Complicated by You (8 page)

“So then we do nothing.” I slipped away and went to the edge of the stairs. He tried to grab me again. I sped up my pace, hurrying like I was the one who was late for practice.

“Wait, let’s talk about this.”

“You don’t have time. You may be nominated for the Heisman, but when you show up late, you’re still a shitfaced slacker to your coach.”

He shook his head. “Hey, just because he said that at the one practice you came to, doesn’t mean he says that to me all the time.”

“So he doesn’t?”

“Well … yeah, he says that all the time.”

“Ha!” I pointed at him and rushed down another flight. “Maybe you should stop being late.”

In the middle of the staircase, he caught me by my shirt and stopped me. “I don’t want to wait with you, Evie. I’ve waited long enough already.”

I leaned back into the wall. The staircase’s handle grooved into my back. “So you’re thinking you will just hook up with Cynthia and then when she falls asleep, you’ll hop in my bed and do me?”

“Does that sound like me?”

“Not an answer.”

“My plan is to deal with Cynthia for another day or so and then nicely break up. You know I’m not good at doing the break up thing. And she doesn’t have any friends. Her family situation is a mess. Someone should be there for her. I’ll break up with her in a few days.”

Sure he will.

He was bad at breaking up with girlfriends, but even worse with remaining broken up. I’d watched girl after girl convince him to take them back no matter what. He’d been a sucker for tears or a soft smile. He never saw the spite or evil in the female until his heart lay in pieces on the floor and I arrived to help him put them back together.

“You say you’ll be broken up in a few days?” I sucked my teeth. “I say it will be a month before you both are finally done. I bet you fifty dollars.” I held my hand up to shake on it.

He gently knocked it away. “That would be a sucker’s bet for you. I know what’s in my head right now, and it’s you. Those other times with other girls, I had no motivation to leave. This time is different. You’re waiting for me. The one girl I always thought I couldn’t have.”

I swallowed. “You did?”

“Yes.” He tilted my way. Close enough to get a kiss. I hoped he would and yearned to have his lips pressed against mine. I’d wondered so often how it would feel to have his tongue sliding into my mouth, his chest pressed against my breasts.

“Give me two days, Evie.”

“What does that mean?”

“No other guys. No stupid one-night stands.”

“Why would it matter if I hooked up with someone else?”

“Because I’m trying to stay out of trouble. If I see a guy over there on your bed, I’ll go crazy. Don’t do that to me.”

I placed my hands on my hips. “Well, I’m tired of watching you and Cynthia have sex.”

His smiled widened. “How many times have you watched?”

“Enough to get blue balls.”

He shifted his gaze to my shorts. “You better not have balls down there. I’ve seen that pretty area when we were kids. It couldn’t have changed that much. But, right at this moment with all the things that I need to do to you, I would probably just fuck you still, balls and all.”

I pushed at his chest. “Very funny. Now let’s go.”

“Not yet.” He blocked me again. “Do you promise to give me two days?”

“Maybe. I don’t like the idea of being subjected to you and Cynthia making out.”

“We won’t. I won’t kiss her or anything, but I won’t lie to you. I care for her, enough to make sure she is okay when we break up and that she understands that I’ll be her friend. But, trust me. I won’t take it there with her anymore, no kissing or anything else.”

“Yeah right.”

“I’m serious.” He held his hand up like he was doing a pledge. “I promise. I won’t touch her.”

“Okay.”

“Two days?”

Would this really work out? Was it really that simple?

“Sure.” I began down the stairs.

“I’m serious.”

“Me too.”

“Come here.” Those two words slipped out of his mouth upon a wave of lusty desire. I could see it coursed all over his face like a hardened mask of emotions that couldn’t be turned off.

I lifted my head to his. “Why?”

He leaned forward and pressed those delicious lips against mine, drinking me whole. I arched forward like a cat being pet on her back. I leaned my whole body into him, begging for more with my flesh and movements.
Yes.
He captured my lips, sucking and dipping his tongue into my mouth. He made love to it, whimpering a little as he placed his hands on my back and slipped them down to the curve of my behind, squeezing so hard I shrieked.

God I wish he didn’t have to go. I wish I could have him right here.

My clit plumped up, hoping that somehow something would bump or rub against the soft flesh. Instead, I got something better. His stiff erection pressed against my stomach. Even between the material, I could feel its aching for me.

I moved my lips away before he consumed me whole. “You should go. You’re already late.”

With desperation, he scanned the stairwell with his eyes.

“No, Jay.”

He frowned. “No, what? You don’t even know what I was going to say.”

“Yes I do. You’re going to try and make out with me here. It’s not happening and you have to go. Even though … ”

“What?”

“Even though I would like to stay here with you and let you pull my shorts down.”

He stared at me. His chest rose and fell. He formed his hands into fists and backed away. “You’re right, of course. You know me too well. I was going to try and get my fingers into those panties, but the way I’m feeling right now … that won’t be enough. I need longer. Several hours at least.”

“Hours?”

Yikes. What is he, a gladiator?

“At least two hours.”

I pushed him away. “Go before you get in too much trouble.”

A grumble fled from his lips. I trailed after him as he dragged himself down each step like a spoiled child that hadn’t gotten his way.

“So hours, huh?” I giggled. “Well, I can go an hour, but several hours, I’m not sure. Not that I’m lazy in bed. I’ve heard that I’m a really good lay.”

“I wish I’d heard the guy say that.”

“Why?”

He said nothing else. The back fire door appeared when we rounded the corner. “Just two days, Evie. It’ll just be two days.”

“Fine, but if you don’t break up in two days, then—”

He spun around and stopped my talking with a kiss, and not just any, a kiss that ignited flame to wick and set a blaze through me. I burned into a crispy husk of ash and need. I melted right there at the end of the stairs, wet, soaking so bad that my shorts and panties would need to be changed. When he backed away, I’d lost all thought to the words that had been on my mind.

This is why Cynthia was crying like a baby in the hallway last night. He’s intoxicating.

“Two days. You just keep guys out of your room and I’ll handle my part.” He opened the door and stood right there, glaring at me as if he was pissed that he had to leave and mad because we had no more time. A gust of wind and bright sun rushed in. “Do you have any idea how long I’ve been waiting to shove my dick inside of you?”

“Probably the day you picked up the crass dictionary.”

He laughed. “Bye, Evie. I’ll call you tonight.”

“Call me for what?” I called back.

“To talk more about you watching my bedtime activities.”

“No way. We’re not discussing it.” I covered my face in embarrassment. The door slammed closed.
 

My phone vibrated in my pocket. I scribbled the answer to the last problem for Chuck’s homework. The girl doing her work-study job as a library clerk glanced at her watch, stood in front of my desk, and tapped her foot to an annoying beat. She fit the typical beauty ideal of America—blonde pixie cut, blushing cheeks even when she wasn’t blushing, sparkling blue eyes, and a slim little frame, oozing delicacy and the need for a strong guy to protect her.

Fine. Maybe I’m feeling bitchy right now.

“You said you would be done in twenty minutes.” She showed me her watch. I couldn’t see the numbers, but that wasn’t her point anyway.

“I’m almost done.”

“You said that twenty minutes ago.”

She’s lucky I’m close to done or I would sit here even longer just because she’s rude.
She’d been questioning me every twenty minutes. Even though the library didn’t close for another two hours. My phone vibrated again.

“I’m done with my work. I’ll be out soon.” I took my phone out.

“Oh, thanks so much.” She finally displayed a smile for the first time tonight and sashayed away.

I checked my screen. Two text messages from Jay showed up.

Jay:
Where are u? I’ve been calling all night.

Me:
I didn’t answer because I wanted to get my work done.

Jay:
Are u done now?

Me:
Yes.

Jay:
 I’ve got a big surprise. Where are u?

Me:
I’m at the library.

Jay:
I’ll be there in five minutes. Pls, don’t leave.

Oh God. What is this surprise?

I piled my stuff into the bag, hoping that by doing other people’s work I would earn enough money to tide me over until the end of the month. My scholarships took care of my tuition and books, but spending money for anything else, I had to provide. Due to some bad investments and the instability of the economy, Mom kept a strict budget for herself. I didn’t like the idea of asking her for money to buy toiletries and other needs, so I walked a tight line of breaking school rules to increase my budget. I did a few essays and math problems for money and even kept it from Jay, knowing he’d be pissed that I didn’t just ask him for the funds.

He received social security from his parents’ death. Additionally, his father left him a small trust fund that provided for his grandparents and him. Due to that, Jay liked giving my mother and me money to help us out. Both my mother and I were uncomfortable with it and felt like charity cases. When we all found out that I got into Jay’s dream school he offered to pay for all of my education, just to make sure I would come. Mom refused, and thankfully, I applied for tons of scholarships and got most of them.

Jay’s surprise better be necessary.

I’d planned on indulging in my secret little hobby. Writing. Everyone knew I liked to write a poem or short story for fun, but I’d left them in the dark about my latest goal. A book. I’d dreamed of writing a book. I didn’t have any idea what the topic would be, but the urge to write about something fluttered in my head non-stop. Tonight had been designated for brainstorming on all the many books that bounced around in my skull.

I guess I’ll do it later.

My phone vibrated. I strapped on my book bag and checked the phone.

Jay:
Come on. We’re out front.

Me:
We?

No response.

“It better not be he and Cynthia,” I muttered under my breath.

“Why not?” A familiar voice came behind me. “You’re not impressed with her either?”

Pipe?

I spun around. Pipe stood in front of me resembling a gorgeous woman more than a handsome man. A white fur hat sat atop his head. His auburn hair peeked out. A lit cigarette balanced between his lips. A plume of smoke circled his face.

Leave it to Pipe to smoke in a library.

He wore a white cotton shirt with a V-neck that hung loosely from his slim frame. Black and white plaid pants tightened around his butt and thighs, then flared out at the bottom. The outfit should have looked crazy, but instead, he seemed hip and fashion forward.

“Pipe!” I hugged him.

He touched the black rose in my hair. “God I love this. I’m going to send you a fresh bouquet every week.”

“I put a black rose in my hair last night too.”

“I think I’m going to do that too.”

I shook my head. “What are you doing here? When did you get into town?”

“Less than an hour ago. I decided to leave Miami for a few days and come bother you and Jay.” He tightened his grip around me. “I see you’re still spending all of your time in the library.”

“I see you’re still dressing like you dress.”

“With style.”

“Well that’s one way to look at it. Daring and not giving a flying fuck about anyone’s opinion is another.”

He gave me a peck on my right cheek, then my left, placed one on my forehead, chin, tip of my nose, and finally ended with my mouth. It was Pipe’s signature greeting with me and a select few. “So you don’t like Jay’s new girlfriend?”

It knocked me off balance a little. “Oh … I like her. She’s my roommate.”

“But?”

“But nothing.”

He released me, grabbed my bag, and put his hand in mine. “Something is up with her. There’s this odd feeling I’m getting from her.”