Nicole went to the window and yanked the dark sheet off of the window. She smiled to herself and then to me. “It’s a nice view. I will be painting. I couldn’t imagine such a dark color.”
I just nodded my head, back to being an idiot. “Just let me know when.”
“Sorry?”
“When you are ready to paint. I don’t mind helping. Just let me know when.”
Nicole nodded and thanked me. Moving to the bed, she sat down on it and the sound of the springs reminded me of the last time I was in the bed.
“Thanks. I have been traveling for a while and I think I am going to settle in.”
“Yeah sure. I will leave the agreement and the key on the bed. If you need anything, anything at all…”
She nodded that she understood. I was leaving the room and shutting the door before I realized I had been kindly dismissed. I didn’t blame her. She probably thought I was an idiot the way I was acting. Carl just looked at me and I just shook my head. I prided myself on the chase and always having the upper hand, but I didn’t feel so confident right then.
“Chick has you all out of sorts. I think I already like her.”
I pushed him away, not wanting to hear it. I couldn’t deny it though. I wasn’t feeling myself around her and I wasn’t used to feeling this way.
Chapter 3
Nicole
Sinking down into the bed, I tried not to think about the germs in a room like that. It was painted black. That couldn’t be normal. The little quaint town didn’t seem right with a black room in it. The color was going to have to change, but I didn’t want to think about anything else. All I could think about was getting some sleep. I was even too tired to do much more than slide my clothes off and cover up with a blanket from my duffel bag. The mattress was soft and I was finally able to get some sleep.
When I woke up it was dark outside and there was loud noises from out in the living room. I wasn’t ready to deal with the guys, so I decided I would take a shower first to wake up. I threw on a T shirt and moved towards the bathroom right down the hallway.
I wasn’t expecting the noise to get so much louder as I opened the door. It had held back a lot of the noise and then I saw all of the people. There could have been at least fifteen people dancing, drinking and having a good old time. A few saw me coming out and I felt eyes on my bared thighs. Rocco seen me and I couldn’t let him know that I was that disconcerted. I didn’t want them to think me a prude, so I just kept going, weaving my way through a couple of people and was more than relieved to see the bathroom empty.
Closing it and leaning back against the door. It was going to be a lot more different than my last place. Those guys were slobs and obviously didn’t have much concern about their new roommate. I missed Annie. After I got out, I gave her a call and tried to downplay the drama. The party was raging throughout the house, but instead of meeting all the drunkards, I decided to hide out in my room and try to make it livable. Having Annie on the phone just made it a little bit better, but I was already ready to leave.
I couldn’t though. I didn’t have any more money to go running around. The school had already gotten all of my loan money. It was a done deal and I was just going to have to learn how to get used to them. Carl and Rocco were the typical college jocks and I was going to have to get used to parties. The only good thing out of it all was the door seemed to keep most of the craziness out of my little sanctuary.
***
The next morning I was surprised to see the house almost clean. It wasn’t near as bad as I thought it was going to be. I made sure I was dressed all the way, learning my lesson with the last time I had ventured out without my shorts on. I was just so used to living with Annie.
I stopped in the doorway to the kitchen. Rocco was standing in front of the refrigerator in his boxers. It was becoming clear that he had forgotten that there was a woman in the house now. I couldn’t help but check out his hard body, rippled and tanned. His arms were huge and his bum was round and itching to be grabbed. Feeling my heat start to rise in my face, I accidently leaned too far on the table and knocked a glass off.
He turned around suddenly and I was left standing there, looking ridiculous. “Hey are you okay?”
I nodded that I was. He came towards me and helped pick some of the pieces up off the floor. “Where is your broom?”
“We don’t have one.”
“You don’t have a broom?”
He shrugged and I couldn’t believe it. What kind of place didn’t have a broom? “So how do you clean?”
“I don’t.”
I sighed and stopped the conversation. There was really no sense in arguing with him. It was like I was in the twilight zone or something. I was already making a list in my head and I figured I would add a broom to the ever-growing list. I was going to be broke and that just reminded me that I was going to have to find a job as well. My list kept growing.
“Thanks for the help.”
He kind of smiled at me, leaning in enough that I sat way back from him. Rocco apparently didn’t understand personal space and I was very aware of that as he stood over me. “Any time.”
I just kind of nodded at him and swallowed the lump in my throat. I wasn’t prepared to see him every morning, especially not if he was going to be standing around like that. It was impossible not to like the way he smelled and the warmth that emanated off of him was nice. I caught myself from leaning in to feel his touch. The man was intoxicating and he knew it. That was a dangerous mixture that I wasn’t ready to get involved in. Men like Rocco were heartbreakers.
As if on cue, a barely clad woman walked in and kissed him on the cheek. Rocco seemed to remember that he had a guest over, but he didn’t bother to introduce her to me. I didn’t know if that was because she wasn’t going to be there long or I wasn’t. Either way was a good guess.
I got out of the kitchen and went to change before heading out for some beach time. School was starting in a couple of days and I wanted to get some beach time in before I had to go back to classes. I had four years of it to go and I figured a few days off was needed.
I had heeded Annie’s advice and not took that aquarium with me and I was glad I hadn’t. It was already awkward to meet them and lugging around a glass box with creatures inside would have made it even worse. Though I couldn’t help but think that he would have at least had somewhere else to look. Carl was just as bad, but I didn’t mind it for some reason. Rocco made my body tingle and slightly tremble, so it was hard not to notice him. At least that is what I told myself.
Getting back out of my room after getting dressed, it wasn’t long before I was out of the house and on my way towards the sea spray. It was half of the reason that I picked that college. It was all about location. I tried to forget about everything else on my walk. The little quaint town was more than it first appeared. I wasn’t sure how well I was going to fit in there, but it almost didn’t matter when I got in the water. Even if everything there went to hell, at least I would have the beach to go to. The water wouldn’t be getting cold for several months, so it was just going to be there waiting for me. It was a good feeling to have and it helped me forget about the guys at the house.
A man like Rocco had a way of sidetracking a woman and I was trying not to be that women, knowing that there would be nothing but pain in that endeavor if I made that mistake.
Chapter 4
Rocco
“What do you think of the new girl?”
I just shook my head. Carl knew what I thought, much because he was thinking the same thing. Nicole was hotter than Jessica had been, though Jessica had been far more willing to do what was asked of her. I didn’t see Nicole just giving in like Jessica had. Nicole was the type of girl that had to be worked for. I had seen her hesitation and beyond that, her fight with her own need and it gave me hope. She may have been a little prudish, but it really didn’t matter. Things have a way of changing.
“She’s hot and not giving it up.”
Carl laughed and shook his head in agreement. “Yeah I got that vibe too. You don’t think she is a lesbian, do you?”
All I could do was look down. Carl must have got his feelings hurt to be going there. “Wouldn’t give you the time of day, huh?”
Carl’s soured face gave me my answer and it made me laugh. Whatever happened, Nicole was already livening up the place. “Have you had any better luck?”
I hadn’t and I didn’t like the way he smiled about it. I guess we were both not the studs that we thought we were. For me it was hard to take that. I never had trouble getting the girl. It was kind of what I did. But now all of that suaveness doesn’t seem to matter one way or another on a girl like Nicole. For a second I had thought that she had wanted me too, saw distant need in her eyes, but it was gone the next time I looked at her and there was certainly nothing that came of it.
“No luck. I don’t think she is lesbian, just shy or maybe one of those good girls.”
“And you can’t wait to make her bad. Is that it?”
I couldn’t help the smile on my face. It was our last year and Carl knew me too well. Both of us played football together and though it wouldn’t go much further than some college ball, it had made me a legend in our small college town. That made women an easy task most of the time. I had met a few good girls in my town and I had found out that they were usually the freaky ones. It was all a matter of getting them to be a little naughty for me. I liked the idea of seeing Nicole make the change, my mind never thinking that it wouldn’t happen.
“Yes. Nicole can definitely be bad and what better position to have front row seats?”
Carl shook his head. There was no need to make the bet, it was already silently made. He wanted her too and though I was assured that I would have her, I still didn’t like the idea of her choosing him instead. The fact that he was thinking she was of the female persuasion, told me that he hadn’t had any more luck than I had.
“Where is she at anyways?”
Carl was of no help. “I don’t know. I haven’t seen her since last night when she came out in a night shirt. That was hot.”
I was the one that couldn’t speak. It had been a moment I would remember for a time, the way she looked at me was enough to make any man’s blood boil.
“I don’t know. I know she is going to be a hard roommate to have.”
***
Carl and I were putting together a project that we had been working on. The shelves in the kitchen were falling apart and since Nicole had made a comment about them falling, we decided to get it done while she was out. A show of good faith in a way.
We didn’t notice the door opening or Nicole when she came through. I just caught a bit of the back of her as she walked back to her room. It was obvious that she had been swimming. Her hair was damp, making her white shirt see through. What I wouldn’t have given to have seen the front of her. But she was gone and Carl was nudging me to grab the other side of the board to put up.
Turning back to what we were doing, I tried to shake the feeling that she left. It wasn’t long before we had the last shelf replaced and was sitting down to drink a beer. She finally came back out of her room and she had just thrown on some dry clothes. Nicole was leaving and I asked her where she was going. “Just down to find some paint. That wall is depressing and I wanted to get it painted before classes started.”
“Do you want some help? I can give you a ride over there if you want. It’s about a mile and that’s going to be a long walk with a couple gallons of paint.”
She bit her lower lip and looked at me as if I may be a trap. “Sure. I would appreciate that. I am worn out from the surf. It’s a lot different than pools.”
I just nodded and smiled. Carl had missed out and I wasn’t going to offer to give him a chance to go too. I wanted some time with Nicole alone. I wanted to see how much of a good girl she really was.
Getting in the truck, I had a bit of a buzz, but the hardware store wasn’t far down the road. She didn’t say much and every time I tried to make a move at get closer, she just sidestepped it without even acknowledging it. I didn’t know what that meant or what I was supposed to do. The truck was far too big and she was on the other side away from me by the time we got there.
I followed her in and we talked a little bit. She wanted to know what I did there. I don’t work and most of the time I was in training for one sport or another. I would have played them all if the seasons didn’t clash sometimes. It was about all I did, train, play, repeat. If I was honest it didn’t sound so great when I was saying it out loud to someone else, but I was going to miss it. With only one last season of ball and then graduation. I knew that I was going to miss those days more than any other time so far.
“I never got into sports like that. They are so physical.”
I just nodded my head. Of course she wouldn’t like sports. It was like everything that gave me the shoe in with other women, didn’t mean much of anything to her. I was not getting any closer to finding out how good she was. She was good enough that Nicole didn’t seem to be fazed by me at all. I had thought I had saw something in her eyes once or twice, but now I was questioning everything. Maybe I was just seeing what I wanted to see.
Helping her take the paint in and offering to help her, she just nodded and told me that she had it. I was trying to be helpful, but once again, she had politely dismissed me. That woman was going to drive me mad.
Chapter 5
Nicole
It was becoming clear to me that it was going to be harder living with the guys than I had thought. After everything going on, I just stuck to myself. I met a few new friends at the beach and spent most of my time there. I left before the guys were up and I didn’t have to see Rocco half dressed in the kitchen again. He was bad news and though my body didn’t know any better, I did. There was no way that I needed to get involved with a guy like that.
School started and I finally found a job bussing tables at a small seafood restaurant at the Marina. It was decent money and they gave me a flexible schedule, so everything was going as it was supposed to. It was almost too perfect and it made me worry that something was going to go wrong. It always did, but after a few weeks, my new life was as close to paradise as I could make it. Living with Carl and Rocco wasn’t so bad. They were really nice, maybe a little too nice, but for a couple of jocks, it wasn’t near as bad as I had thought it would be.
“Nicole.”
I looked back in the kitchen and Rocco was in there in the fridge again and it was hard not to laugh. The man ate all day long. I had never lived with men before and it seemed like both of my roommates were constantly in the kitchen. I hadn’t cooked yet and I started to wonder if I should. I may never be able to get out of it again. If they knew I could cook, I may never get out of the kitchen.
I was musing too much and I had to physically shake the thoughts from my head. They didn’t need to know how much I was affected. Rocco in particular could make my mind jelly within minutes it seemed like. There was something about him. “Yeah Rocco?”
“Are you going down to the beach today?”
After class that was pretty much where I went every day unless it was storming out. It would be far too soon that the winter was there and the weather would keep me indoors, so I was taking advantage of the warmth as much as I could. Shaking my head that I was, he asked if he could come with me. “If you want to. I figured that you and Carl would have a party to go to or something.”
The men were so different than I was. It had become clear from the first night at the house, that they liked to party, a lot. The theme hadn’t changed the last couple of weeks that I had been there. The time had been flying, but I wasn’t so unnoticing to not see that. They were the life of the party, while I was content swimming in the ocean at night.
“I mean, I am just going down there to do some snorkeling. I don’t know how much fun it is going to be for you.”
“Getting wet is always a good time for me.”
I ignored his cheesy pun and the way he undressed me with his eyes. I was used to it by now, but it still affected me more than I liked. “Well you are more than welcome to come. I usually just walk down there. It is not too far. Do you need time to get dressed?”
“Nope, I have shorts on so I am good.”
I didn’t mention that the khaki was going to go see through so I hoped he had something else on. I wasn’t going to say anything, wondering more than once if the steroid look had ruined other parts of his anatomy. There was always a bit of a bulge in the morning, but never enough for me to know. And I was the kind of girl that was curious. He may be a heartbreaker and a mess, but Rocco was damn sure pretty to look at.
“Okay, well why don’t we invite Carl?” I started towards the man’s room in the back and he stopped me.
“No, he had a good night last night and won’t be up for a while. Why don’t we leave him to sleep?”
I just nodded. I was starting to wonder if he just wanted me alone again. Rocco was a lady’s man. It was clear with all of the girls that hung all over him at school. But I wasn’t going to be one of them and his little antics wouldn’t help. I was sure that I wouldn’t succumb to the man, but when I looked into his dark eyes, I knew that he thought he already had me.
“It’s up to you. I don’t care either way. I am surprised either one of you can walk with all of the partying you do.”
“It’s what school is for. Trying new things and seeing what happens.”
I had a feeling that he was one of the new things that I was supposed to try. The man was tempting, I would give him that, but I wasn’t strong enough for another heart break and Rocco was the kind of guy that a girl could fall for. The question was if he could fall too and I doubted it. Why would he when he had every other girl at his disposal? I knew I didn’t have a chance beyond a night and that wasn’t enough for me. I wanted more than just a roll in the hay.
ROMANCE: MC BIKER ROMANCE: CARSON (MC Biker Romance)(Bad Boy Motorcycle Club Romance) (Contemporary Military Romantic Suspense Thriller) Page 49
