by Kelly, Erika
She had a mischievous smile and a warmth in her eyes that sent a surprising wash of heat up his neck. “Not yet, but I will. You can count on it.”
“You need a hand?”
“And have you get sucked into the sexual vortex that is Caroline Thayer? No freaking way.”
“All right, well, I’m gonna head into town.”
“Enjoy. I’ll be in my room. Planting my flag in the carpet.” She gave him a dazzling smile, sticking her hand out. “I’m Nicole.”
“Dylan.” He needed to get going, but he knew Nicole wasn’t getting into that room any time soon. And he also knew what it felt like to need a place for himself. “Let me see what I can do.” He turned back and rooted around in his desk for his Swiss Army knife. Motioning for her to step aside, he quickly removed the screws that held the doorknob.
She pushed up behind him, her body brushing against his.
He stilled, aware of her heat and the scent of something sweet, clean. When her hair brushed over his arm, chill bumps burst out and spread along his skin.
He glanced at her over his shoulder, surprised at his reaction to her.
She gave him a warm smile. “I want to watch how you do it, so I can do it myself next time.”
Didn’t she notice how close she stood? Close enough to make his heart pound. He stepped back a little, giving her room to watch. Reaching into the hole, he removed the bolt that connected the knob to the strike plate and opened the door.
Light from the hallway spilled into the room, where he got a view of two people going at it on the bed. Caroline jerked up, hands covering her breasts. “Oh, my God, what’re you doing?”
The room stank of pot, sex, and…
Nicole charged in. “You’re eating my peanut butter.”
…peanut butter. A locker sat open in front of the other bed, its contents spread all over the blanket.
Nicole grabbed her things and started tossing them into the trunk. “You can’t just take my food.”
“It’s a few snacks. Get over yourself.” Caroline reached for a silky robe, shoved her arms in it. “When the scarf’s on the door, that’s your cue to give me some privacy.”
Well, that explained the droopy bow in Nicole’s hair.
“Wrong. When you want to hook up with someone, you find a private place to do it. When you want to look jaunty, you wear the scarf.”
Caroline narrowed her gaze to the bow. “Oh, my God, give that to me, freak.” She made a grab for it, but Nicole ducked.
Jaunty? He smiled. Something about this chick. He couldn’t figure her out. Caroline was easy to tag—hot, rich girl. Liked to party. But Nicole? She didn’t look rich. Her hair—dark brown, no fancy highlights—looked choppy, as if she’d hacked it off herself. It had so many layers it shook and shimmied every time she moved. Her yellow sundress hid her shape, and the high tops did nothing to flatter her pale, slender legs. No manicure, no make-up, but a sparkle in her eyes that showed intelligence and a sense of humor.
But what hit him the most was her warmth. It got inside him. She wasn’t his type at all—but then what was his type? He couldn’t deny he’d stayed with Kelsi as long as he had because she knew his mom. His situation. And she’d handled it. Most girls wouldn’t.
They shouldn’t have to.
And then that wild sense of freedom whipped through him again. He had a fresh start here. That meant he could date whoever he wanted without his mom fucking it up.
The guy rolled out of bed and stepped into his cargo shorts. “I’m out of here.”
Caroline got up, tying the robe’s sash around her waist. She walked toward Dylan, not disguising her blatant interest. “Mr. Tall, Dark, and Dirty from across the hall. Finally, we meet.”
Nicole closed the trunk and pushed it under the bed. “His name is Dylan, and he smells like clean clothes and cinnamon. So, yeah, not dirty at all.”
Dylan smiled. He hadn’t had cinnamon gum since that afternoon—funny now she’d noticed.
Caroline’s eyes went hooded, and she smiled. “So glad to meet you.”
“Oh, perfect.” Nicole shot him a look. “Please don’t be the reason she locks me out tomorrow.”
“Don’t worry.” Dylan never took his eyes off Caroline’s. “Never gonna happen.”
The blonde’s smile spread wider. The look in her eyes said, Sure it will.
The guy smacked her bottom. “Catch you later, babe.”
Dylan stepped aside so the guy could leave the room. Since Nicole was all set, he’d go.
“Slow down there, gorgeous.” Caroline opened a drawer in her nightstand, pulled out a half pint bottle of vodka, and waved it at him. “Let’s hang out.”
“Oh, my God, what is wrong with you?” Nicole looked ready to rip her roommate a new one. “We signed a contract. No alcohol, no drugs. Do you want to get kicked out?”
Caroline gave him a look that said, Can you believe I have to live with this? “Wow, we are so not going to get along.” She sat on her bed, letting the robe fall open enough to reveal her upper thighs.
“You do realize if Chase comes in here, I get in trouble, too, right? We share this room, so I’m implicated in your illegal activity.”
“Um, okay. Uptight much?” Caroline held the bottle out to Dylan, then gave Nicole a careless wave. “Look, how about you give me and him some time to get to know each other, okay? Go find somewhere to study or something.”
Dylan had had enough. He came up to Nicole. “Grab your things.”
She looked at him, brow furrowed.
He leaned into her ear. “Crash in my room tonight. Talk to Chase tomorrow about switching rooms.”
“Where would I sleep?”
“You want to stay here?”
“God, no.”
“Then, let’s go.”
Nicole grabbed her toiletry bag, a pair of pajama shorts, and a T-shirt, and stuffed it all in her backpack. She unplugged her laptop and clutched it to her chest, ready to go.
Caroline watched them. “You’re leaving with her?”
He ignored her, following Nicole out of the room.
“Wait a minute. You have to put my doorknob back on.”
Dylan turned to her. “You gonna keep locking her out?”
“Are you kidding me? Like you aren’t going to do the exact same thing when you want some privacy?”
“You know, I never was under the impression the world revolved around me so, no, I won’t be locking my roommate out when I want to get laid.” He joined Nicole in the hall, gesturing to his room. “You gonna be all right in here?”
“Sure. I’ll just get ready for bed and read.”
“Okay, then. I’m heading into town. If I’m not back before you go to sleep, just use my sleeping bag.”
As he turned to go, a group of girls came sauntering down the hallway toward Caroline’s room. Their diamond earrings, expensive watches and clothing…Jesus. Talk about temptation.
And there was that knee-jerk reaction again. His mom was in a great place. He didn’t need to worry about her stealing things.
He let out a breath. He had to let all this shit go.
For the first time in his life, he was free.
