33. Chapter Thirty-Three
Chapter Thirty-Three
Alex
By the time I get back into the living room, the crowd has seemed to switch to a lighter topic, which I’m grateful for. I didn’t mean to trauma-dump on Margot and her crew, and it also made me realize that I hadn’t told her much about my dad or what’s going on after graduation. And she has barely said anything about herself. If this was going to work, we needed to get to know one another better. I want to hear about her future plans and I want her to know mine. Shoot, maybe they could include each other.
Plopping back down next to Margot on the floor, I give her knee a tight squeeze, reassuring her I was fine after that conversation. I see a small smile form on her lips and I know she got the message.
We got onto a tangent about pineapple on pizza, something I am vehemently against while Margot seems to have a differing opinion. Something we’ll have to argue about in the future. My phone buzzed in my pocket and when I pulled it out, I was reminded against my will of the conversation we just moved away from.
“Give me a minute,” I say to Margot as I leave the apartment and take the call in the hallway.
“Hello?”
“What is this vandalism I’m hearing about? And fighting?”
I say. “I’m fine, Dad. How are you?”
“Enough with all that. You’re supposed to be the leader of KA. How am I supposed to trust that you’ll be a good VP of Prescott Cars if you can’t manage your own frat brothers.”
“What was I supposed to do? I couldn’t prevent any of that from happening.”
A glass clinks on the other side of the phone, a sound I know well. The top of a decanter being removed. “You need to be smarter. Get ahead of the other frats.”
“Right,” I replied, rolling my eyes.
“Alexander, I have a reputation at that school and I won’t have you tarnishing it. You need to get your head out of your ass and get control of the situation.”
“Yes, sir.” The phone disconnects. “Love you, too.” Running my palms down my face, I look up at the ceiling. I can’t have control over my future but I need to be able to control the fraternities here? How am I supposed to do that?
Either way, I know I don’t want to work at Prescott Cars. I don’t want to eventually take over my father’s empire. I don’t know what I want to do with my life.
A laugh rings from the apartment, and the sound brings a reluctant smile to my face. I may not know what I want to do in seven months, but I know exactly what I want to do right now and that’s go inside this apartment, kiss Margot right on the mouth and talk to her brother about his fitness routine.
By the time public speaking class rolls around, I am exhausted. I had spent most of Monday morning in the gym or in the library, catching up on work I’ve missed while hanging out with the guys or with Margot. I know the bookworm would’ve helped me out if I asked her to but I didn’t want to burden her with my problems. She’s got enough on her plate.
Before I left last night, I said goodbye to Arden, not knowing how much longer he was staying or if I’d see him again. We shook hands, and he gave me that look that said hurt her and die. I leveled him with my reply. I’d take that punishment freely. He seemed to accept that response and gave me a pat on the back for good measure.
Margot had walked me to the door and I finally got that kiss I’d been jonesing for all night. It wasn’t sexy but it was intimate and sweet. It was Margot and I would’ve loved for a thousand more to grace my lips before I had to leave.
I am happy to see her in our usual seats for class and I plop right next to her. Without glancing in my direction, she hands me the pen she is using, already ready with a spare for herself.
A woman who anticipates a man’s needs is sexy as hell. Even if that need is just a writing implement for class.
“Alright, everyone. It’s that time again. Speech time,” Professor Walker announces at the top of the room. I feel Margot stiffen beside me. I would’ve thought with the podcast she would’ve felt a little bit better about public speaking but it seems from her stance that that’s not the case.
The professor continues, “Next week, you will take into consideration everything we’ve worked on so far and you will present a speech about your goals and ambitions for the future after college. And don’t get complacent. If you went last the first time, expect to go first this time around.”
That meant Margot was likely to be in the first group of presenters and I was in the last. It didn’t make a difference to me. Public speaking had never really been an issue of mine, a skill required for running a frat house. I’d made plenty of speeches in my day and not batted an eye.
Margot, on the other hand. Her eyes were shifted, looking back and forth without actually noticing anything. She was completely panicked.
The topic of the speech did startle me, though. A speech about my goals and ambitions for the future? Fuck me.
Margot and I didn’t really have a chance to unpack the information I dropped on her at dinner last night so I’m not surprised when she glances sideways at me with worry.
After the professor dismisses class, neither of us move from our seats. The room empties out around us. Margot waits for me to speak.
“When I was a kid, I used to say I wanted to be in the NBA.”
Margot breathes out a laugh and I nudge her with my elbow.
“Hey, I was the best shooter on my eighth grade team.”
“I’ll bet you were,” she says with a smile. She’s giving me her full attention, which I appreciate but it also scares the shit out of me. I suddenly realize I don’t want to let her down.
“In high school, that was when my dad started to really prepare me for entering the family business. My extracurriculars fell to the wayside so I could spend afternoons and weekends at the shop, following in his footsteps.
“When I came here to TU, I started undeclared. My dad didn’t give a shit what I majored in. All he wanted was for me to graduate with a degree from his alma mater and then come back home to work at the company.”
Margot continues to listen, her hand resting softly on my arm that’s resting on the desk in front of me. Her thumb is tracing light circles against my skin, the feeling keeping me grounded in the room, in the conversation.
“In sophomore year, I had to declare something so I just went with whatever classes I thought I would enjoy the most. I started my exercise science major and I really did like the coursework. And many of my fraternity brothers were in my classes.”
“Exercise science makes a lot of sense for you,” she says softly, with a gentle smile.
“It doesn’t matter. A degree in exercise science doesn’t mean a damn thing to my father. But as I’ve taken all these classes these past three years, I’ve genuinely started to love it. There are so many things I could do with an exercise science degree. I could become a personal trainer. I could own my own gym with training classes. Hell, I could even be a P.E. teacher if I wanted.”
Margot laughs, “I’m trying to picture you teaching kickball to a bunch of kindergarteners.”
I join in her glee. “Yeah, that one’s probably not for me.” I grab the hand she has on top of my arm, squeezing the fingers lightly. “But you could actually imagine me as a trainer, can’t you?”
“Yeah, I can.”
“I can, too,” I sigh, leaning back in my chair. I pull my arm out from her grip to run my hands through my hair. “But how can I make a speech about my dreams of being a trainer when I know that I’m never going to be one?”
“Well, you don’t know that. What if you talk to your father? Explain to him that you have your own dreams in life?”
I huff out a harsh laugh. “Try explaining that to Oliver Prescott. The man lives only for himself and his business. He doesn’t give a shit what I want. Or what Drew wants either.”
Thinking about my father always makes my blood boil so I hop out of my seat rather than take my anger out on Margot. I grab my bag and head for the door. Margot follows, rushing on her little legs to catch up to me.
“But you’re a man now, you’re not a boy he can boss around,” she says, slightly out of breath as she catches up to me.
“Oh, but he can.”
“But why? What could he do to you if you just say no?”
“It’s not what he could do to me. I don’t give a shit what he does to me. It’s Drew that would suffer from my insubordination.”
Drew, my baby brother who has done nothing but support my father, having been the only living parent he’s ever really remembered. It’s a begrudging respect but respect nonetheless. I swore when we suffered that attack, I swore that I would always protect him. And I always will.
Margot nods. “Okay.” She lays her hand in mine and I grip it, interlacing our fingers immediately. “I get it.”
I sigh, honestly shocked at how she’s able to calm me down. Letting out a breath, I rest my forehead against hers, closing my eyes to relax. And then I open them when I realize we’re standing like this in the middle of the quad.
When I look up, there’s not an eye in a hundred foot radius that’s not trained on us. Margot squeals slightly when she realizes it as well. Quickly, she pulls her hand out of mine. And I let her. We both step back and look at each other.
What are we doing? This very public display is not something I’m known to do. My reputation precedes me at this school, and I’m not exactly known as the “boyfriend” type. It seems like Margot is having the same mini panic attack as I am. We’re both silent for a few minutes, staring wide-eyed at nothing but each other.
“We need to talk,” we both say, in unison. Then we both turn and walk right to our Monday afternoon study room, as if on auto-pilot. Instead of sitting on the same side of the table, we sit opposite. As if on a date. Or in an interrogation. Cue the harsh overhead lighting .
Margot has her hands clasped on the table and mine rest on the tops of my knees. Neither of us are relaxed. I have no idea how this conversation is going to go. I try to think of what I want to say but Margot, bless her, speaks first.
“I like you, Alex.”
She’s said this to me before but it doesn’t stop my heart from swelling. I’m about to agree with her when she cuts me off, continuing.
“But I understand that you’ve got a reputation. One that you enjoy. One that I imagine you want to keep so–”
“Hold on–”
Margot speaks over my interruption. “I just don’t want you to think you owe me anything. You don’t. I’ve really enjoyed getting to know you these past few weeks but I don’t want you to feel pressured to give me more than you’re willing to give.”
I close my mouth. It was a very practical way of thinking. Very Margot thought-process. And it’s given me a chance to really think about what I want. Margot stays silent, allowing me time to form a thought-out response as hers.
But as it turns out. I don’t need to think. I’ve known since the moment she propositioned me about the podcast, the moment I realized I’d be spending so much more time with her.
“I’m willing to give whatever you’re willing to take, sunshine.”
Margot’s eyes bolt to mine but she doesn’t speak.
“I’ve never had a girlfriend before, not for lack of trying on the girls’ parts.” Margot rolls her eyes. “But,” I laugh at her reaction, reaching across the table to grab both her hands in mine. “But, I’m ready now because I know you’re the one I want to be with.”
“How do you know that?”
I blink. How do I know that?
“Do you know why I call you sunshine?” Margot only shakes her head. “The first time I met you, that night at the party, there was this glow around your head. I know it was just the lighting from the porch but to me, you looked like the sun.”
Margot draws in a breath but I continue.
“Then the next time I saw you, in the library. Same thing happened. This time with the actual sun behind your head. Just reinforced the name for me. Also reinforced the fact that I had to know you. Because if a girl who radiates sunshine could have even a small desire to spend her time with me, I am lucky for it.”
Margot, again, is quiet. I’ve seen her silent before but I never thought I would silence her. I guess I better finish my thought before she runs for the hills.
“I like you, Margot. I would be honored if you would be my girlfriend.”
“Holy shit,” Margot whispers.
I chuckle. “Okay, sailor.” Margot’s eyes are as wide as a full moon, her pupils completely dilated. “Got anything else to say? Anything…positive?” I ask, giving her hands another reassuring squeeze.
She blinks but remains quiet still. Suddenly, I start to second guess myself. What if she didn’t actually want a relationship? What if she just wanted to keep things casual? Fuck. But I don’t want to keep things casual. The thought of another man touching her drives me completely insane. Even when I saw her with Ryan, I wanted to–
“Alex, you’re crushing my hands,” Margot squeals, and I immediately loosen my grip but don’t let go. If she’s going to let me down easy right now, I’m not going to let her go until the very last second.
She takes in a very, very deep breath and then nods her head once.
“What is that?”
“Okay,” she simply says.
“Okay what?”
“Okay, I’ll be your girlfriend.” I jump out of my seat and make to grab her face but she speaks again. “On one condition.” Deflated, I slump back into my chair, arms at my sides while I wait for her to continue.
“You have to let me help you figure out how you can become a personal trainer.”
“Sunshine, did you hear a word I said back there?”
Margot stands and rounds the table, leaning against it closer to me. She places her hands on my shoulders, pulling my eyes to hers.
“I did and I understand what’s holding you back, I truly do. But I think we can figure this out. Together. We can find a way to secure Drew a safe future and provide you with the one you want all at the same time, just…let me help you.”
She runs her hands down the back on my neck, tugging gently on the hair there. The look on her face is one of fierce sincerity. I know she feels like she can really make a difference here and I love her for it but I know my father. I know there’s nothing on this Earth that will make him change his mind. Still, it would be interesting to try and if I get to call Margot mine in the meantime, I’ll take that deal any day.
“Fine. We can try to figure it out. Together.”
The concerned expression on Margot’s face immediately morphs into pure joy. She reaches down just as I reach up and our lips connect in an earth-shattering way. Within seconds, she’s opening her legs wider and I’m taking that to my advantage as I pull her onto my lap, straddling me. Margot falls gracefully into the new position, worming her hips around in an agonizing way. Our lips never disconnect but I groan as she continues to move her butt on my lap.
Grabbing her hips to steady her, I break the kiss. “If you don’t stop moving down there, we’re going to have a very big problem on our hands.”
“ Very big, huh? I’ll be the judge of that.”
She’s got a shit-eating grin on her beautiful face and I swear if I didn’t love her before, I might now. I would do anything this woman asked of me. Go anywhere as long as I have her by my side.
Margot trails kisses down my neck toward the front of my throat. She licks from my Adam’s apple up toward my chin and then moves toward the other side of my neck. It is taking a concerted effort not to explode right then and there. I’m still gripping her hips but that notion hasn’t deterred her. If anything, the contact has spurred her on.
“I’m not kidding, sunshine. You keep moving like that and I’m not going to be able to hold back much longer.”
“So don’t,” Margot whispers into my ear, biting my lobe before she pulls away completely and leans back against the table. Her eyes say “fuck me” but I know her heart. This isn’t the way she wants her first time to be. I’ve fucked a lot of girls, something I’m not necessarily proud of anymore, and if this was any other girl, I’d already be buried deep inside them, not a care in the world. But this isn’t any other girl. This is my girl.
Using the grip I have on her waist, I hold her in that leaned back position. “This isn’t it. You know that.”
Margot sighs, halfway in annoyance, halfway in relief and that’s how I know I’ve made the right choice. “Normally I would rail against a man telling me what’s best for me but in this case, you might be right.”
I flick her nose for good measure. “Of course I am, sunshine. I think you’ll find the longer we stick together, the more you’ll be saying that.”
Margot rolls her eyes and uses her arms to push herself off my lap and onto the table in front of me. The sight of her sitting there, almost spread out completely for me, sets my libido right back into high gear. All I want to do is push up her skirt, rip off her panties and feast.
She tries to move her leg around me to jump off the table but I grab it before she can, leaving it open. “What are you doing?” she giggles, not yet understanding my intentions. We didn’t need to go all the way in a library study room, Margot deserves much better than that. But this…this I deserve.
“That door locks automatically, right?”
Margot cocks her head, squinting her eyes in bemusement. It takes her a moment to understand my intentions but when she finally does, she mutters the word I’ve been waiting to hear. “Yes.”
The minute that word escapes her plump lips, I pull her legs to rest on top of my shoulders, then push her skirt up to her waist.
The only window in the room is shuttered and leads to a back alley behind the library. There’s no chance of anyone seeing us and if she’s quiet, no one will hear us either.
“Alex,” she squeals but doesn’t stop me. I know she’s nervous but she has to know that I would protect her at all costs. No matter what.
“Do you trust me?”
Margot nods vigorously, her eyes wide again. This time in wonder and excitement.
“Good girl,” I growl before diving in, moving her underwear to the side for full access. Margot has been ready and waiting for me for a while based on this slickness and I savor her unique taste on my tongue as I devour her.
After a few seconds, I look up at her, not stopping my lapping movement. Her eyes are shut tight but her mouth is open in a gasp. I take a mental picture of the way I’m making her feel, keeping it in a lockbox in my mind.
It doesn’t take long for my salacious actions to push Margot over the edge. Her pants start to get louder as I keep up my repetitive motions, knowing that if she’s close I need to keep doing exactly whatever it is that’s about to push her into ecstasy. Margot grips my hair and I smile against her, not stopping until the absolute last second. She starts to moan louder, louder and suddenly I’m not so sure how sound proof these walls are.
Without stopping my work on her core, I let go of the hand on her hip, my arms thankfully long enough to cover her mouth while I keep driving her completely insane. She groans my name against my palm and the sound almost makes me lose it myself but I finish her off, lapping up the last of her before I pull away, wiping my mouth with the back of my hand.
Once I’m sure that she won’t scream, I release the hold I have on her mouth. Margot lets out a breath and falls back onto her elbows onto the table.
“That was…”
“Unforgettable? Extraordinary? Remarkable? Amazing?”
“Hot.”
Chuckling, I stand, pulling her up to meet my eyes. “My girlfriend: the wordsmith.” Margot places a light kiss on my nose. Resting my forehead against hers, I’m satisfied that this is the best decision I’ve made in a very long time.