by Mia Ford
“Okay,” I agreed. “But if I get in trouble…”
“You won’t,” Megan promised. “Trust me. We’ve got everything taken care of, and you’ll be home right after breakfast the next day.” She giggled. “I hate driving with a hangover, but it’ll be worth it.”
That night, I went home and told Mom and Dean that I had a big test in biology the next week, and that Megan and I would be studying together over the weekend. It didn’t hurt that her older brother, Michael, was in med school. Mom bought the lie immediately. I didn’t even have to sweat too much. I guessed they were still distracted about Andrew, because normally, I would have had to face a lot of questions if I told my mom I was just going to leave like that.
As Megan and I drove into Boston, my excitement took over and I forgot about being nervous. Her cousin, Amanda, was basically everything I want to be in the future – gorgeous, sexy, funny, and with a great job that let her rent a fabulous apartment. She took us out dancing, and to breweries, and out to dinner with her friends at this gorgeous restaurant that overlooked the bay.
“This is so cool,” I said, sipping at my spiced caramel martini. It was so sweet I couldn’t even tell that I was drinking alcohol. “I love it here.”
“I come here all the time,” Amanda said. She pointed over my shoulder, towards the bar. “One of my friends works there, you see that blonde guy?”
I nodded, blushing. “He’s really cute.”
“He’s gay,” Amanda said with a laugh. “So don’t think too much about him. But he’s really sweet, and he always gives me free drinks.”
Just then, I felt my phone buzzing in my pocket. I frowned when I realized that it was Mom.
Fuck, I thought. What does she want?
When I showed Megan, she shook her head. “Don’t answer,” she said quickly. “She’ll leave you alone if you don’t pick up. Just tell her you were studying and you didn’t hear it go off.”
But seeing Mom’s name on the screen gave me a bad feeling in the pit of my stomach. Nervously, I bundled up in my coat and went outside, wishing that it wasn’t so loud.
“Hi,” I said. “What’s up?”
“Kristin, where are you?”
My heart sank. “Um, I’m at Megan’s,” I said. “We’re studying, remember? I told you I’d be spending the night here.”
“Don’t you dare lie to me,” Mom said. “Where are you, Kristin?”
A lump formed in my throat and my skin suddenly felt too hot and too tight for my body. I was gripping the phone so tightly that my hand was numb.
“Kristin, if you don’t answer me, I’m calling the police,” Mom snapped. “So you’d better tell me. Now!” She ordered loudly. “Where the hell are you?”
“Um, I’m in Boston,” I squeaked quietly. “With Megan. I’ll be home tomorrow.”
“The hell you will!” Mom yelled. “You’d better walk through this door in one hour or else!”
“I can’t,” I replied. “Megan won’t leave – Mom, we’ve had a few drinks, it’s not safe if she gets behind the wheel of a car!”
“I don’t give a shit,” My mom snarled. I was taken aback – the few times I’d ever heard her curse, it had never been directed at me.
“Well, Mom, I can’t come home,” I said. “I’ll be home tomorrow, okay?”
“Unless you’re coming to get your things, you’re no longer welcome,” Mom said icily.
“What?” The word came out as a yelp. “What did you just say?”
“If you can’t obey my rules, you’re not welcome in my home,” Mom snapped. “You lied to me and disobeyed me, Kristin. You’re a bad daughter! And since you’ve shown you can’t respect the rules, I’m not going to let you stay here anymore.”
I felt like my world was crashing down around me. Without saying anything else, I hung up the phone and slid it into my pocket. All around me, people buzzed in crowds and groups. They were all happy – laughing, singing, making jokes. I hated them for being so carefree. I bet they don’t know what this feels like, I thought, glaring.
An icy wind whipped over my face and stung my eyes. Finally, I pushed my way back into the restaurant and sat down with a huff at the table.
Megan and Amanda eyed me. “What’s wrong?” Megan asked. “Everything okay?”
I shook my head, feeling numb. “It’s not okay,” I said. “She kicked me out of the house. She found out I lied to her. She told me I can’t come back unless it’s to grab the rest of my stuff.”
Megan and Amanda looked at each other.
“Well, you’re welcome to crash with me for a night or two,” Amanda said slowly. “But my landlord has a really strict policy about no other people staying in the apartment for more than a week.”
I stared at her. “It’s okay,” I said, even though I felt so far from okay that it wasn’t even funny. “I know I’ll have to find somewhere else.”
“You can always move in with me,” Megan said brightly. “Michael’s friend Teddy did that when they were still in pre-med. My parents only charged him three hundred dollars a month for rent, isn’t that good?”
I stated at her dully. “I don’t have a job,” I said. “I have no savings – at least, not savings I can get my hands on. I share a bank account with my mom.”
“Girl,” Amanda said slowly. “You have got to learn how to be more independent.”
That’s when Andrew’s smug, smirking face popped into my mind.
“I think I know someone I can call,” I said slowly. “But it’s gonna be a long shot.”
An hour later, I was waiting nervously for Andrew in the lobby of Amanda’s building. There was a little wine bar, Café Amana, where we’d agreed to meet. I was chilled to the bone and I didn’t feel like drinking, but I knew that I couldn’t just come right out and tell him what had happened over the phone. After all, we’d barely spoken to each other or spent much time together. Andrew was basically a stranger to me.
All we had in common was our parents.
“Kristin?”
I turned around at the sound of my name. Standing in front of me was the most gorgeous man I’d ever seen. His skin was deeply tanned, like he’d just gotten back from Greece, and his dark hair was smoothed into waves that showed off his sculpted face. There was a hint of dark scruff on his chin and jaw, and his sexy dark eyes seemed to penetrate me.
“Hi, Andrew,” I said nervously. God, he’s even more handsome than I remembered! How is that even possible?
Andrew relaxed into an easy smirk. “You look so grown-up,” he said with a tinge of sarcasm in his dark, rich baritone. “It’s good to see you.” Before I could reply, Andrew pulled me into a hug, crushing me against his muscular body. The scent of expensive, woody cologne radiated from his skin.
It took all the effort I had not to swoon.
“So,” Andrew said. “What are you doing in Boston?” We’d just sat down at the bar and ordered drinks – I’d gotten something called a Candy Cane Martini and Andrew had ordered a bourbon on the rocks. I couldn’t stop sneaking little glances at him. Every inch of his appearance seemed to radiate confidence and sex. He was wearing a dark button-down shirt that clung to his graceful, brawny torso and his dark pants made his legs seem longer than humanly possible. He was both feline and boyish at the same time.
I wanted to kiss him.
Instead, I sipped my drink. It was sugary sweet – which was the only kind of alcohol I could stand.
“I’m surprised to see you drinking,” Andrew smirked. He sipped his bourbon and rolled the glass around in his sinewy hand. I snuck a look at his hands and shivered when I saw how veiny and thick they were.
“Well, I’m not at home,” I said tightly. “That’s um…that’s kind of the reason why I called you.”
Andrew leaned back in his chair. “Oh, yeah? Thought you’d pay me a visit now that you’re in Boston?”
I nodded. “Sort of.” When Andrew looked at me expectantly, I knew I couldn’t keep silent about my dilemma anym
ore. “Mom and Dean threw me out,” I said flatly. “I…I came up here with my friend Megan, from school, and I lied because Mom wouldn’t have let me come otherwise.”
“Go on,” Andrew said, taking a sip of his bourbon. His dark eyes flashed mysteriously.
“It’s just…” I sighed, setting my martini glass down on the bar. The alcohol was starting to make me feel warm and relaxed, something I wasn’t used to feeling. “You know how it is,” I said finally. “Mom and Dean are just so strict! It’s like, I never do anything wrong but I get punished anyway! It’s not fair, Andrew. I’m an adult – I’m twenty-two. And I can’t even spend the night away from home without getting the third degree!”
Andrew nodded slowly. “You’re completely right,” he said. He smirked. “You wouldn’t believe me if I told you Dad wasn’t always this bad. But something changed, I guess. I mean, I had to get away from them. And now you don’t blame me, do you?”
I shook my head. “I understand,” I said. I shifted uncomfortably in my chair.
“So, do you have a place to stay?”
I couldn’t meet Andrew’s eyes. Instead, I just shook my head. “I don’t,” I said flatly. “I can stay with my friend Megan’s relative here for a few days, but not more than a week. She said her landlord is really strict about extended guests.”
“Makes sense,” Andrew replied. “Well, why not stay with me?”
I raised my eyebrows. “Really?”
Andrew smirked again, looking devilishly handsome. “Sure,” he said. “You just have to promise me one thing?”
I frowned. “What’s that?”
“Promise me you’ll learn to lighten up,” Andrew said dryly.
I swallowed nervously. I wasn’t sure what that meant, and I didn’t like the sound of it.
But I didn’t have any choice.
“Okay,” I mumbled. “I promise.”
Andrew’s dark eyes flashed. “Good.”
It was then that I got another sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach. I wondered what exactly Andrew meant, but I didn’t want to seem like a bratty little kid by asking too many questions.
Still, I knew I had to agree to his terms. After all, I didn’t have any other choice.
Andrew paid for two more drinks and then we climbed in a cab and rode to where he lived, in the South End. It was a much posher neighborhood than Jamaica Plain, and I couldn’t help pressing my face against the window and watching as we rolled past gorgeous, antique homes.
“How can you afford this,” I breathed. “This is incredible, Andrew.”
Andrew smirked. Then he did something very strange – he rested his hand on my knee. At first, I squirmed under his touch. But after a few seconds, I began to enjoy the heat radiating from his palm and sinking into my skin. Andrew slid his hand further up my thigh. When I looked over at him, he raised his eyebrow.
“Just remember what I said back in the bar,” Andrew said smoothly.
The cab slowed to a stop and Andrew paid, handing the driver a twenty. I followed him back into the cold air, shivering as it hit the exposed skin at my neck and hands. Andrew led the way into a gorgeous, older building with an intricate brass gate.
“This is beautiful,” I said, craning my neck and glancing up. “You live here?”
Andrew nodded. “I have for a few years,” he said. When he opened the front door, I was startled by the sight of another man on the couch.
“Hey,” the guy greeted Andrew. His eyes flicked over me with interest. “Who’s this?”
“This is Kristin,” Andrew said. His voice contained just a hint of mocking. “You’ve heard me mention her, right?”
The guy nodded. He stood up and stared at me, raising his eyebrows as his eyes took in every inch of my appearance. I blushed – between Andrew and this guy, I’d had more attention paid to me by men today than the rest of my life combined.
“I’m Victor,” the guy said. He held out a hand and we shook – his grip was soft but strong, and I was surprised by how thoroughly he shook my hand.
“Kristin is going to stay with us for a while,” Andrew said. “Dad and Carissa kicked her out because she lied about going to Boston.” He rolled his eyes. “She’s twenty-two, if you can believe that,” he added. “My parents are such fucking prudes.”
I blushed at the use of the curse, but after a few moments, I couldn’t help giggling. He was exactly right.
I yawned. “Do you mind…do you mind showing me where I’ll be sleeping?” I glanced down at my watch. “I know it’s only nine, but I’m exhausted.”
Andrew smirked. “Come with me, honey,” he said. “Up the stairs.”
“Nice to meet you,” I said, nodding my head at Victor. But to my surprise, he followed Andrew up the stairs. He was cute, too – the opposite of Andrew, with a lanky body, dark blonde hair, and deep blue eyes. He had a cleft in his chin and wireless glasses that made him look like a young professor….the kind of professor that girls like Megan would flirt shamelessly with.
Victor smirked at me. I blushed scarlet – for such a mild-looking guy, he had a way of staring at me that made me feel like he was going to detach his jaw and swallow me whole.
Andrew led me up the stairs, through a dark hallway, and into a bedroom with a huge, king-sized bed and a silk duvet.
“You’ll be sleeping here,” Andrew said. He grinned. “Any questions?”
“Uh.” I glanced over my shoulder. “Where’s the bathroom?”
“Down the hall,” Andrew replied. He stepped closer to Victor. Victor reached up and started rubbing Andrew’s upper back. I knew that I shouldn’t stare, but it was hard to tear my eyes away from the two gorgeous men touching each other. As Victor kept massaging Andrew, Andrew closed his eyes and tilted his head back.
My cheeks were burning with shame. “I should leave you alone,” I mumbled, stepping back. But when I glanced up, I saw that Victor and Andrew were kissing deeply. Their tongues entwined with each other’s, and Victor wrapped his arms around Andrew’s muscular shoulders, pulling him close.
A strange feeling came over my body – I felt tingly and hot, like I was suddenly too big for my skin. My nipples stiffened inside my bra and I uttered a small moan as I felt the area between my legs grow damp and slippery. What’s wrong with me? I thought shamefully, twisting my body to the side. I’m such a perv!
“Come here,” Andrew said. He pulled his arm away from Victor and held it out to me. I didn’t move – I felt like I was frozen to the ground. Andrew grinned, then beckoned me with his finger.
“Come here,” Victor echoed. He smirked at me. “You know you want to.”
My legs felt like jelly as I walked across the bedroom. Even though it was only a few feet, I felt like I was walking across the ocean.
When I reached Andrew and Victor, Andrew pulled me into their embrace. Instantly, my body was surrounded by men. Victor put his hands on my waist and brushed my hair out of my face as Andrew pressed his lips to mine. When we kissed, I felt an electric spark shoot through my body and sizzle through the air. The dampness between my legs became a rush of sexual emotion as Andrew slid his hands down my back and squeezed my ass. Feeling his big, firm hands running all over my body was enough to make me moan softly into his mouth. As Andrew’s tongue slid against mine, I eagerly purred and pressed my body against his.
Victor stood behind me, rubbing my shoulders and playing with my hair. His soft lips kissed me right at the top of my spine, making all the hair on the back of my neck stand up. I shivered and thrust my ass against his body. Through his jeans, I could feel that his was rock hard. Andrew gently broke the kiss, pulling away and groaning as I bit his lip. The look in his eyes was dark, sexual – almost magical.
I was barely aware of Victor and Andrew tugging me over to the bed. When Andrew’s cold hands slid under my shirt, I cried out at the shock of his icy fingers against my skin. But soon his hands warmed and I moaned softly as I felt his fingers slide into my bra. Andrew pinched my nipples gen
tly between his thumbs and forefingers and I arched my back. Victor leaned down and kissed me wetly, pushing my mouth open with his tongue and ravaging the inside of my mouth. He tasted like smoke and spice and I shivered as Andrew’s caresses to my nipples grew more forceful. My clit was throbbing in my panties and I moaned softly as Victor pushed me down onto the mattress. Andrew pulled my shirt over my head and tossed it across the room. He and Victor grinned at each other, then nodded before removing their own shirts. Together, they were a perfect contract – Victor’s pale blonde against Andrew’s golden, Grecian skin.
Victor and Andrew kissed again, slowly this time. I watched the bulge in Andrew’s pants twitch and I blushed hotly when I realized that it was his cock. Nervously, I reached forward and slid my hand across his erection through his jeans. Andrew groaned. He reached down and grabbed my hand, rubbing my fingers forcefully over his stiff cock.
“God,” Andrew groaned. He threw his head back and Victor kissed and bit his neck. I could practically feel the sensation both ways – it was like I was somehow both men and myself, all at once. Victor pulled my other hand towards him and rubbed it against his own cock. Both men were huge, but I could feel that Andrew was slightly bigger. A nervous thrill ran through me. What were we doing? How was it going to end?
Andrew and Victor climbed on the bed. As Andrew fumbled with the snap of my jeans, Victor kneeled behind me and tilted my head backwards until we were kissing upside down. I moaned softly into his mouth as I felt Andrew tug my jeans down my thighs and toss them to the side. A warm, musky scent filled the room and my cheeks burned with shame when I realized it was the smell of my own womanly arousal. The crotch of my panties was soaked, and each time my body twisted and strained, the wet fabric rubbed against my labia. It was torture – it felt so damn good, but at the same time, I wanted more.
Victor ran his hands down my body and cupped my breasts. Andrew traced the insides of my thighs with his fingers, gently touching me until I was shaking and shivering in his arms. His fingers were so close – yet so far – to my pussy and I desperately wanted him to touch me more.