. So not in my comfort zone. “Those guys are so hot they never let girls over there from what I hear. There was a fiasco with one awhile back. She worked for a rival company and tried to steal files or something like that. Let me know if you want to trade places. I will gladly switch with you.” Cindy finally take a breath and stops gushing and says goodbye. Now I’m more curious than ever about who I will be living with.

  Chapter 3

  I park my canary yellow 77’ Mercury Cougar next to the side door so I can unload. It’s not quite in pristine condition, one of the things my dad helped me do since I got too old for “dad” activities was to restore my “Bird”. He nicknamed my car that for the color and thought it was hilarious that the model was a cat. My dad has an odd sense of humor. Or had. Not really sure at this point. Really it was the only thing we ever bonded over after about the age of six or seven when I got too into girly things for his taste. I get everything upstairs and load of laundry started. I decide to start on my room before anything else. I have more time now to check it out. The bathroom is all browns and creams with lots of mirrors and good lighting. It actually has a deep jacuzzi tub, I think I’m in love with whoever put this in here, it also has a separate stall shower done in dark brown tile. My room is off white with beige carpet and the rest of the room is maroon and mauve. Must have had some help from a decorator with all this color. It’s all really nice for a bunch of guys, or heck even girls I know don’t decorate or coordinate this well. After I get what I can put away I decide to run to the local market. I don’t want to just eat the guys food that is here, I feel that would be a little rude and a bad way to start off being here. I’m sweaty from packing things back and forth, but I want to get dinner started before I shower. I decide to brave the store without one.

  I quickly grab enough stuff for a few days hoping the roommate won’t mind me cooking. Maybe he’ll be more likely to let me stay if I cook for him. I’m nervous after what Samantha said. I just need to get through this and I’ll be back on track. Usually college guys live on ramen and easy Mac unless they go out to eat. I make it back to the apartment and get everything put away. I throw together a salad and a meatloaf. I switch my laundry over and start another load with my favorite laundry soap. It has a complementing fabric softener and dryer sheets so I rarely even worry about perfume. Just a vanilla sugar lotion or a perfume I think smells like sunshine. At least that’s what the person that gave me my first bottle said it smelled like and that it reminded him of me. It’s a little hard to find it was a brand that was mostly carried in the UK, but now it’s migrated this way. I unpack my toiletries and some of my clothes. I decide to take a quick shower as I see it’s a few minutes until six and the food still had awhile to cook.

  As I’m stepping out of the shower I hear some noise and then a voice yells, “Hey something smells good in here. Since you’re inside I’m assuming Samantha must have shown you around.” I hear footsteps coming closer. He’s not actually going to come in here is he? Oh, crap he probably thinks I’m a guy! Before I can announce myself or even get to the door to lock it I hear a quick tap, tap and the handle turns right as I get my towel almost fastened a head pokes in with, “I just wanted to let you know the towels are in the hall closet, it’s all toiletries and cleaning supplies under the cupboard in here….” He trails off as he sees me. Suddenly his eyes go wide when he sees me and they travel the length of my towel wrapped body. “Remi? What are you doing in here?” he asks. I see him trying to look around me for someone else.

  I’m tomato red and trying to make sure I’m fully covered. Of course, it would have to be Eli living here with the way my luck has been going today. Cindy did say hot guys live here. I have to agree with her. Wait, that means she likes my hot guy. Nope, not happening. “Um..well this is where I was assigned to stay. I hope it’s not a problem.” When he doesn’t answer I gesture to my towel clad self. “Can I get dressed? I’ll be right out.” At that he snaps out of his trance and has the grace to look embarrassed that he barged in on me.

  “Of course, sorry, here’s the towel” He leaves the towel on the counter and backs out shutting the door.

  I get dressed, taking time to compose myself, I put on some moisturizer and comb my hair. I grab a hairband on my way out it’ll just have to air dry it for now. I go out into the main area finding Eli inspecting the contents of the oven. He looks up and comments, “this looks pretty great I wasn’t planning on my new roommate feeding me.” He smiles sheepishly. “Sorry this is awkward, I wouldn’t have walked in if I’d known there was a girl in there. I know the guys requested that another man stay when they were asked about putting someone up. Not that they don’t like women, but with four guys living here it made more sense.” He’s rambling and knows it. I try to hide my grin. It’s kinda cute to see him out of sorts. I see him eyeing my fuzzy yellow socks. My feet are always cold and I have many pairs of fuzzy socks. “Those are cute.” My grin gets bigger and his eyes round out to match. “I said that out loud didn’t I?” I nod. I decide to rescue him.

  “Samantha, the lady that brought me here, did mention something about that and as far as she figured it was my name that threw them off and they must not have paid attention. She said it shouldn’t matter anyway as the other guys are gone. She didn’t give me any names, so I didn’t know you lived here. Is it gonna be ok that I stay? At least for tonight? I can go stay with Alex for a few days tomorrow and figure something else out if not. I don’t want to make you uncomfortable.”

  “No, it will be ok, you’re pretty normal for a girl, I’ll vouch with the guys.” He jokes. “They should have the dorms fixed pretty soon I think. Samantha is the administrative assistant for the company. I’m surprised she was so cordial. She’s not always so nice to females.” He’s quiet for a minute looking like he wants to say something, but not sure how to. “So, you’ve been avoiding me.” He says this as a statement not a question. That means he knows I saw him earlier. Well that’s awkward. I wince a little and look at him, noticing he’s still flushed from practice. He must have showered in the locker room as his blond hair is still wet and combed back. He is pretty hot. Ho
w am I going to cope with being around him so much? I’ve avoided any seriousness, not because I’m not interested, but I just wanted to have the normal college experience for a while without the drama of attachments. To be on my own and experience things for myself. I hoped he would understand. I decide just to be honest and tell him all that.

  “Eli, I’m not leading you on. I have had some things to deal with and I just wanted not to for now. Is that alright?” He nods once and puts his hands in his pockets like it’s to avoid reaching out and touching me. I continue on changing the subject, “I also bought some groceries. I didn’t want to get into what was already in here. I wasn’t sure what was liked, so if you want something else for dinner I won’t be offended.” I say. He seems to be taking this rather well.

  “Oh, no it smells great in here. I can cook basics, but I’m going to enjoy the cooking while I can. Maybe you can teach me some things while you’re here. My mom tried, but said it was a lost cause. That was also before I had to eat my own cooking. Now I have a better appreciation for those lessons. Do you need any help with anything?”

  “You can set the table if you don’t mind. I’ll start pulling everything out. I’d be happy to show you what I know. The meatloaf should be done.” I walk around him and go to the oven trying not to be obvious as I check out his well-worn t shirt and low hanging jeans, I look down to his adorable, bare feet. That vee guys hips make was extra pronounced, I wanted to reach out and touch it. Instead I turned to pull the meatloaf out of the oven, slice it, and put it on a serving dish before I got caught ogling him. I take the covered salad out of the fridge along with some dressing, Greek Goddess. A friend recommended this on her social media page and it looked good so I tried it, I haven’t eaten anything else since.

  “I hope you like the dressing it’s one of my favorites, but Alex says it’s gross.” I say. I take everything over to the table the Eli has set and go to sit down, but he beats me to it, pulling out my chair and sliding it in as I sit. At least I didn’t mess it up, I always feel awkward when someone else helps me in my seat.

  “I’m sure it will be fine,” he says. “I like just about anything. So,” he says after we dish up, “did you get everything you need from your dorm room? If not, we can run over there after dinner.”

  “I got everything I need, thank you though. I had most everything not being immediately used in storage for when I move in with Alex next semester when her lease is up. The rest fit in my car.”

  We’re almost finished eating when he gets a determined look on his face. Ah, shit I knew it. He was gonna bring it up. I tense waiting for what he’s going to say.

  “If you weren’t interested in anything except friendship you could have just told me. I wouldn’t have held it against you. ‘Dealing with stuff?” I’m not stupid Remi, what else would you say when you need to stay here and I could fuck it up for you?” He says with a wounded look on his face. “I wouldn’t do that, even if you don’t want to be with me I wouldn’t have a problem with you being here.”

  “Eli, it’s not that I wasn’t interested, but if you want to be an ass about it maybe for now it’s probably best to be friends. Especially with the fact that we’re going to be living together for the near future.” I don’t know what else to say without making the situation worse. I never thought it was really that big a deal. “To be perfectly clear I thought you, the jock, wanted a fling with the model. I do hear your friends I’m not stupid either Eli and I’ve not heard you say anything differently. You seemed genuinely nice, but I really have things going on and right now they’re not your business. If you don’t want me here just say so and I’ll leave.” I’m so pissed I want to yell some more, I count to ten in my head and thankfully it helps. Fighting with Eli the first day I’m here isn’t what I wanted.

  Eli stays quiet for a moment, then gets up, thanks me for dinner, rinses his dishes, puts them in the dishwasher and wishes me goodnight. He walks down the hall without turning back and disappears into his room. Now that I’m getting over my mad, I start to feel bad that I probably hurt his feelings. It’s not what I intended. I put the leftovers away and make my own way to bed. I have a long day of classes ahead tomorrow.

  As I’m lying in bed I think about the times I’ve been out with Eli. The first time was after a game. Alex and her roommate Gina were waiting on Gina’s boyfriend to get out of the locker room. Since Alex and I were planning on doing something together I was with them. That’s when Eli came out of the locker room with Gina’s boyfriend. I just stared at him. He was extremely good looking. He came out with a confident swagger like a lot of attractive guys. He caught me staring and stared back smiling. He made some idiotic comment about it being his birthday and strippers. I turned and started walking away while Alex busted out laughing so hard she was bent over to catch her breath. He took off after me apologizing saying he thought I would find it funny. Well, obviously I hadn’t found it funny. I stood there glaring at him while he asked if I would go bowling with him and some other team members to make it up to me. Alex and I went and actually had a good time. He did cute things like ‘helping me with my form’ or pulling me into his lap. He was so sweet about it that I didn’t find it creep or uncomfortable. We had an immediate connection and I made a conscious effort to have a good time. That was the start of weekly group things I’d gone on with Eli since school started. Each one bringing us closer. Now I was wondering in the couple months that it had been why he hadn’t ever brought me here. I had never really thought about it before. Must be that rule that him and Samantha had talked about, come to think of it my roommate Cindy said something too. I’d have to ask later.

  We’d also had one sorta date at a frat party. I got ridiculously drunk and Eli ended up carrying me back to my dorm where I tried to make out with and probably go further with him. He nicely told me that he wasn’t having sex with me drunk, took off our shoes and jeans and cuddled until I fell asleep. I woke up alone the next morning extremely relieved he was a good guy and mortified at what I remembered. Now we were living together, sort of, however temporary it was going to be. I needed to make this better. I wasn’t going to get to sleep until I did.

  I throw the covers back and head for Eli’s room. I don’t see a light under the door, but I’m almost positive he didn’t leave. I knock on the door before I lose my courage. For a minute I don’t think he’s going to answer and I turn around to leave as I hear a, “come in.”

  I open the door and find Eli in some plaid flannel pajama pants. I just stare. That vee is something else uncovered. His abs are washboard, his waist very trim. His chest is just as muscled and huge as his biceps. He turns to go sit on his bed and I gulp when I see his back. It’s just as defined as the rest. I want to run my hands all over his body and never stop. Then repeat the action with my tongue. I feel myself getting wet. I hope it’s not noticeable with the thin pajama pants I have on. My nipples are already at attention under my cami. I step into his room, all of a sudden very nervous. I lick my lips and draw the attention of his eyes. They heated at just that small action. I can’t deny the mutual attraction we have. I screw my courage up.

  “Can we talk?” I stand there with my arms wrapped around my torso waiting on him to answer.

  “Sure, why not?” That’s not the best answer, yet it’s probably better than I should expect. I make my way to his desk chair and pull it closer in front of where he’s sitting on the edge of his bed.

  “Okay, so I’m not sure what to say. I saw this going differently in my head.” I chuckle a little in a self-deprecating way. I blow out a breath and look up to make eye contact. “So, I’m not very good at this. The relationship thing. I’ve been avoiding it. I haven’t said no because, well I really don’t want to say no. I like you a lot Eli. Probably more than I should this soon.” I tuck my legs up under me and wait to see if he’ll say anything. I’m really not good at talking about these things.

  “Why didn’t you just say that in the first place? I think I would have un
derstood or at least tried to. I have feelings for you Remi, serious ones. I don’t get serious about girls, I like to have a good time. I’m not going to say I’m innocent. I’m not. Usually if I hit on you and didn’t get anywhere the first few tries, that’s it, I move on. There’s something different about you though, I want to know what you think, what you like. The good and bad. I’ve never wanted something like that before. That might make me sound shallow, but it’s the truth.” He runs his fingers through his hair making the muscles in his stomach flex. I can’t stop staring, I know he’s watching, even with that I can’t seem to make myself stop. He starts laughing. “If I would have known that was going to be your reaction I would have taken my shirt off a long time ago.”

  I look up at him again. Completely ignoring his comment I say, “So you’re not mad at me anymore?” I pull my bottom lip from my teeth again.

  “No, I’m not mad. Come here, Remi girl.” He pulls me up and between his legs. He wraps his arms around my hips and buries his face in my stomach making gasp. I feel his grip tighten, then slowly his fingertips rum under the edge of my shirt making tingles race all over my body. He leans back and pulls me with him so I’m lying on top of him. I can feel that he’s feeling about the same as I am. I wiggle against him a little drawing a groan out of him. I lean down and my chest brushes his. I bring my face down closer to his, he doesn’t move waiting on me to make up my mind. I lightly brush my lips across his and sigh. That’s all the incentive he needs to flip us over and cage me in. He takes my mouth in a rough kiss, holding himself above me in a pushup position. I tangle my hands in his hair. It’s soft and thicker than mine. I feel the little bit of stubble on his jaw that’s grown since he shaved this morning scrape against my face. Every touch makes my breathing come a little more shallow. I moan slightly when I feel his hand brush up against the out edge of my breast. The sound seems to bring Eli back some. He pulls up with a pained look on his face. “Not that I don’t want to keep doing this, but I think we should stop here. I want to do more, so much more.” He rests his forehead on mine then gets up and pulls me with him. He takes my hand and walks me back to my room. He pulls me close, kisses the top of my head and shoos me into my room. I’m a little confused at the abruptness, but also a little thankful. He didn’t have to stop and he knows it, but he did anyway. I climb back into bed and fall asleep remembering his arms around me.