“What was that for?” I whispered.
“Because you’re beautiful,” he murmured, pulling me close to him for another peck. “That one was because you’re my girl.”
My eyes widened.
“I-I am?” I stuttered. “I didn’t know we were . . . you know. Exclusive.”
“Do you want to be?” he asked, kissing my lips again.
I kissed him back as his hands ran up my shirt.
“I do,” I whispered between kisses. “I just didn’t know you wanted to.”
He lowered his lips to my neck, and I let out a soft moan. He already knew how to turn me on. It was like he knew my body better than I did.
“I do,” he murmured. “I always want you. And right now, I really want you.”
He reached underneath my bra and started massaging my breast. I groaned, lustfully. Buttery words and sultry fingers were two of Adam’s greatest traits.
“Right here?” I asked. “In the middle of the—oh!”
His second hand started to rub me through my blue jeans making me forget all rhyme or reason.
“Are you complaining?” he asked as his fingers continued to pleasure me.
I gulped and shook my head. In a single movement, he had changed my mind.
“Make love to me again,” I whispered. “Please.”
He started to unbutton his jeans and kissed me. I giggled as he fumbled with his zipper.
“Next time it’ll be in bed. I promise.”
11
Embraces and Embarrassment
Adam sucked on my neck as he rubbed the tip of his manhood against my lower lips. I groaned and bucked my hips against his, urging him to start. Considering we were technically committing an act of indecent exposure, we could not stay long. As exciting as this was, I was grateful that we would try it in a bed the next time. Getting naked in a car in a public parking lot was even trickier than I imagined—not that I had ever really imagined doing that.
“Please, just put it in,” I breathed against his shoulder.
He nodded and pushed himself inside of me. I moaned and craned my neck. The small space was straining on the body, but as he filled me, I forgot all about where we were and how uncomfortable it was. All I cared about was him and the incredible sensations he made me feel.
“How’s that?” he whispered, moving slowly.
“I-it’s good,” I murmured. “Gentle.”
He nodded, moving his hips slowly against mine.
“I don’t want to push you too far too fast,” he said softly. “I care about you a lot, Phoebe. I want to make you happy.”
I smiled at him.
“Then go faster.”
He grinned and moved his hips against mine in one swift thrust. I let out a loud scream of mixed pleasure and surprise. As he did it again, I bit my lip to try and muffle the sound. The last thing I wanted was for someone to misconstrue the situation and call the police.
“Oh, my God!” I breathed. “That feels so good.”
He rotated his hips against mine, arching his back so he didn’t accidentally bump into the roof of the car, and continued to make my toes numb and my breath shallow until I was pulsating around him. When I was finished, he kept going, harder and faster until a second orgasm started to brew inside me.
I moved my hips against his, pulling him closer so I could kiss him. He snaked his tongue into my mouth and started kissing me with the same passion of his hips. A moan fell from between my lips.
“God, Adam. I’m about to—”
Before I could finish the sentence, we both climaxed together. He fell on top of me in a pile of cramped bliss.
“That was fantastic,” I breathed. “I should probably get my jeans back on, but I don’t want to move.”
He laughed and kissed me. “Me either.”
We stayed like that for a couple more moments before he pulled himself off of me and we both readjusted so we could get our pants on. He flashed me an oxytocin-laced smile, and I knew that things were about to get complicated.
I was falling in love with him, and I couldn’t stop myself.
My car was still at the university, so Adam dropped me off by the parking structure. As I got out of the car, he gave me a sweet kiss and made me promise to text him when I got home.
The drive back to my parents’ house was faster than usual. Foo fast, actually. Usually, I would be happy about a lack of traffic, but that night, I could have used the distraction. The blackness of the night made me think too much.
Falling for Adam had never been in my plans. I wanted to focus on college and my career, not boys. Perhaps, I would have made an exception for someone that flaunted me and was proud to be seen with me. Adam, however, did not seem to be interested in that. Instead, he met me in secret and ran away whenever someone could witness our intimacy.
To be fair, we had not had many opportunities to meet in person. Flirting in class was frowned upon, and he was always busy with practices. The only person who had witnessed us together was Ariana, and that was a whole other can of worms.
I had to know if he was serious about me—serious enough to admit that he cared in front of others. Even though his fraternity brothers and his football team would probably make fun of him for it, he had to show me he was willing to be seen with me. I refused to be the girl he only hooked up with behind closed doors.
I started to devise a plan to give him one chance to prove that he cared about me. If he failed my test, I would break up with him and go on with my life.
12
The Fraternity Incident
After two days of planning, I finally knew how to get my relationship with Adam out of the shadows. I was going to go the very place I never planned to go: a fraternity house.
I put on my cutest sundress and curled my hair—something that I never did. Even my mother complimented me, which was saying something.
My heart was in my throat the entire drive to the Phi Alpha Alpha house. Since large groups of drunken people annoyed me, I had never ventured to the Greek village. For that reason, I had no idea where Adam’s house was and ended up driving aimlessly for longer than I would have liked.
Finally, I found it. It was located at the very end of the street with massive Greek letters mounted on the side. Dozens of cars were parked in the driveway. It was an odd sight.
I pulled up behind a sedan and parked. Anxiously, I got out, walked to the door and rang the doorbell.
After a few minutes, the door opened. A tall brunet boy with red eyes and a skunk-like smell greeted me.
“Oh, shit. Sorry, who’re you? I didn’t—I didn’t hear you knock.”
“I didn’t knock. I rang the doorbell,” I explained.
He held up a pack of cigarettes.
“I was just going out to smoke a cig. You want one?”
I shook my head. “No, thank you. Is Adam home?”
“Oh, you’re Adam’s girl? Yeah, he’s home,” the boy replied. He looked back into the house and yelled, “Yo, Adam! Your girlfriend is here!”
There was no response. I looked down at the ground.
“Maybe he didn’t hear you.”
“Yeah, you’re probably right,” Adam’s mysterious brother said. “I’ll uh—I’ll take you to his room.”
He led me into the house and down a hallway lined with open doors. Inside most of the rooms were boys drinking beers and playing video games—two of them were Adam’s friends from lab class.
I was surprised to notice that it was a much more relaxed atmosphere than I thought it would be.
Adam’s frat brother came to a stop at the last door on the hallway and knocked. He began to giggle for no reason. That combined with the redness in his eyes and the god-awful smell that emanated from him made it quite clear that he had been smoking pot only a few minutes earlier.
“Adam! Yo! Your girlfriend is here!” the pothead yelled.
Despite the muffled voices inside, there was no response. The frat brother jiggled the doorknob
until it opened.
Adam looked up at me and held up a finger. He was on the phone.
“Don’t be a jerk, dude,” stoner boy protested. “My girlfriend would never let me look at her like that.”
“Shut up,” Adam mouthed. “N-no, Dad. It’s just Jake. He’s confused.”
“I’ll leave you two to it,” Jake said with a shrug, before waltzing back down the hall.
“Dad, seriously, it’s not even a big deal. She’s just my lab partner!”
All of a sudden, my head hurt. Despite our conversation about the man, I hadn’t realized how harsh his father really was. Maybe that was why he wouldn’t show me off. He was afraid of what his father would think.
“I’m doing fine! Coach says I’ve improved tenfold.”
He looked tired as he listed to his father for a few moments. I kept my head held low and tried to breathe as silently as I could.
“She’s not!” Adam growled, angry and tired. “I hardly even know her. We hooked up a couple of times, but it’s nothing serious. I promise.”
My eyes instantly shot up to him. He mouthed the word “sorry” to me, but something told me that he wasn’t. He wouldn’t say such things if he actually regretted saying them.
Looking away from me, Adam continued, “He was kidding! Whenever I fuck a girl, Jake calls them my girlfriend. You know how it is.”
I couldn’t hold it in anymore. The tears began to fall, and I raced out of the room. I didn’t want a boy to ever talk about me in such a way, especially to his father. That was why I had stayed a virgin for so long.
Adam tore my heart out of my chest and stepped on it, and I was done.
“Whoa, you okay?” Jake asked as I zoomed past him.
He was sitting on the porch, a cigarette hanging out of his mouth.
I sniffled. “No, I’m not,” I sobbed. “Adam was a total asshole.”
He pulled the cigarette from his mouth and handed it to me. I had never smoked in my life, yet Adam had driven me to it. I took a long drag before returning it to him.
“What’d he do?” he asked, being kind enough not to make fun of my short coughing fit.
“He told his dad that I’m just some girl he fucks,” I spat. I shook my head and added, “I don’t know why I told you that.”
Jake shrugged. “Well, Adam’s dad is kind of a hard-ass. I’m sure he didn’t mean anything by it.”
He held out the cigarette for me, and I waved it off. I learned my lesson after the first coughing fit and wasn’t looking to have another.
“Then, why would he say that?” I asked. “Ugh! He’s so confusing. I just want to go home.”
“You need a ride?”
“No,” I said a little too emphatically since he was still mostly stoned. “I drove here, but thanks.”
He nodded. “Well, I hope you understand that sometimes guys like Adam say stuff they don’t mean. Some of our brothers are douche-bags, but Adam isn’t one of them. If you make up with him, just know he’s a decent guy.”
I gave him a watery smile.
“You have to say that. You took an oath or something.”
He laughed and shook his head. “A pledge and I don’t have to say anything. I say whatever I want—and I say that Adam’s a good guy.”
I desperately wanted to believe him. I didn’t know that I could, though.
“I hope you’re right.”
13
Stalker, Stalker
Thirty-nine, that was the number of texts that Adam left me since I drove away from his frat house. Each and every one of them was apologetic. However, I still didn’t feel like responding. He didn’t deserve it.
My phone buzzed again. It was him.
I know I messed up but can we PLEASE talk?
I ignored it but didn’t have the heart to delete it. Deep down, I hoped that maybe we would work it out.
There was another buzz.
Phoebe, you can ignore me all you want, but we still have to work on the project.
He was right. Even though I ignored the text again, he was right.
In fact, I would have to see him in the lab the very next day. I was not looking forward to it.
Dr. Strickland handed out the rubrics for our tests at the end of class. Of course, I failed, just as I expected. She even made a note about my departure in the middle of the exam in bright red ink. I turned over my paper so nobody could see.
Adam walked into the lab, only moments before class was about to be let out. It was typical of him to be late. He handed Strickland a note and sat down beside me. His face was tired and full of regret. For some reason, it was not enough to make me forgive him.
“Hey,” he whispered as he sat down beside me. “You look gorgeous today.”
I rolled my eyes. If that was his attempt at an apology, it was the poorest I had ever heard.
“Still not talking to me, eh?” he asked with sadness laced in his words.
I didn’t even respond.
The two frat brothers that I recognized at the house walked in, laughing together at whatever inside joke they were sharing. As soon as they laid eyes on me, they started laughing even harder. I frowned.
“How’s it feel to have to be partners with your stalker, Adam?” one of them jested. “I can’t believe she actually came to the house.”
The other boy chuckled. “That was so creepy. Adam, dude, you should tell Strickland you wanna switch.”
Adam turned around and clenched his jaw.
“Shut up!” he hissed. “She’s not a stalker. She’s—she’s nice. Okay?”
The two boys gave each other confused glances and walked away.
Once they were out of earshot, Adam turned to me with an apologetic expression. “Look, I’m sorry—”
“Save it,” I cut him off. “Glad you told them I stalk you. Real nice, Adam. Real nice.”
“Phoebe, I didn’t—”
I raised a palm to stop him. “Don’t talk to me. Seriously.”
The clock struck ten, and I started to gather my things.
“But I—”
“Whatever you have to say, you can say it in front of Strickland while we’re doing the project. That’s the only time we speak from now on. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m headed to the library to study until close. Midterms are next week, and I can’t fail them.”
I walked out of the classroom, yet he followed me.
“But Phoebe—”
I turned on my heel and gave him a dark glare. “I’m serious, Adam. If you really are so nervous about me stalking you, maybe you should listen to your brother and tell Strickland you want to swap partners. As a matter of fact, I’m voting for a switch myself. Maybe if we go to her together, we can be rid of each other for good.”
“Phoebe, you don’t mean that—”
“I do, Adam. I never should have slept with you. It was dumb and it will never happen again.”
I started walking away hating him for starting an argument right before I was about to study. It was going to be impossible to focus now, and it would be all because of him.
“Never?” he asked.
I didn’t even turn around to look at him. The pain was not worth it.
“Never,” I yelled back.
14
Library Love
Since it was so late, I expected the library to be empty. However, I was proven wrong. It was packed full of all different walks of life, from spectacled academics to sorority girls to neon-haired Goth kids. Apparently, everyone was equal around midterms.
I shuffled inside, hoping to find an isolated spot to study. Adam had my mind boggled, but I was not going to fail my midterms because of him. If I failed, he would win. If I failed, I would have let him get to me.
As I looked around, I realized that my seating options were very limited. There were only two empty seats in the whole library, and both of them were at very unfriendly tables.
The first one, I knew I really didn’t want. The reason I really didn’t want it,
was Ariana. She was sitting right next to the empty chair, not studying, with a group of her sorority sisters. Hoping not to be spotted, I looked away towards the second option. It was located at a table far away from Ariana’s, which was a huge bonus.
Without thinking too hard about who was seated there, I walked towards it. To my dismay, the table was full of fraternity boys and sorority girls. None of them looked very inviting.
“May I sit here?” I asked, gesturing to the chair.
The group looked up at me, and a few of them started snickering.
“As long as you aren’t stalking me,” a redheaded girl said.
Everyone started to laugh. I rolled my eyes.
“Ha, ha,” I muttered sarcastically. “Seriously, though, can I sit here? I’d go somewhere else but everywhere is taken.”
“Yeah, whatever,” the girl said, waving me to sit down. “Do you care, Claire?”
A blonde girl shrugged.
“Don’t say any real names around her,” one of the boys chuckled as I sat down. “She might track us down!”
My cheeks reddened, but I knew it was best if I just got to work. Ignoring them was the only way that they would stop.
I stretched my neck and opened my book. I was determined to make some good flashcards so my father could test me at home. It was one of my favorite ways to study, and I even enjoyed writing out all of the definitions. Somehow, it was relaxing.
Unfortunately, my geeky method of therapy was not working. I could not stop thinking about Adam and being surrounded by his friends was not helping. Two of the girls kept whispering amongst themselves and pointing. They weren’t even trying to hide the fact that they were making fun of me.
Virgin Playbook: Phoebe's First: College Football Sports Romance Page 5
