Constructing Us (New Adult Romance) (15 page)

A few days later, Tragan was at Pellican’s new place, slouched on the sofa, while Pellican played on his computer, and Bardo read aloud from the “Help me, Zack” section of
Men’s Life I.Q
. magazine.  Specifically, Bardo had just finished recounting Zack’s advice to a reader who was stressed about his premature ejaculation problems. 

“
Damn, what’s taking Winter so long?” Pellican called from his desk, referring to Matt, who’d gone to get food. 

“Yeah, I’m starving,” Bardo agreed.

“Anyway, read the next one,” Pellican said. 

Bardo
happily complied. “Okay…next one: ‘In love with my roommate.’  Nah, that sounds boring.  Oh, here’s a good one.  ‘One of my testicles itches more than the other.’”

“Whoa,
whoa, wait,” said Tragan, sitting up more.  “Go back to that other one.”

“O
kay,” Bardo agreed. “
Dear Zack, I live in a coed dorm and through an administrative mix-up I ended up with a female roommate.  It turns out she’s really cool and we both decided to keep living together.  Now I realize that I like her and I’m pretty sure she likes me. But I’m worried that if we started something it could blow up in my face.  Is dating someone you already live with asking for trouble?
”

“So what doe
s he say?” Tragan asked, suddenly attentive.

“
Dear Reader
,” Bardo read, “
finding a girl you like who actually likes you back is a big win. That said, a girl wants to feel courted, not convenient.  So make sure that if you decide to date your roommate, you actually
date
her.  Take her out, impress her, treat her like you’d treat any other girl you find awesome.  Don’t gyp her on the romance just because she happens to share your bathroom
.”

“Okay, okay,” Pellican called out impatiently.  “G
o back to the testicle one now.”

Tragan more or less tuned out the next problem (
Dear Zack, my right testicle itches more than my left sometimes, but only at night...
) and thought instead about Andy.  And Zack’s sage advice.  Damn, of course, it was so obvious, yet it hadn’t occurred to him.  Didn’t Andy deserve to be “courted”?

Just then his train of thought was disr
upted by Matt arriving with the food. 

“Oh,
Matt, you just missed the ‘Help Me, Zack’ section,” Bardo told him.  “A lot of dick problems this time.”

“Sounds amazing,”
Matt replied with flat sarcasm.  After he tossed the pizza boxes on the table,
Men’s Life I.Q.
dropped from Bardo’s hands, Pellican abandoned his computer, and everyone descended savagely on the food. 

~

“Hey, are we ever going to stay in my room?” Tragan asked sleepily the next morning, pressing up to Andy under the covers and running his hand down her arm.  Sunlight poured through the sheer curtains that covered the large window opposite her bed.

“Um…” she murmured, s
till dreamy and blissful. 

“
I know you think I’m a slob and my room’s disgusting,” Tragan added.

Her eyes flutt
ered open and she smiled at him.  “I never said that.”

“But c’mon,
that’s pretty much what you think.”

“Well,
of course.  But I want it on the record that I never
said
it.”  He mumbled his amusement and then kissed her.  “I like having you in my room,” Andy admitted softly when their lips parted, lifting a hand to stroke Tragan’s cheek.  “You know, I used to have trouble sleeping through the night, but I never do when you’re here with me.  I wish you were always here,” she said, bringing her lips to his again.  After a few more tender kisses, Andy pulled back and said, “Hey, can I ask you something?”

“Of course.”

“When you work on these houses, do married women ever hit on you?”

“Nah.”

“Not ever?” Andy said, sounding surprised.

“I mean…I guess it’s happened once or twice, maybe.”

“And?” she pressed.

“And nothing,” Tragan replied.  “I just acted oblivious and kept working.”

“Really?” she said happily.

He gave a short laugh.  “Why do you seem surprised?  Married is married; I’m not gonna go there.”

“Even if the woman was beautiful?”

“You mean like you?” Tragan said, diverting from the subject.

“I’m serious.  What if you were single and the woman was really beautiful?” Andy said curiously.

Tragan puffed out a breath,
thinking for a second. “I guess if she were really beautiful, I’d be flattered.  But I still wouldn’t be interested,” he added truthfully.  “I don’t need a pissed-off husband looking for me.  And besides, how would I feel if I were out making a living for my wife and she’s messing around with the guy working on the house--a guy
I’m
probably paying, on top of it.  Right?”

Snuggling closer, A
ndy said, “Good points.  It might also be bad karma.”

“It’s just wrong,” Tragan said simply.  Snaking his arm around Andy’s waist beneath the covers, he pulled her
tightly against him.  “Now let’s get back to you and me…”  He dipped his head to kiss her neck and trailed his mouth to her shoulder.  “You’re so beautiful,” he murmured against her skin.  “You’re like my dream girl.”

“Tragan!” Andy exclaimed softly.  “T
hat’s the sweetest thing ever.” 

Before they kissed
again, he said: “It’s true.  I wanted you the first time I saw you.”

“Ha!” she said, slanting
her head skeptically at him. 

“What?”

“Really?  That was your seduction face?  Glaring at me like I was an unwanted intruder?”

He paused for a second, as if recalling, the
n cocked his head.  “Like that?”  He smiled sarcastically.  “That’s my signature move.”

As Andy giggled,
Tragan’s phone buzzed.  He reached over to lift it off the nightstand and read the screen.  “Oh, it’s just my dad.” 

“Wai
t, you should answer,” she said.

“Nah, I’m sure it’s nothing.”

“But what if it’s important?”

“I’ll just call him later.”

“No, Tragan,” she
said, her tone more earnest.  “I think when your parents call, you should answer.  Always, just in case, you know?”

With a slight sigh, Tragan reached for the phone, remarking, “No wonder they like you.  Hey, Dad.  What’s up?”

“Hi, son.  You busy?”

“Uh, no.” 

“Good.  I’m calling because your mom and I wanted to have Andy over to the house for dinner some night.”  Immediately Tragan exchanged glances with Andy.  As always, his dad talked too loudly into the phone, and clearly Andy could hear every word of their conversation.  “And you’re invited too, of course.”

“Gee, thanks,” Tragan said.

“Listen, I know she has a boyfriend now, but--”

“Actually,
” Tragan interrupted, “Andy and I are dating now.”

“You are? 
Hang on.  Mari, they’re dating!” he called out.  “What happened?”

“She
dumped that other guy for me,” Tragan explained, and realized he sounded too cocky when he got a disapproving look from Andy, who mouthed,
Don’t put it like that
.

Sorry
, he mouthed back.

“
Great.  Well, your mom was thinking of making a big meal.  Does Andy like Portuguese food?”

Nudging
him in the shoulder, Andy whispered, “Tell them yes.”

“Yeah, I’m sure she does,” Tragan said.

Suddenly his mom got on the line and started rattling off some possible menu choices.  After several minutes, Tragan spoke up.  “Ma, it all sounds awesome.  I’ve gotta go, though, or I’ll be late for a job this morning.”

“
Oh, I understand,” Mari said.  “Just let us know when you and Andy are coming.”

Suddenly his dad
’s voice re-emerged.  “Tray, when I was a lobsterman we had to be at the wharf by four o’clock every morning.  I was never late.”

“Got it, Dad.
”

Once he hung up
, Andy said excitedly, “It sounds like your parents like me!”

“
Like you?  More like
love
you.  I’ve never seen them like this.” Rolling her on top of him, he ran his palm over her cheek, looking deeply into her eyes.  “But of course they love you.  Who wouldn’t love you?  I…”  He hesitated, wanting to say it, but chickened out.  “I, uh, was wanting to ask you out on a proper date,” he said instead.

“An official date?
” Andy said, raising her eyebrows.  “Sure, I’d love to.”

“Cool, how about tonight?
  The job I have today won’t take long.  Matt and I are just putting in windows.”

“Oh, tonight I can’t,” Andy
said, but offered no other explanation.

“Oh.  Okay…” Tragan said, expecting her to say why not tonight.  When she didn’t, he
asked, “Other plans?”

“Yes.”

No elaborating?  Since when didn’t girls elaborate?  Don’t ask him why but it bothered him a little that she had plans he didn’t know about.  After a beat, he continued, “Well, tomorrow and Tuesday are going to be later nights for me, because we’re working on that addition, so…I guess maybe Wednesday or Thursday?  I mean, you know, since you’re busy tonight,” he threw out there again.

Finally
, Andy said, “Well, I’d ask you to come with me, but you’d be so bored.”

“Why,
what’s up?” he asked, interested.

“My friend,
Alexis, is a classical pianist and she’s putting on a two-hour concert at Lyons Hall.”

Damn, that
really did sound boring.  But at least he’d be with Andy.  “That sounds cool,” he offered.  “I’d like to go.”

“Really?”
she said, smiling at that. 

Tragan
couldn’t help smiling back.  “Of course, if you’re gonna be there.  Also, we can work it into our first real date tonight.  What do you think?”

“I
love it!” she said, reaching down to kiss him.

As their mouth
s parted, Tragan mentioned, “Now, I should warn you.  I don’t like to put out after the first date.”

Andy
gave a disbelieving laugh at that.  “Uh-huh.”

“However,” he
continued, “I’d be willing to put out right beforehand.”

Giggling, she
picked up her circular accent pillow and swatted him with it.  “How about putting out now and you’ll be off the hook?”  When she gently rocked her hips, she felt his cock pulse beneath her--and get harder by the second as she leaned over to kiss his neck and ear.  “Hmm, I’ll take that as a yes.”

Later that evening Andy was in the bathroom finishing her hair when she heard a knock at the front door.  She wasn’t expecting anyone so she had to assume it was one of Tragan’s friends.  “Tragan?” she called through the open bathroom door.  “Could you get that?” 

When there was no answer, she turned off the curling iron
, checked her lip-gloss once more and went to cheek the peephole.   

“Hello,” she said
, smiling flirtatiously as the door swung open, revealing Tragan wearing a button-down shirt and slacks, and holding a bouquet of flowers. 

“Hello,” he said back.  “Am I too early for our date?”

“Not at all, come on in.”

“For you,” he said as he stepped through the doorway, handing her the flowers. 

“Thank you so much,” she said with genuine appreciation.  Then leaned up to kiss him on the cheek.  Of course he turned his head quickly enough to capture her lips instead. 

“Wow you look really handsome,” she told him when they parted a few inches, running her eyes down his body.  “Like
GQ
handsome, very sexy.”

He looked humbled by the compliment, but didn’t
protest it--just thanked her and told her, “You look beautiful, but you always do.”

“Well, would you like to sit down while I put these in a vase?  Then I’ll put my shoes on and we’ll go.”

“Sure.”

Andy
brought the flowers to the kitchen and soon he heard a cabinet shutting and water running.  She called to him, “Okay, so we’re going to meet Alexis for a drink before the concert.  Then after the concert, we’ll be on our own for the rest of the date.”

“Cool,” he agreed,
sitting on the arm chair adjacent to the sofa.  “Alexis drinks before her concert?” he said, surprised, just catching that.

“She’ll probably have a virgin daiquiri.  That’s more her style.  But
it’s a chance to see her beforehand, wish her luck, plus she can meet you,” Andy finished, emerging from the kitchen with the vase of flowers, looking for the right spot to deposit it.  “It’s funny you brought these flowers,” she said, her brow creasing thoughtfully now.  “Because actually I love flowers and have been thinking it would be nice to, you know, have some around.  And other stuff, too.”

“What kind of stuff?”

She gave a shrug, looked around offhandedly.  “Oh, just decorative touches here and there.  To make this place a little warmer, more inviting.  I was thinking of just making a few enhancements.  Do you mind?  Or do you just like things the way they are?”

She was so
un-pushy about it that it only made him want to agree.  “No, I don’t care.  You know, you’re here probably more than I am right now just because of my work schedule so if you want to make things look more homey around here, hey, that’s fine.”

“Really?” she said, clearly excited.

His mouth hitched up; he loved making her happy.  “Sure, whatever, babe.  Do your thing.”

“Great!”
  

“Hey,
by the way, I just thought of something,” Tragan said, coming to his feet.  “Is Alexis expecting to see Brad with you tonight?”  He didn’t know why he was asking that since he didn’t particularly want to talk about Brad. 

Nonchalantly, Andy
said, “No, she knows that Brad and I broke up.  I should warn you, though,” she added, as she set the flowers down on a side table near Tragan’s bedroom.  “Alexis is a little eccentric.  She and I have known each other a really long time so she’ll probably grill you.  But you can handle it.”

Tragan rose from his chair and met her
halfway in the middle of the living room.  He ran his hands around her waist.  “All right.  Did she like Brad?” he asked.  He supposed he was just curious what kind of grilling he was setting himself up for.  Would it be a friendly thing or more of a serious are-you-good-enough-for-Andy thing?

Biting her lip for a second, A
ndy admitted, “Yes, she did like him.  But don’t worry. I already told her that I’m super into you, so she’ll be nice.” 

At that Tragan grinned conf
idently. “Super, huh? 
Super
into me?” he gloated. 

Andy narrowed her eyes at him.  “Don’t get cocky.”

Holding up his hands, he insisted, “Believe me, I’m not. I’m actually nervous about our first date.  In fact, I’m willing to do whatever it takes to please you…” 

She shot him a sardonic look.  “I thought you didn’t put out after the first date.”

“Oh, no, I meant right now.”

With a laugh,
Andy rolled her eyes and pushed on Tragan’s shoulder.  “Let’s go, player,” she said as they headed for the door.

~

They met Andy’s friend at a small, chic bar diagonally across from Lyons Hall.  “You look adorable!” Andy told her as they hugged hello.  As always, Alexis’s round, cherubic face had a cute but cynical expression.  Tonight she had sections of her curly hair pinned back in sparkly barrettes. 

After introductions, they sat down to drinks.  Andy and Alexis b
oth ordered virgin piña coladas while Tragan got a Coke.  In the back of her mind, Andy wondered if he’d gone for a non-alcoholic drink because he feared the concert would be so dull that alcohol might lull him into yawning.  (Andy had been to one of these with Brad once and his yawning had become rather epic by the second hour.) 

“So, Tragan,” Alexis said, after everyone had engaged in basic small talk for a while.  “Andy told me
you work in construction.  What exactly do you construct?”

“Houses mostly.  And renovations on houses.”

“How many guys--and girls--do you work with?”

“My friend’s dad owns the company and he has
got a ton of guys working for him.  But on my usual crew, it’s five guys.  No girls, sorry.  I get sent out alone on smaller jobs, too, sometimes.”

Alexis nodded
slowly, studying him.  “And do you enjoy it?”

Tragan nodded.  “Yeah, I like it okay.  I think I’m pretty good at it.”

“I see.  I think I’ll skip ahead here.  Have you ever been arrested?”

“No.”

“Convicted of a felony?”

Andy interrupted, “Lex, how could he be convicted of a fel
ony if he’s never been arrested?  Just saying.”

Lex pointed at her
and gave an efficient nod.  “Yes.  Good point.  Oh, I know!  Have you ever renovated a house that was haunted--and if so, were the spirits malevolent?”

Andy rolled her eyes while
Tragan remained nonplussed.  “Not sure,” he said.  “Ghosts fear me.”

Alexis smirked.  “Well played.
  So, what’s your favorite Justin Timberlake movie?”

Tragan scrunched
his brows at that.  “Uh…”

“That’s correct,” Alexis interrupted
, shifting her gaze to Andy. “Hesitating with confusion is the right answer.”

Andy
couldn’t help but laugh.  “Okay, Lex, that’s enough.  Interrogation’s over.  Let’s talk about the concert.”

At this point Alexis went through all the pieces she inten
ded to play and in what order.  Meanwhile, Andy was acutely aware of Tragan’s hand on her back.  The way he ran his fingers up and down was affectionate, very boyfriend-y, and it sent a warm flutter of adrenaline through her chest.

Eventually
Alexis checked her watch.  “Actually I should go.  I need to warm up before the concert.  Oh, but Andy!  I forgot to ask you--to beg you, really.  Seth is flunking English.”

“
What!  You’re kidding.”

“Well, I’m exaggerating,” Alexis admitted.  “
More like C-minus territory.  But my mother’s all stressed over it because he has to apply for colleges soon.  The problem is he refuses to work with a tutor.  Every time he’s supposed to meet with one, he blows it off.  You’re the only person he’d probably sit down with…you know, if you could help him a little?  Just once or twice,” she assured Andy, her big almond eyes suddenly beseeching.  “You won’t have to be his official tutor or anything.  Just help him out maybe, if you have time?”

“Who’s Seth?” Tragan said casually.

“My little brother,” Alexis replied.  “He’s a junior in high school.  He loves Andy, though.  I know he’d listen to her.  Like I said, meet with him once.  If he’s a hopeless illiterate, destined for a life on the road with motorcycle gangs, then, you know, no harm done.”

Giving her a suspicious look, Andy said, “But isn’t Seth really good at math?”

“Yeah, he gets all As in math--oh, I see what you’re getting at,” Alexis said with pretend comprehension.  “It would have to be one of those mathematically-oriented motorcycle gangs.”

“
Exactly my point,” Andy said dryly.  “Okay.  I’ll try to help.  Just email me the list of books that they’re teaching in Seth’s class so I can be prepared.”

“Andy, you’re the best!” Alexis enthused, before rising from her seat and giving her another hug.  When she pulled back, she asked, “By the way,
what are you doing for your birthday this year?”

“Oh.  Not sure
,” Andy replied.  “No plans as of yet.”

“Really?” Alexis said, pursing he
r lips.  Then threw a quick questioning eye in Tragan’s direction.  “You guys should do something fun.”

“We will,” Tragan said,
sounding confident and sliding his arm around Andy’s waist. 

After that, t
hey went to the concert.  Although the music was beautiful, Andy’s focus was often diverted by her physical awareness of Tragan--the brush of his thigh against hers, his warm palm, their interlocked hands resting on his lap.  At one point he began playing with her palm, idly tracing shapes on her skin, which sent prickles of pleasure up her spine.  She responded by doing it back to him.  Somehow it turned from affection to flirtation to something that felt like foreplay.  Andy knew she wasn’t the only one starting to feel aroused with all the touching when she saw Tragan shifting slightly in his seat and heard him releasing a breath.  By the second hour, they exchanged heated glances and the dark intensity in his eyes told her that if they were in private right now he’d be tearing open her blouse and pushing up her skirt.

Later, when they were
finishing dinner at an elegant, crowded Chinese restaurant on Huntington Ave., Andy said, “Best part: fortune cookies.  You go first.”

“Okay.”  Tragan smashed his cookie open and uncurled the strip.  “‘Life is full of challenges and triumphs,’” he read, then grimaced.  “Man, I hate fortunes like that.  They don’t even predict anything.”

“True, but would you rather they forecast a life of misery?”

He burst out a laugh.  “I’m a paying customer!
  Why are those my two choices?”

“Okay, obviously if I had all the answers, I’d be writing fortune cookies for a living.”

“All right, smartass,” he said with a grin, “now you go.”  Andy’s heart swelled after she cracked open her cookie and saw her fortune.  “Well?”

“‘You will find your path wi
th a new traveling companion.”

A bit d
isappointingly, Tragan didn’t say anything to that--other than, “See, that’s an actual fortune.”  Still, Andy folded it neatly and slipped it in her purse, appreciating the hopefulness and romantic metaphor contained in that one simple sentence.  “By the way, why didn’t you tell me your birthday was coming up?” Tragan asked.

Andy shrugged.  “
Honestly, I hadn’t even thought of it yet.  It’s three weeks away.”

“Yeah, well, three
weeks is barely enough time,” Tragan told her. 

“For what?”

“What do you mean ‘for what’?  For me to make a big deal, boyfriend-style.”

Her face broke into a smile and she
slipped her hand under the table to touch his leg.  “You don’t have to do anything major.  Believe me, I don’t need a big deal.”

“
It’s part of the boyfriend code.  That’s just how it is,” he informed her casually.

She tilted her head, covertly rubbing his thigh. 
“And what do you know about the boyfriend code?”

With a self-assured grin,
Tragan said, “Hey, I’ve charmed some women before.”

“I believe it--bu
t I want you to forget all them,” Andy commented, keeping her tone light even though she meant the words with every ounce of her soul.

He reached across the table and took her other hand in his.  “
Already done.”