AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“I’m serious. Unless you want what your ‘friend’ offered you.” He made air quotes. “It’s not a bed, but at least her heat’s on.”
I glared at him. “You’re an asshole, you know that?”
“Yep.” He shrugged a large shoulder.
“Sydney’s my best friend. She’s just used to me taking care of her, not the other way around.”
“That’s not a friend, that’s a pet.”
I turned away, gripping the edge of the mattress. “And what about you?” I turned back to him. He was lying on his side, the sheet half-draped over his body, the lamp throwing every carved contour into relief. “What do you know about it? Do you even have friends? Or do you just prowl around like the big bad wolf, flashing wads of cash at girls and luring them back to your lair?”
Patrick’s face split in a grin. “See? That’s why I pay you the big bucks. You’re entertaining.”
“Shut up.” I reached for something to throw at him, but there was only a pillow at hand.
“I’m just saying, she should have done more to help you out. You should surround yourself with people you can trust.”
“Don’t fuck with me,” I mumbled.
“I’m not. I’m commenting.”
“Well, don’t comment. You’ve already said enough tonight.”
“You didn’t like it?”
“It’s just how it is with me and Sydney,” I said quickly. “She’s the girl who fell down the stairs last spring — oh, yeah. You were abroad for the year.”
“Yep.” There was a sharp, sudden edge of bitterness in his voice. “Missed all the excitement of college.” We stared at each other. The moment stretched out. “What’ll it be, Christina? Stay or go?”
I gritted my teeth. I wasn’t trapped here. I could walk home, at one in the morning, in the swirling snow that showed through the crack in the curtains. I could call a cab to Sydney’s place with Patrick’s stupid money — my money, now. But with the snow, it could mean a long wait outside, in the cold and the dark, alone on frat row.
My legs were shaky; I was wobbly everywhere. I couldn’t imagine walking right now.
God, I hated accepting his invitation.
“Fine. I’ll stay.”
Patrick swung his huge body out of bed and began scooping up dollar bills. I knelt on the other side of the bed, flushing hot as I picked up more and stacked them in a jagged pile.
“You really get off on making me do things, don’t you?” I said.
“Babe, I haven’t made you do anything.” He came around the bed to hand me the bills he’d picked up, his eyes moving openly over my breasts, the curves of my hips and thighs, and the mound between my legs. He pushed aside my curtain of dark hair to kiss my neck, and I tensed. “This has all been your choice.”
Silently, I put the bills in my purse.
I climbed into bed, my legs rubbery, and lay down on my stomach, tucking my face into the softness of the pillow. A moment later, fingers stroked the small of my back, running upward along my spine. It felt good. From anyone else, the move would have been affectionate. From him, it almost was. Almost.
His skin wasn’t cold. He was toasty warm, radiating heat that seeped into my shoulders and neck. I sighed and snuggled my pillow.
“Would you seriously have let me walk home alone in the snow after you screwed me like that?” Dammit, my voice was shaky, just enough to give me away.
He caressed my hair. “You’ll never know, will you?”
“Fuck you,” I muttered into the pillow.
He laughed softly and tugged my hair, just enough to tip my head back. Reaching over to his bedside table, he switched off the lamp. The room went dark, except for a sliver of light in the crack between his curtains, reflecting off the snowfall outside.
5
