At times it was almost like he was...flirting, which I had to be imagining in my lovesick mind. His body language was confusing the heck out of me, and it was going to eat at me until I knew for sure. Perhaps a little experiment was in order.
Putting on my most innocent look, which included me staring up at him through my lashes and twirling my hair around my finger, I tugged at the front of his shirt. “Can I have this one?”
His brows shot up then knitted together. “You want the one I’m wearing?”
I nodded, tucking my bottom lip into my mouth while wondering when I’d become so bold.
His eyes locked with mine for a moment, and then he slowly pulled the shirt over his head and handed it to me.
It took every fiber of my being not to stare at rock his hard abs. Exercise did the body damn good.
After I’d taken the shirt, he went over to the bed and sat with his back against the headboard and his fingers laced behind his head.
I let my gaze roam over him then folded my arms. “I have to change.”
He lifted then dropped his shoulders. “Okay.”
“Um, get out.”
“Why? I’ve seen you naked before.”
I moved to the foot of the bed and narrowed my eyes at him. He’d better be joking, though the thought made my body tingle. “You have not.”
He nodded, a smirk on his face. “In your baby pictures.”
I whipped the shirt at him, laughing. “That doesn’t count, goofball. Get out of here.”
He stood and moseyed to the door, still laughing, then shut it behind him.
I rolled my eyes in his absence then got changed for bed. His shirt fell just above mid-thigh, mere inches from revealing my behind. I blamed my height. For a brief moment I considered looking in the dresser for a pair of shorts but decided against it. My curiosity was piqued, and I had to know if it was all in my mind. The test was simple. If he looked for more than the allotted time a friend should, he was definitely interested. If he didn’t so much as give me a second glance, as hard as it would be, I’d finally put these feelings to rest.
After brushing my hair up into a bun, I tried and failed to quiet the drum beating in my chest and went to open the door.
Jay fell backwards, catching the frame to keep from hitting the floor. “You did that on purpose.”
I doubled over in laughter as he righted himself. “How was I supposed to know you were there, you big goof?”
He stood straight and stuck out his tongue before chuckling at himself. His smile fell away when he caught sight of my legs. He followed them down to my feet then back up again, before meeting my gaze with an arched brow. “No pants?”
I shook my head. “I get hot.” That was a lie. I was already freezing.
He looked down at my legs again, this time going no further than my thighs, and bit down on his bottom lip. “Oh.”
I went over to the dresser and grabbed my tube of lip balm I’d left there. I glimpsed him in the mirror, watching me, or my legs rather, or maybe my butt.
His gaze lifted, meeting mine in the mirror as he moved closer. When he was but a breath away from me, he frowned. “What’s with the bun?”
I smoothed my hair and shrugged. “I want to keep it neat.”
He folded his arms and spoke to my reflection. “You sure it doesn’t have anything to do with what your mom said?”
I dropped my gaze to the top of the dresser, feigning sudden interest. Feeling his hands on my head, I turned to face him. “What are you doing?”
He fiddled with my bun, pulling at its restraint.
I ducked away from him and secured it again. “Stop.”
He moved my hands away, giving me a stern look.
Okay, Papi.
Carefully, he removed my hair tie and bobby pins, somehow avoiding getting them tangled which I never failed to do. My hair fell over my shoulder, and he ran his fingers through it, flooding my core with damp heat. “I like it down.”
“You do?”
He yanked me against his chest so fast I lost my breath, and wouldn’t be regaining it anytime soon with his arms wrapped around my waist. “Do we have to go through the ‘me loving everything about you’ thing again?”
I shook my head, my gaze fixed on his bare chest. So close.
“You’re beautiful, Gabi. Don’t ever let anyone tell you you’re not.” He held me tighter, his eyes assuring me he meant every word.
I had to drop my eyes before the intensity in his made me faint.
“I’m sure your boyfriend feels the same.”
My gaze snapped to his face. Where the heck had that come from? I didn’t want to think about Haikeem. Being wrapped in Jay’s arms, the current of electricity flowing between us, was too incredible.
But now I was thinking about him. And while he wasn’t exactly my boyfriend, I still didn’t want to hurt him. Stretching my body up the way I wanted, and giving my lips what they craved, which were Jay’s, would be the ultimate betrayal.
I slid from his embrace, disgusted with my behavior and myself for even initiating this moment. He was in a relationship, and screwed up or not, taken was taken. I shuffled over to the bed, sunk into the mattress, and buried myself under the comforter, feeling naked and exposed.
The light clicked off, and then the bed shifted behind me. It wouldn’t be the first time we’d slept next to one another, but it was a lot different with us both half dressed.
I lay tucked into a ball, and Jay settled behind me on his back. After a while he turned on his side and snuggled closer to me, his basketball shorts brushing the back my thighs.
His fingers trailed down my arm leaving gooseflesh in their wake until he found my hand, which was secured between my knees, and pulled it free. He intertwined our fingers, and then leaned over me. His warm breath tickled my ear, before his lips settled on a spot just below my lobe. “Goodnight, beautiful.”
“Goodnight, JJ.”
I woke in the middle of the night to something hard pressing into my bottom. Jay still had his arm around me, breathing on the back of my neck. I wiggled, wondering what the heck was between us. “Jay, what is that?” I reached behind me and my hand wrapped around a cylinder object. I tried to move it, but it didn’t budge. I continued to feel around, trying to determine what it was. A second later my fingers stiffened as realization washed over me as to what exactly I held in my hand. I snatched away, putting as much space between us as possible. Staring into the darkness, I thanked the heavens Jay was asleep. If not that would’ve been a horrifying moment.
Fourteen
Jay
I couldn’t stop looking at her, thinking about her, fantasizing. A week had passed since the sleepover at my parents, and my mind refused to erase the image of Gabi half naked in my room, in my bed, pressed against me.
Every man had a type, a certain body part on a woman that drove him wild. For some it was breasts, others a big butt. What I loved...were legs. And Gabi had a pair that went on for days. Toned calves leading up to those smooth as silk thighs. Lord have mercy. What was my name again?
She’d surprised me when she’d wanted the shirt off my back, then had chosen to forego any pants. I kept wishing she’d do something to cause my shirt to rise so I could see what else she was working with. While I wasn’t an ass man, I could still appreciate one.
If I didn’t know any better I’d have sworn she was flirting with me, the way she’d chewed her lip and flashed those big brown eyes. Though she couldn’t have been. Could she?
That’s one thing I’d failed to consider while sorting out my feeling for her…hers for me. Just because I was in love with her didn’t mean she felt the same. I hadn’t a clue how to approach her about it. Did I just come right out and ask? What if she rejected me? What if she loved him? The thought ate at my soul.
I focused my attention on her again. She sat next to Cam on the bed, her head titled back, laughing at something. In a weeks’ time she’d quite literally become the woman of my
dreams. Every night since the one at my parents I stayed dreaming about her, though none quite as sensual as that first.
One minute she was lying next to me talking, and the next she was pulling my shirt over her head and climbing on top of me. She’d straddled my lap clad in only a matching bra and panty set, royal blue, my new favorite color. The dream ended with her soft hands wrapping around me.
I’d woke with a painful boner and her rubbing it through my shorts. Before I could react, she’d let out a loud gasp and flew to the other side of the bed. It was then I’d realized she hadn’t meant to touch me that way. And how unfortunate it was because all I’d wanted to do at that moment was reach over and pull her back to me.
She’d been nervous around me the next day, stumbling over her words and chewing her hair whenever I got close. I kept my lips sealed on the matter. She was embarrassed enough, if she knew I was awake she’d have an arrhythmia. Though seeing her turn different shades of red was always enjoyable, especially when I was the cause.
When I’d pulled her close to me the night before that, a blush had crept below the collar of my shirt she wore. I’d wanted to kiss her until it covered her from head to toe. Then I’d gone and opened my big mouth. Mentioning him wasn’t meant to push her away. I’d hoped she’d say she held no feelings for him whatsoever, that he wasn’t her man and she wanted me just as bad as I wanted her.
But she’d walked away. She’d–
“Jayson!”
I jumped, coming out my daze. All eyes were on me. Cam was frowning, Gabi looked concerned, and Benji had a smirk on his face, his gaze shifting from me to Gabi.
I ignored both Benji and Cam, focusing my attention on Gabi since she was the one who’d called me. “Yeah?”
“You wanna play with us?”
“Play?”
She nodded, a big grin on her face, and patted the spot next to her on the floor. When had they moved?
I left my spot at the desk and took a seat next to her, curious about their game.
She turned and beckoned for Benji to join us. “You too.”
He shook his head, not moving from the spot where he relaxed on Cam’s bed. “I’m good.”
She fixed him with a glare, one hand on her hip. Feisty. “Get over here and be sociable.”
He grumbled but came anyway. While he’d never admitted it, I had a feeling he was somewhat afraid of Gabi. He sat next to Cam, greeting her with a wink and an air kiss, which she returned with an eye roll. Smacking his lips, he turned to Gabi. “I’m here. What are we playing?”
“The questions game.”
“And that is?”
“Stop interrupting and I’ll tell you.” She sipped from her bottle of iced tea, and then offered me some, which I graciously accepted. “Okay, so the questions game goes like this: Each person takes a turn asking the person to their right a question. You have to give an honest answer. If you refuse you usually have to take a shot, but were playing the non-alcoholic version.”
Benji grinned and started to push away from the floor. “If you need alcohol, I can go get it.”
I gripped his shoulder, holding him in place. “Nobody’s drinking.”
He glanced at the girls then shrugged my hand off with his jaw clenched. “Calm down, it was a joke.”
I continued to glare at him. He must’ve taken me for an idiot. Since my dad had shown up at his old drinking spot, he’d been banned, but I wasn’t clueless enough to think that would stop him. He had a new place to get wasted, besides our dorm room that is. I’d found the vodka beneath his bed. The only reason it wasn’t down the drain was because I knew he’d just go get more. Before now beer had been his vice, if he was moving on to hard liquor, he’d taken a turn for the worse. There was a time he’d come to me with his problems. Those days had long since passed. Now not only was I losing my mom, but my brother as well. When was it enough?
He smacked his lips again and faced the girls. “Whatever, let’s just play. Who’s first?”
Gabi looked between the two of us before speaking. “Cam is since it was her idea. We’re playing for points. We each start with 10. Each time you refuse a question, you lose a point.”
Cam smiled like me and Benji’s stare down hadn’t even fazed her, and turned to Gabi. “First question. What’s your favorite body part?”
Gabi’s eyes widened and she glanced at me. “On me or a guy?”
“You.”
Gabi tapped her chin, considering her answer.
I wondered if her favorite part was my favorite part.
She moved her fingers up to her lips and pointed to them.
Interesting. “Why’s that?”
She turned to me and shrugged. “I just think they’re nice.”
They were. Plump but not big. Not small either. Just right. “That’s not my favorite part.”
“Well who asked you?”
“Wanna know what my favorite part is?”
“You’re playing the game wrong, it isn’t your turn.”
“Your hair.” I buried my fingers in it and rubbed her scalp. “It was the first thing I noticed about you. Until that day at the beach you were just the tall girl with the funny red hair. It should be your favorite part. It’s what makes you Gabi.”
She stared at the floor, and pushed her hair back behind her ear, fighting a blush, and failing miserably.
“Awwwww.”
We all looked at Cam. She was staring at Gabi and me with her chin resting on her fist and her eyes glistening.
Gabi waved her off then turned to me. “Any who, my turn. If you could have only one thing for the rest of your life, what would it be?”
You. “What type of thing? An object? Food? Be more specific, girl.”
With a growl, she leaned her head back. “Fine. A source of entertainment.”
You. “Books.”
“Really? Why?” She rested her cheek in her palm, genuinely interested in my answer.
“Because, there’s no point in having something electronic. One day they’ll be obsolete. Literature will never die. Classics like Langston Hughes and Zora Neal Hurston are still being read today. So yeah, books.”
Benji smacked his lips, shaking his head at me. “How are we even related? Man, give me a stripper and I’m good. She gotta be bad though.”
Cam fashioned him with an eye roll. “It’s not your turn, and that wasn’t your question. Does anyone here understand rules?”
He stared at her with his tongue pushed against the inside of his cheek. “Why are you so mean to me?”
“Maybe because–”
“You must know it turns me on.”
Her mouth contorted into a sneer, and she turned to me. “Get your boy.”
I shook my head at him, he never stopped. “Come on Benj, just play the game.”
“Fine, what’s your question?”
“You ever been in love?”
“No. Next.” With that he turned to Cam, a sly grin forming on his face. Aw, hell.
One look at him and Cam shook her head. “Skip.”
Benji’s lips parted and he narrowed his eyes at her. “I haven’t even asked anything yet.”
“I know, and that’s why I’m skipping before you do. Matter of fact, someone switch seats with me. I don’t want to answer his nasty questions.”
We all shifted until I was to Benji’s right. Gabi had taken the seat first, but that was a disaster waiting to happen.
Once we were settled, Benji shook his head then faced me. “Who was your first kiss?”
I was unsure of his motive, asking me things he already knew the answer to, but I went along with it anyway. “Gabi.”
Cam’s eyes widened and her mouth dropped open. “You must know another Gabi, because I’m sure that’s information I should have been privy to from my best friend.” She turned her stare to Gabi, but hardened it, and added a scowl.
Gabi waved her off with an eye roll. “I didn’t tell you because it’s not a big deal.”
&
nbsp; “Not a big deal?” Cam threw her hands up, and then shoved Gabi’s shoulder. “How is you kissing Jay not a big deal? I mean, you’re only in–”
Gabi reached out and pinched Cam’s forearm.
“Ow!” She glared at Gabi, who glared right back, and then they both glanced at me before finding a spot on the floor to stare at.
Oookay, that was weird. “She’s only what?”
Gabi grabbed a piece of candy from the middle of the circle we sat in and started to unwrap it. “Nothing. I’m nothing. Who’s turn?” She stuffed the chocolate in her mouth and looked between the three of us.
Cam shook her head. “Unh unh. I wanna hear about this kiss.”
I tore my gaze from Gabi, who eyes had yet to meet mine, and faced Cam. “Gabi’s right, it wasn’t a big deal. It happened during a game of spin the bottle in middle school and lasted about five seconds.”
Cam’s mouth spread into a goofy grin. “Five seconds is like a lifetime in middle school years.”
I caught movement from the corner of my eye, and watched Benji stand. “Where are you going?”
“I don’t feel like playing anymore.”
I smacked my lips and narrowed one eye at him. “Why do you always have to ruin the fun?”
“This game isn’t fun, y’all ask boring questions. Besides, Cam ain’t playing fair.” Before I could respond he crossed the room and was out the door.
Cam rolled her eyes. “Anyway, Gabi, did you ever decide if you were going to the party tonight?”
“I don’t know. You know how I feel about parties.” She played with her lip, and then looked at me. “Are you going?”
“Hadn’t planned on it, but I will if you want me there.”
Her mouth lifted into a smile and she nodded.
I tugged gently at one of her curls, and then tucked it behind her ear. “Wear your hair down.”
~ ♥ ~
By the time I made it to the party Benji was already drunk and sandwiched between two girls in skimpy dresses on the dance floor. It was the middle of October at night, they were gonna freeze their asses off. I shook my head and pushed deeper into the throng of party goers. When I could finally breathe, which wasn’t pleasant considering the smell of alcohol, sweat, and incense, I popped into the kitchen for a beer, then leaned against door frame and scoped the scene.
Excuse Me, First Love (College Daze #1) Page 14
