“I doubt it, probably being drunk dialed.” I don’t want to let my buddy know what’s going on, so I decide to answer it. I pause the game getting up and grabbing my phone I walk into the kitchen area. “Hello?”
“Is this Elliot?”, a male voice asks. Now I’m really irritated. What the hell is going on that a guy is calling me from Remi’s phone. I get ready to hang up, but decide to at least check on her first.
“Where is Remi? Who is this?”
“This is Adam. Remi is passed out outside the sorority house. I think someone spiked her drink at the party. We were getting ready to leave and she started feeling bad and crashed. She asked me to call you before she passed out. Can you tell me where to take her? She said she was staying at the Greyson building, but I don’t know what apartment number she lives in. I offered to take her back to my place before she passed out, she didn’t want to do that, she said to call you instead. If you’d rather I can take her to my place anyway.” Oh, hell no he’s not. She’s coming home. Period.
“Which sorority house are you at? I have my Jeep I’ll come get you.” Adam tells me where the house is and where they are outside. I can’t believe I have to go pick her up with her date, but I’m not about to leave her there. “Roger,” I say to my friend, “I have to pick some people up, I’ll see you later man.”
As I pull up I see a tall man about my same height and if I have to admit he’s attractive from a guys point of view, holding Remi passed out with her long hair swinging free. As I get closer I realize I know him from the training team that takes care of the players. I’m trying to remember his name as I try hard to tamp my jealousy down. Adam, that’s his name. I park and get out, going around the front to take Remi from Adam. I make sure to keep her dress covering her perky ass. Damn she’s hot in this dress. Now I kinda feel bad for perving on her passed out. He seems reluctant to let her go. Can’t say I blame him. She seems to be breathing ok just sleeping. I get her buckled into the passenger seat and tell Adam to get in.
“Where do you want me to drop you?” I ask, looking into the mirror at him.
“I’ll go with Remi, I don’t think she should be alone until whatever she got wears off.” He says this like he’s prepared to fight about it. Too bad she lives at my place. Knew that had to come in handy at some point.
“I’ll keep an eye on her. She lives with me.” I get a sense of satisfaction, even it’s wrong, as Adam’s gaze darts to mine with a quick inhalation.
“She didn’t mention that. I didn’t realize you were together.” I can see he’s gathering courage to say something else. “She didn’t say she was dating or living with anyone either, just for me to call you. You sure I don’t need to stick around?” Now I’m the one with the hurt look. That’s just great. Does she not consider what’s between us to be anything at all? If she doesn’t then I guess I don’t need to either. Wait did he just imply I might not be safe for her? Plain bullshit.
“We’re not dating…yet. Just temporary roommates and friends, you don’t have to worry I’ll watch over her. Where to?” I know I’m being rude, but I really don’t care right now. Adam tells me where he lives and I drop him off with his thanks and he promises to check on Remi tomorrow. I look over at Remi often on the short drive home.
I park and pick her up out of the jeep taking her up the stairs. She stirs a little wrapping her arms around my neck as she sighs and mumbles about me smelling good. She’s still out of it and she’s having a hard time keeping her arms around me. I wonder how coherent she actually is. She’s not too heavy, but three flights carrying another person is definitely good for the cardio. As I get her to her room I pull back her blankets and lay her down. I pull off her shoes and put her bag and heels I collected from Adam on the chair by the desk. I get a glass of water and some Tylenol and leave it on the nightstand in case she wakes up with a headache. As I cover her up I brush my lips across her forehead. I hear her trying to say something. As I turn to leave I hear her say something else. She said, “Eli.” She knows I’m here or she’s dreaming about me. Either way I’m not sure what to think about it. When I look back at her sleeping I notice a large book on the desk. It’s a Complete Alice illustrated book by Lewis Carroll. It looks just like the one my roommate keeps on his dresser. I hope she hasn’t been in there, although that’s not something I would think she would do. I decide I’ll ask her about it later, or just go check it. I go to my friends’ room and his book is on his shelf. Huh, so she has the same one. I turn the light back out and go to my room.
I head to bed and right as I’m drifting off I hear a thump and a curse. I’m up and out of my room before I really know what I’m doing. I realize it came from Remi’s room. Looks like she got tangled in her blankets and fell off the bed.
“Hey pretty girl, what are you doing on the floor?” I laugh at her. Her expression is wrathful.
“Eli? I feel like shit still. What the hell did I drink?” I go scoop her up and set down on the bed with her in my lap. She rests her head on my shoulder and hugs me around my chest. “Mmm, you always smell so good. I just want to rub all over you.”
“Yes, definitely still drugged up pretty girl. You’re lucky I’m a gentleman or I would be very tempted to take advantage of this situation.” I brush her hair back from her face and kiss her forehead. We sit for a few minutes then she asks.
“Eli, can you help me get out of this dress? It’s not very comfortable.” I suck in a breath and stand us both up. Not how I imagined undressing her. She can’t stand very well so I have her lean against me as I find the zipper in the back. As I lower it I don’t think about the fact that I didn’t feel anything underneath. As I lean her back to help her off with it, it falls straight down and I realize she’s in my arms in only some lacy underwear that cover the edges of her ass cheeks. I close my eyes and groan. This is so not happening right now. “I need a shirt. Top drawer one of the cotton ones.” She doesn’t even seem to care that she topless in front of me. I frown and wonder if that’s normal for her. I go to the dresser I find tank tops, sleep shorts and those fuzzy socks she loves. I grab purple and yellow and go to help her put them on.
I get the top pulled over her head regretting that I have to cover up those perfect breasts. They’re not as large as some, but bigger than others. High and firm, perfectly round where they hang with silver dollar sized dusky nipples. I want to drop my head down to them so badly my mouth waters. When I look back up she’s just staring at me with a small dazed smile on her face. I know I have to keep my hands, and other parts, to myself, but damn this sucks. As I kneel in front of her I realize too late that was a bad idea. It brings me at eye level with the juncture of her thighs. I can see right through the lacy scrap she’s using as an excuse for underwear. She’s completely bare under them. I feel my pulse pick up and croak out through a tight throat, “Remi pick up your foot please, we need to finish getting you dressed. I’m going to do something inappropriate in about two seconds if I don’t get you covered.” She giggles a little and picks up a foot while holding onto the bedpost. She gets one then the other in and I pull the shorts up. My fingers graze her bottom and thighs as I go and I quickly let go after getting them in place, I pick her up and settle her back in bed. She lays down and closes her eyes. I get her socks on and cover her up. As I’m getting ready to head back to my own bed, an act of sheer willpower at this point, she throws an arm out toward me.
“Stay for a little bit?” Her words are slurry as she pats the bed behind her. I suck it up and climb under the blanket with her. This is testing the boundaries of my restraint. I pull her close, her back to my front. She sighs and snuggles in wiggling her behind into my crotch. I tighten my hold to get her to stop. “Thank you for coming for me. Sorry I’m not more with it right now. I’ve been wanting to talk to you, but you keep avoiding me. Right now I need to sleep, I can’t stay awake any more. Please tell me we’ll talk soon.” I squeeze her again in answer and kiss her behind the ear before tucking her head under my chin an
d dozing off with her.
Chapter 6- Remi
I wake up with an insane headache. What the heck happened last night? It all comes rushing back. I see I’m in my bed and dressed in pajamas. I didn’t imagine it then. Eli really was here. It’s all mostly fuzzy. I see that the other pillow on my bed still has an imprint. He must have woken up early and took off before I could wake up and it got awkward. I see the pills and water on the table. I toss them both back and drain the glass. I get up and go into the bathroom, seeing my reflection I cringe. Racoon eyes and major case of bed head. I start the shower and hang up the silver dress off the chair, tossing my underwear into a basket I hop in. The water feels glorious. I wash up and then just stand in the water for a while. Finally dragging myself out and drying off I wrap my hair in a towel and go into my room to get dressed in some comfy sweats and a tank top. As I’m pulling on some purple and pink fuzzy socks there’s a knock on the door. Assuming it has to be Eli as we’re the only ones here I yell for him to come in.
“Hey how are you feeling?” he asks.
“Better after a shower and the Tylenol. You left that for me?”
“Yeah, figured you’d have a headache. So, what happened? I didn’t think you would leave your drink unattended or take one from someone you didn’t know.” He says in an accusatory tone. I try not to get defensive. I was kind of stupid to drink out the punch bowl. Righto smart one!
“I think the rum punch must have been spiked with something. It was fine earlier in the night. I should have just had a beer out of the tap. I feel like a dumb kid about it.” I bite my lip before asking my next question. “What happened with Adam?”, I cringe as I ask. I hoped this wasn’t going to be too awkward. Awkward. Seems to sum it all up properly. Maybe I’ll get a tattoo.
“I dropped him off at his place before I brought you back here and got you into bed. I thought you went out with Alex last night?” Again, with the accusatory tone, “I didn’t expect to find a guy attached with Alex nowhere in sight. Adam wanted to stay with you, but I wasn’t sure what he was to you. He said you never mentioned that you were dating anyone when I said I’d stay with you.” He looks tormented with the half hurt, half pissed look. This is not going well. “He didn’t seem too happy about it so, I told him you were my roommate. I thought you weren’t interested in dating right now, Remi.” Eli growls, actually growls. Yep, now just plain pissed.
I’m not sure where this conversation is going, but I know I don’t want to alienate Eli further. I really do like him. I just wasn’t ready to take the chance on something serious evolving yet. After last night I can no longer deny that I want him. And I’m going to have to get up the courage to go for it before he decides he doesn’t want me anymore. I decided to be completely honest and not leave anything out. “I did go out with Alex, she’s the one that wanted to go to the party, not me. I would have rather done what you did. I met Adam while I was at the party. He rescued me from a jerk with wandering hands and we danced and talked some. We ran into the same guy again while we were getting drinks and he introduced himself that time and asked me out. I turned him down and he left, supposedly knocking my drink over on accident on his way out. I think he did it on purpose and he got me another drink.” Eli starts to say something, but I hold my hand up. I’m not finished yet. “I took it, but didn’t drink it. I dumped it out as soon as he left, got a new cup and filled it myself. It had to have already been in the punch. Alex had asked earlier if I was okay with Adam walking me home so she could go with a friend. I actually have a class with Adam, that’s how he knew who I was. I didn’t know his name, but he seems nice. I hope he doesn’t think bad of me after I passed out on him.” I laid it all out as concise and straightforward as possible. I knew I had to be careful or I was going to push him away. He’d been avoiding me before, now it felt different. I didn’t want him to give up. I started to panic at the thought, but Eli’s next words brought me back to reality quickly.
“Seriously Remi? You practically give yourself a mickey and you’re worried what some douche will think about you? You don’t have to worry. He knew you were drugged right away. He said you told him to call me. Why are you worried what he thinks? Again, I thought you weren’t interested in dating, or is that only if it pertains to me?” he says venomously. “Why didn’t you go with him instead of coming back here?”
“Eli, of course I would come back here. I’m not going to go stay with some guy I just met. Just because he was nice to me and shares a class with me doesn’t mean he’s safe. What is wrong with you? Thank you for coming and getting me and taking care of me. I really appreciate it, but I don’t know what I‘ve done to upset you so badly other than hang out with someone with a penis that’s not you. I asked him to call you for fucks sake. I could have had him call Alex or just gone home with him!” Now I’m yelling. This is going all wrong, but he’s making me so angry I just want to smack him.
“You think of me when you want to be safe?” He asks quietly. His anger is noticeably absent and he has a hopeful look in his eyes. Me not so much, I’m still furious.
“Really? That’s what you focus on?” I’m not letting him off that easily. This is getting dealt with now!
“Remi, I came out and all but asked you to be my girlfriend and instead of telling me straight up you don’t want me you drag it out. Hanging out with me and my friends, letting me be the only one trying for more. If you just wanted to be friends you should have said so. I wouldn’t have held it against you. I would have been your friend. Then I think that you do want me, but you’re just not ready so I back off. Now the first guy you see at a party you grab onto with both hands. You’re here and I have to see you every day and I can’t say anything to you or touch you without it possibly being inappropriate. You’re my fucking roommate for god’s sake. That would be beyond taking advantage. I need to know where I stand. Friends, not friends..more if that’s possible after this conversation. Just tell me, please!” Eli had started out yelling, now he’s down to almost an anguished whisper. I know whatever I say next will decide how our relationship is from now on.
“Elliot, I never meant to be indecisive. I don’t know that I’m ready for anything serious, that’s why I wouldn’t go out one on one with you. I like being around you, I like you period. There are things that you don’t know, things that I don’t know if I’m ready to share.” I trail off with a sigh.
“That’s it? That’s your only issue?” he asks, getting closer to me he takes my face in his hands. They’re a little rough, but not like you’d think for an athlete.
“Yes, I-I want to try. If you still do that is.” I whisper. At that he closes the distance and our lips meet. Soft, yet steady. I put my hands on his forearms. He turns his head slightly parting his lips, as I mimic him he slides his tongue into mouth with a catch in his breath, his hands slide into my hair his fingers tangling in the strands. It feels electric, I slide my hands up to his shoulders gripping tight. I slip my tongue out and that’s all he needs to increase the depth, he slides one hand down to my hip pulling me tight to his body. I feel a burning start in abdomen where I can feel exactly how this is affecting Eli. A soft whimper starts in my throat as I rock my hips against his. Before it can go further he pulls back giving me a couple pecks on the lips then resting his forehead against mine.
I can hear the smile in his voice as he says, “This I can work with.” With that he pulls away and backs out of my room.
I touch my lips stunned at the plethora of emotions running through me. Hot and cold, up and down. I’m slightly exhausted after that emotional roller coaster. Too bad we couldn’t have just jumped straight to the end there. It would have been so much easier. I need one of those big red EASY buttons you see on commercials. I shake my head and grab my school bag deciding to pull out some assignments to complete for classes next week. I sit down at the desk and get started. I don’t know where we’re going, but I think I just might enjoy the ride.
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Later that afternoo
n I hear a buzzer ringing and voices in down the hallway. I come out of my room to see what’s going on. As I enter the living area I see Adam talking to Eli asking after me. Eli tries to tell him I’m resting, but right then Adam looks up and sees me. A big smile breaks out on his face and Eli scowls and heads for the couch. I hide my laugh behind my hand turning it into a cough. I don’t think he’d appreciate me laughing at him at the moment.
“Remi, you’re looking better. I was hoping you were alright after last night. I feel terrible about what happened. I came by to see how you are.” Adam comes close and I reroute for the opposite side of the couch that Eli is on leaving Adam to take the chair or the loveseat. I feel like choosing a seat was a diplomatic exercise.
“Much better, thank you for calling Eli. I appreciate you taking care of me. A lot of guys wouldn’t have. Or would have in a much different way.” I’m grateful for his help and try to convey that.
Convergence: Remington Carter Series Book One Page 4