Page 13

Jackson

“Thea,” I groused, walking into the apartment. I could smell her. That fancy floral scent clung in the air, a cruel tease dragging me back into thoughts of her. Not that I was ever far away from them.

I shucked my jacket off and tossed it over the couch, only to come face-to-face with her giant ass scrunchie on the coffee table right next to my gaming control. How cute. It almost looked like they were the objects of two people who couldn’t stand to be apart from one another.

Gritting my teeth, I cricked my neck, hoping it would spark the blood vessels and get my brain working again. Well, it wasn’t that my brain wasn’t working. It was that I couldn’t stop thinking about Thea.

I thought a good night’s rest would do me some good and I’d forget about her or that Britt implied I was in love with her. It didn’t happen. I woke up with a huge grin on my face and a hard-on that could fly a flag proudly. Seriously, have you ever seen a literal tent in the bedsheets? That was what I was rocking. There was so much space under there, at least two people could have camped out, and the fact I haven’t gotten it to go down since proved they could have spent the night.

I’d been proud of myself this morning since I avoided tugging one out while thinking about my friend’s sister, but that task was proving more difficult as the day went on. I wasn’t even safe at the gym where I got all my aggression out. Nope. My boner wouldn’t quit, and I was almost considering donating my cock to science for research.

I went to the fruit basket for an apple, but there were only a banana and two of Thea’s oranges precariously placed. I stared at the phallic fruit, whimpering as I thought about how Thea ate her orange the other day. Peeling off the skin and then pulling it apart segment by segment and sucking the juices out before popping it into her mouth.

Juice dripping from the corners of her lips.

A soft moan as the sweet liquid hit her tongue.

Did that even happen, or had I imagined it?

I didn’t know. It didn’t matter what Thea said or did. Apparently, my brain was ready to make everything a declaration of love.

I was fucking done for. All thanks to Britt and the curse she’d put on me. The witch accusation never felt truer than now. She had to be doing something powerful to make my head spin like this over a girl I hated. And I did hate her … right?

I shook my head. Of course I did. You can imagine your enemy riding your cock reverse-cowboy style while you pulled on her hair and not like her. Plenty of people hate fuck, and that was all I was thinking about. Doing things to her that would make it awfully difficult to talk through.

“Right,” I said to myself, standing up straight and heading over to the bathroom. “I’m going to fix this once and for all.”

I breezed through the bathroom door and slammed it shut. Leaning on it, I closed my eyes and blew out several short breaths.

“You can do this,” I whispered, my chest heaving. “You can stop thinking about Thea.”

When I was prepared enough to move, I shifted out of my clothing and stood in front of the mirror, looking down at my sad erection. It wasn’t sad because of its size or anything. It was sad because it was thinking about someone it would never get.

Then my eyes caught the little pink perfume bottle sitting just behind the faucet. Flowery with a hint of citrus, and I closed my eyes, remembering that smell well. A shiver ran up my spine, which could be due to thinking about my roommate naked, or could be due to the fact I’d been standing in the bathroom with no clothes on for the better part of five minutes.

I grumbled under my breath before spinning on my heel and turning the shower on. The noise of the water hitting the tile calmed me.

I was in a rainforest on a hot day, not in a shared bathroom.

I was calm.

I was happy.

My shoulders relaxed when I stepped into the shower, only for me to cry out in pain the second the water touched my skin. I’d put it on the coldest setting, and my mind wasn’t prepared. With my hand on the dial, I turned the heat up, letting the water heat.

As my body warmed, I forced myself to relax.

Ah, this was nice.

I looked down at my dick and frowned. It was still hard, and I wondered how was I able to walk around all day with that thing hanging out? It was uncomfortable, to say the least.

Resigned to the fact I had no one to fix this but myself, I wrapped my hand around my cock and used the other to steady myself against the title. Then I tried to imagine some celebrity between me and the shower wall. I didn’t know or care who.

I just wanted to get off without thinking of Thea.

Oh, shit. There I went again. Her face and that weird Covey U onesie flashed through my mind, and surely, that fluffy thing alone should be enough to tame my boner.

So why was I jerking myself off still?

It was probably to do with the fact I was thinking about pulling the zipper down with my teeth to reveal Thea’s phenomenal tits, ones I hadn’t been able to admire until last night.

Round and perfectly pert. I bet if I sucked them into my mouth, they’d peak and she’d thread her hands through my hair, keeping me in place. Gentle laps of my tongue against her nipple were all I’d give her until she begged me for my cock.

Bet she’d take it so well too.

My hand worked faster, and the vein in the side of my neck protruded so much I thought it might pop. I persevered. I got this far, and I could feel myself on the precipice of coming.

If she was between the wall and me, I’d be able to slip my dick right in and watch the shock register on her face. “Jackson,” she’d moan out like it was the best fucking thing she’d ever said.

“Fuck yeah,” I whispered, moving my hand faster. My balls were tightening, so I slowed down, still thinking about Thea.

Her back would be arching, pushing those pert nipples my way again, and I’d have no choice but to take them in my mouth while I angled her just right to hit her G-spot. With her hands still in my hair, she’d call out my name and ask me to come with her. There was nothing else I wanted more.

That was it.

The image of Thea’s tight body clenching around me was enough to send me into overdrive. Ribbons of cum spilled out of me, and I tugged my dick until I was spent.

Resting my head against the shower wall, I laughed. Finally, I could get some respite from the intrusive thoughts of Thea. Granted, I would have preferred to not have to imagine fucking her to do it, but after the day I’d had, I’d take it.

I washed my body and turned the shower off before wrapping a towel around my waist and heading for my room in a surprisingly good mood. I was somewhat drained and a little ashamed, but at least there were no more thoughts about Thea.

“You could give me a warning next time,” Thea said as I walked down the hallway. She was standing on the threshold between the bedrooms and the kitchen with her hands covering her eyes as she let out groans of disgust.

I grinned, knowing full well that my body wasn’t something to be disgusted by. I spent hours in the gym every day, especially during the offseason, and my muscles were popping. Although, after a warm shower and jacking off, they might’ve been a little too relaxed. Maybe that was why she was disgusted.

“You know some people would pay to see these.” I flexed my biceps, and her nose crinkled as she glared at me. Wonder if her orgasm face looked anything like that?

“Don’t worry, I’m not interested.” She breezed past, forcing me to smell her perfume once more, and, well, shit, my dick was getting chubby again. That was when I took in her outfit. Black tights and a flowery black dress with a black … leather jacket. Wait a minute. I took in her shiny dark hair. It was always straight, but tonight it looked sleeker. It looked like she’d spent time on it.

“Thea?” I said with a choked-out cry. She looked over her shoulder, and my lungs lost all ability to breathe. How had I not noticed when she stopped me? Thea had red lipstick on.

Fuck me.

I mean, I wished she would. Maybe then I could think of something other than her red lips wrapped around my c—

Stop, brain! Stop thinking these things. She hates you.

My brain and feet worked in tandem, and I followed her into the living room.

“Where are you going?” I asked, getting all up in her business.

“Why do you care?” She huffed out, finding one of her purses and opening it so she could put her phone inside.

Good question.

“Because your brother will care.”

She snorted before rolling her eyes. “Oh, so now you’re going to act like the supportive friend. After you kicked me out of the apartment four days ago in nothing but my jammies.”

“Don’t worry. I did you a favor there. No one was going to attack you in those.”

She raised her hand, then dropped it. “And there’s the true Jackson.” Then she shook her head. “Hasn’t cared for me since I joined here. That fact was made clear enough the first week.”

My brows furrowed as she looked through her bag, pulling out shit I’d never expect to fit. Purse, chewing gum, lip balm, lipstick, another one of her big ass scrunchies …

“Is that a whistle?” I said as she placed the bright-pink item on the counter.

“Yes.”

“Why do you have that?”

“Because not all of us are built like The Hulk. I need it for protection.”

“Protection?”

“Yes.”

“I’m sorry, but a whistle isn’t going to do much to protect you.”

“No, but it will draw attention and hopefully freak the attacker out.”

“Wait a minute. Are you serious? Do you really think someone’s going to attack you?”

Her lips clamped shut, and instead of answering me, she rifled through her bag, mumbling things I couldn’t hear.

“It doesn’t matter.”

That was all I heard, but there was a hard edge to it. It did matter. She should be able to feel safe as she walked down the street.

“Where are you going? Do you want me to come with you?”

“Ha. Like that’s a real offer.”

“It is. I don’t want you to feel unsafe on campus. I’m happy to escort you wherever you want to go.” I was becoming a puppy for this girl, and she had no idea the power she had over me.

Her hand slowed, and she looked up at me, then around the room. “Is this some kind of joke? Are you filming me?”

“No.”

“But you’re offering to take me out. Usually, you’re arguing about taking me anywhere.”

“Is that what you think?”

“It’s what I know. I’ve seen it.” I kept my mouth shut. She was right. Only, this time, I didn’t like it. I didn’t like the fact I didn’t make her feel safe and protected. “You haven’t liked me since month two of me being here.”

You haven’t liked me?

What did she mean? The only reason we fought was because she was so prickly with me.

“I’m not sure what you’re talking about, Thea?”

“Of course you don’t. Bet you won’t even remember this conversation in twenty seconds. Your brain is the size of a pea, after all. You need to focus on keeping all of the vital information front and center. Like name, age …”

“Dick size,” I added with a smile, and that earned a lip curl and a grunt from my roommate.

“Believe me, no one cares to know that.”

“It’s seven inches soft with a little curve to the right.”

She raised her hands; I’d made her speechless.

“What is wrong with you today? Can we just pretend I already left the apartment before you got here?”

I let out a sarcastic chuckle as I looked her up and down. The zing of electricity ran strong between us. I thought it was hate before, but I realized now it was something different. Had we been flirting all this time?

“Where are you going?” I asked

“Stop asking me. It doesn’t matter.”

My blood boiled. It did matter.

“Are you going on a date?”

“Wouldn’t you like to know?” Her grin was mischievous, and I wanted to wring her neck but kiss her at the same time.

“Stop it, Thea.”

“Stop what?” She glanced around the room and flicked her hair over her shoulder. “Anyway, I better be going. You’ll have a good night without me.” Her nose crinkled as she looked at the coffee table.

“Guessing you’ll be playing video games again.”

“What’s wrong with that?”

“Nothing. Just seems to be something you do when you have nothing else going on.”

“I do it to relax. Football. School. This apartment. Everything about this place stresses me out. Gaming helps reduce that for a bit.”

“What’s so stressful out the apartment?” She tilted her head, taking me in.

“You being in it.”

She flashed a sly, mischievous smile before patting the top of my baseball cap. “Well, don’t worry your pretty little head about that tonight. I’m not hanging around.”

“Aw, you think I’m pretty?” I framed my cheeks with the palm of my hands in that cupcake pose girls do as I fluttered my eyelashes. As I did it, I felt my towel falling, so I abruptly stopped and held onto it. Thea seeing my boner wouldn’t help matters.

“Who doesn’t?” That little admission alone was enough to make me think maybe I did have a chance to change her mind. “That doesn’t stop you from being an asshole, though. See you later, Baseball Cap.”

With that, she walked out of the apartment, and I had no choice but to let her. I watched every move she made, though, committing it to memory. When the door shut, I fumbled with the clothes in my hand and fished out the phone from my jeans.

Jackson: Please tell me Thea is going to your house tonight.

Matty: Do you know how annoying you are? Constantly messaging my wife with useless questions.

Britt: You’re an idiot.

Jackson: You’re talking about Matty, right?

Britt: No. I’m talking about you. Why the hell did you bring Grace over last night? Honestly, even when I try to give you the benefit of the doubt, you can’t help but be an asshole.

Well, shit. How did she know about that? Unless Britt and Grace suddenly became besties, then it had to have been Thea. Interesting.

Jackson: Did you see Thea today? Is that who told you?

Matty: Here’s a novel idea, why don’t you speak to Thea about this and leave us out of it. We aren’t interested.

Britt: Well, that’s not entirely true. I was interested until I realized what an idiot you are.

Jackson: Can we please stop calling me an idiot? It’s hurting my feelings.

Britt: Good. I hope you feel ten times the pain Thea felt.

That confirmed it. My jaw clenched, and I looked at the door, contemplating whether I could catch up with Thea. Upsetting her wasn’t my intention, and that combined with knowing she hadn’t heard my doorstop confessional on either night made me want to fix this.

Jackson: I wasn’t trying to hurt her. I just couldn’t stop thinking about her, and I thought sleeping with Grace would change that.

Matty: You really are an idiot.

Jackson: You can shut up now. I’m only talking to you on here because you blocked my one-on-one chat with Britt.

Matty: I didn’t do anything.

Britt: That was me. I did it after Thea told me what an asshole you are.

Matty: I’m glad you’ve seen the light.

Jackson: Wow. I thought we were all friends here. Look, I realize I was an ass last night. I tried to apologize, but she didn’t hear me. All I need to know is if she’s going to your house right now.

Britt: She’s got a date, so you can suck it.

I growled. There it was, confirmed in writing. She was on a date, and it wasn’t with me.

Matty: Wow. You’ve really pissed off Britt, J. She doesn’t say shit like that.

Jackson: I’m sorry.

Britt: Don’t apologize to me. Apologize to Thea.

Jackson: That’s why I’m messaging you. I need to know where she is so I can talk to her.

Britt: Well, you’ll just have to wait until after her date.

Jackson: Who is she on a date with?

I hoped Britt couldn’t detect the annoyance in my voice, but I was annoyed. So fucking annoyed.

Britt: Wouldn’t you like to know?

Jackson: I would. That’s why I asked.

Britt: Sorry, J. She deserves to have a good time.

*Britt has left the conversation*

Matty: Whoa. I didn’t even know she could do that.

Jackson: Do you know who Thea’s on a date with?

Matty: Nope. Sorry.

Jackson: Would you mind finding out?

Matty: Sorry, J. I’m with Britt on this one. You brought a girl home last night. You deserve to stew on it for a little.

I clenched my jaw and threw my phone on the couch. What good would it do now? No one was telling me anything. The only thing I knew for sure was that Thea would no doubt bring her date home just to spite me, and I had to make sure I thwarted any possibility of him getting into her bedroom.