A Different Side (University Park #4)

by C. M. Doporto

  Aw shit.

  I pulled one arm out of the heap of bodies and reached between my legs. My balls were sore and my dick felt like it had gone for four quarters. What the hell happened? One of the girls stirred, causing a chain reaction of soft sighs and whimpers. I immediately noticed Macy to my left and her two friends to the right.

  My head hit the pillow and I stared at the ceiling of Macy’s apartment. All the memories from last night rushed through my head, causing it to hurt more. One drink after another, followed by several shots. All the girls kissing and groping me. The scenes were foggy, but I recalled them. Oh yeah, and that one girl I took in to the bathroom and bent over the sink. I’d never done four girls in one night. Last night was definitely a new record.

  Score.

  My phone chimed and I caught sight of it on the edge of Macy’s nightstand.

  “Will someone turn off that damn phone?” Macy complained, dragging a hand down the side of her face. Black makeup smeared across her cheek, and she looked a little scary. Why had I hooked up with her? She was attractive, but in a slutty kind of way. Definitely not a girl you’d be proud to take home to momma.

  I reached over Macy and grabbed my phone. Unlocking it, I discovered I had two missed calls from Josh, three from Shawn, followed by a slew of texts from various people, and one voicemail from my mom.

  “Oh shit,” I barked, seeing it was almost noon. I was two hours late for breakfast. Mimi was going to be pissed. “Time to get up, ladies.” I nudged the two girls to the right of me and then pulled my leg from their tangled bodies.

  “Huh?” Jennifer moaned as she rolled over. I darted to the right, avoiding her flailing hand.

  “Get off my pillow.” Shannon shoved Jennifer and they slapped at each other for few seconds. I had to admit, it was a little divine watching two naked girls fight in their sleep.

  “Where’re you going?” Macy latched on to my arm and tugged.

  I tried to ease my arm from her grip. “I have somewhere to be.”

  “I’m not ready for you to leave.” She threw a leg over me and then straddled me.

  “Hey,” I let out a slight laugh, “I gotta go.” Placing my hands around her waist, I tried to lift her off me, but she pushed down, turning her legs into vice grips.

  A look of disappointment struck her face. “Why so soon? I thought we could continue our sexcapade from last night.”

  I raked a hand through my matted hair and scratched the back of my head. It sounded enticing, but my dick couldn’t handle any more today.

  “Sorry, I need to go see my granny before she leaves for New Orleans.”

  Macy stared deep into my eyes, as if trying to uncover the truth in my statement. “Can’t she wait?” She traced the swirls of my tattoo and then spread her hands across my chest, giving my pecs a tight squeeze. The distraction almost worked.

  Mimi was ten times more important than Macy. Besides, it really wasn’t any of her business what I had to do, and I sure as hell didn’t owe her an explanation. But knowing Macy, if I didn’t somehow convince her, she’d be determined to keep me in her bed. If I stayed, these girls would definitely be the death of me. I could see the headlines: The Raven, found dead. Sex overdose to blame. If there were such a thing.

  “No. I was supposed to be there two hours ago.” I pointed to the voicemail my mom had left on my phone.

  She stared at the phone for a moment and her lips twitched to the side. “Then I guess I better let you go.” Reluctantly, she slid off me, making sure to spread her hand slowly between my legs. Macy didn’t make it easy on me.

  Jennifer stirred and then looked at me with weary eyes. “You’re leaving?” She pushed the brown strands from her face.

  “Yeah, baby. I gotta go.” I gave her a quick peck on the forehead. “Thanks for a great night.”

  “Anytime.” She shot me a happy smile and then pulled the covers over her body. Jennifer was more submissive and just went with the flow. Nothing like Macy. I wondered how many guys took advantage of her. I guess I was one of them.

  Shannon stretched and yawned as she sat up. Her dark skin was mocha smooth and she was damn good in bed. Too bad she’d slept with half the team.

  “You just gonna leave and not tell me bye?” She lifted her arms and pinned one of her braids to the side of her head.

  “Of course not.” I placed my hands on her shoulders. Her boobs were huge and I couldn’t stop staring at them. They called to me, making me almost forget about breakfast. “I was going to get dressed first.”

  “Uh, yeah, right.” She rolled her eyes, and I had to admit, she looked hot regardless of her cranky attitude.

  “Call me,” I reminded her before kissing her thick, full lips.

  “You know I will.” She taunted before falling back in bed next to Jennifer.

  I crawled out of bed and gathered my clothes. Used condoms covered the floor — evidence of why I was so spent. I shook my head and went straight to the bathroom. I locked the door and pressed my hand against the panel, taking a few deep breaths. What happened last night didn’t matter. I screwed four girls. Big deal. I should’ve been happy. Fulfilled. But for some reason, I felt empty. I started to slip on my boxers when I caught of whiff of myself. Beer, liquor, and sex funk covered me. I couldn’t go to my mom’s smelling like this.

  I made sure the door was locked before turning on the shower. The last thing I needed was Macy jumping in with me. Why had I screwed all these girls? I was better than that. Then I heard that voice — the one that reminded me I wasn’t. I was nothing but a fuck up. I’d never have anyone to love or care about me. Macy was the only kind of woman who would ever give me the time of day.

  Heat filled the room and I wiped the steam from the mirror. Who was The Raven? Was I that lost? Would things ever get better for me? I licked my lips, craving something I vowed never to touch again. Last night, Jared showed up and tried to get me to take a hit of something. Luckily, Shawn talked some sense into me and Quinton made Jared leave. I knew drugs weren’t the answer, but when I drank, I found it easy to give in to their calling.

  It was the same story, time and time again. Medicating on sex and liquor wasn’t right, but all I knew was it made me feel good. It allowed me to forget about the pain and check out for a while. After the night was over and the buzz had worn off, it brought me back to where I hated to be: reality.

  ***

  I sat in class, trying to pay attention, but all I could think about was the apology I had drafted up last night. Was it good enough for Lexi? Would she forgive me so we could continue our tutoring sessions? I tossed the words around in my head, trying to form the perfect excuse. How I’d say it — with deep regret or just let it roll off my tongue?

  Showing remorse to women wasn’t something I normally did, but I felt like I owed Lexi an explanation for my behavior. It was the least I could do. That’s if I got the chance. I glanced at my phone for the tenth time, making sure I hadn’t received a text or email from the coach or my academic advisor. I could only hope she was still willing to tutor me.

  “Don’t forget your mid-term paper is due Thursday and your blog post is due next Tuesday,” the professor reminded us.

  “Crap,” I muttered under my breath. I had totally forgotten about the assignments. I was so screwed. Now I really needed Lexi’s help. Pulling out the syllabus, I reviewed the assignment for our mid-term. I hadn’t read any of the required material and it was thirty percent of my grade. I glanced at my watch. I had ten minutes until my appointment with Lexi. Shit, I was going to be late again.

  “Can we turn it in today?” Kyle, the second string quarterback, asked, holding his paper for everyone to see.

  “Yes, I can take them today,” the professor said as she gathered her things, “but that doesn’t excuse you from class on Thursday.”

  Several people complained, but that didn’t stop Kyle from prancing to the front of the class.

  Show off.

  I made a note to give him a
hard time at practice. He might have worked hard to get that paper done ahead of time, but I’d make him work twice as hard on the field.

  With a huff, I stuffed my books in my backpack and grabbed the syllabus. As I stood, a girl brushed past me and then turned around. “Hey.” She gave me a seductive smile and batted her eyelashes at me.

  Taking a side step, I said, “Hi,” before rushing out the door. I didn’t have time for chitchat, even though she was cute. The library was across campus and I needed to get a few books for the paper. Damn. Why hadn’t I read the syllabus on Sunday when I was doing homework? I’d never make it to my tutoring session on time.

  “Excuse me,” I said repeatedly as I rushed across the lawn, dodging people left and right, just like I did on the football field. I sprinted across the street, cars honking as I violated the crosswalk. “Sorry!” I held up my hands when a car nearly slammed into me. Shit. The school seriously needed a crossover bridge for students.

  I swung the door open and trekked to the front desk. Slightly out of breath, I rested against the counter, vying for someone’s attention. It didn’t take long for a girl to make eye contact with me. She was short with brown hair brushing the top of her shoulders. Her aqua-framed glasses made her blue eyes brighter, and they had that familiar sparkle in them.

  “Can I help you?” She adjusted her glasses, totally checking me out. It wouldn’t have been a problem, but right now, I didn’t have time.

  Flattening the crinkled syllabus on the counter, I pointed to the assignment. “Yeah, I need to check out any books you have on the Civil War…” I flipped the paper in my direction, “that influenced American literature.”

  The girl eased the paper from my hand and scanned the assignment. “Professor Callahan?” The presumptuous look on her face told me she was familiar with the class.

  “Yes. How’d you know?”

  “I had her two semesters ago,” she turned the paper so it faced me, “and it says right here.” She pointed to the top of the page and then slid off her glasses. Crap. This girl was beautiful.

  Glancing at my watch, I said, “Can you help? I don’t have much time. I, um…I have to meet a group in five minutes.”

  Her eyes traveled up and down, appraising me carefully. “You’re Raven, right?”

  “Yeah.” I smiled, and then glanced at her name badge. “Nice to meet you, Beth,” I said, hoping it would earn me some bonus points. Girls always liked it when I called them by their names, especially the correct one.

  “You, too.” She leaned forward, becoming more comfortable by the minute. “You’re in luck, Raven, because I know exactly what you need.”

  “Perfect.” I winked at her and she gasped. For several seconds, she remained frozen, her eyes glued to my lips. “Can you please show me where I can find these books?” I cocked a brow, hoping my charm made it worth her while. “Like I said, I don’t have much time.” I eased the paper from her hand and she immediately snapped to attention.

  “Of course.” Her lips spread into an easy smile. “Hey, I have to help him find a few books. I’ll be back,” she informed the guy next to her, and he nodded. Lifting part of the counter, she slipped from behind the desk. “This way.”

  I followed her through the main area and then down a narrow stairwell. The wooden stairs creaked from my weight and I had to duck my head as we turned the corner. “Is this the basement?” Pale green pipes ran along the ceiling and a low humming noise filled the air. I looked around, getting the vibe Beth wasn’t taking me to the literature section, but her own history section instead. I glanced at my watch. Normally, I wouldn’t mind the detour, but I honestly wanted to get to my tutoring appointment with Lexi.

  “Yes,” she looked over her shoulder, “it’s a short cut.” After we passed through the boiler room, we entered an older part of the library. For a petite girl, she walked quickly, zipping around the aisles of books as though she knew the area like the back of her hand. The smell of worn leather and old paper filled the room. Dim lights with green fixtures hung low and the tall bookcases made the space seem confined and isolated. This was one part of the library I’d never been to before.

  She hooked a left and began searching through the wall of books. “Fuller, Fuller,” she repeated as her small hands skimmed over the spines. I opened up my syllabus, trying to see what book she was looking for, but had no idea. Before I could ask, she said, “Here we go,” and handed me the book. I glanced at it.

  “From Battlefields Rising: How the Civil War Transformed American Literature?” I said, looking at the cover and then flipping through the pages.

  “Yes, it’s one of the best books.” She continued on her path, rounding the corner to the next aisle. “It has all your major American authors — from Dickinson to Whitman. But there’s one more you’ll need.” We moved to the next row as she continued her search.

  “What book are you looking for?” I glanced at my watch one more time, noting my session with Lexi was starting. “Maybe I can help?”

  “Brownlee and Greene.” She pressed her index finger to her lips as she hummed.

  I began searching through the titles, feeling the pressure of the clock tick and my chance for tutoring slip further away. The letters jumbled together as my eyes struggled to read one book after another. Not being able to sleep last night was taking a toll on me.

  “Here it is,” we said in unison as our hands collided into one another. The softness of her fingers rubbed against mine as we removed the book from the shelf. A chill ran up my arm and I couldn’t help but wonder if the rest of her body felt that soft. I let out a breath, disappointed I didn’t have time to find out.

  “I’ve got it,” I assured her. Her hand lingered on mine for another moment before she removed it. “Can you help me check these out?” I asked, stacking the books together.

  “Sure. But you need one more.”

  “Okay, let’s get it.”

  Beth hesitated for a moment before pulling a pen from her back pocket and small pad. “Um, we don’t have it here at the library.” She scribbled a title across the paper and then tore it from the pad. “You can download this article for free.”

  I looked at the paper, noting the title and author along with her phone number. She looked at me briefly before taking a step back. Her chest moved rapidly as she took in quick breaths. “If you need any help, I’m available. I get off at five and I don’t work tomorrow.” Beth obviously wanted to tutor me, too.

  With my most charming smile, I said, “I appreciate that, Beth.” I took a step closer, narrowing the space between us. Her back hit the bookcase and a look of delight, along with nervousness, danced across her face. I pressed my hand against the books, trapping her. “How is that a pretty girl like you knows so much about the Civil War?”

  With trembling fingers, she ran her hand through her hair. “History happens to be my major.” She took the books from my hand, and clenched them tightly against her chest as she shifted from one foot to the other.

  Reaching up, I tucked the stray strands behind her ear. “How lucky can I get?”

  A soft whimper escaped her lips and her shoulders relaxed. “I think it’s the other way around.”

  Noticing the time, I shook my head. I was about to turn down another girl. Two girls in two weeks. Clearly, I was making some exceptions for Lexi. “Unfortunately, I have a group to meet.”

  “We don’t need much time.” Her eyes bore into mine and I gritted my teeth together.

  Using the tip of my finger, I traced the square line of her jaw, lifting her chin. “How about I give you a little something…” I reached up and flipped my ball cap backwards, “until we can hook up later?”

  “Sure. Why not?” Beth dropped the books, and neither of us bothered to pick them up. Lowering my head, I drew my mouth to hers, inch by inch until our lips touched. The scent of strawberries lingered on her breath. Beth’s mouth opened in anticipation and I willingly satisfied her need…and mine.

  ∑
<
br />   Chapter 5

  A little more persistence, a little more effort,

  and what seemed hopeless failure may turn to glorious success.

  ~Elbert Hubbard

  I rushed into Ramsey, checking my watch. I was seriously late.

  Damn it!

  What the hell was wrong with me? Beth could’ve waited. For whatever reason, I couldn’t stop myself from coming on to her. I shook my head, knowing she really wasn’t worth the risk of not being able to receive tutoring. Part of me wanted to punch myself and the other part just told me to forget about it. What’s done was done. Besides, I’d only kissed and felt her up enough to know she was dying for me.

  I squeezed my eyes shut, trying to get the thoughts of her breasts out of my head. The fullness of them, the hardness of her nipples — shit, that wasn’t helping. I quickly diverted my attention to Lexi. I owed her an apology. Not only for last week, but also for today. If I were lucky, she’d be waiting for me. Over and over, I rehearsed my apology. It sounded so pathetic. Hopefully, I didn’t have to beg. That’s where I drew the line.

  Grabbing the door handle, I flung it open. Lexi was talking to Dr. Phillips. My stomach clenched. I was totally screwed. Maybe a little begging wouldn’t hurt.

  Dr. Phillips turned in my direction. “Good to see you, son.” I shook his hand, relieved to see the satisfaction on his face. “That was one heck of a game last week. You showed the Jayhawks we belong in the South Central Conference.”

  “What can I say? It was a close game, but we got in there and showed them we meant business.” I adjusted my cap, feeling the sweat trickle down the side of my face. Shit. I sniffed, hoping I didn’t stink.

  “True, but in the end, we won the game. That’s what matters.” Thank God the professor supported me. Maybe everything was okay. Noticing the expression on Lexi’s face, I knew she wasn’t a fan like Dr. Phillips. I’d have to change that.

  “Exactly.” I crossed my arms, contemplating on what approach to use. Lexi’s eyes zeroed in on me. This girl was hard to read. She looked pissed one minute and the next, she was checking me out. What the fuck?