by Marie Cole
"So what did you want to show me?" I asked with a raised eyebrow, squeezing his large hand gently. He let out a little laugh and nodded to the lake. He pointed with his other hand to something sticking out of the water that looked like a small rounded stick pointing out. I gasped and looked at him, taking him in. "You brought me here to see the turtles?" His expression looked pained, as if I'd hurt him.
"Damn, so you've seen them before?" I tried to hold back a laugh but it bubbled up as a giggle.
"Of course I have. They're my favorite thing on campus." He looked away shyly and smiled. I was waiting for him to dig his toe in the dirt but it never happened.
"They're mine too," he said. I smiled at him brightly and squeezed his hand gently.
"I wish I could kiss you...," I murmured. He looked at me, no smile on his lips, his eyes dark.
"I wish you could too..." He squeezed my hand back briefly before letting go. He sat down on the grass and wrapped his strong arms around his legs, his hands clasped in front of his knees loosely.
I sat down next to him and sighed softly, eyes on the lake. I wondered what he was thinking. I wondered if he was regretting this decision yet. I wondered why he was so interested in me. He could have any girl on campus, surely. I glanced at him, his attention was on the lake too. "Why are we even doing this? We can't work out in the long run. We couldn't even get married, you'd have to kiss the bride." He chuckled, eyes still focused on the water.
"Perhaps by the time you're ready to marry me you won't want to fight me off anymore." I turned back to the lake. Maybe he was right. This no kissing thing was only temporary until I wanted to take it to the next level with Will and maybe it would be sooner rather than later. I wasn't a virgin anymore. Neil was off doing...who knows what with whatever female would give it to him. I ran my fingers through my hair to try to distract myself and hurt myself a little for even thinking about Neil. I was done with him. He didn't care about me. It sucked but facts were facts.
I nudged his arm with my shoulder as I looked up to him. "Perhaps." I smiled softly. My lower lip trembled softly as he reached out and ran his rough knuckles over my cheek. I dropped my gaze to his arm and bit my lower lip to keep it from giving me away. He laughed softly.
"You're so sweet, Claire." I dared a glance at his eyes and my lips searched for his, getting closer and closer. A twig snapping behind us made me jump back. I pushed some hair over my shoulder as I looked to see what the commotion was. It was Justice and Neil. They had their arms around each other but Neil's grip on Justice slowly dropped as he realized what was going on between Will and me.
I cleared my throat and looked away and I heard Justice laugh. "Look, baby, its your cast off. And hers. How cute are they. Don't worry, Claire, I won't steal the meat head from you. He's too big for my taste." Will made a grumbling noise in his chest and I put my hand on it, looking at his face. I shook my head and spoke softly for only his ears, "She's not worth it. She's just trying to get under our skin. It's what she does. Just ignore her, she'll go away."
He nodded curtly, looking very unhappy about it and turned his attention back to the lake. His jaw twitched as he clenched it, his hands were clasped tightly in front of his knees. I put my hand on his back and rubbed from the middle to the top and back down in slow comforting circles as we watched the turtles and waited for those two to go about their business.
They went where ever they were going and not another word was hurled between us. I was comforting Will partly to soothe myself. He was still with Justice and I'd seen them together alot since we parted ways. It wasn't really my business, I'd told him in no uncertain terms we were through, but it still stung every time I saw them together.
"When is your last midterm?" Will interrupted my thoughts.
"Hmm, Thursday morning. ...Why?" I watched him as he turned his head towards me and grinned, shrugging innocently.
"No reason," he said. I chuckled.
"I don't believe that for a second," I said.
"Good. You should always trust your gut." My smile faltered the slightest bit. My gut was telling me I should get up and run after Neil. My gut was telling me that despite how nice Will was turning out to be, Neil was who I wanted. My gut was wrong. It wasn't the first time. My gut had told me that Neil was ready to be committed to me, to try something new. It had been wrong on that count. It was probably wrong again. My gut couldn't be trusted when it came to the opposite sex, especially Neil.
Chapter 16
Neil
Another football game won, another mixer attended. It killed me a little inside to see Claire dancing all night with that tall oaf she called her boyfriend. At least I expected that's what she was calling him. I'd seen them together every bloody time I ran into her, which was quite a bit, to my dismay.
I had midterms over the next two days and needed to buckle down to study so I gave Justice the cold shoulder and didn't answer any of the knocks that came on the door. I opened my English notebook and stared at the mostly blank pages. Fuck me. I'd forgotten all about my lack of notes. I rubbed a hand over my already tired eyes and groaned. Who the hell could I ask for notes that would be worth copying? Sure as hell not Claire, I wasn't going to ask her for a damn thing. I was still very sore about how selfish and self righteous she'd been about the event after the formal. The only reason it'd been a big deal was because she'd made it one.
I pulled out the syllabus and my eyes scanned the reading we'd covered up to this point. I was behind on the past four weeks of readings. I silently counted the amount of pages and cursed. 134 pages of assigned readings. At a page a minute, roughly, that would be almost two hours of reading. Doable? Yes, if I hadn't loaned my damn textbook to that brunette last week. She'd seen it in my room when she was...visiting, and told me she'd lost hers.
There was no way I was going to get a good grade on this midterm unless I actually read the passages. I grabbed my hoodie, slipped it on and made my way to the brunette's dorm. I knocked on the door and waited, and waited, and waited. There was no answer and I couldn't hear anyone on the other side of the door. The dorms were quiet because it was midterm time and most people were studying. The library, maybe she was there. I grumbled to myself about loaning my shite out to girls all the way there.
I walked inside and shivered, it was getting damn cold outside. I scoured the first, second and third floors and saw no signs of her. I would try another girl in the class and see if she would let me borrow her book, or even co-study. I could definitely use a study partner of the female kind. My mind was all out of whack. I pushed the button for the elevator and looked around as I waited. The elevator dinged and I stepped forward and crashed into someone. It was my damn fault for not looking. I grabbed the book that had fallen at my feet, it was the book I needed! I smiled at the book and stood up straight and my smile fell. It was her. Claire. Bloody spectacular. I held the book out to her and waited for her to take it. I felt my jaw clench. I was not going to speak to her.
"Thanks. You should watch where you're walking." She offered me a little smile but I ignored it.
"Yeah. I'll work on that." I grumbled as I stepped into the elevator and moved to the back corner. She watched me long enough that the doors closed before she stepped out. She pushed the button for the main floor and then for the third floor.
"Are you done studying already?" Small talk, really? My eyes fell to her legs which were just covered in sheer black tights. She must have been cold walking across campus with no pants on. My eyes kept roaming up to the short little gray wool skirt.
I forced my eyes on her face and shrugged. "I'm just that bloody good."
She studied my expression for a moment, and then shrugged herself. "Must be a relief."
"It is." The elevator door opened and I moved forward, careful not to touch her on my way out of the very confined space. My damn dick was aching just from smelling her. I had to get far away from her so I would no longer be tempted grab her and slam her against the wall and take her right
there.
I glanced over my shoulder as the doors were closing and I wish I hadn't. She looked sad or disappointed that I was walking away from her. It took all I had not to turn around. But nothing had changed between us. As much as I might want her she didn't want what I offered her. She'd give me her love but it had conditions. I had to be someone I wasn't. I didn't need improving. If I was being honest with myself she didn't need improving either. We just weren't good together. If only my stupid dick would get in line with my head.
I sat on a bench just outside the library in the cold, the darkness of the evening lit by a few street lamps dispersed six feet apart or so, and put my head in my hands. Think, Neil, think. Focus. I inhaled deeply and then let it out slowly. I stood up, shoving my hands in my pockets and my feet were just about to take me back to my dorm when I spotted that dense fella heading my way. He was on the phone with someone and I pulled my phone out and pretended to be on it as well. There was something fishy about this guy. Or maybe I was just bitter that he was with the girl I wanted. Either way I walked casually in his direction and once I got closer I bent down and pretended to tie my shoelace. He was speaking in a different language. Unlucky for him it was Greek.
"...I am working on it as quickly as I can. ...Do not worry, you will get what you want. ...Okay. Talk later." He hung up as he passed by and stuffed his phone in his front pocket. I wondered if he'd noticed me or not. I had purposely bent down in the dark patch. Maybe it was a call about a class project. I sighed softly and started walking again. I still didn't have any dirt on the douche, but I was certain there was dirt to find. Eventually I'd find it.
Chapter 17
Claire
I grabbed my test booklet and walked to the front of the class. I smiled as I put the paper in the tray sitting on the professor's desk. My last midterm! As I left the building I felt the stress of intense studying leave my body. I grinned as I walked, pencils in my hand. I didn't have to think about anything, I completed midterms week and that was something to celebrate.
I was contemplating a party or a pizza night with Merit when I saw Will leaning against the front wall of my dorm, he had a backpack slung over his gray hooded shoulder and a gorgeous smile on his face.
"I've been waiting for you. Are you done with your midterms?"
I held my hands up to celebrate the joyous words. "Yes! I'm done with my midterms! Woo hoo!" I stopped in front of him and took in the rest of his appearance, starting with his long loose workout pants and ending with his the flickering yellow aura that screamed energy. "Going for a run?"
He laughed softly, the sound sending pings of electricity between my thighs. "No." He pushed himself off the wall and came around behind me. When his chest brushed my shoulder I had to fight back a groan. It was going to be torture being around him and not being able to kiss him. Life was so not fair. But I'd known that for as long as I could remember.
He tied a black silk scarf around my eyes and whispered into my ear. "I have a surprise for you." I felt the goosebumps break out on my arms. I wondered what the surprise could be. Maybe he was going to bring me to the lake for a romantic stroll, that would be very relaxing. Or maybe he had read my earlier thoughts and wanted to watch a movie and binge on pizza. I was wondering how many pizzas he could eat by himself when his strong hands guided me forward. I could tell we went into my dorm and I assumed he was leading me to my room since he knew where that was.
Once we stopped moving I reached for the blindfold but he grabbed my hands and tsked me. "You'll ruin the surprise. Where is your key?" His hands slowly moved down my arms. My nipples puckered as his thumbs grazed the sides of my breasts. He was slowly frisking me, his large warm hands were starting fires throughout my body.
"M-my back pocket." I bit my lower lip as I felt his hands move from my hips around to my ass. He gave it a soft squeeze that made me clench my thighs together before grabbing the key. I heard the door unlock and then he was leading me again into the room.
I heard a thud and then him moving around my room. I was tempted to take off the blindfold or at least peek but I wanted him to be able to trust me. Trust was important in relationships. Trust was the reason I had to break things off with Neil. Dammit, he was invading my thoughts again.
Will took my pencils from my hands and I heard them tumble over the surface of my desk. He replaced them with something soft, definitely small, and clothing. "Go change into that and then come back out." He turned me around and removed my blindfold. I smiled and did as I was told.
After freshening up a bit I slipped into the black string bikini he'd put into my hands. I wasn't sure if he thought we were going swimming or if this was just a ruse to get me to be as close to naked as possible. I opened the door to my bedroom and gasped. The room was transformed. There were candles everywhere, a soft pink silk sheet over my bedspread, and the room smelled light of lavender. The best eye candy in the room was Will himself who had removed his shirt, his abdomen cut into six little sections and so smooth it begged to be licked. His muscles were huge, well defined and I felt my mouth water. He was the definition of strong. I squeezed my thighs together again.
"This is...wow."
He motioned to the bed, "Please, come lay down. I want to help you destress." He waggled his eyebrows. I would've thought he was trying to seduce me save for the grin on his lips. I complied, making my way over to the bed. I started to sit and lay back but he stopped me, his finger circling in the air. "On your stomach, please."
"Okay..." I paused for a second and then turned, laying belly down on the silk sheet. I rested my head on my hands and waited. A tiny tingle of something played on my brain and I glanced back to him, checking his aura. It was oddly blank. I squeezed my eyes shut and looked again. Nope, still nothing. That never happened. God, I must be more tired than I thought. I put my head down and moments later I felt his strong hands on my shoulders, squeezing the tension away. He must have had oil on his hands because they were slick and the smell of lavender was very strong.
I moaned as his hands worked their way down my back. "That feels so goo..Ah!..." I called out as he hit a super tense spot on my lower back. He paused and then rubbed it, trying to work out the tension.
He whispered again, his breath on the back of my neck sent sexual shivers between my legs. "Feeling better yet, Claire?"
"Yes!" I whispered back, the stress of finals was gone but the sexual stress was just starting to build between us. His hands continued to rub my back, slow and steady and soon, despite the sexual tension in the air, what with the relaxing lavender scent, the warm hands soothing my back and the soft lighting, I fell asleep.
While I was napping I dreamt of being on a warm beach, I'd never been to one, my toes in the sand. The sun had warmed the sand, making it hot. It felt good to have my toes buried in deep and as soon as I thought it was too hot to take a wave would come and wash over my feet. I watched the waves a few times and then a strong arm wrapped around my waist and pulled me back against an equally strong torso. I closed my eyes, his face was blacked out due to the bright sun directly behind him. He nibbled my ear, kissed down my neck while his hands held me to him and stroked my hair. Then he whispered to me, "Time to wake up, Claire-bear. Time to wake up, love..." It was Neil's voice and I woke up with a start. My head kicked up so suddenly that I knocked into Will's chin, which hurt really bad, let me tell you. It was like someone had hit me on the back of my head with a large rock.
He cursed and rubbed his chin slowly. "I'm not sure who that was worse for me, or you."
I rolled over and put my hand on the back of my head, wincing. "Me...I was surprised -and- your chin is much sharper than my head. Comparatively." I closed my eyes against the dull ache for a moment before looking at him, his hand still on his chin but he was smiling at me. I couldn't help but smile back. "Why are you smiling at me?"
"You're just... so beautiful, Claire. So pure. A person just gets the feeling that you've never done a single terrible thing in your whole li
fe." With the exception of thinking of another guy while you were giving me a wonderful back massage, maybe. I winced again, trying to push my thoughts down. Now was not the time to be thinking about that nameless man again.
I held out my arms, hoping he would close the distance between us. He did, without hesitation. I hugged him and he rubbed his nose against my neck. "No one is perfect, Will. Neither am I." He chuckled against my shoulder and then kissed it softly.
