I Never Expected You

by Stefanie Jenkins

  “And what do you suggest I do, almighty love guru?”

  He takes a sip of his beer and shakes his head. “Oh, no, you don’t. Love is not my area—never has been, never will be.”

  “Love? Who said anything about love?” I pause.

  Is this what it feels like to be in love? I shake my head at the thought. I care about Haylee a lot—I mean a lot—but is this love? Maybe. I never really have been in love, if, after all, that is what I’m feeling. I don’t want anyone’s arms around hers. I don’t want anyone to have her in the way she gave herself to me last night. I want her pressed up against my body, her hands intertwined with mine, her lips on mine, kissing me and only me.

  Something big. Something big. I look around the room knowing that If I don’t do it now, there is a chance that she might go home with that dumbass. Not that I think she’s a slut—she’s far from it—but I don’t want his hands anywhere near my girl. This shit needs to happen and now. Think. Think. What the fuck would Emmett do right now? He would definitely know what to do. I close my eyes and take a deep breath, listening to the music play.

  BAM, that’s it! I look around. I quickly chug the last bit of my beer and hand Kyler my cup before I turn to walk away.

  I hear Kyler yelling in the background, “What the fuck? I didn’t mean right this second. Oh shit.”

  But I choose to keep walking. I walk up to Aaron, who is in charge of music, and lean in and ask him for a favor. He looks at me like I have two heads, and I nod so he understands that he did hear me correctly. He shrugs, but nods and moves to the music to find my selection.

  It’s now or never. Fuck! I wipe my sweaty palms on my jeans and walk toward the beer pong table—that seems like a good enough stage to do this. If only Emmett and Dani were here to see me now. Dani would definitely laugh; I think Em would too, but I think he would also remember the time he pulled this shit at Dani’s sweet sixteen. A moment I will forever wonder what the hell I was smoking for agreeing to dance to that, but here I am about to do it for my girl. Well, hopefully, she is my girl after this.

  I climb up on the beer pong table during the middle of the game as everyone yells.

  “Zach, what the fuck, man?”

  “Are you serious?”

  “What the fuck are you doing!”

  I ignore them and look around the room till my eyes find her. The music switches over from some Calvin Harris song to an ’80s slow jam. Not only does the change in music grab everyone’s attention, but seeing me stand on the beer pong table has all eyes on me. Her eyes lock on mine as I begin to sing the words of Foreigner’s “I Want to Know What Love Is.”

  I couldn’t think of a better song to profess my feelings to her. It’s true, I’ve found heartache and pain lately, but there is something about her that makes me want to be a better man, and she has helped heal those wounds.

  I am not the best of singers, but I enjoy getting down on karaoke. I give this song all I have, channeling my sister and Haylee’s moves from their typical Katy Perry dance-off. I can only imagine what everyone is thinking, but honestly, I don’t fucking care. My eyes never leave hers in hopes she realizes this is for her. It’s all for her. I want to know what love is, and she is the girl I want it with. I’m not fucking around.

  As the song gets closer to the end, I jump down off the table, and the crowd separates as if in the middle of a damn John Hughes film when they realize I’m not just some drunk asshole doing this for fun, but I’m headed to get the girl.

  I don’t see anyone else around, just Haylee. I walk up to Haylee, who is frozen in place. I take that as a good sign; she didn’t run off. I reach up and cup her cheeks, my thumb rubbing against her porcelain skin. She closes her eyes and leans into my touch, another good sign.

  “I’m fucking crazy about you, Hails.”

  Before I can say any more of the quick little speech I thought of to say in the fourteen steps it took to get to her from the table, her lips are crashing against mine. I pull her tight against my body, knowing well she can feel my hard cock pressed against her, but I don’t care. She is in my arms, and that’s all that matters. My tongue plunges into her mouth as I realize it feels as though it has been forever since I have tasted her even though in reality it hasn’t even been more than a day. As our kiss deepens, I run my fingers through her hair, working my way down her back and over her ass, my fingers kneading deep enough in her skin to leave a mark.

  I end up lifting her, and she instinctively wraps her legs around my waist. Fuck, that’s hot. I need to get Haylee out of here and fast. I’m ready to bust right through my jeans. I don’t want to lose the feeling of her lips against mine until I feel her bite my lower lip hard, forcing a deep growl from my throat. It is at that moment I pull back from her. Her cheeks are flushed, and we are both out of breath. I place a quick kiss against her forehead before I reluctantly release her back to the ground, but she still keeps her hands clutching to my shirt.

  “Hi.” I brush the hair that had fallen in her face from our make-out session.

  “Hi.” Her raspy voice is even sexier.

  It’s time to take my girl home. So I do what any man would do in this situation: I lean down, reach behind her legs, and lift her as if she were a new bride.

  Am I thinking about marriage right now? I shouldn’t be, but for some crazy reason it doesn’t freak me out like I feel it should.

  I kiss her one last time before I focus on getting her out of here. I look around as I move forward, making sure I don’t knock into anyone—I am carrying precious cargo, of course. People cheer and slap my back as we make our way to the front door. When I look to the left, I see Chad playing tonsil hockey with some sorority girl. Real classy, asshat! And to think he thought he was good enough for Haylee. Fucking Chad!

  I quicken my pace as I feel Haylee’s lips meet my neck as she begins to nip at my skin and ease the sting with her tongue.

  “Baby, you know I love when you do that, but I need you to stop if we have any chance of hell of making it back to the apartment, let alone getting out of this house.”

  Oh my God. Is this really happening? I must be dreaming. Zachary Jacobs is carrying me through the streets of Philadelphia. He got up in front of a college party and belted out “I Want to Know What Love Is,” and not just for anyone but for me. I am thankful that the apartment isn’t too far from campus.

  “You know you don’t need to carry me, right?”

  He makes no move to put me down and laughs, and I feel the rumble in his chest.

  “Seriously, put me down, Zach.”

  “Not gonna happen, sweetheart. You better get used to it.” He looks down, smiling at me.

  Shit, I could get lost in those blue eyes. They’re eyes I never thought I would see looking at me the way he does. I nearly collapsed during his performance, and when he walked up to me, holy shit, it was like a scene from a movie.

  When he says I better get used to it, he can’t mean what I think he means, can he? How is this my life right now? We finally reach his building. I am thankful that Kyler is still at that party, and hopefully he doesn’t come back anytime soon. As we wait for the elevator, I look up at Zach and find his eyes locked on mine.

  “Come here.”

  I let out a little giggle. “You’re holding me right now. I’m not sure I can get any closer to you.”

  “You have such a smart mouth. The things I want to do to that mouth…” He doesn’t finish that sentence, no matter how bad I wish he would. I can feel the blush and heat creep against the skin of my chest and face. It all of a sudden got much hotter in here. Instead, he leans down, pressing a soft kiss against my lips. I tighten my arms around his neck, and before the kiss can go any further, we are interrupted by the ding of the elevator’s arrival.

  Zach doesn’t even set me down as he fishes his keys out of his pocket and opens the front door of the apartment. Once inside, he heads straight for his room, kicking the door shut behind us with a loud boom. He walks us over
to the bed, placing me down gently before pulling his shirt off to expose his hard body. Thoughts of exploring it the other night come to mind, and I feel as though I might combust if he doesn’t touch me soon. I quickly back up against the pillows as he climbs on the bed after me, settling between my legs.

  “Haylee.” I love the way he breathes my name.

  Zach reaches for the bottom of my shirt, and I lift to allow him to pull it off and throw it behind him, not caring where it lands. His eyes are filled with desire and something I didn’t see the other night. Whatever it is sets me on fire, and I know I’m going to like it.

  Gripping the back of my neck, he pulls me to him, claiming my mouth with his. This kiss is full of passion, desperation, and frenzy. Will I ever get enough of him? I feel this kiss all the way between my legs. My tongue sweeps out, brushing against his. I dig my nails into his back as I thrust my hips against his, seeking friction, forcing a deep groan out of his chest. He moves back to his knees, and that devilish Jacobs smirk is on his handsome face. How did I get to be so lucky to be here with this man? Slowly, like painfully slowly, Zach places kisses along, my neck, chest, and stomach on the way down to my jeans.

  I need more. I crave more. Finally, he snaps the button on my jeans and slides them down. There is a deep noise coming from him as he takes my body in. He looks as if he is a lion about to pounce on its prey, and to be honest, I wouldn’t mind that. He slides my jeans off, tossing them in the same direction as my shirt.

  I’m lying in just my bra and panties, and Zach hovers over me, taking my wrists in his hands and pinning them above my head. My body begins to writhe underneath him in anticipation. His grip on my wrists tighten, not in a hurtful way but more in a sexy, domineering way.

  His hot breath burns my skin with passion as he whispers in my ear, his raspy tone sending shivers down my spine. “Tell me, Haylee, did you think it was funny to show up with another guy?”

  “Ummm…” All words leave my head as Zach bites my earlobe.

  He flips me over, and I gasp in surprise. He grabs onto my hips and brings me up to my hands and knees.

  “Did you like that it made me jealous? It drove me insane to see his hands on you, on what’s mine.” His fingers trace down my spine, causing me to shiver when I am anything but cold. His hands leave my skin, and I instantly miss the contact.

  SMACK!

  His palm comes in contact with my ass. It causes me to jolt forward in surprise. “This. Is. Mine.” Zach’s other hand has a firm grip on my hip, keeping me in place he leans down to whisper in my ear. “You. Are. Mine.”

  He rubs the sting away in circular motions before spanking me again.

  SMACK!

  This time I let out a sound I don’t even recognize. Zach leans down, pressing the front of his body to my back.

  “Mmmmm,” he moans, “I bet you like it when I spank you, don’t you, Hails.”

  I don’t even know who I am as I nod in response. Zach makes me feel like a different woman.

  “I bet if I slide my fingers into your pussy right now, I will find you soaking wet.”

  His fingers glide up my thighs, and he pushes my soaked panties to the side before sliding two fingers inside, coating himself with my wetness. He doesn’t go slow.

  “Zach.” It comes as more of a whimper as I tried to catch my breath. His fingers plunge in and out of me at a ravaging pace.

  SMACK!

  “Oh fuck, baby, you definitely like it when I do that because your pussy just tightened around my fingers.”

  “Don’t stop. I’m so close.”

  Who am I becoming? I’ve always been the shy one in bed, but with Zach, fuck! I feel my body start to tense, an orgasm not far away.

  SMACK!

  Right after his skin comes in contact with the swell of my ass, he moves his hand around to put pressure on my clit.

  “Oh, shit!”

  “That’s it, baby. Let me feel you lose control.”

  And that’s what I do. My body shakes as the orgasm rips through me. I’m pretty sure I black out at one point. I am still coming down from my high that I don’t even realize Zach has stripped out of his pants and retrieved a condom from the nightstand until I feel him thrust deep inside me.

  “Fuck, Hails, you feel so good. I love being deep inside you.”

  And is he ever. Oh my God! Only a few strong thrusts and I feel another orgasm coming on. Oh shit!

  “Harder, baby, harder.”

  My wish is his command. The grip he has on my hips is almost painful as he plunges deeper and harder into me.

  “Mine,” he growls over and over, and he’s right—at this moment, I am his.

  I would have agreed to anything he wanted to do with me. The second orgasm rips more violently through me, and I am sure we will get a complaint by the neighbors tomorrow of a noise violation, but I don’t care. I don’t want him to stop…ever. I grip the sheets as my pussy contracts around his cock, bringing on his own orgasm.

  “Fuckkkkkk!” he yells as he unloads into the condom.

  Holy shit! I collapse on the bed, and Zach collapses on top of me, still inside me. I try to calm my breathing, but I feel as though I just ran a fucking marathon, maybe even two.

  Zach gets up to dispose of the condom and comes back before I even move from the same position. He slides into bed next to me, pulling me to him.

  We’re both exhausted and sweaty, overtaken by emotion—at least the latter for me as I replay tonight’s events over in my head. What a night—from accepting Chad’s invitation to showing up to the party and seeing him but wanting not to make eye contact. I knew that if I looked at him, I would cave. But the thought of his proclamation and what happened here in the apartment causes my heart to beat faster.

  My head rises up and down to the same rhythm as Zach’s chest. I run my fingers up and down his light dusting of chest hair. Shit, I never thought chest hair would turn me on, but on Zach, hell yes it does. His fingers strum up and down my back, in a relaxed state. This may be the most relaxed he has been in over a year. Did I bring him the same sense of calmness that he brought me?

  As if he knew my mind was racing, he speaks first. “I meant what I said earlier, Hails. I’m fucking crazy about you. I want you. I want to be with you. I want it all with you. I know it sounds crazy, but it’s the truth.”

  I rotate on his chest to face him.

  “This is crazy, right? I mean, what you did tonight, singing in front of a crowded college party, that was…” I search for the words to say.

  “Big? Bold? Romantic?”

  “Asinine?”

  His smile quickly fades. Shit, that was supposed to be a joke. I adjust myself quickly, climbing up to straddle his lap. I cup his cheeks as he takes in the view in front of him, my naked body pressed up against his. I’m not even sure when my bra came off. I guess it was like magic.

  “Eyes up here, Jacobs.” I laugh as his eyes go from my naked breasts to my eyes. “Okay, asinine is not the word I would use to describe your little performance—unexpected. Definitely romantic, but unexpected. It was perfect.”

  His hands roam my sides as I feel his cock start to harden underneath me. I see my man consumed by vulnerability, and at that moment, I realize that this man consumes me in every way.

  Do I love Zachary Jacobs? I always have, but now I am questioning, am I in love with Zachary Jacobs? I… I… I am.

  He reaches for a condom and puts it on. I lock my eyes with his as he lines himself up with my already wet entrance, and I bite my lip, ready to say what I want to say.

  “Zach, I… I…”

  But he cuts me off with his mouth on mine. This kiss though is not messy; it is sweet and full of love. When he pulls back, our eyes both open and meet.

  “I think I’m in love with you, Haylee Hanks.”

  Holy. Fucking. Shit.

  “I think I love you too. And I want to be with you.”

  I barely get “you” out before he is sliding into me. This t
ime there is no spanking; it is not rough, or frantic. This is slow, just like the first time. I love this man. We spend the rest of the night making love to each other before falling asleep in each other’s arms.

  “Hey, wait a sec!” I shout to Zach as I hear him heading for the front door.

  He hurries into the kitchen, and I can tell he’s already running late.

  He stops and admires my outfit—his T-shirt, and only his T-shirt. He swallows boldly as if he is contemplating skipping class altogether. I’m grateful Kyler left for class early this morning, because I might not say no if he were to lift me on the island right now and have his way with me. I’m sure the cold countertop would feel good against my skin since he got a little carried away with his spanking last night. There is definitely the outline of Zachary Jacobs’s hand on my ass. He’s left his mark on my heart and my body.

  Breaking him out of his daze, I grab the bag from the counter and strut over to him, swinging my hips in a sexy way knowing that it’ll tease him and have his mind elsewhere during the day. I rise on my toes so that his T-shirt lifts just above my ass. I lean in and kiss him on the cheek, my lips lingering just a second too long on his skin.

  “My morning class isn’t until later, so I made you lunch—your favorite.”

  “You made me a PB and J? Did you—”

  I cut him off. “Yes, babe. I cut the crust off.”

  He smiles when he realizes I remembered, and I laugh that he still eats PB and Js, for one, but without the crust.

  “Have a good day.”

  I go to walk away when Zach grips my wrist and pulls me back to him, crashing his lips on mine, staking his claim, and giving me a preview of what’s to come later.

  I break the kiss reluctantly, but I know he will be fired up when he gets home.

  “You’re going to be late, and I need to shower.”

  I walk toward the bathroom, swaying my hips a little more than I need to, and I hear him yell, “Thanks, Hails—definitely going to need to walk this off!”

  “Are you sure you wanna do this now?”