In My Bed Page 3

  “Are you sure you’re not trying to pick me up? You’ve got some pretty good material you’re wasting here.” I shrug, taking a sip of my drink while I keep my eyes on him.

  He laughs at my comment, but this laugh is different from the ones before it. He throws his head back and nearly spits out his drink. Grabbing a napkin, he dabs at his mouth before taking a big breath. “Wow,” he says, laughing a bit more. “You’re a nice surprise …” He scrunches his face, his gaze moving to the side like he’s trying to remember something. “I just realized you never gave me your name.”

  “I’m Jenna.”

  “Well, you’re a nice surprise, Jenna. Honestly, when I saw you walk over here, I thought I was in for a boring conversation.”

  “There you go judging again. You have to get rid of your prejudices against girls in bars, Nate,” I say, wagging my finger at him.

  “Wow, you’re right again. I’m even starting to think I’m an ass ...”

  I laugh. “I wouldn’t go that far. And anyway, you probably aren’t missing much by skipping out on conversations with randoms girls in bars.” I move even closer, lowering my voice. “Most girls aren’t as interesting as me.”

  A smile slowly spreads across his face as he continues to look at me. “I definitely believe that.“I hold his gaze for a moment longer, my heart skipping off beat. I don’t understand this look—I don’t understand this feeling. My attraction to Nate should make my center clench, my breath speed, and my skin heat. It shouldn’t make my heart skip.

  Shut up, stupid heart.

  I lean away from him and take a sip of my drink, wanting to distract myself from whatever is going on with Nate. I scan the bar and find Will watching me, a hungry look in his eyes. That look is certainly distracting because I know what that look means, and it does all the things I expect it to do. My center clenches, my breathing speeds, and my skin heats from the way he is looking at me. I shake the feeling that Nate gave me and focus on Will. I pull my drink closer to me and put my lips around the straw, sliding it into my mouth and sucking in the tart liquid.

  Will’s smile grows and he walks toward me, resting his elbows on the bar so his face is close to mine. Not too close, but closer than I’ve seen him get to the other patrons. The band is about to go on and everyone is migrating from the area by the bar to the floor in front of the stage. “I didn’t get to introduce myself. I’m Will,” he says, giving me that smile. That smile that says, “I know you want me.”

  And I do.

  I want what Will has to offer, despite what the little skip in my heart told me earlier.

  “Nice to meet you, Will. I’m Jenna.”

  “You here to see the band?”

  “That’s not why I came, but I hear they’re great,” I say, taking another sip of my drink.

  His eyes glance up at the stage where the band is getting ready, and his face darkens a little. “They are.” Someone walks up to the bar and he nods, letting the guy know he’ll be right there before he turns back to me. “Look, I know you can tell I’m working tonight, so I can’t hang over here, but I want to spend more time with you. Can we go grab something to eat after we close? There’s a diner down the road, right next to my place.” He doesn’t come straight out and ask, but that was definitely an invitation for sex.

  I smile, shrugging one shoulder. “Sure, sounds good. I’ll be here.” I gesture to the bar.

  “Great, and Nate can keep you company. He’s always good for some friendly conversation,” he says, laughing a little and glancing at Nate.

  I turn to look at Nate and he gives Will a tight smile.

  “What am I missing?” I ask Nate as Will walks away to help his customer.

  “It’s nothing.”

  “Do you have a girlfriend or something? Is that what he meant by friendly?“

  He takes a deep breath and shakes his head as he says, “Nah, no girlfriend.“

  “You don’t want one?“

  “I don’t not want one. So if you know someone who’s looking for friendly conversation …" He laughs softly, looking away from me as he picks up his beer and takes a sip.

  It’s obvious he‘s kidding, but I sort of do know a girl who deserves a date with a good guy. After I set Rachel up on that terrible date last week, I want to set her up with someone better. And Nate is definitely better than that guy. From what I’ve seen so far, Nate is better than a lot of guys.

  “I actually do know someone.“

  I see him tense before he slowly lowers his arm, setting his beer back on the bar. He licks his lips and clears his throat, turning to look at me. “Oh yeah?” he asks, clearing his throat again.

  “Mm hmm. I have this friend and she’s great. Beautiful, smart, nice. I think you’d really like her. I could give her your number …”

  His brow furrows and his gaze is questioning as he looks right into my eyes. The silence stretches, my heartbeat like white noise echoing in my ears until he finally says, “Yeah. You can give her my number.”

  “You’re gonna love her.” I hand him my phone, my heart thrashing wildly in my chest.

  Shut up, stupid heart.

  He enters his number into my phone and reaches over to hand it back to me, his fingers brushing against mine. I feel that small touch through my entire body. I look up at him, his gaze meeting mine and I wonder if he felt that too. But before I can say anything, I hear someone’s voice over the sound system as the band introduces themselves.

  The band is great, just like Nate said. They have a female lead singer and she is amazing. They keep my attention and I watch the stage the entire time, only turning back to the bar when Will comes over to talk.

  But as much as I’m attracted to Will with his piercings and muscled arms, I can’t ignore my body’s awareness of Nate. Even though we’ve stopped talking and aren’t even looking at each other anymore, I feel like there is something connecting us. When he shifts, I feel the movement vibrate through me. When he looks my way, I can feel his gaze touch my skin applying pressure to all the right points of my body.

  This has to be physical attraction, but it’s a strange feeling. It’s unsettling. This type of awareness of a guy might excite another girl, but not me. I’m actually concerned. I’ve never had such a strong physical reaction to someone. And when coupled with the mysterious heart skips, I’m not sure what to think except that I’m suddenly very glad that I’m setting him up with Rachel.

  When the band starts to play one of my favorite songs, I lean over the bar and tell Will that I’ll meet him back here at the end of his shift. He smiles at me as I head to the dance floor. When I find Jimmy, Dan, and Lisa near the stage, I dance with them and stay up there until the band finishes their set.

  “Thanks for coming out tonight! Hope you enjoyed the show!” the lead singer says after they play their last song. Everyone cheers loudly.

  When the applause dies down, Lisa turns away from the stage. “That was kind of a depressing song list.”

  “What do you mean?” I ask. “I really liked them.”

  “No, yeah, they were great. But didn’t you notice that every song was about a break-up?”

  “Not really.”

  “I didn’t either until you pointed it out. But then again, none of the rest of us got dumped recently,” Jimmy says.

  “It was mutual!” Lisa defends.

  “Ugh. Enough about my sister’s love life,” Dan says.

  “Yes, definitely. Let’s change the topic,” Lisa says with an annoyed look on her face.

  “Jenna, did neither of those guys work out?” Jimmy asks.

  “Actually, both did,” I insinuate, a mischievous smile on my face.

  “What!”

  “I’m messing with you!” I laugh. “Well, kind of. One is for me, and the other is for Rachel.”

  “Oh, thank god,” he says, pressing a hand to his chest. “Not that there would be anything wrong with that. Which one is for you?”

  “The bartender.”

&
nbsp; “Not the other guy?” Jimmy says, sounding surprised.

  “Not for me. He’s a really nice guy and I thought he’d be good for Rachel. This guy seems cool. I owe her someone better after the last guy I set her up with.”

  “It’s just that you looked so happy when you were talking to the blonde guy. We thought you might want to try to date him,” Dan says.

  “While that’s a nice thought, I’d rather think of other nice things—like the sexy bartender I’m about to get busy with.” Will signals me that his shift is over and I wave, letting him know I’ll be right with him.

  “You are seriously one of a kind, Jenna.” Lisa laughs.

  “Thanks for the fun night, lady and gents, but I’ve got to get going. Booty calling.”

  They all laugh, but I see something in Jimmy’s eyes that looks a lot like pity.

  Chapter 3

  When I get to the bar, I notice Nate is still sitting on the same stool where I left him. The awareness is still there between us, but I recognize that it’s just physical attraction I’m feeling. Knowing that I’m about to get laid makes it easier to deal with. I know once I release all the sexual tension that has built up in my body, whatever is connecting us won’t be as strong.

  Thinking about my upcoming activities has me eager to get going, so I ask Will if he’s ready to leave.

  “Absolutely. Nate was going to come with us to the diner if that’s cool?” Will asks.

  Ugh. I forgot about us going to eat at the diner before I went back to his place. It sounded like a good idea earlier and I am a little hungry—but I’m a lot horny. And it might sound bad, but the last thing I want to do is spend more time with Nate before I get laid. The way my body responds to him is like lust on steroids. I can’t handle more of those looks that feel like a caress on my skin. I can’t take one more body tremor when he gets too close to me because I might come undone right here, still fully clothed in the bar.

  So in order to avoid the near-orgasm inducing side effects of being near Nate, I look Will right in the eyes and say, “I’d rather just head straight to your place.”

  Will’s smile grows, and when I glance at Nate, I notice his smile seems a bit forced. “That works for me. You ready, man?” he says, looking over at Nate.

  “Sure,” he replies, his tone clipped.

  “Wait, I thought we were going back to your place?” I ask Will.

  “We are. Nate and I live in the same building a few blocks away,” Will explains. “We walked here and I was going to walk back with him. I can give you the address so you can meet me there in your car.”

  “Oh, okay. But there’s a flaw in your little plan,” I say with a flirty smile. “My friend drove me, so I don’t have a car.”

  “Then I guess you’ll walk with us. Are you up for a little workout in those heels?” he asks, raising a brow.

  “I’m up for two,” I tell him, smiling seductively.

  “Fuck me.” He shakes his head. “Let’s go,” Will walks around the bar and takes my hand in his.

  We walk to his apartment in silence. It’s not awkward, but the little hill we have to walk up and the speed that Will is walking at leaves little room in my lungs for more than breathing.

  Nate is walking behind us, easily keeping pace, but I try to forget that he’s there. And it’s kind of working until he asks me what I thought of the band.

  “I thought they were great,” I reply.

  “And the singer? She was great, right?” he asks, his voice sounding a little too forceful.

  I smile as I remember the way she seemed so passionate when she sang the lyrics, he voice carrying above the loud music. “She was amazing—super talented.”

  I feel Will’s grip tighten on my hand as he starts to walk a little faster.

  “Yeah, Alana’s a friend of mine. She’s really talented. A great girl,” Nate comments, his voice hard.

  We get to the top of the hill and the apartment building is right in front of us. “We’re here. Later, Nate,” Will says quickly as he guides me to the elevator.

  “Yeah. See ya, Will,” Nate responds, still sounding a little cold. “And Jenna?” he pauses, waiting until I look over at him. Our eyes connect and I swear that look touches me right between my legs. “Don’t forget to give my number to your friend.”

  “Sure. Goodnight, Nate.”

  “Night, Jenna.”

  When we get up to Will’s place, he unlocks and opens the door before leading me inside. “My roommate is still at work, so we have the place to ourselves.”

  Taking my hand in his, he leads me down the hall to his bedroom. When we get near his bed, he turns to face me and I shove him lightly in the chest, throwing him off balance so he falls onto the bed.

  I smile playfully as I stand in front of him, cocking my hip to the side. This is the time to lay down the rules I have for the guys I see—I never go into something blind. I want the guy to know what I expect from him and what to expect from me. There is nothing more awkward than the morning after, or even the weeks after, when he expects something different from I what I’m looking for.

  I straddle him, running my hands over his shoulders before looping my arms around his neck. He leans in to kiss me, but I pull him back by his shirt collar. “Before we start, I have a couple of things I need to say.”

  “Okay,” he says, narrowing his eyes a little. I wonder what he thinks I’m going to tell him? That I want a boyfriend? That I love him? That we’re not going to have sex?

  If so, he’s wrong.

  “I’m not looking for a boyfriend, Will. I don’t want to fall in love. I’m not going to be the type of girl who hangs around the morning after, unwanted while you wait for me to leave. What I’m looking for is sex—great sex. After tonight, if we both want to do it again, I’m down with that, but I would expect mutual exclusivity while we’re sleeping together. If you’re sleeping with me, I’m the only girl you’re sleeping with. But there are no feelings expect friendly ones.”

  “If you’re not looking for a boyfriend, then what’s with the exclusive thing?”

  “I don’t like sluts,” I explain, raising a brow.

  “And what exactly is your definition of a slut?”

  “Someone who’s fucking more than one person at a time. If you decide to keep seeing me after tonight, you call me when you want to get laid—no one else. And if you do feel like fucking someone else, you tell me first. Like I said before, no hard feelings.”

  He chuckles. “Sounds good to me.”

  “And one last thing, Will,” I say, moving in so close that my lips are nearly touching his.

  “Yeah,” he responds, his voice rough with arousal.

  “I better come at least twice.” I pull him the rest of the way, our mouths connecting in a hungry kiss. I want him and I can feel that he wants me. There are no unanswered questions and we both know exactly what this is about. And while we’re fucking, I’m not connecting with him on another level. This experience is all about me and my six senses.

  The smell of his cologne.

  The way his tongue feels on my clit.

  The sound of his moans near my ear.

  The taste of sweat as I lick down his body.

  The sight of his cock sliding against me before he enters me again and again and again.

  All three of my orgasms washing through me, taking me away on a wave of bliss.

  Later that night, I startle awake from a dream about Nate—and not a sex dream. That I can handle. This dream was altogether something else. It was him and me on a normal date on a normal day where my heart was racing and I felt happy.

  I don’t want to acknowledge that this means something. I won’t acknowledge that. I absolutely refuse to.

  But as much as I tell myself it doesn’t mean something, deep down—so deep I’m not even aware of it yet—I’ve started wanting something else in my life.

  And I started wanting it the first time I locked eyes with Nate.

  Shut up, stupi
d heart.

  ***

  I wake up in Will’s bed to the smell of coffee. I smile and stretch my overworked muscles—we had quite the sex session last night. Right as I start to sit up in bed, he comes into the room wearing just a pair of boxer briefs.

  “Good morning, Jenna,” he says with that same flirty smile he used on me last night.

  “Good morning to you. Is that coffee I smell?”

  “Yeah. Do you want a cup?”

  “I’d love one,” I say, moving to get out of bed. I stand up, still totally naked, and start to walk out of his room toward the kitchen.

  “Whoa!” he says, chuckling a bit. “My roommate is out there. Do you want to take a shower while I make you a cup?”

  “Sure,” I reply, leaning in to give him a kiss. “Cream and sugar, please. See you in a bit,” I say, heading for the bathroom.

  When I get out of the shower, Will is sitting on his bed with my cup of coffee cradled in his hands.

  I sit on his bed, a towel still wrapped around me. “Thank you.”

  “Look, Jenna. I had a really great time last night—”

  “No way. I don’t want this awkward conversation,” I tell him, shaking my head and taking a sip of my coffee. “Do you want to see me again?”

  He smiles. “Definitely.”

  “Okay then.” I smile back at him. “I’d like that.”

  After I finish my coffee, I get dressed and he drives me home. We make plans for tomorrow night to meet and have dinner—obviously to be followed by sex.

  When I get back to the dorms, I spend some time doing homework before I leave to meet Rachel for lunch. When I mention going on a double-date, she declines—right before she tells me that she went and kissed Jake, the AM from her floor that she has been “friends” with since he moved in. They’ve been in lust with each other since the night they met at one of the clubs near campus. Even though I’m disappointed that I won’t be able to hook her up with Nate, I’m more than thrilled that she’s finally getting what she wants with Jake.

  After lunch, I make my way to the dance studio where I give lessons. I’m one of five ballet instructors who work there, and I love it because I get to use their studio. I block off a portion of studio time on the calendar every Sunday afternoon so that I can have the space to myself. I have the option to dance at one of the rooms at school, but those are open rehearsal spaces where anyone can watch. I like this time to be just for me—and keeping it private makes it one of my favorite times of the week.