Peer Review_A Ruby Romp Novella Read online

  Giving one last wave, I eagerly head back to the bar. Jason has Chloe leaning against the stool, but his eyes are glued to mine.

  I grab my friend’s arm. “OK, chick. Let’s get you out of here.”

  “I’ll help,” Jason chimes in.

  “No, I’ve got her.”

  “Where are you parked?”

  “In the garage down the street.”

  “There’s no way you can get her to the car by yourself. Wait here a second.”

  Jason leaves before I can protest, so I huff and use my hip as a prop for Chloe’s weight. I watch Jason approach a guy I’ve seen on campus before. A real country boy.

  They exchange a few words before his friend flashes me a smile and strolls toward the exit. Jason comes back, and what kind of scheme is he orchestrating?

  “All right. I’m ready.”

  “For what?”

  “I’m going to help you get your friend home, and then you can drop me off at my place. You two don’t need to be walking to the garage alone.”

  “I did not agree to this.”

  He shrugs. “So, agree to it. I don’t see what the big deal is.”

  “Fine, but I meant what I said; no hooking up with my friend.”

  “And I meant what I said; I’m not trying to get with her.” He glowers, so I drop my gaze as I put more of Chloe’s weight on me.

  Due to the slew of people, it takes us about ten minutes to exit the bar. It’s even colder now, probably in the forties, as we start our walk to the car. Chloe’s too quiet by the time we reach the Civic, and she better not puke inside it.

  “Let’s put her in the backseat. I’d rather her get sick there than in the front.”

  I hold the back passenger door open, and Jason helps Chloe inside. She falls over, and I’m surprised when he pulls down her skirt that’s ridden up.

  Maybe he’s not a total jerk.

  “Do you need me to drive?” he asks.

  “No, I only drank one beer.” I get behind the wheel, and for some reason, I’m nervous. “Oh, watch the drink,” I blurt out after he opens the passenger door.

  He picks Chloe’s drink up from the floorboard and pours it on the ground outside the car before he gets in and sets the empty cup in the back.

  Jason buckles up, and it’s weird having him in my car. I turn on the heat, and I have to steady my trembling hand as I put my Honda in reverse.

  “Thank you for helping me with Chloe. I think I should take her back to my place to keep an eye on her, so I’ll drop you off first.”

  “No, I should help get her inside your apartment. I’ll take a taxi home from there.”

  I glance over at him. “What are you up to? If you’re trying to see Angie and Sabrina again, you’re going to the wrong place. I imagine they’re crashing at the sorority house tonight.”

  “Wow, you really think the worst of me.” Our eyes meet, and he smiles, but it’s not the charming one I usually see. He seems nervous, too. Or, disappointed, maybe?

  “No offense, but you haven’t exactly given me reasons to think differently of you. I mean, you insulted me this afternoon after having a threesome in my living room. For over three years, I’ve watched you flirt with almost every girl on campus.”

  “You’ve been watching me, huh? Three years is a long time.”

  I glance over again, and there it is... His cocky grin and white teeth are lighting up the inside of my car.

  “Well, we’ve had some classes together, and somehow we end up at the same places. I mean, I’m going to notice you.”

  “You can admit you’re into me.”

  “I’m not into you.”

  “Oh, right. You prefer someone like Dan the Douche.”

  I snicker. “Dan’s not a douche. He’s kind and considerate. Did you know he had the same girlfriend for five years? They were high school sweethearts and continued dating in college, but she got accepted for an internship in Japan, so they decided to break it off.”

  “I don’t see what’s so special about them dating for years. It still didn’t work out. Whether two people are only fucking or are in a relationship, honesty is what truly matters.

  “I’m clear with my intentions from the start. Women know they’re only getting a good time with me. If they choose to hang around after being told that, then it’s their problem. I’m holding out on a relationship until I’m certain it’s with the right person and has the potential to last.”

  “I guess you have a point. I feel that way, too. I mean, the part about waiting for the right person.” I glance over my shoulder to look back at Chloe. “Why did you tell my friend you had your eyes set on someone else if you’re all about casual sex?”

  He turns his head to stare out the passenger window.

  “I was trying to be nice. Figured she’d rather hear that than the fact that I didn’t want to hook up with a chick who’d likely vomit on me. Unfortunately, I’ve experienced that a time or two.”

  “Good point. Chloe is definitely one who vomits after drinking. She pushes the limit with everything she does.” I turn on the street where my apartment is located.

  “And you’re the one who always plays it safe.”

  “Yes, but I have no choice. There’s no one else for me to count on … no one who’ll watch out for me if I let my guard down.”

  “That sucks.”

  “It’s my reality.” I shift my car in park. “OK, help me get her inside, and I’ll drive you home. You shouldn’t have to pay for a taxi.”

  “It’s not a big deal.”

  “I sure couldn’t afford one,” I mumble.

  We get Chloe into the apartment, and covering her stomach, she groans. “Shit, girl, please don’t puke.”

  “Bathroom,” she mutters.

  Giving each other a quick glance, Jason and I walk fast to get Chloe to the toilet. She drops to her knees and hurls before I can even pull her hair back.

  “There you go. Get it all out of your system.” Gathering up her blond hair, I hold it as she pukes again. “Gross.” I turn my head away as the pungent smell makes its presence known.

  Looking around, Jason opens the linen closet and grabs a washcloth. The old white paint is chipping off the door, and he struggles to close it since the crooked hinges cause part of the door to scrape the yellowed linoleum below it.

  I have a feeling from Jason’s appearance that he comes from money, so I can’t help but wonder if I should be embarrassed over my apartment.

  Most college students live in cheap, old places, though, so maybe he understands. Once he’s run cold water over the washcloth, he hands it to me, and I pat Chloe’s face with it.

  She dry-heaves next, and damn, that always feels worse. I look up at Jason. “I’m sorry, but I can’t leave her alone. Do you think you could take that taxi after all?”

  “Yeah, it’s no problem. Give me your phone.”

  “Why?”

  He sighs. “Just give me your phone.”

  Curiosity getting the best of me, I fish it out of my jeans pocket and hand it over. He types something before laying it on the vanity countertop.

  “I put my number in your contacts. She’ll probably sleep this off, but if something happens and you need help, don’t hesitate to call me.”

  Shaking my head, I look back at Chloe.

  “I’m sure that won’t be necessary.”

  “You said you have no one to count on. From here on out, you do. Call if you need me. OK?”

  “Sure,” I reply. He turns to leave, and when he reaches the door, I say, “Wait. Thank you for helping me with Chloe. It would’ve been a bitch getting her home without you.”

  Looking over his shoulder, he smiles back at me.

  “No problem, Laurel the Librarian.” His blue eyes sparkle with mischief before he winks and leaves Chloe and me alone.

  What’s with his sudden kindness? It’s not like he has to work at getting laid, so I don’t believe he’s trying to impress me to get me into bed. That�
�d be too much effort for an attractive guy like him.

  “He likes you,” Chloe croaks.

  “You’re drunker than I thought.”

  Wiping her mouth, she leans back, forcing me to move out of her way. I hand her the washcloth, and she sits against the wall next to the toilet.

  “I’m serious, and if anyone would know a guy’s motives, it’s me.”

  “Well, you’re wrong this time. I think he’s only trying to clear his guilty conscience. I caught him having a threesome today in this very apartment.”

  Holding her head back, she groans and closes her eyes.

  “That’s a distraction to take his mind off you.”

  “Right. Let’s get you to bed before you become any more delusional.”

  CHAPTER FIVE

  Laurel

  While fixing lunch, I hear a knock on the door, so I walk to the living room to answer it.

  Jason–again.

  “Angie and Sabrina aren’t here.” Having forgotten I’m still braless in my pajamas, I cross my arms.

  “Actually, I’m here to see you. I have a proposition.”

  “The answers are no and no.”

  “To what?”

  “No, I don’t want to participate in one of your threesomes, and no, I don’t want to have sex with you period.”

  “Damn, you were quick to throw that out there. It sounds like I’ve been on your mind again.”

  “No, I had this traumatic flashback of you and my roommates naked in this very room.”

  He frowns. “Most chicks enjoy seeing me naked. Look, I don’t want to have sex with you, either. One, it’s counter-productive to my proposition, and two, you’re not my type. Like, at all. Oh, and three, I never try that hard for sex. You’d be way too much work.”

  I roll my eyes. “Fine, let’s hear this proposition.”

  “Can I come in?”

  Sighing, I step aside for him to enter, and I can’t fathom what he wishes to discuss.

  He strolls over to the recliner and takes a seat. He uses the handle to flip it back, and geez, why doesn’t he just make himself at home?

  “Can I get you a beer and some chips while I’m up?”

  He gives me a boyish grin. “That’d be perfect, babe.”

  I don’t want to smile at him, but I can’t resist. Unable to stare at his gorgeous face a second longer, I avert my gaze and sit on the couch at the end farthest away from the chair he’s made his own.

  Staring at his alluring eyes, I wait for him to speak.

  “I want to know if you’d let me move in here. I’d pay rent of course.”

  My eyes widen.

  No, they bug out.

  Round as ever.

  “You’re honestly asking me if you can move in with Sabrina and Angie? I’m not running a brothel here.”

  He laughs. “They’re moving out, and they told me you can’t afford to live here on your own.”

  “What? They haven’t said a word to me about moving.”

  “I know. They asked me to break the news. I think they’re a little scared of you.”

  “Where the hell are they going?”

  “There’s another chick they want to live with who they claim is more fun and less up their asses about everything. Sorry, their words.”

  “Nice.” I glance away, upset that what they think bothers me.

  “I can’t keep living with my friend Colton. He’s in a serious relationship with my baby sister, and it’s killing me to share space with them.

  “He doesn’t like to be in her dorm room, so Summer’s always at our place. After you walked in on me with your roomies, I went back home only to find my sister riding him on our couch.”

  Covering my mouth, I giggle.

  “It’s not funny. Talk about Karma…” He shakes his head, seeming to wish away the image in his mind. “Anyway, long story short, I need out of there.”

  “Can’t you find a buddy to move in with?”

  “No. Everyone’s settled for the year.”

  “How does this benefit me? You’ll have all these girls over, and that’ll be no better than the living situation I’m in now.”

  “I’ll keep it in the bedroom.”

  “Not gonna work. These walls are paper thin.”

  “OK, I won’t have anyone over if you’re here.”

  “My schedule changes. I don’t want to feel like I can’t come home.”

  “We could text each other. If you have a change of plans, I’ll throw them out.”

  “Wow, you’re such a gentleman.”

  “Look, my parents agreed to pay for med school. I can’t ask them to pay the entire rent on a place, too, and I don’t have time to work. I’m taking a full course load.”

  “Maybe you could work if you spent less time on your extracurriculars.”

  He huffs. “I had to set my pride aside to ask you this, so could you at least consider it? How much are you paying to live here?”

  “$400.”

  “It’s costing you that much after splitting the rent three ways?”

  “I pay the bulk of it. I rented this place on my own, and then something happened, and I couldn’t afford it any longer, so I had to get roommates.

  “Angie and Sabrina wouldn’t pay more than $200 a month each, and I couldn’t find anyone else, so I had to accept their offer. After electric and water are added, it costs that much.”

  “Why did you get a three-bedroom in the first place?”

  “It was all I could find, and I could afford it at the time.” I hold my hands up in front of me. “You know, none of that matters. I don’t want to live with you.”

  “You pay $250, and I’ll cover the rest.”

  “How is that a savings for you?”

  “I pay $650 for my apartment.” He shrugs. “It’s a newer place.”

  $150 extra a month would make a huge difference for me, but this is crazy. I can’t let him live here. He’d never stick to the rules.

  “I’ll think about it, but I’m leaning toward a no.” I stand up and adjust my cream pajamas that have bright-colored stacks of books printed on them. Thinking of the librarian nickname he gave me, I cross my arms again.

  “Come on. Help me out here. It’s only until May, and then I’ll find another roommate for med school.”

  “Is this why you were helping me out last night?”

  Seeming genuinely wounded by my words, he grimaces.

  “No, and I wish you’d stop thinking I have some ulterior motive.”

  “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said that after you helped me with Chloe.”

  “Is she OK?”

  “Yeah, still sleeping it off in my bed.” Biting my lip, I stare at him. Fuck, he’s good-looking in his hoodie as he sits stretched out in my chair, his jeans snug over his runner thighs. Yes, I’ve noticed him running on campus before.

  His blond hair is mussed-up, probably like mine. Shit, my crazy hair. Looking away, I try to straighten it. Lord, I only see trouble by allowing Jason to live here.

  He’s the last guy I should develop a crush on, and I suspect it’d be easy for it to happen, even if he doesn’t deserve it.

  But, I can’t afford to live alone, and what if I couldn’t find another roommate? “I’ll seriously consider it.”

  Flipping the chair back to its upright position, he stands.

  “Thank you. You’ve got my number, so text me as soon as you decide.”

  “I will.”

  Once he reaches the door, Jason turns back and brandishes a crooked grin.

  “I’m diggin’ the pajamas, by the way, but you should wear something sexier when you’re going to have a man in your bed.”

  “I’m not looking for a man. Now, go before I change my mind about you being my roomie.”

  His eyes widen. “It’s a yes then?”

  Letting my head fall back, I stare up at the ceiling, flustered by him and all his charm.

  “No, I meant before I change my mind about considering i
t.”

  He strolls out the door with swagger.

  “I’ll be waiting for your yes!” he yells with his back to me as I stare at his ass in jeans. His fine ass in jeans… Shit, I’m screwed.

  Jason

  “You’ve got to be fucking kidding me,” I utter as I stare at the screen on my laptop.

  “What’s the problem?” Colton asks. I’m on the couch, and he’s sitting on the floor in front of me, playing video games.

  I should be doing fun shit, too, rather than reading online insults from a peer in my advanced poetry class. I only took the course to be near Laurel. Speaking of the sexy librarian, why hasn’t she texted me yet?

  It’s been a long-ass three days of waiting, and I know for a fact that Sabrina and Angie are moving out this weekend.

  They’ve already asked me to help, and now I have to recruit Colton, too. He has a truck, and that’s the only thing he hates about owning one; everyone asks for his help with moving.

  He’s not going to like it, and neither is Summer, but she’ll have to get over it. It already sucks because Laurel’s going to assume I’m still sleeping with the girls when I never plan on touching them again.

  Now that I’ve gotten Laurel’s attention, I’m not screwing it up. Needing to put some pressure on her, I pick up my cell phone to send a text.

  “Hey, I asked what’s wrong,” Colton says.

  I glance up at the back of his head.

  “Oh, nothing, man. Just an issue with homework.” I can’t tell him I’m in a fucking poetry class. It’s been hard as hell to hide, but he’d never let me hear the end of it if he knew, and then I’d have to explain why I took the course.

  I’m not disclosing shit about Laurel unless something comes of it. It would suck if she rejected me and I had to tell him.

  Me: Hey, chick. What’s the verdict on letting me move in?

  Laurel: I’m waiting to see if you can refrain from banging my roommates at the same time on my living room floor.

  Me: It won’t happen again, and I only banged one of your roommates on your living room floor. They serviced each other first.

  Laurel: Thank you for planting that disgusting image in my head. It’s not the way to win me over.