Impossible Girl (Sexy Nerd Boys #2.5) (3 page)

The smell of coffee pulls me from a dreamless sleep. I roll over, confused. I don’t remember going to bed at all. The last thing I remember is starting a movie with Dex. He must have put me in my bed once I fell asleep. My heart squeezes a little at the thoughtfulness of that act. I think back on how shamelessly I threw myself at him last night and his blatant brush off. I feel absolutely mortified.

I can honestly say I’ve never been rebuffed like that before. But then he’d stayed and we talked. I actually had a good time just hanging out. My stomach dips at the memory of him smiling at me, rubbing my feet, talking about his mom. Shit, this is such a bad idea. He’s too good of a guy for me. I’m not anybody’s girlfriend. I’m the girl guys fuck before they go home to their girlfriends. I know who I am. I know that I don’t have anything to offer anyone, outside of sex of course. The sooner Dex realizes that, the better it will be for both of us.

My door creaks open and Nikki peeks her head in. When she sees that I’m awake she takes a running leap into the bed. I curl up to protect myself from getting creamed by her flying body and then we both start giggling as she lands with a bounce.

“Up and at ‘em sleepy head,” Nikki commands in a sing song voice.

“Why? It’s Saturday,” I whine and pull the covers over my head.

“Aw are you sleepy from getting plowed all night?” Nikki asks with a knowing smile.

“I fucking wish. He was all gentlemanly and sweet,” I complained, rolling my eyes.

“So he fucked you all respectfully?”

“No, I mean he didn’t fuck me at all.”

“If you’re about to say that you guys ‘made love’ I’m going to demand to know who you are and what you did with my sister.”

I grab a pillow and hit her over the head playfully with it.

“No, dipshit! I mean there was no sex. No penis in vagina action.” She opens her mouth with a wicked smile and I cut her off before she can say what’s clearly on her mind. “Or the mouth or the ass. His dick was nowhere near me...unfortunately.”

“Huh, the way you two were looking at each other at the bar, I thought he was a sure thing. Maybe he has a girlfriend?” she says. My gut clenches at the idea of him with another girl.

“God I hope not,” I groan.

“Not like that’s stopped you before,” she points out with a laugh.

God damn I’m such a filthy skank. I seriously hate myself. She’s right though, I’ve never cared if a guy I was fucking had a girlfriend or not. But Dex is too good. If he has a girlfriend, I want to picture him as a loyal, loving boyfriend.

“Shut up, I’m sleepy and horny and I hate you.” I bury my face in my hands and kick my legs like a child.

“Well, no wonder you’re so crabby this morning then. Do you need a few minutes with Edwardo?” she asks, cocking her head at my night stand where I keep my vibrator which she so hilariously named Edwardo.

“No, I just need coffee.” I roll out of bed and head to the kitchen with her right on my heels.

“So what’s up my lovely sister?” I ask once I am equipped with my large cup of coffee.

“I have some amazing news,” She says, practically bouncing on her heals.

“Are you pregnant?” I quip dryly.

“Haha, just listen,” Nikki says sternly. “I’m going to move in with Lee.” she says with grave censure. I don’t know why she thinks I’m going to freak out. I roll my eyes.

“That’s great. I figured this was coming soon. You and Lee are made for each other. I talked to Abby last night by the way. I think we might finally be able to smooth things over. I know I was a total skank bitch before they got together, but obviously you and Lee are going to get married and Abby’s going to marry Ethan, so we’re practically all family.”

“I’m so glad to hear that. I thought it might freak you out that I’m wifeing up like this. It’s a big step, I know, but I seriously love her so much. I can’t imagine life without her.” Nikki’s face lights up whenever she talks about Lee and I’m genuinely happy for her. I just wish I knew why I feel so damn jealous.

“No I’m happy for you. I guess I’ll have to find a roommate now.” I scrunch my nose at the idea. Maybe I can just pick up extra hours at the bar I work at to cover the full rent myself.

“I love you sis,” Nikki says giving me a bear hug. “I’ve gotta go, but there’s a note on your coffee table from your non-fuck buddy.” she winks at me before heading out. A giddy feeling erupts in my stomach as I sprint for the note that Dex left for me.

I grab my phone and search for Dex but I don’t find him. Confused I open up my list of contacts and scroll down. I can’t help but smile when I find a contact labeled ‘sexy cowboy’. I consider sending him a text but hesitate. What if Nikki is right and he does have a girlfriend? And if he doesn’t have a girlfriend what kind of game is he trying to play? I couldn’t have made it any easier on him to jump me, so why would he turn me down just to be cute and flirtatious? Isn’t the point of flirting to get someone into bed? I decide I’m too confused to send him a text, I’ll just see him Tuesday.

I grab my art supplies and hunker down on the couch to forget Dex. Of course, I end up drawing ten different charcoal pictures of him. His lips, his muscles, his lips again. I am so fucked.

I check my phone every five minutes all day hoping for a text from Remy. I don’t know if I’m more surprised or disappointed when one doesn’t come.

“I can’t tell if you zelous checking of your phone means things went well with Remy or went terribly?” Asher say, a knowing grin on his face as he tosses me a PlayStation controller and keeps one for himself.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I lie smoothly.

“Oh please, Dex I’ve known you for three years now and I’ve never seen you check your phone this many times in one day.”

“Shut up,” I snap.

“Oh man, you must have it bad,” he laughs.

“Look who’s talking,” I shake my head. “Tell me again why you’re at home playing video games instead of out whoring around like you normal? Doesn’t have anything to do with the cute blond from the bar last night would it? Eden was it?” I taunt. Warning Asher away from her is still leaving a bad taste in my mouth, if I’m being honest.

“Her name is Eve,” he bristles.

I smirk and he gives me the finger before starting our game up.

After kicking Asher’s ass at Call of Duty for a solid two hours, I head to my bedroom. I pull my phone out once more and hit the Skype icon. My mom’s face instantly fills the screen smiling brightly.

“Dexter, I’m so glad you called.” My mom is the only one allowed to call me Dexter. “Maya has been asking about you all day.”

“Daddy! Daddy!” I chuckle as the image on the screen blurs and then her face appears. My perfect little angel. She has white blond hair like her mother but she got stuck with my brown eyes, and a perfect little button nose.

“Hey there princess. I miss you.”

“Miss you daddy.” She reaches for something off screen and then pulls her stuffed elephant in front of the camera.

“What have you been up to sweetheart?”

“I drawed you a picture,” she announces excitedly.

“Drew, princess, you drew me a picture,” I correct gently.

“I drew you a picture, daddy.” She grabs a piece of paper and holds it up. “It’s a picture of you and me at the park.”

“That’s great. Tell you what I’ll take you to the park again next weekend when I come to visit, okay?” she nods emphatically and I laugh.

“I have to go potty,” she informs my mom.

“Okay, we’ll talk to you later Dexter.”

“Okay, love you mom, love you Maya.”

“Love you daddy.” I hear Maya shout from halfway down the hallway to the bathroom. God I wish I didn’t have to be away from her like this. My heart gives a squeeze in my chest. I go see her every other weekend, and it’s only for a little while longer, but it’s still hell every time I have to end our call.

I wait in vain for a text or call from Remy. Tuesday rolls around and I find myself checking the time every few minutes all morning. I don’t know why I’m so anxious to see her. This is just a tutoring session. Since she hasn’t called or texted, I’m not even sure she’s going to show. I take a deep breath and hold it for a moment trying to calm my thrumming pulse

At one minute past noon, the door to the math tutoring center creaks open and Remy peeks in nervously.

“Remy,” I smile and wave her in.

She steps through the door and I can’t contain a laugh when I see her shirt. It’s tight across her chest and reads ‘Save a horse, Ride a cowboy’. My gaze lingers on her caramel valley between her breasts. God, what I wouldn’t give to trace my tongue along the hidden contours of her body.

“So, do you like the shirt or are you just an embarrassingly slow reader?” she teases. Shit. I’ve been staring at her chest for way too long. I clear my throat and gesture towards one of the round tables in the room.

It turns out that Remy is an excellent student. She listens to my tips and tricks and applies them easily. The hour tutoring session flies by in no time at all.

“So should I put you down for a regular spot on Tuesdays at noon?” I ask as she’s packing up to leave.

“Sure, that sounds great.” She smiles and tucks her hair behind her ear. Against my better judgement I take a step closer to her. Like a moth to a damn flame. She looks up at me with wide eyes and bites her lip. Everything in me aches to kiss her.

“Do you have a girlfriend?” she asks out of nowhere. Her question catches me off guard. It sounds pathetic but I’ve never had a girlfriend. Sure, I had women I had sex with in high school. But then Maya came along and I got a lot pickier about the women I spent time with.

“No, darlin’.”

“Oh, so you’re not dating anyone?” she asks again. I let out a low chuckle. She’s freaking adorable when she’s flustered.

“No, I mean unless you count yourself.”

“Me?”

“Yeah, when you let me take you out this weekend, then I will be ‘dating’ you.” Kinda lame I know, but I hold my breath waiting for her answer.

She looks down and sighs.

“I don’t date, cowboy.”

When she looks back up at me, her easy-going expression from a moment ago is replaced by a seductive grin she wears like a mask. Is it to keep people from getting too close?

“But what’s the point of dating anyway? I mean, the whole point of dating is to hopefully impress the person into bed. I’m more than happy to skip to the end, no phony wooing required,” she suggests in a lusty voice.

“Remy!” A man shouts enthusiastically as he enters the room. It’s my next tutoring student, Trey Malcom, the quarterback. “How’s it going, sexy thing?” he asks as his eyes roam over her body appreciatively. My hands curl into fists. It’s all I can do not to grab him by his throat and demand he treat her with more respect.

“Hi, Trey,” she says, glancing at me out of the corner of her eye.

“Are you coming to my party this weekend? You were my favorite guest last time.” He winks at her and my blood boils. Trey is an idiot and a jackass and doesn’t deserve a second of Remy’s time.

“Maybe,” she answers, adjusting her backpack and biting her bottom lip. She looks over at me, fiddling with the straps on her backpack, then gives me a shrug that clearly says ‘come on, like you hadn’t heard my reputation’. “See you later Dex.”

I spend the rest of the afternoon trying to figure out why Dex asked me on a date. What type of ulterior motive could he possibly have? I already offered him sex, which he turned down. What other reason would a man have to ask me on a date? It’s like a damn riddle or something and it has me flustered and annoyed. My phone buzzes on my coffee table. My heart leaps, hoping that it’s Dex.

I sigh, forcing myself to get up and think about what to wear. Not that there’s anyone at girl’s night who would care if I showed up in a ratty T-shirt and sweatpants both covered in paint. But there’s no reason to leave the house looking like a slob. I clean up my paint supplies and go to get dressed.

“Rem!” Nikki shrieks as she throws open her apartment door. “You don’t have to knock, you’re my freaking sister! You can walk right on in, silly.”

It’s true that in the past we’ve always had an open-door policy with our living spaces, but now it feels weird walking in when someone else lives here too. I look to Lee, gauging her feelings about Nikki’s proclamation.

“She’s right, Remy. And try to be as obnoxious as possible so that my brother doesn’t look so rude” she says with a laugh.

“Hey Remy.” Abby forces an awkward smile as I step into the apartment. Well, an awkward smile is still better than an outright glare. I’ll take that as a step in the right direction.

“Hey,” I return the smile and then head to the kitchen to grab the cherry vodka that’s always above the refrigerator. “I assume by ‘celebrate’ you meant get trashed, right?”

Abby turns on some music and we all proceed to get obliterated.

“Can I ask you a question Rem?” Abby slurs after slamming down her fifth shot. Or maybe it was her sixth? I’ve lost track.

“Sure, but keep in mind I’m trying to make friends with you,” I reply with a giggle as I pour myself another shot. Getting more on the table than in the shot glass, I slump forward and lick the spilled liquor off the table.

“Why were you so hard up for Ethan before?”

“Honestly?” I ask, now taking the shot that managed to make it into the glass.

She nods.

“I guess I felt like we had a lot in common. Before you came along, he was just as cynical about relationships and emotions as I am.”

“Okay, I can understand that,” she says, still trying to control her laughter.

“So, is he amazing in bed?” I ask shamelessly.

“Oh, hell yeah. There are two types of guys in the world: guys who are looking to get theirs and get out, and guys who can’t get off unless they get their woman off. And I swear, it’s like Ethan can’t even function properly if he doesn’t make sure I have at least two orgasms a day.”

“Holy shit, I could not be more jealous. I need to find a man like that,” I gripe.

“Don’t take this the wrong way, but maybe you just need to make a guy work for it a little bit,” Abby offers.

“Yeah, stop being a skank,” Nikki agrees between drunken chuckles. I pour myself another shot. God, they’re probably right.

“I just want what you guys all have,” I admit sadly. I must be drunk as a skunk to actually admit that out loud.

“Well how about your cowboy? Maybe you should give him a chance to work for it,” Nikki suggests. The problem with that whole plan: when you’re dealing with real feelings, you can get hurt.

The apartment door opens and Ethan peeks his head in.

“Hey, don’t want to interrupt girl’s night, but I thought you ladies might be hungry.” He holds up a pizza box with a cute smirk on his face.

“Did you do this for brownie points?” Abby asks, suspicion lacing her tone.

“Yes ma’am,” Ethan replies with an honest smile. My chest clenches at the way he looks at her, like she’s the only woman in the world.

“Brownie points earned,” she assures him, pecking him on the cheek.

Ethan sets the pizzas down on the table and then pulls Abby in close for a tender kiss. I want that. The question is, can I even have that? I sigh when they part and everyone looks at me.

“Sorry. I was just worrying that maybe it’s too late for me. Maybe I’ll never get a nice guy like Dex because nice guys like Dex don’t want skanks, even skanks trying to reform.”

“A guy who really likes you won’t care about your history,” Ethan assures me. “Just give him a chance to get to know you.”

“I’ll think about it,” I concede.