Chapter 4

 

 

“Don’t forget your grandma’s birthday, James. It’s in two days. You should call her and wish her a happy birthday.”

James was impatiently standing in the middle of his room, nervously checking his watch. He didn’t want to be late for his date with Barbara. He’d been about to pick up a pizza for the two of them when his dad had called, and now the man had been chatting about this and that for more than ten minutes. And he didn’t seem close to wrapping it up yet.

“Don’t worry, Dad,” James said, trying to sound patient. “I’ve already ordered a bouquet, which will be delivered to Grandma on her birthday.”

“She’ll appreciate that,” his dad predicted cheerfully. “Just a week ago she was complaining to me that she hardly ever hears from you since you’ve gone off to Stanford.”

Even though James was very fond of his grandmother, he couldn’t help but roll his eyes. “I’m not exactly within visiting distance of North Carolina, Dad. She should understand I can’t talk to her on a daily basis, don’t you think?”

“Your grandmother is getting on a bit, James. And since you’re her only grandchild, you should know how fond she is of you.”

It sounded suspiciously like a debate on principles was coming on—the duties inherent to being a Campbell, blah blah blah—and James wanted to wrap up this conversation as soon as possible. So he simply agreed with his dad. “Okay, okay. I’m going to try to call her and say hi at least once a week. Alright?”

“I’m sure it would make your grandmother very happy.”

“Fine.” James made a face as he kicked his gym bag out of the way of his pacing. Only then did he remember that after playing tennis with Barbara yesterday, he’d completely forgotten to put his clothes in the washer. Since he was seeing her every day, and could never get enough of her, he did everything he could to stay on top of his classes. But mundane things like laundry tended to fall by the wayside. It was so exciting to spend time with Barbara, he could hardly bear being separated from her for even a short period of time.

Which is why he was hoping his dad would hang up now that he’d gotten what he wanted out of James.

But, of course, the old man didn’t.

“By the way, James, have you called Parker Andrews yet?”

“No, Dad, not yet,” he replied with a sigh. “I don’t know if I’ll be able to take part in the project at all yet. I might have to spend the summer working on a longer paper for one of the seminars I’m taking. I don’t want to call up your buddy and try to get an internship before I know whether I’ll have the time to go to Boston this summer.”

What he didn’t say was that he also didn’t feel comfortable with his father’s interference. He was of the opinion that he didn’t need his father’s connections, not even if they were prestigious professors in Boston. But there might have been another factor in his reluctance to contact his dad’s connection. The fact that he was in love and didn’t want to spend the summer in an office hundreds of miles away from Barbara. But he couldn’t tell his father that, so he used his classes as an excuse.

“You should still call Parker and talk to him. He’s expecting your call.”

“What?” James rolled his eyes at the ceiling and ground his teeth. “Dad, I thought we agreed you wouldn’t do anything about it for now.”

“All I did was chat with him on the phone, like old friends do, and he happened to inquire after you. You are my son, you know.” His father sounded completely innocent, but James knew full well that his old man was a sly old dog. “So I mentioned you were interested in doing some sort of internship over the summer. And he offered you a spot of his own accord.”

Sure, James thought disdainfully, and I’m the illegitimate son of Stephen King.

“Anyhow.” He sighed heavily, trying to end the conversation. “Give Mom a kiss from me. I have to go.”

“What are you up to, son? You’ve sounded far away this whole conversation.”

Of course, he could have lied to his father, but James didn’t want to deny the existence of the girl he was crazy about. “I have a date, and I don’t want to be late.”

“A date?” Apparently, his dad hadn’t been on a date for a long time, or else he’d have understood that punctuality was a crucial factor.

“Yes, Dad, a date—with my girlfriend,” he added.

“A girlfriend?” His dad made a grumbling sound and then emitted a sigh, which went right through James’s skull like a knife. He knew this particular sigh all too well, and he detested it. “I hope you inquired after the financial situation of the girl’s family, James. After your plight with that Emma …”

“Her name was Eve, Dad.” James felt his irritability growing. “And I’m really not in the mood for this discussion right now.”

His dad didn’t seem to hear him. “I don’t care whether she was called Emma or Eve. I told you that men in your position and with your family will always be a flashing target for opportunistic women on the lookout for easy money.”

“Not all female students on this campus are gold diggers, Dad.”

“I never said they were, but, unfortunately, there are still enough to pose a problem. Therefore, you should always make sure you know everything before you get serious. When your mom and I—”

“I’m sorry, Dad, but I really have to go.”

That only served to make his father’s voice even more severe than before. “You’re a Campbell, James. That makes you attractive to a lot of women, and you should be careful before you get into anything serious with anyone.”

“This is the twenty-first century.” James made a face at his reflection in the mirror beside his bed. “I don’t assume every woman I meet is after my money. They’re not just walked around looking for marriage prospects like some Victorian novel.”

“James—”

“Dad, I’m in college,” he interrupted, his own voice getting harsh now. “Nobody here is thinking about marriage.”

“Well, I guess you’re going to have to make your own mistakes,” his father grumbled.

“Yes, exactly,” James agreed.

“Then at least tell me something about the girl, so I can report to your mother.”

Annoyed, James threw back his head. Once his mom knew he had a girlfriend, she would call and interrogate him mercilessly. And once his dad knew that Barbara was Miles Hamilton Ashcroft’s daughter, he’d probably meet with the man to plan their future for them. Barbara’s father was the Connecticut equivalent of his own father in Virginia. Neither he nor Barbara cared about who the other person’s father was, and they were together because they were in love. But for their fathers—or, at least, for his father—their relationship would posit an irresistible opportunity for a business connection.

And since James didn’t want his dad messing with his relationship, or possibly capitalizing on it in some way, he wanted to keep silent about who she was for as long as possible. “Her name’s Barbara,” he said simply. “She’s a freshman, and she’s majoring in psychology.”

“Hm … and you’re certain she isn’t after your money?”

Considering her father’s corporation was said to be one of the most profitable businesses on the entire East Coast and the man was probably even more prominent than Archibald Scott Campbell, James was tempted to laugh out loud. Instead, he said with all the equanimity he could muster, “I’m very sure, yes.”

“And where is she from?”

“Listen, Dad, I really have to go now, or I’ll be late. Can we talk about this another time?”

“Fine, but don’t forget to call Parker Andrews, James. It would be a grave embarrassment for me if you didn’t call him, you understand?”

James stuck out his chin. “I will, Dad. Don’t forget to give Mom a kiss from me.”

Before his dad could say anything else, James hung up and massaged the bridge of his nose. He could feel a throbbing headache brewing. Sometimes he wished he wasn’t an only child, with all the expectations and hopes of his father resting on his shoulders. If he’d had any brothers or sisters, things probably wouldn’t be half as bad, but as the only son—and heir—his dad projected all ambition onto him, repeating what his dad had hammered into him when he was young: never forget who you are and what you owe to your family.

James had always had a decent relationship with his dad, but over the last two years, it had become an endless litany of how James was supposed to act, what to watch out for, and why it was so important to keep reminding himself that he was a Campbell. James thought this attitude was antiquated. He wanted to be measured by what kind of person he was, by his actions and words and empathy, not by his name. That was the reason he didn’t want to intern for his father’s friend. He wanted to find a position through hard work and skill. Getting a job solely because of his familial connections wasn’t part of his plan.

He also disliked the idea of looking for a girlfriend on the basis of her membership in the correct social class, though that was what his dad had always had in mind. James had met Barbara and fallen in love with her because she was always herself. Her last name and her father’s money hadn’t played the tiniest part. Even if she hadn’t grown up in a ridiculously wealthy family, gone to boarding school in Switzerland for a year, or been a debutante, James still would be enchanted by her laugh and listen to her with reverence whenever she opened her mouth.

If she was a scholarship student, he would still think about her every five minutes, completely forgetting everything else as he did.

As soon as he thought of her, he started to grin like a moron. Then he grabbed his things, because he really was about to be late—and he couldn’t wait to see her again.

 

 

 

***

 

 

James was certain this was a first for him: lying on a pink comforter watching The Shining. As he lay on Barbara’s bed, staring at the small TV and holding his girlfriend in his arms, she nestled against him, burying her face against his shoulder every time the movie got too intense.

For his part, he missed most of the details of Jack Nicholson turning into a raving maniac—which he’d seen several times before anyway. Instead, he was focused on the delicate body snuggled up against his, so incredibly soft and fragile, somehow managing to make him feel dizzy and faint. He didn’t care that the bed they were lying in was rather narrow. Quite the contrary, actually. For, this way, they had to snuggle to fit.

Luckily for him, Barbara’s roommate had gone to San Francisco for the weekend, which meant they could lie in Barbara’s room undisturbed. Students who wanted privacy usually had a hard time on campus if they couldn’t afford rent for a whole apartment to themselves. Since Barbara lived in the dorms, and he lived in a house with a bunch of inconsiderate vandals, it was generally difficult for them to be alone together. Over the course of the last few weeks, they’d been forced to resort to hiding away in a cinema, his car, and a remote corner of campus, all to just make out without being watched. It was a pain. He would have loved to have his girlfriend by his side all the time, and he never tired of kissing her with all his passion.

“Let me know when I can look again,” Barbara murmured against his chest, sending a warm, tingling sensation through his body. He could feel her hot breath right through the fabric of his dark blue T-shirt. Apparently, she was blissfully unaware of what she was doing to him, burying her head against his chest and smelling delicious as she lay there in her tiny pajama shorts and the crop top with the cute cartoon on the chest.

James swallowed hard when he registered that his jeans felt tighter all of a sudden. As her left leg snaked on top of his, and she rubbed her nose against his chest, he felt simultaneously hot and cold.

“Can I look again? Or is something terrible about to happen?”

The only thing terrible thing happening was his attempt at fighting an unwanted erection like a teenager as he yearned to undress her and kiss her from head to toe.

“We could watch something else, you know,” he suggested lamely, his throat completely dry. He hoped she wouldn’t notice how restless he was, but he could feel her breasts pressing against his side. Why the hell didn’t he possess more self-control?

“It’s okay,” she assured him from the crook of his arm. “I like The Shining.”

“But you’re not even looking,” he protested in amusement, unable to stop himself from pressing his lips to the top of her head. Even though he couldn’t stop thinking about undressing her, he also felt a sense of absolute contentment just because he was lying there with her. Yes, he’d fallen head over heels, and he had no problem admitting that.

“Well … the books don’t have that bone-chilling soundtrack to make it all worse.”

“Do you want me to mute it?” he suggested.

“No.” She shook her head, and her hair tickled his nose. “If I don’t look, I can take it.”

“Oh, wow.” James chuckled. “You really are a tough cookie.”

“Don’t make fun of me, James Campbell.” Barbara propped herself up and brought her face right in front of his. “I don’t have a problem with horror movies, but if I have to sleep alone in this room tonight, I’m bound to have nightmares.”

He wanted to suggest he could stay the night, but that would probably be too much. They’d met two months ago and had had the romantic dinner that ended in their first kiss exactly one month ago. Since then they’d been indulging in wild, shameless kissing orgies, but since Barbara hadn’t indicated in any way that she was ready to take it to the next level, James was holding his fire. He didn’t care if it sounded old-fashioned, but he didn’t want to pressure her into doing something she wasn’t ready to do. She just wasn’t the type to indiscriminately sleep with guys she hardly knew. James had quickly grasped as much and was thus taking pains to make sure she felt she could trust him.

He cared about that.

Therefore, since he wouldn’t be staying, he turned a little to the side to grab the remote and suggested, “Let’s watch a different movie.”

He ignored her protest that she did, in fact, want to watch The Shining and switched channels until he found a station playing a romantic comedy. He put the remote down before settling back into a comfortable position next to her, while she snuggled closer to his side again. “I don’t think this will give you nightmares,” he said, which she answered with a disparaging snort and a pinch of his arm.

“Ouch,” he complained but pulled her close. “What did I done to deserve that?”

“I told you not to make fun of me.”

“I wouldn’t dare.” James pointed at the TV and gently stroked her arm with his other hand. “Let’s just watch this and—”

“James?” With a sigh, she took his chin in her hand and turned him to face her. Her green eyes were wide, and she was chewing her lower lip. Before he had a chance to say anything, she leaned forward and pressed her lips against his.

James immediately forgot the TV—and everything else. He knew only the tingling heat spreading through his entire body as Barbara kissed him passionately. She pressed her body so tight against his, there wasn’t room for a single sheet of paper between them. Surprised by her intense kiss, and at the same time delighted by the uninhibited manner in which she was pressing against him, he wrapped his arms around her and felt his heart start to race in response.

He moaned and put his hands on her narrow back, while she enveloped him in what had to be the sweetest and most passionate kiss of his life, sucking on his lower lip and then slipping her tongue into his mouth.

He returned her kiss with desperate abandon as he rolled over onto his back and pulled Barbara on top of him, sliding his hands down her trembling back, only to find naked skin that felt incredibly soft beneath his fingertips.

Since she continued to kiss him with all her fervor, letting his fingertips caress the naked skin at the small of her back, he guessed he didn’t have to ask permission to let his hands slide up higher, underneath the fabric of her tiny top, which had already ridden up her torso.

Barbara was on top of him, her breasts pressing against his chest as she kissed him deeply, and the combination drove him absolutely wild. Panting and puffing like a pair of bellows, he couldn’t process anything beyond her scent, taste, and the sensation of her body on top of his. He yearned to feel her naked skin on his, but Barbara didn’t make any attempt to tear off his clothes.

As soon as his fingertips touched the clasp of her bra, James thought he’d perish on the spot. But Barbara seemed to have been waiting for precisely that moment. She put a tentative hand on his stomach and broke the kiss.

James lay under her, panting, struggling to think straight, to think at all.

The beautiful face hovering above his was clearly insecure about the next step. Finally, she asked, her voice husky, “Don’t you want to take off your shirt?”

His tongue stuck to the roof of his mouth, so it took him three attempts to force out a scratchy, “Okay.”

James sat up briefly to pull his shirt over his head, and he could feel her curious stare when he lay before her with his chest bare. The fact that her cheeks showed a fierce blush served to confirm his suspicion that she probably hadn’t seen a lot of naked men.

He took her hand and placed it back on his stomach, which made him feel as if thousands of tiny fire ants were stinging his flesh.

“Does that feel good?”

The lump in his throat made it impossible to answer. Instead, he strained up against her and buried his mouth in the crook of her neck, which elicited a loud moan from her. The sound hit him straight in the gut. She melted against him when he licked her throat, so he gripped her gently, turned her over onto her back, and leaned over her.

“Let’s get rid of that, too,” he murmured against her ear, tugging at her top.

“Okay,” she replied with a nervous shudder that reverberated through his own body.

He slowly stripped her of the tiny shirt and then leaned back a little to study her with burning eyes. Lying before him in a white bra embroidered with flower petals, and her pajama shorts, she looked up at him, insecurity in her green eyes. Her beautiful body was rounded in all the right places, her skin creamy and soft, and she looked so seductive atop her girlish comforter he could feel his forehead breaking out in a sweat.

It felt like a reverent act as he reached out his hands and wrapped them around her slim waist, his thumbs caressing the soft skin of her flat belly. His hands were almost large enough to circle her delicate waist.

“James, say something, please,” she whispered, blinking up at him, her long lashes brushing her cheeks. He could hear the nervous undercurrent in her voice.

“I don’t know what to say,” he admitted truthfully. “You’re so beautiful I’m speechless.”

He didn’t care how cheesy that sounded, for he was engrossed in exploring her smooth skin with his hands, simultaneously hoping his painful erection wouldn’t kill him.

“Don’t be silly,” she whispered sheepishly, squirming under him. “This is a time to be serious.”

“But I am,” he insisted and took a deep breath. His hands felt drawn to her breasts, as if by magic, as the nipples pushed against the thin white fabric of her bra. The sight was almost too much for James.

Reining himself in, he leaned over her, kissed her deeply, and then pressed his body against her side, registering with delighted satisfaction that she turned toward him and put her gentle hand on his bare shoulder. As if acting of its own accord, his right hand slipped between them and cupped one of her breasts, still enveloped in the fabric of her bra.

He had to suppress a deep moan, his palm feeling as if it was scorched by her hard nipple pressing into it. She stilled for a brief moment, and James thought he might have been too forward, but then she relaxed and continued to kiss him.

Tentatively, he explored her breasts through the fabric, letting his fingers circle her nipples. Then he slowly slid his hand beneath her bra and felt bare skin.

The sweet moan that broke from her lips was music to his ears. He continued to kiss her tenderly, and she started to tremble, snuggling even closer.

He ignored his own lust, kissing her with desperate passion, and began massaging her breast gently. Barbara melted against him, clearly oblivious to her own actions, and dug her fingers into his shoulder blades, which all but made him lose it.

Their mouths devoured one another, and Barbara’s moans were getting deeper by the second. After an eternity of her delicate body writhing in ecstasy, James pulled his hand out of her bra slowly and slid it down along her body, until it reached her pajama shorts. She paused, and he kissed her gently in reassurance, before gently slipping his hand into her shorts.

Barbara whispered his name.

When he slipped his hand into her panties, his mouth moved from hers, across her cheek, to her ear, and pressed against the sensitive skin under her earlobe. The skin that greeted his fingers was also incredibly soft and sensitive. His fingers explored the softest spot on her body while his mouth sucked on the sensitive skin of her neck, and he registered her trembling desire with satisfaction.

She moaned loudly and whispered his name again, her whole body shivering now. It gave him a warm sensation of utter contentment. But, at the same time, it drove him crazy. He couldn’t think of anything but his desire to sleep with her right then and there. He was almost scared he’d lose his mind with desire—or utterly embarrass himself.

He needed to kiss her again.

Sliding up higher, he leaned over her and ravished her mouth, his hand still in her panties, when suddenly she put both hands on his shoulders and pushed, pulling her mouth away from his.

Confused, he stared into her green eyes, which held more than just a warm shimmer. They also had a spark of worried insecurity.

He could see her throat move as she swallowed. “James, would it … Would it be okay if … we didn’t take it further tonight?”

“Is everything okay?” he asked, concern in his voice, the hoarseness of which made him flinch.

“Yes, it’s just …” Her face reddened. “I’m sorry, but this is … too fast for me.”

He slowly pulled his hand out of her panties, beginning to understand. The fact that she wouldn’t meet his eyes confirmed his sudden realization that Barbara likely hadn’t slept with anyone before. She was a virgin. That explained a number of things. Tenderness welled up in his heart, but he kept silent. She hadn’t said anything about it yet, and he didn’t want to tell her he’d figured it out.

Instead, he leaned over her, kissed her softly on the mouth, and then pulled her into a tender embrace.