14. Kylie
14
KYLIE
The next morning, I was up early, feeling like a million bucks. The guys were still sleeping, and I felt like kissing them each on the cheek before leaving the room. Of course, Parker was the only one I could do that to without climbing a ladder, and he had one arm draped over his face.
Happiness filled me as I noted how deeply he was breathing. Hopefully, he’d sleep for longer. He had a lot of lost sleep to make up for.
I took a hot shower, and when I was done, Jude and Mason were seated at the table and dressed in shorts and t-shirts.
“Morning, sweet cheeks,” Mason drawled, giving me a wink as he looked me over from head to toe. Of course, his checking me out was tame compared to what we did—and what he’d heard—last night.
“Did you sleep well?” Jude asked.
“Oddly enough, I did,” I said with a grin. “Do you guys want to get breakfast?”
“We’re going to hit the gym,” Mason said. “I don’t have a class until eleven.”
“Want to join us?” Jude asked.
“Maybe later,” I said, not meaning it. I wasn’t really the gym-going type. My preferred form of exercise was hiking through the woods. Though I had to admit, writhing on my bed, gasping with pleasure like I did last night seemed like a pretty fun cardio workout to me.
That event seemed to be on Jude’s mind, too. He touched my arm as I passed by, stopping me. “Are we okay after last night?”
“Last night was fucking awesome,” Mason said.
Jude ignored him. “I meant about that little bedtime story.”
Heat rose in my cheeks. “I just thought it might help Parker.”
“It did,” Jude said. “But when I took over, I added your name, which changed it from some anonymous woman to you.”
“That did surprise me, but…”
“But it was necessary,” Mason butted in. “Because otherwise, every time one of you said ‘she,’ Parker would’ve been picturing Aubrey.”
“Yeah,” Jude said. “That’s why I did it.”
Mason smirked as he looked at me. “I was picturing you all along, though.”
Jude shot him a look and then focused back on me. “I apologize if that made you uncomfortable.”
His concern was appreciated. “Thank you for saying that, but I started the story to get Parker’s interest, so I guess it’s not too shocking.”
“It was a good instinct on your part,” Jude said. “I doubt he would’ve got there if you hadn’t.”
This was a strange conversation to have first thing in the morning—or, you know, at all—but we’d had a lot of unusual discussions since I moved in. “It did feel a bit awkward, but also, it felt really, really good.” I smiled at that last admission. “I like that I can explore things but also feel safe around you guys. I trust you.”
Jude’s smile made parts of me that had gotten a workout last night tingle. But Mason responded with his usual sarcasm as he and Jude headed out. “Safe? Trustworthy? Has she even met me?”
I grinned as I watched them leave.
I ate breakfast in the cafeteria by myself and was happily reliving the super-hot events of last night as I walked down the sixth-floor hallway to the suite. At least until I heard a voice behind me.
“Excuse me, that’s not your room.”
Startled, I nearly dropped the keycard in my hand. A middle-aged woman was coming down the hallway. She had on slacks, a button-down shirt, and a blazer. A university name badge identified her as Rita from the housing office.
Crap.
“My boyfriend lives here,” I said. Was she just passing by or had someone told her about our living situation?
“It’s fine that you visit, but you shouldn’t be using his card. Only residents are allowed to use those.”
“Oh, sorry, I?—”
Rita pulled out her phone and swiped a screen open. “Can I see your student ID, please?”
Double crap. If she found out my name was Kylie Mills and then learned that there was a Kyle Mills assigned to this room, the jig was up. As I tried to think of what to say, the door opened and Parker was suddenly there, filling the doorframe. He had on faded blue jeans and no shirt.
Wow.
“Hey babe.” Parker’s arm slid around my waist and he gave me a quick kiss. “We’re going to be late for class.”
Rita’s eyes ran up and down Parker’s body with apparent interest. I leaned against him, enjoying the way his hard muscles felt against my side, but I was still worried.
“You’re not allowed to share your key with anyone, Mr.—”
“Parker Stanton,” he said with an easy grin as he reached out to shake her hand. Then he gave me a mock-stern look. “Did you swipe that from my dresser? Someone’s getting a spanking later.” My skin heated at that thought and my face turned red.
Then Parker turned back to Rita. “Thank you for letting me know, officer. I’ll take it from here.” He sent her such a charming grin that she almost looked bashful, even though she had to be almost twice his age.
“Yes, um, see that you do,” she said, sounding flustered. But then she turned and walked away, forgetting that she’d asked to see my ID.
I looked up at Parker, reluctant to move away from his touch. “Thank you,” I said, my voice almost a whisper.
The smile he gave me wasn’t as bright as the fake one he’d used on Rita, but it was genuine. “Any time.”
On Thursday, I spent the afternoon studying for the first test in my finance class the following day. Or, rather, I spent the afternoon panicking. For hours, I poured over the books and notes spread out on the table in front of me, but it was like I couldn’t take any of it in.
The weather wasn’t helping. The sky was cloudy and gray, and every half hour or so, it would start raining. It felt like the storm clouds started a few feet beyond the balcony, and it wasn’t helping my mood.
“Will you stop fidgeting?” Mason was at the other end of the table. Unlike me, he seemed to have no problem studying. Every time I looked over, his expression was intent and focused.
“I’ve got a big test coming up.”
Mason cocked an eyebrow at me. “And fidgeting helps you prepare?”
A sarcastic comment rose to my lips but didn’t make it any further. “No,” I said in a quiet voice. “I can’t seem to concentrate today.” All day, something had felt off. I had everything I needed, including an energy drink—but nothing was going well.
Mason frowned at me, and for the first time, I noticed that he was shirtless. What the hell was wrong with me that it took me this long to notice his gorgeous, chiseled chest? That meant I could’ve been surreptitiously watching him instead of staring at the same passages over and over without taking anything in.
He closed the book he was reading. “I know what your problem is.”
I braced myself for his assessment. Was he going to be sarcastic? Or possibly even quasi-sympathetic when he voiced what I feared—that I wasn’t going to pass my classes?
But instead, he smiled. “It’s the mountains, dummy. It’s bothering you that you can’t see them.”
I rolled my eyes. I’d gotten through all my other schooling without a mountain view. But then I thought about it. I’d positioned myself in my favorite spot to study—the one with the best view of the Rockies. Today, it was like sitting in front of a gray wall. Could that really be what was throwing me off?
Mason looked smug, as if he’d known I’d eventually agree with him. “C’mon,” he said. “Pack up your stuff.”
It was a measure of my desperation that I immediately did as he said. “Where are we going?”
“To a place where you won’t expect to see the mountains so you won’t miss them.”
Fifteen minutes later, I shook off my umbrella as I followed Mason into a massive lobby. Ornate structures lined the wide- open space that was at least four stories tall. “I feel like a stranger in a strange land,” I whispered.
He turned to me and grinned. “No, just a business major in the engineering library.” He hadn’t bothered with an umbrella, but at least he’d put a shirt on. It was a tight long-sleeve shirt with buttons open at the top. Wet or dry, he looked hot. “Come on, I want you to meet a friend of mine.”
I followed him through a series of rooms and hallways, half wondering if I should’ve left breadcrumbs to find the exit again. Finally, he stopped in front of a stone bust at the end of a row of bookcases.
“This is Henderson.”
“The guy the dormitory is named after?” I said, studying the severe-looking stone face. He had curly hair and a short beard.
“Yeah. He was basically an aerospace engineer before that was a thing. I wrote a paper on him last year.”
“Is that insider knowledge how you secured the best suite in the building?”
“In part,” Mason said mysteriously. Then, when he thought I’d had enough time to appreciate his muse, we moved on. We settled in a large room on the third floor with tables almost as big as the one in the suite.
Mason chose one far away from the windows, and once I set up my stuff, I did feel better. Not that the material was easier, but I was doing better with focusing and retaining what I’d read. Mason must’ve been right—I was subconsciously bothered by the lack of mountains. It bemused the hell out of me that he’d been the one to figure that out about me, however.
There were a couple dozen other students scattered throughout the room. Some hitting the books, and some typing on laptops. I wondered if I was the only non-engineer in the place. All in all, it wasn’t a bad spot for studying. It felt like we all had a common goal unlike back in the suite where Jude might be playing the guitar while I was studying or Mason and Parker might be watching TV.
After a half hour, I sat up straighter in my chair and stretched. I scanned the room and caught the eye of a young woman sitting at a table about twelve feet away. She was perhaps a few years younger than me and had shoulder-length blonde hair that was so light it was almost platinum. When she saw me looking her way, she hastily looked down, and I thought nothing of it.
Except the next time I took a break and looked around, she was looking our way again. Probably that was to be expected. I was sitting next to a very good-looking man. I often saw women eyeing him in the cafeteria when we ate together. But this young woman seemed to be looking at me as often as him, which seemed strange. Maybe she knew him and was jealous that I was with him?
After a while, my curiosity got the better of me. I leaned over and whispered, “There’s a woman over there who keeps staring at you.”
Mason smirked, more than willing to believe that a random female found him attractive. As subtly as possible, I pointed in her direction, and Mason swiveled his head. I expected him to smile at her or wave or maybe even go over and flirt, but instead, he immediately turned back and scowled.
“What?” I whispered. “She’s cute.”
“No she’s not.”
It was my turn to frown. She was a very pretty young woman—the type it seemed like Mason would be eager to impress. Maybe she was his ex? “Do you know her?”
“No,” Mason said, suddenly engrossed in something on his laptop.
“I don’t believe you.”
He looked over and rolled his eyes. “So now I’m a liar?”
“About this, yes. I think you know her.”
“It’s not a big deal, okay? She’s just… she’s my sister.”
“ What ?” My voice was louder than I’d meant it to be, and several people looked around in annoyance. “What?” I repeated in a whisper.
“Half-sister,” he clarified, his eyes glued to his computer.
“Your sister goes to this school and you never thought to mention it?”
“We’re not close.”
That much was clear. I snuck a peek at his sister and she was openly watching us now. “Aren’t you going to say hi?”
“No.”
What the hell? Who didn’t say hi to a family member? “All right, then I will.” I started to push up from my seat.
“What?” Mason’s hand clamped down on my arm before I could rise. “No you’re not.”
I tried to wiggle free, but his grip was like iron. “Why wouldn’t I? My roommate’s sister is right over there, so why wouldn’t I talk to her?”
“Because she has nothing to do with you.”
“But she’s supposed to have something to do with you,” I said. All my life I’d wanted a sister, and here he had one and wouldn't even go talk to her. “When’s the last time you saw her?”
“Over the summer.” He let go of my arm but kept his fingers close to it.
“Even though you go to the same school?”
“It’s a big campus.”
“Introduce me to her.”
Mason stared at me. “Could you lower your voice? This is a library.”
“If you won’t do it, I’ll go introduce myself.”
His fingers twitched as if he was ready to grab my arm again. “Just drop it.”
As if resigned, I let my gaze fall to my books. But a moment later, I jerked upright, staring over his shoulder. “Who’s that big guy talking to her?”
Mason’s head flew around and I hopped out of my seat, laughing silently as I made my way around the table. I glanced back to see the murderous glare on Mason’s face as he realized my lie. It felt good to get one over on him.
The young woman smiled as I approached. “Hi,” I said.
Before she could say more than ‘hi’ back, Mason appeared at my side. “Hey,” he said gruffly. “This is Kylie, my?—”
I knew that roommate was on the tip of his tongue, so I quickly said, “Friend.”
But at the exact same moment, he seemed to realize his error and changed course. “My girlfriend,” he said.
What?
The young blonde looked surprised at that news but her smile widened as she held out her hand to me. “It’s so nice to meet you, Kylie. I’m Alyssa.”
On the walk back to Henderson, I couldn’t help but grin as I looked up at Mason. “So, I’m your girlfriend now? Shouldn’t you be carrying my books?”
“Stop.” His normally smug face showed a hint of embarrassment.
“She seems nice.”
Mason’s gaze was on the wet cement beneath our feet. “She is.”
“Why don’t you see her more often?” I’d learned a lot about Alyssa during our short conversation. She was in her senior year of a four-year engineering degree and would be graduating in December. I wondered if she’d gone into engineering because of Mason?
“We’re just not close.” He still wasn’t looking at me. “We didn’t grow up together.”
“But you’re here now, at the same time and place. So it seems like a good opportunity to spend more time with her.”
“Who has time? Not her. She’s in her final semester. And not me, either. Do you business majors have a lot of time to spare?”
“Not hardly. But in a few more months she could be across the country. Wouldn’t it be better to spend some time with her now?” She’d mentioned that she was job hunting in addition to all her final projects.
He sighed. “Can you just drop it, please?”
I sighed but nodded. “All right, but as your girlfriend, I just want what’s best for you.”
Mason rolled his eyes. “If you were my girlfriend, I’d have better ways to distract you when you get on a topic like this.”
That thought was definitely intriguing, but later, when he held the door open as we entered Henderson, I thought of something unsettling. Parker had introduced me as his girlfriend, and now Mason had done the same thing. It wasn’t that I thought the whole campus would soon be gossiping about my relationship status, or lack thereof, but now there were more stories to keep straight. That didn’t seem particularly wise.
Oh well. Maybe I should just be prepared to elbow Jude if it ever looked like he was going to introduce me as his girlfriend.