Chapter Two
I’m not one for blushing or being shy, but this guy is making me feel like a naïve little freshman. I’m partially to blame considering I’m letting him think I’m older than I am. Still, I can’t deny I’m attracted to him, and while I’m not looking for a one-night stand, this wine and cake combined with Darren’s undeniable appeal is seriously making me reconsider.
“Sorry.” He shakes his head. “I don’t know why I said that. I’m not usually this forward. I guess you just seem like a no nonsense kind of girl, and—”
“You’re a no nonsense kind of guy,” I finish for him. If I were still in high school, I’d think the cake comment was a bad attempt at a pick-up line, but I can see that Darren wasn’t going for that. He was simply speaking his mind.
“Is it too late to take it back?”
Yes. In my mind, we’re both already back in my dorm room. No, I can’t take him there because he’d figure out I’m not over twenty-one. “No need to take it back. I like that you’re honest.”
We finish our food with very little talking—at least not in spoken words. Our eyes are saying plenty, though. The tension between us is almost overwhelming, and I know it’s because neither of us is willing to say what it is we’re thinking right now. He doesn’t strike me as the type to jump into bed with a girl, and despite Noelle thinking I hook up with guys too easily, I’ve only been with two guys, both of which were long-term boyfriends. And those two guys are also the reason why I haven’t had a long-term boyfriend in over a year.
“What time does your shift start?” I ask, finishing the last of my wine.
Darren looks at his watch and sighs. “About fifteen minutes ago.”
I laugh. “Good thing you know the owners.”
“Actually, that makes it worse. Dad docks my pay for every minute I’m late. He says now that I’m twenty-three I have to take full responsibility for my actions.”
Twenty-three. I just turned nineteen last Saturday, which means Darren is four years older than I am. When he was a college freshman, I was just starting high school. And while it would’ve been totally taboo—not to mention illegal—to date him back then, the age difference doesn’t seem like a big deal now.
“You better get to work then.”
“Can I buy you another drink?” He motions to the bar. “I mean, if you don’t have somewhere to be, you could keep me company for a while.”
I don’t think there’s much of a chance of being carded after Darren already served me wine, so I nod. “I guess I can stay for a little while.”
“Great.” He leaves a tip on the table and stands up, holding his hand out to me.
I pause, not sure if he wants me to take it or if he’s just motioning for me to lead the way. I smile at him as I get up and start walking to the bar. His hand rests lightly on my waist, as if guiding me to the bar even though it’s right in front of us.
Darren motions to the stool on the end. “I just have to go clock in, and then I’ll be back with your wine.” He smiles at me again before turning toward the kitchen.
I’m nervous to sit at the bar without Darren around. What if someone asks for my ID? “I’m going to run to the bathroom,” I say, already heading in that direction.
I push the door open, relieved to find the bathroom empty. I exhale long and deep and stare at my reflection. A few freckles peek through my cover up. I hate my freckles. They were cute when I was younger, but I think they look ridiculous on adults. I quickly pull out some concealer, which I always carry for this reason, and cover them up. Then I grab my cell from the back pocket of my shorts and dial Noelle.
“Hello?” Her greeting is followed by giggles.
“Tell Andy to stop groping you for a minute so we can talk.”
“Why do you always assume we’re groping each other?”
“Because I spent the last two months watching you guys do just that.”
I hear shuffling, and Andy gets on the phone. “For your information, I’m massaging her feet, and she happens to be ticklish.”
I’ve never had a guy massage my feet. If I could clone Andy, I’d do it in a heartbeat. Though I’d never admit that to him or Noelle. “Do you think you could hold off for a minute?”
“Sure thing. Here she is.”
“Hey, sorry about that,” Noelle says. “Are you still at McEntire’s?”
“Yeah. Darren’s shift just started, and he asked me to stay for another drink.” I cringe, waiting for the lecture I know is coming.
“Julia, you’re only nineteen. School hasn’t even started and you’re already—”
“I don’t need a mother right now. I need my best friend.”
She sighs. “Okay. What’s up?”
“He’s twenty-three, sexy as hell, and obviously thinks I’m the same. What do I do?” I’ve never asked Noelle for advice about guys. It’s always been the other way around, but everything about Darren is throwing me off.
“He just started his shift, right?”
“Yeah, so?”
“So, have a drink and say goodnight.”
“Just like that?”
“Just like that.”
“But he—”
“Thinks you’re his age.” She says the words slowly, making sure they sink in.
“Why is that such a bad thing?”
“Do you really want to start a relationship with this guy by lying to him?”
Damn her. I never told her I wanted a relationship, but she knows me too well. “One drink. See you soon.” I hang up and bite my lower lip as I stare at my reflection in the mirror. “I can do this.” I turn and walk out, almost bumping into Caroline carrying a tray of drinks. “Sorry.”
She scoffs and steadies the tray in her hand.
I spot Darren behind the bar and straighten my shoulders as I head his way. He looks up at me and smiles.
“Hey, I thought maybe you decided to pass on that drink.” He motions to the glass of wine waiting for me on the bar.
I sit down and smile back at him. “Definitely not.” Staring at him now, I’m not sure how I’m going to convince myself to leave this place. Between his eyes and his smile, I’m practically melting.
The restaurant and bar fill up in a matter of minutes, and I can barely hear Darren when he standing right in front of me. I’ve had too much wine already, so it’s time to leave before I destroy Darren’s perception of me.
I pull a ten out of my pocket and place it on the bar, but Darren immediately shakes his head. “No way. The drinks are on me.”
“I always tip my bartender,” I say, hoping it makes me sound old enough to actually be sitting at the bar.
He nods. “Fair enough. Guess I’ll see you around?”
Now that I know he works here, I’ll be sure to come back…often. “Try to keep me away.” I smile and get up, fully knowing he’s watching me. Caroline obviously knows it too because her eyes dart back and forth between us. I really hope nothing ever happened between the two of them. I walk out of the restaurant and head down the street.
I’ve never taken the bus and have no idea when it comes through here, which sucks since it’s already late and the sun is getting lower by the minute. I stand at the bus stop and look around. No one else is waiting, which probably means I’m going to be here for a while.
“Hey,” a voice calls from behind me. I turn around to see a guy with a t-shirt for some frat—I have no idea what the Greek letters stand for—approaching me. He’s staggering, and I can smell the alcohol as he gets closer. This is not at all what I need right now.
I turn around again, positioning myself in a way that keeps Frat Boy in my peripheral vision. I can feel the effects of the wine, and I really don’t want to be that freshman co-ed who gets jumped before the semester even starts. I pull out my cell and dial Noelle, hoping that will deter the guy.
“Looking for a party?” Frat Boy asks.
“No,” I say, leveling him with a glare. “My ride is on its way.”
“I outgrew kiddie rides a long time ago.”
“Why don’t you come over here? I’ll show you there’s nothing kiddie about me.”
“I’ll pass.” I look at my phone, wondering why Noelle hasn’t picked up yet. Shit! I forgot to hit send. Before I can press the button, Frat Boy rips the cell from my hand. “What the hell do you think you’re doing?” I hope I don’t sound as scared as I am. This guy is a major douche, and, unfortunately, he’s bigger than I am.
“Relax. I’m only looking to have a little fun.”
“You’re not going to find any here.” I turn around at the sound of the familiar voice and see Darren approaching us. His eyes are locked on Frat Boy. The second he’s within distance, he grabs my cell from the guy’s hand and holds it out to me. “I believe this is yours.”
I nod, unable to speak.
Darren turns back to Frat Boy. “Now get the hell out of here before I call the cops and report you for harassment.”
Frat Boy scoffs and eyes me one more time. “Your loss,” he says before turning and walking away.
Darren reaches for my elbow, and I realize I’m hugging myself. I could’ve become a statistic if he hadn’t shown up when he did. “You okay?”
“Yeah, thanks to you.” God, I actually became the damsel in distress, and Darren saved me.
“I’m sorry. I should’ve realized sooner that you probably didn’t have your car here.”
Yeah, because Timberland doesn’t allow freshman to have cars on campus. Andy drives Noelle and me everywhere. “I came with my friends.”
“I figured that out, so I came to check on you. This bus stop is a little seedy at night.”
“I see that.” My body shudders at the memory of Frat Boy thrusting his hips at me.
“All the college fraternities are on that road there.” He points to the right at the intersection. “It’s good for business but bad for our female customers.” When I don’t say anything he continues. “I’m going to go out on a limb and guess that you’re new in town. Are you going to grad school at Timberland?”
I swallow hard. I could come clean, tell him I’m an undergrad, a freshman, but I know he’ll be out of my life for good if I do that. Worse, he might report me for underage drinking. Of course he was the one who’d served me without asking for ID, so maybe not. Still, I don’t want to risk it. “Um, yeah. Something like that.” There, it’s not a lie. Just a really big omission of truth.
“You look shaken up. Why don’t you come back inside? I’ll get you some coffee and find someone to cover the rest of my shift so I can drive you home.”
I can’t let him drive me to my dorm. “I’ll just call my friends for a ride, but I’ll take that coffee while I wait.”
He nods, probably thinking I don’t trust him after that frat guy tried to… I can’t even think about it. Darren places his hand on my waist again and walks me into the restaurant. The bar is full, but Darren whispers to the guy on the end, who then gets up and offers me his seat. I wonder what Darren told him, and I hope it’s not the truth about what almost happened outside. I already feel like such an idiot. Tomorrow, I’m buying mace for Noelle and me.
Darren places a cup of steaming coffee in front of me. “I know coffee is supposed to make you jittery, but I’ve always found it to have the opposite effect on me.”
“Me too.” I take a sip. “I’ll call my friend so I don’t take up room at your bar.”
“No rush.” His eyes lock on mine, and I can tell he’s glad I’m here.
I smile and run my finger along the rim of my cup. “What time do you work till?”
“Midnight.” He wipes the bar in front of me with a dishcloth before leaning his arms on it. “Why, are you planning to keep me company?”
If he only knew how I wanted to keep him company. “Are you looking for company?”
“Ooh, answering a question with a question. Someone is either fishing for information or is being shy.” He leans closer. “You don’t strike me as the shy type, seeing as you approached me and joined me for dinner, so…”
“What can I say? I’m playing detective.” I smile and take another sip of coffee, eying him over the rim.
“Well, let me know if you find anything interesting, detective.” His voice is low and sultry.
I lean over my coffee so my face is only inches from his. “I think I already have.”
His eyebrows rise, and he studies my face, trying to see if I’m serious. “Give me two minutes.” Before I can reply, Darren pushes off the bar and heads into the kitchen.
My heart races as I realize what he’s about to do. He’s leaving work early—for me. But I can’t take him back to my dorm, which means going to his place. I’m not crazy about the idea of being trapped at his place when I don’t even really know him. He could be just like Frat Boy, only in a totally sexy disguise. I’m in over my head.
Darren returns and walks around the bar, stopping at my stool. He threads his fingers through mine as if it’s a perfectly natural thing to do. I stare at our hands, and he pauses. “Did I read you wrong?”
I swallow the lump in my throat. “The girl I was here with earlier, she’s my roommate, and she and her boyfriend are back at my place.”
He gently pulls me off the stool and leans toward my ear, whispering, “I live alone.” His lips graze my ear, and goose bumps spread through me. I can hear Noelle’s voice in my head telling me not to get in a car with a guy I don’t know, especially after we’ve both been drinking, but as Darren pulls back and stares into my eyes, the voice fades away.
“Let’s go,” I say.
A hint of a smile plays at his lips as he turns and pulls me through the crowded restaurant. Caroline levels me with a glare as we pass by her and head out the door. Darren brings me to a BMW parked in the back lot.
“Nice car.” My car is a used Honda Accord. When my parents gave it to me for my seventeenth birthday, Dad said new drivers shouldn’t have new cars. For the first time, I’m glad Timberland has the “no freshmen can have cars on campus” rule.
“It was my grandfather’s. He left it to me in his will.”
I’m not sure if I should say I’m sorry for his loss because I have no idea if his grandfather’s death was a recent event or not, so I settle for, “I like it.” Darren opens my door for me, and I slide onto the leather seats. The car still has that new car smell, but I can tell it’s not new. Darren must take really good care of it.
The drive to his place isn’t long at all, five minutes tops. He lives in a little neighborhood that seems to be separated from the rest of town. The house is split into two apartments, side by side. Before I can get out of the car, Darren’s at my side and giving me his hand. While it’s obvious what his intentions are, he’s being a real gentleman.
He walks me up the stairs and to the apartment on the left. His place is small, only three rooms and a bathroom, but it’s pretty neat for a guy’s apartment. He tosses his keys on the kitchen counter as we walk past and into the living room. I start for the couch, but he grabs my hand and gently tugs me back. My chest presses up against his, closing the distance between us.
“Is this okay?” he asks, brushing my hair behind my shoulder. His touch stirs up the desire inside me.
“Yeah.” I barely have the word out when his hand cups my face. But he pauses, staring into my eyes. I know he’s going to kiss me, but he’s making me wait and it’s killing me. Still, I’m afraid if I make the first move, he might get the wrong idea about me. Sure, I’m in his apartment just hours after I met him. It already looks exactly like what it is, but I want him to know I’m not usually like this. “Do you bring girls home from the bar a lot?” The question slips out.
“Do you make a habit of going home with guys you just met?”
It’s a fair question, but it still stings. “No.”
“Me eit
her.” His breath sends tingles down my neck as he speaks.
“Then why me?”
“Why did you approach me tonight?” he counters.
“You looked lonely.”
He pulls away slightly and laughs. “Oh, so I could’ve been a sixty-five-year-old grandpa—”
“God no!” I lean into his hand, which is still cupping my cheek. “I was definitely attracted to you.”
“Was?”
“Am.”
He inches closer, and his lips brush mine as he says, “Same here.”
My cell chimes with a text. Not now!
“Do you need to get that?” He hasn’t backed away, and having his lips this close but not on mine is torture.
“Not even a little bit.”
The second I get the words out, his lips come crashing down on mine.
Chapter Three
He sucks my bottom lips into his mouth and gently nibbles on it. My lips part in response, inviting him in. His hand slides from my cheek into my hair and grips the back of my head while his other arm wraps around my waist, pulling me closer to him. His touch is like fire to every part of my body. Never has anyone held me like this. It’s like I can taste and feel his desire.
His hand slips under my shirt and up my back, unclasping my bra as if he’s done it a thousand times, which makes me tense up a bit as I wonder how many girls he’s been with. But my mind doesn’t stay on that thought for long because his lips leave mine, trailing down my neck as he cups my breast. I grab his sides and pull him closer as he buries his head in my neck. He’s found my weakness. The spot on my neck that makes me melt and want to jump out of my skin at the same time.
A moan escapes my lips, and Darren pulls away. No. I want his lips back. “What are you doing? Why did you stop?” I ask, searching his eyes with mine.
“Are you sure you want to do this?” He’s being the nice guy again. As much as I can tell—feel—that he wants me, he’s not going to make me do anything I don’t want to do.
I nod, but he shakes his head. “I’m not doing this until you tell me it’s what you want. I need to be sure, and nodding is what people do when they can’t say the words.”
Campus Crush Page 10