Reckless Together: A Contemporary New Adult College Romance (The Reckless Series) (30 page)

Dex's had been altered. On the front, right below the university logo, it said in neat, precise lettering,
Mom's always right
.

"Shut up," he said as he came over to us.

"I haven't said anything." I shot him an innocent look.

"You've been laughing." He glared at me.

Next to him, his mom was smiling. "Oh, my little imp-a-zoid."

"Imp-a-zoid?" I said.

"What else would you call him?" She laughed. "He thinks he can out-prank his mama." She spun him around so we could read the back of his sweatshirt. She clucked her tongue. "Like I wouldn't notice heat-activated ink."

His sweatshirt said,
Not my idea
.

Next to me, Mom was trying hard not to laugh.
 

Dex's mom introduced herself while Dex fumed. "Beth. Dex's mom. You must be Ellie and"—she turned to my mom—"her mom?"

"Melissa," Mom said.

"Okay, I have to say, you do not look like a mom. Did you have Ellie when you were three?" Beth's good humor was infectious. She'd said just the right thing to mom.

To my amazement, mom actually seemed to warm to her. "Close," she said. "Kindergarten."

Beth laughed. "Thank goodness. I was insecure there for a moment. You're putting the rest of us to shame."
 

Beth was actually really cute, a quirky kind of stylish nerd girl with dark-rimmed glasses that accentuated the nice shape of her eyes and balanced her face. Her brown hair was cut in a stylish bob. She wore fitted jeans and bright Converse tennis shoes. And looked much younger than she had to be. Younger in a girlish way, like she'd never really grown up. Dex had her nose. It was too bad he didn't look more like her, actually.
 

"What are you talking about?" Mom said. "You must have been a baby yourself."
 

"Maybe first grade."

Mom turned her attention to Dex. "Melissa. Nice to meet you." She held her hand out for him to shake.

Dex actually blushed. You could tell he was flustered around her. I resisted the urge to smack some sense into him. When Mom turned back to Beth to swap Mom stories, Dex whispered to me, "You lied. Your mom is not just hot. She's smoking."

"Not you, too," I said. "Your mom seems nice. And smart. She outsmarted you."

He frowned. "She's just got more life experience." He glanced down at his sweatshirt. "I need to get home and get out of this." He touched his mom's arm. "I'm leaving. See you later. Don't spend all Dad's money."

"Dad's money!" Beth gave him a mock-dirty look.

"Nice to meet you!" Dex grabbed my arm. "Text me when you're leaving the craft fair. I need fair warning before she comes back." He dashed off before I could reply.

"Oh, that kid," Beth said. "He thinks he's so smart. He's a showoff like his dad. Good thing I like showoffs." She made a funny face. "Stay on your guard. He'll try to get me back for that sweatshirt." She smiled. "Now, let's shop!"

Mom smiled at Beth. "I think you and I are going to be very good friends. Tell me about that fabric ink you used on Dex's shirt…"

The craft fair was crowded with booths and people. Mom's eyes went wide at the high quality and variety of goods—handmade soaps, handcrafted jewelry. Etched-glass block lamps. Hand-sewn aprons. Window butterflies. Leather purses. Fudge and candy. Carvings. Everything you could imagine that could be crafted with the university logo on it.

We dove in and spent a happy two hours browsing and buying. Mom spoiled me, buying me anything I commented that I liked. I told her to stop.
 

She ignored me. "You haven't let me buy you anything all year."

Beth was just as bad as Mom. I became their packhorse. Mom offered for us to walk Beth back to Dex's. "There's no way you can carry all these packages yourself," she said.

I texted Dex we were on our way to his room. As we crossed the footbridge to campus, two hot guys were coming the opposite way. They gave me the up-and-down, being way obvious. And completely ignoring Mom.

As we walked past the SUB, I was whistled at, catcalled to, given the up-and-down, and asked for my number while Mom was almost totally ignored. The closer we got to Dex's dorm, the more guys suddenly noticed my hotness.

In the lobby, Todd, one of the guys from Dex's floor, spotted me. "Ellie, you are smoking today!" He glanced at mom. "That your old lady?" He acted totally unimpressed.

"Yeah." What was up with Todd today?

Dex
. He was pranking me. Trying to build my confidence. Getting at Mom for me. I smiled to myself.
 

I cornered him when we got to his room. "How much did you pay all those guys to catcall me?"

"What are you talking about?" He looked way too innocent.

I knew he was guilty. "Thanks," I said, meaning it.

He blushed.

Logan

Logan had been up for over thirty-six hours when he and Caleb left his place to pick up El and Melissa. Rather than flagging, he felt energized, more optimistic than he had in months. Melissa had been right about Amber. He was convinced she was involved in corporate espionage for Core Technologies and was playing both sides, trying to maximize her profits for the venture deal she'd conned him into investing in.
 

He didn't give a shit about turning Amber in. He wanted the IPO to go through and turn him a nice profit. He wanted his money back, and now he thought he could get it. Thanks to Melissa.
 

He wished, for the millionth time, El knew what he did about Melissa. If she did, she'd forgive her mom, or at least come to terms with her. And then peace and family harmony would reign supreme. He almost snorted. Like that would ever happen.

He'd also received a letter from the university. He'd been accepted into grad school. Options were opening up.

"What are you smiling about?" Caleb punched Logan in the arm as they got into Logan's car.

He'd crashed with Logan last night and hung out all day, playing video games and drinking with Collin and Zave while their moms were out.

"Nothing. Get in the car."

"Sure. Right." Caleb got in and slammed the door. "You're thinking about getting laid as soon as you can the moms out of town. It's Saturday night. I'm not waiting. Up All Night better be full of girls as horny as I am."

"That's a physical impossibility. Most of them will be there with their moms." Logan texted El they were on their way, put the car in drive, and pulled out of the parking spot.

"There has to be one or two I can separate from their mama."

Logan rolled his eyes. "Going pro has made you way full of yourself."

Logan texted El when he found a parking spot. She and Melissa were waiting for them on the front steps of her dorm when he arrived with Caleb.
 

El looked way hot. His heart constricted, like it always did when he saw her. He didn't deserve her, but he sure wanted her. He ached to touch her and share his good news. All of it. But he held back the news. As he pulled her into his arms and kissed her, he couldn't resist sliding his hand up until it brushed the side of her perfect breasts. He got a hard-on instantly.
 

"Hello to you, too." El smiled at him. "You look happy."

"He got some good news." Caleb gave him a brotherly shove. "Tell her."

"I got into grad school. The letter came today."

El's eyes lit up. She squealed and hugged him. He wanted to tell her not to get too excited yet. He still wasn't sure he could stand another year or two here. But the thought of leaving her nearly broke him. He needed her the way he'd never needed anyone.

"Logan, that is so awesome!" El hugged.

"Congrats." Melissa flashed him a radiant smile. "That's all the good news?"

"There might be more. Later." As he put his arm around El, he caught Caleb staring at Melissa and went cold.

His brother was on the make, and from the look on his face, he wanted Melissa.
 

Chapter Twenty-One

Ellie

The SUB ballroom pulsed with disco lights and eighties music and moms of all kinds—those who stood nervously on the sidelines like mother hens, those who preferred to listen to the music and remember, those who tolerated dancing with their sons like good sports, those who were pretending to be young and in college again, flirting with the college guys, writhing in ways unbecoming for people of certain ages and shapes. And Mom, who was in a class all her own—young enough to be between generations of most of the moms and coeds. Slim and sexy. Confident. Desirable. A favorite with the college guys.

She'd been on the dance floor since we arrived. Mostly with Caleb, slinking around him, gyrating her hips, shaking her bootie. When he looked at her, his eyes were dark with desire. They made me nervous.

Logan ignored them. He was as happy, glittering, as effervescent as I'd ever seen him as we danced.
 

As he led me deeper into the heart of the dance floor, he whispered in my ear over the music, "This is our place, our event, El. Good things are coming. Do you feel it?"

I felt
him
—his hands warm and enticing at my waist, skimming my breasts, touching my hair. He was right. This was our place. And maybe it was our time.
 

Bon Jovi's "Livin' on a Prayer" began to play. I felt like Logan and I were living on a prayer, too.

I caught a glimpse of Mom and Caleb. His hands were on her waist while she jumped and gyrated and swung her arms over her head, laughing.

I closed my eyes to block them out and leaned into Logan, pulling him into a kiss, opening my mouth to him and slipping my tongue in next to his. I sucked at his lip and gently nibbled as I ran my hands through his hair. This wasn't a slow song, but I didn't care. I wanted to forget all the bad stuff and just be happy in the moment.

Logan pulled me tight against him. I felt his dick go hard in his jeans. I wanted him. He knew it from the way I looked at him. He grinned wickedly and wedged his leg between mine, rubbing me.
 

"You'll give me a wet spot," I said.

"That's the idea."

I sighed and focused on Logan and the music. I lost count, but we danced to two or three more songs at least. I was turned on. Logan was turned on.

The latest song ended. I opened my eyes and looked around. Mom was gone.

My phone buzzed in my jeans. Who was texting me now? I pulled my phone out. "A text from Mom," I said. "She ran into an old friend. She says to text her when we're ready to meet up."

Logan's eyes sparkled with lust and promise. "Are you thinking what I'm thinking?"

"What are you thinking?" I asked, cautiously.

"That we go to my place and have some fun before we text Melissa to meet up. Collin and Zave and their moms are out until late."

"Do you really think she met an old friend? Or is she making a new one?" I frowned.

Logan tipped my face up and nibbled my lips. "I think she just gave us an opportunity to be alone." He paused. "I want you, El." His voice broke with desire.
 

My breath caught. I felt heat between my legs. I was already wet for him as he took my hand.
 

"Let's go," he said.

"I'm having my period." I hated to remind him. When I was on the pill it only lasted a few days and was light after the first day. It would be over by tomorrow.

"That doesn't bother me, as long as you're up for it."

"What about Caleb?" I looked around for him, feeling a wave of unease. Caleb and Mom were both missing.

"He's on his own and looking to get laid. Let's hope he gets lucky and is occupied on his own a while. He has a key. He knows his way back." Logan ran his hand beneath the edges of my blouse and played with my bellybutton ring.

I took his arm and pushed my worries aside as coincidence. "You're playing dirty."

"I'm playing to win."