The Pledge (33 page)

My head tilted in confusion. “No. I had a happy hour with my sorority tonight.” The words came out slow and unsure. Why would Alec tell Caz we had a date? “I left the party early. Alec told me he’d be studying so I came to see him.”

Jon appeared behind Caz. “He’s studying at the library.”

Caz whirled around to glare at Jon. “I thought he took the night off to take Donuts on a date?” Then he turned his glare on me. “You stood him up for happy hour?”

Guilt gnawed at my stomach, even though I hadn’t done anything wrong. “No. It wasn’t like that. I already had plans when he asked me out.” Why was I explaining this to Caz? My relationship with Alec was none of his business. “Which library did he go to?” I asked Jon.

“McKeldin. But he won’t be there much longer. He just texted to see if we wanted to meet up with him for racquetball.” Jon held up his phone.

Caz’s face brightened, and he backed away from the door. “Fuck’n A. He deserves an ass kicking. Where the hell did I leave my racquet?”

My excitement at seeing my boyfriend sputtered and died as Caz disappeared into the apartment. Even though Alexis had mentioned it, I hadn’t expected Alec to have plans. My shoulders sagged as I backed away from the door. “Okay. Thanks, Jon. I guess I’ll call him later.” I turned to walk down the hallway.

“Taren?” I looked over my shoulder to see Jon leaning against the doorjamb with a serious expression on his face.

I turned and wrapped my arms across my chest, wondering if he was going to give me some sort of lecture on my choice to spend time with my sisters. “Yeah?

He sighed and shook his head. “Do you know where the racquetball courts are?”

“The lower level of the building where you practice, right?” Hope bloomed in my chest.

Jon nodded. “He took the night off to be with you.” He gave me a suggestive arch of his eyebrow and then pushed off the wall and went inside his apartment, closing the door behind him.

I nearly ran down the hallway to the elevator.

***

The gym was almost empty as I made my way to the racquetball courts. Small doors that led to each court lined both sides of the hall. Only one of the rooms had any sounds coming from it, and I peeked through the tiny window to see Alec punishing a tiny blue ball as he slammed it against the wall. He’d taken his shirt off, and his muscles flexed and strained as he chased the ball down, crushing it with each swing of his racquet. He was so delicious to watch that for a moment, I’d forgotten the reason I’d come.

After drooling for a few minutes, I pushed the door open and ducked as I stepped into the room. “What did that ball ever do to you?”

Alec spun around, the ball forgotten as it continued to bounce around the room. The surprise on his face morphed into appreciation as he took in my outfit. He stalked across the room, and when he stopped in front of me, he was so close I could have licked his chest. God, I wanted to.

He placed his racquet behind my waist and used it to pull me against him. His skin was hot, and I thought I might melt into a puddle at his feet. “You’re here.” He grinned. “This is so much better than racquetball.” He dipped his head down to my shoulder and nuzzled his lips against my neck.

My head tilted back as a pleased sigh echoed in my throat. “I couldn’t bear the thought of not seeing you tonight.”

“Ditto,” he mumbled against my skin.

“Want to get out of here? I want to show you something.” I gasped as he nibbled the soft skin of my neck. “And I got dinner.” The last few words were breathless as I jiggled the bag of food I’d bought.

“I’m only hungry for you.” He kissed me on the lips, and then he smiled when his stomach growled. “But whatever you got smells fucking delicious. I guess I’ll just have to have you for dessert.”

I laughed and pushed him away when he tried to dive back in for a kiss. “Come on. No dessert unless you eat your dinner like a good boy.”

Alec groaned but went to the corner of the court and grabbed his shirt. He put it on and then grabbed my hand, sliding his fingers between mine.

We found a nearby bench and I laid out a spread of subs and sodas. As we ate, I looked up at the sky. Noise from nearby traffic reminded me that Route One was close, but here, in this moment with Alec, I felt secluded. I felt a peace I’d never known.

“So where are you taking me?” he asked as he ate the last bite of his sub. We tossed our trash into a nearby can and his fingers found mine again.

“I don’t want to ruin the surprise.” I rubbed the inside of his palm with my thumb, loving it when he squeezed my hand tighter in response.

“You couldn’t surprise me anymore than you did when you walked through that door. You have no idea how much I needed to see you tonight.” He pulled me to him and placed a lingering kiss on my lips, stealing my breath with the demanding heat of his mouth and tongue.

“I have some idea.” I exhaled a pleased moan.

He laughed and released me so we could keep walking. “Did you have fun hanging out with...your sisters?” His jaw tensed, and he looked straight ahead. I could hear the unspoken words. He was worried about Pickles.

“I did, but I’m glad I’m here with you now.” I squeezed his hand, and we walked in comfortable silence across campus. The darkness made it feel as if we were in our own little world.

“Here we are.” I led him off the sidewalk and down the hill to the small dark tunnel that went under Regents Road near the chapel. The edges of the tunnel were overgrown with weeds and ivy so that it was almost hidden. Once we stood in the opening of the tunnel, I turned to face him, and his arm circled my waist, pulling me close.

He reached up with the other hand and tucked my hair behind my ear before leaning down for a kiss. “Where are we?” Each word was punctuated with the gentle press of his lips.

“This is the kissing tunnel.” I tilted my head up so I could see his expression. He gazed down at me with such adoration that my knees almost buckled. I couldn’t believe I almost missed out on this tonight. “It’s supposed to be one of the most romantic spots on campus.”

“The kissing tunnel?” His smile was dangerous as he slid both hands into my hair and lowered his mouth until it hovered just above mine. “I love that you came to find me tonight.” His lips descended, smoldering against mine. “I love that you brought me here.” His mouth branded a trail along my jaw to my ear. “And I’m going to love kissing every part of your body until you beg me to never stop.”

He pulled me close, and as he kissed me in the moonlight, my soul felt like it was lodged in my throat. My heart beat erratically because with every part of me, I was sure.

I know it. I love him. I love Alec Hart.

Chapter Twenty-Four

ALEC

I wrapped the grips around my hands and Caz shoved his hands into the chalk bucket next to me.

“How’s Donuts?” Caz’s tone was serious, and my eyebrows pulled together as I looked down at him.

“Good.” The word was short and clipped because I had the sense I wasn’t going to like his train of thought.

He rubbed his hands together, spreading the chalk over his palms. “Do you think she’s going to choose you?” He met my eyes, and his jaw tensed.

“What the hell is that supposed to mean?” Anger laced my words.

He slapped his hands together in a cloud of chalk dust. “You planned a date night, and she ditched you for happy hour.”

“You don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Really? At some point she’s going to have to choose between her party life and her drug-free boyfriend. Do you think she’s going to choose you?” He walked between the parallel bars and reached up to grip one as he stared at me.

“I’m not asking her to choose. She doesn’t have to.” I glared at him.

“I hope you’re right.” He turned away from me.

I bit back the words that I wanted to say, that on Friday she did choose me and that was enough. Caz had no idea what he was talking about. I looked over at him, ready to tell him so when I remembered the truth: Taren came to see me after she’d already been to happy hour.

Had she really chosen me or had she just made room for me in her busy party schedule?

Fuck. Caz’s comments were like poison, worming their way into my brain and planting doubt I didn’t need.

***

We grabbed a quick dinner at Marathon Deli, and then I took Taren on the second part of our date, which was back on the other side of campus. When we arrived at the building where the Acroletes’ practice was held, she looked at me strangely.

“I thought we were going back to your apartment. Don’t tell me you want to play racquetball instead?” She pouted, and I leaned over to suck her bottom lip between mine in a gentle kiss.

I pulled back and grinned. “Just a quick stop in here. It’ll be fun.”

She tucked herself under my arm and let me lead her inside the building. I pulled Caz’s duplicate key out of my pocket and unlocked the side door to the gym.

“They let you have a key?” Taren’s eyes widened in surprise. “I can’t believe they give everyone a key.”

“This is Caz’s actually. And he doesn’t know I have it.” I winked at her and led her into the gym.

“Huh. Well that actually makes less sense. Out of anyone, I can’t believe they gave Caz a key.” She frowned in disbelief.

“He never told me how he got it, but I seriously doubt anyone gave it to him. Follow me.”

I led Taren into the gym, and I saw her glance around at all the equipment. I remembered the first time I came to the gym, having no idea what the Acroletes were all about. She gasped when we entered the trampoline room.

“Want to?” I asked her, gesturing to the first one.

She flashed me a giddy smile and then hurried up the steps and onto a bed.

“Don’t jump too high at first.” I followed her up the steps. “These are a lot more powerful than the backyard variety.”

Taren jumped, and I sat down on the mat to watch her. She took small bounces, jumping in the air, giddy and breathless. I was content to watch her, happy that she was in my world and enjoying it.

“This is so much fun!” she exclaimed. “Come jump with me.”

I was a smart man. No way could I resist her. When I walked onto the webbed bed, I pulled Taren into my arms and kissed her. We were wrapped around each other. The sweet touch of her lips transformed into kisses that were insistent, demanding, and urgent.

“I want you.” She was breathless as she bounced and kissed me feverishly.

My body ignited as my mind raced with dangerous thoughts. I wanted her here in this room. A goddamn fantasy come to life.

“I want you, too. I always want you.” I pulled us down to lay on the trampoline and pushed her knees apart, settling between her legs. I buried my face in her neck, kissing and licking along her shoulder until goose bumps rose on her arms. She arched, pressing her body into me. When my hips followed hers back down, the trampoline dipped, rocking our bodies into a delicious friction. I felt like a fuse about to blow. Hooking up on the trampoline was suddenly my new favorite sport.

“I need you, Alec.” Her voice was pleading as she pulled her hands out of my grasp and ran them inside my shirt and across my skin.

I rose up on my knees, my heart hammering with the sight of her spread beneath me, and begging for my touch. The trampoline still rocked gently beneath us. I held her gaze as my hands slid under her shirt, pushing it up past her ribs. When my fingers reached the lace of her bra, her eyes flared with lust before fluttering shut.

“Every inch of you is so fucking soft it makes me crazy.” I growled as I pushed her shirt up and over her head and then bent to kiss the sweet skin between her breasts.

I kissed my way down her stomach, loving the way her breath caught in her throat with every touch of my tongue on her skin. When I got to her jeans, I took the edge of the waistband in my teeth and pulled until she opened her eyes and pushed up on her elbows to look at me.

I hooked my finger in the waistband. “I’m going to take these off, and then I’m going to see how sweet you really taste.” I said it like a command, and her mouth fell open with a surprised intake of breath. When I raised my eyebrows in question, she nodded, and I held her gaze for a moment as her cheeks flushed.

She watched as I unbuttoned her jeans and slowly pulled them down her legs. I kissed my way from her thighs to her ankles, and the tremors my lips caused on her skin sent fire racing through my limbs. Every part of my body was filled with need for her. To touch. To taste. To have.

When I pulled her panties off, she pressed her legs together, and I could almost see the blush creeping along her entire body. I placed my hands on her knees and pushed them open with gentle pressure.

“Trust me, babe. I want to see all of you.” My hands slid down her thighs, and when I bent down so that my breath fanned across her, she shuddered. That little movement made me so hard, I had to take a deep breath to calm the fuck down.

She moaned quietly when I swept my fingers across her slick skin. The minute my tongue touched her, her body bowed off the trampoline as she called my name. In that moment, I felt like a starving man. I’d never get enough of the taste of her or the way she responded to me.