Up for Grabs (Up For Grabs #1)

by Heather Young-Nichols

  Cain pulled me out of the dorm and didn’t answer until we were in the privacy of his car. I’d almost forgotten I asked a question.

  “You’re pretty easy to read, Flannery. That’s how I knew.” I thought the inside of my cheek would start to bleed with as hard as I bit it while not knowing what to say. “Don’t get me wrong. If I had my way I’d throw you in the backseat and have my way with you right now.” Well, I guess that was good to know, but the husky way he said it had me tempted to climb into the backseat. “But, we’re going to take our time. You only get a first time once. That doesn’t mean you can’t stay over. Hell, I’d prefer you sleep in my bed every night.”

  “But we won’t do stuff like last night?” I hated that I sounded like an insecure girl but how could I find out the boundaries without asking?

  “We definitely still can. And we can have sex if that’s what you want. What I don’t want is for you to think I expect it.”

  His lips were saying such perfect words that they were begging to be kissed. So I did. He did not object.

  When I got out of the car, we were back in front of the same building from our first date. Complete with the homeless guy peeing in alley. Toby—the same homeless guy. Given that, I assumed I knew what to expect.

  Before anything came into view inside the first building, I heard a lot of grunting, which under normal circumstances would have had me running in the other direction because there are some things I don’t need or want to see. Cain urged me forward.

  The room was larger than I remembered. Of course, when we went through during an anger management meeting most of the lights had been off. Now they were all on illuminating every nook and cranny of the room. The best part was the people. Pairs of them in those blow up sumo wrestling suits and hitting each other with what looked like giant fluffy Q-tips.

  “What the hell?” I loved it. I only hoped that he brought me there to put me in one of those suits and beat the crap out of each other. I know that might sound sadistic but to me it sounded fun.

  “I’ve noticed your anger issues getting worse,” he said, his face a constant smirk. “I mean you even kicked me in the shin in the library. So, I thought it was time to start working through some of it.”

  My body lunged without my permission into his arms and planted kisses all over his face. This might have been the best thing anyone had ever done for me.

  “This is amazing.” I hopped down and looked around. “So, whose ass do I get to kick?”

  “I think you’re far too eager for this.” He shook his head while smiling. “I may regret it but mine.”

  Dr. Moreland, who insisted I call him Brian, brought the suits over to us so we could get inside. Cain gave me some warnings while we dressed. It was kind of adorable to see giant him warning small me.

  “Let’s just remember that we like each other and not fight to the death here, ok?”

  “No promises,” I countered.

  Once the sparring started, it wasn’t hard to tell that Cain took it easy on me, which pissed me off. I didn’t want to get hurt obviously but he needed to step up. I didn’t hold anything back and hit him every chance I got. He was solid. Next to nothing I did made him budge. Until I accidentally hit him in the balls.

  It really was an accident. Even as competitive as I am, that wasn’t an area on him I wanted hurt. He fell to the ground like the wind had been knocked out of him.

  “You’re lucky this is padded,” he said through a clench jaw.

  “I’m sorry.” He didn’t turn to look at me. “It’s your fault anyway.”

  His head whipped around so he could glare at me.

  “How the fuck do you figure that?”

  “You’re too tall. If you were shorter like me that would have been a hit to the stomach.”

  Cain kept a smile at bay before taking a couple of deep breaths and climbing back to his feet. “Oh, it’s on now.”

  The look on his face made me take several steps back. Deep down I knew he wouldn’t intentionally try to hurt me but he might make up for all the “easy” he’d been doing. After about another hour, I was tuckered out and ready to stop. He did hit me a lot more. None of them hurt, but we were laughing so hard it didn’t take much to knock me over.

  We got take-out from the same place we spent our first date then took it back to his apartment. He offered for us to eat at the restaurant but I preferred to be alone. Plus, I was far too warm to sit still anyway.

  We didn’t eat in the kitchen, instead opting for the privacy of his room. We sat on the bed, legs crossed, munching away at our pizza.

  “I think this might be the best Valentine’s ever,” I said, dropping the crust onto my plate. Couldn’t eat another bite.

  “You sure?”

  “Yeah, I’m easy.” His smirk made me think back over what I’d said and my cheeks warmed. “You know what I mean.”

  “Ok, I have a gift for you.”

  “Cain…”

  “Don’t Cain me. You’re my girlfriend and I saw something that reminds me of you.” He grabbed a box out of the nightstand drawer, which meant he knew we’d end up back here. The small square, black velvet box meant jewelry. A little bigger than a ring, thank goodness. Still, I groaned internally. I thought it was internal until he responded to it. “I know it’s cliché to give jewelry but I think you’ll love it.”

  Giving him the benefit of the doubt, I opened the box. Inside laid a simple silver chain with a charm on the end. Running my fingers over it, I tried to put it all together.

  “They’re boxing gloves,” he said. “For your anger management.”

  They were. Oh my god. A giant laugh bubbled up and I couldn’t contain it. My laughter put him at ease. I could only guess what my face looked like before to make him uneasy.

  “I love it.”

  He got rewarded with a kiss. Not a little peck either. One that could’ve gone somewhere. However, that boyfriend of mine stuck to his word. He pulled away right as it was getting good.

  “You had me worried there for a minute.”

  “Well, I do kick more than punch but I get the symbolism.”

  “I’d like you to spend the night again,” he said, clearing everything away from the bed. I watched him work while mulling his statement over. “Look, don’t freak out. I’m sticking to my earlier statement. But last night … it was kind of great. I’d like to wake up next to you in the morning. Especially since I have to run to my parents tomorrow and it’s going to take the whole day.”

  “Begging is really unattractive,” I smirked.

  “Not the way I do it. So you’ll stay?”

  “I guess,” I teased with a sigh. “You know if you would’ve said something earlier I could have packed a bag. I have nothing to change in to.”

  Cain ran his hands down my shoulders until he held mine in his. “That’s part of the plan. I really, really like to see you sleeping in my shirt.”

  “God, you’re a dork.” I playfully punched his shoulder.

  Chapter Ten

  In the morning, after a delicious breakfast, Cain reluctantly drove me home saying he didn’t want to spend the day with his parents but didn’t have a choice. Yet he gave no details. He’d been right, though. Waking up next to him was amazing and something I wanted to do as often as I could. He scooted across the car as far as he could to place a palm against my cheek.

  “I see you didn’t change out of my shirt.”

  Nope. I hadn’t. Instead I bunched it up, tying a knot in the middle of my back above my waist.

  “Well, I figured if you’re going to keep tricking me into your clothes, I should get to keep one.”

  His thumb brushed across my bottom lip.

  “Hmmm, now I get to think of you wearing my stuff all the time.”

  Finally his lips touched mine, his tongue coaxing my mouth open then immediately taking up the valuable real estate inside. Once he pulled back, far too soon in my humble opinion, I glanced out the front window to see Kendra t
alking to someone.

  “No way.”

  Without thinking, I hopped out of the car and ran up the sidewalk. Picking up my pace, I didn’t stop until I hit her like a ton of bricks yet she didn’t even move. Her arms wrapped around me tightly.

  “Mom, what are you doing here?” My voice muffled into her shoulder since she stood taller than me. I got to over five feet and stopped growing. I even asked her once if there was a possibility my father had been an actual little person. She said not that she remembered. I was horrified yet laughed my ass off.

  “Who do we have here?” She wasn’t looking at me instead focused over my shoulder to where I hadn’t noticed Cain approaching.

  “Oh, uh, this is Cain.” I turned to him. “This is my mom, Jennifer.”

  “Nice to meet you.” He shook her hand then handed me my purse, which I’d left in his car. Which he drove me home in from spending the night with him. It kinda looked bad. I hadn’t even put my bra on that morning. I’d stuffed it in my purse with my shirt.

  “So, Mom, what are you doing here? I mean I’m glad you are but … ”

  “Valentine’s gift from Larry. I came in late last night and only have today. With work it’s the best he could do.”

  “Hey,” Kendra interrupted. “Whose shirt are you wearing?”

  One day, I would that girl. It was a love/hate thing. Right then, it was hate.

  “It does look kind of big,” Mom agreed. Their eyes went to Cain.

  “Ah, I gotta go.” He smirked. He freaking smirked right there with my mom watching. There wasn’t a sign of embarrassment or anything instead he looked cocky. I thought I might have to add him to the hit list. He had to know what he was making them think. Ugh.

  “Wait, wait … ” The words came out of Mom’s mouth like a bark through the giggles. “I’m just messing with you.” I started laughing along with her. “It’s cold as shit out here. Can we go inside.”

  “I really do have to go. Talk to you later, Flannery?”

  I nodded.

  “Why don’t you join Flannery and me for dinner tonight?”

  He hesitated. I imagined the nice guy in him didn’t want to say no to the girlfriend’s mother the first time he met her. But he had to go.

  “Mom, he’s got stuff to do.”

  “Hey, I should get to grill the boyfriend. Mother’s prerogative.”

  “Mom.” I hated that I sounded like a temperamental teenager. I didn’t sound that way as an actual teenager.

  “Flannery, it’s ok.” Cain’s fingertips barely brushed down the top of my hand. “If we can make it a little later like seven I can get back by then.”

  They agreed even after I said he didn’t have to. Then he kissed me. Closed mouth but lingering before he left.

  After showing Mom my dorm room, which she thought was twice the size of our first apartment, and no, I’d seen pictures, she wasn’t kidding, we went shopping. Window shopping since neither of us were in the habit of spending unplanned money.

  We ate lunch in the food court. During which she pelted questions at me like hand grenades. About my classes, my friends, and especially Cain. It was much harder to be evasive with her eyes watching every twitch of my face. I even tried to distract her with jewelry by showing her the necklace he gave me but that led to more questions.

  “Why boxing gloves?” I answered by chewing on the inside of my cheek. “Oh, Flannery Tate. You’re a grown woman and you’re still hitting and kicking?”

  “They’re love taps and mostly it’s just Adam. He needs the behavior modification.”

  “Hmmm, I’d like to meet this Adam who takes my daughter’s abuse.”

  “You’d like him. He’s a great friend.”

  She spent the rest of lunch telling me about work and how things were going with Larry. In my whole childhood, I’d seen my mom go on dates but never, ever saw her in love. It helped alleviate some of the guilt I’d had going so far away for school. When we were moving again, she laced her arm through mine.

  “So, you spent the night at Cain’s?”

  “Mom.” I rolled my eyes even though she couldn’t see them.

  “No judgment. I mean please, there’s literally nothing you could do that I haven’t already. I just want to know where things are with my daughter.”

  “I’m still a virgin, Mom.” I said as we passed one of those mall kiosks. The guy looking at cell phone covers did a double-take over his shoulder and dropped the package on the counter. The priceless slack-jawed look of surprise made me snort.

  “Eyes on your own paper, buddy,” Mom snapped at the late twenty-something continuing to stare. “It’d be fine if you weren’t. I want you to be careful.”

  “Yeah, because twenty years of being your daughter didn’t already teach me that.” She stiffened by my side. “I didn’t mean it the way it sounded. I just meant you’ve taught me well.”

  “You’ve been seeing him a month?” I nodded. “And you’re still a virgin?” Again, I nodded. “Huh, he must be one of the good ones.”

  She let things drop after that and we were able to enjoy each other’s company. It was times like this when I realized how much I actually missed her. We decided to eat at this little restaurant not far off campus. I sent Cain a text letting him know, and assuring him he didn’t have to meet us if he didn’t want to and that my mom would ask a billion questions and likely embarrass me. He said he was reconsidering until I told him he’d get some dirt on me. I wanted to flick the fucking emoticon he added in its tiny little face.

  At seven thirty he finally showed up. I’d texted him with no answer, we’d already ordered and were eating when he and his swagger entered the building.

  “I’m glad you started without me,” he said, falling into his chair.

  “Well you’ve gotten me used to eating in regular intervals.” I said back. I wanted to know why he’d been late, what he’d been up to, but didn’t want to seem like the stalkery weirdo I was. Mom greeted him and took in our little back and forth.

  “Sorry I’m late. The traffic out of Detroit was horrible.”

  “I sent you texts. I thought you were dead. Kidnapped by some international terrorists or something.”

  “Definitely not. Someone told me not to text and drive. Then when traffic backed up my phone was dead. You really should rethink some of your own rules.” He smiled sweetly. The toe of my Converse found a sweet spot on his shin. It wasn’t hard and he only laughed in return. Opting for only coffee, he told us his mom force-fed him half a cow before he left. Thought he looked thin. I thought he looked spectacular.

  Pulling nothing over on Mom, she laughed with him then dominated the conversation. She asked about his parents and he gave the standard answers. His dad was an executive and his mom went back to being a lawyer now that the kids were all out of the house. He asked her questions about me. It was like hell sitting there listening to her tell embarrassing stories about me as a teenager. Although she said she would keep the truly horrific ones and naked pictures for the speech at my wedding.

  Thanks Mom.

  Surprisingly, we’d stayed there until almost ten. Knowing Mom as well as I did, I could easily see was dead on her feet having spent most of the night on a plane and needing to get back on one in the morning. She had to be home early enough to be able to go to work Monday. It made me sad to think of how little time we’d actually spent together.

  “You should head back to the hotel,” I said, threading my arm through hers.

  “But I feel like I’ve barely seen you.”

  “Me, too, but you’re gonna fall asleep walking. I’ll take you back.” She reluctantly agreed and of course, Cain, being the guy he was, insisted on driving us.

  I sat in the back seat of his car with her, talking quietly and giggling loudly. And caught Cain glancing at us in the mirror more than once. Probably trying to figure out what we were laughing at because we weren’t talking loud enough for him to hear, by design.

  We both slid out once
at our destination and she wrapped me tightly in her arms like she didn’t want to let go. It was hard being away, not seeing each other for a long time, yet easier than saying good-bye. One day wasn’t long enough.

  “I love you, my beautiful daughter.”

  “I love you, my embarrassing mother.”

  She swatted my butt, making me jump then pulled away and looked over to where Cain leaned against his car, arms and ankles crossed, watching. An arm’s length away.

  “Take care of her.”

  “Yes, ma’am.” He dipped his head at her.

  Then she disappeared. Inside the small hotel and back to Washington in the morning. But I couldn’t get myself to move. At least, until he grabbed the fabric of my coat and yanked me to him.

  “You ok?” He murmured into my hair.

  I nodded. “I just miss her, you know?”

  He held me until I started to shiver then shoved me into the car and blasted the heat. Watching out the window, his hand stayed in mine gently squeezing every time I thought about missing my mom. Like he could read my mind.

  Chapter Eleven

  With school and studying, Cain and I rarely saw each other the next week. He called, we texted, and we saw each other in class. A couple of times we ran into each other randomly on campus or in the cafeteria but it was all very short lived.

  Him: I hate this ☹

  Me: Me, too.

  He texted late one night while I laid exhausted on my bed having a hard time staying awake.

  Him: My body misses you.

  I had no response to that.

  Him: Stop blushing.

  Me: I’m not.

  Totally was. Being apart made me want him more in every way and given what he’d written, I knew he felt the same.

  Him: You are. I’d like you next to me right now.

  Me: Me, too.

  Him: Want me to sneak over?

  Me: Yes. But you can’t. Besides my bed is super tiny.

  Him: Flannery, I…better let you sleep. Come over Saturday

  morning?

  Me: Not soon enough.

  Then I fell asleep.