Chapter 13 – Philip
Today certainly hasn’t turned out how I expected. First the water rescue in Lake Michigan, and afterward Haley and I had a pretty significant sexual experience.
As we’re lying in my bed, post-orgasm, she rolls to face me. “That was amazing.”
“I’m glad. That was my goal, to be amazing.”
“You succeeded.”
Hesitantly, she reaches between us and presses her palm to my dick. And yes, I’m hard again. After I went down on her, it took everything I had in me not to shove off my underwear and consummate our relationship. And the kicker is, I’m pretty certain she would have been okay with that.
“You weren’t kidding about recovering quickly,” she says.
“I told you, I’ve never wanted someone this much.”
She molds her fingers to my growing erection. “We can—”
I gently capture her hand and move it off my dick. “No, we can’t. Haley, you had a very traumatic experience today. I’m not going to compound that with you losing your virginity.”
“I’m okay now.”
“You weren’t okay a couple of hours ago.” I kiss her palm. “It’s been a while since we ate lunch. I don’t know about you, but I’m hungry again. How about we get dressed, go grab some dinner, and then I’ll take you back to the dorm.”
She groans. “Food, yes. I’m hungry. But back to the dorm? I really don’t want to.” Her lush lips turn downward.
“I thought you liked school.”
“I do. I like my classes. I like the campus, in general. I love spending time with Layla and Jasmine, and Jason, too.”
“Then why the hesitation? Is there a problem? Is it your roommate?”
“Melissa? No, she’s great. We’re so alike we could be sisters.”
“Then what? If there’s a problem, you need to tell me.”
She sits up suddenly and scoots off the bed. “It’s nothing. I’ll go find my clothes.”
“They’re in the dryer. Sorry, I should have hung them up so they didn’t wrinkle, but I got sidetracked.”
Grinning, she picks up her towel and wraps it around her body before she leaves the bedroom to go find her clothes.
I get dressed, and when I walk out into the living room, I find Haley sitting on the sofa combing her hair. Or, at least trying to. “I see you found your clothes.”
She winces as she tries to work out a particularly snarly tangle in her long hair. “Ugh. This is what I get for not combing my hair right out of the shower and not using conditioner. Now it’s one giant rat’s nest. Why don’t you have conditioner?” She winces as she tugs on a particularly bad tangle.
“If you tell me what to get, I’ll buy some conditioner for you to keep here.” I hold out my hand. “Here, let me do it.”
“Really?” She looks skeptical.
“Yes, really. Hand it over.”
Haley hands me her comb, and as I sit down beside her, she turns to give me her back.
I begin systematically detangling the dark wavy strands. I take my time, being careful not to pull her hair. Soon, her posture relaxes.
“Your hair is beautiful,” I say.
“Thanks.”
“It’s one of the first things I noticed about you.”
It takes me a while, but I finally get through it all. After handing her back the comb, I gather her hair in my hands and let it fall down her back like a shiny, dark waterfall.
When she shivers, I smile. And then I move her hair off one shoulder and lean down to kiss her exposed neck. I’m tempted to leave a tiny hickey, but I don’t want to risk Mack seeing it and having to explain how it got there.
“Ready to go?” I ask.
She gathers her hair up in a quick twist and grabs a clip from her beach bag on the floor to secure it in place. “Yes, I’m ready. I’m starving.”
I stand, grab her bag, and throw it over my shoulder. “There’s a great Mexican restaurant just three blocks from here. I’ve been told their tacos are excellent. We can walk it. Are you up for that?”
She gives me a beaming smile that lights up her eyes. “You had me at tacos.”
* * *
This girl is so easy to please. Give her a couple of tacos, and maybe some tortilla chips and a dish of salsa, and she’s in heaven.
The tacos are a big hit. It’s a small, family-owned restaurant, just a hole in the wall really, but the food is amazing. We’re seated in a booth, and after she slides into the seat, I slide in beside her.
Our server brings us water and asks if we’re ready to order.
Haley, of course, gets tacos—no surprise there.
I get beef fajitas. We both order non-alcoholic margaritas.
After we finish our meals, we order dessert, and because we can’t make up our minds, we order two to share—fried ice cream and a slice of tres leches cake.
We sit and talk and laugh, and before I realize it, two hours have passed. I think neither one of us wants the day to end.
“I had a wonderful time today,” I say as I lay my arm across her shoulders. “In spite of the drama at the beach.”
“Me, too.” She holds out her hand, and I give her mine. “You were incredibly heroic today, Philip. If you hadn’t been there, that boy would have died, and that poor mother’s heart would have broken.”
“It was nothing, honestly. I’m glad I was there to help.”
She squeezes my hand. “You’re just being modest. It wasn’t nothing. It was everything for that family.” She sighs. “You scared the crap out of me, but you also amazed me.”
I pay our dinner tab—after a lengthy discussion in which I refuse to let her pay half—and we step outside. It’s a nice evening, not too hot.
“Would you like to take a walk?” I ask.
She’s all for it, so we walk leisurely, holding hands, and watch the daylight fade.
When the street lights come on, I figure I’d better get her home. She does have a curfew after all.
I flag a cab to take us back to campus. On the drive, we hold hands in the backseat, smiling at each other while the cabbie rattles on about how nice the weather is tonight.
It’s nine-thirty when we arrive at Haley’s dorm. I pay the fare and tip the driver. Inside, the community room is nearly empty. There’s just one quiet group of students seated at a table playing cards.
We climb the stairs—Haley insists on getting more steps in after all we ate this evening. As we’re walking down the hallway to her room, we pass the RA, Ryan, who’s unlocking a door for a female student.
“This is the second time this week you’ve forgotten your key, Brittany,” Ryan says. “Wear it on a chain around your neck so you don’t forget it.” He spots us coming toward him and waves. “Hey, guys.”
When we arrive at Haley’s room, we stand outside her door to say goodnight. It’s nine-thirty, and I don’t want to barge in on Melissa.
“Thirty minutes until curfew, Haley,” Ryan says as he walks by. And then to me, he adds, “Visiting time is over, pal. Say goodnight,” before he continues on his way.
I pull Haley close for one last kiss. “I guess that’s my cue to leave.”
She wraps her arms around my waist, and we stand here for a little while longer just holding each other.
“Sleep well, sweetheart. I’ll talk to you soon.”