by Sophia Ryan
“I know,” he said with a chuckle, not getting her point. “Cuz I bought some condoms.”
Shit! “No, that’s not what—”
“Yeah, a whole box. With ribs for your pleasure.” He waggled his eyebrows.
Frustration spiked her temperature, her temper, and her tongue. “It was a mistake! A big, fucking mistake!” Seeing the hurt look on his face, she inhaled, counted to five, and then exhaled. “Sorry. Shit,” she gritted and stared down at the space between them. When her temper was once again neutral, she looked up into his eyes. “You and I will never happen.” She shook her head for emphasis. “And we’re not talking about this again. Ever. Now, excuse me. I have to get to my next class.”
She turned and rushed across campus, feeling his eyes on her the whole way. Only once did she glance back over her shoulder, just to convince herself that he wasn’t following. The look on his face as he watched her go—his face red, his eyes narrowed, his mouth a clamped line—would stay with her a long time.
****
When she got home that afternoon, her roommate, Zoe, handed her a note scribbled with Sean and a phone number.
“Who is Sean?” she asked, one eyebrow raised.
Kristin glanced at the note then tossed it on her bed along with her backpack. Her heart pounded like she’d just run a marathon, but she willed her face not to show any emotion. The last thing she needed was for Zoe to start digging into her business. She adored her roommate, but she tended to get over-involved. And she’d hated every guy Kristin had ever been interested in.
“Nobody.” Kristin zigged.
“Mr. Nobody sounded hot. And that accent. Yum-yum-bubble-gum!”
Kristin pulled off her boots and curled up on her bed and tried not to smile.
“Well?” Zoe asked when she didn’t respond.
“Well, what?” Kristin zagged.
“Who is he?” Zoe sat beside her. “And why didn’t he call your cell phone?”
“He’s just some guy I met the other night, and he doesn’t have my number.”
“You must have made quite an impression for him to take the time to look you up.”
Your breasts are spectacular. Kristin felt her face warm as she remembered his comment. She gave a noncommittal shrug.
“Kristin…”
“What?”
“You’re blushing.” Zoe smiled.
“No, I’m not,” she denied, but she felt heat crawling across her cheeks and down her chest, where it settled between her legs. She started to get off the bed, but Zoe stopped her.
“Don’t make me beg. Tell me about him already.”
“I don’t know him, so there’s nothing to tell.”
“At least tell me what he looks like.”
Kristin sighed and accessed the clear images of Sean in her mind. “Tall. Broad shoulders. Muscular arms. Six-pack abs—”
“Wait, you saw him without his shirt? In this weather? Where did you meet him? Between his sheets?” Zoe laughed.
“No!” Kristin got up again, but Zoe stopped her, again.
“Tell me more.”
“All right! Damn, you’re bossy! Messy blond hair—”
“Like Matthew McConaughey?”
“No, more like Paul Walker in that archaeology movie. You know the one.”
“Mmmm, yeah.” She closed her eyes. “Okay. Got it.” Opened them. “Go on.”
“Blue eyes.” So dark they’re almost black. “Great smile.” So amazing it stops my heart. “Great legs.” And arms and abs and face and…“No piercings or tattoos I could see.” And boxer shorts that revealed his strong Irish pride.
Zoe slid her hands between her legs and arched her back like a cat. “He sounds Gosling-alicious. I’m horny just thinking about him. Are you guys going to hook up?”
God, I hope so, was her first thought, but she waved off Zoe’s comment. “No.”
“You know I love you, but really, you’re way overdue for some cock.”
“Zoe!”
“Honey, it’s been two years. And you know what they say about Irish men.”
“No, what do they say about Irish men?”
“They don’t wear anything under their kilts, so their package always swings low to grow long and strong.”
At the thought of Sean’s long and strong package, shivers flashed across Kristin’s body and met at her crotch to spiral against her like a tongue.
“I thought it was the Scots who wore kilts?” Kristin asked, trying to get her mind off Zoe’s statement.
“That’s so not the point,” Zoe said.
“How about you whip out your laptop and do a search on that while I grab a shower,” Kristin said and started to rise from the bed.
“Oh no you don’t.” Zoe lay across her lap, blocking her. “You’re not getting out of here until you tell me what you’re hiding.”
Kristin knew she’d only end up telling Zoe everything eventually, so she plopped back onto the bed.
“There’s this guy in my forensics class. Randy. He’s kind of a geek, but sweet. The other night we were alone in the library, working on a report we’d been assigned. I’m not into him, but I suddenly needed someone. Of course, it didn’t take any time at all to get him to take me back to his room.”
“Of course. And then?”
“We almost had sex.”
“Almost? What, couldn’t he get it up?”
“No, it was up. But it had nothing to wear…if you know what I mean.”
“No way,” she scoffed. “I’ve never known a guy who didn’t have at least one condom with him at all times.”
“Yeah, me too, but anyway…In desperation, I went next door to borrow some from his neighbor, who turned out to be his RA—that Sean guy—who then kicked me out of the dorm because women aren’t allowed on the floor after midnight. By the way, the rule is they kick out the women they see, so just don’t get seen while you’re with Mason in his room.”
“Actually, the rule is no women after one o’clock, and then they only kick out the ones they see…and they usually don’t even follow that rule,” Zoe said, waving away the warning. “But go on.”
“After one? Are you sure?” Did he kick me out early so I wouldn’t have time to have sex with Randy?
“Positive. Why? Is that important?”
She shook her head. “I must have misunderstood. Anyway, he—Sean—walked me home.”
“And?”
“And that’s it. End of story.”
“No, not end of story. You’re into this guy.”
She shook her head. “No, I’m into school. Relationships get in the way.”
“You can’t spend your remaining year of school in celibacy. It’s not healthy.”
“I have plenty of sex.”
“Survival sex with your nympho roommate and your trusty vibrator doesn’t count.”
“I never heard either of you complain.”
Zoe’s pale blue eyes grew bright. She leaned over and pressed her lips against Kristin’s. “And you never will,” she said, before pushing her back onto the bed.
“I really need a shower.” Kristin’s protests were half-hearted.
“Later.” She smiled. “For now, close your eyes and pretend I’m Sean.” She shifted her hands to the hem of Kristin’s sweater and lifted it past her stomach and over her breasts. Kristin felt a spark finger her pussy when Zoe’s mouth found a puckered nipple and sucked it, starting the juices flowing and flesh throbbing before moving on to the other nipple.
Zoe sucked and licked and bit her way down across her stomach, lower to her mound. Kristin’s mind throbbed with the image of Sean. Sean’s hands stripping her of her clothes. Sean’s hands spreading her legs wide. Sean’s tongue diving into her wet pussy, lapping and licking. Sean’s cock plunging deeply inside her. And it was Sean’s name she called out at her moment of release.
When she opened her eyes, it was Zoe’s blonde head on her stomach, not Sean’s. She had to find a way to turn her sex fantasy with Sean into
reality.
When Kristin got back from her shower, Zoe was gone. Her note said: Gone to Mason’s. Call Sean. Invite him over for some lovin’! Z. On top sat a condom.
Kristin grabbed the note with Sean’s number on it and stared at it, seeing his face, eyes, smile, body. Hearing his sexy voice say her name.
She crawled onto her bed, taking the note and her cell phone with her. She was ready to punch in his number when the landline rang. She answered.
“Hello?”
“Hey, darlin’.”
She’d recognize that lilt anywhere. “Who is this?”
“Your friendly condom supplier.”
“The way I remember it, you didn’t supply me with anything except a hard time and an escort home. And, on top of that, you lied to me.”
“What did I lie about?”
“Women are allowed on your floor until one in the morning. I still had at least twenty minutes left when you kicked me out.”
His soft chuckle shimmied up her spine. “My mistake, darlin’. Guess I owe you.”
“Guess you do.”
“When would you like your apology and cup of condoms delivered?”
“Whoa. Not so fast.” She stretched out on her bed. “You didn’t just rob me of condoms that night.”
“Ah. Well, in that case, I’m going to need more time to satisfy this debt.”
“More time? Hmm. I don’t know…”
“I’ll make it worth the wait.”
Yes, yes, yes! “What do you have in mind?”
“I’ll work out the details and let you know tomorrow.”
“It better be good.”
The silky sound of his soft laugh wrapped around her heart.
“It’ll take your breath away, Kristin. I promise.”
It already was.
****
An emerald green satin bag sat in her mailbox at the front desk the following afternoon. Inside was a mug emblazoned with a four-leaf clover, holding one extra-large lubricated condom and a note laying out Sean’s payment plan, starting the following morning.
Saturday @ 8 a.m. Breakfast
Sunday @ 3 p.m. Walk
Monday @ 8 p.m. Movie
Tuesday @ 12:15 p.m. Lunch
Wednesday @ 8 a.m. Coffee/escort to class
Thursday @ 7 p.m. Dinner
Friday @ 7 p.m. Massage
Saturday Condom payoff
****
“You’re going where?” Zoe lifted her head an inch off her pillow to squint at the time on her cell then over at Kristin, who was dressed and brushing her hair.
“Breakfast with Sean.”
She groaned. “Why don’t you just do him and get it over with.”
“His plan to draw things out means we get a chance to get to know each other. I think it’s clever—and pretty sweet.” Kristin pulled the brush through her dark strands a final time, and then flipped her hair. “Besides, breakfast is my favorite meal of the day.”
“He better not make all his payments this early in the morning.” Zoe plopped her head into her pillow and pulled the covers over her head when Kristin laughed. “You’re both weird and perfect for each other.”
Kristin took a final glance in the mirror. Her eyes were shining and there was an excitement to her actions that had absolutely everything to do with the fact that she couldn’t wait to see Sean again. Zoe was right—she needed some big cock—and if she had her way, she’d remedy that problem today.
Chapter Three
Sean waited at the front desk for her, and Lord if he didn’t look even better in the light of day. He was decked out in faded jeans, his hiking boots from the other night—tied this time—unbuttoned shirt over a T-shirt, a rough and faded jean jacket. He was magnificent, muscular, and powerful. He grinned at her, that same sexy smile he gave her the last time she saw him. The one that said he could deliver everything a smile like that promised.
She greeted him with a teasing gaze that took in his entire body. “I almost didn’t recognize you with pants. No Blarney Stone boxers today?”
He laughed. “If you’re nice, I’ll show them to you later.”
“Tease.”
To her surprise, he took her coat from her hands and held it out for her. She slid her arms in and turned back to him. He lifted her scarf out from under the coat and held onto it where it hung by her breasts. The backs of his fingers brushed against her nipples, which hardened instantly and thrust against her shirt and jacket, bringing a flushing heat her face that made her want to drop her gaze from his knowing eyes.
“Last chance to change your mind,” he said, his words brushing her lips.
“About?”
“About whether you want me to pay back everything I owe right now. In one payment. Because once the schedule is in progress, we won’t be deviating from it.”
The idea of having him deliver everything right now was super appealing, but the idea of spending time with him and drawing out the pleasure—and the anticipation—offered the greater appeal. “I haven’t changed my mind.”
His eyes danced with a light that showed he was pleased with her answer. “Okay then. Hungry?”
“Starved.”
“Then let’s roll.”
****
“How did a sweet Irish boy like you end up in this depraved little square of the world?” Kristin asked as she devoured her carne adovada burrito.
“I came here for the spicy food and the pretty girls.” He winked at her and took another bite of his green chile burrito.
“’Tis a load of blarney you be whispering in me ears,” Kristin said in her best Irish accent.
He laughed. “I’m helping put on the university’s archaeological field school this summer, and I arranged permission from my university to take my final master’s coursework here so I can prepare for the school.”
“How long will you be staying?”
“I go home the first week of August.”
Five months? It wasn’t nearly long enough.
“That will give you plenty of time to satisfy me…I mean, satisfy your debt to me.” She smiled then put her mouth to the straw, let her tongue jab the hole, her teeth bite the straw, then her mouth suck it.
She watched him and could see his mind giving her suggestive little move his rapt attention. He swallowed hard, his throat bobbing as if the mere thought of satisfying her, and the things her mouth could do to satisfy him, overwhelmed his ability to breathe.
“I have a feeling I’ll never have enough time to fully satisfy you.” He smiled. “Your debt, I mean.”
“True, but you’re willing to try, right?”
“Oh, aye. I’ll be giving it a go, all right.”
“Funny running into you two here…together.” Randy appeared at their table as they were laughing at their private joke and plopped down beside Kristin. He reached into her plate, grabbed a potato cube, and popped it into his mouth.
The laughter died in her throat. She rolled her eyes and pushed her plate away, wanting to smack Randy for shattering the moment with Sean.
“I didn’t think you knew each other well enough to have breakfast together,” Randy continued when neither of them said anything.
She lifted her gaze to Sean and returned his grin. The longer the silence hung on, the clearer it became that there was something between them, something that neither was willing to discuss with Randy.
“Okay, awkward,” Randy said, a flush crawling up his face. “Anyway…We should get together today to finish our report.” He lightly jabbed Kristin’s arm with his elbow to emphasize his final words.
She shot him a stern look. “As I said the other day, I think it’s best that you do your part, and I do mine—separately.” She kept her tone clear and firm so he couldn’t misinterpret her words or her wishes.
“Sure, whatever. You going to the Pike party tonight? We could go together.” He laid his arm behind her across the back of her chair.
She leaned forward, away from his touch
. “I don’t go to frat parties.” Feeling uncomfortable at his closeness, she found Sean’s eyes again. He winked at her, making her smile. Making her feel safe.
“You can’t do this, Kristin.” Randy’s words, delivered in a low tone, caught her attention. His mouth was a tight line, his eyes narrowed on hers, and his cheeks bore red patches. One hand had balled into a fist on the table, while the other bit into her shoulder.
“Knock it off,” Kristin said, and twisted her shoulders to break his hold, but he didn’t release her.
“You can’t come on to a guy then just ignore him like he’s nothing.” His fingers dug in harder the louder his voice grew.
Sean stood and held out his hand to her. “Are you ready to go?”
“Yes.” She grabbed his hand and stood, breaking Randy’s grip. Sean maneuvered her behind him and away from Randy, then leaned in to grab her jacket and his backpack.
“She told you she’s not interested, so I’ll ask you to leave her alone from now on.” Everything about Sean screamed stern, from his low, hard voice to his tightly restrained menace. “And if you lay a hand on her again, you and I’ll be having a little man-to-man. Nod your head so I know you heard me clear.”
Randy nodded once.
“Good.” He turned and, taking Kristin’s hand possessively in his, the two left the café.
****
“That was weird,” Kristin said as she and Sean strolled back across campus, her hand still in his. “I know Randy was disappointed about the other night, but…wow.”
“That guy wasn’t just disappointed; he was angry.” An unmistakable chord of irritation sharpened his usually lilting brogue.
“Yeah, and I don’t get it. Until we became partners for this project, we never spoke to each other. Not in class, not outside class. Yet, he’s acting like—”
“Like a jilted lover.”
“Yeah.”
As they walked, she noticed they had matched pace and gait. It amazed her that they had connected so soon. She smiled up at him. “Thanks.”
“For?”
“For being there when he freaked out. I’m glad you were with me.”
He met her smile with one of his own. “Are you, now?”
She nodded.
“How glad?” he asked, his voice so full of heat that she felt wisps of smoke swirl in her stomach.