by Erin R Flynn
Deliveries started coming, and she seemed excited for them. I realized why when the first was a king mattress and box spring. Since I had seen the blow-up mattress in the master suite when I’d been in there, I’d be thrilled for a real mattress as well.
“Fazoli’s or KFC for lunch?” she asked a few hours into work, staring at her tablet. “Oh, and which of you aren’t legal, so I’m not ogling guys I shouldn’t be?”
A few coughed on their drinks or responses, amusing her for sure.
“Ogle all you want,” Clay replied with a snort. “It’s only fair if we’re checking you out. Besides, it’s fine to look at seventeen.” He frowned. “Touch even. Someone told me statutory rape only counts if the underage one is being penetrated.”
I blinked at him. “Who told you that? That’s disgusting.”
He nodded. “I thought so too, but that guy who was giving the campus tour last month was the one who said it.”
“While clearly hitting on you, and that is the grossest pickup line, like ever,” Meave grumbled, shivering. “That’s like guys who pushed me to give them head because that didn’t count if I wasn’t of age.”
“That happen a lot?” Gavin ask, his eyes wide.
She flinched like she’d given something away. “More than it should have, given it should never have happened, ever.”
This time, even he was smart enough not to push. That was too personal to talk about in front of a group of guys she didn’t know.
“KFC sounds great,” I told her. “Some greasy chicken and sweet tea in this heat sound awesome. Fazoli’s is more dinner, and then you’re done for the night.”
“Good to know. I’ve not had it. I tend to be really picky with my pasta.”
“It’s good, but it’s basic,” Clay explained as he grabbed a bottle of water. “Mom used to pick it up a lot and add some extras. Good salads. She’s always grabbing their salads. It’s like a cheaper, any day Olive Garden.”
“Makes sense.” She looked over something and nodded. “Okay, no one likes the green beans from there, right?” After we all confirmed that, she picked up her phone and dialed. “Hi, yes, I need to place an order to pick up to feed a small army of large men, so I thought I’d call a while before I needed it, since they’ll probably eat all the chicken you have.”
It was really hard not to laugh, but her lips twitched when a few of us chuckled. She snapped us back to work, saying if we found the right boxes for the kitchen, she would make us much better sweet tea than they would have.
That won us over for sure. I was sweating buckets, so more to drink sounded great.
“So, what’s going on there?” Clay asked quietly as we hopped up on the truck again. “Any progress?”
“Yeah,” I admitted, not having told him what happened Wednesday after he left. “Yeah.”
“And?” he pushed as we moved the dolly under some boxes.
“And I’m so into her it’s ridiculous. Like I’m itching to touch her, Clay.”
“So you have?”
I nodded, moving closer and talking under my breath so no one else could catch us. “After you left, she gave me my first lesson in oral sex and fuck, it was—fuck, it was better than porn.” I cleared my throat. “I did it again this morning before you guys showed up. Right on the counter the bagels were on. She just let me spread her out and demanded I eat my woman’s pussy.”
“Shit, that’s hot, like really hot.”
“Yeah, really hot,” I groaned quietly. “She said if we have sex, she’s keeping me, so to make sure I’m not playing.”
“You’re not a player.”
“I know, but I think she was just making it clear, given the age difference. I mean, we can’t say anything until I graduate, even if I’m eighteen.”
“Yeah, that would be bad, especially with your dad.”
“Exactly.” I gave him a worried look. “It’s not just lust. I really like her.”
“Good. You deserve someone real after the bullshit you’ve had since your mom died.” He tried to hide how upset the topic made him.
But after I dated one of the cheerleaders at the end of last year and we’d had sex, and my dick didn’t fit in her, she told everyone I… Bad things, and it had gotten out of hand. I knew I was inexperienced, but she’d gone over the line.
I’d never been so happy for summer break so it could chill out. Clay had been all over her to shut up and enough with the crazy, but a lot of the hits landed when she was comparing me to my whore of a father, who had a way too young wife now, and still cheated on her.
We dropped it when others joined us to get more, but Meave seemed to notice the difference in my mood when I brought in the next load. She followed after us and handed the dolly to Clay, taking my hand and pulling me upstairs after her.
“What happened to the smiling guy I saw before you went in that truck?” she asked gently.
I cleared my throat. “My mind went to something bad.” I sighed when she gave me a look saying that wasn’t going to cut it. “That girl I dated who dumped me after sex was a disaster? Things spun out, and she wasn’t kind in what she told everyone, posting shit about me, even. That was the end of last year.”
She gave me a soft smile. “And you’re still a bit gun shy. I get it. I’ve endured the same.” She moved closer and hugged me. “This is just between us.
“I would never be petty, as long as you didn’t do something to hurt me.” She smirked up at me. “Then I would fuck you up, not tweet about you. I’m more in-your-face than that.”
“I know, I like that,” I muttered, leaning down and giving her a soft kiss. She sighed as I deepened the kiss. “Meave, will you go out with me? Officially? Be my girlfriend?”
She raised an eyebrow. “I thought we decided that earlier when you checked you were mine?”
I opened my mouth but then closed it. “I’ve not dated much, so… I thought I should ask.”
She chuckled. “You are so damn sweet, I really want to eat you up.” She batted her eyelashes at me when I moaned. “Yes, I’ll be you girlfriend, darling. Officially. Exclusively.” The warning was in her eyes that I’d be a very dead man if I stepped out on her.
Who the fuck would ever be so stupid?
“Exclusively,” I agreed, sliding my hand over her ass. “Which means no more plans to have anal gangbangs with my friends.”
She burst out laughing. “Fine, only threesomes with your friends now and again.”
I wasn’t sure if she was kidding, searching her eyes and trying to get a lock on what she was saying. “Seriously?”
She winked at me as she pulled away. “Darling, I love to bring an extra man or two to bed for some hot fun. I’ll even bring a girl to play if you’re a very, very good boy, and completely committed to me.”
“Shit, just shit, Meave,” I moaned, my dick completely hard and seriously noticeable.
“I’ll leave you to fix that.”
Yeah, great. I handled that and got back to work, glad when Gavin said he’d go get the food with his friends.
“How did the meeting with Donovan go?” Clay asked, trying to sound casual, but clearly interested once they were back with food.
Meave loaded her plate and sat down on the cooler concrete of the garage floor. The temperature had dipped pretty low last night and the heat was not too bad unless in the sun so the concrete was cool, nice and refreshing to sit on.
“The guy’s a total asshole,” she answered matter-of-factly. “It was a waste of an hour. He came in here, dictating to me what I needed and his plans, not once asking what I wanted.
“He rambled about expanding for all the kids I’ll want after someone makes an honest woman out of me and takes care of me. Blah, blah, choke on your shit and I showed him the door.”
“I wish I got to see you tell him off,” Clay chuckled.
“I didn’t. I don’t burn bridges like that unless they really go over the line,” she explained. “He’s just not someone I would work with o
r the direction I want to go.” She snorted. “And I don’t even know if I want kids, much less his vision of me popping out a houseful of them. I thanked him for his pitch and said I’d let him know if I was interested as I showed him the door.”
“I doubt he liked that,” Clay muttered.
“No, but he might think me an idiot and some damsel someone needs to lead around by the nose, but he won’t have any business if he’s outrightly rude. And given what he was trying to sell me, he’d have to be an idiot to blow the chance at the payday.”
“Like what?” I asked, curious what she was so against for the house.
She rolled her eyes. “Imported quartz counter tops and some sort of overpriced flooring from harder-to-get wood. Like rainforest wood that I’m against chopping down. It was all so over the top. This isn’t a hundred-million-dollar Manhattan penthouse overlooking Central Park. Like really.”
We talked a bit more about her thoughts on the house and her hopes for the proposal Clay’s mom was giving her Monday.
“Hey, do you want that old rotted wood along the fence?” one of my friends asked her.
“That’s not coming in my house, and I have to have the fireplaces checked out before I can use them,” she answered. “Why, you want it?”
“I heard there was an issue with the wood we were supposed to get for the bonfire before homecoming in a couple of weeks.”
She shrugged. “Take it. Make sure whoever knows where you got it, so I’m not on the hook if bugs get someone or whatever, but yeah, I figured I’d just burn it in the back.” She scrunched up her nose. “I couldn’t even use it for grilling or smoking.”
“You big into that?” Gavin asked.
She nodded. “Oh yeah. I’m a ‘dance naked under the full moon while fresh salmon is smoking and the smells fill the air’ kind of girl.”
Galvin choked on his next drink. “I’m sorry?”
She rolled her eyes. “That is not remotely the most salacious thing I’ve ever done. Our clothes reeked from fishing all day, and the beer flowed freely after we washed them. It was fun.” She smiled, like it was a good memory. “It’s been way too long since I’ve just let go like that.”
“So drive by your house during the full moon for a show, got it,” Gavin muttered, shaking his head as if he was thinking she was more than he could handle.
Good, because she was mine… And I knew I was in over my head.
I was fine with that if it was with Meave.
5
Ashton
I spent most of the weekend helping Meave unpack and set up what she needed done. After practice on Monday, I went over to her house and found out she’d hired Clay’s mom for the project, super excited for the renovations to start.
Or at least she seemed that way when she about jumped me before I got past the foyer.
She was amazing, and every moment I spent with her, I fell deeper into her. It wasn’t just her smiles and sex appeal. No, she was so fucking kind.
Yes, she didn’t put up with bullshit, and I had heard her cuss out more than a few people doing business, but she was seriously sweet. She not only made muffins for Gavin’s boss like she’d promised, but more for all of us.
She also made Clay’s mom a mix for the bath, and one for the football players that would help sore muscles. And it seriously did. It was amazing.
Meave honestly reminded me of my mom in a very not creepy way. They looked nothing alike, and had really different backgrounds, but it was her heart that made me feel that way.
She was so full of light and life that she just made me feel at peace, and happy in a way I hadn’t since my mom had died.
I truly adored her.
And that was before she went to bat for me with my AP Bio teacher. My eyes went wide as I spotted her in the cafeteria the day before the big homecoming game. At first, I thought I was just imagining her since she was always on my mind for the almost three weeks since I’d met her.
“Isn’t that Meave?” Clay asked me quietly.
I nodded, glancing between her and the lady from the front office, who was clearly showing her around. I watched as she went over to the table of teachers, smiling brightly and focusing on my AP Bio teacher. “Oh shit.”
“She knows he rejected our proposal again?” he checked, shooting me a worried look when I nodded.
I jumped to my feet and headed over to her, Clay right behind me.
“That’s interesting, because the biology professor I know from NYU thought it was an incredibly profound and well-thought-out project idea,” she said, sounding both amused and annoyed. “He suggested I check the AP accreditation of the school and that the teacher in charge of the class was up to date on his certifications.”
Several of the teachers snorted or choked on their lunches.
“He’s interested to hear the results, as most projects don’t have such controlled conditions, or access to a greenhouse that will allow high school students to use it,” she continued. “Plus, the biology department at NYU doesn’t have much of a chance to study conditions in Colorado. He was very intrigued, given Colorado Springs has an interesting biome with the mountains.”
“I—” He tried to defend, but she kept right on talking as she reached in her pocket and slapped a piece of paper on the table in front of him.
“I said I’d pass along his information, and he’s expecting your call to explain your thoughts as to why you passed the project up. Because from his viewpoint, it seems a bit petty like you enjoy bullying athletes like they’re dumb jocks, even when the two have such great test scores that NYU would love to have them. I assured him that couldn’t be the case, but I’d leave it for you to explain.
“But I’d like an answer by Monday on which of the five project ideas you’ll be accepting with whatever slight corrections you, as the teacher will give them, as there’s not much time left with the delays—as it is supposed to be a semester long project.” She pulled out another piece of paper and added it to the other one. “Oh, and as long as I have you, is that the right information for the head of the school board?”
My teacher paled as he glanced down at the papers, swallowing loudly. “I’ll take another look at the project proposal. I didn’t realize we were up to five, and you’re right, that is excessive. They’ll have my answer tomorrow, with notes of what needs to be adjusted.”
“I’m sure with an apology at your mistake, as they both study hard, are dedicated to the school with their athletics, and work for me on the side.
“Those are students who should be praised, not run over the coals. I’m sure you got them mixed up with the little pricks we all have to put up with, but a man is able to admit his mistakes and apologize.”
He fixed his tied, clearing his throat. “Of course, and I apologize you had to get involved. It’s unexpected an employer would—”
She gave him a look like he should quit while he was behind. “It’s my damn greenhouse they’re doing the project in. Clay’s mom is doing my renovations, and I’m not their boss at Subway.
“I think you meant to thank me for donating my time and knowledge to help your students learn more than what textbooks teach them.”
“I did, yes, that was—I was praising your unexpected dedication and help.”
“Glad you were,” she purred. “And you’re welcome. They both offered to help me set up a lot of the greenhouse in payment for getting to use it. I doubt many other of your students are so dedicated or so clearly care about their future.
“Maybe they’ll share the fruits of their labor with the class and devoted teacher. Have a wonderful weekend.” She turned to leave, jumping when she saw us there.
When her eyes locked with mine, looking guilty she got all involved, it was the last push I needed to fall over into love with her. It took everything I had not to throw her on the table, strip her naked, and show her how much I needed her.
“You know a professor from NYU?” I asked, clearing my throat and remembering the au
dience.
She smirked at me, like it amused her that I locked on the one point of all of that was she was talking to some guy. “Yes, the head of the department is a brilliant woman who I helped once upon a time, and we both enjoy good wine and gardens.
“We kept in touch even after I moved, and I’ve met several professors under her.” She glanced over at Clay. “I made a lasagna for your mom you can just pop in the oven.
“Tell her once the greenhouse is up and I have fresh tomatoes, it will be twenty times better. Oh, and the mudslide cupcakes are not for you.” She narrowed her eyes at him. “Don’t even lick the frosting. There’s alcohol in all of it. Tell her they freeze, and just to take it out an hour before she wants to eat it.”
He nodded. “I’ll let her know, thanks.”
“I’ll see you guys after school.” She shot me a quick wink and walked off, every male in the cafeteria watching her go… Even the uptight principal, which I might have found amusing, if I didn’t prefer focusing on her.
“I need the copy of your proposals again to review once more,” our teacher said, sounding thrilled about it. Well, he shouldn’t have been an asshole.
Luckily I had it in my bag, pulling it out and giving it to him with a plastered-on smile. Meave had opened something inside of me, because I had to bite back from saying something, whereas I never would have before.
I had spent years with most of what I said falling on deaf ears besides Clay, and I had fallen into the habit of accepting too much, going with the flow.
Now I had someone who really listened to me and cared. I didn’t want to go back to that guy who just accepted it all. I didn’t want to be a kid anymore, but a man.
Still, I took her advice not to burn bridges and thanked him, leaving it open to take it however he wanted. We went back to our table and ate the rest of our food, Clay and I exchanging a few glances, saying what we couldn’t in front of the others.
Meave was amazing, and had totally helped us when we needed it and didn’t know what to do. Wow.
Practice was another walk through, and honestly, I didn’t understand why we needed to have it. Most of us took learning the plays seriously, so why punish us all if others wouldn’t pay attention? It was tradition or whatever, but I thought there was a better use of our time than that.
