Hard to Resist (Sexy Nerd Boys, #3)

by K. M. Neuhold

  “What can I say, I’m just trying to impress you.”

  “Well it’s working,” I laugh, kissing his chest and then nipping his collar bone lightly, eliciting a moan from Ravi. “Can I ask you a question?” I ask cautiously.

  “Of course.”

  “If your mom hadn’t gotten sick, which made you move back here, would we have ever figured this out and gotten together?”

  Ravi lets out a long breath and then tilts my face up so I’m looking into his dark, soulful eyes.

  “Sweetheart this was absolutely inevitable. I didn’t have to move back here. I think on some level I knew I couldn’t stay away from you any longer. Last year was pure torture being in New York with the two of us not talking at all. You know, I used to make sure I was always around when Chase made his bi-weekly phone call to you just so I could hear your voice from his phone.”

  “Why didn’t you just call me yourself?” I frown, thinking about how much time we’ve wasted not being together.

  “I was afraid. I’m still afraid, but I think maybe I’m also afraid of not being with you anymore because I know it’ll destroy me if I ever have to give you up.”

  “Ravi,” I grasp helplessly for words.

  “Hiraeth, it means the feeling of homesickness for a place you can’t return to or never was. That was the way I felt all year, being away from you. I felt helpless and sick, and absolutely fucking miserable. And, it wasn’t just because I was away from home, it was because I was away from you.”

  “Then I guess you’ll have to man up and tell Chase eventually,” I tease to lighten the emotional moment. My throat is too thick with the things I really want to say to him. I love you. You’re my forever. Please don’t break my heart.

  Ravi

  I stretch lazily, nuzzling into the warm, sweet smelling angel sleeping beside me. After making love on the kitchen floor twice more we’d finally dragged ourselves to my bed to sleep. And, yes, I just said making love. Hadley and I have fucked plenty, but last night had been...different. Fuck, I am so pussy whipped.

  I can’t stop the tendril of dread and fear from wrapping itself around my heart at this revelation. Just as I told Hadley last night: I am hers and she is mine. But, it’s starting to hit me fully that if this falls apart when Chase and my parents find out it will completely destroy me.

  I’ve held a torch for Hadley for years. However, actually having her for myself has wrecked everything inside of me in a beautiful, ridiculous way that I never could have predicted. I’ll never be able to put myself back together in the proper way.

  Suddenly I can’t get enough air into my lungs. I glance over to make sure Hadley is still sound asleep. Fuck, she’s so beautiful. I need to get the fuck out of here and get my head on straight.

  Careful not to jostle her too much I quietly slip out of bed. I dress silently, keeping one eye on Hadley for any signs of stirring.

  One part of me, I’m sure you can guess which part, is begging me to crawl back in beside her and take advantage of all her sleepy warmth. I could wake her by sinking myself inside of her and watch the blush creep over her skin as her pleasure builds. I could bury my face between her tits and inhale her sweet scent until every wisp of uncertainty is chased away on the heels of our shared pleasure.

  But, the other part of me, the non-phallic part of me, knows that I really need to take a breather to get my head on straight before I come home to Hadley.

  I slip from the room and grab my cell phone off the kitchen counter where I left it last night.

  Ravi: hey, meet me at the gym?

  Chase: k, see you in a few

  *****

  “Care to share?” Chase asks, glancing at me out of the corner of his eye while we run beside each other on the treadmills.

  “Share what?” I play dumb. I’ve been a quiet, brooding pussy all morning.

  “Whatever’s got you acting like you’re on your period,” Chase says tauntingly. “Or, I can tell you about the chick I hooked up with last night,”

  “No thanks, I really don’t need the details of your sex life.”

  “Yeah, I already know too much about your sex life, too,” Chase laughs.

  My face falls.

  “What’s that supposed to mean?” I demand, part irritation, part fear.

  “Let’s just say, some of the chicks you hooked up with last year were pretty chatty.”

  My stomach drops. Fuck, that sounds bad.

  “But, what your past conquests have said about you is not what has you looking all emo this morning. So, back to the topic at hand. What’s the problem?”

  I slow to a walk and wipe the sweat from my brow with the towel I have slung over the handle. I turn to evaluate Chase, trying to decide what exactly to say. I could go balls to the wall and admit that I’m falling hard for his sister...or more accurately, already fallen.

  “Have you ever had sex feel like...” I flounder for the right word. That’s certainly a new experience for me. “More than just sex?”

  “Yeah, that special tingly feeling you get at the end, that’s actually supposed to happen,” Chase teases.

  “Forget it,” I mutter. I step off the treadmill and start to head towards the locker room.

  “Wait,” Chase catches my arm, his expression is appropriately chagrined. “Sorry, I get that you’re trying to have a serious talk. So, are you talking about like...’making love’ as opposed to ‘fucking’?”

  I sigh and run a hand through my sweat damp hair.

  “Yeah,”

  “Well, shit man.” Chase let’s out a long breath. “I’m not sure if I’ve experienced that first hand.”

  “Trust me, if you had you’d know.”

  “So, why so glum about it? Sounds like a good thing to me,” Chase argues.

  “I guess I’m afraid it won’t work out. Then what the fuck am I going to do?”

  “Jesus Ravi, man up already. You can’t hide scared because you’re afraid of heartbreak. Won’t it be worth it either way?”

  Images of Hadley flash through my mind. Hadley smiling up at me, Hadley’s soft, warm frame cradled against me, Hadley covering me in whipped cream and claiming me as her own. Fuck yeah, it’s worth it.

  I nod with resolve and clap Chase on the back.

  “Thanks, I needed to hear that.”

  “No problem. Kashi’s a lucky girl,” Chase assures me. I frown briefly wondering what the hell he’s talking about. And, then the pit of my stomach feels filled with lead.

  “Kashi...yeah.” I swallow back the lump in my throat and turn to head to the locker room before I say something stupid.

  The song Dirty Little Secret by All American Rejects is blaring from my gym locker as we approach it. I furrow my brow in confusion. I don’t remember downloading that song. I open my locker to find that it’s actually an incoming call from Hadley. I swipe to answer.

  “Hey, what’s up?” I ask as casually as possible, feeling Chase’s gaze on the back of my neck.

  “Just thinking about you, I missed you this morning. I woke up all alone,” She pouts.

  I bite back a groan, closing my eyes and forcing myself to maintain my composure. “Yeah, we’ll be home soon.”

  Hadley sighs.

  “You’re with Chase.”

  “Yup.”

  “Okay, see you soon.”

  “Bye.”

  I miss you. It’s right on the tip of my tongue, but I bite it back. I end the call and turn to find Chase’s gaze a mixture of confusion and concern.

  “Who was that?”

  “LP, she was checking when we would be home. I’m guessing she’s cooking, you know her,” I say with forced lightness.

  “That’s an interesting ringtone you have set for her.” His voice is laced with accusation. I can feel the color draining from my face.

  “It’s one of her favorite songs,” I lie quickly and then hold my breath hoping to hell he bought that bullshit. After several more seconds of glaring at me suspiciously he no
ds and turns to get changed out of his gym clothes.

  Hadley

  I’m right in the middle of a good pout, standing over the blueberry pancakes on the stove, when there’s a light rap on the door.

  “Come in,” I call out.

  Seconds later Eve peaks her head in. I smile over at her but instead of a warm smile in return I notice a concerned grimace on her face.

  “What’s wrong?”

  “The trial is set for next weekend,” Eve reveals, her normally relaxed features pinched with anxiety.

  “That’s good, right?”

  “It is. I’m just afraid to face him I think.”

  “That’s understandable,” I pull her into a hug. “But, once it’s over you can finally truly breathe easy again. “

  “Eve?” Asher’s voice booms from outside. I do my best to suppress a giggle.

  “And, I’m sure Asher will breathe more easily too once Brahm is behind bars,” I whisper, before shouting to Asher, “Oh no, did your girlfriend slip her leash?”

  Eve glowers at me but I see the hint of a smile on her lips.

  Asher appears and smiles with relief when his eyes land on Eve. I give him shit about it, but I don’t blame Asher for feeling anxious when he doesn’t know where Eve is. He nearly went crazy with worry waiting for the police to find Eve when her crazy ex kidnapped her.

  As Asher leans down to plant a chaste kiss on Eve’s nose, I notice he has a new tattoo as well. Behind his ear, in the same location as Eve’s, he has small angel wings with devil horns hovering above them. They are too damn cute.

  “Oh, I love your tattoo,” I tell him, thinking longingly of getting some ink of my own.

  “You want a tattoo?” Ravi’s voice startles me.

  “Geeze, what are you a ninja?” I accuse playfully.

  Ravi leans down and drops a quick kiss on my lips then pulls back quickly just before Chase enters the kitchen as well.

  “I didn’t know you wanted a tattoo,” Ravi says.

  I shrug with forced nonchalance. I’ve actually been dying to get a tattoo.

  “They’re expensive,”

  “Huh,” is all Ravi says.

  “We should get a tattoo together,” Chase says, pulling me into a hug as he enters the kitchen.

  “That would be cool.”

  I catch the flash of a frown pass across Ravi’s face, but it’s gone before I can over analyze it.

  *****

  Later after everyone is gone Ravi and I settle on to the couch to wind down with some Netflix before bed. I grab the controller and put on an episode of Supernatural. Ravi groans but doesn’t make a move to try to change it. I win.

  My phone pings with a new email and when I open it I nearly leap off the couch in excitement.

  “Oh my god, Ravi I have the most incredible news.”

  He raises his eyebrows questioningly as I start bouncing in my seat, grinning like an idiot. My heart is pounding out of my chest and my hands are shaking. I’m about to change Ravi’s life.

  “You’re killing me over here, what’s up?”

  “Well, don’t be mad but I sort of took it upon myself to send your manuscript to a few publishing companies.”

  “What?” Ravi barks his features a mix of anxiety and annoyance.

  “Listen, someone’s interested. They want to publish your book, and if it does well they will offer you a contract for sequels.”

  “What?” Ravi’s eyes light up and a grin stretches across his face. “Are you serious?”

  I hand my phone over so he can read the email. His smile widens as he reads it and when he’s done he looks up at me with surprise and elation before pulling me into a bone crushing hug.

  “But hey I posed as your agent, so when you start making Harry Potter money don’t forget you owe me forty percent,” I joke.

  “I’m pretty sure your wife is actually entitled to fifty percent of your assets.”

  My heart skips a beat.

  “I’m not your wife.”

  “Not yet,” he says, his eyes heavily lidded and his voice sultry. “We need to celebrate.”

  “Absolutely.” I stand from the couch and pull him towards my bedroom so we can celebrate all night long.

  Chapter 16

  Ravi

  “Happy birthday, beautiful girl,” Ravi whispers, his warm breath tickling my neck. I blink awake with a smile on my face. Waking up in Ravi’s arms is the best birthday gift I could possibly imagine.

  “Mmm, thank you. Am I going to get a birthday spanking?”

  Ravi’s deep chuckle rumbles through my chest and settles in my stomach, giving me butterflies.

  “Such a dirty girl, Hadley,” his husky voice sends a shiver up my spine. Ravi’s teeth graze my neck and his palm caresses my ass, my body hums with anticipation.

  “Get up on your hands and needs, gorgeous.”

  I scramble to do as he says, aching with need.

  “How did I get this lucky?” His voice is rough as his hands caress the bare skin on my back.

  “I’m the lucky one.”

  “Agree to disagree.”

  His hand comes down with a loud thwack on my ass and I yelp in surprise. His deep chuckle reverberates through me as he lifts his hand and delivers a smack to my other cheek.

  “Oh, shit.” Matthews voice punctuates the scene sending Ravi and I scrambling apart.

  “What the hell, dude?” Ravi shoots a glare over his shoulder at Matthew as he grabs his t-shirt and pulls it over my head so I’m covered.

  “I’m so sorry.” Matthew has the good sense to look sheepish, although that doesn’t stop him from taking a few seconds to check Ravi out and give me a discreet thumbs up behind Ravi’s back.

  “To what do we owe this cockblocking this morning?” I ask. It takes Matthew several seconds to answer as he’s extremely interested in Ravi’s toned backside as he pulls on a pair of jeans, commando.

  “I thought I’d take you to breakfast for your birthday.”

  “Well, now that you’ve made my boyfriend all crabby I suppose you do at least owe me some food.”

  Matthew continues to grin suggestively looking between Ravi and I.

  “What?” I demand as I skirt around him so I can go get some clothes out of my bedroom.

  “I didn’t realize you and Aladdin were so...kinky,” Matthew chokes out around a laugh.

  “Wow, so not your business.” I dig in my dresser for a pair of jeans and then I tug on Ravi’s ‘talk nerdy to me’ t-shirt and then pull my long hair up into a messy bun.

  “You know, it’s incredibly unfair that you can roll out of bed and look so damn sexy,” Matthew complains.

  “Hey, quit scamming on my girl,” Ravi jokes, coming into my bedroom and pulling me in for a brief kiss.

  Matthew rolls his eyes.

  “How many times do I have to remind you that I’m gay. But, if you ever get the urge to give me a spanking I’ll thank every god I can think of,” Matthew teases with a wink.

  “And, on that note, let’s go to breakfast.” I usher the boys out while texting Chase to meet us at the diner.

  As soon as I spot Chase waiting outside the dinner I leap into his arms and give him a smacking kiss on the cheek.

  “Happy birthday, fool.”

  Chase laughs and spins me around.

  “Happy birthday, baby sister.”

  “Baby? psh,” I wiggle out of his grip and give him the finger. He slings an arm over my shoulder and the four of us enter the dinner.

  “Ravi, you’re coming to dinner at our parents’ house tonight, right?” Chase asks after we’ve all placed our breakfast orders.

  It’s a family tradition, which of course includes Ravi, to have dinner at our parents’ house for our birthday. Our mom always makes our favorite, ribs, and it’s always a great time. I feel a little guilty suddenly that in spite of the fact that I didn’t go away to college I’ve hardly seen my parents at all since I moved out last year. They’re great parents, but I g
uess I’ve gotten caught up in my own life. Even with Chase staying in his old room for the summer, he’s been over at Ravi and my apartment almost daily so I still haven’t really gone to my parents.

  “Of course.” Ravi nods, avoiding Chase’s gaze. Now that I think about it, he’s been avoiding Chase since we got together. More guilt churns in my gut. I’m getting in between their friendship. My eyes meet Ravi and he gives me a small smile. It takes everything inside me not to lean across the table and kiss the pout right off his lips.

  *****

  “The prodigal daughter returns,” My mom teases as she pulls me into a bone crushing hug.

  “Hi, mom.” I give her a kiss on the cheek.

  “Care to explain why you don’t feel the need to visit your poor parents?”

  “I’m sorry mom, I’ve gotten so busy with everything, I promise to visit more,” I assure her before stepping aside so Ravi can give her a hug as well.

  “Hi, mom.” He kisses her cheek and lifts her up in a hug until she’s laughing and demanding he put her down.

  “I swear, between you and Chase I’m constantly being treated like a ragdoll,” she admonishes with a warm smile.

  Once greetings are done she ushers us down the hall. Ravi automatically reaches out to take my hand before realizing his mistake and pulling back. My stomach knots. It would be nice to be able to hold my boyfriend’s hand in front of my parents. But, I couldn’t do that to Chase, leaving him the only one in the family who doesn’t know. I think that would hurt him more than Ravi and I actually being together.

  Gathered around the dinner table with Ravi on one side and Chase on the other feels like home. Ravi and Chase keep sneaking food off my plate and laughing like ten year olds when I smack their hands away. My mom and dad watch us all with a proud gleam in their eyes. I’ve always felt lucky to have parents who cared only about Chase and my happiness. I can’t imagine the pressure Ravi feels to impress his parents.

  Once we’re done eating my parents bring out a few gifts for Chase and me.

  “I’ll give you your present when we get home love,” Ravi whispers in my ear.

  “Is it dirty?”

  Ravi snorts a laugh and shakes his head.

  “Always such a one track mind, dirty girl.”