Against All Odds (9 page)

So every time we go into Tony’s he usually tries to hit on us. He makes comments about us not telling the other one, that it can be on the down low, and you

“shouldn’t have to fight your feelings” kind of thing. It would be annoying if it wasn’t so funny.

Well, I should say that
I
think it’s funny. Angelina, on the other hand, can’t stand him. And she’s now looking at me with a pleading look. So I give her a nod, letting her know that I’ll run into Tony’s and pick up the food so she doesn’t have to deal with Jeff.

She smiles at me gratefully. “No problem dad,” she says into her speakers before clicking the off button on the Bluetooth.

“Thank you,” she says to me.

“No problem,” I tell her honestly.

What do I care if Jeff wants to hit on me? Maybe he’ll be the perfect person to try out my new flirting skills on! Or my new confidence skills! Or whatever you want to call them.

Angelina pulls up to Tony’s and parks in one of the spaces closest to the front.

“Okay,” she says, “your goal is to get in and out as fast as you can.”

“Got it,” I say grabbing her debit card from her.

The second I step inside I can feel Jeff’s eyes on me. He’s standing in the back of the restaurant, but it suddenly seems like he can fly since he’s in front of me that fast.

“Victoria,” he says, a grin spreading all over his face.

He’s kind of short with shaggy brown hair and a nice enough face, not awful looking. His personality kind of kills it though.

“Hi Jeff,” I say forcing a smile.

“What brings you in here?” he asks, looking me up and down.

Ugh. That’s the thing about Jeff. It doesn’t matter if you came in here for food.

He always acts like you’re there just for him. Like somehow I tracked down his work schedule and came in just to see him.

“Just picking up food,” I say casually. “I’m eating at Angelina’s tonight so…”

Jeff nods. “I saw that her family placed an order. She didn’t want to pick it up?”

“She’s in the car,” I say without thinking. The minute I see the look on his face I kick myself. Of course now he’ll assume that she didn’t come in because seeing him is too painful for her. Who am I kidding? No way in hell can I flirt with Jeff. He’s way too weird and creepy.

I try to walk past him toward the register, but he puts his hand on my arm to stop me. “And how have you been Victoria?”

I’m in too much shock to speak. This is totally forward of him. He’s never once touched me since that night at Angelina’s. I want to take this chance to flirt back, to practice being confident, but I can’t. It just feels wrong with Jeff. I don’t want his attention.

“Little close, aren’t you?”

Then suddenly I look up and meet Nathan’s intense blue eyes from across the room. And for the second time today he looks like he wants to kill someone.

Jeff’s face turns from satisfaction to shock when he sees Nathan. He drops my arm and immediately backs away.

“I was just…we were just…” Jeff stutters.

Nathan reaches out and pulls me close to him, trying to put distance between Jeff and I.

Jeff still can’t find his words. “She was just…”

“She was just not interested,” Nathan replies sharply.

Jeff backs away as Nathan switches his attention over to me.

“Why are you scowling like that?” he asks me, taking a step closer.

“You do realize this is the second time you’ve gotten jealous today, right?”

He rolls his eyes. “I’m not getting jealous! I’m just looking out for you.”

He must have just come from practice because he’s still in his workout clothes. I catch myself staring at his arms before I tear my eyes away.

“From Jeff?” I ask, frowning. “He’s harmless.”

“He’s also a little too touchy for my taste.”

“Well, don’t worry. I couldn’t even flirt with him right.”

Nathan frowns. “Your flirting is fine. He’s just an idiot.”

“An idiot who you’re jealous of.”

He then reaches out and ruffles my hair. “I don’t get jealous Shell.”

“Oh you don’t?” I say cocking my head to the side. “Okay then, I’ll just go find Jeff.”

I take a few steps away from him and he rolls his eyes, grabbing my arm and pulling me back toward him. “Okay, okay point proven.”

I grin and cross my arms over my chest. “What are you doing here anyway?”

“Some of the guys wanted to get food after practice,” he says nodding to a booth in the corner. I notice a couple of guys from the team sitting there and for the first time realize that we have an audience. It kind of makes me uncomfortable so I take a step away from him.

“Hey,” Nathan says. “Relax, it’s fine.”

I nod. “I know.”

“Okay,” he says now, “I better get back. But I’ll see you at home?”

“Actually, I’m staying at Angelina’s tonight.”

“Oh,” he says. And for a second I think I see a flash of disappointment come across his face. But before I know it, it’s gone and he’s backing away from me. “Okay, have a good night then.”

“You too,” I call, but I don’t think he hears me. He’s already with his friends again. I sigh and go to pick up the food.

As I climb back into Angelina’s car my phone beeps telling me I have a new text message. I flip it open. It’s Nathan’s cell.

“I totally saw you checking out my arms fyi ;)”

I roll my eyes and snap my phone shut.

I’m so screwed.

***

The next three days go by way too fast. Before I know it it’s already Friday, which means this is the night I’m supposed to take control of the situation with Nathan.

Which means I’m extremely nervous and kind of freaking out right now.

“Can you relax?” Angelina says to me. I’m sitting on my bed as she finishes up my hair.

It’s around seven o’clock and I keep glancing at the clock on my nightstand. I’m waiting for my dad and Missy to leave for some dinner party before I make my move.

It’s hard though because I have no idea what time Nathan is supposed to be hanging out with Ava and I don’t want to miss my chance.

Angelina took me to get a spray tan today. No, I’m not kidding. And as I look at myself in the mirror I almost don’t recognize myself. I have a dark golden glow that makes me feel beautiful. My eyes are smoky, my face bronzed and blushed, and my lips freshly glossed. My hair is curly and falling in layers all over my face.

My red outfit is already on and I can feel my heart beating fast in my chest.

Downstairs I hear the front door slam shut and I run over to my bedroom window to see my dad and Missy climbing into the car.

I let out a little sigh. “They’re gone.”

Angelina jumps off of my bed and starts putting her shoes on. “That’s my cue.”

I walk over to her slowly. “Thanks Angelina. For just…for everything.”

She grins and jumps up from the floor. “Of course. It’s going to go great. I mean, you seriously look hot.”

I give her a small smile. “I’ll call you later.” She gives me a final pat on my shoulder and then she’s gone.

I wait until I hear the front door slam shut behind her, then I glance at myself one last time in the mirror. I barely recognize myself. I kind of look like a tanned goddess.

I try to breathe and remind myself not to be nervous. It’s not that I don’t want to do this because I definitely do. It’s just that I don’t even wear this little to the beach. I grab the red silk robe that came with the outfit and slip it on over the rest of my clothes (or lack there of.) I tie the robe safely shut around me, check one more time to make sure my dad and Missy are gone, and then head toward the door to my bedroom. Here goes nothing.

Each step down the hall toward Nathan’s bedroom feels longer than the one before it. I don’t know if it’s because I’m nervous or because I’m anticipating what’s coming.

When I reach the door to his room his back is to me. All he has on is a pair of jeans, and I can make out the top of his boxers. I swallow and take in his tan back muscles and toned arms. He’s on the phone.

For a second I almost leave and come back, but then I remember what Angelina said about taking control of a situation for once. So instead of leaving I silently tiptoe inside, shutting the door behind me and locking it.

“I’m telling you bro, all you have to do is break down their defense,” he says to whoever’s he’s on the phone with as he continues to dig through the bottom drawer of his dresser.

“I want to hang out tonight,” I tell him.

He laughs into the phone. “I know, right? Hang on a sec bro.”

He finds what he’s looking for, grabbing it out of the pile of clothes he’s digging through. “I can’t tonight Shell. I have…”

His words suddenly trail off when he turns around and sees me standing there.

I untie the red silk robe and let it hang at my side, revealing what’s underneath it.

“Actually,” Nathan says into the phone, unable to take his eyes off of me, “I have to go. I’ll call you back.” Then without waiting for a response, he clicks his phone off.

“Shell,” he asks slowly, “what are you doing?”

I walk over to his bed and climb on top of it. “I said I want to hang out.”

His eyes move up and down my body, taking in every piece of me now. I can tell it’s taking every bit of self-control he has for him not to act on it.

“This could get dangerous and fast.”

“I’m counting on it,” I tell him.

He shakes his head. “Ugh Shell, this is getting complicated. I feel like this is something a girlfriend would do.”

“No,” I say, “because I didn’t buy this for you. I bought it for me. Plus, I have to get comfortable doing these types of things for when I really do get a boyfriend.”

He doesn’t say anything and I can tell he’s trying to fight whatever emotions are telling him this is okay. I slowly get up from the bed and inch my way toward him, dropping the robe in the middle of the floor as I walk.

I trace my hand up and down his chest and lean into him really closely. His eyes are now searching mine and he has this really intense look on his face. It’s like maybe he knows he can’t keep fighting it.

“But,” I say slowly, “If you want me to go…” I back off an inch, just enough to let him know I’ll walk away if he wants me to.

Then, in one swift move he picks me up and takes me to his bed, never once breaking contact from my lips. As he slips his tongue into my mouth I grind my body harder into his and moan. I’ve been looking forward to this all day.

He turns me over so I’m on top of him now. I put my body in-between his legs and slowly grind into him as our kiss becomes deeper. His hands are everywhere as he caresses each inch of my body. I slowly gasp for breath in-between kisses.

His hands travel inside of my bra, teasing me like he did before. And when his hands travel around my back to unhook my bra I don’t stop him.

I’m underneath him now. He pulls back to look at me, taking in my body, my face, my hair. “You honestly have no idea how beautiful you are, do you?”

I grin, but don’t answer as I pull him closer to me. He slowly starts kissing and sucking on my neck and I feel like I might explode with excitement.

I take his hand and slowly move it downward until it’s at the entrance of my panties. He hesitates for a second and I lift the lower part of my body up a little bit to let him know that I’m waiting.

“Have you ever done this before?” he asks slowly.

But he already knows the answer, and when I shake my head slowly he hesitates again.

“It’s okay,” I tell him. “I want you to.”

His fingers start to feel me through my underwear and I moan letting him know that’s not enough. He slips his hand inside the lace and starts to slowly rub me in places that have never been touched like this before. His fingers are inside of me now, slow at first, then faster.

Feelings that I didn’t know were possible begin to float through my body as loud moans escape from my lips.

“Baby,” I moan as he once again speeds up his task. I’ve never said it before, and if he notices my slip-up he doesn’t acknowledge it.

I feel myself reaching my climax and it’s like a whole new world is opening up.

Once he’s done, he rolls on top of me and begins kissing me passionately again.

After a few minutes he collapses next to me in his bed and pulls me close to him so my head is resting on his bare chest. I moan, trying to steady my breath as he reaches out to take my hand.

“You okay?” he whispers.

I nod. “I’m good.”

“Ok, so you definitely have the whole acting like you know what you’re doing part down,” he says smiling down at me.

As I begin to get up, he kisses me softly on the lips. “Stay,” he says wrapping his arms tightly around me.

And that’s how I fall asleep. Nathan’s arms around me, listening to his heartbeat.

And for the first time since my mom’s death, I don’t wake up in the middle of the night. Not once.

Chapter Seven

When I wake up the next morning I’m still in Nathan’s arms.

I know I should get out of here in case either of our parents starts poking around, but I can’t help myself. I need to stay and stare at him for a moment.

Just as I’m about to get out of bed he begins to wake up. His eyes slowly creep open and he moans a little, pulling the covers up closer around us.

“What time is it?” he asks.

I roll over and glance at the clock. “Like seven-thirty.”

“Ugh,” he says, “way too early to be up on a weekend.”

I smile. “Go back to bed. I’m going to sneak back to my bed.”

He laughs and pulls me closer to him. “Why don’t you sneak back to my bed.”

I grin, allowing him to pull me into his arms. “Hey,” I say softly, “I’m sorry I ruined whatever plans you had last night.”

Nathan tilts his head down to look me in the eye.

“Don’t be,” he says seriously. “It didn’t faze me in the least.”

I grin as he pulls me even closer to him. Then we fall back asleep.

***

“All I’m saying,” Missy says at breakfast a few hours later, “is that if you’re going to have girls over for the night maybe they could stop by and say hello to your mother.”