by CM Doporto
The Same Side
Book 2 in the University Park Series
By CM Doporto
All Rights Reserved
Thank you for purchasing this book. This book remains the copyrighted property of the author and may not be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form for any commercial or non-commercial use without permission from the author. If you enjoyed this eBook, then please encourage your friends to purchase their own copy.
Published by: CM Doporto
Cover art by: Cora Graphics
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental. The publisher does not have any control over and does not assume any responsibility for author or third-party websites or their content. Any trademarks mentioned herein are not authorized by the trademark owners and do not in any way mean the work is sponsored by or associated with the trademark owners. Any trademarks used are specifically in a descriptive capacity.
Thank you for your support.
Dedication
To my Aunt Dorelia. Thank you for telling me all about
those vampire books. If I’d never read them, I doubt this story
would have been written.
Acknowledgements
I’d like to thank my husband for his continual support. I can’t do this without you, babe. To my son, for allowing me to write when I should be giving you more attention.
A huge shout out to my critique partner, Sam. Your help has been wonderful and I’m glad we work well together. Many thanks to my street team, CM Doporto’s Heroes and Heroines. I appreciate your dedication and time with supporting my books and getting the word out. A big thank you to Smexy Fab Four for managing my street team. Thanks to Cora Graphics for creating another beautiful cover! Many, many thanks to Monica for the edits on this book. You’re awesome! A big salute to Barb. Your coaching and advice makes me a better writer. Love you!
I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the bloggers and reviewers who take the time to read and post reviews. Your support of indie authors helps get the attention of readers we work hard to obtain.
A huge thank you to you, the reader. Without you there would be no one to read my story. I appreciate you taking the time to read it. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did writing it.
Most of all I want to thank our Heavenly Father for providing me with the opportunity to do what I love, write.
Table of Contents
Dedication
Acknowledgements
Table of Contents
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
About the Author
Chapter 1
Raven’s head tilted to the side and his eyes captured every part of me with finite detail. My breathing stilled and the incessant hunger that was building inside of me begged for release. I had fought the feeling for way too long and I refused to wait another second, minute, or day to experience what he had to offer.
I wanted him to kiss me.
No. I needed him to kiss me.
Kiss me and take my lips captive.
My heart pumped faster, waiting anxiously as he moved closer to me.
A tender smile played on the edge of his lips. “Are you sure you want me to kiss you?”
I nodded, unable to speak as my eyes zeroed in on my target. His lips called to me, pulling me in until I breathed in all of his air.
His mouth pressed to mine and my eyes fluttered closed. He kissed me softly, touching my lips in a gentle motion. I melted when I felt the warmth of his hand caress the edge of my face. My lips parted and his tongue slid in effortlessly, causing every muscle in my body to relax. Our tongues swirled together and I devoured his sweet taste. The kiss was everything I’d ever dreamed of and more. Raven was a damn good kisser. If his lips could reduce me to a puddle of water, I could only imagine what the rest of his body could do to me.
He pulled away slowly. “Lexi?”
“Hmm?”
“Look at me.”
I didn’t want to let the feeling go and even though he had stopped kissing me, I was holding on to it for as long as I could. Slowly, I opened my eyes.
Holding my gaze, he said, “You have no idea how long I’ve wanted to kiss you.” He brushed his thumb across my lips and it took every bit of my strength to not barrel into him and beg that he take me.
I took a deep breath and counted backwards from five, pacing the beats of my heart. “I’ve been dreaming about you kissing me since the day I met you.”
For several seconds, we simply stared at each other. The hunger in his eyes knitted me tighter in his trap and I was truly helpless. If he was intuitive, I’m sure he knew what I wanted. And even though every hormone in my body screamed his name over and over, I refused to rush in to this. The last thing I wanted was to become another one of his hoes.
“How about we go grab a bite to eat? I’m starving and if I don’t—”
He stopped and smiled. He didn’t have to finish for me to know what he was thinking. I nodded and relaxed back in the seat. “That sounds like a good idea.”
“I’m really craving Mexican food.”
“Perfect.”
We exited the parking lot of the university stadium and headed down the street. Raven reached over the console and took my hand, holding it in his. His rough skin felt good against mine and through his touch, I could sense that he missed me just as much as I missed him. Being with him made me so happy. It took my heart to a place where it finally felt free to beat on its own. My only fear was Raven destroying it. But I had to take that chance, otherwise, I’d never know.
He pulled up to a Mexican restaurant off 7th Street and a slight heaviness hit me. The last time I had been to that area was with Collin and my friends when we went bowling. I internally shook off the hurtful memories and concentrated on getting to know Raven better.
Spanish Christmas music filled the air and colorful lights decorated the hodgepodge of 1950s car parts scattered throughout the restaurant. For a Saturday night, the place was empty. The hostess led us upstairs to a booth in the corner and we sat opposite of each other. I looked over the menu and decided on a light dish, since I hadn’t been eating too much over the last month.
“Did you have a nice Thanksgiving?” Raven glanced up from his menu.
I closed mine. “No, not really.”
“I’m sorry.” He frowned. “Why not?”
Shifting in my chair, I considered what I would tell him. Did I really want to admit how pathetic I was? “I, um…”
“If you don’t want to talk about it, I understand.”
I shook my head. “It’s okay.” Leaning against the table, I confided in him. “I actually stayed in bed instead of going home to eat with my family.”
His eyes widened and a look of sympathy settled on his face. “Were you sick?”
“No.” I looked at the table, ashamed to reveal the truth. “I mean, I told my family I was sick.” I grabbed my napkin and unrolled it. “But I wasn’t. I didn’t want to be around my mom. She won’t stop hounding me about my breakup and…”
I took in a deep breath. “So to save myself from the agony, I chose to lie to them instead.”
“Wow. I’m sorry.” He placed his hand on top of mine and the tension released.
For some reason, I wanted to tell him everything. Explain to him how screwed up my life was and how I was dying to find a new one. He was so easy to talk to. I felt like I had known him my entire life. “Thanks. It hasn’t been easy.” I grasped his hand for support. “I basically grew up with Collin and everyone expected us to marry. I just went along with it because he’s all I’ve ever known. But deep down, I knew we didn’t love each other.”
“It takes a lot of courage to admit that and do what you did.”
“Yeah, it does. I just want to be happy and… well, loved.”
“I understand. I’m sure there are women who just go with it and then several years later find themselves in a nasty divorce.”
“Exactly. And Delaney helped me realize that.”
I wanted to tell Raven that he was the one that also opened my eyes, but I refrained. I wasn’t sure if that was something he was ready to hear.
“Thank God for that. Otherwise, we might not be having this conversation.” He grinned.
“Yeah, I guess you’re right.”
“So, why are your parents so overbearing?”
“My mom got pregnant with my older sister when she was in high school. I guess they felt that if they directed all our steps, that wouldn’t happen to us. To be honest, I never really thought I was missing out on much.” I stalled for a moment. “I just did what I was told, wanting to be a good daughter.” My throat tightened and I pushed the lump down with a tough swallow.
“Sometimes it takes a rude awakening to realize there’s more to life. Believe me, I know.”
I nodded, quickly wiping away a stray tear.
A tall, skinny guy stopped at our table. “Sorry to keep y’all waiting. Can I bring you something to drink or are you ready to order?” He had on short-sleeve shirt and shorts, as if it were summer time, and a purple ball cap that he wore backwards.
“Do you know what you want?” Raven hesitated, unsure if he should tell the guy to come back.
“Yeah, I’ll have the chicken fajita salad with the dressing on the side.”
The waiter nodded. “And to drink?”
“Water with lemon, please.”
“No problem. And for you?” The guy didn’t bother to write anything down, committing it to memory instead.
“I want the beef fajitas, tortillas, refried beans, and rice. The whole works. And a tall glass of sweet tea.”
“You got it. And by the way, great game.” The waiter patted the table and smiled at Raven.
“Thanks, man.”
“If you need anything, just holler. My name is Brock.”
“Thanks, Brock.” Raven handed the guy our menus and he walked off.
I couldn’t help but smile. Being recognized and appreciated by total strangers had to be thrilling, not to mention, ego boosting. “Do you ever get tired of that?”
Raven shrugged. “Sometimes. Especially if I want some privacy.” He leaned forward, keeping his gaze steady on me. The restaurant buzzed with a low chatter but with the way he was looking at me, it was as if no one else existed.
The waiter promptly returned with our drinks. He placed a basket of chips in front of us along with hot sauce, guacamole, and cheese dip. “It’s on the house.”
“Thanks.” I grabbed a chip, unable to resist the tempting food that I’d deprived my body from over the past month.
“Thanks, Brock. I’m starved.” Raven immediately took a chip, dipped it in the guacamole, and shoved it in his mouth.
“It’s kind of nice to get special treatment.” I dipped another chip in the cheese sauce.
“I won’t deny that.” Raven loaded a chip with everything. “But right now, I want to give you all the special treatment you need.” He winked and I nearly choked.
Kill me, why don’t you?
“You alright?”
“Yeah.” I gulped down my water and patted my chest. “Just went down the wrong way.” After the food cleared, I said, “If I seem a little hesitant or tell you I’d like to take things slow, you’d understand, right?”
He swallowed and then took a drink. “Of course I do. I just want to get you to know you, Lexi. Explore everything about you. From the sweet dimple that forms on your right cheek when you smile, to the curl in your pinkies when you play the piano and the little shake you have when you walk.”
“I wiggle when I walk?” I bypassed all the sweet talk and focused in on the last part. “Is my butt that big?”
“Relax.” Raven laughed, allowing his head to tilt back. “Baby, your ass isn’t fat. In fact, it’s tight,” he growled low in his throat, “and looks too damn good.”
“Oh, well, um… thanks.” His gaze lingered on me and the air suddenly became thick, making it hard to breathe. I saw a new warning sign telling me to proceed with caution, but I zipped past it. Why did his words strike a fire in me? The muscles in my rear tensed and I made a mental note to tell Delaney I wanted to try that Yogalates class with her. If Raven was checking out my butt, I had to make sure it looked good. Saggy cheeks dotted with hail damage would surely scare him off.
He leaned back in his chair and rested his arm along the top of the booth. “But don’t worry. Like I said, I won’t do anything unless you ask me to.”
Would you take me right now, on this table?
“Lexi?”
“Huh?”
“Did I say something wrong?”
I shook my head, trying to think past the tempting thoughts that cluttered my mind. “I promise you, I’m good. In fact, I’m better than good.”
The waiter appeared with our food and I was glad. I felt like an emotional train wreck. One moment, I was excited about being with Raven, and the next, I was mad that Collin didn’t fight for me. But after a month of not hearing from him, I knew I had done the right thing. He didn’t love me enough to marry me. Despite knowing that, it still hurt and the pain told me that I wasn’t over Collin, at least not completely. But I couldn’t deny how I felt about Raven. There was something about being with him. Not only did I feel happy with him, I sensed a connection like I’d never felt before.
We ate our food, chatting a little more about my overbearing parents and how they ruled my life as well as my brother’s. Raven sympathized with me and assured me that I didn’t need to feel guilty about wanting to live my life. It made me feel confident that I had made the best decision.
I placed my fork and knife across my plate and relaxed against the seat. “We’ve been talking all about me and I really haven’t asked you anything.”
Raven scraped the last of his beans from the plate with a tortilla. “Go ahead, shoot. I’ll tell you what you want to know.”
“For starters, how was your Thanksgiving? Does your mom make a big feast?”
“Actually, my granny does. My mom and her sister help with the side dishes and pies. She lives in New Orleans and we usually go there every year. This year I missed out because of the game.”
“Oh, I’m sorry.”
With a slight mouth full of food, he said, “It’s no big deal.” He cast a flinty expression, but I could tell it bothered him. “I actually went to my friend Josh’s house.”
“That’s good. So you were able to have turkey and all the fixings.”
“Yep. His dad makes fried turkey, it’s the best.”
“Hmm. Never tried it.”
“Well, you’re missing out.”
The waiter appeared again and took my plate. “Can you bring the check when you get a moment?” I pulled out my wallet from my purse, prepared to fulfill my promise of paying for the next meal.
“The manager said it was on the house.”
“Wow, thanks.” I was slightly disappointed that I wasn’t able to pay but grateful for the act of kindness.
“Thanks, man. Tell him we appreciate it.�
�
“Will do. Can I get y’all anything else?”
“I’m good.” Raven turned toward me. “Do you want any dessert?”
Only if it’s you.
I let out a small giggle and they both gave me a weird look. “I think that will be it for now.” The waiter loaded up his arms with the dirty plates and scurried toward the kitchen.
“I hear you talk a lot about your mom, but I’ve never heard you mention anything about your dad.”
“Oh, yeah, um…” Raven rolled his shoulders a few times and took a deep breath.
I sensed that I’d crossed the yellow caution tape and needed to take several steps back. “I’m sorry. You don’t have to answer that question.”
“It’s cool. You’ve shared your issues with me, it’s only fair I do the same.” He stalled for a moment and then said, “I’ve never talked about my dad because I don’t know who he is.”
“Oh.” My heart dropped to my stomach. I wanted to tell him how horrible it must have been not to know who your father was, but I didn’t. “I’m so sorry.”
His eyes traveled to the table and he picked at the edge of his napkin, shredding it in the process. He inhaled a deep breath and then released it in a slow, steady stream. I felt the emotion building like a sturdy brick wall and watched as he struggled to tear through it. I almost told him never mind, but he spoke again. “I’m the result of a gang rape.”
My hand instantly flew to my mouth and I wanted to punch myself in the face for asking. “Oh, Raven, I-I don’t know what to say.” My insides twisted at the revelation and I couldn’t imagine growing up knowing that.
“It’s okay.” He looked up momentarily. “There’s nothing you can say that will change the fact.” His mouth twitched to the side and his shoulders caved in. He appeared a bit relieved, like sharing his secret with me had removed some of the bricks in his way. “It’s was tough growing up… knowing that my mom really didn’t want me. She thought about aborting me,” he snickered, “even tried to, but I guess God had bigger plans for me, because here I am.”
