“Do you have any plans for today?” I ask Grey as I sit up in his bed. My legs are still buzzing and my breath is trying to catch up with my body after what just occurred. I think we need to slow down, or my legs will convert into Jell-O sticks.
He runs his hand through his disheveled hair and shakes his head.
“No, why?”
I shrug and bend to pick up my bra he excitedly flung to the ground. An image of his feverish smile and the white blur passing my peripheral vision creates a smile to curve my lips.
“No reason,” I say and glance at his unreadable expression. He’s pulling on a new pair of gray boxers. “I just don’t have anything going on besides studying, but I want to take a little tiny break for today. The only one I could catch by now is Psych, and even then, we’ve already missed a good thirty minutes.”
I’m not blaming him or anything. To be honest, I didn’t really feel in the mood to go anyway. Not when he could teach me a thing or two on how to have my eyes roll back in my head.
This is shocking; I’ve become a sex bunny, and I haven’t even had sex yet. And I’m blowing off school? Who am I becoming?
“I guess we can just hang out…” he says with noticeable amusement and hesitance. “I’ll break out the neighbor’s Netflix and we can chill.” He winks at me, and I laugh.
“I know what that means, so no. At least, not for a while.” I smile sheepishly and look away.
“Oh, just you wait. You’re gonna be waiting days for your pussy to re-adjust with me,” he brazenly says.
I groan in revulsion and press my palms against my ears. His laugh is muffled, and he leans over the bed to peck my lips.
“You are so juvenile,” I say against his lips.
“You’re juvenile,” he says with a tilted smile. “I’m up for some burritos. Want some? They’re, like, a few minutes away, so it won’t take long.” He stands and tugs on a crisp white t-shirt, stepping out of the room.
“No, thanks.” Spanish food does not agree with me, and I don’t even want to risk embarrassing myself in front of him. Not this early into our whatever-this-is relationship.
After clipping on my bra, I hold my underwear in my hands and stare at them in disgust. I didn’t really think this whole “staying over” thing through. To be fair, I didn’t think I would be sleeping at his place after our date. It was a total surprise, which means I didn’t pack a bag of fresh clothes. I’m fine with wearing the bra and the dress and the one heel. But what I am not fine with wearing is…this. I was soaked from the rain, and that mixed with the crazy arousal Grey flushed through me that led straight to these bad boys, it does not make a good combo.
“Before you order anything, we have to stop by the dorms,” I call out, gingerly stepping into my dress. I let out an air of frustration as I stare at the one shoe, it’s sister lying somewhere in the road, broken and lonely.
“Why?” He steps back in and tips my chin to look up at him. “I have you here now. I’m not letting you leave,” he says and kisses me. The sparks between us will never settle. In fact, I’m sure it grows and grows each time we touch.
But I pull back and shake my head. “I’m not staying there. I want to be here. But I need to change.”
He glances down at my dress and the sad heel, then back to me, nodding. “Okay, so why are you still holding your panties?” He raises a questioning eyebrow at the underwear in my right hand.
I shyly look away and curve my hair behind my ears. The look of mischief on his face, from the shining in his eyes and the crook of his lips, is palpable.
“They’re a bit…indisposed at the moment,” I say, and he chokes back a laugh. Barely. “It’s not funny. I just need to get new clothes. I can either walk or—”
“All right, all right. Don’t get your panties in a twist,” he says and gasps. “Wait, but you aren’t wearing any.” He waggles his eyebrows with a horribly teasing smile that reddens me in the face.
“You sicken me.” I poke his stomach and walk away, but he takes my hand and spins me around. I can’t help but let out cheerful bits of laughter. I land against his chest, and he gently brushes back a chunk of my wild hair.
Along with panties and fresh socks, I definitely need a brush. I cannot walk around with hair like this.
“And you confuse me,” he says with a sigh. “You giggle like I wasn’t between your legs ten minutes ago.”
“This is exactly what I was talking about,” I say and raise a brow with a mocking smile.
He rolls his eyes and nods to the open door. “Let’s go before I change my mind and keep you here for an eternity.”
“That doesn’t sound healthy,” I joke, narrowing my eyes. “And I need shoes.” I point at my bare feet.
“I have just the thing for you.” I don’t like the glint in his eyes. He holds up a finger to wait, but it’s not like I’m going anywhere. He walks over to a door on the other side of the bed and comes back with a pair of peach flats. I eye it with confusion. “Left over from a…companion.”
Oh…
“Oh,” I voice my thoughts.
“Don’t worry, it’s not infected or anything. Plus, it’s small and you’re small. Take it or you can lug around in my boots. And as cute and hilarious as that sounds, I don’t want you tripping with every step you take.”
I stare at the flats. I have a pair like these…the girl had taste.
“Fine,” I give in and gingerly take the shoes from him. He smiles as I drop them and slip my feet in without taking my eyes off of him.
He tugs at my hand, and we exit the building, walking up to his car in all its black glory. He looks ridiculously cool as he struts over to the driver’s seat, slipping on a pair of sunglasses and pushing his dark, still ruffled, hair back. I look away before he can catch me staring, though. God only knows that’d boost his ego, and I know it’s already through the roof. I get into the car.
Speaking of which, I really need one of my own. I hate having to depend on other people. It looks like I’ll be spending time with Grey, here at his house, but eventually I’m going to want to go back or grab something and come back. Plus, I’m eighteen and spending my first year at college. It was inevitable that I would travel around town, like to pick up my medicine or to go shopping. And apparently, to visit and leave my…significant other’s place…? I hate that I can’t give him a clear name—us a clear name—and have to dance around for a title. But back to the point—I need a car.
“Do you know any good car dealerships around?” I ask as I clip on my seatbelt.
“Yeah, why? Thinking of getting one?” He glances at me briefly before pulling out onto the road.
“Yes, but it’d have to be after Thanksgiving break,” I tell him. “There’s no point in getting it now if it’s going to be sitting by itself for five days.”
He nods and holds up a finger. “Question: Do you have a secret job I don’t know about?”
“No, but my father practically begged me to get me one last year. I didn’t see a reason for it because I never went anywhere, but now—”
“Oh, shit, you are a rich little princesa,” he cuts me off and barks out a laugh. It sends chills down my spine, and it’s not just because I’m only wearing a short dress.
I slide down in my seat and let out an embarrassing groan. “Don’t hate me.”
“Why would I hate you?” He laughs and looks over at me.
“Because I don’t need to have a job to get a car.”
“So?” He shrugs and waves a hand at me. “I don’t call you princess without a reason, babe. I knew you were one when I first laid eyes on you.”
“Don’t remind me,” I mutter, remembering how much I despised him when I first saw him and how much that loathing grew ten times more when he began calling me “princess.” It’s funny how much I detested the nickname, but now every time I hear it, it’s like someone shocks my heart and sends it into overdrive.
I look over at him and admire the way he looks so cheeky and obnoxious the way he whips his mouth back in an ear-biting grin.
The rest of the car ride is silent, save for the radio on low, but it is a serene silence that I accept with open arms.
When he pulls into the dorm’s parking lot, I promise to not take long and exit the car. He pulls me back in and presses his sweet lips to mine. After letting a chuckle slip past my greedy lips, I jog into the building. I avoid the weirded-out stares by the people hanging out in the lounge room and casually walking around the first floor. It looks like I’m doing the dreaded walk of shame. Only difference is there’s no shame. If anything, for me, it should be called the walk of bliss.
I insert my key into my door and say while entering the room, “I’m coming in!” just in case Julia and Jaimie are here doing the unthinkable.
I first see Jaimie, who is upside down on my bed, her black hair hanging down, a magazine held up to her face. But when she hears me, she pulls the magazine away, gasps, and sits upright, slightly wobbling from the fast action.
“Same clothes she left in. One heel in hand. Crazy hair,” she states and gasps even larger than the first time. “Bambi got laid last night, didn’t she?” she exclaims and throws her arms in the air.
“Not rea—”
“Come here, you naughty thing!” she screams at the top of her lungs and jumps off the bed to tackle me with a hug. She squeezes me so tightly, I’m afraid my head will pop off like a bobblehead getting squeezed by a python. Fearing her fangs will unleash and plunge into me, I lean my head back and assure her I didn’t lose my virginity. Right after I tell her I might lose my life if she doesn’t loosen her grip.
“You’re. Killing…me,” I grit out and cough for air for emphasis.
“Oh, whoops!” She pulls away and blushes bright red. “Sorry. But you fucking popped that cherry! Whacked away those cobwebs!”
I hold a hand up before she can make any more incredibly insulting analogies.
“I didn’t lose my…nothing happened like that last night,” I tell her, stumbling over my words a little.
Her face drops.
“Phooey.” She pouts like a child, and I roll my eyes. What is up with her and anticipating me losing my virginity?
I walk over to my dresser and get a pair of pale pink underwear to put on. “So what did you to get up to last night?” she asks, and I bite my lip to hold back a giggle. This boy has me wrapped so tightly around his finger, it’s insane.
“Nothing,” I tell her as I unzip my dress and let it fall to the ground. I step out of it, fold it, and place it in my hamper. I glance at her leaning on my study desk with an unbelieving, amused look. Before I can show her that I lied, I turn my heated face away and say as I step into a pair of jeans, “Why do you care, anyway?”
“Just curious…” Wait for it…I pull on a white V-neck as she adds, “I’m totally lying, but can you blame me? Grey, the brooding asshole, falls for you, the wittle cute Bambi out of the hundred—” I frown, and she waves a hand, nervously laughing. “I mean, the few girls he’s banged, and bam! You two are a thing. And a frisky little thing at that. I see those marks on your neck and chest—don’t try to cover them up, either.”
I gape at her, trying to form words. “What we do is none of your—”
“Oh, don’t even try that.” She guffaws with a wave of a hand, as if batting away my ridiculous words. “You might as well just tell me all about last night.”
I shake my head and turn around. “I won’t, because nothing happened.” I unzip my backpack and put in my stack of books on the floor. I have a feeling I’ll be sleeping over at Grey’s again. The thought sends a bowtie to wrap around my stomach and sends a smile on my face. I stand and put in another shirt, a cardigan, and a pair of socks. I take a pair out now and zip my bag before sitting on my bed.
“Those hickies aren’t singing the same tune as you,” she sing-songs, and I look up at her as I tie my black high-top Converse. “Tell me about your freakish night with that asshole!” she moans and shakes her leg out in frustration. I stand and swing my bag over my shoulder.
“Maybe later,” I say and hoist the bag up my back. I pick up my hairbrush laying on the dresser and begin brushing my crazy curly hair.
“After your total sleepover with a piece of hunk?” she says.
“Where’s Julia?” I try to change the subject.
“She’s re-taking some test. Don’t change the subject, you tricky girl!”
I face her and sigh. “I’ve gotta go.” I walk over to the door. “But I’ll talk to you later.” I head out and hear her scream.
“You better! You have my number!”
***
“Okay, lovely lady,” Grey calls from the couch. “We have a choice. Either a shitty, cheesy rom-com that absolutely makes me want to blow my brains out or a good ol’ action movie. Whatever you choose is fine.” I detect the slightest bit of bias.
“Hmmm, whatever shall I choose?” I hum comically and tap my chin. “A delightful romance movie with an actual realistic plot or a movie where cars blow up randomly and there are unnecessary sex scenes every five minutes? Yeah, I’m gonna go with option number one.” I wink at him as he throws his head back and lets out a guttural sound. He’s so overdramatic. He’s acting like the world has ended.
“I should have known better,” he mutters, but I hear him clear as day. I pick up a popcorn and toss it at his head. It rolls onto the ground, and he cuts me a glare that makes me laugh. He’s so adorable when he’s fake mad at me. “Did you just throw popcorn at me?”
I pop one in my mouth teasingly and shrug casually. “Maybe…what are you going to do if I did?”
We lock eyes for one second. Two. Thre—
He jumps over the couch and runs over to me. I scream and jump back in shock, popcorn still in hand. I think he’ll stop because of the snack in my hands, but no. He wraps his arms around me and whips me off the ground. I burst into laughter as he nuzzles his scruffy jaw in my neck and begins blowing on my sensitive skin.
“S-stop!” I shout and squeeze my eyes shut.
“No, this is what you get for throwing a damn popcorn at my head.”
I open my mouth to reply when I trip forward, and I tip over one of our glasses of soda. He presses forward and I, unintentionally, land chest first in the big puddle of dark liquid. I groan in disgust. He steps back, barely holding back a mocking laugh.
I turn around and pick at the soft fabric of my soaking shirt. It clings to my chest frightfully tight; my chest is practically on display, save for the white lace bra.
“Oh, come on! Grey!” I moan like a child and pin him with an intense glare, but I may as well have been giggling and clutching a pink teddy bear, because he leans down and taps my nose like it’s a button.
“Have I ever told you how adorable you are when you’re mad?” he questions and leans forward, trapping me. He is such an asshole.
“Get out of my way!” I duck under his arm and storm into his bedroom.
“Like a wittle angry chipmun—”
I slam the door before I can hear the rest. A smile can’t help but gravitate its way onto my face. But the smile twitches when I look down at the dark patch of cola on my shirt, some staining my pants. Great, he got my jeans wet too! But at least they’re dark enough so it’s not as bad. But my shirt is white.
After stripping off my soaked jeans, I jog over to his dresser and pull out a white t-shirt, similar to what he’s currently wearing. There is no way I’m wearing the only other shirt I have. I planned to wear it tomorrow, and I’m not wearing this stained one when I can just borrow one of his.
I pull my shirt off and pull his on. It stops mid-way down my thighs, and a blush arises on my cheeks. I feel exposed, but he’s seen a lot more.
I return to the living room, finding him with his feet on the coffee table, throwing popcorn in the air and catching it in his mouth. He hears me come back because he snorts to himself while scrolling through the TV.
“Back from your sugar plum planet alrea—” He falls short in his mocking when he looks at me. I swear I see the life in his eyes halt for a moment.
“Don’t make fun of me,” I say and tug the shirt down. “You were the one who made me spill the soda.” I pad over to the couch, and before I can sit down, he raises a finger and curls it toward himself with a big bad grin.
“Oh no. You don’t get to—Grey!” I squeal in surprise when he reaches out and pulls me into his lap. I smile and hold back snickers as I straddle his lap.
“If you wanted to punish me, you wouldn’t have worn this,” he says, his voice low and thick with arousal as he massages my leg, pushing the cotton shirt up my thighs. I bite my lip and close my eyes at his fiery touch. “And you definitely wouldn’t have bitten your lip like that.” I open my eyes at the moment he reaches up and runs his thumb over my lip.
“I guess you’ve found our movie,” I say in a sing-song tone.
He’s too busy tugging me forward by the shirt to really respond.
But when he does, he says, “What movie is that?”
I wind my fingers through his dark tresses and tug. He draws back with a sharp groan and a slight narrow of his charcoal eyes.
“Fifty Shades of Grey,” I whisper and burst into laughter when his face slacks and his arms follow suit. “Now there’s a punishment—for you, at least.” I arch an eyebrow and laugh even harder when he pushes me off him and onto the seat next to him. Literally. I kick his thigh, and like a pissy child who just got told no, he pushes my feet off the couch and pouts, crossing his arms, his eyes glaring at the TV ahead.
“Oh, don’t be like that.” I get on my knees and tenderly peck his red-hot cheek. Blushing. Cute.
I sigh in contentment after grabbing the remote from him and pointing it at the TV. I go to the Romance category, find Fifty Shades, and press play. The movie’s horrible, but he hates it, and I deserve payback. The movie starts, and I lay my feet across his lap, glancing at his sullen expression. I wiggle my toe against his abdomen, and he snaps a glare at me.
“Can you turn off the light?” I ask in a sweet, polite voice.
He merely stares at me.
“Fine.” I begin to get up, but he reaches over and pushes me back down.
“No, I’ll get it.” He gets up and murmurs, “Better than you flaunting your shit around.”
I laugh and watch as he gingerly walks over to the wall and switches off the light. After he falls back into his spot, I place my feet on him again. He scowls at me but doesn’t say anything.
“Have I ever told you how cute you look when you’re mad?” I tease, and he rolls his eyes. I laugh and perch up on my elbow to peer at the large TV screen.
A smile stays on my face for the entire first half of the movie. But then the sexy parts come on, and I begin to seriously regret picking this movie even to punish him, because it’s punishing me with how uncomfortable and hot these scenes are making me. Plus, the acting is quite atrocious. But the naughty scenes take it up a notch.
“Is little Ms. Tease getting hot and heavy?” Grey gasps and tugs at my foot.
I look up at him and scoff loudly. “Am not.”
“Are too,” he sing-songs.
“Am not,” I sing back, ignoring his fingers crawling up my leg. I try to shoo him away, but he ends up laughing and tugging me by my ankle, causing me to straddle his lap. Again. “Stop!” I writhe and lean away from him, but he leans forward and continues to blow into my neck.
“Fine, fine,” he says and winks as he pushes my legs off him and stands up.
“Where are you going?” I lay on my stomach and peer at him and his butt shamelessly, as he waltzes over to the kitchen.
“If I’m going to continue watching this bullshit movie, I’m going to be drunk out of my mind.” He returns to the couch with two cups of vodka soda, extra vodka. I take two gulps before coughing and melting into his arms, my legs laid out beside me. Before I know it, he has the blanket from the couch’s arm laid over me. I look up at him with a knowing smile. He’s getting so soft. And it’s all because of me.
He catches my gaze and snaps, “I’m still a badass motherfucker,” before taking a large sip of his drink.
“Sure you are,” I say in a condescending tone and reach up to caress his stubbly cheek.
He grips my wrist and, with hooded eyes, says, “Trust me—I am.”
I stare at him, and he stares back.
“You’re so cute when you act so bad,” I coo and pinch his cheek.
He rolls his eyes and mumbles, “Whatever,” before turning back to the movie.
I laugh and lean up to kiss his chin and fall back into his lap. “Hey, how come you didn’t tell me you’ve been living with David for five years?”
He tenses, but it’s gone the moment I notice it, and he looks down at me with a frown. “Didn’t come up.”
Yeah, right.
“Why did your mother put you out?” I ask shyly and play with his long fingers. I know it’s a personal question, but I’ve been curious about it since David mentioned in this morning, and if we’re giving this a real shot, he can’t be so closed off all the time. He has to know it’s okay to tell me deep information about himself.
He finishes off the strong drink and places it on the coffee table. “She felt I was the reason I…uh…thought that I killed my father.”
“How did he die?” I ask in a soft voice.
His eyes lose lackluster shine when he says, “Heart attack.”
“I’m sorry,” is all I know to say. No one really knows what to say to a person who loses a loved one. I should know. The only thing I was told on repeat was “I’m sorry” when Jonah died. Too bad no number of apologies can bring him back…
He rubs my arm and draws my attention back to him. “And I’m sorry about your brother.”
I sigh and shake my head, sitting up and fiddling with his thumb against mine. “Enough with the sad stuff. This was supposed to be a fun night. Let’s go back to that, huh?” I give him a smile as I climb onto his lap and tip his chin back.
“Yes, ma’am,” he croons with a slick smirk.
I lean down with a grin and connect my lips with his. He grips my waist and leans back. I wrap my legs around his torso and tug at his shirt. He reaches down, and I lean against the couch cushion as he pulls it off and throws it to the ground. I run my fingers up along his hardened muscles, enjoying the thought that he is mine to touch and do this to.
I flip him over and cup the left side of his face and press my hand against his steel chest.
“Whoa,” he says as I drag my lips along his neck. “Someone’s taking control tonight.”
I smile against his skin and lean up, splaying my hand on his chest as his rides up under the shirt I’m wearing. “Promise me this forever,” I say, and he furrows his brows. “This. The easy communication. The easiness. I don’t want Diana or anything—not even your past—coming between us. Promise that we can stay like this.”
He doesn’t say anything but stares at me with utmost adoration. Then, he reaches up, pulls me down, and presses his sweet, toxic lips against mine. I smile against the sweet and savory taste of it, and I swear I shudder in bliss. And just by the sensuality and passion of the kiss. It has to be the best one yet.
He pulls back and rests his forehead against mine. “I promise this with everything I have in me. Nothing will stand in our way, princesa.”
I beam down at him and kiss the corner of his mouth. “That’s what I wanted to hear.” I bite my lip and hold his shoulders as he pushes the shirt up my hips and up and up until they’re bunched at my neck. I remove my hands and pull it off, throwing it on the floor on top of his. A few months ago, I would feel extremely small and exposed, wearing only a bra and underwear. But I have never felt so comfortable and at home in my entire life. And it’s all thanks to this beautiful man beneath me.
“And these are what I want to see,” he jokes before launching forward and tackling me against the couch. My laugh is cut off when he smashes his lips against mine and shows me just how much I love this ravishing man.