Flirt: A Carlton University Novella

by Natalie Rios

  I highly doubt Cam will stop driving us if I refuse to go to lunch. Regardless of what happens with us, Lia’s still his sister and he won’t let her go without groceries. Or force her to bus it when she doesn’t have to.

  But my refusal, and Lia’s knowledge of it, was bound to make the dynamic weird between the four of us. No longer would Cam be able just swing by to help fix something around the apartment or drop off a carton of pizza for dinner. Allie and Lia would have to start notifying me of his visits beforehand and they don’t deserve to be put in the middle like that.

  Especially considering I’m the one who made a mistake.

  “Never mind. I’m going. See you later. Bye!” I hang up before Lia can get another word in and hand the phone back over to a grinning Cam. He opens his mouth to speak, but I hold up my index finder to stop him. “We’re going to McCormick. We’re going to sit across from each other, not next to each other, and eat a quick lunch. It will not last more than an hour. Got it?”

  “Are you going to order my food for me, too?”

  Ignoring his jab, I lead the way to McCormick, which is across the street from the gym. The short distance is a huge part of the reason why I chose this particular dining hall.

  The less time I had to spend around a sweaty and muscular Cam, the better.

  “Oh, the irony. Placing a cafeteria right across the street from the gym,” Cam quips. I keep right on ignoring him, singularly focused on making it through the next hour without blushing.

  We get our food, a garden salad for me and hamburger for him. There’s a brief argument over who’s paying for the food. Well, it wasn’t much of an argument, considering I was the only one arguing while Cam quietly but firmly instructed the cashier to ring him up for both of our meals. Neither one of them so much as glanced my way.

  “This is too datish,” I complain as we locate an empty table.

  Cam slides into a chair. “No one in the history of the universe would categorize this as a date.”

  Eyeing the empty chairs, I contemplate my options. Maybe I shouldn’t have insisted we sit across from each other. I’m not sure I can look him in the eye for the next hour. Not without remembering how his hot, naked body felt over mine. But I already made a big stink about the seating arrangements and now I’m stuck.

  I slide into the chair across from him and we begin to eat.

  This lunch isn’t so bad. Silent and kind of awkward, but not a total nightmare.

  “You’ve been ignoring my texts,” Cam abruptly says when we’re almost finished.

  “Have I?” I blink innocently at him. “I didn’t get any texts from you.” Which is technically true. Since I blocked his number about 0.5 seconds after I kicked him to the curb, there’s no way I could have received a single text or phone call from him.

  “Uh huh.” He totally knows I’m full of shit. I need to change the subject, but I’m also extremely curious about what was in those texts.

  “So...What were you texting me about?” I grimace. Ugh, that sounded so lame.

  Cam smirks at me and opens his mouth to speak. To tease me, I’m sure. But luckily, we’re interrupted. “Hey, Schmidty. Didn’t see you at the gym earlier.”

  I look up at the new voice and holy hotness, Batman! It’s none other than Theo Montgomery, star quarterback of the Carlton University Tigers. His blonde hair looks completely unkempt, like he just got out of bed. But his grey eyes are simply magnetic. The type that are so gorgeous, they just command your attention. And he has the most charming smile. The kind that’s so wide and happy, you can’t help but smile right back at him.

  Dressed in a white t-shirt that stretches tautly against his chest and a pair of black sweatpants riding low on his hips, he looks yummy. Not anywhere near as yummy as Cam, of course. He’s too boyish and All-American for me. I much rather prefer Cam’s more chiseled features, scruff and all, but I can still see why Theo gets so much attention from the girls on campus.

  “Trained at the regular gym today,” Cam replies with a jerky shrug.

  “You going out with the team tonight?”

  Cam’s eyes narrow at the question. “No.”

  “No? You shouldn’t miss out on a bonding experience, Schmidty.”

  “Funny, considering you always miss out, captain.”

  “Hmm.” Theo’s gaze moves downward, honing in on me. And there’s that megawatt smile, one hundred percent for me and only me this time. I swear I’m melting, a dripping mess thanks to its intense heat. It’s like looking into the sun: stare to long and you risk passing out. Or swooning, in this case. “Who’s your friend?”

  “No one.” Cam’s answer is so sharp, my body immediately sits up straighter in my seat. Studying his face, I note his clenched jaw and how white the knuckles are on the hand wrapped around his cup of water. Like he’s squeezing it too hard. What’s that about?

  “No one? So you’re sitting here, having lunch with no one?” Theo laughs when neither one of us answers. Shaking his head, he holds out a hand for me. “Hi, No One. I’m Theo. Unlike my friend here, my parents taught me manners. No way can I cut into a conversation with a beautiful girl I don’t know and not introduce myself.”

  “Um…” What is happening? First Cam calls me beautiful and then, not even a month later, another hot football player on campus says it too? As confused as I am, I can’t be rude. It’s not in my nature. “Hi. Nice to meet you. I’m Veronica.” And though Cam doesn’t look happy about it, I take Theo’s offered hand and give it a quick shake.

  I try to disengage. No, really! I do! But Theo holds on, bowing down to press a gentle kiss on the back of my hand like you see in those old timey movies. I’m too stunned to pull away now. With one move, my brain cells have been completely fried. Because this guy can move. With style, grace, and fluidity.

  Theo Montgomery is like no other guy I’ve met before. Dangerous. Disarming. And I don’t think he’s even done yet. Because he’s still holding my hand.

  “Veronica…” Theo repeats, in a voice that should seriously be reserved for the bedroom only, it’s that sensual and husky. And the way his thumb is caressing the inside of my palm…Is Theo Montgomery flirting with me?

  If that’s the case, folks, we have officially entered the Upside Down. An alternate universe where I can’t make heads or tails of anything. Please keep an eye out for slug-like monsters and unattended children who may or may not have been kidnapped.

  Oh, and Barb. Though I don’t think anyone really cares about Barb.

  “Do you mind?” Cam cuts in. And the spell is broken. I hastily withdraw my hand from Theo’s grip. “We were in the middle of something and you’re interrupting.”

  “Am I?” An amused Theo arches a brow. “My apologies. Considering you said you were having lunch with no one, I assumed there wasn’t anything for me to interrupt. My mistake. It was a pleasure meeting you, lovely Veronica.” He flashes me one last smile before returning his attention to Cam. “Oh, and before I forget, Schmidty. Coach says if you’re a part of the team, you have to train with the team.”

  Cam’s only response is a grunt as Theo pivots and walks away from our table.

  Okay, that whole interaction was weird. And Cam did make some strange comments the other day in the parking lot about Theo and not being the starting quarterback anymore. Could it be Cam’s jealous of Theo?

  “What’s the deal with you and Theo?” I ask.

  Cam’s eyes turn mutinous. Talk about a sore topic. “We were talking about my texts and why you blocked my number.”

  “No…” No need to relieve the humiliation of being caught. “We’re talking about you and Theo.”

  Cam’s jaw clenches again and when he opens his mouth to speak, I fully expect him to argue with me. But his next words catch me completely off guard. “How about a trade? I tell you about Theo and then we go back to my place and talk about us.”

  Chapter Seven

  Cameron

  “We’re going to go back to your place to t
alk? Just to talk?” She sounds a little disappointed and I have to fight back a grin.

  “Well…” I rub a hand across my jaw. “It can just be talking, if you want. But depending on how the conversation goes, I wouldn’t be opposed to showering together after.”

  Her eyes light up and oh, yeah. She’s definitely interested. But I can still see the doubts creeping in. I don’t know what those are about, but I’m determined to find out. Today. Even if it means talking feelings. About Theo fucking Montgomery, of all people.

  “Okay, but the shower depends on how the conversation goes, right? I can always say no?”

  I narrow my eyes at her last question. “Of course you always have the option to say no. Has some guy not given you an option before?” There’s a long pause and I don’t like it. Not one bit. “Answer me, Veronica. Has a guy forced you into doing something you didn’t want to?”

  “No.” Words can’t even begin to express how relieved I am to hear that answer.

  “Good. Let me make something clear to you. I like to be in charge and I like hearing what you want. I like hearing you talk dirty and I absolutely love watching your reaction when I talk dirty to you. I love watching you try something new and I especially love making you come. But I will never pressure you into doing something you don’t want to. Ever. You can always say no and you only have to say it once for me to respect your answer. Got it?”

  Her cheeks are ruby red, but she mumbles out, “Got it.”

  “Good. Theo Montgomery’s an asshole,” I start without preamble. Best to get the ugly part over with. “I hate his fucking guts.”

  “Are you…jealous of him?”

  “Of Theo?” I toss my head back and laugh. I feel a lot of things towards Theo Montgomery, but jealousy sure is hell isn’t one of them. “No. I hate him because he’s an ass. Fact one: he came over here to give me shit about not hanging out with the team when he never hangs out with the team himself. Fact two: just five minutes ago, he was over here flirting with you. And now…”

  I point across the cafeteria where there’s a girl leaning over Theo’s table. And where are Theo’s eyes? Firmly planted on the boobs the girl has on display thanks to her low cut V-neck shirt. He keeps his gaze there as he slides over his phone. Veronica makes a small gasping sound when the girl starts typing on the phone, presumably giving Theo her number.

  “Wait, so he’s not really attracted to me? He did that whole smile and hand thing to, what? Get a rise out of you?”

  I vigorously shake my head. Hell no am I feeding into V’s insecurities. “No. I’m sure he probably is attracted to you. Just like he’s attracted to all the rest of them. And I wouldn’t take what he’s doing right now personally either. That’s just who he is. He collects phone numbers all day and then hooks up with a different girl every night. He’s a flirt.”

  “Playboy sounds more like it,” Veronica grumbles, still glaring daggers over at Theo’s table.

  “Womanizer, playboy, flirt.” I shrug. “The point is he treats women like shit. Half the time, I don’t even think he remembers their names afterward. Most don’t get a call back and none of them have ever gotten a date. And as someone with a younger sister, one who has stated on numerous occasions that she thinks Theo is extremely attractive and would love for me to introduce her to him, I can’t respect a guy like that.”

  “So this is about him not respecting women?” Veronica shakes her head at me. “Sorry, but I don’t buy it.”

  “You calling me a liar?”

  “No. I think that’s part of it, but I also think there’s more to it than that.” This girl. She can see right through me. It’s only fair since I can see through her shit, too. Like the not getting my texts thing.

  “Fine. I hate that he’s captain. That a guy like him could be the team’s leader. That everyone around this fucking campus worships the ground he walks on when he’s really a scumbag. I don’t mind being QB2. Really,” I continue at her arched brow. “I get it. He’s better than me. He can throw farther and he’s a better playmaker. Of course he’s the starter. But it just fucking sucks that it’s him, you know? It would be a lot easier to accept the fact I’m never going to start another football game at Carlton, or in life really, if I wasn’t riding the bench for him.”

  I wait, suddenly nervous at her possible reaction. I’m not a spill-your-guts, talk-about-my-feelings kind of a guy. As a matter of fact, this is the first time I’ve ever told anyone about how frustrated I am playing second fiddle to Montgomery. Will Veronica judge me, call me a fucking pussy and tell me to get over it, like I know most of the team would?

  Of course not. V’s not like that.

  Instead, she focuses on something else entirely. “You know, you didn’t take me on a date either. Before or after we hooked up. So you’re in no place to judge him on that front.”

  I grab her hand, pulling us both out of our seats. “I would have,” I growl in her ear, relishing the way she visibly shivers. “I would have worn a suit and taken you to dinner at a restaurant in Boston. Reserved us a hotel room so I could spend hours worshipping your body. Had your pussy for dessert. I’ve been craving your pussy for weeks now, so I would probably spend the entire night lapping you up. And then when we woke up, we would have gone out to breakfast for date number two. Over pancakes and French toast, I would ask you to be mine and you would flush a bright shade of red before saying yes. Then I would take you back to the hotel room and fuck you against the wall, in front of the mirrors, before check out.”

  I stand back, taking in her wide and rapidly blinking eyes. Fantasy overload for my dirty girl.

  “All that could have been yours,” I continue, picking up our empty trays, “had you only responded to my texts.” With that parting comment, I walk over to the waste disposal area, dump our garbage and place the trays on the conveyor belt.

  I don’t even bother looking back as I head for the exit. I’m that confident she’ll follow me.

  “Wait!” Right on cue. Slowing my pace, I allow her to catch up. “You were going to take me on a date? In Boston? And you booked a hotel room? That’s what your texts were about?”

  I shrug, biting the inside of my cheek to keep from grinning. “I guess you’ll never know. Since you blocked me.”

  “Ugh! I wonder if I’ll get the texts if I unblock you now.” She’s already got her phone out, furiously tapping away on her screen.

  “Nope,” I cheerfully respond. We’ve made it to where my car’s parked on the street. “Like I said, if you want to talk about us, I can drive us to my apartment. But if you don’t want to, that’s okay. You can say no and I’ll still be your friend.”

  I hold my breath the entire time I get into the car because I don’t want to be just friends. I want so much more for both of us. Staying in the friend zone will be extremely difficult for me, but I will respect her decision. Grin and bear it.

  Much to my relief, she rounds the hood of my car and opens the passenger door. “Okay, I’ll go with you. But I want to see those texts on your phone.”

  There was no fighting the grin this time. “Anything you want, dirty girl.”

  The drive is long and silent. Veronica looks nervous, fidgeting the entire ride over. She’s back to doing that thing where she doesn’t look me in the eye. I need to proceed with caution. If I’m not careful, this conversation could end miserably for me.

  Except Veronica throws me for another loop before I can even steer us on the right track. Because the second I let her in my apartment, she starts stripping.

  “Whoa, whoa. Easy, there. We’re supposed to talk first, remember?” I desperately try to yank her shirt back down because there’s no way I’m going to be able to talk if she’s naked.

  “I changed my mind. Let’s shower and then we can do it doggie style on your bed.”

  Okay, what? I must be hallucinating. There’s no way shy V just said doggie style. And hell, even just hearing the phrase come out of her mouth is enough to get my cock twitching. “
I thought you wanted to see those texts-”

  “Forget it, I’m going home.” Veronica tries to make a dash for the door, but I’m there before her.

  “What’s going on? I’m getting whiplash from all the changes in mood.” Her face is flaming red and she looks ready to burst into tears. Without even hesitating, I wrap her into a hug. “Hey, what’s wrong? Did I do or say something to make you uncomfortable?”

  “No! I…” Her eyes are doing that darting thing again.

  “Are you talking to me or the floor?”

  That brings her gaze back up. “You. It’s just…” Her lips fold into a straight line and I can tell she’s fighting the urge to look away from me. “Sex is hard for me.” And she just leaves it at that.

  After a long pause, I try to take the reins. “Okay. Would it help if I asked you a question?” I take her shrug as permission to proceed. “I’ve noticed you’re shy about expressing what you want. Does this have something to do with your ex?”

  “Yes,” she whispers and I want to find that fucker and punch him right in his face.

  “Did he make you feel like you weren’t allowed to communicate your needs? Like sex had to be all about him?” I swear to God, if the answer is yes, there will be a murder on campus tonight.

  “Yes and no. He…” Stepping out my embrace, she begins to pace. “He said I have a more active sex drive than most men.”

  “What?” My jaw drops. I must have misheard her.

  “That I want sex way more often than a girl should and that the things I want to try are way too kinky. Like when I suggested giving him a blowjob or trying the doggie style position-”

  My dick can’t take much more of this. I form a T-shape with my hands. “Okay, time out. First of all, I’m going to need you to stop using phrases like blowjob and doggie style for a few minutes. Secondly, are you thinking about sex right now?”