Page 6 of Smut Lovers

Two Years Ago

“ A ubrey!” my best friend and roommate yelled from across the townhome. I rolled my eyes but smiled.

“What?” I yelled back, just in time to see her pop up in my doorway.

“Jesus. Blow out my eardrums, why don’t you.” Jenny’s sarcasm was never hard to catch.

“What?” I repeated, this time at a normal decibel.

“I was gonna ask if you were ready, but it looks like you haven’t even gotten dressed yet.”

I looked down at my clothes. “What’s wrong with this?” I pouted, hoping she wouldn’t pull one of her famous maneuvers but the way she crossed her arms told me there was no point in fighting it.

“Jeans? It’s the fourth of July, Aubrey. Not a cool fall night. And come on, that shirt?” She scrunched her nose at my favorite shirt.

I crossed my arms this time but out of some form of protecting it. I’d had this shirt for over a decade. There wasn’t anything special about it, but it just became my favorite over time—especially due to how well it had worn down into the softest cotton to touch skin.

“Jenny, come on. I’m already going to be the odd one out. The third wheel, can’t I just be comfortable in what I wear?”

“You aren’t a third wheel! In fact, there are going to be a couple single guys there.”

“I’m not looking for a hook up either, Jenny.” I raised my eyebrow, reminding her of my rule.

Again, she rolled her eyes. “You don’t have to fuck someone to hook up. You can just make out with them.”

“Well, I’m not looking for that either.”

Jenny started pouting. “You’re hopeless, I swear.”

“Fine. Fine. Just no mini skirts or crop tops.” I held my hands up, giving in.

Jenny jumped up and down, clapping, before she skipped off to her room.

I finished my make-up before she made it back with so many clothes, I could barely see her underneath them all.

“What the hell, Jenny?” I whined but knew it would make no difference.

And sure enough, after a tornado of a whirlwind, I was in completely new clothes, new hair style, and even some new make-up.

I looked in the mirror, taking it all in.

Any time Jenny got her hands on me and my wardrobe, I never felt like myself.

Like the me staring back at me wearing ridiculously short shorts and a tank top tight enough to hold everything in place.

Which, actually, wasn’t a bad thing. It meant no bra to hold boob sweat.

Jenny was two or three sizes smaller than me, which meant that on her, the tank top was loose.

The shorts, however, I felt odd in. They fit me perfectly. But they were also shorter than I’d ever worn before. I tugged at them, trying fruitlessly to make them longer.

“It’s supposed to hit 100 today, Aubrey.” Jenny pulled me from my thoughts, knowing exactly where they’d wandered to.

“I know but, aren’t they a bit short?”

“Yes, but that’s the point. Also, you’re keeping that tank top. It never quite looked right on me. And now, it’s like it was made for you.”

I rolled my eyes but smiled. “Thank you, Jenny.”

“Now come on, people are going to be here soon.”

Whenever I was home from college, Jenny would let me crash at the townhome she had scored when market rent had crashed.

Soon, the backyard of our townhome was full of people.

Jenny had invited her girlfriend and their small group of friends.

I had invited a few people myself. I thought it would be a good mixture of people to mill around but once I actually took inventory, I noticed that nearly everyone was partnered up.

“Great.” I muttered to myself.

I put on a brave socializing face and did my best. I made my rounds through Jenny’s friends I hadn’t met yet, accidentally already forgetting some of their names. Thanks, ADHD.

Except for one.

Joel.

It’s cliché but there was something about him that caught my attention. Maybe it was the fact that Jenny not-so-subtly told me that he was single. Or maybe it was the fact that he, in turn, screamed unavailable heartbreaker.

And let’s face it. Aren’t we all suckers for the bad guys? The ones that we know won’t end well. But we can’t resist it like eyes on a trainwreck.

Except, I would be the trainwreck.

“What’re you thinking about?” Joel’s voice snapped me back to reality—but barely. He was leaning his elbows on the back of the outdoor couch, bringing his mouth level to my ear.

And despite the humid hell of a day, I shivered.

I fucking shivered.

“Now, I know it isn’t cold.” Joel’s voice, still low, now had a hint of teasing.

“Shut up,” I blurted.

“Oh, shit. You’re feisty.” Joel laughed and stood back up.

As he gripped the back of the couch, he rubbed his thumbs across the bare skin of my upper arms.

“Only with strangers.”

“Ouch.” Joel feigned pain. “Now, come on. I don’t know about you, but I don’t feel like sitting here in silence and awkwardness with everyone else macking on each other.”

“Macking? Who still says that?”

Joel cleared his throat and unconvincingly replied, “Um, tons of people.”

“Sure.” I smirked at him as he dropped into the lounge chair cornering the couch I was on.

Joel motioned for me to lift my feet from the makeshift table in front of us so he could slide his under. I thought about pulling them back to the ground but decided why not, and nearly dropped them on his.

“So, Aubrey.”

“Joel?”

“You live here?”

“Yes, for the summer. I’m pretty sure you already knew that though.” I narrowed my eyes at him.

“Yeah, I did. I’m just horrible at small talk.”

“Me too.” I muttered.

“Then tell me something you wouldn’t tell a stranger.”

“But you are a stranger.”

“Right now, but if you tell me something, we won’t be strangers anymore and then we won’t have to make small talk to get by.”

Following his logic, I thought long and hard. “Why is this difficult?” I asked, rhetorically.

“Just tell me the first thought that comes to mind.”

“These aren’t my clothes.”

I watched Joel’s eyes go wide for a moment then drag up and down my body.

“Hey, no. That wasn’t an invitation.”

“To what?”

“You know what.” I felt the color creeping into my cheeks.

“Maybe you should tell me.”

“Or maybe, you should tell me something you wouldn’t tell a stranger.” I attempted to shift the conversation, looking at him expectantly.

Joel leaned towards me “I think you’re sexy as fuck.”

“Ex-excuse me?” I nearly squealed, trying not to yell.

“What?” He shrugged. “I’d never be that forward with a stranger.”

“Yeah, well…” I trailed off, flustered and frustrated. Frustrated that I couldn’t come up with a good rebuttal.

“What? Cat got your tongue?” Joel smiled, obviously pleased with himself.

“No.” I was still searching for a response when I felt Jenny’s head hit my shoulder.

I looked over just in time for Jenny to lean her head back and mouth ‘ sorry’ as her girlfriend, Liz, was dragging her tongue down Jenny’s neck.

“I—um.” I awkwardly slid to the right of the outdoor couch and pushed myself off of the seat. Unfortunately, my awkward escape attempt caused me to lose balance.

And what did I do?

About the most cliché thing that I could do. I fell into Joel’s lap.