She tries to pull out of my grasp. “You can’t shush me! What are you doing?”
She looks comically adorable, making faces to keep her mask from drying, her ten-sizes-too-big purple sweat suit, and her stiff posture. “I’m kissing you.”
I cover her lips with mine, hoping that whatever crap is on her face won’t kill me, and that my kiss will erase whatever insecurities she’s having about my intentions. Her arms find their way around my waist, and she presses her body into me, but with her sweats, I can’t feel any of her.
She doesn’t seem to mind.
I do. I move her toward the bed. I want to pull the sweatshirt over her head, but my hands are stuck in her hair.
“Ah,” she pulls away and flinches.
“I’m stuck.” I gently tug my hands to untangle them.
She wiggles her head and pulls strands of her hair out of the web, one by one. I let out a laugh.
“What is so funny?” she asks.
“What do you think? You look ridiculous.”
She presses her lips together and tries not to smile, but the corners turn up despite the gook. “I was testing you.”
My hands break free of the rat’s nest that is her hair. “No?” I pull back, draw out the word, and roll my eyes.
She smacks my arm.
“Can I make something clear?” I pull her close, straddling her thigh between my legs so she can feel how hard I am.
“Oh.”
“Yeah. That.” I release her. “You could wear whatever you want. You can have a green face, tangled hair, zits all over. I. Don’t. Care. You say you aren’t perfect, but to me, you are. It has nothing to do with how you look.”
She squints through her mask. “Well….”
I hold up a hand. “Maybe at first it did. Now that I know you, it doesn’t. Got it?”
She purses her lips and studies me. I wait, but she doesn’t answer.
“I don’t appreciate this game you’re playing. Not to mention Tuck’s never going to let me live this down. If you have a question or a problem, you can talk to me. After all the work I’ve done to be able to talk to you without stuttering, you can at least try to trust me too. Okay?”
Again, she doesn’t answer.
“Are you going to say anything?”
She shakes her head. “Er…crrr…tttuhhh.”
“Huh?”
“Wers-coff.” She points to her face and indicates scrubbing.
“Oh shit.” I go to Tuck’s closet since his towels are neatly folded on a shelf. I grab a washcloth and walk her down to the ladies’ room.
She sits on the sink as I warm the water and gently rub the cloth over her skin. I study her features as I do it, not sure if I’ve seen her without makeup. The birthmark. The way her eyelashes curl at the ends. How her nose is shiny. The little zit starting to form on her chin, just like she said it would. I smooth out her hair the best I can.
When I’m done, I touch her cheek. “Perfect.”
She smiles. “I’m sorry I was rude to you. You’ve never done anything to make me think I couldn’t trust you. The girls freaked me out. Then I saw Win…I started second-guessing.”
So Winston’s still playing the game. “I’m not sure what’s up with your girlfriends, but please don’t listen to your ex when it comes to me. He has an agenda.”
“I’m sorry.” She blushes a sweet pink color.
“You don’t have to apologize. I don’t have the best track record. I want you to trust me because I’m trying to be a boyfriend. A good partner-type boyfriend, not a shit one like that idiot downstairs.”
She wraps her arms around my neck. “You’re doing great. There is one partner-type boyfriend thing you can do for me though.”
“Anything.”
“Could you loan me a T-shirt?” She yanks at the top of her ridiculous purple sweatshirt. “I’m so freaking hot in this.”
I smile. “You’re hot in anything. But it’s almost May, you know. Where did you dig those up?”
“They were in Meg’s closet. I think they’re Ben’s.”
“They’re horrible. Even for a guy. I have a T-shirt, but I’ll only loan it to you if you let me undress you.”
She raises her eyebrows. “Oh really?”
I put my hands on either side of her hips and lean close. Rubbing my nose over hers, I inhale the soapy, clean scent of her skin. “I’d love to touch your skin for a little bit.”
She sighs. “That sounds nice.”
I help her off the sink, and when we’re back in my room, I lock the door. I pull the sweatshirt over her head, and she shrinks to a normal-sized Maggie, wearing only a flimsy tank I can see right through. “That’s better,” I say. “Now how about the bottoms?”
She smiles, and soon the bottoms come off too. In her pink tank and underwear, she slides under my covers, and I’m in a Goddamn dream. My hardening dick reminds me it’s not a dream, it’s real.
I grab my iPod and climb in with her, and we automatically tangle our legs together. She laughs at my outdated music technology, but I share my earbuds and we shuffle my music. With the music in one ear, we listen as we touch each other. I sing some songs quietly. She sings some too. I spend the entire night worshipping her, on a mission to prove she can trust me and that I only want her. Each song that plays, I’ll always remember because I’m here kissing Maggie.
She responds when I touch her, making sweet sounds that let me know what she likes and what she doesn’t. I could spend a lifetime lost in her. Touching her body is the most amazing experience I’ve ever had. Whenever she tries to take over or things get too heated, I slow it back down. “Let me touch you,” I whisper.
Even when she falls asleep, I stay up, running my fingers along her back. I don’t want to shut my eyes and miss another moment with her. In a few weeks, she’ll probably be leaving, and once summer comes, I’m not sure what happens to us.
* * *
As perfect as the night is, the best part is that when the sun comes up on Sunday morning, she’s still there. And I still haven’t gotten her that T-shirt she’d wanted to borrow.
Careful not to wake her, I kiss her shoulder and slide out of bed, hoping to make a run to the men’s room without her noticing I’m gone. In the hallway, voices in the kitchen stop me. Nobody’s awake at this ungodly hour.
I peek around the kitchen doorway and see Winston talking to Suzi. They’re dressed and look serious in conversation, not like they hooked up. I jerk back so they don’t see me, lingering in the doorway. They’re murmuring about something. I debate whether to bust in and catch them in the act, or stay put and eavesdrop. I opt to intrude.
I lumber into the kitchen, fake yawning. “Winston. What brings you to the second floor?” I know that what brings him to the second floor is the gorgeous, naked woman in my bed. What he’s doing with Suzi is another question I’m curious about though.
I smile at Suzi. “Morning, neighbor.”
They stare at me, then look at each other, then back at me.
“What’s up?” I ask.
Winston’s beady eyes are intense behind his glasses. I debate calling him out on whatever he said to Maggie last night that prompted her to test me, but my night was too damn good to ruin it on him.
“How’s Maggie?” He fake smiles at me.
I return the look, flashing my best grin. “She’s amazing. Thanks for asking.”
His mouth twists into a creepy smirk. “Enjoy her while you can.”
He’s told me he wants her back. But the way he talks about her, like she’s some toy I’m playing with, pisses me off. “We enjoy each other a lot.”
His smirk turns to a frown. “Not for long.”
I can’t stand the kid. Without a thought, I rush Winston and push him back against the wall. Suzi shrieks.
“Cut the shit and stay away from Maggie. She doesn’t want you anymore.”
“Let go of him!” Suzi yells.
He twists to try to get out of my grasp, but I
hold him with one hand, pinning him to the wall. “I’m not going to hurt him.”
He stops struggling and scowls at me. Asshole doesn’t even look scared.
I push my hand into his chest with more force and lean close to his face. “But you fuck with Maggie again, and I’ll kick your ass.”
He jerks into my hand in an attempt to escape, but I keep him pinned. Then he laughs like a psycho. “It’s funny you think this can work with her. It can’t. You’re not going to last. Trust me. She’s too good for you.”
I clench my fist and think about how good it would feel to clock him in the jaw. Maybe she’s too good for me, but definitely she’s too good for this punk. Anyway, I’m okay with him thinking he can win her back. Especially now that I’m confident that she’s with me.
We stare at each other until he twists. I release him, and he walks away.
Suzi’s eyes are wide, and her hand covers her mouth. “I thought you’d hit him,” she murmurs.
I point at her. “What’s going on with you two?”
Her shoulders slump, and she turns to the counter, grasping it with both hands. “Not now, Dave.”
I’ll press her later. For now, I want to get back to Maggie. I don’t have time to waste on those two morons. Not when I have a beautiful woman in my bed, waiting for me.
Chapter 18
Maggie
After the awesome Sunday with Dave and Sunday night dinner, I drag myself to the library on Monday morning. It’s a feat in and of itself. Everyone in the world is either in class or sleeping. I skipped my classes to work on the paper, so it’s only me and Coffee Cup guy. After setting up my laptop, I pull the fleece blanket Dave bought me out of my bag, roll it into a ball, then put it on the table and rest my head on it.
I can’t think of a worse week for PMS-ing. My zit is flaring, the cramps are tightening, and any day now Aunt Flo should be arriving. All I want to do is to crawl back into bed with Dave and forget the world.
I glance past my laptop to the window to the outside world. Dumb paper. A bird taps against the glass, setting up a nest on the sill. I watch the little mother maneuver the sticks around in a sequence only she could figure out. At least I’ll have that for entertainment for the rest of the week while I finish this draft.
Why? Why am I so intent on going to Olympia? Maybe I actually don’t care. Maybe this is me doing what my mother expects. It would be so easy to accept my position on the waitlist, no matter how far down, and go enjoy the day. I could be with my new sexy boyfriend, wherever he is, living my life. I already have the New York internship. Why am I killing myself?
My mother would drop dead if I gave up on Olympia. Dave would be disappointed. Megan, Ben, and everyone who’s supported me would be let down. Meanwhile, they’re all out doing whatever on this sunny spring day, and I’m stuck here. Watching a bird and probably dying from the radiation emitting from my laptop.
Just as I’m thinking about sitting up and getting to work, a hand pulls out the chair next to me. “Hey. You okay?”
I glare as Winston sits next to me, but then I shut my eyes and don’t bother to sit up. He could stay there all day if he wants. Doesn’t mean I have to talk to him.
“Uh, Mags?”
Sigh. I guess I do.
I open my eyes. He pushes his glasses back up his nose and cracks his neck from side to side, sniffing and snorting. All the stuff he does when he’s nervous.
It’s an effort to sit up, like I weigh a million tons, but I do. “What’s up?”
“You’re not going to be happy to hear this.”
I huff and tilt my chin, waiting.
He sniffs again and his chest moves with a deep breath. He meets my gaze. “Your mom is at the dorm.”
I squeeze my eyes shut then open them again. Winston is still there. I’m not dreaming this. “What do you mean, ‘my mom is at the dorm?’”
“I mean that she’s at the dorm. Looking for you. She wants to lecture you before some convention she has to go to in the city. She found me instead.”
I plop back down on the table, forehead first this time, and talk to the table. “Please say you didn’t tell her where I am.”
He places a hand on my back. “I told her I would come get you.”
I groan.
He tilts his head and cracks his neck again. “She thanked me for breaking up with you so that you’d be free to pursue your studies—”
I groan again. “Oh my God. I apologize for her rudeness.”
He shrugs. “That’s okay. I know she’s not my biggest fan.”
“She’s no man’s fan. Surprisingly, she kind of likes you.”
He laughs, and for a second, I laugh with him. There’s something comforting about knowing someone as well as I know Winston. He may never be like the guys in the romance novels, but everything is easy with him.
“Do I have to go back to the dorm?” I ask.
“Nah, I can get rid of her. Tell her I didn’t find you. I wanted you to know in case you wanted to talk to her.”
“Thanks. I appreciate that.” I reach out to touch his arm. “Why didn’t she call me? Or you could have called me.”
“She said you weren’t picking up her calls. And you don’t pick up mine anymore either.”
I can’t argue with that. I pull my hand away. “Well, thanks for running over here. I should get back to work.”
“Can I be honest with you?”
“No. Please don’t do this. Not here. It’s too early—”
“I think we had a glitch in our relationship.” He holds his hands up. “Completely my fault, but a glitch nonetheless, and I think that you have to forgive me and give me another chance—”
“You think this is a good time to try to get me back? When I just started something new? I hate to break it to you, Win, but you dumped me—”
“I know. It was the biggest mistake of my life. But you’re making a mistake with Dave too. I don’t like the guy.”
I whip around to face him. “Why? Because he likes me? Because he’s sweet? And nice? And devoted to my happiness?”
Winston shakes his head. “No. Because he has secrets. Soon you’ll see.”
“Get out, Win.” I point to the exit.
“He pinned me up against the wall yesterday after I ran into him on the second floor. He’s a bully, Mag.”
I drop my hands and stare at him blankly. “I don’t believe you.”
He stares back. “Ask Suzi. She was there.”
I can tell from the look in his eyes that he’s telling the truth. Dave didn’t mention a confrontation with Win to me, but I’m confident he had a good reason to do whatever he did. And what’s going on with Suzi and Win?
“Well, if that’s all you got on him, it’s not enough. I’m still in. Now please leave.” I say it loudly enough for Coffee Cup guy to hear. He turns around and catches my eye, glaring at Winston, indicating that he’ll help if I need it.
I hold him off with a shake of my head. When Win follows my gaze and turns to see who I’m communicating with, Coffee Cup guy gives him a hard stare.
Win stands and grabs his bag. “I can take a hint. I’ll go. But remember. I’m here if you need me.”
I roll my eyes. “I won’t.”
“You will. I’m sorry for what he’s going to put you through.”
I squint at him as he looms over me, but the only thing I feel is disgusted. Disgusted with him and with myself for all the time we spent together. “Yeah, okay, bye,” I mutter, then plop back down on my blanket.
Dave
I sling my backpack over one shoulder and my guitar case over the other as I exit the music building. I take note of the birds tweeting and the flowers blooming. I’m in love with a dream girl… Lyrics wiggle their way into my brain.
I have a little time between music class and practice, so I head for the library and text Maggie.
Dinner?
She texts back immediately.
Back at the dorm with the girls. Ne
ed to bond. Later?
I sigh. I miss her. Last night, she texted me after her Sunday night dinner thing she does with her floormates, but spending the night without her sucked. Then today, I slacked on my Maggie-basic-needs-duty. I left her alone in the library all day and actually went to classes.
Despite her indirect request to leave her alone, I need to see her for a second so I can stay motivated. So I can maybe sneak a quick kiss. I rush back to Sheridan and head for the basement. Before I get to room three, an arm reaches out of room six and grabs me, pulling me in.
My guitar case gets stuck in the doorframe as Ben tries to yank me through. Inside, Rocco, Ben, and Chase lean against various pieces of furniture in the small room. Rocco takes up half the space.
“What’s going on?” I ask, placing my guitar case on the floor. “Is this the part where you haze me to get into the basement boyfriends’ society?”
Ben puts a hand on my shoulder. “We need your help, Prince Charming.”
“The girls—” Chase starts.
“Are they okay? Maggie said they were bonding.”
“They’re all in the lounge,” Rocco says.
“They’re mad at us,” Chase adds. “Everything we do to try to fix it is wrong.”
I cross my arms. “What did you numbskulls do?”
Rocco looks at the other guys. “We sort of got last minute tickets to the Yankees game, and we went and didn’t ask them.”
I shrug. “That doesn’t seem terrible. You only had three tickets, what would they expect?”
Ben cringes. “Well, we kind of had a VIP box and unlimited tickets from this fundraiser thing from the frat and…we could have technically taken them but…Win wanted to go, and my fraternity brothers, my actual brothers….”
“Oh. Guys’ day out?”
“That I guess would have been better, but the real issue,” Chase says, “is we didn’t even tell them we were going. We just disappeared.”
I chuckle. “Ouch. Yeah, that’s an issue.”
“One of my frat brothers asked Meg if she had fun at the game yesterday, and all hell broke loose. They hate us right now. You’re the new guy. They’re all in love with you. Make them be nice.”
She Wants It All: Sheridan Hall Series, Book Three Page 18
