“If that’s true, then you better carry my stuff so everyone knows we’re together, huh?” I held out my bag, not expecting him to take it from me.
Drake snatched the bag from my fingertips and hefted it onto his shoulder. “I’ll make it damn clear you’re with me, babe. Don’t doubt it for a second. Now gimme a kiss to make looking pussy-whipped worth it.”
I snorted at his grumbling tone and gave him a quick peck on the cheek. “There. That’s all you’ve earned today, errand boy.”
Drake’s free hand snaked out and wrapped around the back of my head, holding me in place. “Errand boy? I’m going for love slave here! I know you can do better than that. Guess I’ll just have to steal my own damn kiss.”
He pressed his lips against mine. I could feel their warmth all the way down to my toes as they curled in response. I parted my lips, and Drake’s tongue swept into my mouth and rubbed against mine. My fingers trailed over his back as he deepened the kiss. I felt a sharp tug on my hair as he groaned and pulled away from me.
“Much better. That might last me until later today.”
In a daze, I walked hand in hand with Drake across campus toward the academic buildings. People threw greetings our way, and we got a lot of surprised glances aimed at us. For someone new to campus, he sure seemed to know a lot of people already. And many of them were women who glared at me when they saw his hold on my hand and my bag on his shoulder. He just nodded in response to the guys and basically ignored the girls who tried to get his attention.
I gestured at the building we were walking toward. “How did you know where my class was?”
“I guessed it would be here and asked one of the guys at the house last night just to be sure. He’s an Econ major, so I figured he’d know.”
“Really? Didn’t he find it weird that you needed to know?”
Drake chuckled deep in his throat. “Nah. He assumed it was about a girl. Why else would I give a fuck where I was going this early in the morning since my first class isn’t ‘til ten?”
“You woke up early just to walk me to class?”
He shrugged his shoulders. “Wanted to see you today and wasn’t sure how our schedules would mesh. This way, I’ll get some time with you and a workout in before class.”
“Thank you, Drake. I’m surprised that you were willing to wake up so early for me, but it means a lot that you’re making an effort to spend some time with me.”
“Got a feeling you’re going to be worth any effort I make.”
I smiled and felt my walls coming down a little bit further. “Want to meet me for lunch today? I usually eat at the café on this side of campus instead of heading back to the cafeteria.”
“I know, babe. I’ve seen you heading in as I’ve been on my way out. Already decided to crash your lunch. Now I don’t have to since you invited me.”
I just shook my head as he opened the door for me and ushered me inside. “Meet me there at noon?”
“Yeah, that works for me.” He handed my bag to me and pushed a strand of hair behind my ear. “I have a feeling my day is going to creep by today, waiting for noon.”
I watched him walk away, my enjoyment of the view interrupted by whispers and giggles behind me. I turned to find several girls staring at me. One of them looked familiar, and I realized she was the one who had been arguing with Drake when I saw him at the frat party. If looks could kill, I would definitely be six feet under. I walked past them as they stopped talking. It was pretty clear that Drake and I were the topic of conversation. I needed to remember to ask him what the hell was up with this girl. If she was an ex, then he needed to deal with it fast before I had to do something. If Aubrey caught wind of a bunch of sorority chicks giving me a hard time, all hell was going to break loose. My bestie always had my back, but her temper could get us into trouble.
My classes were pretty uneventful. I’d picked business as my major so I would be prepared to help my dad with the business side of things. I loved flying and was excited by the idea of being able to do it full time when I graduated in a couple years. Dad was adamant that I had to get a college education, but I’d be happy without one if it meant I could be in the cockpit now. He wanted me to be prepared in case I wanted to fly for one of the big airlines since they wouldn’t hire me without the degree.
As I headed to the café for lunch, I could see Drake in the distance waiting for me. He was surrounded by a group of girls, including the blonde with the killer look earlier. Just what I needed. I slowed my pace down in the hope that their conversation would break up before I made it there. Walking slower than a snail, I felt a pair of hands grab me from behind and squealed out in surprise.
“Caught ya!” I heard Jackson say. “Whatcha doing, Lex?”
“Jackson, you scared the crap out of me!”
He turned me around and glanced at my butt. “Nope, don’t see any crap there. You must be okay.”
“Geesh, Jackson. You know what I meant. You can’t sneak up on me like that.”
He tweaked my nose and grinned down at me. “Gotta keep you on your toes, or I’ll be falling down on the job. On your way to lunch?”
“Yeah,” I sighed and glanced back over at Drake to find him staring at Jackson and me.
“Great! I’m starving. Let’s grab some grub.” He nudged me so I’d start walking again.
“I’m meeting Drake for lunch.” I nodded my head in Drake’s direction and noticed that he had broken away from the pack of girls and was heading our way fast.
“Drake?” Jackson asked, sounding surprised. “How did you meet him?”
“He chartered a flight with Dad this weekend and I went along to co-pilot.”
“I’d heard around the frat house that he had something come up for his mom’s birthday. Didn’t even cross my mind when Aubrey mentioned you were flying with your dad that it would be for Drake.” Jackson put a hand out to stop me so we could talk before Drake made it to us. “So you met him this weekend and you guys are meeting for lunch today?”
“Is that a problem?”
Jackson looked down at the ground and shook his head. “Not a problem. Just not sure it’s a great idea, Lex.”
“Is there something I need to know about Drake?”
“No, he seems like a good guy. Are you sure you’re ready to think about dating again?”
I nodded my head. “I better be since I went to dinner with him last night, and he seems pretty persistent.”
“Damn. I’m sure he is. You need anything, you come to me. You know that, right?”
“No, Jackson. If she needs something, she is going to come to me from now on,” Drake said from behind me. He placed his hand on my back. “I get that you guys are friends, but she has me in her life now.”
Jackson leveled Drake with a serious look. “No offense, Drake, but boyfriends come and go. I will always be part of Alexa’s life and will be here for her if she ever needs me whether you like it or not. If you’re going to spend time with her, then you better get used to it.”
“As long as we both know where my place is and where yours is, we’ll be fine,” Drake responded.
I jumped into the conversation before it escalated into a fight. “Down, boys. I’m a big girl. I get to decide who is in my life and who I go to for help. Learn how to get along or it won’t be either of you. Now, I’m starving. I’m going to go eat, and each of you can choose to join me or not.”
Their staring contest ended as they both turned to look at me. I wasn’t sure what the pissing contest was about, but I wasn’t about to let it interfere in my friendship with Jackson or what was starting to develop between Drake and me. I walked to the cafe and they both followed me.
I dropped my bag onto an open table and dug through it for my Coach wristlet. Drake reached out to stop me. “Sit down. I’ll grab lunch. What do you want?”
“You don’t have to get my lunch,” I said at the same time that Jackson chimed in with, “Grab her a turkey sandwich on sourdough with che
ddar cheese, a bag of pretzels, and a Diet Coke. It’s what she gets for lunch every day.”
Drake didn’t look very happy that Jackson had my lunch selections memorized.
“It’s a funny quirk of mine. Once I find something I really like at any restaurant, it’s usually the only thing I will get from there. That way, I’m not disappointed when a new dish isn’t as good as my favorite.”
“Manicotti at Ciao Bella, turkey sandwich here, and Moo Goo Gai Pan at Golden Wall. When you eat out with Lex, it’s pretty predictable,” Jackson explained, trying to push Drake’s button, but it had the opposite effect.
“Let me guess, caramel swirl ice cream is another favorite? I’ve already hit several of them. Can’t wait for the Golden Wall experience. We’ll have to do that this weekend, babe.”
Drake went to grab our sandwiches, and I glared at Jackson. “I thought you were starving. Shouldn’t you go get your lunch?”
He glanced to where Drake stood in line. “I will in a second. Want to make one thing clear. No matter where this thing with Drake goes, you need to know I’m not going anywhere. I meant it when I said I’m here for you, Lex.”
“Awww, Jackson. I know that. You are one of the reasons I didn’t lose all faith in guys after what happened with Brad. I wouldn’t give up our friendship for anything in this world. We’ll figure it all out. Don’t worry. Just give him a chance, okay?”
“Drake’s a pretty intense guy, Lex. I’m not sure you’re ready for a boyfriend like that. But if he’s who you want, I’ll give him a chance. And if he messes up, I’ll be here.”
“That’s the pot calling the kettle black, Jackson. It’s not like you’re a laid-back guy either.”
“Which means I know what I’m talking about. Promise me you’ll take your time getting to know him. Make sure you fit together before diving into a relationship.”
“Jackson, I know you worry about me, and I love you for it. But I’m not going to take relationship advice from you. You don’t even have girlfriends. Just random hookups!”
“Doesn’t mean I don’t want one or I know how they should work. My parents set a great example, and I’m just waiting for the right girl to be ready for me.” My jaw dropped as he walked away.
Drake set our trays down on the table. “Better close that mouth, babe. You’re giving me ideas.”
“I can’t believe it. I think there’s someone that Jackson is really interested in. With all the one-night stands, I never even pictured him with someone.” I rubbed my hands together in glee. “Matchmaking time! I just need to figure out who it is.”
Drake pulled my hands towards his mouth and kissed my palms, his tongue darting out to taste my skin. “No, babe. Leave it alone. Jackson doesn’t need you to set him up.”
“But what if she’s perfect for him?”
“Then he would have gone after her himself. He isn’t shy around the ladies. If he really wanted her, he would have done something about it.”
Jackson returned to the table, so I dropped the subject and took a bite of my sandwich. “Mmmm. I don’t know what it is about the sandwiches here, but I love them. Has to be the meat.”
Drake and Jackson looked at each other and busted up laughing.
“Shut up! You know I didn’t mean it that way. Perverts.”
Their humor put a stop to the tension between the guys. They joked around while we finished our food. I watched them as I ate and hoped they would continue getting along this well if Drake became important to me. Lost in my thoughts, I didn’t realize they had both finished eating until Drake snapped his fingers to get my attention.
“You going to make it through the rest of the day?” he asked me.
“Yeah, just zoned out for a minute.”
“I’ve got to head over to my afternoon class, and I have practice tonight. Wanna come watch me play?” He wagged his eyebrows, making it seem more suggestive than watching him at rugby.
“I can’t. I need to head over to the airport and make sure everything is set for the tours I have booked this week. Sorry.”
Jackson snorted when I said tours since he knew it was how I referred to the Mile High Club flights in front of anyone who didn’t know about them. Other than Dad, Aubrey, and her family, I didn’t discuss them with anyone else except customers. Trying to explain the flights was awkward, so I avoided it as much as possible.
“Damn, that’s too bad. Do you have an early class again tomorrow?” Drake asked as he gathered up our trash.
“I have an eight a.m. class every morning. I like to get them done early so I have plenty of time to study since I work most evenings during the week.”
“It figures you’d be a morning person. Meet you at the dorm again tomorrow?” Drake enquired.
“Sure. If you want to get up early again, I’m not going to stop you.”
He leaned over and gave me a quick peck on the lips. “See you then. I’ll call you tonight when I get back to the house.”
****
We fell into a pattern over the next couple weeks, with Drake walking me to class and eating lunch with me. We didn’t have much time at night to see each other between my charter flights and his rugby team practices, but we texted and talked on the phone. I looked forward to his call each night before bed. Cuddled in safety of my bed, I felt like we could talk about anything. Weekends were jam-packed for both of us, as I had made plans with my dad and had flights booked. Drake’s team was getting ready for the first rugby game at the end of the month. Even though we only saw each other during the day, we still learned so much about each other when we talked on the phone.
Friday morning rolled around, and I was thrilled to finally have some free time after classes this afternoon. I was pretty excited because Drake had mentioned that he didn’t have any plans for the weekend yet. I was hoping we’d get a chance to go on another date. I must have been louder than usual getting ready because I woke Aubrey up.
“Hey, where’s the fire?” she asked. “You’re running around like a chicken with its head chopped off.”
“No fire. Just ready for the weekend.” I smiled at her as I held up two shirts for her to pick from.
“The green,” she said as she pointed at the top in my left hand. “Your eyes really pop when you wear that one.”
“Thanks! What would I do without your fashion advice?”
“You didn’t really care what you wore until you met Drake. Glad all my knowledge is finally being put to good use for you. Big plans today?”
“Nope, just the usual. Are you going to be able to meet us for lunch today? I’ve barely seen you lately!”
“It’s been crazy. Besides, you’ve been walking around with your head in the clouds with a thinking-of-Drake look on your face all the time. I’m not sure you even realized who was around you.”
“Have I really been that bad?” I asked as I sat down on the bed. I never wanted Aubrey to think that she wasn’t important to me.
“Nah, it’s been good to see. I’m glad you’re getting back on the horse. Maybe we can double date sometime.”
“Drake, you, me, and what guy? Did I miss something important? New boyfriend? Spill, chica.”
Aubrey laughed at my attempt with the third degree. “Nobody in particular, but a double date would be fun. We haven’t been able to do one in forever. I’m sure I can rustle up a guy.”
“Yeah, like that would be a problem. Just be careful ‘cause you know how they fall in love with you at the slightest hint that you’re interested.”
Aubrey shoved me off her bed. “Like you’re one to talk. Drake certainly seems smitten. Isn’t he waiting downstairs for you two hours before his first class just so he can walk you across campus?”
I glanced at the clock and threw on the green shirt. “Crap! He’s probably already here. I better run. See you at lunch?”
“Sure. I’ll meet you at the café around noon. Now go! You don’t want to keep your hottie waiting too long. I’m sure the rest of the girls are drool
ing over him now that they’ve realized he comes to get you each morning.”
Aubrey was right. Word must have spread like wildfire in my dorm because a group of girls had been hanging out in the entertainment area on our floor that first Tuesday morning when I left my room. I hadn’t really gotten to know most of them yet, but they all said hello to me and knew who I was.
As I headed downstairs, I could hear giggles coming from outside. It looked like Drake’s fan club had become braver and weren’t waiting to follow me out anymore. A couple girls were standing next to him, trying to get his attention as he glanced at the door, looking for me. He looked relieved as I stepped out. He prowled towards me with a predatory gleam in his eyes.
“Morning, babe,” he said before pulling me towards him for a deep kiss. His arms wrapped around me, holding me tight as his mouth devoured mine. He bit lower lip and growled, “Open.”
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