by Natalie Rios
"Maybe, but what I really take issue with is the terminology. In keeping with our use of regency romance words, you should have said debauching. Theo Montgomery, the notorious handsome rake, enjoys debauching young women."
I grip the hem of her dress. “I’ll debauch you right now-”
“We’re not having sex with your parents downstairs! We’re kind of…loud.”
Fuck yeah we are. Smirking, I say, “I don’t know what you’re so worried about. My mother’s the scarier one of the two. Stop thinking of him as the governor and just think of him as my dad.”
“Yeah, your dad who happens to be the governor.”
“You have no trouble treating me like I’m nothing special and my face is plastered on more national magazines and newspapers than his is.” This mollifies her for all of one second.
“Are you sure we can’t just sneak out the back?”
“Positive. Your purse is still in the kitchen, remember?”
She groans. “Fine. Fine. But we should wash our hands again.” We already washed our hands, but I follow her into the bathroom adjacent to my room and do so again, just to get her moving.
We step into the hall and I can see my parents waiting for us at the base of the stairs. Cupping Allie’s clammy palm in mine, I try to reassure her. “They’re going to love you. I promise.” Then I lead us down. “Hey, Mom. I thought you guys were in Boston tonight?”
“Oh, we were in the neighborhood and thought we’d check on the house.”
“In the neighborhood,” I repeat, stealing a glance at my dad. He just smirks. Yeah, we both know this ambush has Dorothy Montgomery written all over it.
“That’s what I said. And then Jean Pierre mentioned your little dinner and I just had to see for myself,” Mom continues.
Jean Pierre. Our family’s chef who apparently gossips more than the mean girls down at the local high school. After tonight, he’s officially dead to me.
Mom reaches to hug me, but quickly shoves me out of the way when she spots Allie cowering behind me. “Now, who is this pretty girl?”
“I’m Allie. It’s nice to meet you, Mrs. Montgomery.”
Mom laughs, sliding her arm around Allie’s shoulder. “You can call me Dorothy. Or Dorie. Close friends and family call me Dorie.”
Allie shoots me a panicked look. Yeah, she should be more worried about the calculating look in my mother’s eye. She’s the schemer in the family. “Ah, okay-”
“Oh, aren’t you pretty! Isn’t she pretty, Artie?” My dad, the big bad governor, hums his agreement.
Allie laughs a bit uncomfortably. “Thank you?”
Mom turns to me now. “You didn’t tell us you were seeing anyone.” The words sound more like an accusation. “Theodore never brings home any girls for us to meet. You must be really special.”
Technically, I didn’t bring Allie around to meet them either, but they have the right impression. “How did you guys end up ‘in the neighborhood’ when the townhouse is like an hour away?” I ask, using air quotes.
“Hush now. Where are you from?” Mom asks Allie.
“Mom,” I cut in. “You haven’t even introduced her to Dad yet.”
“Right. This is my husband, Artie.” Mom waves vaguely in my father’s direction.
Allie curtsies and stammers out, “Such a pleasure to meet you, Governor Montgomery.”
Dad shakes his head. “We aren’t so formal around here. Please, just call me Artie.”
Allie turns her head towards me and mouths Artie? I shrug. I tried to tell her she was all worked up over nothing.
“Do you go to Carlton, Allie? Are you a senior? What are you studying?”
“Mom. You’re overwhelming her.”
She blinks, all innocence. “Nonsense. I’m just trying to get to know her.”
“Chemistry,” Allie answers.
“Chemistry! That’s a hard science!” My mom is practically singing with joy. “You must be really smart.”
“Allie has a 4.0.” My chest swells with pride just saying the words. “She’s completing a thesis so she can graduate with honors and she’s Phi Beta Kappa.” Yeah, I'm openly bragging about how brilliant my girlfriend is. But I want my parents to understand just how amazing Allie is.
“What do you plan on doing after college?”
“I’m applying to medical school.”
“A doctor!” my mother exclaims, positively giddy. She glances at me over her shoulder, shooting me a look that reads you better not fuck this up. “Do you like football?”
“Not really.” Allie grimaces. “I mean, I’m just really focused on school right now.”
Mom’s head bobs up and down rapidly. “You know, I used to be an ICU nurse. I gave that up when Theo was born so he could grow up with a stay-at-home mother. And he loved every minute of it, didn’t you Theo? Which do you think is more important,” Mom continues without pausing for me to answer, “family or your career?”
“Um…” Allie is still smiling, but it’s awkward. Too wide. I shoot my dad an SOS look.
He steps in and manages to dislodge Allie from my mother’s death grip. “You know, Allie, I would love to hear your thoughts on healthcare reform. It’s important to keep your finger on the pulse of today’s youth.” He steers Allie back into the kitchen. “Your generation will play a pivotal role in the future of healthcare.”
“I love her!” Mom says the second they are out of earshot. Clapping her hands together, there’s a dewy look in her eyes. “Where did you find her?”
Allie was always there, I was just too stupid to notice.
“We have a class together,” I say instead.
A smug smile spreads across her face. “See! I told you all along you should have been looking for girls in the classroom instead of dingy frat basements. Admit it, Mama knows best.”
“Don’t go planning our wedding and naming our future children just yet,” I warn because the crazy look in her eye tells me that’s exactly what she’s doing. Hell, she’s probably got the nursery all planned out too. “We’ve only been on three dates.”
There’s a twinkle in her eye as she murmurs, “Sometimes, that’s all it takes.”
My life has always run on a routine. Always has, always will. Workouts, class, practice, meetings, games...and now Allie.
She fit in seamlessly, which is a complete shock for me. One of the biggest reasons I don’t do relationships is because of the time commitment. Time is a precious commodity for me, one I have very little of. The very same girls who were only interested in me because of football rarely understood the time commitment required to become a top athlete.
You’re always practicing, they complained. You’re always out of town. It’s like you’re never around.
But not my Allie. She’s just as busy as I am. We see each other when we see each other, texts and video chat tiding us over on the days I’m on the road. Most of our face-to-face interaction involves studying at the library or sitting next to each other in class. Sometimes we’ll go out to a Kappa party, where I can now hold Allie close and run my hands over those luscious curves while people glare at us in envy. Sometimes, like tonight, we stay in and Netflix and chill with her roommates.
When you think about it, this isn’t really different from what we did before except now our bickering ends in hot, sweaty sex.
I wouldn’t want it any other way.
“That guy’s parked outside of our apartment again,” Allie says. She’s pulled the curtains of the front window back so she can peer out into the street. “Travis.”
“Trent,” Lia corrects from her perch on the floor. Lying on her stomach, her eyes remain glued on the episode of Breaking Bad playing on the TV. “His name is Trent.”
“Whatever.” Allie’s still monitoring the action outside and I take a moment to admire her round ass, currently clad in a pair of yoga pants that cling to her like a second skin. Men owe a big thank you to whoever invented yoga pants. “This is the third night this week.”<
br />
“And like the tenth time this month,” Camilla grouses from her spot next to Lia. Though the girls have a couch, none of them will sit on it.
“I know. Isn’t it romantic?” Lia says in a dreamy voice.
“Yes, stalking is so romantic. Your future children can learn all about how you met on an episode of Dateline.” Whirling around, Allie has her hands on her hips and I grin at how fucking cute she looks right now. Hair piled high on her head in a haphazard knot, full lips pursed into a pout. I can’t look at her and not break out into a grin.
“It’s not stalking,” Lia argues from the floor. “It’s called obsessing. Every girl wants a guy who is obsessed with her. It means he’s passionate.”
“Serial killers are passionate too,” Camilla says, turning onto her back so she can stare up at her outstretched cell phone. She’s been on that thing all night. “Ted Bundy had some serious obsessive tendencies.”
Lia rolls her eyes. “I’m looking for my Christian Grey, not Ted Bundy. He was obsessed with Anastasia and it was so sexy.”
“Christian Grey is a fantasy, not to mention a billionaire. Is this guy a billionaire? Does he look like Jamie Dornan? Or is he just another broke college guy desperate to get in your pants? I thought so,” Allie smugly continues when Lia just huffs at her. “This is No Scrubs Palace, remember? No scrubs allowed. Your rule.” The doorbell rings then and since Allie’s right there, she answers the door. “Oh, speaking of scrubs…Schmidty’s here.”
I snort out a laugh, watching an irate Cameron Schmidt walk in with a petite brunette, both carrying takeout bags. “Reason #157 why Allie Perez is still single: she insults men who bring her dinner.”
Allie shoots me a mischievous smile before saying to Schmidt, “Remind me of reasons 1-156 again.”
“The way you’re dressed right now, your obsession with school, and that smartass mouth. Those three pretty much cover it.”
I’m about to tell him to fuck right the hell off making comments about Allie like that, but he’s still talking. “Shouldn’t you be serving drinks right about now?”
“Nope. New job. I get to work from home now.” After Allie and my dad chatted about healthcare reform, he hooked her up with a position as a research assistant for some national health policy research group. It pays a little less than her old job, but she can pick her own hours and it looks a hell of a lot better on her resume than being a bartender at a strip club.
Schmidt enters the living room area and spots me as he’s setting the bags on the table. “Montgomery.”
“Schmidty,” I reply, rotating my right shoulder.
“What’s he doing here?”
“He’s a stray,” Allie quips and if she wasn’t walking away from me, I would pinch her.
“Yeah. He followed Allie home one day and he’s been around ever since,” Camilla nods.
“One day, you’re going to admit you are crazy stupid in love with me,” I call out to Allie as she enters the kitchen.
She ignores me. “Did you know your sister has a stalker? He parks outside of our building at least twice a week and it’s creeping me out.”
“Hey!” Lia grabs a pillow and flings it in Allie’s direction. They have one of those open-style floor plans so theoretically she could have made it, but let’s just say aim is not a Schmidt family strong suit. “You tattletale!”
“I’m not tattling.” Allie reenters the room and places a bag of frozen peas on my shoulder. God, she’s fucking perfect. Knowing exactly what I need without me having to ask for it. Holding the bag in place with one hand, I use the other one to stroke up her thigh in appreciation. Her cheekbones flush bright pink, but she keeps right on talking. “Te pasaste, Lia.”
“You crossed the line,” Camilla whispers the translation for me. “Or you’re crazy.”
“She probably means both,” I whisper back and Camilla nods in agreement. Lia, I’ve learned, is a little crazy. Or a lot crazy. Jury’s still out on that one.
“English, Allison,” Schmidt chides. “If you break out the Spanish now, I’ll never be able to keep up with the conversation.”
“Your sister has gotten herself into a potentially dangerous situation and I’m letting you know so you can do something about it.”
“Do what?” Lia scoffs. “Lecture me? I’m an adult, he can’t tell me what to do.”
“Beat his ass,” Allie corrects. “Isn’t that what big brothers are for?”
I snort. “Schmidty’s not exactly the intimidating kind.”
Glaring at me, Schmidt points at my shoulder. “Oh, and you are, with your busted shoulder?”
“It’s not busted, it’s sore. It can happen when you throw touchdowns, something I know you’re not too familiar with-”
“Is he the stalker?” Schmidt growls. “Because I will gladly beat his ass-”
“He’s not the stalker,” Allie quickly interrupts.
“Why is he here then? I thought you two were just study partners?”
“Study partners,” Camilla snickers, eyes still glued on her phone. “Yeah, they were studying in her room earlier. Loudly.”
Allie reaches down and snatches Camilla’s phone. “Someone’s jelly. At least I’m doing more than just texting.”
“Why is Trent driving by to check up on me creepy but Camilla constantly texting some guy she’s never met not?” Lia asks. “It’s like textbook Catfishing.”
“He’s more like a pen pal, except via text,” Camilla says, jumping up to retrieve her phone. “Jax doesn’t know who I am or where to find me. Therefore, he’s harmless.”
Jax. Hearing the name has me sitting up straighter in my seat.
The new girl bravely takes a seat on the Love Couch. “Wait, so you’ve only talked over text? You have no idea what he looks like or anything?” She turns to me. “I’m Veronica, by the way.”
Ah, Schmidt’s girlfriend. No wonder she doesn’t mind the couch, she helped defile it. I return her smile with one of my own.
“I keep warning her he probably looks like a troll,” Allie says. “Why else would he be so against meeting?”
Camilla wrinkles her nose. “I don’t think that’s the case. And I know some stuff about him. He’s Irish, he goes to Carlton, and he has horrible luck with women. Just last month, a girl kicked him out of her apartment in his birthday suit and I helped him out by dropping off some clothes.”
Allie snorts. “If she kicked him out buck naked, he was probably being an asshole.”
Ah hell. This story. No way it’s a coincidence. “Jax…Teller?” I ask tentatively.
Camilla’s eyes light up like a Christmas tree. “Yes! Do you know him? I would love to meet him, but he changes the subject whenever I bring it up.”
Fuck. Fuck. I glance up at Schmidt and his face mirrors my concern. “Yeah, I think I might know him. I’ll talk to him for you.” And by talk I mean knock some sense into him.
“I’m sorry.” Veronica shakes her head and wags a finger between me and Allie. “I still don’t understand what’s going on here.”
I get out of my seat, not waiting for anyone else to answer. With a smug grin, I make it to Allie in less than ten steps. She’s got her back to me, but I wrap my arms around her waist and press my lips against the curve of her neck. I had planned to leave it at that, but fuck. I can’t seem to keep my hands off her, sliding them down her ribcage until they settle at her hips, turning her so we’re facing each other.
She doesn’t push me away, but she does cast a nervous glance around the room. “What are you doing? We have company.”
Instead of answering, I lean in and kiss her. Not just a peck either, but the type of kiss that tells everyone in the room she’s mine. After kissing her senseless, I face the room with a grin. “We’re together. Any further questions?”
Veronica shrugs. “Cool.”
Schmidt’s death glare tells me he doesn’t take the news quite as well his girlfriend. “We need to talk,” he says.
Unfazed, I shr
ug. “Sure.”
Lia makes a crackling noise. “Theo Montgomery, please report to the principal’s office.”
The girls giggle while I follow Schmidt outside. Their voices fade away as we walk down to the corner of the street. “This should be far enough.”
“I’ll talk to Jax,” I start.
“This isn’t about Jax,” he growls. “It’s about Allie.”
“Oh.” Leaning against the street light pole, I cock a brow at him. “There’s nothing to discuss. My relationship with Allie is none of your business.”
He crosses his arms over his chest. “Allie is my business,” he replies coolly. “She’s like a little sister to me and I’m not about to let you ruin her life just because you want to get your dick wet.”
A muscle ticks in my jaw. “Ruining her life, huh? So sorry. I didn’t realize taking her out to dinner and introducing her to my parents would ruin her life.”
He hisses out a breath and grabs the front of my shirt. “Bullshit! You don’t take girls out on dates. You fuck them and forget about them the second they roll off the bed. Don’t think I’ll stand by and let you play Allie like you do all the rest. Make no mistake, I will fucking break your kneecaps. Do you hear me?”
My palms shove against his chest hard, causing him to jump back several feet. Schmidt may be older, but I’m bigger. Stronger. I’ve got a couple of inches and twenty pounds of muscle on him, maybe more now that he no longer plays football. “Get the fuck out my face before I decide caving in your skull would be worth the one game suspension. I hear you. You’re the one who’s not listening.”
“Allie’s a nice girl. She’s not one of your cheap sluts who will just fall into bed with you. Wait. Is that what this is? An ego thing? She turned you down and now you’re going through the motions so you can brag about bagging the shy nerd?” I snort because hearing Allie being described as shy is absolutely hilarious. This only seems to irritate Schmidt even more. “You think this is funny? You’re taking advantage of sweet girl. Don’t lead her on by making her think you’re interested in something more.”
I close my eyes and count to ten, slowly relaxing my clenched fists. “You think I don’t know she’s a nice girl? She’s smart and gorgeous and funny and so damn ambitious. I’ve been hanging out with her and only her for months now. I introduced her to my parents. They invited her to Thanksgiving dinner. We have plans to visit her family in New York in December. If all I wanted was sex, I wouldn’t still be here. I wouldn’t be planning a future with her.”