Page 22 of Breaking the Rules
Geez this girl is a tough nut to crack. She won’t even let me spring for a coffee the morning after.
A few minutes later, we start back on our walk back home. Neither of us talks about last night but I wonder if she’s still thinking about it like I am. I’ll be thinking about it for a while, I’m sure, probably while I fist my cock under the sheets tonight in New Jersey…
“One of these days, Essie. I’m gonna figure you out…”
She laughs, and I love the sound of it. It’s light and somehow husky at the same time. “Don’t count on it.”
She’s probably right. I chuckle and shake my head.
When we reach the house, there’s a random dude standing on my porch. He looks like a hipster type with artfully torn jeans and red Converse tennis shoes.
Essie pauses, looking uncertain.
“You know him?”
She nods, giving me a sheepish look. “From school, yeah.”
When we approach, he turns in our direction. I have a good six inches on the dude and at least thirty pounds—which is my way of saying, I could take him if I needed to.
I’ve never been the possessive, territorial type, but with Essie? I guess she brings out a different side of me. And the more time we spend together, the more of her time and attention I want. I don’t like the idea of a guy showing up here to see her. Especially when I’m about to leave for most of the week.
“Oh, hey Warren.”
I clear my throat and unlock the door while they exchange small talk. Apparently he has a question on a paper that’s due this week.
While I gather my stuff for the week, I overhear Warren ask her out to a poetry reading on campus next Friday night. My stomach tightens.
“We could grab dinner beforehand,” he says.
I don’t want to hear her response so I close my bedroom a little more loudly than I intend to.Whoops. I’m being an asshole, but what did anyone expect? This girl was in my arms not even twelve hours ago while I pressed sucking kisses into her skin. While I emptied myself into her eager body. Now there’s a dude sniffing up her skirt in my own damn living room?
Once I’m ready, I gather up my bags and head down the hall.
“Well, you two have fun. I’ll see you, okay?” I say, turning to Essie. I’m trying to keep my anger and frustration in check. It was my bed she woke up in this morning, and now I have to leave her here with some dude with an eyebrow ring while I go off for four days and four nights.
“Preston…” she calls when I’m halfway out the door.
“Yeah?” I turn to face her.
Her blue eyes meet mine and she toys with the end of her braid. “Is your game tonight or tomorrow?”
My stomach does a weird flip. “Tomorrow. Why?”
She licks her lips and gives me a kind look. “Because. I might just watch it.”
Warren rolls his eyes. I resist the urge to flip him the middle finger. But then I gaze back at Essie and my mouth lifts in a lazy smile. “Cool. See you on Tuesday.”
I’ve never looked forward to a Tuesday so much in my entire life.
3
ESSEX
Imake it a point to not be at home on Tuesday. I feel like a bitch, but this right here is why I never should have gotten involved with Preston in the first place. Sex makes things weird. And hiding out from my own home in favor of spending the day in the campus library is exhibit A on thewhere did I go wrongscale.
Part of me doesn’t want to see his hurt expression when I tell him I didn’t end up watching his game after all. Part of me wants to forget the disappointment in his eyes when he saw Warren waiting for me on the porch.
I know Preston wants us to be more, but I just can’t commit to that. He’s great as a roommate, and I’ll be honest, he’s absolutely incredible as a hookup partner, but we’ll never be more.
