TROUBLE
I shouldn't look. Shouldn't touch.
So what if I've watched her grow up from an acne-prone skinny nerd to a girl with curves that could grace a centerfold?
And so what if I've jerked off a few times to thoughts of her. A few dozen. Okay, a few hundred.
I promised my best friend to keep my hands off of her. He asked a fox to guard a henhouse.
It gets more difficult when she ends up in my bed.
LAILA
I've always hated him. He teased me when we were younger. Hid my cell phone. I watched as a parade of mostly naked girls came through my house to spend time with the swim team co-captains, each one lasting a week at most.
I'm in college, and the only person I know is complete Trouble.
EXCERPT
When I got home, there were a few bouquets of roses against my door. They all had cards in them without envelopes.
Forgive, the first one said. Me, said the second one. Call. Me. I took out my iPhone, and I called Trouble's number.
"Come over."
"Give me a few minutes."
I took all the roses out of the hallway, and I put them in water. God knew what my dorm mates thought. I didn't bother shaving so close today. Either it would happen or it wouldn't. I had more acceptance and openness to whatever happened. I braided my hair back, and I put on a simple pink dress. It made me feel fresh and pretty.
I walked across the street into Trouble's apartment, and his roommates were gone again.
"Did you bribe --?"
This time, Trouble didn't bother with the romance. He kissed me hard at the door, taking my breath away, and he picked me up. I wrapped my arms around him, and he held me to his body. His eyes were blazing with desire, and he took off my dress with no finesse at all.
Click on any of the links above to see more books like this one.