Authors: Andra Lake
“Now I think it was his fault.” She crossed one leg over the other and crossed her arms, evidently getting ready for a show down. “I also think you’re stupid for putting yourself in that position, and I’m not the only one that feels that way. Do you know how many girls Ian Crawford has gotten with? Carly was telling me just how big a player he is the other day, weren’t you, Carly?”
Carly’s face turned bright red. She looked like she wanted to crawl under the table.
Melissa turned back to me, smiling smugly. “We were saying he might be hot, but he isn’t interested in actually dating a girl.”
I raised my chin. “He’s dating me.”
If possible her eyes narrowed even more until they were angry slits. I could feel the resentment coming off her in waves. “For now. Until he gets tired of you.”
“Hey,” Lena cut in. “That’s not cool.”
“He won’t,” I said.
Melissa snorted. “What makes you so special?”
I ignored her comment both because I didn’t have an answer for it and because I knew if I focused on it for even a second longer, I might cry. As it was I felt my resolve breaking. “You used to like him. I think you just have a problem with me dating him.”
She rolled her eyes. “His ego is already rubbing off on you.”
I stood and shoved my chair back. My hands were shaking so hard, I knew I wouldn’t be able to carry my tray. So I just left it. I turned and stormed out of the cafeteria knowing full well it looked like I was throwing a fit, but knowing the alternative was worse. There was no way I was going to break down and cry in front of a hall full of people.
Outside I heard Lena calling my name and I stopped by a tree to wait for her. Somehow I felt more hidden there. People walked past, glancing at me questioningly or trying not to look at me at all.
“Are you okay?” Lena asked, catching up with me.
“I’ll be fine,” I muttered, wiping the tears from my eyes. “It wasn’t like Melissa and I were good friends or anything.”
“Don’t let it bother you. Vanessa is in the past.”
I nodded. I really didn’t want to drag out the conversation. Especially when someone walking by could overhear us “I’ll be okay. Really. Thanks for coming after me though.”
“Are you sure?”
I nodded.
“All right, I’ll go finish my dinner then,” she said but waited a moment in case I changed my mind. “Come to my room later if you want to talk.”
“I will.”
She gave me a tight hug and then returned to the cafeteria, and I headed back to my room, where I changed into my running clothes before hitting the pathways. Like before I ran the path along the woods and into the community of houses at the edge of campus, and then returned through Quad.
As I walked through the dark field and past the fountain, a smile tugged at my lips as the memory of the last time I cut through here at night after a run. I remembered lying on my back on the grass under the stars and Ian’s head appearing above mine, a grin on his face and his green eyes bright with mischief. I’d wanted him to lean down and kiss me. Instead he’d made one of his wise-ass cracks about me being on my back. Warmth suffused my being as I remembered the way he’d walked me home and how determined he was to prove he wasn’t an asshole.
Challenge Accepted
. I giggled to myself.
Ian was a good person, I was certain of that. I couldn’t take away all the effort he’d made with me, and the intense feelings between us, just because of his past with Vanessa. Who cared what anyone else thought? It was Ian and me now. And as for what the future would bring…Well I would just have to take that risk.
When I got back to the room, Melissa was studying at her desk. She ignored me and I ignored her. I pulled out a large purse and threw everything I’d need into it: cosmetic bag, pajamas, clothes for tomorrow. Then I filled my messenger bag with books for tomorrow’s classes and left.
Ian pulled open his door wearing only flannel pajama bottoms. He crossed his arms and cocked a hip against the doorframe. “Miss Watson. I’m having a serious case of deja-vu.”
Last time he’d answered his door half-naked I’d also been coming to ask a favor, I realized. “Do you always hang around without your shirt on?”
“When I’m in my own home, yes.” He frowned, seeing right through me. “What’s wrong?”
“Melissa. Can I stay here tonight?”
“Sweetheart,” he said, putting an arm around me, “I’ll never say no to that.”
***
Things with Melissa only got worse.
At first she only freezed me out, which I could take. It was uncomfortable, sure, but I could put up with the heavy silence while I packed my books for class or got ready for bed. But then she upped the ante.
At first I noticed a few items of clothes missing and assumed that despite our differences, she was still going to borrow them. Then things started to move around my room. Textbooks, pens, you name it—I found them in the weirdest places. One Monday between classes I stopped by my room and finally exploded when I couldn’t find a pair of chucks for over an hour. When I finally found them, and realized I was late for class, I marched outside our room and wrote on the whiteboard: “Melissa, kindly stop putting my shoes in my desk drawers.”
Ian even tried talking to her about it, being her RC, but she turned the innocent act on in high force. She helpfully suggested that perhaps I was just overtired from all my commitments and had put the shoes in the desk myself. The next day she went out and bought a special shoe rack for me and put a little bow on it.
I was starting to hate her.
Ian, on the other hand, saw it as a blessing. “She’s going to do what she’s going to do, and there’s nothing either of us can do about it. Just stay here from now on.”
We were hanging out in his apartment during a break. I spent most of my time here now but, with the exception of a weekend night or two, I always went home to my room to sleep. Even if it was already early morning. Having my own room, as miserable as the current situation was, provided a much-needed boundary between us.
I scoffed at the suggestion. “What’s the rent? Blowjobs?”
He grinned. “I’m tempted to say one a day.”
I shook my head, trying not to smile. “I can’t move in, Ian.”
“Not
move in
. Leave a bunch of your stuff here for safekeeping. Then you won’t have to go back to that place all the time.”
I shook my head again.
“All right, how about weekends and Tuesday through Thursday,” he negotiated. “You can have Monday off.”
“How nice of you.” I laughed. “Weekends maybe.”
“Weekends and Wednesdays. We’ll sneak you out early on Thursday mornings. Think about it: four Melissa-free nights. And I’ll give you a shoulder massage.”
I bit my lip. Now that sounded nice. And if he’d actually moved off campus, I probably would have caved right then. But he was still acting as RC and didn’t need a student living with him now too.
“You’re sweet,” I said and leaned in to kiss him on the cheek and inhale the familiar scent along his hairline. That purely Ian smell that made me want to sigh dreamily before nestling into his chest.
Instead I got up on my knees so our faces were closer to being level and pressed my lips to his. Ian responded, his hand cupping the back of my head and pulling me closer. I moaned into his mouth as his other hand moved under my shirt and bra to play with the nipple, squeezing so that I gasped. He repeated the action with my other nipple, this time flicking the hardened tip with his thumb as he kneaded the breast.
Breathless, I broke the kiss, my hands moving to his fly. With all the talk of blowjobs, I suddenly wanted to taste him. I held his cock and bent at the waist, tilting my head to the side so I could look him in the eyes as I flicked the tip with my tongue teasingly.
“You like that?”
In response he tugged lightly on my ponytail. “Lick the shaft.”
I obeyed, starting at the tip and moving to the base and back up again, tilting my head to the side again as I finished at the tip. Ian’s eyes were dark and dilated, his jaw tight as if he was restraining himself.
“You like that?” he asked back in a deep voice.
“Mm hmm.”
I slid my lips over his cock. Leaning into his crotch with my ass in the air, I bobbed up and down, up and down. He tasted of Ian and smelled of laundry. My panties and the insides of my thighs were soaked. I groaned with appreciation when Ian reached around me and undid my jeans, pulled them down my legs along with my panties. His fingers began to stroke me as I sucked, causing me to whimper around him.
When his fingers stilled suddenly, I moaned and stopped moving.
“Keep going,” he said in a warning tone. “If you keep doing a good job, I’ll reward you.”
I tightened my lips and moved faster, desperate to please him. At the same time I spread my legs, hoping to tempt him into touching me again.
“Good girl.” His fingers returned and I shuddered. His teasing had made me hotter, moved me closer to climax.
Encouraged, I took him even deeper. His answering groans vibrated through me and into my pussy. My bud was hard now and I knew it wouldn’t take me much longer. Just as the first shudders of orgasm hit me, his shaft convulsed as cum shot repeatedly onto the back of my tongue. I swallowed as I came, my mouth still on his cock.
After licking him clean, I sat back, my eyes downcast. My pants were still down around my knees. Feeling shy I moved to stand and pull them back up, but Ian grabbed me, pulled me into his lap before tugging my pants off entirely.
“Not so fast. We’re keeping these off until your next class. No pants Tuesday.”
“Not fair!” I cried, struggling to free myself and failing miserably. “You have your pants on still.”
“It’s a female only event. Besides, you look so cute in only your socks and T-shirt. We should celebrate every Tuesday.”
“As long as we celebrate No Pants Wednesday. A male only event.”
“Ha!” Ian scoffed. “Haven’t you figured it out by now, Lex? I make the rules.”
At that moment, the door to his room flew open.
***
There was nothing to cover me with.
My pants were on the other side of the couch. There was no blanket in sight. I bent my legs to block the view and Ian wrapped his arms around my knees, trying to shield me.
A tall and intimidating blonde woman stood in the doorway wearing a pristine suit and holding a Louis Vuitton purse. She looked us over and raised her chin, her lips pursed tightly.
“I’ll wait in the lounge,” she said in a clipped voice. Then she turned on her heel and left.
“Fuck,” Ian swore as the door slammed closed. He pushed to his feet and shoved both his hands through his hair, a muscle thrumming dangerously along the edge of his jaw. After a moment of pacing he leaned down and put an arm under my waist, helped me to stand on shaky legs. His arm remained around my waist. He didn’t let me go.
I already knew the answer, but I had to ask. My heart was in my throat.
“Ian, who was that?”
He glanced away guiltily before responding. “That was my mother.”
…
To be continued in
Ian Crawford #4
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Andra Lake is a New Adult, Paranormal and Erotic Romance writer—sometimes combining all three. When not writing, she's traveling around the world, spending time with the people she loves, or reading in her PJs. She seeks passion in all areas of life.
Entertaining people through her stories is Andra’s dream, and she longs to hear from you. You can email her at [email protected] or visit her at
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Other Titles by Andra Lake
Overexposed Series (BDSM):
His Indecent Proposal
His Dark Secret
His Dangerous Game
His Wicked Promise
Ian Crawford Series (New Adult Erotic Romance):
Here Comes Trouble
Flirting with Disaster
Sweet and Sinful
Under My Skin (Breathless Press)
A Dark Gift (Evernight Publishing)