The Perfect First (Fulton U, #1)

by Maya Hughes

This was going to be the year of perfect firsts.

I wanted to get her out of there, wanted to grab her stuff and take her out of that booth where she was going to be interviewing guys to lose her virginity to.

We’ll never be sure, but his gaze darted from me to Seph in the booth in front of me. I gave him one hard head shake and jabbed my finger toward the door. His eyes got wide and he took a stutter step closer. I rose halfway out of my seat and his sneakers squeaked on the floor as he spun around and bolted for the front door. A parade of guys made their approach toward Seph, but I headed all of them off at the pass. At one point, I excused myself, got up, and went outside to the line of douchebags that had formed. “Listen, under no circumstances are you to enter this shop looking for the girl from the ad, do you hear me? She’s the sister of one of my teammates. She put it up to give him a hard time. If anyone touches her, you’ll be answering to the whole football team. Do you understand?” I crossed my arms over my chest. My word was law.

He walked in and didn’t even glance in my direction. His face lit up like a kid on Christmas when he spotted Seph. I slammed my hands on the table. Rebecca jumped and stared at me, wide-eyed. “We’re almost finished. I’ll give a full report to your coach about how great you’ve been about all this.” I sat back in the seat while trying to x-ray vision my way through her body and the seat across from her to see what exactly they were talking about.

Standing outside, I waited to see if there were any stragglers lurking. None, but I still watched her leave.

Sticking the stem of the cherry into my mouth, I tied it into a knot—one of many useless talents I’d entertained myself with as a kid.

Instead, every time my thoughts had drifted to her, I’d done another shot. It was a hell of a lot of shots, and now my brain was kicking my ass for being so damn stupid.

I found this awesome place—we could meet there.” She rattled off the address of one of the campus staples everyone had been to at least once, like it was a hidden gem she’d slashed through overgrown vines with a machete to find.

Her head snapped up and she smiled at me. “You came.” With the way she lit up when she saw me, I couldn’t have stopped the smile from spreading across my face if you’d held a gun to my head. Stepping out onto the field with thousands of people cheering for me didn’t come close to how she’d just made me feel—and that meant trouble, which was why sleeping with her was a one-way ticket to fucking up my future. You don’t sleep with girls who look at you like that and get away unscathed. Just look at my dad.

The server came up to the table with his notepad. “Are you two ready to order?” “Not quite yet, but I have a question. How old are you?” I put my elbows on the table and rested my chin on my hands. He let out a little laugh. “I’m twenty-two.” “And when did you lose your virginity?” Both Reece’s and the server’s eyes went big and round. “You don’t have to answer that.” Reece tried to wave off the question. “Excuse her, she doesn’t get out much.” “It’s a perfectly normal getting-to-know-you type of question.” “What the hell do you consider an intimate question?” I opened my mouth but he shook his head and held up his finger. “I don’t want to know.”

“I don’t have any friends.” That had been a crushing realization a few days earlier, and it sucked even more now. My college career was off to a seriously depressing start. “I can see why.” I didn’t realize I’d made a sound, but I must have. Reece glanced up from the menu and his eyes widened. He started shaking his head immediately. “I didn’t mean that, not like that—not like something’s wrong with you.” He ran his hand over his face. “Do you really not have any friends? Like none?” Gathering up my bag, I slung the strap over my head. “This was a mistake. I’m sorry I made you come. I’m sure you have a lot of other things you could be doing right now.” I fought to keep my voice from cracking. Why did it hurt so much, like a sawing in my chest? I’d never felt like this back home. Glimmers of light surrounded by the dull monotony was what I was used to. Not this. Reece grabbed my hand, pinning it to the table. “Seph, wait. I didn’t mean it like that. It was my attempt at a joke and it didn’t work. I’d really like to have lunch with you. Please don’t go.” His pulse pounded against the top of my hand.

His forearm muscles bunched and relaxed. “This is about the sex, isn’t it?” And then the crystal clarity of his hesitation was dumped over my head like a bucket of ice water. The knot in my stomach turned to curdled milk. “It’s not that you think I should wait—you just don’t want it to be you.” “No!” He shouted and reached for me. His hand covered mine, though I’d tried to slip it off the table and onto my lap. “Seph, it’s not that at all. Of course I’d want to sleep with you, unravel those crazy braids and run my fingers through your hair while I—” He cleared his throat. “Let’s just say I’ve thought about it.” He pulled his hand back and sat back in his seat. “There are a lot of guys who’d like to sleep with you, probably enough that you’d be at least a little freaked out, but that doesn’t mean you would want to sleep with them. Your first time should be special. You shouldn’t rush it.”

The juicy burger looked better than anything I’d ever had before. I sank my teeth into it and closed my eyes. My feet danced on the floor and I shook my head from side to side, savoring the flavor in my mouth. So good. There had never been a more delicious burger. I opened my eyes and Reece was staring at me with a funny look on his face, a floret of broccoli suspended in air on the end of his fork, poised just in front of his lips. His teeth sank into his bottom lip. “What? Do I have something on my face?” I covered my mouth with one hand. His gaze darted up from my mouth to my eyes. He dropped his fork. “No—I mean yeah. You have something on your face.” He pointed to a spot on the side of his mouth. I picked up my napkin and wiped at the spot. Checking the fabric, I didn’t see anything on it. “Did I get it?” He cleared his throat and went back to his incredibly sensible meal. “You got it.”

Saying yes to being Seph’s life guru was a mistake. I’ll admit that. Probably the biggest one since I’d bought that pair of Air Jordans that were one size too small because it was the only pair left and I nearly crippled myself, or the last time I even flirted with the whole relationship thing last year.

Seph walked like nothing could stand in her way. Literally, people jumped out of the way as she talked, her eyes focused on me. I grabbed her shoulders to stop her from running into a light pole. Knowing her, she’d probably knock it over and keep walking. Maybe it was the way she had no filter and blurted out things that could make Berk blush. Maybe it was how sad she’d looked telling me about being homeschooled and never having any friends. Or maybe it was the way she’d absolutely demolished that burger like she could go head to head with Nix in a speed-eating contest. I wasn’t exactly sure why, but I’d said yes.

My previous appreciation of her body had been sorely inadequate. Her librarian look was hiding curves that could derail a train.

I tried to play it off as some kind of big brotherly protection, but big brothers don’t think about their sisters like I’d thought about her when she walked out in that bathing suit and dropped that towel.

“Do you know him?” I followed Graham’s gaze and my eyes locked with Reece’s. Dropping mine back to the ground, I shoved my hands into my pockets and picked up my pace. “We’ve bumped into each other on campus before, but that’s about it.” Graham caught up to me. “He’s staring you down like you stole something of his.”

Home games were always deafening. Usually, it made every point that much sweeter, but tonight I had other things on my mind—the same thing that had been on my mind through the practices and weightlifting sessions. While I should have been focusing on studying and making sure my grades were where they needed to be, I was worried about a little fish who’d nearly drowned.

Every so often, I’d lean over and ask Reece a question. He was wrapped up in the movie too, but he never shushed me or shot me one of those looks, the ‘if you ask me another question I’m forcing you to write the Pythagorean theorem one thousand times’ look. Or maybe that was just my dad.

She pulled it off and draped it over her arm like she’d just walked into a restaurant looking for the coat check. Berk hopped up and waved his arms from the far end. Being over six foot three had its advantages. “You made it.” He punched my shoulder. “And this must be the elusive Seph. Reece has told us a lot about you.” Seph’s gaze bounced from his to mine.

Berkley spun around with a pink and red drink in his hand, holding it out to her. “Don’t spoil her fun!” “Pretty.” She grabbed at the frosty, sweet concoction with the stem from the cherry sticking out between her lips. I plucked it out of her reach and slammed it into his chest. The frozen blended mixture sloshed out onto his shirt. “Come on, man,” he grumbled, wiping at the mess. “Let’s not send her to the hospital on the first night she starts drinking.”

She laughed at our back and forth and plucked the now knotted stem out from between her teeth. Berk, LJ, and I exchanged a look. LJs mouth hung open. “Did you just do that with your tongue?” Seph’s eyes got wide and she nodded. “It took me a little longer than usual because the stem was so short. Why?” Berk wrapped his arms around her shoulders. “You’re a freaking legend, Seph.” My brain sputtered and sparks were probably flying within my skull. Grabbing a mental blanket, I smothered the growing flames generated by me picturing what else she could do with her tongue.

“This is an amazing song.” Her grin was infectious. She danced like someone who’d been out at clubs before. “You’re a pretty good dancer.” “I’ve watched a few tutorials to make sure if I ever got the chance, I wouldn’t make a fool of myself.”

It was a tease that made it hard to look away, which meant there were probably other guys who were also having a hard time averting their eyes. I craned my neck at the other people dancing around us. “Are you sure you don’t want to get your coat? You’re not cold?”

“I’ve got another drink for you.” He handed it off to Seph before I could stop him. She danced away from me while she wrapped her lips around the tiny black straw, and Berk blocked my path. “Let her have her fun.” He stood in front of me. “Yeah, let me have my fun.” She popped up over his shoulder, balancing on her toes. “She’ll be fine. I’ll look after her,” Berk called out. “That’s exactly what I’m worried about.” Trying not to let myself get too wrapped up in what she might be doing and knowing Berk would never let anything bad happen to her, I gave her some space to let the music take her wherever she wanted to go. Craning my neck, I kept her in my view. Heads turned and people watched her; how could they not?

“I know. That’s why I’m here.” “You’re here because I’m still in my clothes?” I scrunched my eyebrows. “No, the fact you didn’t change your clothes before falling asleep made me believe you were in for a world of hurt in the morning, and no one was home when I dropped you off. I didn’t want to abandon you here for your first hangover.”

My memories of the previous night were crystal clear. Reece had made me get into a cab after LJ and Berkley tried to get me to go up onto the stage with the DJ to dance. That was the type of thing people were supposed to do when they went out drinking, right? Embarrassing things their friends would tell them about in the morning? “Why didn’t you want me to dance on the stage?” I put my hands on my hips. Reece’s gaze dropped to my stomach. A slight chill ran through me, not because of my now exposed stomach but because of the sizzle on my skin as his gaze raked across my body.

Lifting his chin back toward the hallway, he held out the mug for me. “I made it with cream and sugar. Finish this and I’ll take you out to breakfast as a treat after our awesome night last night.” He threw on a smile that could have melted the panties off a nun. I let out a noise that sounded like a giggle. Had I ever giggled before? Then his words registered. My face scrunched up. His eyes widened and he nodded toward Alexa while moving his eyebrows up and down. “Oh, yeah, totally—a night you won’t soon forget.” I cringed inside at how not sexy that sounded. A sharp noise shot out of his mouth and he handed me the coffee.

“Why did you let her talk to you like that?” I turned and Reece was way closer than I expected. My mug bumped against his chest. I backed up, but there was nowhere to go, my butt hitting the door and making it rattle in the frame. “Like what?” He got even closer. The backs of my fingers pressed against his chest. His heartbeat drummed against them. “Like a total bitch.” His eyes bored into mine. “She’s…” I shrugged. “Alexa.” “She’s an asshole and I don’t like her talking to you like that.” Anger radiated off him and he stared at the door over my shoulder like he had laser vision.

“You’re inviting me to breakfast?” Seph eyed her like she’d barged in with an oversized Publishers Clearing House check and told her she’d won something. “I thought it would be good for us to spend some time together. We almost never do.” Insincerity dripped from her every word. I grabbed my jeans off Seph’s chair and tugged them on. Buttoning them, I turned around. That didn’t change the hungry look in Alexa’s eyes. I’d been ogled before—hell, I’d been straight-up groped—but this made me uncomfortable, especially in front of Seph. I picked up my shirt off the desk and threw it on. “She’ll have to take a rain check. I’m taking her out and want her all to myself.” I grabbed Seph’s shoes and threw them at her. She caught them and slipped them back on. Pushing Alexa out of the doorway with my body, I shoved my feet into my sneakers, half in, half out, crushing the backs and not even lacing them up. The laces dragged on the floor, but I didn’t care; I needed to get Seph out of there. I grabbed her hand and walked out into the living room.

“Morning, Berkley.” Seph’s chipper voice sliced through the air, and Berk held on to the sides of his head. “How the hell are you standing up right now?” He groaned and banged his shoulder into the wall on the way to the kitchen. “Last night hit you a little hard.” She walked over to him and wrapped her arm around his waist, taking one of his arms and looping it over her shoulder, helping him the rest of the way. His head lifted and he stared at her like she was an alien who’d crash-landed in our living room. A little flare had sparked in my chest when she put her hands on him. Shaking my head, I shoved it down and took off my coat. This is Berk we’re talking about. Yeah, but it’s also Seph.

“It’s this one.” I opened the door to my room and let her step in. The pile of clothes on my bed was still there, the messy desk still covered in books and papers. I cringed at how different this was from her pristine place. My Nerf gun arsenal clattered to the floor as the door hit the wall. “What are those?” “Nothing.”

“Sorry, I wasn’t expecting anyone.” I grabbed an armful of laundry and kicked open my closet, dumping it on top of my sneakers. “Don’t clean up because of me. I was just thinking how much this looks like a real college room. You’ve even got the naked girl calendar thing.” I darted across the room and batted it off the wall. It slid straight under my bed. “Berk got it for me as a joke.” “Don’t be embarrassed. She was very pretty.” She’s got nothing on you.

As soon as she left, I was cleaning this place up.

“It’s not going to look the best, but here’s what I have.” I spun around and the clothes slipped out of my fingers. Recovering, I caught them midair and stood there frozen. Seph’s hair fell in waves around her face, longer than I’d have expected, like back in the club, but now I could see every deep and light brown tone. She ran her fingers through the strands. I dropped the clothes to the front of my jeans, hoping I didn’t punch a hole straight through them. She looked up at me with the sun shining through my window and lighting her hair up like a halo. “They look perfect.” She made grabby hands motions with her fingers. Stumbling like my legs had fallen asleep, I got closer until I stood beside her.

Nodding, I closed the door behind me and stood outside. My head leaned against the door. I wanted nothing more than to rush back inside, rip her clothes off, and bury myself inside her until the only name she remembered was mine.

“Does everything have to be about sex? She’s my friend, has been my friend since long before I knew you.” “Then you won’t mind if I ask her out. Her ass is stellar and her rack is even better.” LJ bolted from his seat so quickly he was barely a blur. He slammed Berk against the fridge. The whole thing rattled and a box of cereal toppled over, hitting him on the head. Berk held up his hands in surrender. “Don’t go near her.” LJ shoved his hands, which were still fisted in Berk’s shirt, against his chest.

Reece stepped back from the stove and reached around me. His chest pressed against my back as he flipped open the cabinet beside me and pulled out some plates.

Reece grabbed hold of the back of my coat as I tugged open the door to the bar. The flickering neon light overhead looked like one straight out of the movies. He pulled me back and I slipped, slamming into his chest. “What are you doing?” “I want to go in here.” “Does this look like a bar you want to hang out in?” I craned my neck and looked at the sign. “Yeah.” He smacked his hand against his forehead. “You’re not going in there. Why don’t we go back to The Vault?”

“There are lots of new things out there for you to experience.” Like me.

“You’re so tense.” She ran her fingers along the back of my neck. That was not helping. It was so far from helping she might as well have set me on fire.

“Thanks for coming out with me.” She stared into my eyes like I’d hung the moon and stars by getting a drink with her. “You never have to thank me.”

With her line cast, she rubbed her chin against her shoulder. “I didn’t think you’d call me after our pool hall adventure.” The kiss. The kiss that had somehow blown away every other kiss I’d ever had and made me forget every pair of lips other than hers? Was that the adventure she was talking about?

“Reece brought you all the way out here to fish?” “He—I’ve always wanted to fish, so he was nice enough to take me.” “You hate fishing.” The laughter in Mom’s voice matched the deep frown on my face. “Wait until your dad hears about this.” “I’ve fished before.” Seph looked at me, and she figured out my angle.

“She’s Reece’s friend, who he took fishing.” Mary gave him a knowing look. John let out a whistle. “Fishing, huh?” She nodded. “Well, that says a lot.” He looked from her to me. “What do you know about football, Seph?”

Staring at myself in the mirror, I gave myself the best pep talk I could under the circumstances. “Maybe a stray meteor will take you out on the way back out there.”

Reece came out with a glass of milk.

We were closer than any team had been to the national championship in almost ten seasons, but that wasn’t the stat that had made it hard to sleep for the past few nights. Seph had to be at her apartment by now. She’d said she’d watch the game, but that didn’t mean she was above saying it just to make me feel better or had any idea what had gone on. There were only two games left in the season. I wanted her up in the stands watching me on the field.

I wanted her to see me out at the fifty-yard line with thousands of fans’ eyes on me, killing it and running through defenders like they were cardboard cutouts. A small part of me wanted her to be proud. Anyone who spoke to her could tell within about a minute she wasn’t like anyone else. Her mind worked in mysterious and brilliant ways, although she was shit at playing pool. I didn’t want her to think I was just another dumb jock.