Bad Rep (10 page)

And just like that it was over and the band was taking a fifteen minute break.  I let out a breath that I had no idea I was even holding.  My hands were clammy and I ran shaky fingers through my hair.  I had a visceral response to Jordan's music and it had buried deep inside me in a way I didn't entirely understand.  A way that I was almost fearful of.

Jaz came back to my side and sagged against the bar.  “Aren't they amazing?” she sighed.  I could only nod.  Words weren't good enough to describe the way I was feeling.  I loved music.  I really did.  But I had never felt so ready to submerge myself in it the way I had as they played.  And I knew it was because of Mr. Jordan Levitt.  

“Jordan!” Jaz squealed from beside me, pushing me out of the way as she launched herself at him.  Jordan laughed and patted her back. 

“I'm all sweaty.” he apologized, catching my eye over Jaz's shoulder. I gave him a small smile.  Jaz wriggled closer. 

“I love your sweat,” she purred and I rolled my eyes.

Jordan pulled away with an uncomfortable laugh.  He looked at me again.  “So, Maysie.  What did you think?”  he asked, grabbing the cold beer that Lyla handed him.  I acted as though I were really thinking about his question. 

“Not bad,” I stated but I couldn't stop the grin that spread across my face.  Jordan's answering grin lit up my insides.

“Not bad?”  he clarified.  I nodded and then I did something that surprised me. I winked at him.  And he loved it.  I could see instantly the affect it had on him.  Jordan swallowed and his eyes heated up.  He opened his mouth to say something else when a guy came up behind him and put him in a head lock. 

“Jordan, my man!  You guys rock!  When are you going to play at the house again?” I recognized the steroid looking jock as one of the brothers in Pi Sig. 

Leaving Jordan to his conversation, I went back to my section and started cleaning my tables.  The band came back from their break and played a few more covers and two more original songs.  Jordan didn't sing again, much to my disappointment.  But they were still great.  They finally finished their set around 12:30.  By that point, I had joined Jaz and Damien again down at the bar.  I was on my third shot of tequila and Jaz was pounding beers like crazy.  Damien was the only one still sober.

I watched the guys tear down their equipment and my stomach clenched as Jordan picked up the heavy drums of his kit. I could see his muscles rippling under his Barton's t-shirt.  Damn, I had it bad.  Girlfriend or not, all I could think about was having him down between my legs.  I imagined clutching his hair as he did things with that mouth that should be illegal.

“You alright, Mays?  You look a little flushed,” Damien asked, shooting me a look.  I cleared my throat and crossed my legs, trying to tamp down the throb that had started. 

“Fine, just feeling my ass at the moment,” I slurred.  Crap, I was going to have to get a ride home.  Riley would be pissed at me for leaving her car here.  But there was no way I could drive.

Jordan had finished loading up the band's gear and came down to the bar.  The kitchen crew had come out and joined us and now Jaz was in the middle of a serious game of Flip Cup with Pocco and Fed.  Jordan slung his arm around my shoulders and I struggled to ignore the instant physical response I had to his touch.  “We're having an impromptu party back at my house.  You guys wanna come?” he asked the group.  There was a collective “hell yeah” from everyone. 

Jordan leaned in close to me and put his lips to my ear.  “What about you, Maysie?  Are you game?”  His breath tickled my skin and I knew without a doubt that if I ended up at his house, my earlier resolve to stay away from him would be flushed down the toilet.  Because I was way too attracted to him for my own good.  And he was way too taken.

I pulled away from him and reached up to remove his arm from my shoulder.  “I think I'll pass. I have to get up early in the morning.  Second job,” I explained, looking up at him.  Jordan frowned. 

“Come on, Maysie.  Just come by for a little while.  I'll make sure you're all tucked in tight early enough for you to go to work in the morning.”  His voice was like liquid caramel.  And I knew what I wanted to do with him.  I wanted no holds barred, throw-me-against-a-wall-and-pound- me-within-an-inch-of-my-life-SEX. 

But that wasn't going to happen.  So, despite the aching desire to give into those delicious base urges, I shook my head.  “No can do.  I really have to get home.” I turned away from him before I could register the disappointment on his face.  I tugged on Damien's sleeve.  “Hey, can I get a ride?  There's no way I'm driving.”  Damien grinned. 

“Sure thing.  Let me go get my stuff.” 

Jordan made a noise from behind me.  I turned around to look at him and he was frowning.  “What?” I asked, confused. 

“I could give you a ride home,” he offered, looking insulted that I hadn't asked him first.  He just didn't get the hint that I was trying to put serious distance between us.

“That's okay. You've got your party to get to,” I said flippantly, getting to my feet.  Jordan still looked bothered. 

“Maysie.  Don't be like this,” he whispered so quietly that I wasn't sure I heard him correctly.

I was saved from having to respond by Damien's reappearance.  “Ready?”  he asked.  I nodded and picked up my purse.  I chanced one more look at Jordan as we headed toward the door but he had already turned away from me and I felt hollow as I left.

Chapter Six

The weeks started to fly by.  I couldn't remember the last time I was so busy.  Between Bibi's, Barton's and summer school I barely had time to breathe.  But I was excited about how much money I had been able to save up.  I had already sent $1,000 to my parents.

My mom had called when they had received the check in the mail.  She made it clear that she and my father were still disappointed by my choices but she was glad I seemed to be on the right track.  I hated talking to my parents.  Nothing I did was ever good enough.  Sometimes I really wondered why I bothered seeking their approval in the first place.

Summer school finally finished up at the beginning of August.  I was stoked when I received my grades and saw that I had gotten a solid 'B' in both classes.  I had just finished a victory dance around my living room when the doorbell rang.

I skipped over to the door and swung it open.  Eli stood on the other side, his guitar case in hand.  I hadn't really seen a lot of Eli over the last month.  We texted back and forth some and there was the occasional late night visit but our relationship had seriously cooled down.  So I was surprised to see him standing there.

“Eli!” I said, giving him a smile and holding the door open for him to come inside.  Riley was at her lunch shift at Barton's and wouldn't be home for a few hours.  Tonight was the first night in awhile that I didn't have either homework or a shift at Barton's.

“Hey, babe.  Haven't seen you in awhile.”  Eli leaned in and gave me a kiss on the lips.  I returned the kiss, feeling a little guilty that I wasn't more concerned than I should have been that it had been so long since Eli and I had spent time together.

And it wasn't because of Jordan, either.  I was proud to say that I had held firm to my resolve to keep some distance between us.  We continued to work together most nights, but his flirtation had died down.  Probably because I didn't give him any sort of response when he tried.  He seemed to have finally taken the hint that I wasn't going to go there with him.   I could sense he still watched me while I waited tables, I could feel the heat of his eyes.  And there was still that undeniable attraction between us.  But for the moment, we weren't doing anything about it.

I had overheard Jordan talking to Lyla about Olivia last week.  He had been telling the other bartender that the president of Chi Delta was due home soon.  When Jordan had realized I was standing there, waiting for a drink order, he had immediately stopped talking about it.  He wouldn't meet my eyes and I couldn't help but feel the awkwardness between us.

Lyla had gotten my drinks as Jordan made an excuse to go the kitchen.  I really wish we had been able to build a friendship as opposed to this weird discomfort we felt when we were around each other.  But how do you move onto friendship when all you wanted to do was rip each other's clothes off?  And his girlfriend would be back soon.  So it was for the best we had minimal interaction.

Eli plopped down on my couch and pulled out his guitar.  He tuned it and started to strum the opening chords to the Beatles' Norwegian Wood.  I sat down beside him and listened for a bit.  I couldn't help but compare him to Jordan's musical talent and Eli was definitely lacking.  Not that he sucked but his ability was a bit more forced and put on.  It didn't flow naturally the way Jordan's did.

“So, what are you doing tonight?” Eli asked as he continued to pluck at the notes.  I still had my grades in my hand.  I held them up. 

“I got B's in my summer school classes.  So I'm thinking I need some serious celebration in my future.”  I grinned, unable to stop myself.

Eli nodded but didn't respond, which was so annoying.  Why couldn't he just once act happy for me?  Or seem remotely interested in something that was going on in
my
life?  “So you want to celebrate, huh?” Eli put his guitar back in his case and he scooted across the couch toward me.  I tried not to roll my eyes.  He really did have a one track mind. 

Eli's fingers slid up the front of my shirt and traced circles on the skin of my stomach and I couldn't stop laughing as he tickled me.  Eli grinned down at me as he lowered his mouth to my shoulder and nipped me with his teeth.  “Stop it, Eli!  I can't breathe!” I shoved him in the chest and he leaned back. 

“So, what did you have in mind?  You wanna hang at Randall and Cicely's?” Eli asked, sitting back away from me, now that he could see fooling around wasn't on the agenda. 

Go to his cousin's apartment?  Uh, no thank you.  I was sort of over hanging out while Eli got high and waiting until he was ready to make out in a darkened bedroom.  It seemed like ages since that had seemed like a fun idea.

“No, I think I'd like to go out.  I'll probably go meet Riley after her shift and hang at Barton's.”  Eli made a face. 

“Seriously?  You're not there enough?” he asked.  I hated it when he seemed to be mocking me.  I stiffened and I felt my face harden. 

“Well, I really like the people down there.  And I get a discount.  So that's what I'm gonna do.  You can join me if you want.  If not, no biggie.” I got to my feet and went into the kitchen to make some lunch.

My earlier good mood was effectively gone and I kind of just wanted Eli to leave.  He was getting on my nerves.  Eli followed me and leaned against the counter, watching me while I made a turkey sandwich.  “You gonna make me something?” he asked.  I grit my teeth but pulled out two more pieces of bread.

I grudgingly handed him his sandwich and started eating mine.  “Well, if that's what you're going to do, I think I'll hang with Randall for a while.  Maybe we'll meet you there later,” Eli commented, talking with his mouth full, which totally grossed me out.

I hadn't expected him to offer to meet me and I was suddenly unsure if I liked that idea.  I kept him completely separate from my college life.  He was like my dirty little townie secret and I liked it that way.  But he was offering to spend time together.  And we hadn't seen much of each other lately.  And I thought I still liked him. 

So I found myself nodding.  “Sounds good,” I said, giving him what I hoped was a happy smile.  Eli reached out and pulled me to his chest.  He nuzzled my neck and I tried to relax into him.  This would be good.  Tonight would be fantastic.  Even in my head, I sounded fake.

                                                                 ~~

“Can't I go home and change first?”  Riley whined as I ordered us two beers.  It was 5:30 and Riley had just gotten off of work.  I was already on my third drink and was feeling the warm fuzzies from the alcohol. I had to pace myself otherwise I'd be throwing up in the bathroom before 9:00.

“Fine!  But hurry up!  I'll get lonely if you take too long,” I teased, swatting Riley's behind with my hand.  She shot me a look and downed her beer.