Push the Envelope

by Rochelle Paige

  My lips parted and his tongue took possession of my mouth. My body melted into his as he squeezed me tighter. He sucked on my tongue, and chills went up my spine. He gentled the kiss before pulling away and looking deep into my eyes.

  “That’s a hell of a way to greet me in the morning. What did I do to deserve that?” I asked.

  “You deserve that and more just by being you, but I figured I should make my intentions blatantly clear. I’m here each morning because you’re here. It’s time everyone realized it.”

  I glanced over at the girls who had been trying to flirt with Drake. They both looked at me enviously before walking away. “I think that made it pretty obvious. Maybe they’ll tell all their friends and word will spread through your whole fan club.”

  “And maybe I need to do that again when some of the guys who want you are around.”

  “What guys?” I asked.

  “Nope. Carry on being clueless to other men. You don’t need to worry about any guy except me.”

  He walked me to my morning class like usual but stopped me outside the building instead of coming inside. Before I realized what he meant to do, he gave me another deep kiss. When he was done, he flashed me a smug grin. “See you at lunch.”

  As he walked away, I saw him stop to talk to a group of his frat brothers. One of them glanced my way and smiled. Drake shoved him to the side and stood between us without looking back at me. Crazy boy. I shook my head at his antics and went to class.

  Drake was waiting for me at a table in the café when I got there for lunch. He’d already gotten me my usual, and he was chatting with Aubrey. It was nice to see them getting along so well. Aubrey’s opinion mattered a lot to me.

  “Hey,” I greeted them as I sat down. “Thanks for grabbing my lunch again. One of these days, I’ll beat you here so I can buy for a change.”

  Drake shook his head. “Not gonna happen.”

  “What? I can’t pay for lunch?”

  “Nope. That’s not how this works. You need something and I’m with you, then I buy it for you.”

  “Drake, that’s ridiculous,” I argued.

  “Not to me, babe. Don’t make that big of a deal out of it. Feeding you isn’t going to break the bank.”

  I looked at Aubrey, expecting her to back me up. She just shrugged her shoulders in a gesture of helplessness. “What? You agree with him?”

  “No, but you should pick your battles. Does it really bother you that you have a drop-dead gorgeous guy who wants to be a gentleman when he takes you out?”

  I glared at her. “Geesh, when you put it that way, I sound like a whiny bitch. Thanks a lot for the help here.”

  “Wouldn’t matter if she agreed with you, Alexa. There’s nothing for her to back you up on. You know me by now. Can you picture me letting you pay on a date?”

  I shook my head no since I really couldn’t. “You’re such a Neanderthal sometimes.”

  “Yeah, but I’m yours.” He winked at me. “Speaking of dates, I made plans for us tonight. I haven’t had you to myself all week.”

  Aubrey clapped her hands together. “Oooh, a guy who plans your dates and pays for them. I like the sound of that! Where are you guys going?”

  “I want it to be a surprise,” Drake answered.

  “I’m not really good with surprises.”

  “She isn’t. The anticipation always gets to her as she imagines the worst,” Aubrey agreed.

  “Don’t worry. I promise you’re going to like this one. I’ll pick you up at eight.”

  “Are you sure you don’t just want to tell me what we’re doing? I can’t promise that I won’t worry about it all day.”

  Drake’s gaze turned serious. “Alexa, trust me when I tell you that you’ve got nothing to be concerned about. If you don’t like my plans, I’ll change them. Okay?”

  I pouted up at him and batted my eyelashes.

  “Enough with the puppy-dog look. I’m not telling you what I have planned. Gotta run or I’ll be late for class. See you at eight.”

  He strode away from the table, and Aubrey chuckled next to me. “What’s so funny?”

  “I think he’ll be good for you in more ways than I thought. I don’t think I’ve ever seen you back down so quickly from trying to spoil a surprise. Maybe he’ll break you of that habit so I can actually hide your Christmas present from you this year.”

  “I’m not that bad, Aubrey.”

  “Um, yeah, you are. Why do you think I always cave and give you presents early? If I shop in advance for you, it’s a wasted trip because I can never hold out. Where do you think half the clothes I give you come from?”

  “Your closet? Or an impulse buy while you’re out shopping for yourself?”

  Aubrey made a buzzing sound. “Wrong answer. But I don’t really mind. So, date night. Are you excited?”

  “Yeah, I am. Will you meet me at the dorm to help me get ready? Maybe you have a gift waiting in your closet for me right now that will be perfect for tonight?” I joked.

  “No such luck. We’ll have to make do with what you’ve already got on hand. See you later.”

  chapter 9

  As I dressed for our big date, Aubrey popped into the room to check on me. “So what’s the plan for tonight? Still no idea where Drake’s taking you?”

  “Nope. I tried again to talk him into spilling the beans, but it’s still a surprise. He just said that I needed to wear jeans. What do you think?” I asked her as I gestured down at my outfit. I had chosen to wear a pair of dark blue jeans with a deep green sweater and brown leather boots. The jeans were snug but not super tight. The sweater hit mid-thigh but clung to my boobs. The boots were a favorite of mine, with only a slight heel on them. I felt comfortable but hoped I still looked good for Drake.

  “Turn around,” Aubrey instructed as she made a circle motion. “I can’t make a judgment call on the outfit until I can see it all.”

  I twirled around and did a little bow as I faced her again. “Well? Will I do?”

  Aubrey clapped her hands together. “Yes! You look great. You’re gonna knock his socks off. Not that it’s his socks that you really want to knock off, right?”

  “Ha-ha, funny. You know how much I hate feet, so that would be a big fat no.”

  “And you know that wasn’t the point I was trying to make. I swear at lunch today, I felt like I could get pregnant just from being an innocent bystander to the sexual vibes you guys were throwing off,” Aubrey said as she fanned herself. “You need to do something about that before one of you spontaneously combusts.”

  “Oh my God, I cannot believe that you just said that. That’s a big step. Do you really think I’m ready to have sex with Drake? Isn’t it too early? I haven’t really known him that long,” I asked.

  Aubrey shrugged her shoulders. “I don’t know. You’re the only one who can answer that question for yourself. But I can tell you that it’s going to happen sooner or later. There is no way that you won’t end up in bed with Drake at some point in time. He wants you badly, and you eat him up with your eyes every time he walks into a room. Hell, your eyes get all dreamy whenever you mention his name. Admit it—you’re already falling for him.”

  “I really am, Aubrey, and it scares the shit out of me.” I crossed my arms across my stomach for comfort.

  “It’s okay to be scared. You just can’t let fear make your decisions for you. You don’t let fear rule you when you’re piloting a plane. Don’t do it with this relationship either.” Aubrey came over and wrapped me into a hug. “What’s the worst thing that could happen when you’re in the air?”

  “The plane could crash and I could die,” I snapped back at her.

  “And if Drake breaks your heart?” she asked.

  “I don’t know. If I fall any deeper, it would hurt so bad that I might wish I was dead.”

  Aubrey leveled me with a serious look. “Not gonna happen. Not with me here to help pick up the pieces. Flying is much scarier than falling in love because the ri
sks are bigger. You’re just used to those risks. The only way you’re going to get used to them in relationships is if you give this a real chance. No holding yourself back. Really try to make this work with Drake. As scary as it is to think about having sex with only the second person in your life, it’s better to take the plunge with someone you’re starting to care for than to go out and have a string of one-night stands, right?”

  There was some logic in her twisted reasoning. If I was going to get back on the horse, so to speak, then it would be better to be with someone within a relationship than participate in the random hookups that happened every day on campus. “I hear what you’re saying, and I’ll try my best to not freak out tonight if things go down that path. But I don’t know that they will. Drake is being very careful not to push too hard with me.”

  Aubrey squeezed me and stepped away. “That’s easily solved. Just let him know that you’re ready to take it to the next level with him. Trust me when I say that he won’t hesitate for a second. I can tell from the way he watches you. You’ve got good underwear on just in case?”

  I giggled. “Yes, and I shaved too ‘cause I know that’s you’re next question.”

  “Then it sounds like you’ve already made the decision before my little pep talk. You skip the undies and shaving when you don’t plan on having sex. It’s good protection to stop yourself from getting naked. But if you’ve prepped for the date, then you’re already picturing yourself having sex with him.”

  I nodded in agreement. “I know. You taught me well, Obi-Wan Kenobi.”

  I heard a knock at the door and rushed into the other room to answer it. I needed to see Drake now to help settle my nerves. It sounded crazy because of the butterflies I felt every time I saw him, but he made me feel safe when we were together. I opened the door, and there he was. I felt the air leave my lungs in a rush of relief.

  “Hi,” I greeted him.

  “Hey, babe,” he replied as he snaked an arm out to pull me into his body. His mouth swooped down and claimed mine for a quick kiss. “You ready?”

  “Yeah. Let me grab my purse and then we can head out.” I turned back toward my room to grab what I needed, but Aubrey was waiting behind me with my purse in hand.

  “Here you go. I threw a couple things in there that I thought you might need,” she said as she winked at me. “Hi, Drake. Hope you guys have fun tonight. Make sure you take good care of my girl.”

  “Don’t worry, Aubrey. I always take very good care of my girl,” he growled at us. “Right, baby?”

  I nodded, and Aubrey handed me my purse. I peeked inside and discovered that she had stocked it with a clean pair of panties, condoms, and gum. I raised shocked eyes to her and she flashed me a huge grin as she shooed us out of the room.

  Drake’s car wasn’t waiting at the curb like usual. In its place was a gleaming black Harley. “You own a motorcycle?”

  He shook his head. “Not mine. I borrowed it from a buddy. Wanted to take you for a ride, feel your body wrapped around me. You ever been on one before?”

  “Sure have. Jackson has one. His dad loves ‘em. It’s been a couple years though.”

  “Then you know the drill,” he said as he handed me a helmet off the back. “Hop on.”

  Riding behind Drake was very different from riding with Jackson when I was younger. I wrapped my arms around his body and held on tight as we took off. My breasts pushed against his back, and my nipples pebbled in reaction. My thighs were wrapped outside of his. I could feel his muscles ripple as he controlled the bike. The heat from his body radiated through his clothes as I hugged him even closer and wiggled in my seat a little.

  His hand tugged one of mine lower, away from his abdomen. Our hands brushed against his hard cock before he placed my hand on his thigh. He groaned in response as I squeezed his leg. “It’s a good thing we aren’t going very far. I underestimated how good it feels to have you snuggled against me. Need to be careful since I have precious cargo on board.”

  I relaxed against him and enjoyed the feel of the bike rumbling beneath me. As we drove into town, I quickly guessed our destination. “Golden Wall? Yummy!”

  “Wanted to enjoy another of your favorites with you tonight.”

  “Best Chinese food in town and the best guy around. I’m a lucky girl.”

  “I’m the lucky one, Alexa. I know you weren’t sure about giving me a chance. Hope this last week has shown you that I’m worth the risk.”

  He pulled the bike into a parking spot next to the restaurant and waited for me to get off before placing the kickstand. I handed him the helmet and ran my fingers through my hair to fix it.

  “You look great, Alexa. Don’t worry about your hair. Makes you look like we just rolled out of bed.”

  “Helmet head is different from bed head, Drake.”

  “Here’s hoping I find that out for myself soon,” he said as we walked into the restaurant.

  I waited until we were seated before responding. “Maybe you won’t have to hope much longer. I don’t think I want to wait anymore.”

  “Babe, shit. You can’t say stuff like that before we’ve even ordered our meal. Fuck! How am I going to make it through dinner? Are you sure?”

  “100% sure, no. It’s been a long time for me, but you’re driving me crazy!”

  “I’m not gonna take you until you’re ready to commit to me, but there’s lots of other stuff I can do to tide both of us over until you’re ready.”

  “Drake,” I sighed. The waiter appeared at our table as I gazed pleadingly at him.

  His eyes held mine as he spoke. “I’m sorry, but something’s come up. Could we get a couple drinks and order our food to go?”

  Drake ordered himself a beer and a glass of white wine for me. The waiter didn’t ask for identification, and I was grateful for the shot of courage the alcohol would provide. When the waiter brought us our drinks, he ordered a few different menu items for us to take with us. He pulled his phone out and focused on the screen for a few minutes before nodding in satisfaction.

  Drake’s heated gaze rested on me as he sipped his beer. I nervously gulped my wine, feeling anxious all of the sudden. “Nothing to fear with me, Alexa. I’ll take good care of you, I swear.”

  “It’s just nerves. I wouldn’t have said anything if I didn’t trust you to some degree already.”

  “We’ll only go as far as I think you’re ready. No sex tonight, babe. But I promise to take the edge off for you.”

  The waiter came back with our food, and Drake handed him his credit card. He must have thought it was an emergency with how quickly the food was prepared. He returned with the slip for Drake to sign in less than a minute, and we were on our way out the door. Drake put the bag of food into the saddlebag on the side, and we roared out of the parking lot as soon as I was settled behind him. I quickly realized that we weren’t headed back towards campus though.

  “Where are we going?” I asked.

  “Not gonna spend my first night with you in a frat house or at your dorm,” he replied as he pulled into the parking lot of the Hyatt Place.

  “You booked us a hotel room?”

  “Wasn’t what I had planned for tonight, but that’s what online reservations were made for. Booked it as soon as I realized you were mine tonight.”

  I felt strange as we checked into the hotel without any luggage, just a bag of Chinese food. The clerk didn’t seem to notice anything amiss and handed Drake our keycard. I turned away as he gave Drake directions to our room. My face had heated with the blush that had crept up my neck.

  We stopped at the vending machine to grab a couple sodas on our way to the room. Drake opened the door and waved me in ahead of him. I flipped the light switch and my eyes locked on the king-sized bed that dominated the room.

  Drake rubbed his hand down my back in a soothing gesture. “Nothing has to happen tonight, Alexa. We can spread out with our food and watch television if that’s what you want to do.”

  “You and me, al
one in a hotel room, without anything happening? I don’t think so.”

  He took a couple towels from the bathroom and spread them across the bed. Pulling containers out of the bag, he peeked inside each one and handed me the Moo Goo Gai Pan with a fork.

  “What, no chopsticks?”

  He dug through the bag some more and pulled out a set that he tossed my way. He watched as I pulled them out of the packaging and used them to scoop some food into my mouth. His eyes lingered on my lips as I chewed. The air in the room sizzled with sexual tension as we sat across from each other and ate silently. Our fingers brushed as we both reached for an eggroll and I froze.