Free Pass (Free Will Book 1) (5 page)

Chapter Twelve
 

Why did I torture myself with an early morning Lit class? I tried to hide my yawns, but I was not a morning person. I'd clearly hated myself when I set up my schedule this term. Lesson learned. Eight a.m. classes were not for me. Forcing myself to take notes, I jotted down what Professor Moore said about Emily Dickinson.

"She was an introvert. A fact I know some of you can relate to." Why did I feel like she looked straight at me when she said that? Well, at least I'd remember that fact about Dickinson. Might be the only thing I remembered from today's lecture. Ugh, I was so tired.

I needed coffee. Lots of coffee. A quick glance at my watch told me I should be able to make it to the coffee shop at the corner of campus and back across to the History building in time for my next class.

But, of course, who did I bump into at the coffee shop? Austin. He's everywhere.
Sigh.
He sat with Dave and Randy at one of the little bistro sets outside the door. No way could I get in and out without being seen. How bad did I need the coffee? Ugh, bad enough to risk dealing with Austin. I managed to slip inside without their notice, luck on my side for once.

With the delectable, mouth-watering aroma of coffee engulfing me, I walked toward the counter. I placed my order and awaited my allotment of heavenly nectar. "Laney!" the barista shouted above the hum of conversation in the crowded coffee shop.

I cradled the fragile Styrofoam cup with both hands and allowed the smell of fresh-perked energy to invade my senses.
Oh, sweet caffeine, I need you so and apologize for beginning my day without you.

Savoring the rich, caramelly brew, I braved the exit to the coffee shop. The crisp April air felt refreshing on my face after the heat of the coffee house. Randy's dark eyes met mine when the door shut behind me. But Austin wouldn't ruin another day for me. Acknowledging Randy with a nod, I turned to walk back toward campus, hoping to avoid another confrontation.

"Laney, wait!" Austin called from behind me.

I couldn't get that lucky.

And there was no way I could avoid him.
Crap.

With a weak smile pasted on my face, I turned to face Austin. I didn't feel like smiling, but didn't want to clue everyone on campus in to our drama either. One eyebrow raised, I waited for him to speak.

"I... uh... I want to apologize for yesterday. You were right. I just thought... Anyways, I didn't mean to upset you." He reached out and grabbed my hand. I tried to pull away, but he held tight.

"Were you going to come out to the shelter tonight? It's Wednesday. I wasn't sure if you wanted to be taken off the volunteer schedule because of all this or not."

I'd forgotten I'd volunteered to go out to the animal shelter with him after work. The tornado that blew through my life this week hadn't made a note on my day planner.

"No, I'll still come out. I made a commitment to be there." Making commitments I didn't intend to honor wasn't how I got down. Austin should know me better than that. I would have beat myself up when I remembered that I had missed it. If he'd been as committed to our relationship as he was the shelter, we might have made it.

Austin nodded and said he'd see me there before running back to where Dave and Randy sat watching us. Did Austin tell them about the whole free pass idea? Since Randy eyed me up like a platter of steaks, I'd bet money on it. In fact, I'd say Austin told him about the pass, but
not
that I'd already chosen Jake. I flashed a bold wink in Randy's direction and his eyes lit up with interest. God, he really was a man-whore. I had on my favorite jeans today, the ones that made my ass look good, so I put an extra sway to my step as I walked away. Might as well give them a bit of a show, even if I wouldn't ever follow through on anything.

I made it to history on time and even kept up with the lecture. Pretty proud of myself for that. I struggled with keeping the dates and facts straight for this class. Psych facts, I could keep straight all day. But I'd had to retake this stupid history class since I failed it last year. So, to keep up with the lecture was a big deal.

My classes passed quickly and before I knew where the time had gone, I was stuck at work. Which was oddly busy. Usually weekday afternoons were dead, but I had customer after customer. I'd been working customer service at this electronic store since I started college. I'd seen some crazy shit people tried to return. But this lady, she took the cake. This iPad was
bent
in the middle, and she said it came out of the box that way. A perfect box. How she bent an iPad, I couldn't figure out. But yeah, had to call the manager in on that one. With the store being so busy, I didn't have time to worry about dealing with Austin at least.

I left work later than expected and headed over to the shelter. I hoped Austin would be civil like earlier, not like yesterday.

The shelter was his element. If he didn't live in a restricted apartment, Austin would have a dozen animals. He'd bring them all home from the shelter. He volunteered there all the time. Which, I had to admit, was pretty sweet of him. It's hard to see all those poor animals, caged, starved for attention. The shelter was no-kill. Austin couldn't take working at one that actually put any to sleep. He's too much of a softy.

The Austin that volunteered his time to care for abandoned animals? That's the guy I fell for. Always the popular basketball player in high school, he never was mean to others. He even stood up for the bullied kids. While many of the athletes barely acknowledged other groups, Austin had friends in all the cliques. He seemed to fit in everywhere, even with my little nerdy friends. I couldn't believe it when he'd first asked me out. I thought there's no way he is actually in to me. Never popular, my whole mission in high school was to be invisible and I succeeded. Well, until I started dating Austin anyways.

I popped a Benadryl before getting out of my car. Walking inside the plain, serviceable building, excited barks clued me in that someone was back near the dog runs. The front room held a few crates with smaller dogs. A few high-pitched yips came from the right. I burst out laughing when I saw these tiny little Chihuahuas jumping up and down in a baby crib begging for my attention. They earned a quick cuddle before I wandered to the back searching for Austin or one of the shelter workers.

I found Austin sitting on the floor with a big Labrador in his lap. He rubbed the old dog's ears gently, his murmurs so quiet I couldn't hear his words over the doggy chorus being sung around us. My movement must have caught his attention because he glanced up at me and tears glistened in his eyes.

"What's wrong?" My heart froze.
What happened?

"Rex has a heart problem. It's pretty bad, Laney. If he doesn't have surgery soon, he's not going to make it. They can't afford to pay over $1000 for him to have surgery when that will care for so many others. I'm trying to see if Mom and Dad would sponsor him or something, but Dad hasn't got back to me yet."

Damn it, Austin.
Sinking down next to him, I pulled him in for a hug. He was really hurting over this dog. That right there.
That
was the Austin I fell for. I held him while he comforted this sick, old dog.

After a few minutes, I left him to cuddle with Rex. One by one, I took each of the dogs out for a short walk. I recognized several of them. They'd been here for a while. One sweet pit bull mix had been in this shelter for at least a year. I kept him out much longer than strictly necessary, but the poor baby needed a bit more yard time. Even if it was getting dark on us.

Austin was working on filling water bowls and cleaning out kennels when I came back in with Blue Boy. I waited for him to finish before I left for the evening. He pulled me into a hug and kissed my hair. "Thanks for coming tonight."

When I pulled into my space at my building, I couldn't remember how I got there. Not a good thing when driving...

Why did Austin have to remind me how sweet he could be? The entire drive home, Austin had dominated my thoughts. Yes, he had cheated on me, but he said it was a one-time thing. Over. Done. Or so he said.

When I walked in to my silent apartment, I breathed a sigh of relief. Kelsey would want to rehash the day, and I wasn't up for it. Knowing she'd be home any time, I hurried to shower. I didn't normally avoid Kelsey. She's my best friend, but sometimes she was a bit much.

I slipped into some cozy PJs, pulled my comforter up, and was about to doze off when my phone buzzed. The screen lit up with a text.

Jake: Sweet dreams, sexy girl. Saw a falling star and wished I could see you. Didn't work since I'm still here alone. But I'm free for the evening if you're up. Wanna chat?

Sleep was over-rated, right? I smiled as I tapped the screen to call him. When his hello came through the line, I shivered. I never got tired of hearing his voice.

Chapter Thirteen
 

"I'm so over Vegas. I can't get home and see you fast enough. Miss me?"

A muffled giggle came through the line before she answered. "I've been trying to stay busy so I don't have too much time to miss you."

"How's that working for you? I referred to one of my co-workers as Laney and had to backtrack in the middle of a conversation with my boss to fix it." I let out a deep sigh. My boss and co-workers had gotten a good kick out of that one.

"Sounds like somebody's got a crush on someone named Laney," she teased.

Oh, she wanted to go there, did she? Two could play that game.

"If you mean
crush
, like I'm gonna crush my lips to hers, then maybe I have a crush. If you mean crush, like I'm gonna crush her body against mine and make love to her all night long, then yeah, I for damn sure have a crush."

I heard her gasp, but she didn't reply.

"Speechless?" I chuckled. This was fun. She was easy to tease.

"You're just so intense. I'm not used to that."

"I know what I want. And it's you. I've denied myself for too long, Laney. I want you. I won't hide that." My heart pounded at my bold confession. But I didn't have time to play around too much. Two weeks didn't give me time for a slow build-up. I had to go in, balls to the wall and hope I didn't scare her.

"I want you too," she whispered.

Even though I sat alone in my hotel room, I could picture the sweet blush heating her cheeks right now and couldn't help but push her a bit further. "Oh, I know. You call me intense, but damn girl. Your kisses are only just short of nuclear. I'm waiting for the moment when we both spontaneously combust..."

I paused for a minute before continuing. "You know, it's probably best we work through this now. Think of how awkward it would be if one day we bumped into each other at Thanksgiving, and the sparks flew. My parents may not forgive me for seeing my brother's girlfriend. Imagine their reactions if I made love to his wife on the dining room table."

"Jake..."

"You know that's where we are heading, right? And once will never be enough. You can go back to Austin, and I'll do my damnedest to respect that. But I'm still gonna want you. And when you lay in his bed, you’ll wish he was me."

Her response was a breathy, "Yes."

"Yes to which part? Yes to that's where we're heading? Yes to once never being enough? Or yes to me being who you fantasize about while in Austin's bed?"

"Well, I'm thinking about you in bed now, does that count?"

Fuck.

My harsh exhale made her laugh. "Damn, baby, what are you wearing?"

"A tank-top and panties."

I dropped my voice lower. "If you say they're lace, I'm telling my boss to fuck off and hopping the next plane home."

"Not lace, so I guess I won't see you 'til tomorrow. I'll have to wear this black satin thong for you another time."

I sucked in a quick breath as that image filled my mind and my response seemed to egg her on.

"The matching bra has lace, but it's already off. Just this thin little satin tank. More of a cami really."

"Fuck, Laney. You have any idea what you're doing to me?"

She giggled. "I have an idea of what I want you to do
to
me."

"Oh, I have plans for what I'm going to do to you tomorrow night. I have condoms on the nightstand, in my wallet, and my computer bag. I'm like a damn Boy Scout, always ready."

My phone beeped at me, signaling a dying battery. When I told her I had to go, her groan of disappointment mirrored my own. I whispered a reluctant goodbye and we hung up.

The clock had moved well past midnight, but sleep was a long time coming.

Chapter Fourteen
 

Waking with a groan, I peered over at my alarm clock. Damn, I still had twenty minutes until I needed to be up. Mumbling a curse, I rolled over and buried my face in my pillow. Maybe I could go back to sleep.

Thirty seconds later, my head popped right back up. Jake would be on a plane back in a few short hours. Staying in bed no longer appealed.

I doubted class would go well. I couldn't focus for anything. Jake filled my every thought. The promise of what was to come dominated my daydreams.

Jake had become an addiction for me. One I wasn't sure I wanted to shake. This intense longing between us had been building. Would the chemistry carry over or burn out in fiery disappointment? Not finding out didn't seem to be an option.

I stepped out of the shower to my phone flashing a message.

Jake: Breathless in anticipation for tonight. Pick you up at 6?

Me: Absolutely! I can't wait!

It might be too soon to take my relationship with him to the next level. It felt right though, the thought of being with Jake.

I spent a couple hours getting ready for our date. I shaved again so that my legs were silky smooth. Added faint dabs of perfume on my pulse points, then slipped on a new dress.

Kelsey worked her magic on my hair and laughed at my nervous fidgeting. "You got it bad for this guy, don't you? What about Austin?"

How did I answer that? Austin had been sweet yesterday and I liked Austin. But the passion that flamed up like a flickering candle with Austin could not compare to the roaring blaze between Jake and me. When Jake said we had to see what this was, he was right. Maybe it was a one-time thing and once the tension released, we would be through. I didn't know, but I had to find out.

Oh, who was I kidding? Jake and I had more than just passion.

I glanced in the mirror.
Damn, I looked good.
Dating Jake was good for my self-esteem. Twice this week I had put on makeup and felt good about my appearance. This dress even made my boobs seem bigger and that's a miracle right there. My cleavage was pretty well non-existent, but not in this dress.

The doorbell rang and I stumbled in my urgency to answer. Stupid heels, I really should practice wearing them more. I swung the door open and there he stood.

Lord, he still hadn't shaved. That beard may do me in. It gave him a rough and rugged look that my poor heart couldn't take. My knees quivered at the sight of him. He grinned and yanked me to his chest. His lips met mine and I was in heaven. I shifted in as close to him as I could get, arms around his neck, and kissed him for all I was worth.

His lips felt soft as they pressed against mine. The texture on his beard was different now. I cupped his cheek and enjoyed the slight prickle of his facial hair beneath my hand. The roughness of his palm dragged against the material of my dress on its downward quest, stopping at the curve of my ass. Something poked at my side, but I ignored it. Jake's groan matched mine when he snugged my lower body to his.

"Can I put those flowers in water for you?"

Kelsey's voice cut through my thoughts of getting naked. I'd forgotten she was even there.

Flowers?

Jake released me and chuckled as he held out a ragged bouquet of spring flowers. The stems of the flowers were bent and broken. I'd completely missed that he had flowers in his hand when he walked up.

"You didn't need to get me flowers," I muttered, smiling softly as I sniffed one intact bloom that survived our embrace. I loved flowers, but got them so rarely.

"Yes, I did. And I will have to replace these sometime since we messed them up." He tipped my chin up and forced me look at him. "Nothing that makes you smile is a waste of money. You are worth it." He leaned down to kiss me again. Soft, slow, and gentle.

I let Kelsey take the bouquet from me and stepped closer.

He groaned and pulled back. "I could kiss you all night, but we have reservations. Let's go, beautiful."

Kelsey winked at me as we walked out the door. I blushed, because I knew what she was thinking. She's right. In just a few short hours, I planned to find out just how hot things between Jake and I could get. Already my skin tingled with longing.