Palm South University: Season 2 Box Set

by Kandi Steiner

  “You are so fucking sexy.”

  I don’t smile, I don’t respond, I just slowly reach my hand out until I find her waist and then I pull her into me, pressing my lips to her neck and sucking her tender skin between my teeth, my back still flush against the cool surface of the pole. She hisses, letting her head fall back, and I kiss around the swell of her throat before finding her mouth. Her hands are in my hair, mine crawl her body as my tongue slides between her lips. When Alex steps into the space beside us, she stiffens, but I keep my touch calm and sure.

  “It’s okay,” I whisper, my forehead to hers. She nods, concern still written in her features as I kiss her again. It’s so strange seeing Bo this way, so nervous and unsure. She’s the confident one in the bedroom — commanding, strong. As Alex’s hand snakes its way into my hair and he pulls my mouth from Bo’s to his own, I wonder if he’ll be taking the captain’s chair tonight.

  My heart hammers beneath my ribcage as I taste him, new and exotic. Bo’s lips trail down my neck to my cleavage as she palms the space between my thighs. Moaning into Alex’s mouth at the touch, he pops the button on his jeans without breaking our kiss. I hear his zipper next, and then his shorts are on the floor. He kicks them away, just as Bo pulls me from him, her hand tugging at my tank top. I lift my arms and she rips it up and over, tossing it to the side before making quick work of my bra.

  It’s almost too much. We’re all hands and mouths — stripping, kissing, touching, stripping more. Somewhere along the way we find the stairs, which lead up to a master bedroom Alex is clearly occupying. The four post bed is built with dark wood and lined with deep red accents that match the comforter Bo and I slide onto easily, feeling the cool fabric against our skin. Alex makes his way between us, propping himself up against the headboard and taking each of us by the waist as we kiss over him.

  Bo’s breaths are still shaky, her arms trembling as she holds herself steady on the bed. We’re leaning over Alex, our tongues tangled, while he slowly strokes himself and watches. I massage her tongue with mine, each kiss an attempt to bring her energy back to mine. Just when I have her there, Alex’s hand moves from my waist to behind my thigh. It hovers there for just a moment before I feel his fingers penetrate me, and from Bo’s reaction, his other hand is doing the same to her.

  “I don’t know if I can do this,” she whispers between our kisses. I pull back, panting at the feel of Alex’s fingers inside me and how turned on I am by Bo’s kisses.

  “You don’t have to do anything to him. Or vice versa. Just focus on me.”

  With that, I break contact from Alex and pull Bo with me, rolling over until I’m on my back and Bo’s straddling me. I love the way the skin stretches across her petite hips as she rubs against me, building a friction that will drive her to the edge. Alex takes my cue, moving between my legs and spreading my thighs open to him as I maneuver Bo up my body. When her knees are on either side of my head, I slide my hands down her neck, her arms, until I lace my hands in hers. Placing them on the headboard above us, I curl her fingers, locking them in place.

  “Hold on tight,” I whisper, licking my lips. Bo’s breaths are heavy, her eyes hooded as I grab her ass in my hands and invade the space between us, flicking my tongue out to stroke her clit. She moans, letting her head fall back as her knuckles whiten with her tightening grip.

  Alex groans from somewhere behind Bo and then there’s the sound of a condom package ripping. My view is blocked, my face completely owned by her, but I feel him. His hands — one on my hip, the other I can only assume palming himself as he places himself at my entrance. And then, with one, strong thrust, I’m filled.

  I gasp against Bo, sucking her clit between my teeth to make her moan with me. My nails dig into the smooth skin of her thighs as she rocks her hips, her pelvis grinding against my mouth. Alex is so big, and it’s been so long since I’ve felt a man between my legs that the sensation is overwhelming. Each time he pushes into me he reaches a new depth and I feel myself climbing, higher, higher.

  My hands snake up Bo’s frame to palm her breasts and she cries out as my fingers pinch her nipples. She’s grinding harder now, and I know she’s close. Wrapping my hands around her small waist, I flip her, her short hair blowing out in a whoosh against the sheets as it frames her face. Alex pulls out long enough for me to change positions, taking my place between Bo’s legs, a grin on my face.

  “Do you know how turned on I am by you?” I whisper against her neck before sinking my teeth into the flesh. “I have never wanted anyone more than I want you right now.”

  She moans, dragging her nails through my hair and pulling my mouth up to hers just as Alex sinks down over us. I’m sandwiched between them — Alex’s hard chest and abs against my back, Bo’s soft body below me. When Alex enters me from behind, I arch my back and Bo bucks her hips up to meet mine. One arm holding me steady, I glide the opposite hand down her navel, pausing at the small birth mark above her left hip before settling between her thighs. She’s still shaking, but now I know it’s because she’s close. When I thrust two fingers inside her at once, moving them in time with Alex’s pulses, her hands fly up to grip the headboard again.

  “Oh God,” she moans, sucking her lips between her teeth. She’s fighting it. “Oh fuck!”

  “Come,” I demand, and she does, her wetness soaking my fingers as her moans echo off the walls. Alex moans, cursing under his breath. I’m so incredibly turned on, I can’t imagine how he feels right now.

  I lower myself for just a moment, kissing Bo softly, letting her ride the wave down. Her eyes flutter open to meet mine and she smiles. “You’re amazing.”

  I just kiss her in response, but then Alex’s hands grip my elbows, pulling them together behind me. He pins them at my middle back, forcing an arch in my back as he plows harder, deeper, his mouth on my neck. He’s kissing, sucking, biting, and then he shares a look with Bo. They seem to agree on something not spoken aloud, because Bo leans up, taking my mouth with hers as her hand shoots between my legs. When she starts circling my clit, I break our kiss, crying out at the sensation. Her free hand grips my neck with just enough pressure to heighten my sensitivity.

  Holy fuck.

  Alex’s hands are gripping me so hard, I know I’ll be bruised in the morning, but I love it. Bo intensifies the pressure on my clit, biting my bottom lip, leaving my mouth open to scream as my orgasm shoots through me. Alex takes it as permission to come with me, and he flexes into me once, twice, deeper, three times, so fucking deep, his groans mixing with mine. It’s the highest ecstasy I’ve ever known. Every touch is amplified, every movement too much yet never enough.

  Bo’s hands don’t leave me until I collapse against her, Alex rolling off of us and sprawling out on the sheets beside us, his chest heaving. My head against Bo’s chest, I watch him smile and shake his head before his dark eyes turn to us, flicking between the two.

  “You girls are fucking wild.”

  Bo giggles, her fears shattered now that the experience is over. “I blame her.”

  Alex grins wider, baring his bright, beautiful teeth and I just shrug.

  “I love Spring Break.”

  AFTER ALL THE CRAZINESS of the first few days of Spring Break, it feels amazing to just lay on the top deck of a sail boat, sun rays hot on my skin, sea breeze blowing over me. We’re all in a line — Bo, Ashlei, Jess, Skyler, Erin, and then me — our bright, matching beach towels beneath us. The few Omega Chi brothers who dragged their asses out of bed early enough to make our all-day excursion are on the bottom deck, getting boozy on the free drinks. For the girls, I think we’re finally taking the time to soak in some silence.

  It’s already been a long day. I’ve applied sunscreen every hour on the hour just to be safe, and yet still I know I’ll go back to our suite with a burn. It will eventually turn into a slight tan, but I never get as dark as the rest of the girls. Skyler always seems to catch the darkest tan, probably from paddleboarding all the time.

  We star
ted at eight this morning and we’ve already been snorkeling, parasailing and had lunch. Add that to the fact that I’m getting practically no sleep because I’m too self-aware of how close Adam and I are in our bed, and you could say I’m a little tired. Now, we’re parked at a floating dock with plenty of activities at our disposal, but I’m not the only one who doesn’t seem eager to jump on them. We’re all catching our breath. Tonight, we’ll be back on Duval Street, so for now, we’re taking it easy.

  Zack Brown Band croons from the speakers on the boat and I tap my toes to the beat, smiling as I recount all the memories we’ve already made this week. I was warned that my first Spring Break with Kappa Kappa Beta would be wild and crazy, but no one told me how amazing it would be, too. I’ve literally been having the time of my life, and we’re only halfway through.

  “Hey,” a voice whisper-shouts right above me. My eyes fly open to a dark silhouette haloed by the sun. I shield my eyes with my hand and Adam’s goofy grin comes into view, along with his abs and the hard V that leads right down to his dark red swim trunks. “Come ride the jet skis with me.”

  He looks like a little kid, grinning ear to ear, a small speck of sunscreen that hasn’t been rubbed in resting on the bridge of his nose. His tan shoulders are starting to freckle, and a sheen of sweat has gathered across his pecs.

  Scanning the rest of the girls, I realize he’s talking to only me. Jess is snoring, mouth hanging open, while Bo and Ashlei lean together over a book. Skyler and Erin are both on their backs, eyes closed, and I assume since they’re not stirring, they’re probably sleeping, too.

  I look back up at Adam, hand still over my eyes. “Yeah. Okay.”

  He smiles wider, holding out his hand to help me up. I take it, ignoring the dull buzz that always hums through me each time our skin touches. When I’m on my feet, Adam watches as I pull the straps of my light green top up and re-tie them at my neck.

  “Um, they’re parked over here. Come on.” He leads the way down the stairs and over to the starboard side of the boat where ten wave runners are parked along the same dock as we are. We listen to one of the crew members go over safety and speed reminders before each climbing onto our own and pushing off the dock. We wade out a safe distance and then hit the gas, speeding off into the waves.

  We ride side-by-side for a while, laughing as the waves spritz us with cool ocean water. Adam breaks off and goes wide left, jumping the wake of another boat and doing donuts. I just shake my head and speed off, pushing the jet ski as fast as it will go. The wind flies through my hair, my eyes shielded only by my sunglasses as I tear through the water. It’s an amazing sound, an incredible rush, and I only slow down when I reach the distance the crew member warned was as far as we could go.

  Releasing my thumb off the gas throttle, I let the engine hum and stare off into the distance, taking it all in. Adam rumbles up beside me and does the same and for a few moments, we just exist.

  “My grandpa used to water ski,” he says after a while. I turn, watching as he leans forward and crosses his arms on his handlebars, his eyes still off in the distance. “It was so amazing to watch. I was young, but I still remember it. He was one of those men who excelled at everything he did. It wasn’t just on the water, either. He was like that in his job, as a friend, a parent, a grandparent. Everything.”

  I nod, smiling, getting the sense that maybe I’m just supposed to listen right now. Adam chuckles softly, as if he’s recalling a memory as he leans back again.

  “He raised me, you know?” he asks, turning to me with one eyebrow raised.

  “Really?”

  “Yeah. My mom and dad traveled a lot for work. They’re both in sales for a technology company, so it’s their job to schmooze the clients, keep them happy, and sell them on new products and services. They were gone at least ten months out of the year if you added it all up.”

  I blanch. “Wow. That’s a lot, Adam.”

  A short laugh escapes his lips, the wind blowing his dark hair back. “I know. But I had my grandpa. I stayed with him most of the time or he would come sleep at our house. Either way, he was the one always there, teaching me the things I needed to know, helping me with homework, showing me how to throw a punch the first time I got bullied. He used to have this one, long patch of hair that he would comb over his bald head” He crosses his arms over his chest, still smiling, the waves rocking us gently. “I miss him every day.”

  A sadness washes over me. “He passed, didn’t he?”

  Adam gives one curt nod. “When I was a junior in high school. I had to stay with my aunt a lot after that, until college, anyway. But it wasn’t the same.” He blows out a long, slow breath. “He’s the reason I do what I do, you know?” He turns to me, black sunglasses misted from the sea salt. “He never half-assed anything. So when I came to PSU, when I rushed Alpha Sigma, I knew I had the chance to take an organization that everyone underestimated and really make something of it — and maybe of myself, in the process.”

  My heart squeezes and I fight the urge to reach out to him. Adam and I have talked a lot since we met, especially when we were doing breakfast on a normal basis, but I never questioned why he cared so much about Alpha Sigma and the direction it was headed in. I always just assumed that was part of who he was, and I guess in a way it is — but it’s not just a part of him, it’s a part of his grandpa, too.

  “That’s really beautiful, Adam,” I finally say, my voice low. He crooks a smile at me, his left dimple making an appearance as his hands find the handlebars again. But then he pauses, lifting his sunglasses, eyes wide.

  “Cassie! Look!” I follow his finger and strain my eyes against the bright blue water.

  “What?!”

  “Do you see them? Dolphins!”

  I scan the water, waiting, and then two fins break the surface followed by a third and fourth one.

  “Oh my God!”

  “It looks like an entire pod of them.”

  “Wow,” I breathe, watching them as they come closer. “They’re so close!”

  “They’re probably curious about us.”

  They’re not alone there.

  The dolphins play around us for a while and we just watch, pointing, laughing, talking. It’s easy and relaxed, and for once, I don’t feel awkward or afraid of my feelings around him. For once, it feels like maybe we really can have a real friendship.

  As we ride back up to the dock, I think of Skyler and Clinton, how they are together. It’s clear they love each other, but not in a way that crosses the friendship line. I wonder if maybe Adam could be that friend for me. The thought of it twists my stomach just as much as it makes me smile.

  Adam helps me off my jet ski once we dock and I unzip my life jacket, tossing it to the crew member as Adam does the same. We both head straight to the bar on the first deck of the boat to grab water, taking our plastic cups to the back of the boat and leaning our arms against the railing.

  “If I ask you something, do you promise to answer me honestly?” Adam asks, sipping from his cup. I nod, though something tells me I might regret it. For a moment he’s quiet, but then he drains the rest of his water and turns to face me, one elbow still propped on the white railing. “What happened with you and Clay last semester?”

  Yep. Instant regret.

  I clear my throat. “You know what happened.”

  “No I don’t.”

  I shift my weight to my other hip, chewing at the chapped skin on my top lip. “I don’t know, Adam. I liked him. I thought he was nice. And honestly, I just wanted to have fun. We fooled around and stuff, and I didn’t expect it to go as far as it did, but that night after semi-formal, I was just so upset with you and he was treating me so kindly, even though you told me he was an ass. And I don’t know, I just trusted him for some reason. So we…” I trail off, shaking my head. “Well, I don’t think I really need to say it.”

  Adam winces. “You slept with him because of me?”

  My heart kicks in my chest. “Oh God, th
at didn’t come out right.” I know I’m blushing furiously, trying to save my ass but coming up with absolutely no words that help me achieve that. “I just mean that I was in a weird head space. I wasn’t thinking. Normal me, in her right frame of mind, would have remembered that I have always wanted my first time to be special. I wouldn’t have let some frat daddy take it after seeing each other for less than a month.”

  I chuckle, but when I lift my eyes to Adam, his fist is clutched around the empty plastic cup, crushing it, his other hand still gripping the bar. His nose flares, murderous eyes hard on mine. “He took your virginity?”

  Oh God.

  Now I’m really blushing.

  Covering my face with my hands, I shake my head, peeking through my fingers. “This is so embarrassing.”

  “He took your virginity and then dumped you for your ex-best friend in front of everyone.” It’s not a question. His jaw is ticking beneath the strained skin. “Unfuckingbelievable.”

  Dropping my hands to my side again, I offer a sad smile, the scars from that night stinging a little. “It’s okay, Adam. I mean, that’s what college is all about, right?” I shrug. “Lessons learned and all that.”

  I force a smile, but Adam is still glaring at me like I took my own virginity. Finally, he sighs, blowing the breath out hard and loosening his grip on the cup in his hands. He doesn’t say a word, just takes my cup, too, and walks them to the trash can nearby. I watch him, wondering if I should have lied about what happened. When he reaches me again, he doesn’t stop in the space next to me. He pulls me into him completely, wrapping his arms all the way around me, his naked chest on mine, his abs pressed against my navel, his arms hard around my shoulders.