“Spermy?” Lawson pitches his head backward and groans. “I wouldn’t worry about it. At about one hundred twenty degrees, most germs and sperm disintegrate to nothing.”
“It isnotone hundred twenty degrees in here.” I scoot in close, and that happy-to-see-me part of his body presses hard over my stomach. “It’s one hundred twenty degrees in you, though. Looks as if you have magma coursing through your veins and you’re just dying to blow.” I land my lips over his and let Lawson lash me with his tongue in the most delicate way. Lawson kisses like he’s coming in to dominate, to love, to treasure you.
He reaches back for his jeans and pulls a condom out of his wallet.
“I hate to add to the germy-spermy nature of our little coital cauldron.” He gives a quick wink.
“Can you put that thing on under water?” I marvel as Lawson does just that.
“Like a pro.” His lids grow heavy in that sleepy seductive way as he settles me on top of him. My legs wrap around his back as he presses his way inside.
I run my lips up his cheek and take a generous bite out of his earlobe. “I like how we fit,” I whisper.
“I like how we fit, too.”
Lawson and I have ridden out one storm after another, and here we are on a clear spring day, loving one another both physically and emotionally deeper than I ever thought possible. I had relegated all men, all people as something akin to window dressing in this life, nothing of real use or value to me. I thought people came and went, and when you cared too much they just flat out died. But Lawson here is solid and real, alive and well, and best of all, he’s all mine.
Lucky,luckyme.
Lawson
On this thelast Friday before finals, the entire Row has emptied out and set its sights on the Black Bear. Lucky and Ava are meeting us here, but they’re running behind. Lucky mentioned something about a crisis with Harper and her boyfriend. I’ve had the displeasure of meeting the tool dating my little sorority sister, and I don’t care too much for the idiot. He’s made it clear he has eyes for just about every other girl, and my gut says he doesn’t stop at merely checking out the menu. If I ever hear that he’s stepped out on her, I’ll smash his face through the nearest window.
Grant nudges me as we step into the thick of the bar and nods to the back where Jet and Rex sit and we head on over.
“What’s up?” Jet rises and slaps Grant five then me. I’m just thankful he didn’t go for my face with that baseball mitt he calls a hand. “Where are the girls?” He gives a slight frown as he says it.
“We’re meeting up.” I pan the vicinity for Lucky, but come up empty once again. “Where are your girls?” Now it’s me frowning at Rex—not that I have any beef left with the guy. My sister cares about him. Hell, so do I.
“On their way,” Rex counters. “So, are things okay with you and Lucky?”
My eyes flit to Jet just long enough to assess that his head hasn’t popped off just yet. “Better than okay.” What can I say? I’m feeling ballsy tonight. “I think we finally got back on track—the right track.” God knows Lucky and I have traveled a few dead-end, broken-down tracks that led to the pit of despair, but this entire last semester, this entire year with her in my life—even if it was in the periphery in the beginning—has been the best year of my life. Lucky filled a gaping hole in my heart that I didn’t even know I had.
Jet and Grant step aside and carry on a conversation of their own.
“Hey”—Rex leans in—“what’s up with that chick Knox is seeing?” He nods just past the dance floor to where Janelle is speaking to Eli, and my stomach turns.
“I don’t know, but I know the dude. Eli’s a great guy. If he knew she was with Knox, he wouldn’t even be talking to her.” At least not like that. He’s practically parting her legs with his knee at the moment.
“It’s not him I’m worried about.” Rex looks good and ticked for his little brother. No sooner does Eli wrap his arm around Janelle’s waist than Knox appears looking a bit stunned by their proximity. Of course, Eli does the respectable thing and walks the hell away—my way in fact.
“What’s up?” I pull him in.
Eli looks just as stunned as Knox. “Dude, I thought I had a home run and this chick’s boyfriend struts right up. And it’s fucking Knox! What the hell is that?”
Rex and I exchange glances.
“That my friend, is how my brother’s soon-to-be ex-girlfriend operates.” I shake my head at Rex. “I’ll talk to Knox first thing. I had a funny feeling about her. I could have sworn she was hitting on me all semester. I guess it was true.”
“I’m not waiting.” Rex starts to storm off, and I pull him back. “Give them a second. Maybe talk to him in private. You don’t want to rip his balls off in front of her.”
Scarlett comes up with Ava and the most stunning girl in the room, Lucky Madden.
Lucky wraps her arms around my waist as we sway to the music. “Who’s getting their balls ripped off?” She laughs as if the idea amused her. Lucky has never been one to shy away from the topic of male mutilation, at least not where I’m concerned, at least not in the beginning.
“I’m good.” I glance over as Rex fills Scarlett in, and her face explodes as red as a cherry. My sister cannot hide very far from our Irish roots. I’m glad she’s found someone decent, someone who would never do to her what Janelle is doing to poor Knox.
“It must be serious.” Ava leans in. “Dish.”
