“We are lucky. So what do you get at this place?” Miles wrinkles his nose as he opens the menu.
“Wait, have you never had sushi before?” I laugh at him.
“Um, no. Farristons don’t do sushi. Much too refined for raw fish.”
“Awesome. I’ll take your fishy virginity.” His eyes flash at my innocent reference, and an electric jolt goes through me at the insinuation his heterochromatic eyes make.
“I’ll gladly give that to you.” His wolfish grin heats me up even more.
“Oh, young love! Remember when you were sweet to me like that.” Minka hits Owen playfully.
“Oh, stop. You have me wrapped around your finger and you know it. And you are just as sweet as when I first met you.” His eyes flash, and I know he’s not talking about her personality.
“All right, hornballs, let’s order.” The waitress comes up and Minka rattles off basically the entire menu of sushi rolls. I’m not that worried though, we are eating with two men who could eat the city of New York out of pizza and bagels.
“So what’s up for Valentine’s Day?” Owen takes a sip of his beer. Lucky. Minka and I still have two more years until we can enjoy those benefits of restaurant dining.
I sneak a peek at Miles. We haven’t discussed the upcoming holiday, which is just four days away. My Valentine’s Days of past have always been spent at singles dances or at the movies with juvenile boyfriends. I’d never had a real, in love, coupled up Valentine’s Day. And not that I am a high maintenance type of girl, but I have always imagined an extremely romantic way to celebrate the holiday with someone I love.
“Well, you took me to Lucca’s and then back to your college house, which was bathed in flowers, so not sure how you’re going to top that one this year, Axel,” Minka teases Owen, kissing his cheek.
Miles is oddly quiet, and I continue to nibble the edamame that’s just gotten delivered to the table.
“Uh … hey, Axel. Farriston.” Steven Bryant stands over our table, staring daggers at the arm Miles has resting behind my head. Crap. Miles and I never really talked about me seeing him, and I’m not even sure if he knew.
“What’s up, Bryant? How’s the free semester going?” Owen asks. Everyone knows that football players pretty much party all of spring semester since all they have to do is lift.
“It’s fine. Hey, Chloe. Haven’t seen you in a while.” He looks at me, a disgusting snarl marring his lips.
“Hi, Steven. I hope you’ve been well.” I play it polite and cordial. He took it okay when I broke things off, but I’ve heard from a few people since we started back that he’s been spreading some stuff around.
“Yeah, I’ve been great. Lot of hot dates coming around.” He winks, and I feel Miles bristle. He hasn’t said anything yet, but I know from his body language that he knows exactly what’s going on.
“All right, Bryant. Move along.” Miles’s voice is gruff, annoyed, and protective. If I wasn’t so afraid that they’d cause a fight in the middle of the restaurant, I’d be turned on at his possessiveness.
“What the fuck is your problem, Farris? Or is your uptight princess getting to you?” Steven leers, and I feel an uncomfortable nausea move through my stomach. I never did a thing to cause him to act like this, but it still upsets me that some guys take it to this level. What we had was nice, never serious. Yet, his ego can’t handle that I called it off.
“That’s enough,” Miles grits, his arm wrapping more tightly around me. “We are having a great dinner. She didn’t do anything to you, man, I’ve been hearing the shit you’ve been stirring up about her. She is my princess, and you’d do right to remember that. Enough rumors and bullshit. If I hear you talking about her again, I’ll show you just how uptight I can be.”
Steven looks taken aback, and a little scared. He didn’t expect Miles to address the issue straight on, and he knows that my macho, giant boyfriend isn’t screwing around. He walks away without another word, and we turn back to our now awkward dinner.
No one says anything as our waitress rolls up with all forty-six rolls Minka ordered. As I break my chopsticks, Miles finally speaks.
“Asshole. You’re my uptight princess.” And turns my body before crashing his lips onto mine.
He locks me into such a heated kiss that I’m afraid he might burn my lips straight off my face. Not that I care about that when he’s lighting me up like a pinball machine on the inside.
Owen clears his throat. “All right, I’m trying to eat here!”
We pull away, breathless and mesmerized by each other.
“You just don’t deserve that.” Miles rubs my arms up and down, his rough palms grazing my skin. All I can do is nod.
After we finish eating and pay the bill, Owen is still hungry, and drags Minka over to the frozen yogurt portion of the restaurant.
“Take a walk with me?” Miles holds out his hand, and there is no way I’ll ever turn him down.
We push our way out of the crowded, Saturday night hot spot, and make our way down Collegetown Boulevard. The street is lined with cafés, coffee shops, a bookstore, and even a tattoo and piercing parlor. The sidewalks are jam-packed with students and their groups of friends, all milling around downtown before heading out to the party scene tonight. I’m completely content as Miles and I mosey along, holding onto each other’s gloved hands.
“I knew about the shit he was spreading about you.” Miles breaks our silent, pleasant walk.
I know he’s been thinking about this since Steven interrupted our dinner, and I feel bad that it’s tainting our night.
“I should have done something about it earlier.” He rubs his free glove across his forehead, pushing at the golden spirals resting there.
“No. You shouldn’t have. Because it’s not a big deal. I went out with Steven maybe four times. And then I broke it off. If he can’t handle that, it’s not our problem.”
“But he’s spreading lies about my girl.”
“Let him. You know why? We are happy. I’m so happy with you. And I don’t care what other people think.”
Miles stops me in front of a bench farther down the main drag, and we sit. “How can you be so perfect? How did I deserve you?”
“You had to work for it, remember?” I smile shyly, bumping my shoulder into his.
“I did. But it was so worth it. Because I can do this whenever I want.”
He takes my cold, wind-battered face in his warm, fuzzy gloves, and presses the sweetest kiss to my frozen lips. They instantly warm under his, parting and allowing him to move into my mouth with a sweep of his tongue.
The words “I love you” are on the tip of my tongue, wanting so badly to pop out of my mouth that I have to crush my lips harder to his.
“But I must admit, it was kind of hot the way you stood up for me.”
He palms my cheek. “Anything for my princess.”
I am so proud of him for not only standing up for me in there but also for not fighting Steven. The old Miles? He would have thrown punches from the first word, just for fun. He’s come so far from where he was, and by himself.
I can’t imagine going through what his family, and especially his father, put him through. I can’t even imagine that happening, because in my world, parents support your dreams and wishes. Charles Farriston is a bully and an evil man, I’d seen that much when the restaurant fiasco had gone down. How could you not support your child in the first place? But then, to go so far as not leave them a tip when they’ve worked so hard at a job you basically forced them to get?
I’m not the kind of person who holds grudges, but this one is hard not to forget.
Miles pulls away, his eyes sparkling in the moonlight descending over town. He looks gorgeous, his blond hair and constantly tan skin popping against his sophisticated black pea coat. He makes my insides feel like mush.
“Let’s get you home. I need you in my bed, right now.”
That sounds absolutely perfect to me.
24
> Miles
Who the fuck made Valentine’s Day anyway? Some asshole who wanted to see men suffer in the girliest way possible. That’s who.
Fuck, I’m about twenty minutes behind schedule, and even though it’s the middle of February, I’m sweating through my white button down.
“Dude, calm down. Everything is going to work out.” Clint is stringing up the twinkling Christmas lights I bought for half off at the dollar store. Our living room looks like Hallmark threw up in it, which is probably the perfect amount for Chloe.
Because if there is one thing I know about my girlfriend, it’s that she loves romance. And I’ve been trying to give it to her. But when I saw her eyes light up at Owen’s rose petal comment at dinner the other day, I knew I’d have to do that shit.
It’s not that I don’t want to do it for her, or that she expects it. It’s that I’m just not that creative of a guy, and romance doesn’t come first hand to me. Planning all of this has been like planning a goddamn wedding, or sweet sixteen. I’ve been strategizing about this for months. Thank God I have Clint. And Owen, to scam ideas off of.
“When do you need to pick up the food?” Clint finishes stringing and plugs them in, sending a sparkling light around the living room.
“Um, ten minutes?” Shit. I have Thai food on order, one of Chloe’s favorites. We’re going to eat it in the living room, with soft music and petals surrounding us, before I lead her on the trail of petals lining the hallway back to the bedroom. At which point we will end up in the bedroom, which houses ten dozen red rose bouquets. It’s like a tropical greenhouse in my room.
Shoot me now. I can’t stomach half of this shit, but I’ll do it because I love Chloe. Which I haven’t told her yet. And I can’t keep fighting the words from coming out of my mouth.
“All right, dude. I’m getting out of your hair. Or being forced out. Whatever.” I begged Clint and Owen to give me the house for the night. Parker is nowhere to be found these days, so I don’t have to count on him coming home. Owen is taking Minka to some swanky bed-and-breakfast out of town. Stupid rich kids. And Clint is off to the coffee shop to Skype the night away with Kelsey. Or so I think. He won’t tell me.
“You going to get on the video chat with your girl tonight?” I bust his chops as I lay rose petals all over the hallway.
“Shut up, bro. She’s not my girl.” His face goes bright red, and he scratches at his arms that are almost twice the size of mine now. Dude is thin and jacked. Who is he these days?
“All right, get out of here, Casanova. I have to grab the food and Chloe will be here any second.”
After Clint leaves, I run around like a madman, grabbing the takeout food, throwing away last minute items I find hiding in the couch. A jockstrap, fucking disgusting, some old cheese puffs, and two joints. I’ll keep those safe for now.
A knock comes on the door, and I straighten, freezing with about six things in my hands. I run over to the closet, dump them in, run my hands down my khakis, take a deep breath, and open the door.
Chloe stands on the front porch, a white pea coat wrapped around her, snow falling lightly in the background. Her black mane cascades around her shoulders, snowflakes catching her on her long, black eyelashes. I suddenly can’t breathe. She makes me feel like my lungs are collapsing in my chest.
“You look … you’re so … Jesus, you’re perfect.”
Chloe smiles a shy, blushing grin, and I take her hand to pull her inside.
Even though she’s my girlfriend, and we’ve been dating for about two months now, it suddenly feels awkward. I feel shy, which is something I usually never feel.
“So let me take your coat,” I say at the same time Chloe looks up and says, “Wow, it’s beautiful in here, Miles.”
We smile at each other and our interruptions. “I got us Thai food.” I take Chloe’s coat off her shoulders and kiss her slim neck as I do so. The move causes her to shiver, and I can smell the delicious vanilla perfume she always wears.
“I hope that includes some Pad See Ew.” She giggles as I hold her from behind, nibbling on her ear with her coat in my hand. As I stare down the front of her at the black dress she has on, I’m thinking maybe we’ll skip dinner.
“All right, sexy, let’s eat. Before I forego the food and just eat you.” Chloe flushes as I pull her down onto the pillows I’ve set up at the coffee table. I turn up the classical music, one of Chloe’s favorites, and pour us each a glass of wine. Believe it or not, I called Isabella to see what kind I should buy.
“Tudor? You bought Tudor wine? How did you know this was my favorite?” Chloe claps excitedly before we clink our glasses together.
“I may have had the inside track. Which means I called your mama.”
She leans across the table and kisses me; the wine making her taste even more exotic than she usually does.
“Miles, this is really sweet. You didn’t have to do all this.” She sits back, picking up her fork and spooling some noodles into her mouth before moaning. And now I’m hard in my pants.
“This? You haven’t seen nothing yet, baby. And yes, I wanted to do this. For my amazing girlfriend who has stuck through everything with me. Who has put up with more than her fair share of bullshit.”
She lays her hand over mine and squeezes. We eat in relative silence, making small talk here and there about our days. But, really we just listen to the music, sip our wine, and eat. I find this the most comforting thing to do with Chloe. Just be with her. There is no pressure to entertain her, like there has been in relationships past.
After I gobble up the last bite of my Pad Kee Mao, I rub my stomach, watching as Chloe’s eyes light up at the way I’m rubbing my hands over my abs.
“I think you’re drooling,” I tease her as I crawl over to where she sits on the other side of the coffee table.
I put my hand behind her neck, supporting her head as I lay her down slowly, following right on top of her. Chloe’s breath hitches and stutters, then comes out in puffs of lustful gasps. I kiss her like I’m trying to steal the air out of her lungs, like she is water and I’m the thirstiest man stuck in the middle of the desert.
I want to devour her, but at the same time treat her like the perfect china doll that she is. Chloe brings out such mixed emotions in me. One minute, I want to slam into her like a medieval caveman, and the next, I want to worship her perfect, elegant bones.
My cock is straining against the tight slacks, and I can feel my swollen head nudging at the elastic band of my boxers. It’s uncomfortable, and all I want to do is bury myself inside my perfect girl until I can’t think coherent thoughts.
“I need to get you out of this dress, baby.” I’m pushing the skirt up her thighs, trying my hardest to get the material over her head without saying “fuck it” and just ripping the thing in half to expose her body. I wanted to take this nice and slow, wanted to “make love” or whatever stupid shit girls say about that kind of sex.
“Yes, please just take me to bed.” Chloe is never one to be vocal, but I think we are both drunk with lust tonight. It means something to her, this holiday, and I can feel just how wet she is underneath her sheer tights.
She’s soaking through the material, wiggling to get the friction she needs.
At her words, I stand straight up and pull her with me, not even touching a thing in the living room before I all but drag her down the hall to my room.
Throwing open the door, I forgot about the flowers, and am hit with a heady aroma.
“Oh my God, baby…” Chloe trails off, standing in the doorway. Her hair is mussed up, the straps to her dress hanging haphazardly on her body. Her lip is swollen from where I bit it, but her eyes are sparkling like the constellations. “You did this? All for me?”
I swear I can see tears in her eyes, and I thank God for Clint and Owen, because I am about to be a lucky, lucky man for giving her this type of Valentine’s Day.
“All for you.” I walk up to her and strip the straps from her shoulders, ex
posing her upper half and a see-through, black lace bra that I’ve never seen before. “Oh, Jesus.”
Bending my head, I suck her already hard peaks through the rough material, causing Chloe’s knees to go weak. I catch her waist, holding her up as I nibble and bite at her sweet buds, all the while her moaning cries echoing off the walls. I pick her up and carry her to the bed, where I lay her down and move over her, grinding my rigid tool into her soaking wet stockings.
“Ow!” she cries out, and I know that’s not a good sound.
“What’s wrong … ow—” I place my hand down next to her and feel a sharp prick in my thumb. I jolt back, inspecting the tiny bubble of blood forming on my finger. “What the fuck?”
I grab Chloe’s hand to lift her off the bed, and we both stare down at it. And then she bursts into the loudest laughing fit I’ve ever seen.
I stare at her, confused and pissed because I still have a raging hard-on going in my pants that hasn’t been taken care of.
“What?” I question her, but she’s laughing so hard that her giggles have gone silent, only weeping every couple of seconds.
When she finally catches her breath, she takes my hand in hers. “You put long stem roses on the bed!”
I don’t see her point. “Yeah, and…”
“You know they have thorns, right? That you either de-thorn them or put petals out…”
“I didn’t realize …” I trail off, feeling my face burning.
“Baby, it’s okay. It really is the thought that counts.” Chloe chuckles and wraps her slim arms around me. I bury my hands in her hair and slide them down her back. “Ow!”
“Sorry!” I turn her and see the little nicks of blood marring her back. “Shit, I’m so sorry, baby. I hurt you. All I wanted was to be romantic and shit, make you feel good. Fucking Valentine’s Day. This would happen.”
Over the Fence Box Set Page 36