So much for turning over a new leaf.
Chapter 6
Sloane
Then
“Your mom sounds like a real sweetheart.”
I scrunch my nose at Eric as I slide my phone back into my pocket. The sarcasm in his voice is as evident as my aggravation with my mother and her sudden interest in parenting. After eighteen years of ignoring me and pawning me off on every nanny, housekeeper, and seemingly competent person within a five-mile radius, she’s decided that now—when I’m living on campus and trying to carve out some semblance of an independent existence—is the time for her to get in touch with her maternal instincts.
And all you had to do to get her attention was cut loose for one night.
One night where I did what I wanted when I wanted. One night where I made decisions and didn’t worry about how it reflected on my family or what it said about my worth as a woman in society. One night where I was free and blissfully unaware of the ramifications I would still be facing months later. And all of the aggravation and nagging would’ve been worthit if I could remember more than a few bits and pieces of it.
I toss myself back on Eric’s bed and frown up at the ceiling. Phone calls with my mom always leave me agitated and spoiling for a fight, and I don’t want to direct any of that at him. “She’s a monster.”
“True, but that doesn’t mean you have to let it ruin your day.”
He lies down beside me, forcing me to turn on my side to accommodate his wide frame on the twin-sized mattress, and an easy grin stretches across his face. It’s all dimples and straight white teeth surrounded by full lips that make me want to spend all my time kissing him.
We’ve only been dating for a few months, but I already feel safe and at home with him in a way I never have with anyone else. He just has this calming energy around him. A serene aura I want to soak into my bones until letting things roll off of my back comes to me as easily as it does to him.
“You’re right.” I scoot closer to him and tip my mouth up for a kiss, which he happily gives. “I’d much rather spend the rest of my afternoon kissing you.”
“Mm-hmm. That sounds like a plan.” He gives me another short peck before breaking the kiss to look at his phone. “One we’ll have to make a reality as soon as I get my clothes out of the dryer. I’ll be right back.”
He’s off of the bed and bounding out of the door before I get the chance to sit up all the way. The door snaps closed behind him, leaving me with nothing but silence and the leftover agitation from my mom to keep me company. I lie back down and close my eyes, hoping to shake off the last vestige of irritation before Eric gets back. A few moments later, when my breathing has evened out and I feel as close to chill as I’m going to get, I hear the key in the lock and the faint sounds of the doorknob turning that let me know Eric’s back.
His heavy footsteps ring out against the tile floor, stopping short at the foot of the bed. I can’t stop the goofy smile that takes over my face asI imagine him standing over me.
“Are you just going to stand there or are you going to finish what you started before you abandoned me for laundry?”
“Wrong guy.”
My eyes fly open, and I sit up when I see the tall, male figure looming over me, a deep frown marring his features as he watches me process his words with rapt curiosity. His voice is still ringing in my ears when I swing my legs over the side of Eric’s bed and stand. I regret the move instantly.
The walkway between the beds is narrow, and his big frame is already taking up most of it. He stares down at me, and for a second he looks like he isn’t going to do the proper thing and back up a little, but eventually he does. With his eyes still on me, he takes a seat on the bed on the other side of the room.
“Oh my God.” I hold my hand over my racing heart and try to arrange my body in a more suitable position. “You scared the hell out of me.”
“All I did was walk into my room.”
“Yes, but you could have announced yourself.”
He crosses his arms over his chest. “Why would I do that? This ismyroom.”
His room. Of course.My startled mind finally catches up to reality, recalling the sound of the key in the door and the confident way he moved around the room. This must be Dominic. Eric’s best friend and roommate, who I haven’t so much as laid an eye on since we started dating. The only thing I know about the guy is he became friends with Eric and his twin sister, Mallory, when they were young and they’ve been joined at the hip ever since.
Usually, this information would be enough to make me change course and try to make a good impression, but there’s something adversarial about his tone that lets me know it won’t matter.
“Right, but there’s always the possibility your roommate could havecompany.”
He rolls his eyes. “My roommate has spent more time in your bed than his own in the last few months, so I tend not to worry about who I might find in a room I usually have to myself.”
The mention of the time Eric has spent in my bed is accurate since, thanks to my mother, I’m one of the only freshmen on campus with a single room, but his words still make me blush. They seem to be dripping with equal parts innuendo and disdain. Like he’s intrigued and disgusted at the idea of his best friend spending time with me.
“I—”
