Off-Limits Roomates

15. Ella

15

***Ella***

T he fact that Fisher had never had a girlfriend was mind-boggling because he was a great fake boyfriend. Better than great. He made my relationship with Billy look like nothing. That first day he walked me to class and then was there to pick me up afterwards. He opened doors for me and carried my backpack, like a perfect gentleman. The only place he dropped the gentleman act was when he touched me. His touches didn’t feel gentlemanly, or fake. His large hands touched my body like it was his. And that kiss… That kiss played across my brain a thousand times. It was the best kiss I’d ever had. I’d been in love with Billy and his kisses had never felt like that.

Of course, with all the fake relationship fun came Vaughn’s wrath. I was in my room, trying to get some work done when all I could think about was the kiss, when I heard him shouting. I knew right away that he was yelling at Fisher. Since it was my fault that Fisher was cast in the role of my fake boyfriend, I rushed out of my room and found them inside Fisher’s room.

“Imagine if your ex-step sister showed up here, Fish! It’s fucking weird! There are thousands of women on this campus, asshole! Go fuck one of them.” Vaughn growled out a frustrated breath. “If there are any you haven’t fucked already since I know you don’t normally do seconds. And you’re shocked that I wouldn’t want you touching Ella!”

“Vaughn!” I crossed my arms over my chest as both of them turned to me. “You’re being an asshole to your best friend for no reason. It’s my fault that Fisher ended up in this position.”

“How the fuck is it your fault?”

“He was there and Billy showed up and I panicked. I just said that Fisher was my boyfriend. He was nice enough not to humiliate me in front of my ex. You should be thanking him for being there for me, not screaming at him.” I looked at Fisher. “I’m sorry. You don’t deserve to be yelled at.”

Vaughn turned his glare back to Fisher. “It’s not real? Are you fucking serious, Fisher? Why didn’t you just say that?”

Fisher smirked. “You didn’t give me the chance, dickhead.”

“You should apologize to him.”

Vaughn gaped at me. “What?”

I nodded. “Yeah, you should apologize for shouting at him like that. You’ve been a jerk to your friends since I got here and it’s not fair. They’ve been nothing but nice to me. Fisher saved me today. Instead of doing whatever you’re doing to keep me single and sex-starved, you should be thanking him for not letting me fall flat on my face earlier. Now apologize.”

His jaw muscles worked as he clenched his teeth. “Ella Rae…”

I dropped my hands to my hips and narrowed my eyes. “I’m not moving from this spot until you do.”

He growled. “You think I can’t move you?”

“And have me experience the male touch? Oh, no! That’s too scandalous.”

“God, you’re still a pain in the ass.” He turned to Fisher. “I’m sorry. I should’ve given you a chance to explain. I still don’t fucking like it, though.”

I flashed a grin at Fisher and dusted my hands together. “My work here is done. Now, keep it down. I’m trying to work.”

“You’re working? What are you doing?” Vaughn’s strangled voice matched Fisher’s startled expression. “What kind of work are you doing in your room at this time of night?”

I sent them both a blank stare. They couldn’t be serious. “I’m selling myself through the world wide web, of course.”

Vaughn’s face turned a shade of red so dark that I worried for his health. Fisher wasn’t much better.

I rolled my eyes. “I’m doing homework, idiots.”

Fisher sat down on his bed and patted his chest. “Don’t scare us like that.”

“I would’ve called your mother so fast.” Vaughn shook his head. “I’m not going to be responsible for your downfall.”

“Although, I would consider selling my feet pics if it meant not taking on so much debt.” I left them with that.

After understanding that it was fake, Vaughn seemed to relax the tiniest bit. For the next week, when Fisher drove me to campus and walked me to class, Vaughn kept his mouth shut. He put his foot down about Fisher bringing me to the library for our tutoring sessions, though. I figured he was sensitive about having me tutor him so I went with it. I also figured Fisher might want a break from me.

They had another home game that weekend and since the entire campus thought I was dating Fisher, he insisted that Natalie and I sit in the seats he chose for us. We ended up being front and center, right behind the fifty-yard line. I even knew what that meant after spending so much time with Natalie.

Natalie was so excited about the seats that she barely grilled me about my sudden relationship with Fisher. She was also too busy glaring at Chris. He was busy taking photos and she huffed at his back so much that I finally asked about it.

“Did you go on your dates?”

She shot me a look that could’ve melted steel. “Don’t even mention those stupid dates.”

I held up my hands. “Sure.”

She crossed her arms over her chest. “Do you know that he took me to a candlelit dinner? He planned the whole stupid thing with some friends and it was all romantic and shit.”

I rolled my lips into my mouth and raised my eyebrows. I was confused about which way I was supposed to react so I just waited.

“He said all this mushy crap about wanting to date me and he didn’t even try to feel me up. What the hell is that about?” She flipped off his back and turned her glare towards the play on the field. “He doesn’t even know me. It’s honestly so dumb.”

I saw Chris turn towards the stands and watched him lift his camera in our direction. He looked through his lens for a moment and then looked up at Natalie. Despite how angry Natalie was towards him, his smile wasn’t the smile of a man ready to give up. I waved at him and he waved back before going back to work.

“Was he just looking over here? What did he do?” She sat up straighter and adjusted her clothes.

“Okay, Natalie. I don’t want to be rude but what the hell is wrong with you? You’re primping for him right now! While telling me how he took you on a really nice date and was a gentleman the whole time. Why are you mad? I don’t get it.”

I heard the announcer call out Booth’s name and watched as his teammates slapped him on the back. Frustrated that I’d missed his big play, I frowned. He got called out less often than Fisher or Vaughn, because of his position. I stood up and cheered, forgetting that no one else knew why I’d be so happy for Booth. It didn’t matter when I saw him glance up at me. His helmet and face guard couldn’t hide his grin as he waved to me.

“When did you become besties with half the football team?” Natalie sighed. “And I’m not mad. I’m just… I’m too young for a serious relationship and Chris is a serious relationship guy. Last year, I was going to let him fuck me but he wanted to take me out first. He likes me, Ella, and he won’t just tell me to jump off a cliff, no matter what I do.”

“I gave up my dream college to follow my boyfriend here so I don’t really understand the hesitation. Who cares about the timing? Yeah, you’re young, but it’s not like dating someone ends your entire life.” I shrugged. “He’s really nice, Natalie. If you just don’t like him, though, tell him.”

She bit her lip. “I do like him. It’s just too fast.”

We spent the rest of the game splitting our attention between the game and each other. It was clear that our team was going to win by a landslide but it was still electric. After the last play of the game, I stood up, prepared to join the mass of people leaving the stadium.

“Whoa.” Natalie’s surprised voice had me turning to see what she was looking at.

My breath caught in my throat as I saw what she, and a lot of other people, were seeing. Fisher had jumped up and pulled himself over the railing. Big, sweaty, and hotter than anything I’d ever seen, he was laser focused on me. He jumped over a row of seats to go around a group of people and then he stepped back down right in front of me.

His skin was flushed and his war paint was streaking down his cheeks but his deep green eyes were narrowed on my mouth in a way that made me forget how dirty he was. He picked me up with two handfuls of my ass and took my mouth in a heated kiss that was somehow even better than the first one.

As cheers went up around us, I pulled away from his kiss and buried my face in his neck. My body hadn’t got the memo about the relationship being fake. It was throbbing with need in a way I’d never felt. The suddenness of his attention had my brain spinning.

He patted my ass as he put me down. Pressing his forehead to mine, he grinned. “I like this girlfriend thing. Turns out I’m a celebratory kiss kind of guy.”

I patted his chest and tried to level out my breathing. “Yeah, you are. I… Wow.”

He cupped my face and tilted it up to his so he could kiss my mouth with light, teasing touches that somehow turned me on just as much as the intense kisses. “You’re going to smell like me now.”

I blinked up at him and then swallowed. “Oh?”

“I like it.” Dropping one more kiss on my mouth, he slowly backed away, nearly running Natalie over. “I’ll see you at home?”

I smiled like an idiot and nodded. “Yeah, of course.”

With a final wink, he turned and jogged away. I watched him until he ran past Vaughn and then Vaughn’s dark expression stole my attention. My stomach sank as he shook his head and turned away.

“Home?” Natalie patted her chest. “God, that was hot.”

Shit.