The Pledge (20 page)

“You’re going into Physical Therapy?” She tilted her head to the side, still reading my letter. “I thought you were studying Political Science.” Her index finger tapped on her bottom lip as she thought out loud.

“My father wanted me to go into politics.” My jaw clenched as I remembered his reaction to my accident. “I never wanted to be a politician. When I lost my spot on the lacrosse team, I decided to change my major to something I was interested in.”

“What did your dad say?” The skin around her eyes was creased with concern.

I shrugged. “He cut off financial support.”

“Is that why you work so much?” Taren chewed on her bottom lip, waiting for my answer.

I shrugged. “Apparently following your dreams is an expensive proposition.” I smiled to make the truth less harsh.

She was quiet for a moment, but her eyes never left mine. “That’s really brave of you, Alec. I respect that you followed your heart and that you’re making it happen on your own. I’m sure it can’t be easy.”

“It’s a lot easier than doing something I’d hate for the rest of my life.” I ran my hand through my hair. Taren was looking at me with something close to admiration, and it felt damn good. After everything I put her through, earning her respect wasn’t something I took lightly.

“Look at you, Alec Hart. You’ve changed. For the better.” She leaned back into the couch, crossing her arms as she scanned my face.

I looked her up and down. “You’ve changed too, Richards.”

She smiled. “Change is good, right?”

“It is.”

“So,” she said, fiddling with a bracelet she was wearing. “Do you talk to your dad much?” She looked up at me.

I took a deep breath, trying to decide what to say. The last thing I wanted to talk about was my broken family.

“Not really. I see him when I go home for the holidays. My mom asks me to come home more often, but being around him is just too hard. If he starts drinking when I’m around, things get ugly.”

“Oh.” Taren swallowed in discomfort, and I wanted to kick myself for adding that last part. “That’s horrible, Alec. I’m so sorry.”

“Forget about it. My family is dysfunctional. Shit happens. No big deal.” I shrugged. “Not everyone gets the perfect dad.”

She laughed, but it was flat. “I know what you mean. My dad left my mom when I was little. I’ve never even met him.”

I was an ass. Here I was complaining about a father who was too involved in my life and Taren had a father who was completely absent. “So it’s just you and your mom?”

“For a little while it was. My mom died when I was in elementary school. My aunt raised me.”

Shit
. Guilt hung heavy in my chest. Not only did Taren spend most of her time in school getting picked on, but she suffered through it without the love and support of her parents. Knowing what she’d gone through just reinforced to me how strong and resilient she was. “Jesus. I had no idea, Taren. I’m sorry.”

She shrugged as if it was no big deal. “I barely remember my mom, but Claire is great. A little unconventional, but I’m lucky. I know she loves me as if I were her own.” She opened her mouth as if to say more, and then changed her mind. After a few seconds she asked, “You don’t have any brothers or sisters, right?”

I shook my head. I always wished I’d had siblings. Bearing the load of my father’s expectations would’ve been so much easier if I had someone to share it with. “Nope. I do have some cousins, though. I’m really close to one. He’s great. Probably the best thing to shake out of my family tree.”

“That’s awesome you have someone in your family you’re close to.” Taren smiled for the first time since I’d started dumping my family troubles on her.

“Yeah.” I pressed my lips together. “He’s the closest thing I’ve ever had to a brother.”

“Oh god.” Taren’s eyes widened, and she clutched her chest. “Can you imagine?”

“What?” I rested my elbow on the back of the couch and leaned my head against my hand.

“Two Alec Harts? The world wouldn’t be able handle that much good looks and charm.” She shook her head and stuck out her bottom lip.

“You think I’m charming?” The corners of my lips turned up.

Taren’s leg stretched out, and she pushed against my thigh with her foot. A playful grin tugged at her lips. “Don’t act like you don’t know.”

I reached down and ran my finger up the bottom of her foot, tickling her. She squealed and pulled her leg back. Our eyes locked, and my voice dropped low. “I just like hearing you say it.”

Her smile was shy as she broke eye contact. “Well, good looks and charm can only get you so far. Let’s finish studying.” She straightened the laptop and started reading again.

Oh, I was studying all right, but it certainly wasn’t my classwork. I could only focus on the one girl I was stupid enough to chase away…fucking charming. I’d show her just how charming I could be.

***

My handle rattled noisily, and then someone began beating on my door.

“Go away, asshole.” I turned over and covered my head with a pillow.

I heard a shuffling noise and then the sound of metal scratching on metal. “Aha!” Caz’s voice was triumphant. The door slammed against the wall behind it as it was pushed open, and I lifted the pillow to see Caz standing in my doorway with a key.

I needed a deadbolt.

He walked over to my bed and yanked the pillow off my head. “Since you’re staying in bed, do you mind if I hang out with the pretty girl in our living room?”

“What?” I groaned and rubbed my forehead.

He slammed the pillow back down on my head. “It’s ten in the morning, dickflap. Apparently you had a study date with Taren. She showed up with coffee and a box of donuts.”

“Shit!” I bolted upright, wrestling my way out of my blankets and grabbed my phone.
Why didn’t my alarm go off?
“Tell her I’ll be out in a minute.”

“Take your time.” Caz walked toward the door and then turned to toss the key to me. “I’ll just be out here eating all the donuts and testing out some new pickup lines. How about this...” His voice dropped low. “Taren, your lips look lonely. Would they like to meet mine?”

I threw the pillow at him, and he ducked. “Just tell her I’ll be there in a minute. And don’t say that shit to her.”

He held up his hands in surrender and backed out of the door with a wicked smile on his face.

I stumbled around looking for something to wear. Finding a pair of track pants that were in my basket of clean laundry, I pulled them on.
Shit.
I passed out as soon as I got home from work last night, and I probably still smelled like a bar. I wished I had time for a shower.

I couldn’t risk leaving Caz alone with Taren for long, though. He was probably already halfway through her box of donuts or trying to convince her to rappel off the balcony of our apartment. I settled for a quick tooth brush and some fresh deodorant.

“Hey Taren.” I could hear Caz all the way down the hallway. “Is your dad a baker? Because you have a nice set of buns.”

Jesus Christ he was a jackass.
A frustrated growl vibrated in my throat and I tossed the blankets back over the mattress and hurried out of my room and down the hallway. Taren sat at the table with Caz, who had a donut in each hand.

“Sorry, I overslept.” I ran my hand back through my hair, trying to make myself look presentable.

Taren looked up at the sound of my voice, and she dropped the donut she was holding. She stared at me with her mouth hanging wide open. She didn’t say anything.

“What did you do to her?” I strutted toward Caz, fisting my hands at my sides.

He turned to answer me with a mouth full of chocolate and sprinkles. He looked between Taren and me a few times and then slapped the table with his hand, barking out in laughter.

“Shit, dude. Put on a shirt. It’s too early for me to see your nipples.” Caz shook his head and gestured toward Taren. “I think your girl’s in shock.” He waved his hand in front of her face, and she finally looked away from me and at him. “They don’t make them like that on Frat Row, do they, sweetheart?”

“Uh...” Her eyes darted back to my chest before her gaze slid up and over my shoulders and down my arms. The look in her eyes was heated, and my muscles flinched under her careful inspection.

I wanted to feel her fingers touching me the way her eyes did. I wanted to take her back to my room and peel her shirt off. Hell, I wanted to peel it all off. I wanted her lying naked underneath me, staring up with the same look of desire she had on her face now.

“Ignore him, Taren. He’s an ass.” I rubbed my palm across my eyes, trying to get visions of a naked Taren out of my mind. She was here to study. I needed to get that through my thick skull.

“Be nice or I won’t let you have any donuts.” Caz pulled the box toward his chest and wrapped his arms around it.

“Don’t you have plans today?” I glared at him, hoping he’d take the hint and get lost.

“Nope.” He gestured toward the window. “Was going to go mountain biking today but the weather sucks.”

Jon wandered out of his room and down the hall, wearing only his boxers. He yawned and scratched the top of his head. “Did I hear someone say donuts?”

Taren’s gaze found his bare chest, and then as if embarrassed to be caught looking, she glanced at me. Her eyes were drawn to my naked torso almost against her will. With a small gasp, she looked away, her eyes settling on her donut, the only non-nipple place to look, apparently.

Caz reached across and patted her hand before rooting around in the box. “Disgusting, isn’t it? They always walk around half-dressed.”

“Don’t you guys have something to do today?” I repeated. They were never around during the day on the weekend.

Jon yawned again. “Nope. Staying in and playing Xbox all day.” He reached across the table to help himself to a donut.

“Guess you and Taren will just have to study in your room, buddy.” Caz took a huge bite and motioned toward my room with his head. “You don’t mind, do you Taren?”

She glanced at me, almost nervous. “No, that’s fine.”

***

“Sorry about them.” I led Taren into my room. “I had no idea they were going to be here today.” I picked up my laundry basket and shoved it into the closet as she hovered just inside the doorway.

“No, it’s okay. They’re nice.” She stared at the bed, and I was sure she was realizing, just as I was, that the only place to sit down in my room was my half-made bed.

“We could always go to the library.” I braced my hands on the back of the only chair in the room. “I know this isn’t ideal for studying.” I nodded toward my bed. I didn’t want to go to the library. I liked the idea of having Taren to myself in my room. Just the thought of her sitting on my bed made my blood pulse hotter under my skin.

She tucked her hair behind her ear. “This will be fine. As long as...”

“I won’t try anything, I promise.” I stood up, crossing my heart with my finger and giving her my most trustworthy half-grin.

She laughed. “I was going to say as long as you put on a shirt. I won’t be able think straight if you don’t.”

I chuckled and pointed at my chest. “You find this distracting?”

“You have no idea.” She stretched the words out in a slow confession. Her smile vanished. Her expression was shy as her gaze darted away from me, and she bent down to dig through her backpack.

“Well we can’t have distractions, can we?” I found a T-shirt and put it on while she rummaged through her bag and pulled out books. When she looked up and saw I was fully clothed, she breathed a sigh of relief.

Grabbing the textbooks I needed, I sat on one end of the bed and reclined against the wall. Taren was still standing in the middle of the room, looking unsure with her books cradled against her chest.

“You coming, Richards?” I grabbed my pillow and then leaned over to set it against the wall at the other end of the bed for her. I patted the mattress. “These are five star accommodations.” The corners of my mouth curved into a grin.

Heading for the other end of the bed, she shook her head as if clearing it, and a smile fought its way across her lips. She sat on the edge and then scooted backward until she was leaning against my pillow. She curled her legs underneath her body and set a book in her lap. “Thanks for letting me hang out to study. It’s so much quieter here without the sorority house interruptions.”

“I don’t know.” I glared in the direction of the living room even though the door was closed and locked. “Caz is king of interruptions.”

Her laugh was quiet, and she turned to look at me. “He can’t compete with the house; it’s crazy. I love my sisters, but someone is always barging into my room to borrow clothes, gossip, or just hang out.” She reached up to her face to tuck her hair behind her ear. “My roommate is studious, but Julie can be a menace if she’s bored. It’s hard to get anything done there.”

“Sounds like life with Caz.” I pulled my laptop out of my bag and powered it on. She opened her book and then relaxed into my pillow as she started to read. I opened the file for the essay I was working on.

An hour later, Taren lifted her arms overhead to stretch. My fingers stilled on the keyboard as my eyes were drawn to the sensual curve of her body. She closed her eyes, pulling her body into a graceful arch. Her hair tumbled around her shoulders as her head fell to the side. My body thrummed with the need to lean over and devour the smooth curve of her neck.