Needing You (27 page)

I finally get a cell phone and when I’m not with Tuck, he’s constantly sending me silly messages.  It takes me a bit to get used to the damn thing but I’m getting the hang of it.  A few people have my number but mainly just Nat, Tuck, Parker and, Eddie, because he is my boss. So my friends list is starting to grow, but mainly because I’m hanging out more with Tuck’s frat buddies.  They seem pretty cool and thank me all the time for hanging out at the frat house rather than my dorm room.  They like that they have their roommate back though we still spend a few nights in my dorm.  I’m sad to know that I will be getting a roommate soon but I’m looking forward to it too.  I hope we can be friends, lord knows I need some more.

I’ve been meeting some of Tuck’s fraternity brothers’ girlfriends or flings and some of them seem pretty cool.  I get the stink eye from a few of them though and I know it’s only because Tuck is with me and no longer in his bad boy ways of sleeping through endless women nightly.  I just avoid them whenever possible though. 

Things with school are going well and finals are coming up faster than I’d like to think, but I’m excited to get some credits under my belt. Work’s been going pretty good too. I’m saving plenty of money so I can afford my next few semesters of school which my scholarship doesn’t cover. So life is good….well unless it’s dealing with my parents stuff.

The court date is fast approaching and Tuck keeps trying to figure out if I’m going to go through with testifying or not. I’ve decided that I need to do this, if not for me then for Allie. He needs to pay for what he’s done so I just hope and pray that the jury agrees with me. I can’t say that I’m not scared because I am, I’m freaking terrified. But I’m still going through with testifying. I just haven’t told Tuck yet. I know he’ll be ecstatic. 

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It’s only the middle of the week and classes are stressful but I just try to soak it all in, it will get me where I want to be. I’m running early this morning so I decide to head out so I make it to class a little early.

“Laney, we need to talk.” I hear a voice and turn around to see my mother standing there looking distraught and not made up like her normal self.

“Mom what are you doing here?”  I ask suddenly nervous.

“We need to talk Laney, please, this cannot wait,” she says sounding a bit desperate. 

“Okay, what do you want to talk about?” I ask wanting this conversation to be over already.

“Not here, can we talk in private?” she asks. 

“Yeah come on” I say as I lead her to my dorm room. I’m shocked to see her here in the first place but the memory of the last visit is still in my mind, which didn’t go well. I unlock my dorm and let her in then follow behind her.

“Okay mom so talk,” I say trying to hurry this along.

“Laney…your father, he does love you, you can’t possibly testify to send him to jail.  You need to stop this nonsense,” my mother pleas.  

“Are you serious right now? Nonsense mother? No, what he did to me and to Allie was disgusting. He deserves to pay for what he’s done. How can you stand there and defend him?” I all but yell at her.

“He’s your father Laney, he loves you, and he didn’t mean to do it,” she wails out.

“Oh, when didn’t he mean to do it…the first time, the second, how about the fifteen or thirtieth…when…when was he’s sorry for what he did?” I scream. “He took things from me that I’ll never get back. He stole Allie’s life, don’t you dare come here and defend him to me,” I holler at her. I can feel my face redden because I’m so pissed right now.

“Laney, please stop. I’m sorry that happened to you but you can’t send him to prison. He’s still your father,” she states calmly.

“No mother, that’s where you’re wrong, he’s nothing to me, NOTHING. You need to leave. I will not change my mind. This conversation is over. Now please leave.” I hold the door open for her so she gets the idea. She does and finally walks out and I close the door and slide down it not believing what just happened. How can she do this to me? Why isn’t she on my side? How can she stand behind a monster like that? After a few tears come out I finally clean myself up and make my way back out of my dorm and on my way to my first class. So much for being early, now I’ll be lucky if I make it on time.

The rest of the day goes without any more run-ins with my mother, but I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t on my mind. There’s just no way I can’t go through with it. After all my classes I finally head home and decide to take a nap because I’m beyond exhausted.

I’m not sure how long I sleep but the pounding on my front door tells me it’s probably been awhile. I make it to the door and see Tuck looking worried on the other side. I open the door to let him in.

“Harp, where have you been, why haven’t you been answering me all day?” he asks worried.

“What? I fell asleep when I got home, sorry. Your pounding on the door woke me up,” I say through a yawn. Tuck wraps me in his arms and hugs me tightly too him.

“I’ve been calling and texting your phone like crazy, I was worried something happened because you weren’t answering,” he states squeezing me tighter.

“I’m fine, sorry; it’s just been a rough day.”

“Why what happened?” he asks with worry written all over his face.

“Well for starters my mother showed up here this morning trying to talk me out of testifying against my father….which didn’t go well.”

“You decided you’re going to testify?” he asks hopeful.

“Yes, I need to do it for me and for Allie.” I tell him. Before I know what’s happening Tuck has me in his arms and is swinging me in the air in circles. I start laughing because it’s cute but a bit ridiculous too. “Put me down,” I say laughing.

“Baby, that’s great news. I want you to know I’m going to be there with you through every step. You are not going through this by yourself,” he says and then he kisses me chastely.

When I finally get my breath back I’m able to say thank you and that’s about it before the assault on my lips happens again, but boy it is a welcoming assault. I’m happy we spend the rest of the evening making out and making small talk. What a happy ending to my bad day.

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Luckily I’m able to speak to Park’s lawyer, who is now my lawyer, and he’s been able to postpone the trial until my classes end which is in three short weeks. Summer vacation woohoo! I have a two-week break between this semester and the summer one so I can head back to Virginia for my father’s trial. I try to let Tuck know he doesn’t have to come along, that I can do this by myself, but he won’t let that happen, and deep down I’m thankful. I need his support more than I care to admit.

“Hey beautiful, you ready for tonight?” Tuck asks. There’s a semi-formal thing at his frat house which we’re going to. I’m happy to think we’ll actually make it to this dance this time.

“Absolutely,” I yell to him from the bedroom. “I’ll be out in a minute.” Tonight I’m wearing a red dress that has a sweetheart neckline with straps that go into a halter style and tie around the neck. My back is bare.  It’s a formfitting dress that fits me like a glove. I’m a bit nervous because I don’t usually wear something so risqué but I feel sexy in it and I want to take the next step in my relationship with Tuck.  The dress is long but has a slit that goes high up on the thigh so I show some leg and I have four inch silver sparkly heels on.  Tuck’s been nothing but supportive and slow with me and tonight I want to speed it up a little bit, well okay maybe a lot.

“Holy shit,” Tuck says looking at me with eyes full of lust. “You look amazing baby,” he continues to say.

“Thanks, you look pretty sharp yourself there handsome!” He looks sexy in his black tux. I’m able to wrap my arms around his neck (because of my shoes) I kiss him sweetly on the lips.

“Mmm, God Harp, how about we just skip tonight and stay here and you can model off your dress for me?  I’m not sure I can handle all my friends seeing you this way and I’m not trying to kick anyone’s ass,” he says between kisses.

“That sounds like a wonderful idea, but I’ve been looking forward to tonight and you owe me a dance. So let’s go!” I say as I grab his hand and lead him toward the door.

“Well if I get arrested tonight you better bail me out. That’s all I am saying,” he says with all seriousness. I just laugh as we head out. Unfortunately, I have an idea he would beat the shit out of someone if they disrespected me.  We walk to the house, because obviously, drinking will be involved so no drinking and driving.  As we get closer to the house I can see the decorations outside and the place looks great but it doesn’t compare to the inside.

“Wow this place looks amazing,” I say in awe.

“Yeah it sure does, it doesn’t even look like our house,” he says laughing. He is greeted by a bunch of the guys and they all say hi to me. I get a few more compliments on my dress and some catcalls and I feel Tuck tense beside me, but I just squeeze his hand and he relaxes a bit.

“You need to calm down; I’m here with you remember?” I say with a giggle.

“I know sorry, it won’t happen again. Would you like a drink?” he asks sweetly.

“Sure, get me whatever you’re having.”

“Okay stay here, I will be right back,” he says as he gives me a quick kiss on the lips.

“You know it won’t last with Tucker right? He’s only with you for sex and soon he’ll get bored with you and you‘ll be nothing, just like before.” A girl, named Lisa spits out. She has another girl with her who just shakes her head with a stupid look on her face. I can smell the alcohol on their breath and they seem pretty loaded. Great, not how I was looking for my evening with Tuck to go.

“Well Tuck’s a big boy so obviously he can make his own choices,” I fire back.

The one girl laughs completely drunk and Lisa continues, “Tucker isn’t one to date, so yeah its a little shock to everyone, but it’s not going to last.  Why don’t you just go back, to wherever you came from and let him be who he is? You can’t change who he is, so stop trying.”

“That’s enough. You know nothing about me, so you can stop trying to tell her otherwise. Now I’d appreciate if you let me and my girlfriend alone.” Tuck yells at the two girls as he hands me my drink and wraps his arm protectively around my shoulders. The girls huff and walk away without another word. “Sorry about that.”

“Don’t worry about it. I get it, the girls are mad the infamous Tucker Price is taken by little ol me,’ say it isn’t so,” I say laughing.  “Too bad for them because you’re all mine,” I say as I face him and wrap my arms around him holding my beer carefully so I don’t spill it.

“Yes I am, and there’s nowhere else I’d rather be,” he says as he kisses me on the lips. 

“Okay guys cut it out already,” says Matt one of the frat guys that’s pretty good friends with Tuck.

Sorry, we both mumble with a laugh.  “You guys can do that any night. Tonight we hang out and drink and dance and you guys help me figure out which lady is lucky enough to get this man in bed,” Matt says with a serious look on his face.

“Like you need help Matt, just take your pick,” I tell him.

“Oh no, no, no sweet Harper, it’s just not that easy. We need to find the perfect girl who is worthy enough for my bed tonight.  I can’t just sleep with some skank; I need a classy girl tonight.” he states.

Tucker is laughing his ass off, “Since when Matt? When do you do classy?” he asks still laughing.

“Hey now, don’t be like that man. I’m turning a new leaf, what can I say.  I want a girl with more to give rather than just an easy quick fuck,” he says with a smirk on his face.

“Wow, I never thought I’d see the day,” Tuck says while slapping Matt on the shoulder.

“Of course we’ll help, we can try anyway,” I say with a giggle.

“But for right now I’d like to dance with my girlfriend, sorry Matt.” Tuck says as he takes my beer and sets it down with his and then takes my hand and leads me into the living room that’s been set up as a dance floor with low lighting. This place does look amazing.

We dance to a few slow songs and I feel like I can’t get any closer to Tuck, but I want to. Then I feel his erection digging into my stomach. I can’t help the giggle that comes out of my mouth. “Sorry Harp, I can’t help that you turn me on all the damn time. It’s out of my control,” he says with a sexy smirk on his face.  Mmmm, how I love that sexy smirk.

“Well you need to control it for a few hours and then we’ll handle that situation when we get back to my dorm,” I tell him with a deep lustful look. Hopefully he can see I want more, but I know I’ll have to make the first move.

“We don’t have to do anything, just being with you is enough for me,” he whispers into my ear. 

“I know, but I want to. I want to feel you, touch you, I want you,” I tell him seductively then kiss him and bite his lower lip.

“Damn babe, how am I to control this (he motions towards his dick) when you speak to me like that,” he says laughing.

“That’s just it; I want you to lose control with me. I want to take the next steps with you. You need to trust me,” I say to him while looking in to his eyes.

“Baby, I do trust you more than anything.  We’ll just see how things go okay.  No expectations, we’ll just do what feels right,” he says before taking my lips against his.

We continue to dance to a few more songs and then head in the direction to get a drink. Tuck stays close to me all night.  There are a few girls that come up and try to talk to him thinking he’ll just toss me aside and go with them, but he sets them straight fairly quick.  This man is amazing and damn, I can’t wait to leave and have him all to myself.

To say I’m nervous would be an understatement, but I want this with Tuck.  He’s been nothing but patient with me and I know he will continue to be that way, but I know I’m ready.  At least I think I am. I just hope I don’t do anything stupid because obviously I have no real experience in this situation. Don’t get me wrong, my books give great pointers, but it’s still not the real thing.  But tonight is the night.

We stay for a while longer and drink a few drinks but neither of us are drunk, and we hang out and dance some more.  Matt finds a girl for the night, but unfortunately she’s not the dating type, just more of the one night of fun type of girl.