Perfect Summer (8 page)

He
looked down then, and said, “Yeah, I did.”

“So,
don’t look at me like that, Drew.”

“Like
what?”

“Like
you want to kiss me, but strangle me at the same time.” I took a step closer to
him and touched his cheeks with my hand. “Why are you so angry at me?”

“Summer,”
Drew closed his eyes and leaned his cheek into my hand. “Oh, Summer,” he said.
“How I missed you.”

I
didn’t say anything for a while, but stepped closer, close enough to smell his
familiar spicy vanilla scent. He smelled so sexy, I want to lean further into
him, to rest my hands and face on his chest and be held by him.

Instead,
I looked up into his eyes, and asked. “Why didn’t you contact me this week,
Drew? You knew I was also starting college this week with you…”

Drew
shot me an angry look. “You could’ve contacted me, too, Summer. Why didn’t you
want to see me?” He looked hurt and angrier than before. “Is it because of
Nat?”

“No,
of course not, Drew. I would never forget you just because Nat and I are
closer, but I…I had to catch up with everything, it was so overwhelming, I
didn’t think…”

“It
was hard on me, too, the first day,” Drew said. “But it got easier, and I ended
up meeting a lot of people…”

“I
know,” I said. “I saw all those girls around you.”

Drew
cracked a grin as wide as the sky then. “It doesn’t stop, even here in
college.”

“The
Drew Effect…” I smiled back.

Drew
nodded. “Only they attack in numbers…sorority sisters here. They love the new
football players.”

“No,”
I said, “they love you.”

Drew
closed his mouth and opened it again, swallowing his surprise. “I only care to
hear those words from one girl, Summer, and you know pretty much who she is.”

He
was staring at my mouth then, and cupped my chin in his hand.

“Drew…”
I said. “Why don’t you come over to the Pad tonight for dinner? It’ll be like
old times, and we can go for a swim, jog, even cook together.”

Drew’s
eyebrows lifted, and he said gruffly. “Is that all that’s going to happen?”

“I
don’t know,” I said. “That’s what I intend to happen, but…”

“You
don’t know me very well then, Summer,” Drew said.

“Why?”
I said. “I think I do.”

“If
you do, then you would know that to invite me over for dinner, a swim, and even
a jog along the beach just us two alone at the Pad…” Drew’s eyes had grown
darker with desire as he looked into mine, trying to convey his meaning without
saying it. “If we’re honest with ourselves…we both know that couldn’t happen.”
He leaned in to whisper into my ears. “The way I’m feeling right now, if you
get me alone in a room with you, I’d tear off every piece of clothing on you,
and make love to you all night, all weekend.”

I
blushed, thinking about it.

“No,
Summer,” Drew said softly. “As much as I want to visit and stay with you at the
Pad, I have to say no.

“No?”
I asked.

“No,”
Drew said, turning away from me and stepping back. “I can’t trust myself to
refrain from touching you, Summer. It’s too tempting.”

“But
we’re friends,” I said.

“Exactly,”
Drew replied. “You’re a friend I want to fuck. But I need you to be just a
friend. It’s best to remain that.”

Drew
picked up his bag from the floor, and slung it over his shoulders. “I’ll see
you around, Summer. Take care.”

Then
he was gone.

*****

I
never thought I’d feel so sad about Drew wanting to just be friends with me. My
mind and heart refused to believe it, reliving all the things and actions he’d
ever said and done for me.

I
guess I thought that I’d always have him around, that I’ll always have his
love.

Being
at Aunt Sookie’s at night without anyone around, having had an exhausting first
week of school, and still reeling from my near rape attack; I felt so alone.

I
decided to try to get Drew to come out again, for pizza and maybe to study a
little, but when I called him at his apartment, an unfamiliar girl’s voice
picked up the phone, giggling.

“Is
Drew there?” I asked.

“Oh,
you mean the football hottie?” the girl asked.

“I
guess so,” I said, rolling my eyes.

“He’s
busy at the moment,” she said, giggling. What? Was she drunk or something?

“Well,
when he’s not ‘busy’,” I said. “Can you tell him to call Summer?”

“Why?”
the girl asked. “So you can jump in line ahead of the rest of us? Take a
number, Summer,” the girl said. “He’s going to be busy with the squad tonight.
And sore…” she giggled.

“Urghh,”
I hung up, not wanting to hear more disgusting things from that girl’s mouth.

I
went to my freezer and pulled out a pint of caramel coffee ice cream and
grabbed a spoon. What happened to the Drew I knew and began falling in love
with? Yes, in love…like in love with Nat in love. Why was he with all those
girls? Why did he have to have them? 

I
planted my pint of ice cream in front of me, and took out my textbooks. Why
should I care if he was with them or any girl? He and I weren’t dating. We
weren’t together. We were just friends. And if he was back to his manwhoring bad
boy ways, then that was his choice.

But
as I dipped my spoon into the ice cream over and over again, I felt my heart
sinking with each bite.

As
much as I understood why he was with those girls, and why he was avoiding me, I
hated it, especially the white hot jealousy I felt, wanting to drive over to
Drew’s apartment to tear each girl off of him.

People,
I bet think I would be lucky having the love of these two wonderful guys. I was
very lucky. Only why did I feel miserable being in love with two guys who both
meant so much to me? If I chose one, I’d lose the other…and not just a lover,
but one of my best friends.

I
didn’t want to fall in love, but I did…first with Nat a long time ago, and then
with Drew over the course of last summer. Love had no expirations. It couldn’t
be shut off just like that. Even if I tried, I knew I couldn’t stop loving them
both.

Chapter
7

I
didn’t have time to be upset about Drew. That
night, I fell asleep reading one of the textbooks at the kitchen table, and
didn’t wake up until early morning the next day.

My
face was resting on my Microeconomics textbook when I heard a creak next to me.
I opened my eyes to find Nat sitting beside me, watching me sleep. When my eyes
opened wider, he pulled up closer and kissed me on my cheeks. “Hi Beautiful,”
he said. “I’ve been enjoying watching you sleep.”

“That
can be boring,” I said.

“Not
when I’m looking at someone so beautiful I can stare at all day.”

I
laughed. “That’s kind of creepy stalker behavior.”

Nat
laughed and placed his hands on my back, kneading it, massaging it, and
applying pressure where I needed it.

“Oh,
that feels so good, Nat,” I groaned. “I so need this!”

“I
figured,” Nat said. “You’ve had quite a week, I’m sure, Summer. And I want to
hear all about it.”

“Let’s
just say I didn’t have a good of a time starting college than Drew did.”

Nat
raised his eyebrows. “Really? Why?”

“He
plays the role of football hero to the t, doesn’t he?” I said. “

“He’s
been known to,” Nat said.

“Well,
turns out he’s in the same Literature and Drama class as me on Fridays, and he
was, as always, surrounded by girls.”

“Doesn’t
surprise me,” Nat said smiling. “Drew will be Drew.”

“But
I thought he’d changed. I thought he’d given that all up…”

Nat
stopped smiling. “Summer, I know you know how Drew felt about you, but
sometimes people change, and well, I think Drew was really hurt by seeing us
together, but instead of being consumed by it, he’s moved on.”

I
tried to keep the hurt I felt from showing, knowing that Drew was serious about
just being friends and nothing more. I didn’t want Nat to know how much I
cared, especially since it was Nat I’ve always had a crush on for years, not
Drew.

“I
have to admit, Summer,” Nat said. “Drew’s got more backbone than he’d led on. I
thought he would do something stupid and maybe even dangerous at first, out of
crazy jealousy, but he turned everything around. Set aside his feelings, faced
reality, and moved on. He even sent me a text after Donovan Dynamics found him
saying that he was fine, not to worry. He just needed to get his head straight
and figure things out. After driving for a while, he realized what he had for
you was more a childhood crush than lasting love.”

I
wanted to bolt out of my seat and into my room to be alone then, but Nat
continued on. “He gave us his blessing to see each other.” Nat patted my
shoulders and held my hand. “Without the guilt that we may hurt him, Summer. He
only wished us happiness.”

“But…”
I blurted out. “I never got to talk to him about all that. I never wanted to
hurt him.”

“He
knows, Summer,” Nat said. “But he also didn’t want to stand in the way of us
being together, if we were meant to be.” Nat pursed his lips. “I’m proud and
amazed at how Drew has been acting. He’s become a great guy with a good head on
his shoulders.”

I
couldn’t agree more, and decided to do the same as Drew:  move on. Nat was
here, and I didn’t want to waste any time worrying about what could’ve been and
what should’ve. Aunt Sookie had taught me to live in the moment, to embrace
everything life had to offer. Now, Nat was here, and I knew he wanted me as
much as I wanted him so I put a brave face forward, and made the most of Nat’s
visit. I did have so much to share with Nat. I wanted to talk to him about
college, about my classes, and everything else besides Drew…

“College
is,” I started. “A lot more than I expected, I’ll be honest. It’s a lot more
work than high school, but I love learning everything I’ve signed up for. The
professors are fascinating, and I love the autonomy of being able to determine
how well I do, just based on putting the effort in.”

Nat
laughed. “Already sounding like a college-educated woman, Summer.” He kissed
the top of my head from behind as he moved closer to begin applying harder
strokes and pressure on my back. “But, you need to take it easier on yourself,
baby. Your back is as stiff as a board.”

He
led me to the area in front of the fireplace where a large fluffy sheepskin rug
was placed, and had me lay out on my stomach. “This will give me more leverage
on your back than you leaning on the kitchen table. Now close your eyes and
relax.”

I
closed my eyes just as Nat went over to the windows and closed the blinds. He
started up some soothing music in the background, and I even started smelling
the sweet scent of jasmine, lavender, and vanilla. Before I knew it, Nat was
back and placed his warmed and oiled hands on the skin of my back, massaging
up, slowly and sensually.

He
turned me around, took the hem of my t-shirt, and rolled it off of me, exposing
my naked breasts. Nat growled. “No bra. That was a nice surprise, Summer.”

“It’s
far more comfortable that way,” I said.

“And
accessible,” Nat said, bending down to take one of my harden nipples in his
mouth.

“Oh
Nat,” I moaned. “What happened to the massage?”

Nat’s
tongue circled around my orb and then slowly licked the tip. When it grew
harder, he increased the pressure and speed of his tongue on my nipple until I
wanted to explode.

But
he held back from letting me, instead, turning his skillful mouth to my other
breast, lavishing the same attention to it as the other. I was writhing in
pleasure, asking him to give me more, when his hands unbuttoned the top of my
jeans shorts, unzipped it, and pulled it down. Free from the any stitch of
clothing, his hot hands reached up and began rubbing, stroking my heated folds.

He
moved his lips from my breasts to kiss the center of my ribs and make his way
down my stomach, belly button, and pelvic bone.

I
buckled underneath him as all of my senses were filled with need for him.
“Nat,” I moaned. “I. Need. You.”

“Hold
on a little bit more, baby,” Nat said, lifting my legs up on his shoulders as
he bent his head lower. “Trust me, this will only make the massage easier…”

“You’re
so practical, Nat…” I began, but nearly jump out of my skin when his cool wet
tongue touched me and began pushing into me. It took my breath away how good it
felt. But then he was relentless in his onslaught on me, using his hands, his
mouth, his tongue, and even is massive hard-on to the point of intense release.

When
the intense waves of pleasure stopped rocking my entire body, I stretched out
fully on the rug, gazing up into Nat’s sea green eyes. “I feel like jello,” I
said.

“Not
yet,” Nat smiled, kissing me passionately on my lips, while taking my lower
lips between his lips to suck and chew on.

“Oh,”
I cried, feeling my body respond to his kiss with renewed energy. “You’re still
not through?”

Nat
grinned between his onslaught of my mouth. “No, Summer. I don’t think I can get
enough of you. An entire week without being able to touch, hold, and kiss you,
is a lifetime for me. I’m just catching up.”

He
sat up and turned me forward so I was on my stomach. “Now let’s work your
back.”

He
started off using his hands to knead and stroke my back, then began kissing the
back of my neck and shoulders as his hands touched and stroked the curve of my
lower back, my hips, and then my butt.

“Summer,”
he said huskily. “You have the most perfect body I’ve ever seen. I can touch
and kiss you all day and still not get enough of you.” He kissed my hips, and
palmed my butt cheeks. Then went on his knees, pulling me up on my hands and
knees by the waist. “Summer,” he said. “Do you want me?” His fingers stroked my
inner thighs.