#Hater (Hashtag #2) (3 page)

I started to pull out and she moaned, her fingers tightening against me. I swallowed thickly. This was the first time I’d been in a woman unwrapped. I had no idea it would feel like this. It was so, so much…
more.

“Just one more,” I murmured, pushing myself deep.

My entire body shuddered and Rimmel’s knees began to shake.

In one fluid, fast motion, I pulled out. If I allowed myself just another second inside her like that, I wouldn’t be able to pull out. Immediately, I missed her warmth. I reached for a condom as the need to bury myself bareback again roared within me.

I pulled on the condom as fast as I could and then surged back inside. I went at her hard, overcome with emotion and need. It didn’t take long for both of us to strain against the other as release rocked through her and into me.

When it was over, I rolled to the side and blew out a shaky breath.

“Does that mean you like it?” she asked, rolling on her side to look at me.

I turned my head and grinned. “What do you think?”

“That felt really good,” she whispered.

I groaned and scrubbed a hand over my face. It felt so good that I knew it was all I was going to be able to think about. I twisted to face her. “I’ve never been in anyone like that before.”

Behind her glasses, her eyes widened. “Really?”

I nodded. “Do you trust me, Rimmel?” I asked.

“Of course,” she replied without a second of hesitation.

“I want to get tested. Just to be sure of what I already know. I’m clean, but I want to prove it to you.”

“I believe you,” she said.

I knew she did. But I wanted to prove it. “Would you consider going on the pill?”

It was a lot to ask of her. We’d only been together a few months.

“Already taken care of,” she said, taking me off guard.

“What? I thought you weren’t on it.”

“I wasn’t. When I went home over the break, I made an appointment with my doctor and got some. I got tested while I was there. I’m clean.”

I knew she would be. Hell, I wasn’t even going to ask her to get tested. But she did it anyway; she did it for me.

“I don’t want anything between us,” I told her. “I want to be as close to you as I can get.”

“I want that too,” she whispered, cupping my jaw with her palm.

“You’re sure?” I asked.

She nodded.

“As soon as I get tested and the results come back, I’m throwing out the condoms,” I told her.

“I like that plan.”

I groaned and pulled her against me. “Me too.”

“Are you going to wear it?” she asked, her voice muffled against my chest.

I remembered the necklace clutched in my hand. I pulled back and held it between us. “Of course.”

She looked shy as she pulled it out of my hand and held it out for me to slip my head through. The cool metal lay against my chest.

“I’m your biggest fan, you know,” she whispered, and then her stomach growled loudly.

I laughed and kissed her swiftly. “My biggest fan is hungry.”

She grimaced. “I didn’t eat before my flight. I was afraid I’d get sick.”

“Pizza. Movie. You in that shirt and nothing else,” I said.

“Apple cider?” she asked.

She was obsessed with the stuff since she started coming to my games. “You know I have some in the kitchen,” I told her.

“Deal,” she said.

I ordered the pizza while she was in the kitchen making her cider.

When I came out, Murphy was sitting on the counter next to a cold can of soda she set out for me.

Most of the time waiting for the pizza was spent making out, and when the doorbell rang, I was partially irritated by the interruption. Rimmel padded along behind me in her slippers (which looked sexy as hell) and my shirt.

I kept my body angled in front of her so the delivery guy couldn’t see how hot she looked.

When he walked away, I juggled the pizza boxes and moved to shut the door. But Rimmel didn’t move back. She was standing stock still, staring past me out the door.

“What is it?” I asked and turned to see.

I saw nothing.

“Is that your mother in the window?” she asked, motioning with her chin.

I glanced up at the house, at one of the lit-up windows. My mom was looking out at us. When she noticed us looking, she disappeared back into the room.

Rimmel was quiet when she moved into the living room toward the couch and TV. I knew my mother made Rimmel uncomfortable. Judging from the one time they’d met, I couldn’t say I blamed her.

“Hey,” I said, setting down the boxes and rubbing my palm over her back.

She turned somber eyes on me. “She’s never going to like me. Is she?”

The sadness in her tone caused anger to flare up inside me. “Of course she will,” I murmured and pulled her into my side. “As soon as she gets to know you, she won’t be able to help but love you.”

I hadn’t realized how much my mother’s rebuff the night they met several weeks ago had bothered Rimmel. But I saw it now in the depths of her eyes. I wanted to take that away. I wanted to make it right.

But the truth was I wasn’t sure what it was going to take to bring my mother around.

Rimmel

Snowflakes swirled through the cold air. The gray sky hung low over everything outside, looking slightly ominous with the threat of more than just flurries.

I gazed out the window of Romeo’s house, doing my best to avoid looking at the giant pool sitting right in my sight line. My hands were cupped around a white ceramic mug and the scent of cinnamon and cloves floated up to my nose, taking away some of my disgruntled feelings about the promise of snow.

I had to admit standing in here with the heat on full blast, hot cider in my hands and furry boots on my feet, the snow looked beautiful, even playful as is fell toward the ground. My freshman year was really my first experience with the stuff, having never traveled far beyond Florida until then.

I still remembered the wonder of my first snowfall. It was a short-lived feeling because the moment I had to step outside and trudge to classes, the magic melted like I wished the white stuff would.

I felt Romeo come up behind me, his large presence impossible to ignore. My body hummed in anticipation of his touch, and I reveled in that feeling because wanting him was something I would never tire of.

“Are you admiring the snow?” he murmured as both arms wrapped around my middle and he pulled me into the circle of his body. His chin rested on my shoulder and his breath flirted with the hair beside my ear.

“It’s starting to stick to the ground,” I replied, taking a deep breath and pushing closer against him. He smelled good, like his shampoo. It made me think of the hour we spent in the shower just a little while ago.

Romeo wrapped his hand around my mug and tugged gently. I released it and he straightened to take a sip of the liquid. I turned slightly to watch his throat work as he swallowed. His sapphire-blue eyes watched me over the rim and the chemistry that always seemed to be between us spiked the air.

He wasn’t wearing a shirt, just a pair of jeans and the dog tag I gave him rested against his chest between his incredible muscles.

As he set aside the mug, I reached out to run my fingers across his chest, but he caught my hand and pressed a kiss to the tips of my fingers. “Don’t tempt me,” he half growled.

I batted my eyelashes innocently.

He chuckled. “As you pointed out, the snow is starting to stick. We should go before it starts coming down harder.”

I didn’t want to leave. Since arriving back from Florida, the only place I’d been was here. My dorm room was still there. I was still sharing with Ivy, but she wouldn’t be back on campus until later today.

It was great seeing my dad and my grandparents, but these last two days here in this house with no one but Romeo had been the highlight of my winter break. I was sorry to see it end even though I knew it had to.

“I’ll get dressed.” I sighed and turned.

He laughed and pulled me back around. “We still have tonight.” His eyes darkened with promise.

Classes didn’t start until the day after tomorrow, and I didn’t plan on staying at my dorm again tonight. But I needed to get my books. I’d never purchased them so late before. I just hoped they had some left.

My overfull suitcase was flung open on the floor of Romeo’s room. Clothes spilled out the sides and threatened to fall on the floor. I’d had to sit on it to zip it up before flying back. When I left it, had only been half full.

When I was home, I mentioned to my grandmother that I was thinking about getting some clothes, ones that weren’t so baggy. Considering she spent half my life trying to get me to wear the latest trends and I’d never once shown any interest, she acted like she’d won the lottery. She insisted on coming shopping (which I was glad because I had no idea what to pick) and she insisted on paying for it all. She also insisted on buying me three times what I actually needed.

Ivy was gonna flip when she saw all the new clothes.

The things I’d gotten were beautiful, but I had to admit I still preferred sweatpants, baggy tops, and messy hair. But I’d told myself this semester I’d lay off the pants that made me fall all over the place and try to wear things that were a little more flattering.

I pulled out a pair of skinny jeans in a washed-out color and ripped off the tags. Once I slid into those, I dug around for a warm top, my hand landing on a grey-and-white horizontally stripped sweater that was thick and warm. I pulled it on over my bra and white T-shirt and enjoyed the way the back hem fell over my butt.

The bangle Romeo gave me was still on my wrist. I planned to never take it off.

My hair was a disaster because all Romeo and I had done since arriving was alternate between the couch and the bed, so I ran my brush through the tangles and quickly piled it on top my head.

Romeo was by the door, lacing up a pair of brown leather boots. After he pulled his jeans over the laces, he straightened and smiled. He was dressed in a red long-sleeved T-shirt.

“New clothes?” he asked as he pulled on his varsity jacket.

“Yeah,” I said a little self-consciously. I wasn’t used to people looking at my clothes or noticing the way I dressed.

“You look hot,” he said appreciatively.

I smiled.

“Where’s your hoodie?” he asked.

I should have known he’d want me to wear his hoodie since we were going to campus. I glanced out the window. The snow was coming down a little heavier now.

I ran back into the bedroom and dug into the bottom of my suitcase and pulled out my new coat. I loved wearing Romeo’s hoodie, but it was just too cold today. I needed a coat.

I pulled on the white puffer jacket and zipped it up as I walked. The interior was lined with fleece and was cozy warm. The oversized hood lay against my back and was wild with gray faux fur lining.

Romeo raised his eyebrow when I appeared, and I took his hand. “I don’t need to wear your name today because you’re going to be right next to me.”

He grunted and we stepped out into the crisp winter air. I sucked in my breath at the chill and pressed into Romeo’s side as we walked.

He chuckled and wrapped an arm around my shoulders.

My eyes couldn’t help but stray toward the pool where wild snowflakes hit the water and dissolved instantly. There was also a slight cloud of steam rising off the top.

“Why don’t your parents close the pool in the winter like everyone else?” I asked, my voice sounding grumpier than I intended.

I couldn’t help it. My mother drowned in a pool. I found her body. Visions of the pink-tinted water and her lifeless form in the center made me shiver.

Romeo clutched me a little bit closer and angled his body so I couldn’t see the pool anymore. Our steps quickened toward the Hellcat, the purr of its already running engine a familiar sound.

“Because my mother likes the way it looks lit up at night. She says it’s pretty for parties and to watch the snowflakes melt in the heated water.”

“Keeping it heated all winter has to be expensive,” I murmured. The mention of his mother washed away the ugly memory of finding my own mother dead. Valerie didn’t like me. She thought I wanted something from Romeo, a point she made very clear the night we met.

I tried not to show how much it bothered me, but it did. Maybe it was because I no longer had my mother here and a friendly relationship with Romeo’s would have been nice. I know no one could ever replace my mother, but getting along with her was important to me.

“I’m sure it is,” Romeo replied, drawing me out of my thoughts. He opened the passenger door of the Hellcat and motioned for me to climb in.

Once I was in, he reached around me and pulled the seatbelt across my chest. I didn’t bother telling him I could buckle myself in. He never listened. “They don’t keep it swimming temperature.” He continued. “Just warm enough so it doesn’t freeze.”

Once he was in the driver’s seat, he turned up the heat and it poured into the car. The remote start he had installed was the best thing ever. It meant never having to wait for the heat to warm up.

After the windshield wipers swiped all the snow off the glass, he pulled around toward the street. My eyes went back to the pool as he drove and they stayed fastened to it until it was out of site.

Campus wasn’t as busy as usual, even though there were people milling around as students arrived back from winter break. Romeo’s parking spot was vacant (as always) and he slid into it with ease. I braced myself against the cold once more as we rushed toward the building with the campus bookstore inside.

The scent of coffee and food greeted us at the door because the upstairs level of the building was the food court.

Downstairs, people milled about getting books and supplies, and the line at the register was longer than I would have liked. As usual, the second Romeo walked in, he was the center of attention. People called his name and gave him high-fives.

As he talked and joked with people who’d walked up to us, I focused on pulling out my list of books and supplies. I tried to slip through the crowd to start my shopping, but Romeo tightened his hand around mine. I glanced up and him and he smiled.

Even though he was preventing me from running away, I smiled back. I’d probably smile at him if I were dying. Just looking at him filled me up inside with joy. It was the reason I was learning to deal with his celebrity status. It came with him, and Romeo wasn’t someone I was willing to give up.

“I love your coat,” someone off to the side said.

Romeo nudged me because I hadn’t realized she was speaking to me. I jumped a little and turned toward her. It was someone I’d never spoken to before. I’d seen her around. Part of me thought she might be a cheerleader.