The Best Kind of Trouble (6 page)

Slow. Causal. Easy and uncomplicated.  That’s what I needed.

Nathan settled back beside me, keeping one arm wrapped around my shoulders and rewound the movie. He slowly stroked his fingers up and down my bare arm and I tried to relax.

Eventually my eyes grew heavy and then dropped shut.

I immediately knew I was not in my bed when I woke up.  Warm and comfy, I snuggled deeper into my pillow.  When I took a deep breath, I could smell his scent—clean but also a little bit spicy. A mixture of his soap and cinnamon gum.

I blinked open my eyes and looked around Nathan’s small bedroom.  I was sprawled out on his queen size bed that was pushed up against one wall. Directly across from me was a large window with mini-blinds.  Next to the window sat a simple black desk piled high with books, pens and paper flung across the surface.  A black chair was sitting in front of it, his jacket thrown haphazardly across the back.

On the other wall there were two doors.  One was obviously the closet.  Its door was ajar and I could see clothes and football gear sticking out.  Next to the bed was a small night stand with a lamp and two drawers.  On top, I found a note.

Ash,

I had to go to class and then I have practice.

I’ll call you later.

Nate

It definitely was not a romantic or sappy love note, not that I really expected Nathan to be that sort of guy.  But it still made me smile. I fell back against his pillows and I couldn’t help but think about last night.  My heart beat automatically picked up and I chewed on my bottom lip as I tried to organize my thoughts.

All this was definitely happening too fast.  And I was afraid it was just my hormones taking over and thinking for me.  Love and commitment, then sex has always made sense to me.  I got that sex was meant to be special, that it cemented an emotional and spiritual bond with a physical one.

I blew out a frustrated breath.

No matter much I tried to remind myself of these things, I couldn’t help but feel reckless and out of control when it came to Nathan.  The intense attraction felt explosive and inevitable. 

And that scared me.

We needed to slow down and fast.  I sprang out of his bed, gathered my stuff, and managed to sneak out of the apartment and down to my car without running into Chase. 

~000~

“Ashley!” Katie waved me down as I entered the student center. 

There were pool tables, computers, tons of couches and tables and students occupying the whole space.  There was also a book store in corner of the building with everything from school supplies and textbooks to clothing and snacks.  There was also a small cafeteria.

I tossed my stuff down next to Katie and told her I was going to get something to eat.  When I returned with my sandwich and chips and a soda, Katie was grinning like an idiot at me. 

I rolled my eyes and said, “Nothing happened.”

“Uh huh,” she snorted.  “I can see you’re blushing, so spill!”

I sighed and reluctantly told her everything.  When I was finished she twisted her mouth to the side and looked at me like she was contemplating something.

“What?” I asked.

“I’m trying to think of some good advice to give you, but—” she wrinkled her nose and shrugged her shoulders.  “—I’m not really sure what you should do.”

“Have you…are you and Drew…” I trailed off hopping she’d get what I was trying to ask.

“Yes,” she nodded, a slight smile on her lips.

“And before Drew?”

She nodded as she spoke, “Yes.  My high school boyfriend, and a couple guys before Drew freshman and sophomore year.”

I knew my virgin status was a rarity among my friends and most college kids, but I’d never dated anyone more than three months and it usually felt wrong or I felt pressured.  I had gone farther with Colin than any other guy and looked how that turned out.  But with Nathan—

I looked up and it was like he magically appeared.  I watched him walk into the student center and two girls immediately came up to talk to him.  He smiled politely and then laughed before making a quick exit. 

When he looked in my direction his eyes immediately found mine and his smile widened, splitting his handsome face and causing his dimples to sink into his cheeks.

He plopped down next to me, slinging an arm around my shoulders and squeezed me into his side.  He pressed a quick kiss to my temple and then proceeded to take a bit out of my sandwich.

“Hey!” I protested.  Nathan grinned and took another bite.

I laughed and he hugged me tighter.  After he swallowed, he looked at me apologetically.  “I gotta go, baby.  I gotta hit the weights before practice. I’ll call you later?”

I nodded. Nathan leaned in to give me a quick kiss and then he was gone.  I frowned.

And then I felt like kicking myself for being such a girl.  It’s not like he didn’t kiss me at all, but it lacked…something.  I sighed.
Was I missing something?
  Trouble.  This whole freaking thing was trouble wrapped up in a hot sexy lust-inducing moral-reducing package.

I was looking down at my sandwich and I let out a shriek of surprise when I felt Nathan’s hands suddenly on my face.  A moment later, his lips touched mine.

Nathan sucked my bottom lip between his and then my mouth opened and his tongue tasted mine.

Thoroughly.

He groaned and then pulled back, his hands still on either side of my face holding me in place.

“Sorry,” he said, smirking.  “This slow thing is hard.”

I nodded my head in agreement.  He kissed my nose, then whispered, “I’ll call you later.”

Before I could respond he was gone.

~000~

Tuesday night I was lounging on the couch in my sweats, my long hair in a braid, watching some trashy reality show on television when there was a knock on my door. I got up to answer it and smiled wide when I opened the door and saw it was Nathan.

He looked delicious too.  His gray t-shirt stretched taut over his broad chest and his cut-off sweats hung dangerously low on his hips. His hair was wet and smelled clean and fresh like he’s just come out of the shower.

I realized I was blatantly checking him out and snapped my eyes back up to his face.  His lips quirked up.

“Going to invite me in, doll face?” he drawled.

I took a deep breath and tried to stop my racing heart.  He was just too handsome for his own good. And he knew it.

I leaned my hip against the door and tapped my fingers against the wood.

“I’m not sure I should,” I said seriously.

The smile dropped from Nathan’s face and he stepped closer to me. The intensity of his blue eyes sucked me, drowning me in the emotions I was so desperately trying to keep in check.

“Is Katie home?” he asked tilting his chin down to meet my eyes.

I shook my head.

He took a deep breath, then brought both hands up to frame my face. His eyes continued to search mine and then he slowly lowered his head until our lips were almost touching.

“If I kiss you right now, I’m not sure I’ll be able to stop,” he murmured.  My lower abdomen muscles clenched in anticipation and I clamped my thighs together. My heart beat so fast and so hard I was sure he could hear it.

“Then why—” I stuttered.  Taking a deep breath I tried to push the words out despite the thrumming desire and lust scattering my thoughts and begging me to press my lips to his.  “Why are you here?”

His fingers slipped into my hair destroying my braid. His gaze dropped to my lips and he licked his.  “I can’t stay away.”

I bit my lower lip.
Please just kiss me already!
I thought.

He inched closer, brushing his mouth over mine lightly.  I whimpered and suddenly his control snapped like a thin piece of thread and he crashed his lips against mine. He licked the seam of my lips and I opened, letting him deepen the kiss. 

Nathan dropped his hands from my face and wrapped both arms around my waist, pulling up against him. I had to stand on my tip toes to continue kissing him, so I wrapped my arms around his neck to steady myself.

He gripped my ass in his hands, pulling me against him harder, until I could feel the hard length of him pressed against me. I whimpered.

Abruptly, he broke the kiss. We were both panting, his eyes wide with a swirling stormy mix of blue and gray.

“I should go,” he said, almost to himself more than me.  He seemed so caught up in me, so bowled over by our kiss. It was endearing and adorable and made me feel alive and sexy and wanted.

I pressed my lips together to hide my smile.  Nathan cocked an eyebrow at me.

A giggle escaped me.

He closed his eyes and groaned. And then shoved both hands into his shaggy brown hair. “I should defiantly go.”

Part of me wanted to beg him to stay. But I knew if he did what would happen and wasn’t sure I was ready for that. Nathan had the power to break my heart. I couldn’t keep up any wall when he kissed me or touched me. And I knew if I tried to push him away, he’d only pursue me harder.  He was intense and competitive like that.

So I took the out he was offering. The reprieve.

“Study date on Thursday?” I asked suddenly.

Nathan opened his eyes and smiled when he saw my smile. He nodded and then leaned in to give me one swift peck on my cheek.

I frowned when he pulled back.

“Don’t pout, baby. You’re killing me.  A guy can only have so much control.”

“And I’m making you lose yours?” I asked.

He took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. “You have no idea, baby.”

A little thrill shot through me and I grinned.

His lips curled up and he shook his head. I leaned up on my toes and kissed him once more soundly on the mouth.

“I’ll see you Thursday,” I whispered.  Before I could change my mind about going slow I hurried back inside and shut the door.  A moment later I heard a thump against the door and a murmured curse.

Right then, as I leaned against my door, breathless, my body humming with desire and my heart cracked wide open, I knew I wouldn’t be able to go slow with Nathan much longer.

This connection between us was inescapable.