The Space Between

by Victoria H. Smith

  As he got closer, his brows twitched up. Clenching my teeth, I could have kicked myself for not thinking about my face.

  “Ouch, man. What happened?” he asked, studying my face from all angles.

  Coming up with a suitable lie was easier than I thought, and I went in for the kill. “The girl’s ex-boyfriend came around last night.”

  “Ooh.” He sucked in a breath. “That sucks.”

  “Eh, no big deal. I’m sure they look worse than they are.”

  The fact of the matter was my appearance was the least of my worries. I’d take a couple of bruises and a few cuts any day to be with Lacey.

  “Well, I hope she was worth it.”

  “She definitely was, and thanks for covering for me.” I held out my fist, and he pounded it.

  “No problem. Happy to help. Hey, so did you end up getting the classes you wanted?” He pointed to the large brick building I came from.

  I honestly did have a remarkably easy time picking out my classes. Undecided freshman were given the basic core classes for their first semester. I had no idea what I wanted to do with my life, so placing me was pretty simple. College was always just the plan for me. By “plan” I meant my parents plan for me. “I did. Are you headed in?”

  “Yep. Just checked out the building I’ll be housed in. Logan and I are roommates. Did you get assigned yet?”

  “Yeah,” I said, thinking about all that housing paperwork I had to do when I was admitted at the beginning of the summer. Something else Mom made sure I was on top of. “Some kid from Australia. It will be interesting.”

  “Yeah, it will be. It will open you up to some new experiences a bit. Always great to learn about other cultures.”

  “I’m hoping so.”

  “Logan and I are actually planning to host a party during move-in week to break the place in. Feel free to swing by and bring your new roomie.”

  It was only registration day, and Cooper was already planning his college douchebaggery. Didn’t bother me. I was ready for some freedom outside of the country club. “Sure thing, and I’m sure my roommate will be game.”

  “Great, and I was uh, thinking about inviting Lacey to go, too. Do you think she’d go for it?”

  Now, I couldn’t guarantee for a fact that Lacey wasn’t giving off any vibes that she was interested in Cooper, but I did know that she told me she never intended to call him. That right there told me she had no interest. Cooper was clearly pursuing something that was one sided, and now that I was with Lacey, he had no shot in hell with her. I couldn’t state that blatantly, though. What Lacey and I had, for now, had to be kept under wraps. It was best I approached this situation delicately. “She might. If she does I’m sure she’d bring her boyfriend.”

  Not exactly a lie. If she was going, I’d be going with her and as her boyfriend.

  “Really?” he asked, frowning. “She told me she just got out of something. I figured that meant she was available.”

  Crap, she did? “Yeah, the two of them are, uh, off and on.”

  “Oh. So are they off now?”

  They were very much on, but I couldn’t tell him that. “Things with them are complicated. It’s probably best to stay away. You don’t want to get mixed up in any drama.”

  Which I could safely say there would definitely be a lot of if he kept pursuing her.

  He glanced away. “She did say her previous relationship was complicated.”

  I nodded, happy we were on the same page.

  When he looked up, he smiled. “I think I’ll still ask her, though. She said she just needed time. I’m sure by the time school starts up calling her about the party won’t be too soon for her. Besides, she could use a guy to un-complicate her life, and I could definitely be that guy for her.”

  The breath I took in was so deep it agitated my ribs. This guy wouldn’t give up on Lacey, and frankly, I didn’t blame him. That girl was a goddess, and once a guy got hooked on her it was damn hard letting go. I knew that from personal experience. “Look, Cooper, can I give you some advice? About Lacey?”

  He perked up like I just handed him Wonka’s Golden Ticket. “Sure.”

  “I’m guessing you already asked her out once, right?” I pretty much knew this, but I had to make him say it to continue.

  “Yeah.”

  “And what happened there?”

  “She seemed interested, but then there was the complicated thing she was talking about from a previous relationship. She said she needed time, so I gave her my number to call when she was ready.”

  “Well, there you go. You let her know you’re interested. Bugging her will just put her off. It’s best to wait, and let her come to you.”

  His delightful expression dropped and disappointment etched on his face. “Bug her? I don’t want to do that.”

  “Exactly.”

  “I guess I could wait. If you think it’s best.”

  I honestly could say I did—for obvious reasons. Before I could open my mouth to tell him, my cell phone beeped from my pocket, and I pulled it out. A text from my sister displayed.

  Are you at home? she texted.

  No, I texted back.

  Never mind.

  Intrigued by her question, I texted, Why? What did you need?

  I sent Lacey home to get my tennis racket. I decided to use a spare one here at the country club instead and was going to tell you to tell her not to bother looking for it. I texted her once and tried to call her a bunch of times so she’d come back, but she wouldn’t pick up. She must have her phone off or something.

  The thumping in my chest hammered against my smarting ribs, but I was beyond caring about the pain. Lacey was at home, or was, at least, on her way home to a potentially empty house. I had no idea where my mom was. I hadn’t checked her whereabouts on the schedule before I left. She might not be home, and that was grounds enough for me to make the effort to see Lacey. I’d have to hurry, though. I had no idea when my sister sent her to the house. For all I knew, Lacey had already gotten the racket and was on her way back to the country club.

  Gazing away from my phone, I gave a waiting Cooper my attention. “Hey, man. I’m sorry, but I have to run. Great talking to you.”

  I was already stepping away from him.

  “Yeah, great talk, and thanks for your advice about Lacey. Hey, could you help a guy out by putting in a good word if you see her?” he asked from behind.

  I waved behind me as I dialed for a cab. “Yeah, sure thing,” I lied.

  The only words I intended to tell Lacey were the dirty kind. That was, if I could catch her alone at the house.

  Chapter Thirty-Two

  Lacey

  A beep sounded in the air as I crossed the threshold of the Drake house. Rustling my phone out of my satchel, I saw three missed calls and a text from Adele. I checked the text first.

  Hey, I decided to use the rackets here. You don’t have to get mine.

  Great. I drove all the way to the house only to find out that she didn’t need the racket. Without Adele in the car, I decided to blast the radio to test out the Mercedes’ speakers, and missed her calls. I’d been dying to do that since I started driving the sports car, but I didn’t want to be rude while she was there with me.

  With a sigh, I put my phone back in my satchel and headed to the living room. Dropping my bag, I collapsed on the couch for a moment to catch my breath. Adele had me running around ragged all day. Between her pottery lesson, brunch with her friends, and the other small errands we had to run I was completely spent.

  I was already a bit irked when I had to come in early to take Adele to the pottery lesson that Mrs. Drake was supposed to do herself. She had a surprise meeting that morning and couldn’t do it, so she called me. I ended up having to call in Sue an hour early for Mama, and that was unprofessional. The call-in also crashed and burned my plans to see Drake this morning. I was hoping to sneak in some time with him. After he left last night, I felt really bad for pushing him to leave. Even thoug
h it was the right thing to do, the guilt still played inside me. Wanting to make the situation up to him, I planned on fixing him breakfast and sneaking it up to him. I wouldn’t have been able to be in there long, but time was time, after all. All hopes of that meet died the minute my cab pulled up to the Drake house. Mrs. Drake practically dropped the Mercedes’ keys in my hand to run errands before I could even get my foot out of the cab.

  I found myself praying for the day Drake moved out and started classes. When he started school we wouldn’t have to worry about trying to find alone time. We wouldn’t have to worry about others running their mouths about us or having a problem with us being together because we’d be on neutral ground; that space between the sides we came from. But most of all, we just wouldn’t have to worry.

  No longer wanting to think about the problem, I forced myself to get back to work. Adele awaits, and I had to go to her. Watching her tennis lesson wouldn’t be the highlight of my day, but it was my job, so I had to do it.

  Heading back to the front of the house, I passed the kitchen and stopped. There was a sink full of dishes in there. Since I didn’t have to look for Adele’s racket, I had a few minutes to quickly get them done. I didn’t want those in there when Mrs. Drake got home anyway. She was busy with meetings and events all day, but she would definitely be home by the time Adele and I got back from her lesson. She usually was. Checking her schedule on the refrigerator confirmed she’d be here soon. In a weird way coming back here worked out for the best. I would have been embarrassed if Mrs. Drake had to see those as soon as she got home when it was supposed to be my job.

  Dropping my bag on the kitchen counter, I went to work.

  I moved all the dishes to one side of the sink, then started a bath of soapy water in the other side.

  I pushed up my sleeves and a set of arms went around my waist.

  My entire body froze instantly. Someone was in the house. Someone was in the house with their arms around me.

  My first instinct was to slam my foot into their instep like I did to Ty’s thug. I only hesitated because of the person’s smell. Warm spices and blood-sizzling juniper radiated throughout my vulnerable senses.

  Drake.

  I had no idea he was even here. If I did I wouldn’t have been wasting time washing dishes.

  He only ran his hands against my waist at first, snuggling me into him. When his fingers brushed under my top, I grabbed his hands. “Drake. Your mom is supposed to be home soon.”

  “Then we better make this quick,” he said, his rich, velvet voice heating my blood.

  Pushing further up my body, his massive hands covered my breasts.

  “Drake, we really shouldn’t. Any minute she could come home.” I said this, but I didn’t stop him. I couldn’t stop him.

  “Shh . . .” He breathed against my ear, massaging me. “Let me.”

  Oh, God how I wanted him to.

  “Please.” He gave my neck a single kiss.

  My eyes fluttering, I leaned back into him. “Only a few kisses. Only few moments of touching, then I have to go to your sister’s lesson. I have to.”

  Pulling me into him, his kisses picked up, got more aggressive. Turning my head, I caught his lips. I played with his tongue like that first night. He was so skilled, my core surged thinking about his other talents with it.

  So distracted by how amazing his kiss was I didn’t stop him when one of his hands moved down my waist and to my leg. He gathered up the material of my skirt, and squeezed my thigh.

  “Drake. . .” I spoke into our kiss.

  “You said a few moments of touching. Please let me.”

  I had no idea how far he intended to go. Entrapped by his kisses and touch, I couldn’t ask. I didn’t respond verbally, at all. I just moved my hips, and angled my thigh so he could touch me more.

  Letting go of my breast, he moved his free hand to my other leg that ached to be touched. Bunching up the material, he made my skirt no longer an obstacle.

  I now stood in the middle of the Drake kitchen with my underwear completely exposed.

  He felt up my thighs for a bit, then his hand rested flat on the line of my panties. His other hand quickly joined the area, but didn’t stop. He moved downward and cupped me entirely with his large hand.

  I sucked in a breath, fighting the rock of my hips. “Drake, we can’t. Your mom. She could be here any minute. She could see.”

  “Lacey,” he said, pulling the material of my panties to the side with a long finger, “let me make you come.”

  At those words, I was his.

  Chapter Thirty-Three

  Drake

  Opening up her legs, she allowed me to push two fingers inside her.

  Her acceptance blazed a fire within me. She wasn’t going to fight me anymore.

  Sliding my free hand up to her chest, I massaged her while I sought out a steady rhythm with my fingers.

  She gripped the sink, pushing herself up on her tiptoes to take me in more.

  When she did that, she let out that panting-squeak thing that she does. I wanted so badly to whip her around and take her right there against the sink. She was so hot and completely sexy while she took in pleasure. I fought to contain the urge, though. I told her I wanted to make her come, give her pleasure. I was going to do just that. I wanted that.

  Kissing the sweet skin of her neck, I caged her up against the sink, but kept my groin a fair distance away. If I got anywhere near that tight, hot center I was in last night, there was no doubt in my mind we’d be having sex in the middle of my parent’s kitchen.

  Lacey had other ideas.

  Grabbing my hips, she forced me into her and a shot of pain hit my legs when we impacted.

  I sucked in a breath as the radiating wave of soreness slowly subsided. This girl was trying to kill me, or get us caught. Either way I wasn’t stopping.

  Picking up the motion of my fingers, I grinded slowly into her, accelerating harder and with more vigor as she worked my hips with hands. My sore muscles were easing up with every move, allowing me to please her more.

  “Oh, God. Oh, God,” she whimpered.

  She was close, and so was I.

  Neither one of us stopped, responding and working with the motions of each other. When Lacey dug her fingernails into me, I was at my peak. Rocking hard against her, I took myself to the edge.

  The slamming of the front door seemed to reverberate through the house. We both froze instantly, and at the click of heels to the floorboards I whipped around so I wasn’t directly behind Lacey.

  Biting down on my lip from the pain of the sudden movement, I quickly found a reason to be in the kitchen, and went for the cabinet near the sink for a glass. The clicks stopped in the kitchen as I opened the fridge to get some juice.

  “Lacey? Truman?” asked my mom, surprise in her voice.

  I waved above the refrigerator door in response. Mom hadn’t seen my injuries yet, and I couldn’t hide the cuts on my face.

  “Lacey, why are you here? You’re supposed to be at Adele’s tennis lesson.”

  My mom’s voice peaked confusion, but I couldn’t tell if suspicion complemented it without seeing her face to confirm. The whole scenario had to have looked odd to her. Lacey had no reason to ever be without Adele, yet here she was, and she was with me.

  “Adele sent me home to get her racket,” Lacey said, her voice not hesitating. “But when I got here she texted me that she didn’t need it. I had a few minutes, so I decided to do some dishes.”

  Unable to settle my curiosity of my mom’s reaction, I rose up slowly from the fridge, being mindful of quick movements that might agitate my muscles. During the rise, I made sure to take a sip from my glass for a barrier. Mom’s expression read no questionable look. She stood there completely content by Lacey’s words. I wasn’t surprised she wasn’t suspicious. Lacey was a good actress. That was what she did, and I was pretty sure her calm act was backed by the truth. Seeing Adele’s text, I knew Lacey was here for the racket,
and she was washing dishes before I got to her.

  “Okay, but you should probably head back. Adele shouldn’t be there by herself. You never know when they let out early, and she could be stuck there.”

  Nodding, Lacey pushed off the sink and walked past her.

  “Lacey?” Mom said, head slightly turned to see behind herself.

  Lacey didn’t turn around, probably to hide the same anxiousness look I currently had behind my juice glass.

  “I had lunch with Mrs. Ferguson today. She said her son Cooper met you the day you all went out for frozen yogurt.”

  “He did,” she said, still not turning around.

  “I guess I just wanted to let you know that he is a very nice gentlemen, and suitable for any wholesome girl.”

  Did that d-bag really ask, of all people, his mom to speak to my mother about his pursuit of Lacey? He was lucky I didn’t know about this when I saw him at registration. I’d really have to watch him. He meant business.

  “I know, Mrs. Drake.”

  “Well, that’s all. I’m sure Adele’s waiting.”

  When Lacey walked away, my mom turned her head in my direction. Her sudden awareness of me froze me in place, and the juice I was drinking dribbled down my front.

  “For heaven’s sake, Truman. Now, Lacey will have to mop the floor.” Before I could stop her she went for the napkin roll on the counter.

  Panicking, I gazed around for a way to quickly hide my face, but came up with nothing.

  “And what are you doing here anyway?” She ripped off the napkin. “I left a note for you to register for classes.” She turned around, and the napkin dropped from her hand.

  Caught, I put my glass on the counter. I didn’t bother to explain I’d already been to school. I was sure that was the least of her concerns with the way she looked at me now.

  Eyes wide and jaw slacked she rushed over, grabbing my cheeks. “What happened? Oh my God, Truman.”

  “Mom, mom.” I pulled my face out of her hands. “I’m fine. Just a few cuts and bruises.”