University Park Series Box Set: Books 1-3 (32 page)

Pressing the phone to my mouth, I tried
to recall where I’d left my clothes. That’s when I remembered that Raven had
removed them in the living room. My bags were in there, too. I’d have to pass
the kitchen to get them. I circled the room, vying for the best option when I
saw one of Raven’s long-sleeved dress shirts hanging on the edge of a chair. My
options were few: run out naked and retrieve my clothes, go through his drawers
and find something to wear, or put on his shirt. I opted for the most obvious.

And boy was I glad I did.

His scent lingered on the material and I
inhaled deeply. My eyes shut as I sucked in every fiber of his smell. It sent
tiny shocks through me while relaxing me at the same time. I wrapped the shirt
around me, reveling in a paradise that I never wanted to part from. Ever.

“Like the way my clothes smell?” Raven
stood in the doorway, holding onto the doorframe with both hands. A flirtatious
smile played on the edge of his lips and he looked sexy. Contrary to how I
probably appeared. Like an idiot!

Kill me now, please.

“Um…” I relaxed my arms, but made sure
the material covered my bare body. “I, um, left my clothes in the living room.”

“Correction.” His hands dropped and he
neared me. “I took your clothes off in the living room.”

“Oh, well, yeah, I guess you’re right. I
mean, you did strip them off of me.” I shifted my weight from my left hip to
the right.

“I sure did.” He cocked a brow. “And I
can’t wait to do it again.”

A low whimper escaped from the back of
my throat. My hands relaxed and I allowed his shirt to fall open. His eyes
dropped to my chest and he extended his hands. I shuddered as my skin prepared
to receive his touch. My knees shook and muscles went limp.

“But you need to eat first.” His fingers
grasped the top button of his shirt and my stomach let out a rumble, thanking
him while my body screamed,
no!

“Food would be good,” I managed to
reply, unable to form complete sentences or articulate thoughts. I was in
desperate need of food. After last night and this morning, I was totally spent.

Raven’s eyes traveled over me, making my
checks flush with heat. “Damn, you look sexy as hell in my shirt.”

“It’s amazing how your clothes do that
to me.” I ran a hand through my matted hair and prayed I looked somewhat
decent.

“I think it’s the other way around.” One
by one, his fingers pushed each button through the holes. “You make my clothes
look damn good.” After he finished buttoning the shirt, he pressed a kiss to my
forehead. “Let’s eat.”

He took me by the hand and led me to the
kitchen. On the dining room table was breakfast for two. My heart melted as I
took note of the perfectly folded napkin and spoon with two bowls of cereal and
orange juice.

“I know it’s not much, but it’s all that
I have.” He flashed a lopsided smile. “I wasn’t expecting to stay here.”

“It’s perfect, Raven.” I pulled out a
chair. “Thank you.”

We sat and ate our breakfast, chatting
like we normally did. Everything felt so natural and comfortable with him. I
still couldn’t believe we were together. That I had given myself to him. That I
had shared that special bond with him. It was surreal and fabulous. I heard my
phone going off in his room and quickly reminded myself that this day would
soon end.

I finished the last drop of my juice and
set the glass on the table. “I guess I should take a shower and get dressed so
you can take me home.”

Raven’s eyes drifted to his bowl and he
pressed the spoon in the small puddle of milk. His chest rose and fell in long,
slow paces as his shoulders slumped forward over the table. I waited for him to
say something, but he didn’t speak.

After several long minutes, I finally
said, “My mom said there was a bad winter storm due to arrive in a few hours.
She didn’t want me to get caught in it.” I stood up and took my bowl and glass
to the sink.

“I’ll get it.” Raven followed me to the
kitchen, carrying his empty dishes.

“I can help you wash them.” I turned on
the water and began to rinse my glass.

Raven reached his hand over mine and
turned off the water. “Stay with me.”

I looked at him, completely caught off
guard. “What?”

“You heard me.” He turned me to face
him. “Don’t go.”

My heart took flight as excitement raced
through me. Raven wanted me to stay with him? Was I dreaming?

“Seriously?” I placed my hands on his
chest, fighting to keep my fingers under my control. The tips of my fingernails
dragged across his smooth skin, erupting tiny flesh bumps. “You really want me
to stay with you?”

“Only if you want to.” He wrapped his
arms around my waist, splaying his hands along the curve of my back. I leaned
back, allowing our eyes to connect. His hands slid down until the edge of his
fingers brazed the bottom of my butt cheeks. It sent tiny sparks along my flesh
and all of the air in my lungs vanished.

“So, you want to wake up with me every
morning?”

Raven’s head tilted to the side and my
lips followed his. “Is that too much to ask for?” Everything seemed to slip
away as I imagined spending the next few days with him. The entire world
could’ve been crumbling around me, but I didn’t hear one sound, except for his
hypnotic voice that wrapped around me, lulling me deeper into his trap. I
wanted his voice to be the last sound I heard every night.

“No, not at all.”

“Good.” His lips puckered against my
mouth in a slow, deliberate motion. “Because I want to see you tomorrow and
every day after that, just to start.” He smoothed my hair around my face and I
fell for him all over again. There was no turning back.

∑

Raven stepped out of the bathroom
wearing only a towel. I tried not to watch him as I looked through the mirror,
applying my mascara, but the scene was more than tempting. He stood with his
back to me as he searched through his chest of drawers for some clothes.
Droplets of water trickled down the curve of his spine and I wanted lick them
off before taking his towel to dry him. Pat him in all the right places and
then rub lotion all over his body. My mind focused on one thing only.

Raven.

He released his towel and I dropped my
mascara wand. His ass was so plump and round, exactly how a football players
rump looks underneath their tight pants. I quickly retrieved the wand and tried
to focus on my face, but my eyes continued to wander to the reflection of Raven
getting dressed behind me.

He put on his jeans and I let out an
audible sigh. “What’s that noise?” Inclining his ear in the direction of the
window, he paused as he listened for a moment.

“What?” I had been so consumed by his
presence that I hadn’t noticed the sound of pellets beating on the window.

“Is that ice?” He pulled on a sweater
and went to the window. “Damn, it’s sleeting,” he said, peering outside.

I zipped up my makeup bag and walked
toward him. Glancing over his shoulder, I saw the ground was covered in tiny
white BBs, making it look like a blanket of snow. It was coming down hard and
fast, slashing against the window. “If it freezes tonight, it’s going to be an
ice rink outside.”

“I know.” He let go of the blinds and
faced me. “We better hurry up and get to the store. Otherwise, we won’t have
anything to eat.”

“Okay, let me get my shoes and we can
go.” I darted to the living room and put on my boots and coat. Raven pulled on
his jacket and grabbed his keys.

“Ready?” he asked as he fit the cap over
my head. “You’re so beautiful.” Leaning forward, he kissed the top of my head.

I smiled uncontrollably. “And you’re one
sexy babe.” He knew how to strike all the right chords, making my body hum in
delight. I slipped on my gloves and picked up my purse.

“Then that means we make one awesome
looking couple.” Raven winked and then opened the door. A gust of frigid air
swept over us and we both gasped. It prickled my skin and my teeth began to
chatter uncontrollably. “Damn, that’s cold.” He shoved the key in the slot and
locked the door behind us.

We walked to the parking lot, our feet
sliding on the ice that had already started sticking to the pavement. “This is
going to be bad,” I said, moving to the wet grass. The last thing I needed was
to fall and break my leg.

“It sure is. Perfect weather for
sleeping in, watching movies…” Raven wrapped his arms around me and placed a
kiss on the nape of my neck, “and having sex.”

“Raven…” A giggle escaped my mouth and a
shiver danced down my spine as his warm breath radiated along the back of my
neck. “Don’t tempt me.”

“Oh, baby, I’ll do more than tempt you.”
He hugged me tighter, continuing to nibble on my ear and neck.

I wiggled in his arms until I was able
to turn and face him. “Are you sure you want to go to the store?” I latched on
to his bottom lip and sucked on it, kneading it between my teeth as I glided my
tongue into his mouth.

“Shit.” He moaned low in his throat and
I let go. “I guess I shouldn’t tease you unless we are both ready for some
action.”

I placed my glove-covered hand on his
cheek. “But don’t you like knowing what’s to come?” I raised my brows, trying
to entice him.

His eyes widened and he smiled. “Hell
yeah.”

“Then don’t stop.”

“I won’t.” He planted several kisses all
over my face in a hurry as if he couldn’t get enough of me. I laughed at the
feeling of his stubble brushing against my skin. It tickled my skin and I
couldn’t wait for him to do that to my entire body. Not releasing me, he began
to walk and I treaded backwards, trusting him to guide me. “But if I don’t keep
my focus, we’ll never make it to the store.”

“Is that a bad thing?”

“It might be if we’re iced in.” He
lifted me in the air, but my feet automatically searched for the ground. “Curb
ahead.”

I yelped when I lost my footing and nearly
tripped when my feet touched the asphalt. We stumbled to the car, laughing
uncontrollably. My butt tensed when Raven pressed me against his car. Coldness
seeped through my leggings and my body shivered.

Raven quickly pressed the button on his
remote and opened the door for me. I got in and rubbed my hands together,
trying to warm them through the knitted fabric. The coldness seeped through the
holes, numbing my fingers. He started the car and cranked up the heat. I
wiggled my toes, trying to restore the blood flow. In the short amount of time
it took to get to the car, my body had turned into a popsicle.

Raven pulled out of the parking lot and
drove to the main road. The ice crunched beneath the pressure of the tires and
I could feel the back of the car fishtailing along the way. “Shit, it’s slick.”

“Can you make it to the store?”

He gripped the steering wheel tighter
and his skin cracked. “Yeah, I can make it. I just need to drive slowly.” He
rolled his shoulders and I could tell he was trying his best to stay calm. “I
just don’t want to wreck this car.”

“I understand. If I had a car like this,
I’d make sure to take care of it, too.” I internally questioned how he could
afford to drive a nice car. To my knowledge, he didn’t have a job and after
learning more about his mom, I was certain that she didn’t have the money to
buy him a vehicle. I hoped he wasn’t involved in anything illegal. Recalling
the wad of money I’d seen him pull from his pockets, it made me wonder.

“Since this car is a lease, I have to
take care of it,” Raven openly admitted and it chiseled away some of my
concerns.

“Oh, so you’re leasing it?”

“Not exactly. It was given to me to use
and it’s paid for monthly,” he turned to look at me, “but you’re not supposed
to know that.”

“Who pays for it?” I questioned, eager
to know more.

He tapped his finger repeatedly along
the steering wheel as he kept his gaze straight ahead. I could sense his
reluctance to tell me the secret he hadn’t shared with anyone.

“I’m sorry, I don’t mean to pry.” I shifted
in my seat and readjusted the seat belt. A part of me wished I hadn’t asked,
but another part couldn’t help but wonder what the story behind the vehicle
was. I averted my attention to the cars that surrounded us, not wanting to
press the subject further. Several cars were headed in the same direction we
were, crawling along the way. The sky was grey and to the northwest, a row of
thick, ominous clouds proved that the storm was far from over. The wind
whistled and howled, rocking the car like it was a toy.

“I can trust you, right?” He broke the
silence and I quickly turned toward him. He looked at me for a quick second
before returning his focus to the road.

“Of course. I’m not going to tell
anyone.”

“I won the use of this car in a bet. A
bet that was illegal and could get me kicked out of school and off the team for
good.”

“Raven,” I gasped, surprised that he
would do that. What else was he involved in? Was I placing my life at risk by
associating with him? Things had definitely changed since last night and I
prayed I hadn’t made a huge mistake.

“I know. I think about it every time I
get behind the wheel.” He drove cautiously around the traffic circle, making
sure to keep a safe distance from the other cars around us. I was glad that he
wasn’t trying to show off. It proved that he truly cared about our safety and
the protection of the car he didn’t own.

“So, give it back.” I extended my hand
and rested it on his shoulder. I ran my hand up and down his arm in long, slow
strides. “It’s okay to tell someone ‘no, thank you’
.
” Something inside
me propelled me to give him that bit of advice. To reaffirm that even through
peer pressure, we have to stand firm in our beliefs. It made me think twice
about what I had done and why I was with him at that very moment. Why was I
questioning losing my virginity to him? It was what I wanted to do and I didn’t
regret it. Or, so I told myself.

“Yeah, but some things aren’t so easily
done.” He parked and turned off the car.

“I know.” I let out a silent sigh. “I
get it. I really do.”

He gave me a meek smile and then opened
his car door. I got out, unsure of what was going through his mind. Not saying
a word, he took me by the hand and we trudged toward the entrance of the store.
The wind whipped against us and the ice scraped our faces, showing us no mercy.
The store buzzed with people shopping frantically as if the zombie apocalypse
was among us. The bread aisle was ransacked and we settled for a nine-grain
loaf that looked like it had birdseeds sprinkled all over it.

“So, what do you like to eat?” I pushed
the cart as Raven strolled next to me. Despite the chaos around us, we took our
time, going from aisle to aisle. I could tell he was still processing what I
had said so I gave him some space, allowing him to sort through it.

“I’m not picky,” he said, grabbing a few
boxes of macaroni. “What about you?”

“I’m easy.”

Raven laughed and pressed a hand to his
stomach. “No, you’re really not, Lexi.”

I frowned, realizing I had used the
wrong words — again. “Okay, I get it.” I slugged him on the arm and he stumbled
to the side, feigning hurt.

“Please don’t beat me up.” He clutched
his arm like a broken wing, twisting his face in fake agony.

I pressed my lips together before
saying, “And please don’t disappoint me.” My voice was full and thick with
undisclosed meaning that I hoped he understood without me telling him.

His playful look turned serious and I
immediately pushed the cart forward, leaving him behind in the process. I
wasn’t good at confrontations and I wasn’t sure why I brought up the subject in
the grocery store of all places, especially after what I had just told him.
Doubt clouded my mind and an onslaught of tears hit me. I swallowed the huge
lump forming at the back of my throat and shoved my nose into the beef section
of the meat cooler.

“Hey, what’s wrong?” Raven placed his
hands on my shoulders and leaned forward, trying to get my attention.

I kept my focus on the packages,
shuffling through the various selections. “I like spaghetti.” The tears escaped
and I quickly wiped them away. “I can make spaghetti for dinner.”

Raven took the meat from my hand and
turned me to face him. “Lexi, tell me what’s wrong? Why did you say that?”

Not wanting to answer him, I quickly
shuffled to the other end of the cooler where the chicken was located. I
scanned through the wrapped offerings and picked up a package. “We can make
grilled chicken one night.” I tossed the chicken breasts in the basket.

“Lexi.” Raven’s voice deepened and it
stopped me in my tracks. I had never heard him speak in this tone. I sighed,
knowing I owed him an explanation before things got ugly.

I turned and faced him, wrapping my arms
around my middle for support. A few people stared at me as the tears dribbled
from my lower lashes, but I didn’t care. “I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay.” Raven cast a few of the
nosey people a dirty look and then took my hand and led me away from the open
area to an aisle. “But that doesn’t answer my question.” He pulled me into his
arms and his caress eased the fear and worry that had been building up inside
of me.

“I guess I started questioning whether I
really know you. It scares me, that’s all.” With the pads of his thumb, he
wiped my tears. His eyes softened and I could see his desire to make everything
safe for me.

“Lexi, when I told you that I’d never
hurt you, I meant it. I’ll tell you whatever you want to know, but you might
not like what you hear.” His voice lowered and he leaned in closer. “I have
done some bad things that I’m anxious to leave behind. Like I told you, being
with you makes me want to do everything right. Makes me want to prove that I’m
worthy of a girl like you.”

“Oh, Raven. I’m not that special.” My
heart sunk and I hated that I had doubted him.

“Yes, you are. And I think you might be
able to help me. That is, if you want to.”

He was beyond incredible. I just had to
remember what he had already told me about his past and how he grew up. Raven
deserved to make things right in his life and I wanted to help him do that, no
matter what it took.

“Of course I want to. I’ll go anywhere
for you,
do
anything for you. As long as I can be with you.”

“Good, because that’s all I want.” His
lips turned upward in a full smile. He wiped my remaining tears and kissed both
cheeks.

I took in a deep breath and sighed. I
couldn’t imagine my life without him. He was a piece of me now, a piece that I
knew I had to help fix. “We’re going to rewrite your story. It might be painful
and hard, but if you allow me to help you, I know we can do it.”