Page 5

IT’S FUCKING KILLING ME!

Because I’m an idiot. Something Lyndell has taken great joy in pointing out while I pout and whine and bitch in every room of our small two-bedroom apartment. Addelsbach, Gill, Schultz and others have joined in, ribbing me for my lack of game.

I’ve found my one…but I can’t contact her because I never got her fucking number.

I’ve been in her presence a few times, I’ve walked her home, we searched the entire stadium for Prib’s girl and at no point in time did I think, “I need her number so I can call her. Ask her out properly. Inquire about her day. Gauge her feelings on oral sex. Does she need clitoral stim to cum or will my cock be enough for her to shatter in ecstasy?” You know, normal phone conversation between potential romantic partners.

I’m desperate. So, I’ve resorted to some light stalking. Nothing nefarious, just hanging around outside her dorm waiting to casually run into her and ask her for her number and preferred sexual position.

The door opens and I stand up from the bench I’ve taken over in the last week, but I sigh in disappointment when some dude emerges. I pull my phone out of my short’s pocket when it vibrates with a message.

Addelsbach: Are you still camped out in front of her building?

Tyrone: No.

Addelsbach: *image*

My head snaps up, seeing the image of myself on my phone screen. It’s taken from the side… “Motherfucker.” I growl and flip Addelsbach off, settle on the bench with my arms crossed and my lips pursed. He’s mocking me…and I deserve it.

My phone buzzes again.

Addelsbach: Douche. Don’t you think DM-ing her on Insta is better than stalking her?

Tyrone: First, yes, but I didn’t think of that. Second, not stalking, I’m using strategic placement for optimal visual identification for a serendipitous intervention.

Addelsbach: *image*

He sends me an image of the guy from You standing outside some girl’s window.

Tyrone: That’s entirely different.

At this point, it’s probably not. Most people would consider my actions desperate and cringy.

I sigh in defeat, stand up and gather my bag and snacks.

I’ve been here for 4 hours. She ain’t gonna show.

Or she saw me and is ignoring me. She was abrupt in her departure when Lyn and I dropped her off at the dorm.

Of course, the fact that she lives with Shaye is reason enough to run and hide. I can’t blame her for that.

Addelsbach: Is it though?

Tyrone: No, you’re right. I’m being ridiculous. If we are meant to see each other, the universe will make it happen.

Addelsbach: How very new age hippie of you.

Addelsbach: Look up.

I glance up and nearly fall on my ass as I yelp in surprise. Edee is standing right in front of me, her left eyebrow raised in question, her lips twitching. She wants to laugh at me. Fair. I did just squeal like a fucking girl.

“Edee. What a pleasant surprise.”

Her eyebrow rises impossibly higher. “Imagine my surprise , when Addelsbach texts me to come down and put you out of your misery.” She glances at my bag full of supplies. “How long have you been sitting outside of my dorm?”

“Not long,” I lie. Right to her face. She chuckles, obviously knowing I’m fibbing to save my stalker ass. “WAIT!” I spin around and point at Addelsbach, who is now standing with Gill and Schultz. “You had her number this whole fucking time? What the hell, man?”

“This was way more fun! Toodles!” The three of them wave merrily, then turn around and walk away.

Edee is laughing so hard, she rests her hand against my arm to hold herself up. Willing to take what I can get; I cover her hand with my own. When she rights herself, her bright eyes meet mine and my chest hitches…she’s pretty. Really pretty.

“I want your number.” My eyes slowly close on a disappointed sigh. I have game, I swear. She just…she knocks me off my axis, in the best kind of way.

“ You. Number. Too. ”

I stare at her with my mouth parted. “I’m sorry, was that supposed to be a caveman?”

“Yes, of course. Didn’t you get that by the deep voice?”

I shake off her bad impression. “Let’s tap.

” She holds up her phone and I tap mine against hers and now we finally have each other’s number.

I can text her. Call her. Facetime. A huge weight lifts from my chest as the relief loosens my muscles.

I don’t think I realized how important this was to me; how important she is.

Though, I guess objectively, I should have known since I tried to justify stalking her for several days.

“Would you care to join Lyndell and I for dinner?”

“Sure. I’d love to.” My lips stretch painfully in the biggest smile.

She agreed. Awesome. Edee puts her hands in the pockets of her jean shorts and rocks back and forth in her sandals.

Her toes are painted light purple. Her long, smooth legs are thick and juicy, toned and inviting.

My brows furrow, why isn’t she walking away? She’s just standing here.

“Uh…should I walk you to class?” She doesn’t have a bookbag with her, no notebooks or computer. Edee snorts and shakes her head. “Uh…were you heading somewhere else? The library?”

“Ty, you asked me out to dinner.”

“I did. I’ll swing by later with Lyndell to pick you up.”

“You do know it’s dinnertime now, right?”

“Fuck! I’ve been sitting out here for like 6 hours!” Shit! No! She can’t know that. She’s gonna freak out and flee back into her dorm and file a report and I’ll never see her again. Fuck! “I mean…not 6 hours…it feels like 6 hours, but it’s only been—”

“360 minutes.” Edee takes a deep breath, then loops her arm through mine and starts walking. “Come on. I heard stalking burns a lot of calories.”

“Fucking Addy.” I mutter much to her amusement. “Uh, speaking of Addelsbach, why does he—”

“I needed to interview him before the season started and he gave my editor his contact information for me to use. We’ve texted a few times. He really likes cat videos.”

“He does. Unhealthy obsession,” I agree.

“Like stalking?”

“Jesus, I’m never living this down, am I?”

She shrugs. “Probably not.”

“I just…I kept forgetting to get your number and then we had the bye week, and I wasn’t gonna see you and after what happened to Phia, I wanted to make sure you were ok. You seemed very off when Lyn and I brought you home.”

“Yeah, about that.” She glances up at me and then focuses on the path before us.

“I…I didn’t know…it bothered me, I guess, to hear Shaye speak like that to you.

I know you have a past, and I don’t blame you for that, I have my own…

limited experience. But I realized that if you’d been with girls like Shaye and other cheerleaders, I probably wasn’t your type, and you were just being polite because of Lyn—”

I cut her off with my mouth. Fuckin’ hell.

Her lips are soft and silky. I press harder, cupping her face with my hands.

When I lick across her lush lips, she moans and opens for me.

I take my time, and this right here is worth the potential prison sentence for stalking her. I soften the kiss and slowly pull back.

“You are very much my type, Edee. Everything about you sings to me.”

“But Shaye—”

I close my eyes and rest my forehead against her.

“I’ve never been with Shaye; she’s always been a bitch.

But I have been with some of the cheerleaders.

And the band. Majorettes. Dance squad.” She places her fingers over my lips to get me to stop talking.

“And the chess club president.” Her fingers slip and her mouth gapes in surprise.

“I like a smart woman.” My hands drift down her body to her wide hips.

I clutch them as I bring her closer to me.

“Which is only one of the reasons I like you.”

“You like ‘em limber, too,” she mumbles.

I dip my head down to her neck, breathing her in and pressing a soft kiss to the thin skin of her throat. “I look forward to learning how limber you are…” I step back, my hands falling from her sides, “in due time.” Interlacing our fingers, I resume our walk.

She clears her throat, “Where’s Lyndell?”

“Fuck!” I completely forgot. I take off at a fast jog, dragging her along with me. She’s laughing at me but struggling to keep up. “Sorry, sorry.” I slow down a little.

“What’s the rush?”

“Lyndell is done and I’m gonna be late picking him up.”

“From where?”

“He’s in the Good Work program, sort of.”

“What’s that?” she asks, her tone interested, if a little labored from our fast pace.

“Good Work is a program on campus that assists the intellectually disabled students in developing useful skills to find gainful employment and life lessons like maintaining a checking account, cooking, and basic home care.”

“I didn’t know that existed.” Her voice is thin, her eyes watery when she smiles up at me. “That’s amazing. What do you mean he’s ‘sort of’ in the program?”

I laugh thinking of my big brother. “This will be my 5 th year here. He’s been with me since the first football training camp before my freshman year.

He has technically graduated from the program twice.

But the faculty let him hang around and help others in the program.

He works at the laundry facilities. He was promoted last year to supervisor.

” I am so proud of Lyndell. He has come so far in the last few years, all thanks to the exemplary and compassionate staff at the university.

“Wow!” She grins. “I didn’t know the towel boy was a professional.” Her free hand reaches across her body to brush my cheek. “You love him.”

“Of course, I do. He’s my brother.”

She shakes her head, her grin softening into a sweet smile. “It’s more than that.”

“He’s my fucking hero,” I say hoarsely, my throat straining with emotion. “He’s my world.”

Edee stops us, stepping in front of me. I look down at her, waiting. On her toes, she lightly brushes her lips against mine, once, twice. “Thank you for letting me be a part of your world.”