The Only Exception

by Magan Vernon

  I couldn’t take the teasing anymore. I wrapped my arms around his neck and pressed against him, kissing him hard. He moved his hands to my lower back, running his fingers up and down my spine. Slowly, I moved my hands from his neck and down to his shirt, unbuttoning each button. I wasn’t planning on having sex in the library, or sex at all for that matter, but I didn’t want the button marks that I usually had all over me from his shirts.

  Once I got the last button undone I pulled him back to me. The material of his undershirt was so thin I could feel every ripple of his abs on my stomach. He really was a fine specimen of a man. His lips trailed down my neck and to my collarbone. I moaned softly when he nibbled at the sensitive skin above my chest.

  He pulled his lips back up to my ear and whispered, “This is a library, Miss Remy.”

  “Sorry, Mr. Chapman, it won’t happen again.”

  He nipped at my ear lobe and then licked the same spot. “But I love it when it does.”

  I gasped and then buried my face in his, trying to keep quiet but it was hard when my entire body was aching for him. It had been too long since I’d been with anyone. I hadn’t wanted to, but with Trey, it was all I wanted. He was all I wanted. I hadn’t had any flashbacks since the party and I thought I would possibly be ready to move on with my life.

  “Trey Chapman, you make me crazy,” I whispered.

  “And you love it,” he said placing a quick kiss where my neck met my shoulder and I squirmed, trying not to squeal.

  “And I know how to make you crazy.” I pulled his lips to mine, acting like I was going to kiss him and then nibbled at his bottom lip, slowly and tenderly.

  His eyes rolled back into his head, and I could feel him harden beneath his pants. Two could play at the teasing game. I let go of his lip, placing a soft kiss where my teeth had been.

  “You’re too good at that,” he whispered, running his hands down my ribcage and landing at the bare skin where my shirt rode up slightly.

  I froze. Trey’s hands usually stayed above my clothes, and this was the first time they had gone somewhere else. I sucked in a deep breath and hoped that he didn’t notice how loud my heart was beating in my chest. I thought he might continue his hand trailing, but his fingers stopped when a vibration jolted from my pocket, and Trey jumped against the other book shelf. Saved by the phone. I didn’t know what I would do if he would have tried to go farther. I thought I was ready. Maybe I was just fooling myself.

  My mom’s face smiled back at me. I answered and put the phone to my ear. “Hey, ma.”

  I glanced up at Trey who was busy buttoning his shirt.

  “Hey, Monica! I hope you weren’t in class.”

  “Ma, I wouldn’t have answered the phone if I were in class.”

  She breathed into the phone, causing some static. “Oh, I guess that makes sense. I was just checking to see if it was still a go for us to come Saturday. I have the day off, but have to work until eleven on Friday, so we probably won’t be in until late morning.”

  I almost forgot about my parents. I even planned it on a weekend that I knew Sam was going to be out of town, so they wouldn’t question my dreadlocked roommate. I just didn’t happen to mention it to Trey or actually tell my parents that I was seeing him.

  “Yeah, that’s still fine.”

  “Oh, good! I was going to make your favorite, lasagna.” She kept talking as I cradled the phone against my shoulder while I smoothed out my clothes and walked back to our table.

  I sat and Trey took the seat across from me. I looked up at him and mouthed “Sorry it’s my mom.”

  “Oh, okay.” He nodded.

  Shit. Mom stopped rambling. “Who was that, Mon?”

  I didn’t think he was loud enough that she would hear him, but obviously I couldn’t get away with it now. I wasn’t that great of a liar. “Um, it’s no one.”

  I glared at Trey.

  “No one? That sounded like a boy?”

  Trey smiled that charming smile that always made me melt before he leaned closer to the phone. “It’s Trey Chapman, Mrs. Remy.”

  “Did he say Trey Chapman? Is that the governor’s son?” Mom asked, her voice getting higher with each question.

  I mouthed to Trey “I’m going to kill you.” He just grinned. “Yes, Mom, it’s Trey Chapman. The governor’s son. He’s kind of my boyfriend and also kind of a pain in my ass.”

  “Monica Louise Remy!” she squealed so loud I had to pull the phone back from my ear. “You didn’t tell me you had a boyfriend! Especially one who is a celebrity.”

  I groaned. “He’s not a celebrity, Ma. And I didn’t tell you because I didn’t want you to overreact.”

  “Well, are we going to meet him on Saturday? Would he like to join us for lunch?” My mom’s voice was so loud that I had to slightly pull my ear back away from the phone.

  “I’d love to meet you on Saturday, Mrs. Remy,” Trey said, still leaning over the table.

  “Oh, this is wonderful, Monica! I haven’t met one of your boyfriends since high school!”

  I rolled my eyes at Trey. I was going to have to kill him now. “Great, Ma. But, hey, we’re studying now, so I will call you later.”

  “Oh, studying, I know what that’s code for. I’ll let you to have at it and see you Saturday!” She disconnected the call. I put my phone down, and threw a pen at Trey.

  “You’re in so much trouble, sir!”

  He took the pen hit and put his hands on the table, smiling like the cat that ate the canary. “Enough trouble that you’ll take me behind the bookcase again?”

  I adjusted my shirt and made sure I wasn’t falling out anywhere. “You’re grounded from book cases, Mr. Chapman.”

  He jutted out his bottom lip. “Oh, come on, Miss Remy.”

  “You should put that lip away, because I will not be nibbling it,” I said with as straight of a face as I could manage.

  He tucked his lip in, and his face grew serious. “Are you really that upset about me meeting your family? Are you embarrassed of me?”

  I hesitated. “I’m not embarrassed of you, more of the situation. My parents are kind of blue-collar middle Americans that say whatever is on their mind. And my brother is the typical high school jock that has nothing to say unless it involves football.”

  “Miss Remy, I’m practically a politician, they sound like my target audience.”

  I rolled my eyes. “This isn’t politics. This is my family.”

  He put his hands on mine and then brought my knuckles to his lips. “And if they’re your family, part of you, I’m sure I’ll love them.”

  Chapter 15

  Sam left right after classes on Friday, which left me the whole night to clean the apartment from top to bottom. I lit every single candle I owned and hoped to get out any lingering pot smell. I vacuumed all the carpets, scrubbed the countertops, and dusted every square inch that probably hadn’t been dusted since the place was built.

  Trey came by at nine the next morning, already dressed for the day and carrying a tray with two foam coffee cups and a white bag with something in it that smelled like fresh-baked bread and rosemary. It made my mouth water.

  “I love a woman in some overalls,” he said, walking into the apartment and setting the white bag on the counter, then handing me a steaming foam cup.

  I had on a pair of overalls I wore to clean in that I bought at a thrift store, a white tank top, and my hair was pulled back in a bandana. It was my usual cleaning outfit, but I never expected someone would actually see me in it.

  “You’re lucky you brought me coffee, or I wouldn’t take your sarcasm so easily.” I took a sip and it wasn’t coffee, but a pumpkin latte; which was my favorite.

  “If I would have known you would be up scrubbing the floors, I would have just sent over my cleaning lady, and I could have taken you out instead,” he said, opening up the bag and retrieving two little packages wrapped in aluminum foil.

  “Not all of us have that luxury,” I snapped, harsher
than I intended.

  Trey put his hands up. “Whoa, I know you’re nervous about your parents coming, so I’ll let that one slide. I was just offering to help.”

  I put my cup down beside his and then slid my arms around his waist. “I’m sorry. You’re right. That wasn’t cool of me.”

  He kissed my forehead. “That’s better, now come have a breakfast sandwich with me.” He scrunched up his nose. “Or you could take a shower first. You kind of smell like bleach.”

  I kept my arms wrapped around him and pulled him tighter against me. “Does the smell of bleach turn you on?”

  He let out a small smile but still shook his head. “Not in the slightest.”

  I released my grip and stepped back, letting out a sigh. “Fine, I guess I need to get ready. Will you be fine out here alone?”

  “I should be able to take care of myself, and I’ll keep your drink and food warm until you get out,” he said, holding up my coffee.

  “I can live with that.”

  I should have been more worried about having Trey in my apartment when I would be naked in the next room, but I didn’t feel like I could just kick him out. I locked my bedroom and my bathroom door just in case. I didn’t like surprises or people walking in on me.

  ***

  Thirty minutes and it was probably a record for fastest time I ever got ready. The weather was starting to get colder, so I put on one of my favorite cable-knit sweater and some skinny jeans with knee-high boots. I blow dried my hair and walked out to see Trey sitting on the couch, watching some news channel.

  I took a seat at the breakfast bar where he had my latte and breakfast sandwich waiting. “Do you ever watch anything besides the news?”

  He got up and walked over to the counter, leaning on it and standing next to me. “Do you ever not look so breathtaking?”

  I unwrapped the mouthwatering sandwich and took a big bite, flooding my taste buds with the flavor of egg whites, honey glazed ham, and spinach, all on sourdough bread. I found myself moaning at its deliciousness.

  “And if you’re going to have that reaction when I bring you food, then I’m coming over in the morning more often,” he said.

  I swallowed. “If you’re going to bring my sandwiches like this, then you can compliment me all you want.”

  ***

  My hometown was only about an hour from campus. It’s the reason I originally didn’t pick Central, because of the proximity, but later figured it was the best place since I could go home whenever I needed. Of course, I didn’t expect I’d have a boyfriend that my parents would need to meet.

  I was cuddled up on the couch with Trey’s arm around my waist, and trying not to smell his cologne too much when a knock came at my door. It was only eleven, and I wasn’t expecting them to be on time. I jumped up and ran to the front door opening it up to see my parents smiling faces.

  My mom looked just like me except with an additional fifty pounds, some gray streaks in her hair, and a pair of large glasses. She also was blessed with straight hair that she always kept cut short since she said the babies in the pediatric ward liked to grab it when she would give them shots. My dad was where I got the curl in my hair from, even at his age he still had a gray fro to go with his graying mustache. He was taller than me and very skinny, probably because my mom was always too busy working to cook that often.

  “Hey Monica!” Mom gushed, handing me a container of lasagna and walking into the apartment.

  Dad patted my back. “Hey, honey.”

  Mom stopped and giggled. “And this must be the famous new boyfriend.”

  I turned around to see Trey standing there with his trademark political smile and his hands in his pockets. “That’s me, Mrs. Remy.” He extended his hand out to her, shaking it briskly. “Mr. Remy.” He did the same to my dad, shaking his hand like a politician-in-training.

  “And such manners,” Mom cooed.

  “Don’t let him sign you up for any fundraisers, Mom,” I said, putting the lasagna in the stove and turning it on. Mom took some class in which she learned how to prepare all her meals for the freezer. I knew the drill since high school that everything we had for dinner needed to be cooked in the oven for an hour before it wasn’t a frozen tundra.

  Dad looked around the place, eyeing it like something would pop out and grab him. “This is a nice place, Monica, glad to see it’s worth the rate you’re paying.”

  “It is one of the best places on campus, Mr. Remy. It has great security and walking distance to all our classes. I even live next door.” Trey pointed to the wall of my bedroom.

  “Oh, dating the boy next door!” Mom fluttered her arms.

  I groaned, rolling my eyes, but dad was right there patting my back. Mom was the one that was there when I needed comfort and dad was there when mom was getting to be too much for me. “You know how excited your mother gets, and now we can talk to your new boyfriend about his dad’s ideas for local government.”

  I put my hands up. “Whoa, I talk enough politics all day in my classes, I think I could go a day without it.”

  Mom nodded. “Good idea!”

  Dad took his hand off my back. “Well, maybe me and Trey will have a discussion about it later.”

  “Dad, where’s Jordan at?” I asked, trying to change the subject.

  “Oh.” Dad cleared his throat. “He had practice today, so he couldn’t make it. He said he was real sorry, though.”

  Jordan was more awkward than I was in social situations. He probably heard that I had a new boyfriend and made up an excuse as soon as he could. He may have been a big, popular jock at school, but that didn’t mean he associated with anyone besides his close group of friends.

  “It’s all right, Mon, my brothers never visit me at school either.” I looked up to see that Trey had on his sexy smile. The one that always made me melt.

  “Oh, you have brothers?” Mom said, folding her hands and swaying like some sort of teenage girl with a crush.

  He nodded, his eyes staying on mine a second longer before he looked at my mom. “Yes, ma’am. Two older brothers, Trigg and Tripp. Trigg is an investment banker in New York and Tripp is a senior at Dartmouth.”

  “Oh, how interesting,” she swooned.

  I clasped my hands together. “Okay, guys, how about I give you a tour of the apartment and then after lunch we can do a tour of campus?”

  The only thing we had was a breakfast bar with three stools and no kitchen table, so instead we ate in the living room; Trey and I sat on the couch, mom on the chair, and dad on Sam’s papasan chair she brought into the living room.

  “So tell me,” Mom said between bites of lasagna. “How did you two get together? It’s obvious how you met with being neighbors, but how did you fall for each other?”

  I almost choked on my lasagna and had to take a drink of water, leaving Trey to answer.

  “Well, ma’am, your daughter is sort of stubborn.”

  Dad laughed. “No shit on that one.”

  I glared at Dad, but Trey took it all in and just smiled. “We were assigned to work together on a debate project and I kept asking her out, but she kept turning me down. It took a lot of persuading and a few dozen roses, and then she finally agreed to take me up on my offer.” He put his hand on mine, rubbing his thumb along the bridge of my knuckles. “And I couldn’t be happier.”

  Dad cleared his throat, and I snapped my head in his direction. “I have to tell you, Mon, I was sort of surprised when I heard you were dating Trey, here. No offense, but I was pretty sure you were a starch liberal and with his dad’s traditional values, I just didn’t think you would have much in common. Unless you aren’t doing much talking.”

  Again, I almost choked on my lasagna, but luckily Trey was there with another answer. He had to have an arsenal of great answers somewhere.

  “Well, sir, I like a girl that challenges me, and Monica definitely does that. She’s very intelligent and we can have a very civilized conversation about our views, but no matter
how heated it gets, we still know that the other is entitled to their own opinion. I value her for having such an open mind and a critical eye. You should see her in the classroom. I swear she made a guy cry.”

  That didn’t actually happen. Some guy in our class tried to argue with me about the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, and I sort of verbally attacked him until the professor finally made me stop. He never actually cried as far as I knew. I took a big gulp of water before slamming my glass down on the coffee table. “And who doesn’t like a guy that likes your daughter for her mind?”

  Dad nodded, and I set my plate down on the coffee table.

  “Okay,” Mom said after taking a deep breath. “Now that we’ve eaten our fill, how about that tour of campus?”

  I jumped up, anything to get out of the small confines of my living room. There was only so much ass kissing from Trey to my parents I could take, and so many questions from my dad, before I thought I would lose it.

  “Sound good,” Dad said, standing up and smirking.

  Luckily the weather was decent. Fall in Illinois was an unpredictable mess. One day it would be ninety degrees and the next it could snow. It was comfortable sweater weather with a bit of a breeze. The quad had a few students gathered on benches or sitting under the trees whose leaves were just starting to change colors.

  “This really is a beautiful campus,” Mom said, looking up at the business building. It was the newest building and funded by an insurance company, so it was a massive brick structure filled with large windows and even a butterfly garden in the middle.

  “Yeah,” Dad said. “I guess it’s good to get out of the city.”

  I saw Mom elbow him in the side. I should have ignored him, especially in front of Trey, but enough was enough. He spent the day grilling Trey and the past month bothering me about transferring colleges. I finally had to say something. Dad knew I came home early from my last semester at Taylor and that I started counseling. He never really asked why. He just seemed to accept that it was something I had to do.