chapter Nineteen
I thought about Juliet’s words a lot over the next few weeks. Time moved at a snail’s pace. My classes were all fine, but nothing really kept my interest. The only thing I enjoyed doing was spending time with my friends and Colt. And the latter was hard to do. Cara and Juliet kept their word. They didn’t tell anyone about us, but they also didn’t go out of their way to help me sneak around to see him. I understood, they thought I was making a mistake by keeping it a secret. I just wasn’t ready to deal with more humiliation, at school or back home.
Anthro turned out to be one of my favorite classes. First, Colt was in it, and second Professor Cains was so out there that he never ceased to be entertaining. I was actually looking forward to class when I left my house in the morning.
By mid semester, I was so used to the routine that I never considered picking up my own coffee on those mornings. Once again, I happily accepted my usual cup from Colt and took my seat at the table.
Cains walked in a few minutes earlier than usual. “Hey class, I have an extra credit opportunity available this week if anyone’s interested.”
“This week?” a girl asked.
“Yes. Participation will excuse you from one of your papers or give you an alternative assignment to the final exam.”
Colt winked at me before picking up my hand and raising both of ours together. “We’re in.”
“We are?” I tugged my hand out of his.
Half the class laughed at my reaction.
“Fantastic.” Cains grinned. “Colton, isn’t it?”
“Yes, and this is Mallory.”
Cains took out a pad and started writing down our names.
“What are you doing?” I hissed. Was he really signing us up for more work?
“Making sure we have time together.”
“There are better ways to do that.”
He shook his head and leaned in to whisper. “Aaron said the only excuse from pledge stuff this week is for class. This is for class.”
“Again, you could have come up with a better idea.”
Cains cleared his throat, and I knew the rest of the conversation would have to wait until after class. Luckily, Cains dismissed us a few minutes early.
“So you think there’s a better way to get me out of pledge stuff this week?” Colton bumped his shoulder into mine.
“Yes.” I packed up my stuff.
“Fine. I found this one. You find another excuse to get me out.”
“Why?” I stood up.
He jumped up and held open the door for me “Because you can’t turn down a challenge.”
“Yes, I can.”
He gave me a skeptical look. It just made him look cuter. “Fine, then don’t. It just means I won.”
“I can get you out. I’ll get you out tonight.”
“Tonight? Isn’t that pushing it? Very last minute.”
“You doubt my abilities?”
“No. Not for a second.” He grinned before we headed to our next classes.
***
I knocked on the door of the Kappa house completely secure in my plan. Juliet and Cara stood on either side of me. We were all dressed in cover ups over bikinis. Once Jana told us about the surprise outing we were taking our pledges on, I knew I had the perfect way to win the challenge. It took little planning, and my friends were more than happy to go along with it.
“Uh, what are you girls doing here?” Ryan asked when he opened the door. We’d still barely talked since the no-sex incident freshman year.
“We need to see the guys.” Juliet slipped past Ryan into the house, Cara and I followed.
“Aaron’s up with the pledges. Reed’s in his room.” Ryan still only looked at me. “And I haven’t seen Tanner.” Ryan didn’t seem happy to admit it. Didn’t he know that Tanner and I had stopped seeing each other weeks ago?
“I’m going up to get Reed. Meet you guys back here in a few.” Juliet took off up the stairs. My guess is she’d be at least twenty minutes.
“Want to come with me?” Cara asked. “I feel kind of weird interrupting a pledge meeting.”
I’d hoped she would ask. I wanted to see the look on Colt’s face when Aaron shared the news. “Sure. Let’s go.”
Cara knocked on the white door, and Aaron threw it open. By his expression, he’d been ready to snap at whoever was interrupting him. Instead, his face fell into something else entirely when he took in Cara’s beach wear. “Hey… what are you doing here?”
“We’re taking our pledges to Morgan’s house for a pool party. They have no idea what we’re doing and think it’s going to be the night from hell. I can’t wait to see their faces when they realize it was all a joke. Thought your guys might want to come?” She turned her head slightly, letting him know she really wanted him to say yes.
“Uh, sure. I guess we could cut this short.”
Colton shot me a grin from where he sat on the ground. I nodded in his direction.
“Good.” She leaned up and kissed him on the cheek. “I think you’ll like this bikini I picked up earlier.”
He nodded without taking his eyes off her. “Hey guys, change of plans tonight.”
“Yeah?” one of the pledges asked.
“Looks like we’re hanging out with the Delta Mu’s.”
Colton laughed as the rest of the group sighed with relief. Aaron looked at him. “Is there a problem with that, pledge?”
“No, not at all.”
I winked at Colton before walking out of the room. My friends and I laughed as soon as we got outside.
“That was too easy.” I smiled, very proud of myself.
Cara practically skipped home. Things were completely back to normal with Aaron now. “I still don’t really understand the challenge, but I’m glad we’re hanging out with the guys.”
The girls were a mess of nerves when we got back to the house. The actives had pulled the same trick on us last year, and it was only because we were forbidden from revealing the pledge experience to anyone that the new class had no idea. They’d just been told to wear bikinis and to plan to be out late.
“I hate doing this,” Jana leaned in to whisper.
“They’ll be fine with it when we get there.”
“Yeah, but that’s going to be awhile.”
“They’ll survive.”
Jana was almost too sweet with the pledges. I wish she’d been in charge for our class.
Morgan’s house could have been called a mansion. One of the beautiful old southern houses a few miles outside the city, I couldn’t even fathom how much the place would have cost. The large rectangular pool was lit up by colored lights, and the deck had enough space to hold all of us.
Morgan made it implicitly clear that the house itself was off limits. However, she didn’t mention the large garage just off the pool house. After an hour of exchanging heated glances with Colt, I slipped off hoping he’d follow. I’d noticed Morgan run into the garage earlier and hoped she hadn’t locked the side door. The knob turned easily under my hand. I walked inside, surprised that Morgan had also left on an overhead light. The room was unlike any garage I’d ever been in. Insulated and huge, a family of four could have feasibly lived there. There were three cars. One of them looked like it belonged in a James Bond movie.
“Nice work.” Colton’s breath was warm on my neck, and I didn’t need to turn around to know he was right behind me.
“I told you I’d get you out tonight.” I leaned back against the trunk of the least crazy looking of the cars. I bet it was still worth more than my mom’s house though.
“I can’t give you credit for that, but you did get us time together, and that’s the important part.” He kissed my neck. I looked over my shoulder, turning in Colton’s arms once I was confident that we were all alone in the garage.
“Why don’t I get credit?” I could barely concentrate on speaking. His hands were busy distracting me with their descent down my back.
“Because technically I’m still here as a pledge. I had to come.”
I whispered in his ear. “Are you here as a pledge?”
“No. I’m here because you look so damn hot in that.” He touched the strap of my black string bikini.
“So I do get credit.”
“Half.”
“Full.” I ran a hand down his bare chest.
“Half.” His lips rested on my neck while his hands found their way to my hips.
“You look good tonight too, you know.”
“I always knew you liked me shirtless.” He grinned.
“Do you like me shirtless?” I teased him.
“Hell yes.” He reached behind me and untied the top string. I expected him to drop the strings, but he held them. “But I don’t know if you’re really ready for this.”
“Oh, I’m ready.” I bit my lip, giving him the sexiest look possible.
“I’m really glad you said that.” His free hand ran over my stomach.
“Are you ready?”
“I’ve been ready for weeks.” He rested his forehead against mine. “I think it’s time we find out how great we can be together.”
“I already know how great we can be.” My body ached for more of his touch.
“That’s just the tip of the iceberg.”
“Do you like torturing me?”
He laughed. “No, but I do like making you look at me like that.”
“Put another look on my face.”
“All right. I can do that.” In one swift motion, he’d dropped the top strings and seated me on the trunk of a car. He untied the back strings, letting the top fall as he took one breast in his mouth while he fondled the other.
I reached down into his swim trunks, wanting to feel just how much he wanted me. I needed to know he desired me as much as I desired him. He was hard as a rock, and Colt groaned against my breast as I stroked him.
“I want you so bad.” His mouth moved up to mine, his teeth nipping at my lip.
“You can have me.”
“I can’t. I forgot. My wallet’s outside.”
“Mine’s not.”
He grinned. “You came prepared?”
“Yes.” I’d started carrying a condom around ever since the near hook up in the library. “Aren’t you glad I did?”
“More than a little.”
The sound of a knob turning was the only warning we had. Colt took my hand, and I grabbed my top just in time. We’d just found a spot to hide behind a shelving unit when the door opened.
“Is that an Aston Martin?” a guy asked.
“Like I’d know.” Claire’s voice cut through the silent garage. I could just picture her rolling her eyes at whatever Kappa she was talking to.
I needed to put my top on, but I was afraid to move and make noise. I was barely keeping still to begin with. Then Colt went and made it worse. He cupped my breasts from behind, kissing my neck. I couldn’t say anything out of fear of being heard. He released one of my breasts and slipped his hand down the front of my bikini bottom. I tried to shift away a tiny bit, but that just made it easier for him to slide his hand in. Damn.
“I wonder what he got it for. It had to cost a pretty penny.” The guy’s voice got louder as he moved closer to where we hid.
I bit down on my lip, determined to stay silent. Was Colt really going to do this to me? Well, he’d get a taste of his own medicine. I reached behind me and slid my hand down into his swim trunks again. I felt his breathing deepen as I grabbed him, and I didn’t worry about being gentle. I pushed back against him, probably making it so much worse. His lips tickled my earlobe as he whispered, “Oh, you just asked for it, babe.” My lip was no match for the sensation caused by what he did next with his fingers. I let out a moan.
“Hello? Is someone in here?” Claire asked. I thought I’d die. That should have made Colt stop, but it didn’t. I couldn’t see his face, but I’m sure I would have slapped him for the look on it.
I let out a whimper as he pushed me further.
The mystery guy laughed. “I think we should go somewhere else. Someone else already found this spot.”
“We have to find out who it is.”
Seriously? Was Claire crazy? I’d never want to catch people hooking up.
“I bet they don’t want to be found.”
That comment made Colt laugh for some reason. His body shook behind me. I used his distraction to pull away enough to offset his hand. I quickly retied my top. If we were discovered, I wasn’t about to flash some unknown guy.
“Come on, let’s check out the pool house,” the guy tried to distract her again. I wondered if it was because he was in a rush to get laid or because he didn’t want to embarrass someone.
I let out a deep sigh of relief as the door slammed closed. If I wasn’t imagining it, he’d slammed it especially hard to let us know they’d left.
“Oh my god. That was close.”
“Yeah. I couldn’t wait much longer.” Colt’s lips were on mine again, and his hands quickly got rid of my top again.
“Colt!”
“What?”
“We were almost caught. We have to go.”
“What’s the chance they’ll come back?” He dropped my top on the ground. “Besides, there’s no way I’m going out there like this. Don’t move.” He grabbed a condom from my bag.
I waited with my arms crossed over my chest.
“None of that.” He pushed down my arms, and made quick work of my bikini bottoms. “No hiding with me—ever.” He placed me on the edge of the hood of one of the cars.
“You really want to have sex here?”
“No. I need to have sex with you here.” He undid his swim trunks and unwrapped the condom.
Before I could think about how crazy we were being, he was inside me. I was ready for him, and I pulled him closer to me. I wanted him deeper. I wanted all of him.
His movements rocked me, but I refused to scream. I pushed my lips against his shoulder, trying to muffle the sounds as he moved faster and faster. He knew what pace to go. He knew exactly what I wanted, what I needed.
I tangled my fingers in his hair as his mouth closed on my breast. His teeth grazing me in the process.
He reached his release just when I thought I couldn’t take anymore.
We leaned against each other, panting for a moment before either of us spoke. He kissed my earlobe. “Don’t even try to call that friends with benefits.”
“I won’t.” My heart beat out of my chest, and I was almost too shaky to get my swim suit back on.
“You okay, babe?” He smiled.
“How did you get that good?” I watched as he got back into his swim suit. “And don’t say practice.”
He laughed. “It’s not about me being good. It’s about us being good.”
“How are you so confident about that?”
“Because I’m confident about my feelings,” he touched the place between my triangle cups, “and yours.”
“You can go on out. I need a minute.”
He shook his head. “I’ll wait.”
“No. You should go. Aaron might be looking for you.”
“You’ve got two minutes.” He kissed my cheek. “If you’re not out by the pool, I’m coming back for you.”
“I’ll be there.” I wrapped my arms around myself, still trying to get my heart rate back to normal.