Surrendering Read online

  “Well, actually, you should really ask Finn about the system. He ordered it and will be installing it tomorrow. He’ll have a small crew over here to help with the window detectors, but he’ll do most of the panel work.”

  Finn turns around and starts to talk about the simple- yet very effective- system being installed. When our food arrives, it looks like we are feeding fifteen people. We all settle down and eat in comfortable silence. Finn and I always share our meals, so I scoot over towards him so we can dip into the cartons without reaching over everyone. Declan is watches me closely as I eat some of Finn’s Cashew Chicken. I catch his eye and smile slightly. He does the same. I feel butterflies again. I have to wait until I’m calmed down before I can swallow. What’s happening to me?

  After everyone is finished, we clean up the table and take all the remaining dishes to the kitchen. Finn and Jimi get the game ready to go. I quickly realize I’m the only girl playing in the game since Ella and Abbi admit they don’t know how to play. We’re playing traditional Texas Hold ‘em with a twenty dollar buy in. I sit next to Tripp because I’m convinced he cheats. The only one of the whole group that makes me nervous is Declan. Once the game begins, it starts to get interesting. Finn swears his cards are tainted as he folds the first two rounds. Gabe is the first one to get knocked out by Tripp and after arguing about card fraud, he settles back on the sofa with a new beer and a shot glass. I notice he sits right between Abbi and Ella and they’re smiling. Tripp’s the next one out and he’s convinced the cards aren’t a full deck.

  The four of us battle for two more rounds until Finn knocks Jimi out with a flush over two pair. Jimi doesn’t fight it. He sits back to watch us with a smile on his face. I immediately know something isn’t right. Jimi clears his throat, “So, Raven, Finn told me you had a bad fall last week. You okay?”

  I look at Finn and curse his name, “Dammit, Finn Black, I’m going to kick your ass. Why would you tell these assholes about that? It wasn’t even funny and now I have to listen to their ass crack jokes.”

  Finn is mid-swallow and starts to choke, “Ass crack jokes? Is that a new Raven James certified term? Can we now declare this a term that’ll be found in the dictionary?”

  “Not funny and don’t change the subject. Is my humiliation a humorous topic for discussion around your house?”

  “Not really, but it’s a funny story and the best part is that you were half dressed and ended up on the ground under a stranger.”

  “Yeah, Rave, honestly, it’s hilarious that a complete stranger got you in that position when we’ve all tried for a week. I can’t say I’m not jealous of Declan for his good fortune. Maybe now, you’ll take our advice and put on some more clothes.” Tripp adds.

  I’m not sure if my mouth drops open or I scream first. “I can’t believe y’all! I’ve known you almost all my life. I have more dirty secrets on you than anyone else. You decided tonight is the night to embarrass the shit out of me? Right now I’m going to kick ass in poker. And then next week, I’m getting revenge. I suggest you lock your doors.”

  I turn around to face Finn and Declan to finish the game. I hear slow whistles from Jimi, Tripp and Gabe. Declan looks at me amused with a twinkle in his eye and Finn just laughs out loud.

  “Sweet Baby Girl, you can try to kick my ass in poker, but I’ll be taking your money tonight. Robbie would expect nothing less.” Finn states matter of factly as if I didn’t just throw a rant.

  “Okay, back to the game.”

  It was useless; I lost my concentration. I’m out after two more rounds. Since I got flustered, I lost the ability to read Finn’s tell. I sit back with a fresh beer and plan my revenge against these assholes for embarrassing me.

  As we watch Finn and Declan battle the last few hands, it’s apparent Declan knows how to play. Finn ends up beating him with a straight flush. Everyone cheers, but I suspect it may be more from inebriation than actual celebration.

  Jimi, Tripp, Gabe, and Finn get ready to leave. Jimi and Finn stopped drinking a few hours ago so they are driving Tripp and Gabe home. They are leaving Gabe’s Rover here until the morning.

  I walk all the guys to the door and give each of them a hug and kiss on the cheek. I thank Gabe and Tripp for their help moving. “We’ll miss you, RJ. Come visit this weekend,” slurs Tripp as he walks to Jimi’s truck.

  “Love you, Tripp, but I’ll be enjoying my own bed and bath this weekend, without Finn guarding the door from intruders.”

  “You’ll miss me, sweetheart.” Then he shuts the truck door.

  I walk Finn to his truck with my arms through his. “Thank you so much for everything, I know that I can be a drain on you sometimes, but you are truly one of my best-friends in the world.”

  He puts his forehead to mine, “Raven, you’re important to me. I consider you family and will do anything for you. I’m a bit sorry that I told the guys about the park and that they ragged on you, but it was funny as hell.”

  He kisses my cheek and gives me a quick hug. He waves as he drives away.

  As I walk back into the house, I realize I’m going to be spending the night in my new place, with my new roommates, in my new room, and I couldn’t be more excited!

  I walk into the living room and Declan’s sitting on the sofa flipping through channels. He smiles up at me and offers me a beer.

  I sit down next to him. He tells me the girls have gone to bed and he’s staying on the couch. Though I don’t think he’s drunk, it’s good to be cautious. We sit in silence for awhile watching a Law & Order rerun. After about ten minutes, he asks, “So are you and Finn together?”

  “No, it’s a common misconception though.”

  “He seems pretty into you, even watched you share his dinner tonight.”

  “Like I said, not together in that way. Been friends a longtime and he’s an extended member of my family.”

  “Hmm, what about the other guys? Are you with any of them?”

  “Nope, just friends; been staying with them the last few weeks. It was easier for me to acclimate to the campus. I’m from the area, but haven’t spent a lot of time here. Also, my parents travel a lot and my brother is busy, so I wasn’t so lonely staying at their place.”

  “Good to know.”

  This confuses me in a way, “Good to know I wasn’t lonely, or good to know I’m not involved with them?”

  “I guess both, but mostly good to know you aren’t hooked up with any of them.”

  I want to clear the air a little about earlier. “Declan, I don’t want you to think I’m crazy or anything.”

  “Huh, why would I think that?”

  “Well, it was obvious that I told your sisters and Finn about us meeting at the park. I’m not a crazy stalker, and the content of our conversations led me to telling them I had …”

  “Content of your conversations?” He interrupts.

  “Well yes, I told Finn I’d embarrassed the shit out of myself so he could get a good laugh. And, well, I told your sisters over drinks on our first night out. We were talking about hot guys and dating and hookups so I ended up telling them how I landed flat on my ass that morning under you. Of course, at the time I didn’t know you were their brother.” Oh my God. Did I just tell him we were talking about hot guys and him? Yes, I did. I feel the blush rise up in my cheeks. I’m such an idiot.

  “So, you and my sisters were gabbing about hot guys and you decide to mention me? Are you telling me I’m hot?”

  “Nope, I needed to add something to the conversation so I told them about you.” I smirk back at him.

  He’s teasing me and I know I’m going to overheat, but the gleam in his eyes as he stares at me is too intense to turn away. I grin so I don’t have to talk.

  I feel my cheeks burning and decide I need to go to bed before I embarrass myself further. “I think I should go to bed. It was a nice night. Nice to meet you.”

  He looks a little puzzled, but nods his head. “Sweet dreams, beautiful, I’ll see you in the morning.�
��

  Okay, I feel dizzy. Not sure if it’s because he called me beautiful or if it was the drinks. Looking straight into his eyes, I smile slightly and go to my room.

  It takes me a while, but once I finally fall asleep, I dream of green eyed rockers with tattoos and perfect lips.

  Chapter 5

  Good Morning

  Needless to say, I wake-up pretty worked up from my dreams, so I think a run is a good idea. Even though I prefer yoga, sometimes a good run is better. I dress in my hot pink sports bra, a tank top, and running shorts. Then I put my hair up into a ponytail. I finish getting ready in my room and get my IPod off the speaker.

  The house is super quiet, but I see a light on in the kitchen as I step into the living room. As I walk in, I have to bite my lip so I don’t gasp. Declan has his back to the counter with a cup of coffee in his hand and he’s staring right at me. He’s gorgeous in his clothes, or lack thereof. He’s wearing black running shorts that hang low on his hips and no shirt. I swallow hard because drool has started to accumulate. I’m in a trance. I slowly lift my eyes from his tattoo covered chest to stare into his eyes. He’s watching me intently with a small grin on his lips.

  “Good morning, beautiful.”

  I realize he’s talking to me, but I can’t form any words. I continue to stare.

  “Where are you off to?”

  Finally, I realize he’s waiting for my answer. “Today seemed like a nice day for a run. So I decided to get it over with early so I could be ready when Finn and the crew arrive.”

  “A run?”

  “Yes, a run. Generally speaking it’s walking, but at a faster pace.” I snap back.

  “Fuck me. You’re beautiful and full of piss. This is gonna be fun. I know what a run is, but what I don’t understand is how you went to bed less than six hours ago and here you are looking like you do at the crack of dawn.”

  “Well, I didn’t sleep too well. And after all the food and liquor I consumed last night, it seemed like a good idea. But what did you mean ‘looking like you do?’ What’s wrong with the way I look?”

  I start to get self-conscious because he obviously has a great body with amazing structure and I’m not exactly sure what he means.

  “I meant you look hot.”

  Oh, well, okay, that was nice. My heart rate starts to speed up to join my already racing mind.

  He’s still staring at me as he asks, “Do you want company on your run? I try to work out in the morning too. It makes my schedule easier.”

  I squeak my answer, “Sure, that would be great. But where are your running clothes?”

  “I keep a few items in the girls’ rooms for when I need them. Just give me a second to get some shoes and I’ll be right back.”

  “Um, Declan, don’t you need a shirt?”

  He starts towards me slowly. He gets about two inches away and breathes, “I don’t know Raven. Do I need a shirt?”

  I know I’m staring and I unconsciously inhale his scent. He lifts his hand to my face and runs his fingertip across my cheek. I think I stop breathing. I’ve never felt this sting of electricity that’s surging through me. I look into his eyes and he grins again.

  “Be right back.” He drops his hand and walks around me.

  I stand in the kitchen feeling like a fool. I read enough romance novels to imagine what it feels like when your body is set on fire from pure lust, but I never imagined I’d feel this in any way.

  *****

  Declan

  Raven walks in the kitchen and I instantly go hard; I adjust my dick in my shorts so she doesn’t notice my boner. Jesus Christ she’s gorgeous. Even though I should put on a shirt, something inside of me is telling me to see how this plays out first. She’s telling me she’s going for a run and that’s when I decide this is a good chance to start my plan.

  Ever since I walked in the door last night, I can’t take my eyes off of her. When I ran into her at the park a week ago, I thought she was hot, but I had no idea. What were the chances that she would be the new roommate Abbi and Ella have been talking about? They said she was awesome, but they didn’t tell me much more than that.

  Watching her act like a total badass last night with all those guys was a huge turn on. I can tell she’s not as easy as the other girls I typically hook-up with. She’s cute, sassy, and has an edge to her. Those guys are loyal to her, and she’s just as loyal to them. The only problem I saw with her was Finn. She may think they’re only friends, but something tells me he’s holding back. That’s when I decided to stay the night and learn as much as I could about her.

  When she came back from walking out Finn, I could tell she was nervous. Good, I liked nervous. Lucky for me, she’s a nervous talker. Even though she practically ran to bed, I saw her reaction when I called her beautiful. That’s when I knew I had a mission…

  I’m going to learn more about Ravenel Hayes.

  Chapter 6

  Let’s Talk

  Our run was actually nice. When he came back into the kitchen this morning completely dressed, he asked me if he could choose our path. He wanted to show me some new trails and explain the markers for the distance. We ended up running four miles before we got back to the house. I forgot how nice it was to have a running partner. I thought it would be awkward with Declan after our brief exchange last night, but it wasn’t at all.

  When we got back to the house, I decide to stretch out front since I’m covered in sweat. I bend down and hear a groan. I look up to find him watching me with his perfect lips turned upward in a grin. Even though he’s dripping in sweat, he’s the hottest guy I have ever laid my eyes on.

  “You should be careful who you bend over in front of Raven; I can practically see your tits hanging out of your top. It could make a man do unmentionable things.”

  “For your information, I’m wearing a sports bra that completely covers my ‘tits.’” I use air quotes to emphasize my disgust of the word.

  “Sorry, babe, think you may need to take a look.”

  I look down and squeal. Damn, my bra has shifted and I’m practically falling out of both the bra and tank. Then I see my nipples are hard and showing through the material. I turn around and straighten everything.

  “Don’t adjust anything for me.”

  “Is it too much to ask that for one day I don’t embarrass myself in front of you?”

  “Don’t be embarrassed; I enjoyed the show.”

  “Stretching is over. I’m going to the shower.”

  We walk into the house and we find the girls in the kitchen drinking coffee. Both of them look at us and I see them glare at Declan. I get a bottle of water and head to the shower. Before I get in, I hear arguing from the kitchen. Even though I can’t make out the whole conversation, I get bits and pieces.

  “Declan, please don’t do this to us again. We like Raven.”

  “I’m not doing anything Ella. It was just a run.”

  “Since when do you run at 7:00 in the morning? Since when do you stay on the couch on a Thursday night? Since when do you hang out with us and eat Chinese when you usually hang at the bar on Thursdays?”

  “Jesus, Abbi, it was just a fucking run! I can see how you two are thinking so I’ll grab my shit and go. I’ll be back to learn about the fucking alarm in an hour, so make sure your bitch hats are off by the time I return!”

  A cup drops in the sink and then Abbi speaks. “Dec, we’re sorry, but Raven seems cool and she’s a blast to hang out with. She seems like she’ll be a good roommate and she has hot friends that are equally as cool as her. We don’t know much about her, but I don’t think she’s the kind of girl that you can fuck around with. She already thinks she’s out of your league because of the comment you made in the park. We know how you fool around with different girls. We see the kind of trash that throws itself at you. We also know you’re not interested in a relationship.”

  “Who the fuck is talking about relationships? It was a fucking run!”

  A door slams just as I
get into the shower.

  After the shower, when I’m dressed and ready for the day, I walk back into the kitchen to a somber looking Abbi and Ella. They seem to be whispering, but quit immediately.

  Sensing the tension, I wave slightly and go to make my breakfast.

  Abbi breaks the silence first, “Raven, let’s talk.”

  “Okay, did I do something already to piss you off?”

  “No, but we think you should know some things. It’ll be better to tell you now and let you decide for yourself how you want to move forward, especially when it comes to our brother.”

  “I’m not sure what that even means, but I have to ask, is this about this morning?”

  Ella cuts in, “Yes and no. I’m going to lay it out for you. We love our brother more than anything in the world. We lost our mom at an early age and my dad made sure we all grew up close. Declan’s the best to us in every single way. There’s nothing in the world he wouldn’t do to support and protect us.”

  “This’s great news seeing as I have a brother of my own that I love infinitely. What’s the problem?”

  “The way Declan treats us is different than how he treats other girls- no matter who they are.”

  “What Abbi is trying to say is that our brother is a one-night stand kind of guy. He doesn’t do relationships, he doesn’t do sleepovers, and he doesn’t even know the names of all the girls he’s fucked. Our last roommate moved out because she was stupid enough to fall for him. She became clingy and started using us to get to him. He tried to let her down nicely, but she wouldn’t give up. Then he decided to shove other girls in her face to get her to leave him alone. By that time, our roommate relationship and friendship had taken a huge hit. She moved out and we asked Declan to never get involved with another roommate.”

  I remembered our first conversation and it hit me, “Declan was the conflict of interest?”

  “Yes.”

  “So you are both here to tell me to stay away from your brother because he is a player and a cheat and there will never be anything serious going forward?”