Romance: Close Encounters Boxed Set Books 1 thru 6 ( New Adult and College Series Books 1 thru 6) (16 page)

“Do girls usually sleep with you on the first date?”

“What?” Troy lets out an incredulous laugh, like he can’t believe I just asked this question.

“Is your nightstand drawer full of condoms?” I say teasingly with a smile as I roll over and face him looking into those gorgeous eyes of his.

“Lexi, you surprise me.”

“Why?”

“To be honest, I’m surprised you gave into my advances so willingly, I expected you to stop me back out there on the sofa. But don’t get me wrong, I’m thrilled you didn’t,” he says with a wickedly sexy smile.

“Why are you so surprised?”

“You seem all good girl to me.”

“Actually, I usually am and I’m a little surprised at myself. I’ve never slept with someone on the first date, but I couldn’t resist all your sexiness and that hot body of yours.” Man does he eat up the compliment as the biggest smirk spreads across his lips.

“Is that right?” he says.

“Yes and you know it,” I laugh.

“You’re beautiful, sexy and absolutely adorable,” he says, kissing me on the lips and brushing my hair out of my eyes.

“Why thank you.”

“My frat’s Winter Formal is coming up, will you do me the honor of going with me?”

“I’d love to,” I agree readily as relief washes over me that this will be more than a one night thing because I like this guy who I just gave myself to so willingly.

SIX

~CLARISSA~

I get a text from Grant this evening and he wants me to come over. In my heart I know I need to end this, but if I go to his place, once I’m in his arms, there is no way I will go through with it. I need a better plan. I decide to meet him for lunch at that same place across the street from school and tell him then, in person, but not in his arms. That is the only way this will ever happen.

Grant: Come over tonight.

Clarissa: I can’t, can we meet for lunch tomorrow?

Grant: Why lunch, then I can’t see all of you?

Clarissa: 1:00 at the Crossroads Center

Grant: Alright.

Man, that was hard to resist, I got warm between my legs at his ‘see all of me’ comment. My heart is racing just from texting! How am I going to do this? I already miss him, but things can’t stay the same.

*****

This is the only way to do it, I’m telling myself, as I ride over to the Crossroads Center to meet Grant for lunch. I’m filled with dread and apprehension. God, am I going to be able to go through with this? Will I be able to give him up?

When I walk into the restaurant he’s already there, sitting at a table out on the patio. Our eyes lock and he knows. He pierces me with those eyes of his and I feel like I’m about to tear up, maybe doing this in public wasn’t such a good idea. I feel a lump in my throat and swallow hard before I walk out to him.

“Hi,” I say, pulling out the chair across from him.

“Clarissa, don’t do this,” he says, he knows what I’m about to say. He can read it on my face.

“Grant, this isn’t going to work anymore,” I’m trying my hardest to not get emotional.

“Why?”

“I’m sorry, I just can’t do this anymore,” I say softly looking down.

“Clarissa look at me, I still want this,” he says with a pleading look in his eyes that tugs at my heartstrings.

“I need to go Grant,” I say, standing because I’m about to lose it, and he stands with me.

“Come to my car,” Grant says, reaching for me.

“No, that’s not a good idea,” I say my voice cracking.

“I don’t care, come on,” he says softly yet directly, placing his hand on the small of my back leading me towards his car. Good thing I have my sunglasses on, I try and blink back my tears.

We find his car in the parking lot and he opens the door for me, I hesitate for a moment.

“Get in,” Grant says. I sit in the passenger seat and throw my head back against the headrest and let out a long sigh as Grant goes around the back of the car and gets in. He starts the engine.

“Grant, no,” I plead, placing my hand on his arm.

“I’m taking you home,” he says reversing. I glance down at his hand on the gearshift and I imagine those fingers touching me, and now I won’t ever feel them on me again. It sends a painful ache through my body.

“To my apartment, but my bike?” I say.

“No, my place,” he says, continuing to drive out of the parking lot. I put my hand to my mouth, my lips are quivering and I can’t find my voice to object. Clarissa, you’ve got to stop this.

“Grant, we can’t do this anymore,” I beg.

“Why not? I still want to be with you, and I know you still want me,” Grant says, looking straight ahead as if he’s really concentrating on driving. If he gets me in his condo, I will lose my resolve to go through with this.

“I want to be with Jason,” I blurt out, finding my voice to stop this, and it works. He pulls the car over and kills the engine. His jaw is clenched and he won’t look at me.

“Have you already ‘been’ with him?” he asks.

“No!” I exclaim in disbelief that he would question me.

“What about that night of the concert?”

“No, I told you,” I say removing my sunglasses so he can see in my eyes that I’m telling the truth.

“Alright, I believe you,” he says, turning to face me.

“Grant, I’m sorry. For a number of reasons we can’t do this anymore, one of which is you’re risking your job by being with me.”

“I don’t give a shit about that,” he says, reaching to caress my cheek.

“I’m sorry,” I whisper and the tears start to roll down my face.

“Can I have one last night with you?” he asks and it just about kills me.

“God Grant, this is so hard for me to give you up. I love being with you, I really do. You’re an amazing person, you’ve been so tender with me and made me feel so special,” I say, sniffling back my tears.

“Because you are special,” he whispers off those luscious lips of his.

“Please, if we have one more night together, I won’t be able to walk away,” I cry out softly.

“That’s my plan,” he says with the most drop dead, panty melting smile that I may just surrender to.

“Don’t tempt me Grant,” I laugh and cry at the same time.

“I know this isn’t fair to you, you really should be able to enjoy hanging out with your friends and the guys your age. I was being selfish, but once I had a taste of you, I kept wanting more,” he admits and it breaks my heart even more. We sit here in silence for what feels like an eternity, then he slowly turns and starts the car as I wipe my tears away.

I walk into my apartment with a heavy heart and go straight to my room and close the door. Thankfully, Deena isn’t home. I slide off my shoes, drop my things on floor and curl up on my bed. I find my ear buds and listen to my latest playlist that I’ve been listening to with Grant. I want to wallow in self-pity. I realize I will never be the same after the time I spent in Grant’s arms, I grew into a real woman with him, it was so sexually liberating.

I must have drifted off to sleep because I awaken to someone rubbing my thigh. When I open my eyes Deena is looking down at me and I pull out my ear buds.

“Hey sleepyhead, do you want dinner?” she asks.

“What time is it?” I ask, rubbing my eyes.

“5:30 and Jason called looking for you. He said you weren’t responding to his text messages so he got worried. Boy is he keeping tabs on you or what?”

“Oh, I guess I didn’t show up at the library this afternoon. I’m not hungry,” I say, rolling over.

“What’s wrong, are you sick?” she asks. Love sick maybe.

“No, just tired.” I hope she leaves me in peace.

SEVEN

~CLARISSA~

I need to go home this weekend to clear my head. Some girl time with my best friend Summer Harris is in order. She goes to Chapman University and goes home on the weekends all the time.

Clarissa: You up for a day of shopping on Saturday?

Summer: Yes! You coming home this weekend?

Clarissa: Yes, desperately need some retail therapy.

Summer: Uh, oh, what happened?

Clarissa: Long story, tell you when I see you.

I’m absolutely dreading going to English this morning. Wish I could skip it all together for the rest of the week, no make that the rest of the semester. I was such a fool to ever start something with Professor Montgomery. I never thought it through and now I’m going to pay the price. I honestly don’t think he will let it affect my grade. Now Jason’s grade, that’s a whole different story.

Walking in a little late, I manage to find a seat in the back, I don’t sit with Jason. For the entire class I watch Grant’s every sexy move and it’s pure torture, although I’m careful not to make eye contact with him. Class is dismissed and luckily some girls approach him after class as usual and I can slither out unnoticed.

“Hey Clarissa, wait up.” I hear Jason calling me after I’ve gotten on my bike.

“Hi Jason,” I say as he walks up to me.

“Hi, are you okay?”

“Yeah, I’m fine why?”

“You never showed up at the library yesterday afternoon, even Alex was looking for you.”

“Sorry, I was tired and went home and ended up falling asleep.”

“Meet up for lunch today?”

“Sure, see ya later,” I smile and ride off.

*****

“We have an exchange tomorrow night with the SAE house. I so don’t feel like going,” I sigh out feeling so emotionally exhausted. Jason and I are sitting at our usual table, eating lunch in the Commons Courtyard.

“Don’t you have to go, being a pledge and all?” Jason asks.

“Yes, I know. I will try and sneak out early.”

“What are you doing this weekend?”

“Going home.”

“Really?” Jason says, curiously surprised.

“Yes, I need a break from campus. I miss seeing my best friend Summer.”

“I’ll be down in Emerald Bay this weekend, maybe we can get together for dinner or something,” Jason tries hopefully.

“I’m spending Saturday with Summer, can I let you know?” I really wanted to be alone to clear my head and give myself some time to get over Grant.

EIGHT

~DEENA~

Being a Song Girl is everything I dreamed it would be and more! Although the daily practices take up a lot of time and my grades are definitely suffering.

“Hey, I saw Ken, we had an exchange with the SAE house last night. Do you remember that slut Nicole who slept with Jason?” Clarissa announces while we’re sitting around together after classes.

“She’s a pledge sister of yours right, a tall model thin blonde?”

“Yes, that’s the one. She looked ready and willing to conquer Ken.”

“He definitely has a thing for blondes. Was she successful, do you think they hooked up?” I try to ask casually, but it bugs me and it makes me jealous.

“Could it be possible, do I detect a hint of jealousy?” Clarissa teases.

“Don’t be ridiculous,” I scoff at her.

“I don’t know what happened between them, I left early. I can find out though. Do you want me to?”

“Yes.”

“Will do. I think you’re starting to care about him,” Clarissa points out.

“Maybe, but I don’t think the feeling is mutual. That’s why I want to know if he’s been hooking up with other girls. We’ve been hanging out together a lot lately. However, it’s a ‘friends with benefits’ relationship I have going with him. We have no strings, so he’s free to do as he pleases or should I say he’s free to do
WHO
he pleases,” I say with a half-hearted laugh.

“How do you do it Deena? I’m trying to end it with my secret lover and I’m having a hard time,” Clarissa admits.

“You need to learn how to NOT get emotionally attached,” I tell her, but I’m not sure if I’m a good person to ask when it comes to affairs of the heart.

“I’m going home this weekend, I need to get away from campus and clear my head,” Clarissa tells me.

“Are you trying to get away from a certain someone?” I ask.

“That certain someone is also going to be in Orange County this weekend and wants to get together.”

“I bet he does. Does he know you broke things off with your secret lover?”

“No, I haven’t told him in so many words.”

“Is Jason the reason you ended things?” I ask.

“Yes, he factored into the decision,” she admits.

“Finally, you came to your senses,” I tell Clarissa and I mean it, you just don’t turn down someone like Jason Bancroft for a number of reasons.

I hear my cell phone bing, someone’s texting me.

Ken: Come over tonight?

Deena: Sure, let’s get some dinner together.

Ken: Sounds like a plan, come over whenever.

“Speak of the devil, Ken just texted me. We’re hanging out tonight, I think I will ask him myself about the exchange last night and see what he tells me,” I tell Clarissa.

“Be careful, curiosity killed the cat. Maybe you don’t want to know,” she warns and she may be right.

*****

I knock and walk right into Ken’s apartment; they never lock their door. I think they’re crazy not to, especially in this neighborhood, but hey, I’m not their mother.

“Hi, anybody home?” I call out as I walk down the hall.

“Deena, I’m in here,” Ken calls out to me from his bedroom. No one else seems to be home. I waltz into his room and he’s crashed on his bed and listening to some tunes on his IPhone. He pulls out his ear buds.

“Hey sexy girl,” he says in greeting and I know what he’s in the mood for.

“Hi,” say, walking up to his bed and he pulls me down onto his bare chest that I never tire of looking at and touching.

“I’m happy to see you,” he says.

“I bet you are.” I smile down at him and greet him with a kiss that he deepens. His kisses turn me on instantly. He doesn’t have a shirt on adding to his incredible sex appeal. I run my hand across his chest and moan into our steamy kiss. He rolls me onto my back and his hands begin to explore my body, which has become so familiar to him now. He knows exactly which buttons to push to leave me screaming for more and scream I can because nobody’s home, I think wickedly. As his hand dips down into my panties, a thought cross my mind, was he with Nicole last night? I reach down and grab his arm by his wrist to stop him. I may regret asking this like Clarissa warned me, but I find myself blurting it out anyway as my jealous green-eyed monster rears its ugly head.

“Were you with Nicole last night?” I ask quietly. Ken nuzzles a kiss into my neck trying to ignore my question.

“Deena, what are we doing here?”

“I don’t know, you tell me?”

“Look, I know you hooked up with that USC calendar guy recently and I didn’t say anything, I was cool about it,” he retorts.

“I still want to know the answer to my question.” I try to say it and not sound bitchy.

“We fooled around at the house a little, but we didn’t sleep together,” Ken admits and I think I believe him.

“Oh that’s a surprise. Clarissa said Nicole was all over you.”

“She was, but I didn’t want Clarissa running back to you and telling you I had slept with Nicole, so I resisted.” I get quiet. I’m not sure what to make of it or how I feel about it.

“Deena, I have a great time with you, and it’s not just about the sex for me,” Ken admits tenderly.

“Oh, I wasn’t sure how you felt,” I say demurely while gazing into his beautiful eyes.

“You’re the one who seems to want to keep it no strings between us.”

“I’m not sure what I want,” I answer honestly.

“I know babe, I won’t pressure you for more than you want to give,” he says, kissing me while his hand trails down into my panties again and I relax and enjoy his touch which is setting me on fire as I part my legs for him.