“You okay, Pixie?”
“Um, yeah?” I say, still coughing.
Alex reaches down and takes my small hand in his huge one and pulls me toward home. His hand is warm and comforting. I feel safe whenever I’m around him. I don’t know why that is. It isn’t like my life’s been dangerous or anything. My parents have always provided me with a safe environment. I have friends who don’t do crazy stuff. So, what is it I’m feeling about him? Maybe “safe” isn’t the right word. Maybe it’s that I sense that he genuinely cares about me, he wants to be with me, and he won’t let anything bad happen to me. Plus, he wants to touch me. That’s completely new to me, and I like it.
Heading back to Shepard Hall, hand in hand, I can’t help noticing how many people are watching us. Maybe they’re just watching Alex. The man is a magnificent specimen. It doesn’t matter who you are, your eye finds this guy. But I also get the feeling they’re looking at me too, no doubt wondering what Alex is doing withme––why he’s holding the fat girl’s hand. It makes me uncomfortable, but the more I squirm and try to remove my hand from his, the tighter his grip becomes. He’s not hurting me, don’t get me wrong, he’s just gripping me more firmly.
My thoughts are interrupted when a beautiful blonde woman approaches Alex. She’s thin with extremely long legs, which are accentuated by four-inch stilettos. Who wears high heels to college classes? Seriously, we walk miles and miles to get here and there. Wearing heels all day is asking for all sorts of foot issues. The blonde says his name as she saunters closer. When she’s a breath away from him, she leans into Alex, pressing her impressive breasts into his arm. She doesn’t acknowledge me at all. Why would she? This girl has no qualms about messing with a guy who’s standing next to a girl, holding her hand. What happened to us girls sticking together? What about girl power? Sisters before misters—oh wait, not that one.
It’s then that she squeaks, “Hiiii, Alex. Remember me?”
Alex nods and mutters, “Uh, maybe?”
“It’s me, Jules!” She jumps up and down, making it so her chest rubs on his arm. “What have you been up to lately? I haven’t seen you in, like, foreeevvveeerrr.” She draws out the word “forever” forever.
“I’ve been going to class, playing football, and hanging with my girl.”
“Oh, well, that’s nice.” She ignores everything Alex said. “You still have my number, right? You should call me. I’d love to see you again.”
That’s it! I can’t take any more of this. It’s bull crap. First, she’s talking to him like I’m not there, and second, he’s letting it continue. I know girls like her. I live with one. Now I kind of get what the football guys were talking about that night in the dining hall. Girls like her only want him for his future NFL earnings, like Hank said. No matter, Alex is letting this continue, but I don’t have to. I yank my hand away from his. It takes some serious muscle power, but I free myself and start to walk away from Alex and his new blonde friend as quickly as I can. I swear I do not need this crap. Men are clueless. I know there’s nothing between Alex and me, but it still stings to be treated like I’m not even there. It’s hard telling how long that conversation is going to last anyway, and I’ve got to get back. Lily will be at my place any minute. Just as I turn a corner on my way back to the dorm, big arms wrap around my middle, lifting me off the ground.
“Put me down! You’re going to hurt your back. Not to mention that I don’t want to talk to you right now, Alex.”
“Aw, come on now, Pixie. You aren’t hurting my back, but you are breaking my heart. Why’d you run off?” Alex doesn’t let me down. I’m suspended there in his big arms. It’s surprisingly comfortable.
“Seriously? I didn’t want to hang out with you and Blondieas you reminisced over your last date and made plans for your next one,” I grumbled.
“Are you jealous, sweetheart? There’s no reason to be jealous. There has never been nor will there ever beplanswith Blondie. Not that particular blonde anyway.”
“Well, whatever blonde you end up with, I don’t want to hear about it. You guys acted like I wasn’t even there,” I growl. “It was very, very rude.”
“Pix, I’m sorry.” His voice sounds a little remorseful. “I didn’t mean to be rude. She was some girl I met through one of the other guys on the team. He was seeing her, and I may have talked to her at a party or something, but that’s it. I haven’t seen her since. You’re the only blonde I want to be with, babe,” Alex pleads.
He called me “babe.” That is the single hottest thing I’ve ever heard in my life. I’ve seen it written in my romance novels, but hearing Alex call me that? It literally made me tingle.
“I’m sorry. It’s none of my business, Alex. This week has been a roller coaster of emotions. I don’t expect anything from you. You should be with someone like the girl back there. She’s gorgeous.”
“No,you’regorgeous, Stella. How many times do I have to tell you how beautiful you are?”
“Excuse me?” I squeak.
“You’re beautiful. You’re the prettiest girl I’ve ever seen in my life. You’re sweet and kind, funny and spirited. What’s not to like, Pix?”
My mouth falls open. I have no words. Alex doesn’t seem fazed by my silence, because while I’ve been staring up at him, he has gently set me back down onto the ground. He wraps his arms around my back and coaxes me forward so that I’m flush against him. It feels amazing to be this close to him. We fit together like puzzle pieces. He’s so big and warm, and I’msmall in his arms. I watch him as he lowers his face to mine, his lips to mine.
“I’m going to kiss you now, Stella. Okay?”
“Okay.” When his lips touch mine, warmth spreads through me. He opens his mouth, and his tongue touches my lips.
“Open for me, sweetheart,” he whispers.
I open my mouth slightly to give Alex enough room to slide his tongue between my lips. Not to be outdone, I move my tongue against his, trying to mimic his movements. He moans in my mouth. Wow, could anything sound hotter than Alex moaning? The kiss gets even more intense as he turns his head to deepen it. My body vibrates against his. I can’t believe this is happening. Heck, we’re standing on a sidewalk in the middle of campus. I’m sure people can see us. That’s when I feel it––something hard against my belly. I’m pretty sure I know what that thing is, but I’m not ready to figure out for sure right this minute. Off in the distance, someone shouts, “Get a room!”
That jolts me back to reality. I pull away slowly and say, “Um, Alex?”
“Yeah?” He pants. His eyes are almost smoky, and his eyelids are only slightly open as he looks down at me. It’s sexy.He’ssexy.
“I think we should stop. We’re standing out here in front of everyone.”
