I never knew you could spend hours just kissing a girl. I never knew because I’d never done it before. In the last month, I’d learned just how erotic kissing could be. Many nights I’d left her place unsatisfied sexually, but completely content emotionally.
I sound like a fucking chick. I want to go drink a beer and punch something.
That’s better.
With enough food on my tray to feed an army, I passed a group of panting girls in the student union on my way toward Cassie. A sorority chick named Andrea stopped me with a hand on my arm. I moved away from her touch, scowling at her hand. “What?” I asked sharply, uninterested in whatever was about to spill from her lips.
“Our sorority formal is coming up, Jack.” She paused, her eyelashes batting at a ridiculous pace. “And I thought you could come with?”
“No.” The huge smile fell from her face.
“Why not? Is it because of her?” She sneered in Cassie’s direction.
“None of your business, Andrea. And if you ever refer to my girlfriend like that again, I’ll find someone to teach you a little respect.”
She huffed at me, all offended, and I walked away, noticing Melissa laughing in my direction.
“You girls are a species all your own.” I shook my head in disbelief as I nudged my tray against Cassie’s.
She glanced around at the girls whispering and watching us. “Tell me about it.”
“It’s been a month, ladies. Time to get over it already.” Melissa waved her hand into the air, her voice raised.
“Sorry to put you in the spotlight, Kitten.” I knew she hated it when I called her that, but I couldn’t help it. I liked it. I tossed my arm around her shoulder and pulled her into me, my thumb caressing her soft skin. Her hair tickled my neck as it fell around my back and I wished I could hold on to her forever. I kissed the top of her head before letting her go, her green eyes forming half moons as she smiled.
“I guess it comes with the territory.” She looked at me, her cheeks tinged with pink.
“The territory of being Jack freaking Carter’s girlfriend,” Melissa added with a laugh.
“Glad you’re on board with this, Melis.” I smiled, encouraged by her attitude.
“Jack, you’re still an asshole but you’ve grown on me. And if you hurt Cassie, I’ll break your pitching arm. Capisce?”
“Capisce,” I responded, purely to humor Cassie’s fun-sized best friend.
I leaned into my girl, the smell of her shampoo engulfing my senses. “You know I’d never hurt you on purpose.”
Cassie immediately turned to face me, her eyebrows pinched together. “That’s not really reassuring. You know that, right?”
“I’m just being realistic. Don’t want to make you promises I can’t keep,” I added, hinting at rule number three of her boy test.
“So you can’t promise that you won’t hurt me?” Her tone was annoyed and I instantly wished I could take back my words.
“Cass, I don’t ever want to hurt you, but I can’t promise you that I’ll never screw up or make you mad.” I paused, trying to make the thoughts in my head come out right.
“He’s good at pissing people off. Isn’t that right, big brother?” I looked up to see Dean smirking at me, and took a half-hearted swipe at him as he sat down next to me.
“That’s the rumor.” I nodded with a smile.
“Plus, if he pushes you away, then you won’t be the one who left him. He’ll be the one who made you leave,” Dean added defiantly.
I glared at my little brother for his openness in such a public space. I glanced around, making sure no one was too close to overhear.
“I don’t plan on going anywhere.” Cassie put her hand on top of mine and squeezed. “So don’t try to make me.”
Relief coursed through my body with her reassurance. I had spent so much of my life convinced that no girl would ever want to be with the real me, that I’d never given anyone a chance to prove me wrong. If my own mom didn’t love me enough to stay, how would anyone else?
“Jesus, I’ve never met two people more scared to let someone love them than the two of you,” Melissa remarked with a frown.
I opened my mouth to protest when she continued, her ponytail bobbing from side to side as she moved her head. “And don’t even try to deny it. You’re both all messed up from your stupid parents. Cassie here,” she lifted her hand in Cassie’s direction, “with her dad’s constant lies and inability to follow through on even the simplest, most mundane thing, has been disappointed and let down most of her life.”