We find his car in the parking lot and he opens the door for me, I hesitate for a moment.
“Get in,” Grant says. I sit in the passenger seat and throw my head back against the headrest and let out a long sigh as Grant goes around the back of the car and gets in. He starts the engine.
“Grant, no,” I plead, placing my hand on his arm.
“I’m taking you home,” he says reversing. I glance down at his hand on the gearshift and I imagine those fingers touching me, and now I won’t ever feel them on me again. It sends a painful ache through my body.
“To my apartment, but my bike?” I say.
“No, my place,” he says, continuing to drive out of the parking lot. I put my hand to my mouth, my lips are quivering and I can’t find my voice to object. Clarissa, you’ve got to stop this.
“Grant, we can’t do this anymore,” I beg.
“Why not? I still want to be with you, and I know you still want me,” Grant says, looking straight ahead as if he’s really concentrating on driving. If he gets me in his condo, I will lose my resolve to go through with this.
“I want to be with Jason,” I blurt out, finding my voice to stop this, and it works. He pulls the car over and kills the engine. His jaw is clenched and he won’t look at me.
“Have you already ‘been’ with him?” he asks.
“No!” I exclaim in disbelief that he would question me.
“What about that night of the concert?”
“No, I told you,” I say removing my sunglasses so he can see in my eyes that I’m telling the truth.
“Alright, I believe you,” he says, turning to face me.
“Grant, I’m sorry. For a number of reasons we can’t do this anymore, one of which is you’re risking your job by being with me.”
“I don’t give a shit about that,” he says, reaching to caress my cheek.
“I’m sorry,” I whisper and the tears start to roll down my face.
“Can I have one last night with you?” he asks and it just about kills me.
“God Grant, this is so hard for me to give you up. I love being with you, I really do. You’re an amazing person, you’ve been so tender with me and made me feel so special,” I say, sniffling back my tears.
“Because you are special,” he whispers off those luscious lips of his.
“Please, if we have one more night together, I won’t be able to walk away,” I cry out softly.
“That’s my plan,” he says with the most drop dead, panty melting smile that I may just surrender to.
“Don’t tempt me Grant,” I laugh and cry at the same time.
“I know this isn’t fair to you, you really should be able to enjoy hanging out with your friends and the guys your age. I was being selfish, but once I had a taste of you, I kept wanting more,” he admits and it breaks my heart even more. We sit here in silence for what feels like an eternity, then he slowly turns and starts the car as I wipe my tears away.
I walk into my apartment with a heavy heart and go straight to my room and close the door. Thankfully, Deena isn’t home. I slide off my shoes, drop my things on floor and curl up on my bed. I find my ear buds and listen to my latest playlist that I’ve been listening to with Grant. I want to wallow in self-pity. I realize I will never be the same after the time I spent in Grant’s arms, I grew into a real woman with him, it was so sexually liberating.
I must have drifted off to sleep because I awaken to someone rubbing my thigh. When I open my eyes Deena is looking down at me and I pull out my ear buds.
“Hey sleepyhead, do you want dinner?” she asks.
“What time is it?” I ask, rubbing my eyes.
“5:30 and Jason called looking for you. He said you weren’t responding to his text messages so he got worried. Boy is he keeping tabs on you or what?”
“Oh, I guess I didn’t show up at the library this afternoon. I’m not hungry,” I say, rolling over.
“What’s wrong, are you sick?” she asks. Love sick maybe.
“No, just tired.” I hope she leaves me in peace.
SEVEN
~CLARISSA~
I need to go home this weekend to clear my head. Some girl time with my best friend Summer Harris is in order. She goes to Chapman University and goes home on the weekends all the time.
Clarissa: You up for a day of shopping on Saturday?
Summer: Yes! You coming home this weekend?
Clarissa: Yes, desperately need some retail therapy.
Summer: Uh, oh, what happened?
Clarissa: Long story, tell you when I see you.
I’m absolutely dreading going to English this morning. Wish I could skip it all together for the rest of the week, no make that the rest of the semester. I was such a fool to ever start something with Professor Montgomery. I never thought it through and now I’m going to pay the price. I honestly don’t think he will let it affect my grade. Now Jason’s grade, that’s a whole different story.
Walking in a little late, I manage to find a seat in the back, I don’t sit with Jason. For the entire class I watch Grant’s every sexy move and it’s pure torture, although I’m careful not to make eye contact with him. Class is dismissed and luckily some girls approach him after class as usual and I can slither out unnoticed.
“Hey Clarissa, wait up.” I hear Jason calling me after I’ve gotten on my bike.
“Hi Jason,” I say as he walks up to me.
“Hi, are you okay?”
“Yeah, I’m fine why?”
“You never showed up at the library yesterday afternoon, even Alex was looking for you.”
“Sorry, I was tired and went home and ended up falling asleep.”
“Meet up for lunch today?”
“Sure, see ya later,” I smile and ride off.
*****
“We have an exchange tomorrow night with the SAE house. I so don’t feel like going,” I sigh out feeling so emotionally exhausted. Jason and I are sitting at our usual table, eating lunch in the Commons Courtyard.
“Don’t you have to go, being a pledge and all?” Jason asks.
“Yes, I know. I will try and sneak out early.”
“What are you doing this weekend?”
“Going home.”
“Really?” Jason says, curiously surprised.
“Yes, I need a break from campus. I miss seeing my best friend Summer.”
“I’ll be down in Emerald Bay this weekend, maybe we can get together for dinner or something,” Jason tries hopefully.
“I’m spending Saturday with Summer, can I let you know?” I really wanted to be alone to clear my head and give myself some time to get over Grant.
EIGHT
~DEENA~
Being a Song Girl is everything I dreamed it would be and more! Although the daily practices take up a lot of time and my grades are definitely suffering.
“Hey, I saw Ken, we had an exchange with the SAE house last night. Do you remember that slut Nicole who slept with Jason?” Clarissa announces while we’re sitting around together after classes.
“She’s a pledge sister of yours right, a tall model thin blonde?”
“Yes, that’s the one. She looked ready and willing to conquer Ken.”
“He definitely has a thing for blondes. Was she successful, do you think they hooked up?” I try to ask casually, but it bugs me and it makes me jealous.
“Could it be possible, do I detect a hint of jealousy?” Clarissa teases.
“Don’t be ridiculous,” I scoff at her.
“I don’t know what happened between them, I left early. I can find out though. Do you want me to?”
“Yes.”
“Will do. I think you’re starting to care about him,” Clarissa points out.
“Maybe, but I don’t think the feeling is mutual. That’s why I want to know if he’s been hooking up with other girls. We’ve been hanging out together a lot lately. However, it’s a ‘friends with benefits’ relationship I have going with him. We have no stri
ngs, so he’s free to do as he pleases or should I say he’s free to do WHO he pleases,” I say with a half-hearted laugh.
“How do you do it Deena? I’m trying to end it with my secret lover and I’m having a hard time,” Clarissa admits.
“You need to learn how to NOT get emotionally attached,” I tell her, but I’m not sure if I’m a good person to ask when it comes to affairs of the heart.
“I’m going home this weekend, I need to get away from campus and clear my head,” Clarissa tells me.
“Are you trying to get away from a certain someone?” I ask.
“That certain someone is also going to be in Orange County this weekend and wants to get together.”
“I bet he does. Does he know you broke things off with your secret lover?”
“No, I haven’t told him in so many words.”
“Is Jason the reason you ended things?” I ask.
“Yes, he factored into the decision,” she admits.
“Finally, you came to your senses,” I tell Clarissa and I mean it, you just don’t turn down someone like Jason Bancroft for a number of reasons.
I hear my cell phone bing, someone’s texting me.
Ken: Come over tonight?
Deena: Sure, let’s get some dinner together.
Ken: Sounds like a plan, come over whenever.
“Speak of the devil, Ken just texted me. We’re hanging out tonight, I think I will ask him myself about the exchange last night and see what he tells me,” I tell Clarissa.
“Be careful, curiosity killed the cat. Maybe you don’t want to know,” she warns and she may be right.
*****
I knock and walk right into Ken’s apartment; they never lock their door. I think they’re crazy not to, especially in this neighborhood, but hey, I’m not their mother.
“Hi, anybody home?” I call out as I walk down the hall.
“Deena, I’m in here,” Ken calls out to me from his bedroom. No one else seems to be home. I waltz into his room and he’s crashed on his bed and listening to some tunes on his IPhone. He pulls out his ear buds.
“Hey sexy girl,” he says in greeting and I know what he’s in the mood for.
“Hi,” say, walking up to his bed and he pulls me down onto his bare chest that I never tire of looking at and touching.
“I’m happy to see you,” he says.
“I bet you are.” I smile down at him and greet him with a kiss that he deepens. His kisses turn me on instantly. He doesn’t have a shirt on adding to his incredible sex appeal. I run my hand across his chest and moan into our steamy kiss. He rolls me onto my back and his hands begin to explore my body, which has become so familiar to him now. He knows exactly which buttons to push to leave me screaming for more and scream I can because nobody’s home, I think wickedly. As his hand dips down into my panties, a thought cross my mind, was he with Nicole last night? I reach down and grab his arm by his wrist to stop him. I may regret asking this like Clarissa warned me, but I find myself blurting it out anyway as my jealous green-eyed monster rears its ugly head.
“Were you with Nicole last night?” I ask quietly. Ken nuzzles a kiss into my neck trying to ignore my question.
“Deena, what are we doing here?”
“I don’t know, you tell me?”
“Look, I know you hooked up with that USC calendar guy recently and I didn’t say anything, I was cool about it,” he retorts.
“I still want to know the answer to my question.” I try to say it and not sound bitchy.
“We fooled around at the house a little, but we didn’t sleep together,” Ken admits and I think I believe him.
“Oh that’s a surprise. Clarissa said Nicole was all over you.”
“She was, but I didn’t want Clarissa running back to you and telling you I had slept with Nicole, so I resisted.” I get quiet. I’m not sure what to make of it or how I feel about it.
“Deena, I have a great time with you, and it’s not just about the sex for me,” Ken admits tenderly.
“Oh, I wasn’t sure how you felt,” I say demurely while gazing into his beautiful eyes.
“You’re the one who seems to want to keep it no strings between us.”
“I’m not sure what I want,” I answer honestly.
“I know babe, I won’t pressure you for more than you want to give,” he says, kissing me while his hand trails down into my panties again and I relax and enjoy his touch which is setting me on fire as I part my legs for him.
NINE
~CLARISSA~
It’s good to be home, there’s no place like home. I can get my laundry done and enjoy some of my Mom’s home cooking.
Summer comes over bright and early on Saturday and we head over to Fashion Island and go to our favorite haunt, Pain du Monde. Once we get our coffee and the most delicious pastries we find a table for two by the window.
“So what’s the latest with you?” Summer asks.
“Please don’t judge me. I have done something out of character for me and I hope I won’t have to pay the price for it,” I say ,spreading my hands out on the table.
“God, what is it?” Summer asks.
“I slept with my English Professor,” I cry out and cover my eyes.
“Clarissa, NO WAY!” Summer practically screams, her eyes wide with surprise.
“He’s unbelievably hot, all the girls in the class swoon over the guy,” I say as if that makes it alright.
“Was it just a one-time thing?” she asks, still in shock.
“Well, I went over to his place assuming it would be a one-time thing, but it turned into more.”
“Wow, he risked his position at the University for you. Do you know how much trouble he could get in if the school found out?” Summer says as if in awe.
“Yes, I’m aware. All the more reason I had to break it off, as hard as it is to do.”
“How old is he?”
“Twenty-seven.”
“Hmm, not that old. How was he by the way?” Summer asks, with a wicked smile and a raise of her eyebrows.
“Incredible!” I squeal softly, placing my hand on my heart.
“I’m so jealous,” Summer says, sitting back in her chair.
“Don’t be, it’s so painful ending it. He actually is a very caring and special guy. If I was older and out of school I would be all in with him. The timing just wasn’t good, you know? I just don’t want to be tied down and I was feeling like his dirty little secret. We couldn’t really go out together unless he took me up to Montecito for the weekend.”
“Wait a minute, he was taking you on weekends away to Montecito?”
“Yes, his family has a home there.”
“Why am I having trouble feeling sorry for you?”
“I know, I know. It gets worse or better, depending on how you look at it. You’re going to hate me, the other girls seem to,” I pause before telling Summer.
“What now?”
“Another reason I broke it off is because I like some other guy who has been pursuing me.”
“Who is it, does he go to USC?”
“Yes, his name is Jason Bancroft. His family owns Bancroft Publishing. The book and magazine publication house, we read their stuff.”
“You’re right, I do hate you,” Summer says with a smile.
“He wants to take me out to dinner tonight.”
“You’re going right?”
“I guess so.”
“Why on earth would you hesitate?”
“I still feel bad about Grant, Professor Montgomery,” I say wistfully.
“Go girl and put Grant behind you. Sounds like you have bigger fish to fry,” Summer tries to convince me.
“I agreed to go, but I think I will meet him someplace. I don’t feel like having my parents meet him and having them get all excited about it.”
“Suit yourself, I understand that. Meet him someplace for dinner.”
“Let me text him now.”
Clarissa: Where do you want to me
et up for dinner?
Jason: Can I come pick you up?
Clarissa: No I will meet you, you name the place.
Jason: Modo Mio in the Crystal Cove shopping center.
Clarissa: Sounds good, what time?
Jason: How does 6:00 sound?
Clarissa: Perfect, see you then.
“Let’s go shopping!” I say.
TEN
~JASON~
I’m not sure what’s up with Clarissa, but I think she may have broken things off with her mystery man. I suspected as much when she said she would be coming home this weekend rather than spending it with him. I really was planning to come down to Orange County this weekend anyway and now I have an excuse. I’m happy she agreed to have dinner with me tonight and I’m hoping to get her to come over to my place afterwards. I don’t really get why I can’t go and pick her up. I’ve never had to pursue a girl this hard, but she has gotten under my skin and I must have her. I’m wearing down her defenses; a girl can only resist my charms for so long.
I pull up in front of the restaurant at the appointed hour and she’s not here yet so I get out of my car to wait out front for her. I see her pull up in her red BMW and the first thing I see are her shapely legs as she gets out of her car. She’s looks enticing as she walks towards me in a short orange dress that clings to her body in all the right places. Her long wavy brown hair bounces off her shoulders and drapes across one side of her gorgeous face. She sweeps the hair out of her eyes sexily before she greets me with a smile that sends warmth through my body. Man, I have it bad for this girl.
“Hi there gorgeous,” I say, greeting her with a hug.
“Hi yourself,” she says back, welcoming my embrace. I open the door and let her walk in first and I get to check out her curves in her snug fitting dress. She smells good too. The hostess seats us by the window and hands us our menus.
“Have you been here before?” I ask as we peruse the menus.
“Yes, once before, it’s good,” she chirps.
“It’s one of my favorite places around here for Italian food.” After we order and get our drinks I stare across the table at Clarissa, she really is a beauty and she always dresses sexy and stylish, yet classy.
“You look great by the way,” I compliment her.
Romance: Close Encounters Boxed Set Books 1 thru 6 ( New Adult and College Series Books 1 thru 6) Page 14
