by Sara Hess
I’d played one of the best games of my life. Knowing Carrie had been in the stands to primarily watch me had amped up my game exponentially. I’d never had anyone come to one of my games before. My parents had certainly never cared enough to watch one, and I’d moved past caring if they ever would. However, every time I’d looked up to see Carrie cheering and smiling my chest had expanded and I’d had a kick start of adrenaline. It had been an ultimate high having her there.
Today the team had walked away with a win and I’d moved on to kissing Carrie.
No, it wasn’t a great day, it was an awesome day.
I spent the rest of the afternoon getting the house ready for the party with the guys. It consisted of moving stuff around, setting up the torches in the backyard, hiding the breakables, and taping off the stairs to the upper level…no one but us was allowed upstairs. We provided some snacks and non-alcoholic beverages; everyone knew to bring their own alcohol if they wanted it. We weren’t opposed to drinking; we just didn’t do it during the season.
Amanda hung out to help gushing profusely about her girl crush on Carrie and how gorgeous she was and that if she had any inclinations toward girls she would have been all over that. It had just been the four of us for lunch and Amanda and Carrie it seemed had bonded for life. I knew Carrie had a hard time trusting and allowing people in but it looked like Amanda had broken through some of Carrie’s reserves.
By seven-thirty I was chomping at the bit to get Carrie.
“Just go get her man,” Seth grumbled. “You’ve been pacing and ogling that clock like you want to take it upstairs and have your way with it.”
“That’s not what he wants to take upstairs and have his way with.” Landon snorted. I threw a glare his way and he held up his hands. “I couldn’t resist.” He laughed.
“Just watch what you say around her.” I cautioned.
“I’ll try and restrain my scandalous comments.” He said rolling his eyes.
“She gets embarrassed easily, but she’s got a sharp mind and tongue. She could cut you down to size with little effort.” I informed him.
Landon looked intrigued. I groaned at the challenge I’d just issued.
“Like I said, just watch what comes out of your mouth.” I warned again.
“Normally I only watch what goes in it, but for you…” He smirked.
Amanda came in the room with a gargantuan bowl of pretzels. “Carrie can take care of herself. One of your previous bimbo’s accosted us after you went to the locker room making a comment to Carrie about you slumming it with her and that she would be ‘congratulating’ you the next time she saw you.” Amanda air quoted congratulating with a disgusted look on her face. “Carrie handled her with class, it was beautiful.” She chuckled.
My face burned with anger, and a little shame. Some girls could be really catty and I wouldn’t be surprised if I screwed some of the cattiest. Those were usually the easiest girls.
“Do you know who it was?” I asked with a scowl, not liking the thought of Carrie having to deal with that.
“I recognized her but don’t remember her name. If she shows up tonight I’ll point her out to you.” She said.
I gave her nod.
“Like I said though, Carrie can take care of herself.” Amanda repeated.
I rubbed the back of my neck and debated on what I should tell them about my concerns. “Yes, she can take care of herself, but she also has a fragile side. I don’t want to go into it but I believe she’s gone through something and it’s left a mark.”
Seth nodded as if he’d already guessed this. I raised my brow at him.
“The girls gorgeous and tries to hide it.” He grunted shortly.
Yeah, he got it.
Amanda frowned in concern. “Well, I can see how she caught your interest. I actually felt a bit intimidated by her at first because she’s unbelievably gorgeous, but Carrie has to be one of the sweetest girls I’ve ever met, and if what you’re saying is true then just be careful. Not just for her but for yourself too.”
The room went quiet after Amanda’s heartfelt words. I gave her a nod of appreciation but was uncomfortable with the emotional aspect of the conversation. A roomful of girls might have been able to handle it, but not three guys.
“Don’t screw with her.” Seth rumbled breaking the uncomfortable silence.
Landon laughed. “You’re so eloquent man. Have you thought about selling that shit to Hallmark?”
“No, but I do write that shit on the wall in the guy’s john and sign your name to it.” Seth grumbled.
Landon looked horrified.
I laughed and headed for the door. “I’m out. See you in a few.”
I walked into the store five minutes to eight. The store was empty and John was behind the register. He looked up at my entrance.
“Hey, Nic, can you flip the sign; might as well close it down now.” He said.
I flipped the sign from ‘open’ to ‘closed’.
John yelled. “Carrie, your rides here.”
Five seconds later Carried came through the backroom doors smiling, looking gorgeous, and sporting a pretty blush.
“Hey Nic.” She said softly.
John smiled at the both of us with a definite old-man twinkle in his eyes…not that he was that old. “You two take off and have a safe night.”
Carrie grabbed her pack and came around the counter towards me. “Thanks John.”
Taking Carrie’s pack I slung it over my shoulder and grabbed her hand. “Yeah, thanks John. See you later.” I pulled her out the door.
Opening the passenger door I lifted her up into the seat just wanting to get my hands on her. She twitched and giggled. I think it was the first giggle I’d heard from her and it didn’t grate on my nerves at all.
“Did I become suddenly handicapped; taking my bag and now lifting me into your truck?”
I grinned. “Can’t a guy be chivalrous and feel up a girl at the same time.”
Her cheeks were on fire but she chuckled. “It depends on what you touch. That was a ticklish spot.”
My brows rose in evil intent. “You’re ticklish, huh.” I said sinisterly.
The expression on her face made me burst out laughing. She’d looked comically terrified that I might climb into my cab and tickle her to death. Tickling would have been the last thing on my mind if I’d gotten my hands on her. I closed the door on her look of retribution.
I climbed in the driver’s seat putting her pack in the back. Carrie lifted her eyebrow at me. “I can’t be the only one ticklish.” She said fishing.
The thought of her hands on me sent my erection pulsing more than the thought of my hands on her. Damn and shit!
I shifted as unobtrusively as I could. “My skin is tough.” I gruffly stated.
She took my gruff tone as a tough man attempt. “That’s what they all say. Everyone has a sensitive spot.” She retorted teasingly.
I had sex on the brain because her mention of a sensitive spot made me think of my dick. It was really sensitive right now…stiff-wind sensitive.
“Do you think you have the mettle to find out where it is?” I asked huskily.
I really hadn’t planned to say that, it just slipped out. There was no way she could miss the sexual tension in my voice. Now I could only see how she handled it.
She blinked at my tone. At first her expression was surprised, then cautious, and then a shy blush suffused her skin again as curiosity and interest flared in her eyes.
“I…I might.” She finally responded tentatively.
I was going to explode. I groaned in pain. “Carrie, you’re killing me.”
Her expression became worried. “What, how?”
I took a deep breath. “It’s nothing, just a guy thing.” I wasn’t going to tell her I was dying from blue balls.
She scowled and then her eyes lit with understanding. She glanced at my lap and what appeared to be disquiet passed over her face. My erection died a little at the thought of h
er fear.
“Nic?” She whispered looking out the window. “What are we doing?” She glanced my way under her lashes.
I froze for a second at her question. What were we doing? I’d been pushing that question out of my head for a week not wanting to define it, but now Carrie was forcing me to acknowledge it for what it was.
Being the type of guy I was, or had been, the idea of it had rubbed me raw. I was the consequential player, or bad boy; I didn’t date. That word was taboo. However, as difficult as it had been to accept a couple days ago it wasn’t any longer.
Reaching out I enfolded her hand in mine. She only tensed slightly before relaxing. “I think were dating.” I stated cautiously.
Silence settled over the cab.
“I’ve never dated before.” She stated nervously.
Dark thoughts drifted through my mind.
I forced a chuckle. “I’ve never actually dated either, so maybe we could go slowly. That way we can get our feet wet together.”
She smiled at my water reference.
“Yeah, that would be nice.” She squeezed my hand and my heart thumped in joy…fucking joy…at going slow!
Did I get hit in the head last week and sustain a concussion no one told me about? Because I felt like I was walking an enigmatic path to the land of bizarre…but hell, the path was paved in Carrie. Who wouldn’t follow that?
We arrived at the house a little after eight. No one had shown up as yet; it was still early by college standards.
Carrie looked at the house with wide eyes. “This place is huge.”
“Five guys live here, and we take up a lot of space.” I reminded her.
Grabbing her pack out of the back I headed around to assist her but she was already coming around the front of the truck. Taking hold of her hand I walked with her into the house. The guys were in the living room watching the sports channel.
“Hey guys, you remember Carrie.” I pulled her up next to me and curved my arm around her waist, loosely. It was a couple’s move and I waited to see how she would react.
Tension rolled through her like a wave, but she relaxed accepting the contact.
“Carrie!” They all cried out in unison and waved. A grin flittered over her face at their exuberant welcome.
Amanda came running into the room. “Carrie! Thank god, another female. Come on, we’ll go upstairs and you can get ready. Nic, we’re using your bedroom so I hope you cleaned up.”
Before I could say anything Carrie and her pack were pulled from my arms and hauled upstairs. Carrie threw an anxious look back at me but all I could do was offer a sympathetic smile. Amanda was on a mission.
Chapter Thirteen
CARRIE
I trailed docilely after Amanda as she pulled me up the stairs and under some barricade tape. When we reached the top of the landing I noticed that five doors lined the walls along the hallway; two on the right and three on the left. Amanda pulled me into the first door on the right.
I looked around in interest. So this was Nic’s room. It smelled like him; musky and dark. The room was spacious containing a queen sized bed, dresser with mirror, a night stand, and a desk with a computer and printer. A large flat screen television hung on the wall opposite the bed with shelves under it containing a DVD player and speakers. A couple posters of lacrosse were on the wall and there were two doors; one that was probably to a closet and the other to a bathroom. It looked like he had cleaned up in here because it was spotless, unless it was always this clean.
Amanda plopped down on Nic’s bed. “Go ahead and jump in the shower, then we’ll get you ready.”
I looked at her in surprise. “I was just going to change out of my work cloths.”
She shook her head with a frown. “No, no, no. You have to be dying for a shower after watching the game and working.”
A shower actually did sound great, but the idea of taking my clothes off in Nic’s area felt weird.
“Uh, I don’t know.” I hedged.
“I can see the longing on your face, so get in there.” She stood and shooed me toward the bathroom.
The door closed behind me and I stood in indecision for a moment.
“I don’t hear any water running in there.” Amanda called out.
“Okay, okay.” I mumbled with a smile. She was quite officious.
Starting the shower I stripped down and jumped in. The heat felt so good, and the pressure was more powerful than the shower in our apartment. It beat at my tense muscles. Unraveling my braid I washed and conditioned it . Not wanting to linger too long I switched off the water and quickly dried myself making sure to wring out all the excess water from my hair. Wrapping the towel around me I stepped back into the bedroom.
Amanda looked up from rearranging something on the dresser. “Oh my god, your hair is gorgeous, and so long. I can’t wait to get my hands on it so get on over here.” She pulled back the chair she’d been standing in front of and waved me over.
“Get your hands on what?” I noticed all the supplies stacked on the dresser. “What do you have planned, Amanda?” I looked at her in trepidation.
Anticipation brightened her eyes. “I’m helping you get ready. And I’m not going to hear a ‘no’ from you so stop shaking your head.” Walking up to me she herded me over to the seat.
I took stock of the supplies she had arranged on the desk: a blow dryer, curling iron, hair stuff, and some make-up.
“Amanda, I don’t know about this.” Tension crawled up my spine.
A sympathetic expression settled on her face. “If you don’t like what I do you can rearrange it your way and I won’t feel bad.” She smiled playfully. “Just enjoy someone messing with your hair; I always do. Makes me all relaxed.”
She picked up a brush and started brushing my hair. I couldn’t remember the last time someone had bushed my hair…did anything to my hair. I never went in to get my hair cut. If it needed cutting I did it at home, and I usually just took a couple inches off the ends. Since my hair was up in a braid all time there was no need for any kind of style.
My body remained rigid for about twenty seconds, but then the rhythmic strokes of the brush began to soothe me. Amanda had been right. I could fall asleep to this. She set the brush down and picked up some kind of spray bottle. After a couple squirts around my roots she exchanged it for another bottle, squirting some foam in her hands. She then messaged that into my hair from scalp to ends. Starting the blow dryer she began running her fingers through my hair. That felt even better than the brushing. I couldn’t hold back my groan of bliss.
“Can I take you home?” I moaned.
She laughed. “I don’t think Noah would like that.”
“He can come too.” I whined.
A snort this time. “I don’t think Nic would like that.”
I just harrumphed.
Some undisclosed time in the future the blow dryer eventually stopped. I swayed in my seat at how relaxed I felt.
“Right now I am so jealous of you.” Amanda complained.
My eyes opened lazily. Amanda’s smile reflected back from the mirror. “Jealous of what?” I asked confused.
Grabbing a handful of my hair she held it up. “I want this. Everyone always goes on about blondes, but our hair is usually thin. Yours is so thick, and the color is striking. I feel so bland next to you.” She pouted good-naturedly.
I looked at her in amazement. Amanda’s hair was golden and loose down her back and had curls everywhere. “You’re beautiful. Sometimes I feel so Goth-like with my dark hair.”
Now she looked amazed. “You are so far from Goth-like.” She picked up the brush and the curling iron and proceeded to brush and curl, brush and curl. Because my hair was so thick it was completely straight; any curl was pulled out by its weight and length. I didn’t have any layers so Amanda just smoothed it out and added big curls at the ends and then she parted most of it to one side.
I stared in amazement. It’s not like I never wore my hair down but it nev
er looked like this. The tension crept back in. I wasn’t sure if I could go down like this. Amanda must have seen the anxiety on my face.
“You don’t like it?” She asked with a disheartened frown.
My mouth opened and then closed. I couldn’t tell her I didn’t like it because it looked really nice. “I’m just not used to wearing it down, it feels weird.” I said lamely, but truthfully.
“Well, you look beautiful, but if you’re uncomfortable we could put it up a little. You don’t want to put it all up do you?”
Amanda looked so dejected. “No, I want to try it down.” I caved. It was only one night.
Her expression lightened immediately. “Different hairstyles just take some time getting used to. I can tell you one thing for sure; Nic will love it.”
Heat filled me at the thought of Nic. Would he like it down? I know he liked it when I took my cap off, which I hadn’t done since that one time he’d asked me to.
Amanda was watching me with amusement in her eyes. “I have a feeling you’re not into wearing a lot of make-up so I’ll leave it light. You don’t need it anyway. Your lashes are so dark, thick, and curly that you don’t need eyeliner or mascara, we’ll just give you a little bit of blush to your cheeks…” she proceeded to do this, “and a touch of color to your lips…” she dabbed at my lips and sighed, “Again, I’m jealous; women go under the needle for these lips. And wha-la!”
Amanda step back and I turned to the mirror. The touch-ups were very subtle. My cheeks were defined a little more, and my lips were a soft pink color. It wasn’t too bad. It was really my hair that made the biggest difference to my looks.
I swallowed. I could do this. I’d wanted to push my boundaries and I was just taking the adage ‘letting your hair down’ and applying it literally. It was a small concession in the large scheme of things.
I nodded my head determinedly. “I like it.” Standing up I hugged Amanda clumsily. “Thank you.”
She returned the hug with more enthusiasm. “My pleasure, I’m just glad you like it.” She stepped back and began gathering up her supplies. “I’m going to take this stuff back to Noah’s room and you can get dressed.” She hustled out the door closing it behind her.
