“Okay,” he says, and steps aside to clear a path for me.
Feeling the need to explain, I hesitate, and wring my hands together, “We need to keep things platonic between us.” Karl’s words ping around my brain. She can’t have people coming and going from her life. It’s not healthy. “I don’t want Cassie to get attached or think there is more going on between us than there is. I’m not looking to fill her mother’s shoes.”
“You’re absolutely right,” he says.
6
Jaxon
She was right.
She was absolutely fucking right, but that doesn’t mean I have to like it. Taking Rachel to my bed was a mistake, but fuck, man, I can’t stop thinking about her. Still, I can’t let Cassie get attached to anyone, and hadn’t planned to introduce any random women into her life.
Rachel’s not random.
Fuck me. She might be my neighbor, but she has secrets, and that should be enough for me to keep my distance. But I can’t help but feel protective of her, want to take care of her like she’s mine.
She’s not yours, dude.
With that last thought in mind, I grab the blow-up pool from the shed out back and shake it out, wanting to have it ready for when Cassie returns. Yeah, it’s not an expensive below ground like her grandparents have, but we like it well enough.
The light flicks on in Rachel’s room and I glance up. She’s at work tonight. I saw her leave earlier, so I can only assume it’s one of her roommates invading her privacy. The window inches up and I avert my gaze, my concentration going back to filling the pool. I feel a set of eyes on me as I work, but I ignore them, because the only eyes I want on me are Rachel’s.
The night air is warm, sticky as I fill the pool with cold tap water. Once done, I peel off my shirt, and pants, and climb in in my boxers, the need to cool my body down having little to do with the heat wave.
I grab the beer I cracked earlier, and take a long pull from the bottle. Music starts up in the sorority house beside me. Another night, another party. Stretching out, I lean back against the rubber and watch the stars.
I sit in the pool for a good long time, the house beside me lit up with laughter and drinking. Will Rachel get any sleep tonight? Maybe I should go over there and tell them all to knock it off. I scoff. It’s not really my place and since Rachel isn’t mine, I shouldn’t feel so protective of her.
After a long while, I climb from the pool, grab my clothes and step inside my house, which feels so lonely with Cassie at her grandparents. I peel off my boxers, and drop all my clothes into the basket near the washing machine. Walking through the house naked, my mind once again turns to Rachel, and I’m instantly hard. Fuck. I grip my cock, run my hands along the long length of it, and visualize it’s Rachel touching me. I glance at the clock, and since I pretty much know her work shift, I step into my room, wanting to catch a glimpse of her. Christ, I must be some sort of masochist.
The lights are on when she enters, and I stand in the dark, stark naked, watching her like I’m some kind of pervert. Okay, this is wrong. I’m about to turn, draw the blinds and put on a pair of pants when a movement behind Rachel draws my focus. What the fuck? She’s in there with some other guy? In the two months she’s lived across from me, she’s never had a guy in her room. Why now? Sending me a message that it really is over between us. Fuck, I got it the first time, Rach. No need to rub it in.
Despite that, I have an uneasy feeling prowling through my blood. Call it gut instinct, but something about all this isn’t sitting right with me. I inch my window up to hear them talking, but the scream that comes from Rachel’s mouth, and the sound of glass breaking sets me into motion. I grab my jeans and tug them on as I race down the hall and dash from the house. College students are hanging off the front deck as I hurry up the stairs two at a time and step into the house.
“Jaxon,” I hear some girl squeal as I shove people out of my way and make quick work of the stairs. I burst through the closed door leading to Rachel’s bedroom and quickly take in the scene unfolding before me. Rage takes hold of me and I grab the drunk asshole who has his hands all over Rachel as she fights him off.
He stumbles around, his eyes glassy and dilated as he smirks at me. “What the fuck are you doing, dude? Wait your turn.”
In that moment, all I see is red. I grab the douche-bag by the collar and pull my hand back, ready to show him he’s messing with the wrong girl. My girl. I’m about to knock him out cold, but Rachel’s frightened scream stops me. She’s almost hysterical as she backs up, and sits on her bed, her pillow in front of her like it’s some sort of protection.
What the hell?
Understanding she needs me more than I need to knock this guy’s head off, I shove him out the door, close it behind myself
