Fantasy Boyfriend #2 (A Tattooed Bad Boy Romance)

by Stone, Vanessa

  The game ended with the opposing team winning the match, and it wasn't long before the crowds began dispersing back toward the parking lot. My girlfriends and I slowly made our way down through the stands amid the crowd, carefully watching our step as we were jostled to and fro. Down below us, I caught sight of Luke guiding his girl-of-the-night by the hand through the crowd. He didn't look up at me, but I wondered if he could sense that I was staring down at him. His girlfriend wore a pouty look on her face. I wondered if they had some kind of disagreement – not that I even cared.

  Chapter 7

  The next morning, I walked into advanced chemistry, focusing on yet another upcoming test. I also wasn't sure anymore about my acceptance of Greg’s offer for a date tomorrow evening. After all, I was still reeling from Luke's rejection, and I wasn't particularly looking forward to another one.

  I had just pulled my notebook out of my messenger bag that also served as my purse when I noticed a familiar face in the room. Luke was back. My heart gave a traitorous thump when I spotted him sitting near the front of the class, not talking to anybody, but staring down at a book on his desk. Suddenly, he glanced up, looked over his shoulder, and his eyes met mine. I resisted the automatic urge to send him a smile and instead merely stared at him and then turned my attention back to my notebook. It took everything I had in me not to glance at him for the next couple of minutes. I played it cool, though. After all, what would it say about me if I showed any curiosity or interest whatsoever in him after the way he treated me?

  Throughout class, I felt rather proud of myself that I had carefully avoided that side of the room, while at the same time, I got the distinct impression that he occasionally glanced my way. It was disappointing, really. Luke and I could've been really good together, I thought, but he had blown it. While I was still undeniably attracted to him, I wanted a relationship based on more than just sex. Besides, the way he treated me was awful. I had standards, after all, and just because he didn't live up to mine didn't mean that I couldn't live up to my own.

  The fact that I didn't glance his way once throughout the remainder of the chemistry class didn't mean to imply that he wasn't on my mind. In fact, I almost wished he wasn't there. Just knowing that he was in the same room made me feel uncomfortable, and not just because of embarrassment, but because of the sexual tension that arose within me. Damn. How could one guy have such an effect on me, especially one who acted like such a big jerk?

  Finally, class was over and I gathered my things and began to make my way toward the door along with everyone else. As I exited the room and students dispersed one-way or another, Luke suddenly appeared beside me.

  "Hey," he said.

  I didn't look up at him although every nerve in my body hummed. "Hello," I said, keeping my voice cool. I didn't trust myself to say anything else.

  "Look, Jessica, I…"

  I glanced up at him, almost got the impression that he even looked apologetic, not that that would make everything okay. I didn't say anything, but eyed him for a moment before I looked away, glancing down the hallway. If he could pretend disinterest in me, I could certainly return the favor. To my surprise, I saw Greg emerge from a classroom several doors down. He paused, glanced up and down the hallway, and then recognized me. His face lit up immediately and he sent me a beaming smile and began to walk toward us. Beside me, I sensed Luke stiffening. Good. Served him right. He didn't own me.

  I sent a smile in Greg's direction, and in a matter of moments he stood in front of me. He glanced between me and Luke. "Hi Greg," I said, all smiles and friendly. "This is Luke. I turned to Luke, giving him a hard stare. "Luke, this is Greg Sanderson. He's on the rugby team."

  Luke shoved his hands in his pockets and nodded grudgingly at Greg. "You played a good game last night," he said.

  "Thanks," Greg said.

  Greg's face was open and friendly while Luke appeared sullen. I smiled again just as Greg looked down at me. I hadn't realized he was so tall, but then again when we had met last night, I had been sitting down. Now I realized that I actually had to look upward and that the top of my head barely reached his chin.

  "How about I pick you up tomorrow night at six o'clock?" he said. "There's a neat restaurant I know this serves the best rack of ribs this side of Texas."

  "Oh?" I asked. "Is that where you're from? Texas?”

  He nodded. "You?"

  "Montana," I replied. He smiled down at me, and then suddenly looked between me and Luke.

  "Oh, I'm sorry, was I interrupting something?"

  I shook my head. "Not at all, Greg," I said, smiling inwardly. I could tell that beside me, Luke was stunned. Now the shoe was on the other foot, wasn't it? I glanced at Luke, frowned at him, and then turned back to Greg. "I haven't had ribs since I returned to Boston just before school started. I'm anxious to see if you know your ribs," I grinned.

  Greg laughed, while Luke stood silent and sullen beside me. Suddenly, he muttered something under his breath and strode off.

  "I hope I didn't interrupt-"

  "Not at all," I assured him. "We're just acquaintances, and he was asking me a question about class."

  Greg nodded, his gaze searching my face, and I realized he was quite handsome in his own right. He also smelled good. I still didn't see any tattoos and resisted the urge to ask him if he had any. Finally, he glanced down at his wristwatch – one of those large monstrosities that had a compass and everything else on it. A worn leather band held it in place. Very manly.

  "Well, I guess I'd better be going, my next class is nearly on the other side of campus."

  "I'm glad I bumped into you," I said. "I'll be looking forward to our date tomorrow night. Call me tomorrow afternoon I'll give you directions to the house where I live with my sorority friends."

  He nodded, acted as if he wanted to kiss me or something, but then offered a slight wave of his hand, turned around, and walked away. I smiled. He wasn't as bold as Luke, but he had manners. I turned to look in the direction Luke had disappeared and saw him standing at the far side of the quad, watching me. Well, if he wanted me, he would have to come after me. I certainly wasn't going to be chasing after him. I had already learned my lesson.

  Chapter 8

  It was Saturday evening and Greg was due to pick me up any moment. We had spoken earlier today and he told me he was taking me out to a nice restaurant. For the occasion, I wore a simple pencil skirt and silk blouse. Flats and a clutch bag completed my ensemble. Greg was the epitome of courtesy, but I still couldn't quit comparing him and Luke. In fact, I couldn't keep myself from thinking about Luke constantly. The other girls had dates for the evening as well, nothing special, and no repeats for them, but they were the epitome of excitement and anticipation, while I on the other hand was a bit wary.

  Perhaps it was the results of my last "official" date, but I couldn't help it. I didn't know what was going to happen tonight, but I could tell you what was not. I wasn't going to let Greg take advantage of me, or even give him any indication that I would be easy to take advantage of. No way would I be caught being so vulnerable again, not after the lesson I had learned from Luke the hard way.

  “Don’t forget, after your date with Greg, come by the hall and help us decorate, okay?” Becky reminded Jessica. “We’ll be there with our dates, with bells on our toes.”

  I shook my head. “I don’t even know what that means, and I don’t care,” I said. “And I’ll try.”

  “Look, Jessica,” Selena said. “We’ll understand if you don’t feel like it. And who knows? Your date with Greg might be great and you guys will go do something after dinner…” she gave her friend a look. “Just give him a chance, okay? He seems like a really sweet guy.”

  I looked at her and the others and then nodded. “I will.”

  It wasn't long before the doorbell rang downstairs, and one of the girls who lived on the first floor answered it and then called upstairs.

  "Jessica! There's a guy named Greg down here for you!"
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br />   I bid the girls goodbye, and their voices floated down the stairs as I made my way to the first floor, my heart thumping nervously. It wasn't like I had the hots for Greg, and in fact I even wondered why I was going out with him at all. I wasn't really interested. Nothing against Greg, but with going out at all. Wouldn't I be safer to staying at home, lying in bed, and reading one of my books? Probably, but then again, nobody had ever pegged me for a coward.

  Greg stood just inside the door, glancing around the interior of the old Victorian, paying special attention to the molding around the doorways. When he heard me coming downstairs, he glanced up, did a double-take, and then smiled broadly. It made me feel good to know that he noticed me and appreciated how I looked. He met me at the bottom of the stairs, holding out his arm. I have to admit that got me. It was such an old-fashioned gesture, but one that I appreciated. I wrapped my hand around his forearm, feeling its solid strength underneath my fingers. His forearm was so big around, I wouldn’t be able to even wrap my fingers around it if I had tried.

  "This is a beautiful house," he commented. "You're lucky to live in a place with such history."

  "You like history?" I asked as he opened the door and gestured for me to precede him.

  "Very much so," he said, closing the door softly behind him.

  He retrieved my arm and guided me toward his truck, a relatively new Ford 150. Thank goodness I didn't have to go careening through Boston on the back end of a motorcycle, although that thought brought me right back to Luke and his sexy charisma. Greg opened the door of the truck and then helped me inside. It was a rather steep step up, but he made sure I was settled inside before he closed the door and walked around the front and entered on his side. The truck interior was well maintained, but didn't have that unique smell that most new trucks did, so I knew it must have been at least a few months old if not more.

  "I hope you're hungry," he said, grinning.

  I glanced down, thinking that the creamy ivory silk blouse I wore wasn't exactly the best choice for a rib place. He read my thoughts.

  "Don't worry, they provide paper bibs!"

  He laughed and I joined in. As we drove through the streets of Boston, he made small talk, nothing important really, just asking how long I had lived here, how long I had gone to Boston U and things like that. I literally forced Luke out of my thoughts. He drove carefully, paid attention to the speed limit and traffic signs, which was nice, and I gradually began to feel more comfortable in his presence. He was nonthreatening, despite his size, and I had a feeling that this was his natural persona. Then again, I didn't really know –for all I knew he could be a serial killer in disguise. I made a face at the thought and then decided I was just being silly, trying to find a reason not to like him. I also had to quit comparing him to Luke. That thought brought me to Luke's full sleeve tattoos, which I found so incredibly sexy.

  "So Greg, tell me, do you have any tattoos?" No sense in beating around the bush. He already had one checkmark on my list, and I wanted to see if I could add another one.

  He grinned and shook his head. "Nah, I'm a good old boy from Texas that doesn't have much use for tattoos. In fact, I think that they can look kind of trashy."

  I was disappointed by that, but I didn't show it. After all, he had some other things going in his favor. He was a gentleman, he was handsome, and he played sports. I got the impression that he was trying to be on his best behavior, but then again, most guys usually were on the first date. Again, my thoughts reverted back to Luke. He hadn't put on any airs, and with Luke, it was pretty much what you saw is what you got, which certainly wasn't bad. At the same time, now that I was able to compare him with Greg, I definitely got the impression that Luke, despite his charisma and sexuality, probably didn't spend too much time thinking about other people or their feelings. I wasn't making any judgments about it just yet, just making an observation.

  Before long, we pulled up in front of a nice steakhouse whose sign was emblazoned with a bull on one side, a pig on the other, and the words, "Beefy Pig BBQ" in the middle. Okay, I was used to this kind of place, commonly found throughout Montana where nobody really tried to be fancy-schmancy. Good eats were good eats. I could imagine it was much the same throughout Texas. To be quite honest, I would probably feel more comfortable eating here than I had at the sushi restaurant. Then again, up came thoughts of Luke feeding me bits of sushi with my eyes closed and what happened afterward.

  Chapter 9

  We approached the front of the restaurant, but before I could open the door, he pulled it open and gestured for me to step in. Well, that was nice, I thought. We entered the restaurant, his hand placed discreetly on my lower back. A server guided us toward a small table near one of the windows and I was again impressed when he paused on my side of the table and held out the chair for me.

  When the waitress asked for a drink order, I asked for a glass of water, but Greg ordered a bottle of Cabernet. I didn't have the heart to tell him that I had not intended on drinking any alcohol this evening. I guess he wanted to make the evening somewhat romantic, and I thought it was rather sweet of him to do so. I decided that I would have one glass, and sip the wine very slowly while I ate.

  After looking over the menu and letting him know what I would like, I allowed him to take our order: a mixed platter of beef and pork dry rub ribs with sides of fried potatoes and coleslaw. It smelled delicious in here, and I realized I was pretty hungry. As we waited for our food, we continued to exchange idle conversation, and I found it really sweet that he asked lots of questions about me. I realized he probably liked me more than Luke had. Luke hadn't seemed all that interested in knowing anything about me. At least, that’s the impression I got now. I found it rather depressing to realize that, and then realized that maybe Greg was a better choice if I had to choose between the two guys, anyway. I might as well give Greg a shot.

  Within moments, we each had a glass of red wine in front of us. The server returned to the table with a small basket of sliced sourdough bread and a platter of soft butter. I was really touched when Greg reached for a piece of bread, buttered it, and then placed it on the small bread plate beside my silverware. Then he did the same for himself. Wow. I couldn't help but be impressed, but I found myself continually comparing him and Luke.

  They both had good things going for them, despite my annoyance at Luke's behavior after our first date. Like Greg, Luke had taken the lead, so I guessed that I could consider that Greg was an alpha male, too. Another check, so actually he was only two behind Luke. Luke had also been an alpha male, and did have tattoos, was a womanizer, and great in bed, or on tables, or in the woods. I had no idea whether Greg was a womanizer or whether he was good in bed, but the checkmark that he did have over Luke was that he played a sport. Then again, how much did I really know about Luke? He could have played a sport, for all I knew – something unique, like lacrosse, maybe. I would never know now.

  I tried to keep my attention focused on Greg and what he was saying, smiling at all the right times and making appropriate comments as he told me about his life back in Texas. When he asked about me, I felt an affinity with him and his small-town upbringing and the rustic environments that we both shared. At the same time, I felt a little bored. I had to admit that I was having a pleasant enough time and the ribs were delicious. I didn't feel at all self-conscious eating the ribs with my fingers, and Greg had been right; I had been given a paper bib, and we both wore them, not taking ourselves too seriously, which was another plus in his favor.

  But that's just it. I was having a pleasant enough time, but it wasn't particularly stimulating. Luke and Greg were like night and day, and while Greg was certainly more of a gentleman, I felt that with my date with Luke, I had been an adventure. Perhaps that wasn't a fair comparison. After all, I had never been on a motorcycle and I'd never eaten sushi. With Greg, I did feel more comfortable because of the similarity in our backgrounds. I smiled at him across the table, noticing he had a smear of barbeque sauce on hi
s chin. I brought his attention to and we both laughed as he lifted his napkin to his chin and wiped it off. As I lifted my wine glass to take a last sip, I glanced toward the bar area of the restaurant and nearly choked. There, at the far end of the bar, sitting with yet another girl, was Luke!

  I coughed delicately into my napkin, my eyes wide with shock. How had Luke found out I was eating here with Greg? Or was it just a coincidence? No, I shook my head. There was no such thing as coincidences – at least, not like this. This rib and steak place was not exactly the most well-known in town and wasn’t even close to campus. No, somehow Luke had known that I would be here. Maybe he’d been spying on me! I wasn’t sure how I felt about that. That could be a good thing, but then again it could indicate something less so and head into the realm of stalking. Again, I shook my head. I was allowing my thoughts to run away with me.

  I suddenly had a wicked thought. Perhaps I could turn the tables on Luke – big time. I don't know what possessed me, but I actually thought it might be fun to make him even more jealous than I thought he already was. After all, I had now seen him in the presence of several different women. He was indeed a womanizer, no doubt about it. Well, like I had told myself before, two could play this game.

  "Are you okay?" Greg asked.

  "I…I think I'd like to visit the restroom," I said, pretending to cough softly again into my napkin. "Would you excuse me?" I was surprised when he actually half-stood as I left my chair. Moments later, I was walking away from the table toward the end of the bar. As it just so happened, the restrooms were located at that end of the restaurant. As I strolled past the bar, I caught Luke’s eyes. His eyes widened in surprise, and I thought maybe that perhaps it was indeed a coincidence that he attended appeared here of all places tonight. Nevertheless, I offered him a little grin and then ventured into the short hallway where the bathrooms were located. At the far end of the hallway was a door with a lit up Exit sign over it. I casually glanced over my shoulder and saw Luke slide off his bar stool to follow.