Twist of Fate (7 page)

"What? I knew it. What the fuck did Matt do?"

"It's just a question."

"No, it's not." I said, pissed off.
 
"What? You didn't put out for that jackass, and he bolted?"

She started to play with the ends of her hair, twirling it over and over. "I don't know. I thought I liked him, but men are..."

I cut her off. "He's not worth it. You're better than that, Paige."

She giggled. "You know that's rich coming from you."

"What?"

"You have quite the reputation around here. I wonder what people would say if they knew you had a soft side." I hated that she knew about my reputation. If I could open up to her, and just let her in, I'd never look at anyone else again.

"Well, don't tell anyone," I whispered.

I could feel her staring at me, but she turned over a minute later, and sighed. "Goodnight, Ben."

I reached out, lightly resting my hand over her waist. "I feel like you have something you're not saying."

She made this little huffing noise, but stayed quiet for several seconds. "Someday I'll tell you."

"I hope you do. Goodnight, Paige."
 

I lie there for a good twenty minutes trying to figure out how to get some sleep. I could't get comfortable in this damn bed. I shifted a few times, kicking the blanket off of me.
 

Sleepily, she mumbled, "What are you doing?"

"Shit, sorry, Paige. I thought you were asleep."

"What's wrong?"

"I can't get comfortable. The bed's too small."

"Are you serious? How many times have you slept with a girl in this bed, or her bed?"

"None. I don't stay, and I certainly don't let them."

She groaned. "Men." She grabbed my hand in the dark. "Here. Just keep your hand here, and you know, like spoon me, and you'll be fine."

"Really?" I raised my voice. "You sound like a pro," I teased her.

"Nah, I just want you to be comfortable, and I'm cold."

It got really quiet for a second, but I needed to know. "So, you and Matt have done this?"

"No. My old boyfriend's. He was a year older. He goes to Penn State. I went to a visit him a few times back in my Senior year in high school, before I realized he was cheating on me, and every one of his friends knew about it. Then freshman year there was this other guy, but I don't want to talk about him."

"Ouch. Sorry, what a dick."

She grabbed my arm tighter, pulling me to her. "Yeah, he was."

"Are you going to tell me about what happened with the other one?"

"Not tonight. Go to sleep. I'm tired."

How this girl thought I was going to fall asleep with her perfect ass shoved up against my groin blew me away. But, somehow after talking myself down, I managed to keep my man below deflated, and passed out holding on to Paige.
 

I woke to a foot kicking the side of the bed. My vision was blurry for a second, but I managed to open one eye. Jack was standing over me. "Are you fucking serious?" He asked, in a whisper. "Matt is gonna kill you."

Paige shifted, draping her arm across my chest. Jack was standing there with an 'you're an asshole expression' on his face.
 

I shook my head. "It's not what you think." I lifted up the blanket to show him I was fully dressed. "It was a rescue mission. What time is it?"

"Seven. I just got in," Jack said.

"Walk of shame, huh?"
 

He flipped me off.

I scanned the room, looking to Tommy's side. His bed was still made, which meant the bastard didn't even come home last night. I should thank him, but at the same time, I wanted to kick ass for putting me in this situation. Didn't anyone check their phones anymore?

The keys from Jack's hands fell on the desk, causing Paige to wake up. Her hand instantly flew off my chest like I was some pariah. Damn, if she didn't look like a fucking angel even when she woke up. She looked from Jack to me, panic streaking across her face.
 

I shook her off. "Don't worry about it. I set him straight."

She smiled, stretched, then tossed her hair over her shoulder. She bit down on her lower lip, all pouty. "Did you sleep okay?"

"I slept fine."

"Are you sure?" She worried.

"I'm positive." I wasn't lying this time. I slept like a baby.

"I should get back to my dorm."

"Let me drive you?"

"You've done so much, I feel bad."

I leaned over to kiss her forehead. "Knock it off." I wasn't sure, but I thought I saw Paige actually blush.
 

Then Jack snickered from across the room. "Bro." That's all he said, as he hopped into bed.
 
What the hell? Couldn't people be nice anymore? It was a totally innocent kiss. Brotherly even.

As we started making our way out of the room, Jack rolled over. "Be quiet when you get back.
 
That chick didn't let me get an ounce of sleep last night.
 
I need to get some Zzz's."

BEN

Chapter 8

"Remind me why you are dating this nerd?" I blew my bangs out of my eyes, knowing I needed a haircut as I asked.

"Because I want to. Now pass the salt and pepper?" We were sitting together in the student union having an early dinner since we both had a six o'clock class. I studied her for a few seconds, my eyes trained downward, then I took a bite of my chicken sandwich.
 

"Maybe you should wear something less revealing. You know, make him work for it. Why do you need to put it all out there?" I said, my voice straining.

She peeked down as best as she could while sitting. "It's just a little cleavage. Would you stop being such a pain in the ass."

"Well, I don't know." I ducked my head under the table, then sprang back up. "Maybe just change the shoes. You're in college. College chicks don't wear heels. Put some chucks on or something."

She snickered. "Why does it matter what shoes I'm wearing?"

My head disappeared again, looking back under the table and I raised my eyebrows. "Trust me. Guys are hard wired to check out girl's, Paige. We notice everything from your smile, your hair, your skin, your cleavage. Newsflash, P, dudes look at your chest. Now, that's not to say you need to show them off, but they will notice what you're putting out there. And, those shoes make a big difference too. The only thing he'll be thinking about is you naked and digging those heels into his mattress."

She blushed at my comment, but didn't take her eyes off of me. "So, you're finally happy that Matt and I are not dating, and the teasing stopped, but now I have another date, and you start up again. If I didn't know any better I'd say you were jealous, Ben." She was right. When her and Matt didn't work out, nothing could take that smile off my face. I hated knowing she was seeing that asshole. And, even though she never came out and said it, I knew from our little sleepover that she never slept with him. But, now I had another asshole to worry about. And, to top it off, he lived in her dorm on the third floor, and had the same major. He had access to her all the time.

I laughed, shifting nervously so she couldn't see through me. "Sweetheart, if I wanted you, I could have you," I taunted her so she couldn't see my desire.

"So you don't want me?" She asked, batting her eyelashes.
I shook my head. "No," finally eked out of my mouth.

She stood to move to the same side of the table as me and sat. "So, if I were to do this," her hands slowly ran up my shirt, lifting it, letting her hands continue until they rose to my shoulders. I swallowed, and I could feel a hard on coming at how close we were, and damn if those weren't the softest hands. She leaned in a little closer. Not only was I speechless, but I was frozen wondering, waiting to see what she would do next. Her mouth hovered next to my ear, "Are you sure you don't want this, Ben?" Her hand moved down to my leg, letting it run slowly from my knee to my upper thigh.

I was rendered speechless, unable to answer her. Her lips grazed mine, so quickly, so tenderly it was like I was being transported back to being fifteen. For some bizarre reason, every heartbreak that I'd witnessed suddenly popped into my head. Instantly, my head shook back and forth to answer her question.

"Good." She pecked her lips against mine, pulling away immediately.
 
"We're on the same page then. I'll date who I want, and you'll stay out of it." She smiled, and when she did, I almost told her not to stop, because I wanted to finish that kiss, but I couldn't work up the balls up to admit it.

As she strutted away, I saw Matt glaring me down from the other side of the room like he was going to murder me, and the only thing I could think of was a damn cold shower.
 

PAIGE

"Move over," Ben said a few nights later. He insisted on walking me back after one of their frat parties. He kept saying something about me drinking too much, and horny guys walking all over campus. He wasn't making much sense. I was almost positive it was the last shot that did him in. The one I told him not to do.

"What?"

He pulled the blankets off of me. "C'mon move your lazy ass over. It's late. I don't feel like walking back."

I hesitated, looking away. I wanted him to stay, but every time we got this close it made me more confused.
 
"P, do you trust me?

I sighed. "You know I do."

"What's the problem then?"

"I just don't want people thinking that we're doing it or something. Matt said something in passing the other day."

He twisted to look at me. "What did he say?"

"It's nothing. He just called me a tease and he wasn't alone, so a few other guys know what happened."

Ben rubbed his hands together, then waved me off like it was not a problem. "It'll be fine. Who gives a shit what he, or anyone else thinks anyway?"
 
He bent over to remove his shoes, then lifted his shirt over his head, his muscles flexing as he did. I scanned his broad shoulders, enjoying the way his torso perfectly curved in.
 
He scooted in next to me, wiggled around for a full minute, before turning over.

"Paige," he whispered.
 

"Hmm," I answered nervously back.

"Why are you dating that guy? I mean, what's so special about him?"

I took a second to answer him. "It's not really one thing. He's nice, but I don't really see it going anywhere. It's just fun to have someone to hang out with, y'know? I can't spend every night partying at the frat house for entertainment."

"Why not?"

She rolled her eyes, while I was left trying to understand what was so wrong with the house?
 

"What about you? What's with all the girls?"

He shrugged. "What's there to tell? I like girls."

I stayed silent, waiting for him to elaborate, when he didn't I nudged him.
 

"Alright, alright, already. Let me start with a few stories to help you understand me, okay?" He relented.

I nodded excitedly, turning all the way over to face him. I placed my hands under my cheek. "Go ahead."

"Okay, so guys pretty much think with their dicks, it should be no surprise to the female race, but some of us can be like those fairytales you read about. Look at Tommy for example. Freshman year while he was pledging, he met this girl Audrey, he fell head over heels instantly.
 
I never saw him so into a girl before. They were inseparable to the point that it was nauseating." He took a breath, and when he did he tucked a piece of my hair back. "Anyway, they'd been dating all year, slept together every fucking night, they'd rotate places. This one night, a senior brother made a bet he didn't have the balls to bag this easy chick at the party. Well, Tommy was wasted, and took that bet. I tried to talk him out of it, but he was tired of being called pussy whipped. He took this girl in the bathroom, even though his girl was in the other room somewhere oblivious. Someone, and I still don't who, told her where he was. She almost ripped that door off the hinges to get in."

"Oh, my God, what happened."
 

"Tommy just froze. Then bolted after her. We didn't see him for three days. He tried to win her back, but she didn't go for it. He lost her over a fucking guy bet. And, he regrets it everyday I can tell."

"What about you?"

"What about me?

"Tell me your story? Have you ever been in love like that? And, be honest with me."

"What do you want to know?"

"What's with all the one nighters, why no girlfriend, or at least a few dates?"

I sighed, rubbing my hands through my hair. "Been there, done that. It didn't work out so well."

"So, what, you're not going to ever try again?"

I shrugged. "Yeah, someday. I mean, shit, Paige, I'm only 20 years old. I'm not even legally supposed to be drinking, how am I supposed to find someone special here? It's like one big orgy."