Chapter Fourteen
Sorting through Marvin’s project files kept me busy and occupied at JenCar Thursday. Most of them were dated within a few months of each other with ideas meant to be innovative. I wasn’t 100 percent sure they were, though. From what I’d been able to determine, the work had been done within a month to six weeks. That wasn’t enough time to go through every scenario and every detail. It wasn’t enough time to research. It certainly wasn’t enough time to put the calculations to the test. Everything was just theory. It set me on edge. I copied the rudder design Acton had given Lawler and brought it home to analyze further.
With a research paper for my Propulsion Systems class due next week, I didn’t have much time for anything other than work or school. Devon and I saw each other in class and occasionally in the halls of JenCar, but not much more than that.
Prof. Farmer sped into Ethics in cargo shorts and flip-flops. The too-loud Hawaiian shirt blinded my poor eyes. Just because it was fifty degrees outside didn’t make it summer. Shorts weather maybe, but not flip-flop weather.
“Okay, class. Today we’ll be talking about consumer rights.” He clapped his hands together, his eyes twinkling under his black frames. He stared right at me and I turned my gaze to the blank page. “Turn your books to page one-eighty-five and we’ll begin.”
I tried to focus on the power point. I tried to focus on the text. I tried to focus on my notes. And I failed. That shirt was a train wreck. I couldn’t stop staring at it.
A thud by my feet drew my gaze away from my prof. Devon settled into his seat and slouched down. I waited for him to say something, anything, but all he did was close his eyes. A moment later a soft snore sounded beside me. I shook my head and took notes. When Farmer finished his lecture, I shoved Devon’s arm to wake him up.
“Shit,” he said, stretching his arms above his head. “I didn’t mean to fall asleep.”
“So you closed your eyes for no reason?” I pushed my notebook in between my textbooks.
“I’m exhausted. Full practice started this week. Between that, JenCar, and class, I barely have time to sleep.”
“I get it.” I played with the flap on my bag. “Neither one of us has much time for a social life, huh?”
Devon leaned closer. “We have to make time for fun.”
I laughed hard.
“What’s so funny?” Devon’s face was a mixture of amusement and confusion. It only made me laugh harder. “Olivia?”
“Sorry, I don’t know why that set me off,” I said, wiping a tear from the corner of my eye. “Maybe because it was so damn cheesy.”
“Cheesy?” Devon feigned offense. “I was being sincere.”
I shook my head. “You were flirting. Badly.”
“I’ve been told I’m an amazing flirt.” He put his hand up. “By a lot of ladies, I might add.”
“Ah, so you admit to being a player?” I raised an eyebrow and forced the smile from my lips.
“I admit to being a flirt. And a baseball player, but never a ‘playa.’” He bent his head and motioned for me to do the same. “I’m not a player, Olivia. Because when there’s someone I want, I’m not just in it for an inning. I’m there for the entire game.”
“So when are we going to start playing?” I turned my head, lining our lips up, and waited for him to make a move. When he didn’t, I did. I leaned in and brushed my lips over his, surprising myself with my boldness. It was exhilarating.
But a loud bang of the doors shot us apart. The janitor rolled his mop bucket onto the stage without looking our way. Devon ran his hand over his face.
“We really…” He stopped and glanced at his phone. “Sorry, I’ve got to take this. It’s Coach Hummel. I’ll call you later.”
He stood and rushed from the room with his phone to his ear. I wanted to believe him, but knowing how busy he was, I didn’t think he’d call soon. It’s hard to start a game when the teams can’t even get together.
…
Paige showed up at Steak Stockade a little after eleven the next night. She had on her favorite short skirt and red heels I’d kill myself in. Somehow, she made walking in them appear natural. Kit noticed her before I did.
“Liv, when are you going to introduce me to your friend?” His eyes scanned down her body and back to her chest. I don’t think he ever looked at her face.
“When you stop staring at her like she’s a porterhouse,” I said, slapping his shoulder. “Do you even know what color her hair is?”
“It’s not her hair I’m interested in.” He actually licked his lips.
“Gross.” I hurried away from him and to the bar. Paige sat with her legs crossed and her back ramrod straight. Her gaze never left the bartender as he cleaned on the opposite side of where she sat.
“He’s got a gorgeous ass,” she said without looking at me.
“You can see that through the bar?”
“I may have peeked over when he bent down.” Paige shrugged.
“He’s also married with two kids.” I leaned against the bar and stared at my friend. She was in full Paige regalia. Her makeup was smoky and smooth, with perfect cat’s-eye corner. She’d even put her fake lashes on. Her hair flowed down her back in long waves. I knew from experience she’d spent at least an hour just on her hair. And I also knew what this meant. Paige was on the prowl. “What happened to swearing off men until the fall?”
Paige smiled before sipping her drink. “Not men, just boys. And relationships. Definitely swearing off relationships.” She closed her eyes as the alcohol slid down her throat. “But I can’t swear off sex until then. And a vibrator only goes so far.”
I wanted to laugh, but she was way too serious.
“So, my friend, we’re going out as soon as I spring you from this joint. I need a wing-woman. And you’ll be in charge of getting my car back to my place. If I’m successful in my endeavors.” Paige smiled, but there was a hidden sadness behind it. One she wouldn’t let anyone else see tonight. “I just need to not think tonight, okay?”
“Okay,” I said, knowing how she felt. But I’d never been brave enough to act on it.
Paige squeezed my arm. “Thanks, Liv.”
I had no doubt Paige would get what she wanted. “I’m here until closing. And why don’t I just drive my truck?”
“No, you’re not,” Logan said behind me. I turned to see him striding forward with Amber on his heels. “Amber’s closing. You can go now.”
“But—”
“Or you can stay.” Logan raised his eyebrows. “Either way, we’re good here.”
Paige slid off the stool and linked her arm through mine. “We’re leaving.”
I didn’t argue. She ushered me toward the office, adding an extra swing to her step for Kit. It was clear there was a conspiracy going on between Paige and Logan. I’d wait until my place to find out what. I clocked out and practically ran to my truck, Paige following me back to my apartment. She didn’t say another word until I’d closed the door behind us.
“Shower. And make it fast.” She moved toward my armoire and pulled out the blue dress. “You’re wearing this tonight.”
“I was saving that,” I said, mentally adding “for dinner with Devon.”
“Nope. Not an option.” She shooed me toward the shower. “Hurry.”
I didn’t waste a single second. The minute I stepped out of the shower and into the living room, Paige pushed me into a chair and worked my hair into an updo.
“How’d you convince Logan to let me off early?” I asked as she slid bobby pins into my hair.
“It wasn’t hard.” She fluffed a bit of hair then tugged on it. “I reminded him how many times you’d come in on short notice and bailed him out.”
Her magic touch applied my makeup. In less than an hour, I’d been completely transformed.
“It’s only a few hours until last call,” I pointed out as the clock ticked closer to midnight.
Paige opened the door to my apartment. “All the more reason to hurry up.”
She took off down the stairs as I locked up. By the time I made it out to her car, she was already inside.
“Why am I not driving?” I asked again as I slid into the passenger side of The Tank.
“Because you might get lucky, too, and your truck’s too small for a quickie in the parking lot.” Paige started the engine and pulled onto my street. It wasn’t going to happen like that, but I knew better than to argue with her when her mind was set.
We were a few minutes from my apartment when I realized I had no idea where we were going. I couldn’t not know. She drove less than ten blocks when I finally asked. But I was pretty sure I wasn’t going to like the answer.
“O’Malley’s.” Paige pulled onto the lot behind the bar. “Surprised you didn’t figure it out.”
“I thought when you said you wanted a ‘man’ tonight, you meant some place not near campus.”
Paige pulled the keys out of the ignition and sighed. “Men go to O’Malley’s. Like seniors. And I don’t mean senior citizens.”
I shook my head and climbed out of the car. We pushed our way inside. O’Malley’s was a typical bar and grill, although it was more bar at this time of night. The dark wood and dim lighting made it almost impossible to see ten feet past my face. I hadn’t been to O’Malley’s since last year, and that wasn’t exactly the best memory or most coherent one. Paige brought me to drink off my breakup with Henry. That was the night I fell in love with tequila. The next day was when I swore off drinking anything heavier than wine.
Paige paved her way through the masses, and I followed her path. By the time we reached the bar, I needed a drink. The bartender stepped up the minute Paige broke through to greet him with a wave. She flashed him a sexy smile, which he eagerly returned. Before I could order, he sat two longnecks on the bar in front of Paige.
“Not a fan of beer,” I reminded her.
“More for me.” Paige swallowed half of the first bottle. “But I didn’t order them. Those two guys sent them our way. Besides, I told the bartender to bring you a white wine.”
I leaned over her to follow where she pointed. The “guys” were definitely not in college. I doubted either one of them had stepped onto a campus in more than a decade. They both smiled and one of them had the actual gall to wiggle his fingers. It took all my strength to not throw up in my mouth. Or outside of it. I drained the glass of wine the bartender sat in front of me.
“Those guys are old enough to be our fathers.”
“Relax, Liv, nobody said you had to bone one of them because they sent you a drink.”
I rolled my eyes and waved the bartender down for another glass of chardonnay.
Paige took both bottles and spun around while I waited. There was no way I was staining this dress with a merlot. By the time he’d returned, Paige had made eye contact with her first target. I wasn’t going to let her go home with the first guy she saw. If I could help her avoid any regrets, I would.
He raised an eyebrow at her and pulled the single nod motion for her to come to him. That wasn’t going to happen. Paige shifted her gaze to someone else. She didn’t need a guy’s permission to hit on him.
I sipped my wine. “What or who exactly are you looking for?”
“Someone who doesn’t want more than a night. Someone with a tight ass and biceps I can dig my fingernails into. Someone who will make me forget.”
“Okay, let’s find you some man-candy.” I glanced over the crowd. The place was crowded with couples and groups. Three girls laughed loudly at a nearby table. The guys next to them stared. Several tables had couples who needed to just leave and get a room. On the other side of the bar near the pool tables, a rowdy tournament had started. There really wasn’t any place for a single to go and not stand out.
Paige laughed. “Nobody says man-candy anymore. How about let’s find me a fuck-buddy?” She shifted forward on her toes. “Oh, that’s too perfect.”
She disappeared into the crowd and I lost track of her for a few minutes.
I found her on the other side of the bar. Paige sat with her back to a tall table and was surrounded by three very attractive guys. It was too loud and I was too far away, but I managed to hear the words football and quarterback. The thinner one, but not by much, leaned against the table. Paige’s focus became entirely about him. Of course she would go for a jock. Tyler Brisbane was the jock of Westland, the incoming captain of the football team and a track runner in the spring. Nobody else on campus participated in two sports. He wasn’t a senior, but that had been Paige’s only requirement of the night. She was sober enough to realize who she was flirting with. It was also well-known that Tyler had a good chance at getting drafted at the end of April. And that Jayce hated him. She crossed her legs and touched his arm as she laughed. She’d found her mark.
That didn’t take long.
“Hey,” I said, slipping in beside her.
“Liv, this is my friend Tyler.” Paige didn’t take her eyes off him.
I raised my glass. Tyler smiled, clear-eyed and sober. Bonus for Paige. And bonus for me—I didn’t have to worry about her getting into a drunk guy’s car.
“Liv, huh? That short for anything?” One of Tyler’s friends smiled at me.
I opened my mouth to politely respond when somebody said my name.
“O-liv-ee-ahhhh,” the slurring voice said.
I turned around and came face-to-face with a very drunk pitcher. His hazel eyes were dilated and going in and out of focus.
“Seamus.”
He bent down, his lips too close to my ear. His five o’clock shadow tickled my delicate skin. “I love how you say my name.” Whiskey rolled off his hot breath. “I need to get you to scream it.”
“You’re wasted,” I said, pointing out the obvious. “Is your coach going to get pissed?”
“Nope, not tonight. No curfew and I’m legal. Once the season starts, no drinking. Tonight, I’m all in.” His gaze sharpened on the guy beside me. “Who’s your friend?”
“Honestly, I don’t know his name.” I turned to Paige for help, but she was lost in Tyler-land.
“Good, you don’t need to know it.” He pulled me away from the group and into a quiet corner. “Flirting with other guys?”
I laughed. Hard. “Funny. I wasn’t flirting. I was playing wing-woman to Paige’s vixen.”
He glanced back to where Paige was in deep conversation with Tyler. “Your work is done. I needed to blow off steam.” His entire body pressed against mine. “Wanna help?”
I snorted. “Take advantage of you? I don’t think so.”
“What if I want you to take advantage of me?” His hand slipped onto my waist, pulling me closer. Heat rolled from his skin.
My knees weakened with every second. I wanted him, but I didn’t want him not to remember. We’d already done the drunken hookup once, almost twice. If I was going to sleep with him, I wanted it to be special. I wanted it to be memorable for both of us.
I couldn’t believe I was even considering this.
“What if I…” I bit my tongue, my face burning with embarrassment. We’d moved into new undefined territory.
“What if you what?” he said, his hot breath caressing my cheek. His nose skimmed along my jaw. “What if you want to? What if you like it? What if you want more?”
“Let’s go,” I whispered. At the very least, we needed to be anywhere but the crowded bar.
Devon’s sharp intake of breath was enough to know he wasn’t expecting me to say that. I took his hand, leading him toward the exit and praying the cold air would sober him up. Devon wrapped his arm around my waist, dragging me back against him. I glanced over my shoulder toward Paige. She raised her glass then went back to her quarterback. Devon’s hand flattened against my stomach as he nuzzled my neck.
“God, you smell so good,” he whispered. “Like peaches and cream. So very edible.”
I wanted nothing more than to lean back into him and offer my neck for consumption, but public displays of sex were at the bottom of my must-do list. I pulled away from him, taking his hand and plowing our way out the door. The air cooled me off, but it did nothing for Devon. He swayed as I led him to Paige’s car.
“I thought you drove a truck,” he stammered.
“It’s Pai—” I didn’t get to finish.
Devon spun me around, trapping me between the passenger door and his body. His lips covered mine, coaxing a gentle kiss between us. It was not what I expected. It was almost chaste until I couldn’t stand our lips only touching. I turned it up, opening my mouth and exploring his with my tongue. Devon’s hands squeezed my hips. The heat rose between us, consuming me until I didn’t care that we were in a well-lit parking lot. I wrapped my legs around his waist as he lifted me, feeling every inch of him between my legs.
“God, get a room,” a disgusted voice said. A chorus of giggles echoed the sentiment.
I pushed Devon back, settling my shaking legs back on the ground. “We should go.”
He nodded as I opened the passenger door, ushering him inside. I glanced toward the trio of women way too close for comfort.
“You nail that, girlfriend,” one of them said, adding a fingersnap for good measure. I thought people stopped doing that a decade ago. Apparently not. Or she was older than she looked. I waved, and it was very awkward.
Devon rested his head against the window, and his hand found mine the minute I sat in the car. I stretched my left hand around to turn the key and put the car into drive. Paige’s sedan idled too fast and her brakes needed some work. I hit the brakes before rear-ending the woo-girls as they yanked out of their space.
What was I thinking? It was like I was drunk on him. He rolled onto his back, gazing up at me with sleepy, alcohol-coated eyes. If I wasn’t thinking straight, neither was he. Just another thing we had in common.
“Hey,” I said after I parallel parked in spectacular fashion in front of my building. Paige’s tank did not maneuver that well. I nudged him with my knee. “We’re here.” He shifted, but he didn’t move off my leg. “Unless you want me to drive you back to Donaldson.”
Devon sat up fast. “I’m up. I’m awake.”
I covered my mouth to hide the laugh. “Come on, Seamus.”
He swayed on the way toward my front door, and his balance was less than stellar on the steps leading to my apartment. But that didn’t stop him from touching my waist or my hip. I craved it when he would stumble away, even if the lost contact was no less than a second. His lips found my neck again as I tried repeatedly to unlock my door.
“You look fantastic tonight, Olivia,” he whispered, allowing my concentration to return long enough to open the door. “I love this dress.”
I felt a flush of heat blush my cheeks. “Thanks.” I spun around, putting a hand on each side of his face. “I’m glad you noticed.”
“Who wouldn’t have?” He pulled me against him, lifting me off the floor and carrying me into my apartment. For a guy who had just been stumbling, he seemed to have his balance rather quickly. He kicked the door closed and pushed his fingers into my hair, trying to entangle them. Unfortunately, Paige had put in far too many bobby pins for that to happen.
“Hold that thought,” I said, again pulling away from him. I held up my finger. “I’ll be right back.”
Devon settled onto the daybed, leaning back with his hands behind his head. His black T-shirt stretched tight over his chest. I could easily see his package trying to break free from his jeans. The strain that zipper was under would be a scientific study all in itself. I tore my gaze away from him and hurried to the bathroom. It took way too long to remove the bobby pins. Even the bobby pins had bobby pins. By the time I opened the door, soft snores came down the hall. I crept into the front. Devon had pulled the quilt over his shoulder and fallen asleep.
It was for the best, even though I was disappointed. This wasn’t how I wanted it to be. I wasn’t looking for a rebound. I wanted more from Devon than a quick hookup. Maybe he wanted that, too, but he needed to be sober.
We needed to talk. Like adults.
I went to my dresser and dug out his football jersey to sleep in, then headed back into the bathroom to change. After cleaning my face and hanging the dress back in the armoire, I climbed over Devon and settled in between him and the wall. Devon rolled over, throwing his arm around my waist. I tugged the quilt free and covered both of us.
Maybe in the morning we could have an honest conversation. If only I had any kind of luck.