Romance: The College Bad Boy: A Young Adult Romance

by Veronica Cross

  Table of Contents

  Title Page

  The College Bad Boy

  The Executive’s Baby

  Escaping Europe

  Moving West

  Taken Deep

  The Campus Player

  A Rose by Any Name

  The Bad Boy Affair

  The King’s Brother

  Guinevere

  Kiraz

  The Art of Love

  Mated

  Taken Rough

  The Power of Love

  Rowdy

  Forceful Attraction

  Taken by the Unknown

  The College Bad Boy

  Veronica Cross

  The College Bad Boy

  Copyright 2016 by Veronica Cross

  First electronic publication: August 2016

  All rights are reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews. The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal.

  NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR:

  This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the writer’s imagination or have been used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to person, living or dead, actual events, locale or organizations is entirely coincidental.

  Warning: Due to mature subject matter, such as explicit sexual situations and coarse language, this story is not suitable for anyone under the age of 18. All sexually active characters in this work are 18 years of age or older, and all acts of a sexual nature are consensual.

  The College Bad Boy

  Chapter 1: Move-in Day

  Alex slammed the trunk of her car shut. She had already made two trips from the parking lot to her dorm room on the second floor. She grabbed the sleeve of her t-shirt and wiped the sweat from her forehead. The heat was almost unbearable, and the humidity made it hard to breathe. Alex took the hair tie from her wrist and bent her head forward. The hair on the back of her neck was drenched. A light breeze cooled the sweat on her shoulders as she wrapped her long, blonde hair into a pony tail. Alex flipped her head backwards, and her hair arced towards the sky before landing against her back. Ok, last trip.

  Wedging her laundry hamper between her arm and her hip, Alex made her way across the parking lot. Heat waves rippled up from the pavement. Her flip-flops smacked into her heels with each step. As she walked, she saw a guy leaned up against a tree. He was wearing a black shirt and faded jeans. His hair was dark and slightly curly. Alex stumbled as she missed the first step up to the dorm entrance. Her flip-flop ripped, and the plastic toe piece broke free from the foam bottom.

  Alex’s hamper flew from her hand, and clothing scattered around her. She picked herself up from the concrete and dusted herself off. She held up her shoe. Great. With a groan of frustration, she started grabbing her laundry from the sidewalk and the steps. She stuffed the clothing haphazardly back into the plastic hamper.

  “Need a hand?” Alex looked up to see the guy from the tree standing beside her. One of her bras was hanging from his fingertips. He smiled cockily at her.

  Alex’s face turned red. She jerked her bra away from him. “I’ve got it. Thanks.” She buried the bra under a pile of tank tops and hobbled up the steps. It wasn’t even one of her cute bras. Ugh! Why couldn’t he have picked up the pink, lacey one? This year was already off to a fabulous start. Alex rolled her eyes as she entered the air-conditioning. Her cheeks still burned with embarrassment.

  She made her way down the hall to her dorm room. Doors lined the hallway in an offset pattern. Handmade welcome signs were taped to the doors with names listed to help students find their rooms. Alex’s name was posted on the last room on the right. At least she wasn’t on the third floor. Alex watched as a family struggled to carry a small loveseat up the stairs. She wiggled her key into the lock and threw the door open. There was a dark haired girl shoving a bin of snacks under the desk by the far wall.

  “Oh, hey!” The girl stood up and put her hands on her hips, “You must be Alex. I’m Tish. Nice to meet ya!” The girl held out her hand.

  Alex set down her hamper and wiped the sweat off of her palm before shaking the girl’s hand, “Same.”

  “This is the last of it.” An older man with graying hair said as he wheeled in a mini fridge.

  “Sweet! Thanks, Dad!” Tish bounced over to him and gave him a hug. “Where’s Mom?

  “Taking pictures of some squirrels outside.” He jerked his head towards the window.

  “Mmkay. Hey, Al, I’m gonna go say goodbye, then I’ll be back to finish unpacking.” Tish waved as she and her dad headed out to the hallway, leaving a pile of bags in the middle of the room.

  Alex kicked off the shoe she still had on and dropped the broken flip-flop on the ground. It smacked against the tile floor. She opened one of the drawers on her dresser and started shoving clothing in it. Her dorm room had a large mirror with two sinks wedged between twin closets. There were two lofted beds, one on each side of the room. Under the beds, both she and Tish had a desk, dresser, nightstand, and a chair. Alex examined the faded red upholstery on her chair. There was a black mystery stain on the edge of the seat. She glanced at Tish’s chair. No mystery stain there. Alex shot a furtive glance at the door before lugging her chair over to Tish’s desk. She swapped the chairs and skidded the stain free one back to her side of the dorm. As the lock clicked open, Alex quickly sat down on her newly requisitioned chair, trying not to look guilty.

  “Okie dokie! I’m back.” Tish smiled as she started to unpack her things. She scooted her chair back, paused for a moment looking at the seat, then shrugged her shoulders. “So, where ya from?” Tish peered over her shoulder while she draped a feather boa around her bed post.

  “Texas. You?” Alex pulled her fitted sheet out of the hamper and climbed up the end of her lofted bed until she was at the foot of the mattress. The wood rungs were at awkward intervals, making climbing and balancing difficult.

  “Colorado. It’s crazy how hot it is here!” Tish said incredulously. Alex smiled as she tossed a fleeting gaze over to Tish. Her roommate was balanced precariously on top of her nightstand while she tossed a bright orange comforter over her bed.

  “Knock, knock!” An older blonde girl was standing in the open doorway. “Time for student I.D. pictures!” She stood off to the side and waited while Alex and Tish climbed down from their perches to join her in the hallway. Alex rummaged around quickly for a pair of flats. She slipped them on and joined the other two in the hall. Other freshmen were already filing past. “I’m Emily, your Resident Assistant. My room is on the second floor if you need anything.” She gestured to the stairwell as she guided them to the door that led out the back of the dorm. “Just follow the crowd to the Nathaniel Building. You’ll get your I.D.’s there.” Emily smiled warmly and went back to rounding up other freshmen.

  “This sucks.” Alex ran her fingers through her sweat soaked ponytail. Her clothes were sticking to her and her thighs were starting to get heat rash.

  “Well, at least we’re all sweaty and nasty.” Tish walked along beside her, holding her arms away from her body. Beads of perspiration were already running down her forehead. The two of them giggled as they mingled in the sultry crowd.

  Off to the side in a sitting area with trees, Alex saw the dark haired boy from earlier. He was sitting in a metal chair with his boots propped up on a wire, mesh table in front of him. There was a girl with a pixie cut sitting next to him. Her tank top was low cut, and she was leaning
forward seductively. He was staring off into the distance across from him while she tried to carry on a conversation. The girl saw Alex looking at them, and her face contorted in disgust. The guy turned to see what his companion was glaring at. When his eyes landed on Alex, his lips curved into a crooked smirk. Alex jerked her head back to the front and made it a point not to glance in their direction again.

  “Guess this is where we’re heading.” Tish nodded to the building up ahead. There was a line of assorted freshmen zig-zagging out the door. Tish and Alex joined the end of the line. The grass by the edge of the sidewalk waved in the slight breeze. The shadow of the Nathaniel building offered some relief from the afternoon sun. White columns stretched up from the concrete porch. The building was constructed of brick in multiple shades of red ranging from dark muddy brown to sun-bleached pink. The line moved fairly quickly. Alex stepped across the threshold, squinting in the sudden lack of sunlight.

  “Next!” A guy standing behind a tripod called out. Tish hopped up in front of the plain, blue backdrop and made a funny face as the camera light flashed. “Next!” Tish stood off to the side waiting for her I.D. to print as Alex stood in front of the camera. She went to move her bangs out of her face just as the flash went off. “Next!”

  “But I wasn’t ready.” Alex looked at the guy taking the pictures.

  “Redo’s are next week if your eyes were closed. If your eyes weren’t closed, tough shit. Next!”

  Alex stumbled over to the printing area. Please let my eyes be closed. Please let my eyes be closed. She crossed her fingers while she waited. A small plastic rectangle shot out. Frick. Her eyes were open, and so was her mouth. Her hand was a blur near the edge of her face from where she tried to brush her hair back. Alex groaned aloud.

  “Let me see,” Tish leaned in over Alex’s shoulder. “Well, it’s not,” Tish started trying to comfort her roommate, but then thought better of it, “no…no, that’s pretty awful.” Her shoulders shook as she tried to contain her laughter.

  The two of them made their way back across campus to finish unpacking. The grounds were unnaturally green for the lack of rain and the amount of heat so far this year. Squirrels skittered up and down trees. Acorns thudded to the ground. Brick buildings lined the sidewalks. Laughter and light hearted chatter drifted in the breeze.

  Alex and Tish walked up the back steps to the Garner building where they would be living this year. The common area had a few worn couches and a T.V. for the residents to share. The hallways smelled faintly of mold, but at least it was cool inside. Alex walked past the shared bathroom and water fountain to her dorm room.

  “Oh crap!” Tish said as they walked in. “Forgot to hook up the mini fridge before we left. She scooted the tiny black fridge into the space between the two beds where an outlet marked the center of the far wall.

  “Any idea when we get our class schedules?” Alex tossed her half-flattened pillows up to the head of her bed.

  “My cousin, Erika, said they start handing them out at five today. We can go pick them up on our way to dinner.” Tish pulled her laptop out of a bright yellow backpack and sat cross-legged on top of her desk with her computer in her lap. “Oh, I hope it’s ok, I told her she could meet us here and we could all go to the Rec center together to grab dinner.” She looked up at Alex as she opened the laptop and turned it on.

  “Uh, yeah, sure that’s fine I guess.” Alex smiled while she plugged in a power strip to the other socket behind the fridge. She placed her lamp on the edge of her desk. “Erika’s a freshman, too?”

  “Nope. She’s a junior. Hey, any idea what the Wi-Fi password is?” Tish tucked her hair behind her ears.

  “No, sorry.” Alex gathered her light blue shower caddy and a change of clothes. “Hey, I’m gonna go grab a shower before dinner, ok?”

  “Sure thing! Oh! You might want to wear some shower shoes or flip-flops though.” Tish smiled from her perch on top of her desk and went back to guessing Wi-Fi passwords.

  Alex picked up her sad flip-flops and made her way down the hall to the communal bathroom. The door swung open. The bathroom was coated in fluorescent lighting. There were three showers set up opposite from the toilets. The shower on the far right was already running. Steam drifted above the opening. Alex pulled back the thin plastic sheet in front of the middle shower. She stepped into the small dressing area positioned between the outer curtain and the shower. She placed her shower caddy and change of clothes on the bench and pulled the plastic curtain shut behind her. The curtain crinkled as it fell into place.

  Alex tossed her flip-flops on the ground and slipped off her flats, placing her feet carefully on the foam as she avoided the damp bathroom floor. She slid her fingers under the bottom of her shirt and slowly lifted it over her head. Her body relished in the cool air as the fabric un-plastered itself from her skin. Alex unhooked her bra and hung it from the hook on the wall. She shimmied out of her shorts and tugged the hair tie from her blonde hair.

  She leaned into the shower and turned on the faucet. Alex grabbed her shampoo from the caddy as she stepped into the stream of water and pulled the second plastic curtain closed. The scent of strawberries and cream wafted around her as the steam of the shower fogged the air. Sweat was rinsed away in the warm water. Her hair flowed over her shoulders and down her back as she rinsed out the shampoo. Alex slipped her hand through the gap between the shower wall and the plastic sheet. She grabbed her body wash and began lathering up. Tiny, pearlescent bubbles coated her skin.

  Alex paused as she heard someone enter the shower beside her. She could hear a girl giggling from the other side of the wall. A male voice shushed the girl as the water turned on. Alex could hear them kissing in the stall beside her. Oh my gosh! She mouthed silently to herself as she quickly finished rinsing off. Alex wanted to get back to her room before the sounds of kissing progressed any further. She dried off and jerked on a clean pair of shorts. She fastened her bra and pulled her tank top over her head. After she gathered her things, Alex sprinted back to her dorm.

  “Tish! You are not going to believe what just happened! Alex closed the door behind her and put her caddy on the counter next to her sink. She paused a second as she looked at her roommate. Tish was on top of her bunk with a plastic Viking helmet on her head, still trying to guess the Wi-Fi password to the college internet.

  “It’s my I-mean-business hat. I was hoping I could get in with sheer intimidation, but the network has no respect for Nordic ferocity, it seems.” Tish slammed her laptop shut. “So, what’s up?”

  “I’m pretty sure I just heard someone hooking up in the shower.”

  “Shut up!” Tish put her laptop on the bed beside her and slid forward so her legs were dangling off the edge.

  “I’m serious!” Alex towel dried her hair as she spoke, “I could hear them.”

  “That’s crazy! I mean we haven’t even been here a full day yet, people, come on.” There was a knock at the entryway. “Come in!” Tish yelled through the door.

  “Hello?” A dark haired girl with a nose ring poked her head in the room.

  Alex turned her head, “Hey, you must be Erika. I’m Alex.”

  The girl smiled as Tish slid off of her bed and landed on her feet. “Ready?” Tish tossed her Viking helmet on the desk and pulled on some shoes.

  “I’m ready if you guys are.” Erika opened the door wider and leaned against the door frame.

  “Just about.” Alex finished drying her hair and squirted some mouse in her palm. She ruffled her tresses to give them volume. She put on a sheer lip gloss, checked herself in the mirror, then turned to the other girls, “Mmmkay, ready.”

  The three of them walked out of the all girl’s dorm and meandered towards the Student Recreation Center. “So, how do you like it so far?” Erika asked as they walked across the lawn.

  “It’s definitely been interesting.” Alex giggled, looking at the buildings and the other students that were heading to dinner. It was still hard to believe she was
really here. “Ouch!” An acorn fell onto her head as they passed under a tree.

  “Oh, yeah, careful. The squirrels throw acorns at you sometimes.” Erika said nonchalantly as they walked up the steps to the Rec center.

  Alex looked up at the trees scrupulously as they cleared the final branches overhanging the steps. Inside the Rec center was music and a small coffee shop where students could buy snacks if they didn’t want to have an actual meal in the cafeteria which was located on the second floor. Alex could see some pool tables and a foosball table in a glass room to the right. Couches and plush chairs were scattered around the room. It was bright and inviting. The smell of coffee greeted them at the door.

  “This way, ladies.” Erika guided them up a flight of stairs to the second floor. “You can grab your schedules over there.” She gestured to a row of tables outside of the cafeteria. Each table was labeled with a few letters of the alphabet. “I’m going to head in and grab us a seat.”

  Alex and Tish each got in line behind the table with the first letter of their last name posted. “What’s your name?” The girl working the table said as she prepared to flip through the packet in front of her.

  “Landry.” Alex said as she leaned on the wooden table.

  The girl rifled through her papers and drew a line through Alex’s name with a highlighter. The girl sitting beside her handed Alex a folder. “This has your schedule, campus map, and a few other important things in it.”

  “Thanks,” Alex smiled as she took the folder and stood off to the side waiting for Tish. “Got it?” She took a step forward as her roommate came to join her.

  “Yup.” Tish was distractedly flipping through her folder already, “Aha!” She looked up triumphantly, “Found the Wi-Fi password!”

  The two of them walked up to the entrance of the cafeteria. “Hello! Can I have your I.D.?” The lady behind the register had a flower tucked behind her ear. The girls each handed her their cards. Alex thought she saw the lady scoff slightly when she saw her student photo, but maybe she was just imagining things. The cafeteria worker swiped the cards through the machine and handed them back with a smile, “Enjoy your meal!”