Root (Band Nerd Book 2) Read online

  Then he grips me hard, holding me still. Lifting my head, I stare at him, needing more. “Anders,” I whine because, god, I need to come so bad. “Please.”

  If it hadn’t been for the gentleness I know he’s capable of with me, I’d almost be scared by the look on his face. Or, you know, if I wasn’t so horny that I could totally understand why female cats make those weird sounds when they’re in heat. Lord above, I almost want to make those noises now.

  “Not yet,” he says firmly, although his gaze is locked on my lips and his fingers flex on my hips.

  “What?” I screech.

  Okay, not my proudest moment, but my panties are so wet, I’m probably leaving a spot on his shorts, and I’m horny enough not to care if we do it here, my bed, the table, or on the kitchen counter. I just want Anders De Groot.

  His lips tighten, but he’s still breathing just as hard as I am. “Not yet, Lena.”

  “Why?” I demand. Honestly, I thought guys were supposed to be all about the sex.

  Unless… The thought barely has time to cross my mind. You know, the one I’m sure all girls have when their boyfriends refuse to have sex with them. Is he even attracted to me?

  “Don’t go there,” he orders, and releases my left hip to take my hand in his. “I want you, Lena.” I’m not even paying attention because my brain caught the thought and has decided that’s precisely what this means.

  Anders must realize I’m not listening to him and decides it’s time for show and tell, guiding my hand down, down, down to wrap my fingers around him.

  Hard. That’s the first thing that actually penetrated the thoughts swirling around my brain. And yes, pun is definitely intended because holy shit! I’ve never held a penis in my hand before. Sure, I have a vibrator I’ve used many times, especially since meeting Anders, but that’s latex or something. This is the real thing. I’ve seen them on the internet, of course. Hey, I’m curious and I have a decent wi-fi connection, but I’ve never felt one and I’m amazed.

  Scooting back until I’m balanced on his knees, I grip him in wonder and a hint of fear. It’s a lot bigger than I thought it’d be. I mean, sure there are big peens on the internet, but that has to be the exception, not the rule. Most of those guys are probably porn stars because they’re well-equipped. Maybe if it’s too small you can’t see it on film, so you need a guy who’s got a zucchini-sized dong. But I never thought I’d be touching one in real life.

  I want to explore more, but once again Anders takes the fun out of everything by pulling my hand away from his crotch. “Have to stop that,” he mutters harshly, his chest moving a lot faster and harder than it had been before. “I want you, see?”

  Yes, I see, but I want to see so much more! I have so many questions, so much curiosity, as well as that need to feel all of that moving inside me, but the look on his face isn’t very forthcoming. Not right now at least. But he wants me. I felt the proof and my palm is still tingling from the discovery.

  “Okay,” I say as though I’m not dying of curiosity to know what he looks like. Is he straight as an arrow, or does he lean one way or the other? Is he a weird color? Does he manscape? These are things I need to know.

  “But we’re gonna take it slow, okay?” He cups my chin, directing my gaze away from his groin to his face. “Lena? We’re going to take this slow because I don’t want to hurt you.”

  That’s sweet and all, but I’m hurting now. Still, I nod. “Okay.”

  His thumb brushes over my lips, tempting me. He’s always tempting me, then he wants to go slow. Not entirely true. This is the first time we’ve had groin-to-groin contact, even if it’s through our clothes. But those kisses of his are dangerous, making me all crazy with the need to put out the fire he starts in my panties. I’ve masturbated so much in the last week, I’m pretty sure my vibrator is dying and since he’s always with me I can’t just go out and buy a new one. Plus, you know, I’m broke.

  Then he leans forward and lays another one on me, obliterating all thoughts except the question of how I’m going to get him to relieve me of my virginity.

  Anders

  It takes me all of two minutes to come down the drain when I get into the shower at my dorm. Lena. Fuck me. She drives me insane. Kissing her, just kissing her, gets me so worked up, I’ve taken enough showers in the past month to clean the entire football team. My suite-mate, a basketball player named Corbin, started bitching about it the same afternoon Lena hurt her ankle and hasn’t stopped since. In fact, this week alone, I’m pretty sure the school is going to wonder why the water bill went up.

  But it’s the only way I can keep the lust under control. She’s got me tied up in knots and tonight… Fuck, I’m an idiot. I shouldn’t have kissed her again, but she surprised me by kissing me first.

  Resting my head on the tile, I let the water wash over me. I sound like a fucking kid. She kissed me first, so I had to kiss her back, then she touched my cock like she wanted to keep it. My dick stirs with renewed interest. Yeah, she touched me and held on like she didn’t want to let go, which only makes my erection that much harder, tempting me to rub another one out. I could keep going like this all night, but my girl is back home getting ready.

  I push away from the wall and start washing up, ignoring my cock. I even turn the water to full-cold to help him get the idea that he’s not having any more conversations with my hand tonight. Nope, no more jerking off until I come back from Lena’s house, after the party. A party I’m not even sure I want to go to, except it’s our only bye week and Savage was like a dog with a bone about me attending.

  Not sure what the big fucking deal is. I turn off the water and step out of the shower, roughly toweling dry as I try to figure out what Savage’s problem is. He knows I’m with Lena now, so he can’t be trying to set me up with anyone. But there was a weird look on his face when he invited me, almost like he needed me to be there. And although I haven’t gone to any of his parties this semester, I’ve heard about his antics, things that could get him kicked off the team and out of school.

  Do I want that kind of drama in my life? Fuck no. I had enough of watching people drink themselves stupid to last me a lifetime, but Savage is my friend. We might not be as close as me and Tight, but he’s a good guy when he isn’t drinking. Hell, when I first got to Sauvage, I didn’t know who I was or even what I wanted. Eighteen, never been away from home before, I tried to be like the other guys on the team, talking shit about things because it was expected.

  That wasn’t me though, it was who I thought the other guys needed me to be. Making lewd comments about girls even though I cringed inside, drinking with the guys even though I don’t like the loss of control, and basically being an asshole. It took Savage saying one thing one night as we were out by his pool after a party to make me realize I didn’t want to pretend anymore.

  “Have you ever realized that the more people try to be different, the more they’re the same?” he asked as we watched a few girls giggling and touching each other, their flirtatious gaze locked on us. “Like, we’re all so desperate to be someone we’re not, to conform to what society expects us to be, we never learn to appreciate ourselves?”

  I could’ve shrugged his questions off as the ramblings of a guy who’d had too much pot and too much alcohol, but when he slipped into the pool to join the girls, he left me with a lot to think about. He doesn’t remember any of it, went right back to being the life of the party, the golden boy of Sauvage State the next day, but I remembered and stopped working so hard at being someone else. Although, going by the quiet desperation in his eyes when he practically begged me to go to the party tonight, I’m starting to think he remembers every word he said and wants to break free of those chains himself.

  Sighing heavily, I dress and look at the clock. I still have at least twenty minutes before I need to pick up Lena. Glancing down, I’m relieved to see my erection finally subsided, a result of concentrating on Savage’s problems I’m sure. Since I have the time, I sit at my desk and
crack open my Math 355 text.

  There’s just something about solving problems that settles my mind and, with the possibility of drama with Savage, and my dick wanting to find a home between Lena’s thighs on the books for the night, I need all the calm I can find.

  Forty minutes later, I’m a sweaty, nervous wreck as I knock on Lena’s door. I should’ve known better than to start working on those Math problems. I completely lost track of time. The entire drive over panic that I’ve fucked things up with her on our first “official date”, had me sweating bullets. I don’t think Lena’s like some of the girls the other players have been with, high maintenance chicks who want their boyfriends fawning over them and all that, but I’ve never actually taken her anywhere before.

  Maybe it was a bad idea to take her to Savage’s party for our first date. I went to a few last year and they’re exactly what you’d expect from a college party. Lots of alcohol, loud music, people making out or trying to find rooms to fuck in, and everything in between. Not exactly romantic and there’s no telling what anyone would do or say.

  Yeah, this is a bad—

  The door opens and there she is, wiping away every single thought in my brain. Honestly, my gray matter may as well have just leaked out of my ears because the only thing I see is Lena. Hair shiny and soft, falling around her shoulders in loose waves. She’s wearing makeup for the first time since I’ve known her and, while I don’t think she needs it, there’s no denying her brown eyes look darker and more mysterious, her red lips are full and tempting.

  My gaze slides down and while one organ has given up on me another picks up the slack, my dick hardening immediately. She’s wearing a dress, some black number that shows off the tops of her shoulders with only a hint of cleavage and ends right above her knees. I’ve seen girls dressed in a lot less, or in much tighter clothes, but none of them hold a candle to Lena in this plain little black dress.

  “I hope I look okay,” she says softly, smoothing a hand over the skirt. “I wasn’t sure what to wear.”

  Dragging my eyes up—and taking everything in again—I stare at her, seeing the uncertainty in her expression, but then my gaze snags on her red lips. She’s nibbling on the bottom one, her nerves evident.

  I react on instinct, you know, because my brain took a vacation. I take one step forward, my arms wrapping around her, and kiss the ever-loving fuck out of her. She lets out a squeak of surprise, her lips parting for me, which I take quick advantage of, sliding my tongue between for a taste. Lena hesitates only a moment before her arms wrap around my neck, her body pressing tightly to me as she kisses me back.

  I don’t know how long we make out. It could’ve been a few minutes, a few hours, or days, but I do I love the feel of her body against mine, her curves fitting my hands as though she was made just for me. And when someone whistles, ending our moment, I don’t want to let her go. My hands are on her ass, gripping tightly, and her fingers are tangled in my hair.

  But there’s another catcall, and the spell is broken. I glance over my shoulder to see a couple of snot-nosed teenagers across the street, watching us. Fuckers.

  Reluctantly pulling away from the heaven of her lips, I rest my forehead against hers as we both struggle for air. Let go of her ass, perv. My brain commands my hands, which don’t want to leave their comfortable position, but, after an internal struggle, I’m finally able to slide my palms up to a safer position on her lower back.

  “You look beautiful,” I whisper, my voice raspy with lust.

  Her lips curl in a soft smile, pink tinting the crests of her cheeks. “Thank you,” she whispers back.

  “Do you still want to go to the party?” I ask, while secretly hoping she says no. I don’t want to share her with anyone else.

  The sigh she lets out is wistful and dreamy. “I wish I could say no, but while you were gone Nessie called to say she and the others are going, so they’re kind of expecting us now.”

  Biting back a groan, I close my eyes. Right. We have friends who want to see us. And I did sort of promise Savage I’d try to be there. Still, I can’t help but rub my nose against Lena’s, breathing in her peachy scent and stealing another soft kiss. This one a silent promise for more later. Much later. Like when I’m not on the edge and I’ve had time to prepare.

  I finally step back, my fingers lingering on her curves before I shove my hands in my pockets. “Let’s go.”

  Lena

  If it weren’t for Anders standing at my side, I would’ve faded into the background as soon as we entered Beau’s house. I’ve never been sandwiched in a room with so many people, all of them drinking, dancing, laughing, and talking. The music’s loud and abrasive, the scantily-clad girls make me feel inadequate as a female, and the come-hither glances they send Anders piss me off.

  Yes, it’s my first party as in ever, and I already want to go back home.

  Sure, Beau’s house is gorgeous. Apparently it’s one of the guest houses on his family’s compound. Yes, you heard me, a compound. Like the Kennedy’s or something. It was a five-minute drive down a long, winding road that bypassed a mansion, what I think was a stable, a couple of paddocks, several outbuildings, and more cottages. I was intimidated before we even got out of the car.

  If this is what Anders is used to, I’m way out of my element. This isn’t a pool house or anything. This is a lodge that could fit at least four of my apartments plus the garage, in it. Everything’s high-end, from the floors to the furniture, and no one seems to care about it. As though it’s completely normal for girls to dance on a sofa I know has to cost a few grand, or for beer to be spilled all over the hardwood floors.

  It isn’t all bad though. I saw Nessie and Becca, who’re having a blast. Jolene’s here with Josef, and I saw a few other fellow band members in passing. And Anders doesn’t leave my side, not once. In fact he’s glued to me, his hand on me at all times, as though to show everyone we’re together.

  “Root!” I hear a voice bellow, seconds before someone crashes into us.

  Anders grabs the human projectile, holding them upright while also keeping me on my feet. Unfortunately, the cannonball wanna-be hit my arm, sending nearly all the contents of my water bottle down the front of my dress. I gasp, my body reacting to the icy cold liquid.

  “Sorry! Sorry, Leeeena,” Beau Sauvage sings, as he reaches out to brush the water off of me. Or specifically my chest.

  Luckily, Anders knocks his hands away before they make contact. “What the fuck, Savage?” he growls as he rights his friend.

  The golden boy of Sauvage State gives us a drunken smile, his blue eyes going from Anders to my chest. I follow his gaze and yup, predictably, the cold water turned my headlights on. Blushing furiously, I tug the damp material away from my boobs.

  Beau leers at me, waggling his eyebrows playfully. But that’s cut short when Anders cuffs him on the back of the head. “Eyes up, asshole,” he growls at his friend. He turns to me, his gaze studiously staying above my neck. “You okay?”

  I know my face has to be beet red, but I manage to smile at him because—hello?—he’s impossibly sweet. “Yeah, I’m good. Um, I’m just gonna go to the bathroom to dry off a bit.”

  Anders looks out over the crowd before turning back to me. “Okay, babe. I’ll be here.”

  I give him a shy smile and go to fight my way through the crowd, but he catches my arm before I take more than two steps away. I turn back with a question on my lips I never get a chance to ask, the words swallowed by his mouth when he kisses me. Right here in front everyone, he just lays one on me that curls my toes and leaves me wobbling when he finally pulls away.

  Blinking at him, I try to find my bearings, aware that people are looking our way with smiles, smirks, and frowns. It’s easy to ignore them, especially when Anders brushes his thumb across my lips as though he can’t help himself.

  “Don’t be long,” he orders me with a small smile.

  “Okay,” I breathe, completely enamored of him and the way his pale e
yes seem to warm every time he looks at me.

  He rubs my bottom lip once more before he lets go. I turn and look around, not really seeing anything, my body wobbly and my brain fuzzy from all the feels Anders gives me. He’d showed me where the bathroom was when we came in, but as I glance around, I don’t even know what state I’m in.

  “Girl,” Nessie says as she appears out of the crowd, sliding her arm through mine. “You got it bad.”

  “I do,” I respond with an embarrassed laugh.

  “I saw the whole thing and I have to tell you, if you weren’t all he sees, I’d be panting after him,” she says as she starts towing me through the crowd. “Bathroom, right?”

  “Yeah, I need to dry off a little.” And I could really, really use some cold water on my face, maybe even in my panties because yowsa!

  We make our way to the hall where there’s a line to use the bathroom. Of course.

  “So how are things going with you?” I turn to ask her. It seems like forever since we’ve talked. Then I remember vital information. “Oh my god! I can’t believe I forgot to tell you! You’ll never guess who’s in my Music Appreciation class.” At least I think he is, but he’s been conspicuously absent.

  Nessie frowns and shakes her head. “No clue.”

  “The guy who almost ran us over this summer,” I almost squeal. “They call him Ivan the Terrible. That’s crazy, right? I mean, he must be really bad if that’s his nickname. He said he wanted to ask me something, but I haven’t seen him since.” I frown. “Anders wasn’t very…welcoming of him.”

  Nessie doesn’t meet my gaze, but her face starts turning red.

  “What? What’s that look?” I demand.

  She shuffles her feet, her gaze darting around the hall. “Nothing.”

  “Liar, what happened? Did you see him on campus too? Did he talk to you?” The questions come out of me fast and a little panicked. I’d only stared at Ivan that day; Nessie had chewed him out. “Oh no, what happened? You have to be careful with him, okay? Anders says he’s not a good guy and I believe him. There’s something about him that scares the pee out of me.”