The No Asshole Rule

by Ashley Erin

  “Nope, so let’s go.” We walk in and I’m grateful that Harrison ignores us as we make it to our seats. Most of the other students are taking notes, but I notice a redhead staring in our direction. The look on her face is calculating and it makes me uncomfortable. I’ve never noticed her before, but as she moves her gaze to Lucas, the lust that fills her eyes makes me squeeze onto Lucas’s hand harder. Jealousy is a new emotion for me and I really don’t like it, but I seriously want to wipe that look off her face.

  As we take our seats, Lucas looks at me inquisitively.

  “You okay?” He whispers to me. Moving my gaze away from the redhead, I meet Lucas’s blue eyes. Concern fills them and after taking a deep breath, I smile.

  “Yeah, I’m good.”

  Class goes by quickly, Harrison is an amazing professor and the discussion he invokes is always fascinating. The whole time he speaks, Lucas’s fingers trail along my palm and into the inside of my elbow. Shivers run through my body as goose bumps chase his fingers. Fire and ice flow through my veins, settling in my core. Attempting not to squirm as an ache builds, I cross my legs and close my eyes, trying to ignore the throbbing ache he is causing merely with his fingertips. My head is no longer focused on what Harrison is talking about, it’s trained in on the sensations flowing through my body.

  Today is technically only the second day we are spending as more than friends, but the temptation to relieve the ache is filling me. Lucas leans over and nips my ear, causing me to bite my lip to hold back a moan. He is so amazing, experience radiates off him and I’m nervous I won’t live up to his expectations. When the fifty minutes is up, Lucas pulls me out of class in a hurry, I’m both relieved and disappointed that class is done.

  “So let’s skip next block, it may sound crazy, but I missed you yesterday.”

  “I wish I could, but I have a test.” He pouts teasingly while walking me to my class and kisses me quickly. Grateful to have an hour to recover from Lucas building me up, I ache in a way new to me. What a tease.

  “Okay, dinner then? My place?” I nod before walking away, blushing at his knowing smile.

  Tossing my book bag onto the floor and collapsing on the couch, I sigh in relief. What a long day, but I made a friend with a girl who is in a couple of my Psychology classes. Nella is shy and quiet, but very sweet. We made plans to have lunch this coming weekend and I’m excited for some girl time.

  Thinking of girl time makes me wish Kensi was here to help me get ready for my date, I didn’t feel comfortable asking Nella because our friendship is still new.

  Sometimes people don’t know how to handle me, I swear like a sailor, have a resting bitch face that turns people off and don’t get me started on how most people react to my aversion to men. Nella gives off a different vibe than the girls I used to be friends with to disguise my inner pain. One of the things I really want to focus on is finding out who I am beyond the pain of my past. Making new friends who are real friends is part of that journey.

  Jumping up, I start to get ready for my date. I’m excited to see what Lucas has planned.

  Running through the checklist of things I wanted to do, I feel sweat beading on my temples. I need to calm the fuck down, this isn’t my first rodeo.

  Checking the lasagna, it’s starting to get to the perfect point. I stick the garlic bread into the oven before moving to examine the table. I can’t resist rearranging the flowers on the table again, I really hope she likes them. Instead of going for roses like so many others, I had the florist put together an arrangement of orchids and hyacinth. She kind of looked at me strangely to pair those flowers, but I like that it’s not your typical arrangement. Andie is the most unique, intriguing and beautiful woman I’ve ever met, I wanted the flowers I chose to reflect that. She has started to let more of herself shine through as she feels more comfortable around me.

  Practically sprinting to the door when I hear a knock, the breath is knocked out of me as I run my eyes over Andie. She is wearing jeans that accentuate her curvy hips and ass. My eyes move from her lower body and take in the emerald green tank top that makes her eyes shine. It hugs her curves and I want to simultaneously stare at her in that tank top and rip it off. She has no idea what she does to me.

  Pulling her inside, I lean down and brush my lips across hers. “You look beautiful.” She blushes as she looks up at me. Wrapping my arms around her, I enjoy how tiny she is and how she fits into me. Despite our height difference, it doesn’t feel awkward to enfold her in my arms or tuck her into my side.

  She scans my apartment quickly, almost as though she is scouting an escape route. Our apartments are laid out exactly the same, except mirrored and her perusal is brief. If I wasn’t watching her so closely, I would have missed it.

  “Dinner is almost ready. I hope you like chicken lasagna and garlic bread.” Holding my breath, I watch as she appreciatively smells the air. Before she can say anything, her stomach growls loudly.

  “Well there is your answer.” She giggles and the sound goes straight through my gut. She walks into the kitchen and her eyes widen at the table. She takes in the candles that are lit, the flowers at the back of my square table and the spinach salad already sitting in the center.

  “Wow.” Her eyes are soft and the excitement in them makes me want to puff out my chest and strut around like a peacock. Has no one ever cooked her dinner before?

  “The flowers are for you.” Wow, romantic dude. Andie walks over and runs her fingertips over the petals. When she turns around, there is a sheen to her eyes that wasn’t there before. Fantastic, I made her fucking cry. Moving towards her, before I can say anything she has wrapped her arms around me and buried her face in my chest.

  “They are beautiful. No one has ever bought me flowers before. I love them.” Squeezing her, I pull back and smile down at her.

  “I’m glad you like them, and I cannot believe no one has ever bought you flowers! What kind of boyfriend doesn’t buy a girl flowers?” She closes her eyes briefly and then looks at her feet. I’m starting to recognize this action as one when she is embarrassed or ashamed and it confuses me.

  “Well, my first boyfriend didn’t last long enough to give me flowers and the second one, well he was an all-around douche bag.” She avoids meeting my gaze and I sense there is more to those boyfriends than she is letting on. Instead of pushing like I want to, I give her the moment I think she needs and lean down to check the lasagna.

  “Well, it looks like I have to catch you up on how a girl should be treated.” Smiling at her, I think I hear her breath catch when the timer on the oven goes off. “Have a seat, supper is ready.” As she sits down, I put the food in front of her and wait anxiously as she looks at it.

  “This looks amazing. I’m going to need to put in several hours at the gym to make up for all of the food I’m about to eat, but it’s so worth it.” The smile that snakes across my face is outside my control and stays put while we load our plates.

  As we begin eating the noises of appreciation coming out of her throat almost make me choke. Shifting uncomfortably as my dick strains against my jeans, I’m glad for the coverage of the kitchen table.

  “Oh holy hell! This tastes amazing.” As she forks another bite of lasagna into her mouth, she closes her eyes and moans again. Reaching across the table, I grab her hand and give her a look.

  “What?” The confusion on her face is almost comical, but the haze of lust blocks out the humor.

  “You really need to stop making those noises. I’m trying to be a gentleman here.” Growling, my voice is thick and her eyes widen as the realization at what I’m getting at sinks in. Gulping, she sets her fork down and fiddles with her placemat.

  “What do you mean?” Her voice is innocent, but her eyes sparkle with mischief. She is tempting me and doing it on purpose. Just one more layer she is choosing to show me as she gets more comfortable. Groaning, I shift at the table and heat sparks in her eyes.

  “There is nothing that I want more than to wi
pe everything off this table and eat something else for dinner.” I stare straight in her eyes so she knows I’m serious and underneath the teasing I see trepidation flash across her face. She is not ready for that, but I can see the want underneath the anxiety.

  “Maybe another time.” I whisper to her, she gulps and looks away, a light flush across her cheeks. We go back to eating and I casually adjust myself under the table. I’ve gone four years, I can wait a little longer.

  “I’m sorry.” Andie whispers it so quietly, I almost don’t hear her and I’m pretty sure she didn’t intend for me to hear so I don’t say anything. Everything about this woman makes me curious.

  She puts her fork down and smiles at me, the odd moment passing. “Lucas, that was so delicious! You are a great cook.”

  “That is one of very few things I can cook, it won’t take long to get through my entire culinary repertoire. I’m glad you enjoyed it.” Standing, I clear our plates once I know she is done. Helping her to her feet we walk into the living room.

  “I thought we could play a game.” Instead of doing dinner and a movie, I wanted to be creative and do something most guys wouldn’t think of. The very little she has said of her previous relationships has quickly made me realize it won’t be hard to think of new things to do with her. I don’t understand how someone as beautiful and sweet as she is, especially once you spend time with her, could have been with someone who didn’t even get her flowers.

  “What kind of game?”

  “We could play card games. I also have Monopoly and Operation. We can also play Mario Kart.” Her forehead bunches as she ponders the choices I’ve given her.

  “Mario Kart. I must warn you, I kick ass at Mario Kart.” She sinks down onto my couch as I load up the game and hand her a controller.

  It doesn’t take long to realize that when Andie said she kicks ass at Mario Kart, she was actually being modest. She is a Mario Kart fiend and I’ve lost every game except one. Andie is reclining along the couch with her feet resting on my lap, her focus is intent on the race and it’s going to be a close one. She is yelling at Yoshi to move his ass when I pass her and release a shell in her direction.

  “Fucker! You’re going down for that move!” Her smack talk is adorable and I keep focused on crossing that finish line. Movement on my lap catches my eye and I see her adjust her foot and nudge my controller, throwing me off course.

  “Hahaha sucker!!” She laughs as her character races past mine and plants a banana trap.

  “Do you really want to play dirty?” She arches an eyebrow at me and nudges my controller again, chuckling lowly to herself. Eyeing her up, I look at the game and realize I won’t be catching up so I toss my controller aside and slowly lift myself onto my knees.

  Planting my hands on either side of her hips, I lean over her and start kissing her neck. Andie freezes for a moment, her breathing growing erratic before she groans and tilts her head, giving me more access. Reaching between us, I grab the controller from her grasp and set it on the ground before resting my hand on her hip and moving to her lips.

  Andie’s hands wind into my hair, pulling me closer as she deepens the kiss and entwines her tongue with mine. Lowering myself off my knees, my belly rests between her legs and I moan as she lifts her hips into me. Andie doesn’t seem to realize she is doing it and that turns me on more than if she were doing it intentionally. My hard on strains against my jeans and I’m so turned on by Andie’s hands in my hair, her hips moving into my belly and the soft little moans escaping out of her throat that I hope I don’t come in my pants like a teenager.

  Moving my lips away from hers, running my tongue along her jaw, I nip her ear. Kissing down her neck to her collarbone and shoulder. Running my hand up her hip to her ribs along the side of her breast before sliding my hand under the strap of her tank top to move it down her shoulder. Grazing my lips from Andie’s shoulder to her collarbone, I enjoy the taste of her skin and the feel of her body against mine. She runs her hands from my hair, down my back before sliding her hands up the front of my shirt.

  “Lucas.” She whispers my name and I swallow the whisper as I bring my lips back to hers, tangling our tongues and tasting her. I could kiss Andie forever, her lips are soft and her kisses go right to my gut, making my heart pound. Andie’s hands make their way out of my shirt and back into my hair, she pulls slightly and I groan into her.

  I’ve been barely restraining myself but at that slight tug, I lift myself up so I can align my hips with hers and push into her. She gasps into my mouth at the feel of my hard cock pressing into her core. The grip on my hair tightens and she kisses me harder prompting me to grind into her again. Our breathing is heavy and I reluctantly pull away before I push her too far, it’s too soon. Her breathing is heavy and her eyes are filled with lust and confusion as they meet my gaze.

  “I can’t control myself much longer.” I answer her unspoken question as I lean down to pick up her discarded controller and hand it to her. Andie leans forward and presses a final kiss to my lips before adjusting her position on the couch so she is leaning into me and starting up the game again.

  “Thank you.” She murmurs. Kissing her head, I’m proud of myself for being able to maintain my restraint all the while trying to ignore the pain settling into my groin.

  Grinning as I head to my Ed Psych class, I’m still flying high from my date and the following days with Lucas. It’s finally Friday and we have big plans for this evening. After a gym date, we are going to play more Mario Kart. I really hope it goes the same way as it did on Monday. That kiss was amazing and Lucas has been exceptionally sweet every day since.

  It never crossed my mind that I would meet someone who would make me start to let go of the things that led to the creation of my rules in the first place. As ridiculous as it sounds, the fact that Lucas wasn’t able to walk with me to our class today makes me miss him. He decided to shift his coursework for next semester and they booked his appointment with the registrar’s office this morning.

  A hand on my arm startles me as I start to enter the classroom and I turn to see who is touching me. Strangers putting their hands on me is something I still don’t like and the reflex is always there to punch them, instead of striking like I want, I meet the eyes of the red head who stares at Lucas every class.

  “Hey, Andie right? I’m Carla.” She smiles at me and the fakeness practically drips off her, it’s disgusting.

  “Um, yeah. What’s up?” Rather than walking away from her and the toxicity she radiates, and I know it, I spent all of high school surrounded by friends like her, I wait to see what she has to say.

  “I noticed you are with Lucas now, and I felt it to be only fair to warn you. Don’t fall for his sweetness, you are but one of many, trust me . . . I’ve been in your shoes.” What she is saying doesn’t make sense, I never see Lucas with anyone, but then again we don’t spend all our time together.

  “Thanks, I guess, but I think you have Lucas all wrong. Maybe he used to be that way, but he’s not anymore.” I really don’t know what he was like, but I feel the need to defend the guy I’ve been getting to know. Even as I say the words though, doubt begins to creep in as I see pity build in Carla’s eyes.

  “Oh hun, let me guess. He took you to the waterfall. He probably tells you what you need to hear. I’ve heard him on the phone with a woman frequently, even telling her he loves her.” My gut feels like it’s coiling in on itself as I remember hearing a woman’s voice over the phone the first day we met. Since then he has been careful not to be on the phone around me. I used to think it was courtesy, now doubt fills the corners of my mind.

  Meeting her eyes again, I strain to see any indication that she is lying, but all I see is pity. Before she can say anything else, I nod and turn away before she sees the angry tears fill my eyes.

  I should have followed my initial impression. I knew he was an asshole and yet I let my guard down, I let him sucker me in like the foolish, inexperienced 19 year old that I am. H
e has three years more of experience in dealing with people in a romantic capacity than I do, not that I have much to speak of. It sure sounds like he does though.

  My eyes are blind with the doubt Carla has filled me with as I hurry across campus and up the stairs to my apartment. Hurling myself into my room, I quickly pack an overnight bag and text Nella.

  Me: Instead of lunch tomorrow do want to have a sleepover tonight, your place?

  I anxiously wait for her response as I race into the bathroom and blindly throw toiletries into a bag. My phone chimes with a text notification and I rush to check it hoping it’s from Nella. Instead, Lucas’s name lights up the screen.

  Lucas: Where are you?

  Before I can toss my phone aside without responding, a text comes in from Nella.

  Nella: Yes! We will have a blast, my classes this afternoon are optional so come on over!

  Me: On my way.

  Slinging my bag over my shoulder, I pause in front of my mirror. My eyes are lined with red from holding in tears and I throw my bag down. Gripping the side of my dresser I lean in close and stare hard at my reflection.

  “You will not cry over him. You promised yourself you would never shed tears for an asshole ever again.” Steeling myself, I mentally rebuild some of the walls that Lucas had torn down. How he had managed to in such a short span of time just shows how sly he is. Hardening my face, I pick up my bag and rush into the hall, colliding with Dax.

  “Mother fucker, why do I constantly do that?!” I yell in frustration.

  “Nugget, aren’t you supposed to be in class?” I look up at Dax and concern fills his eyes as he takes in my expression. “What happened?”

  “Oh nothing out of the ordinary. Lucas is an asshole, I’m one of many and I should never have let down my guard. I’m going to a friend’s house for the night. If Lucas comes by tell him to go away. Better yet, punch him in his too pretty face for emphasis.” Dax raises his eyebrows at that. It’s rare that I condone violence, and concern fills his face as he draws in his brows.