Last Heartbeat (8 page)

Jacob says, “Phillip you should have taken Megan up on her offer. You know she is crazy about you. I will take care of this little blue-eyed girl you brought along to save me,” Jacob half-smiles at me.

Phillip gets up and grabs him. “You will never touch Alexia. I mean it. I don’t like Megan and I will never hook up with her. You need to apologize to Alexia now! Never talk bad to her or about her again.”

“Okay, man. Back off. I was just joking. What has gotten into you all of a sudden? Alexia, please forgive me for being a jerk. Are you guys hooking up?” Jacob asks and almost falls asleep.

Phillip is about to grab him again, so I reach over and touch his hand. “Please stop Phillip. He is drunk and he doesn’t know what he is saying. He will be sorry in the morning” I say to try to calm him.

Phillip’s tension goes away while my hand is on him, “He has no right talking to you that way, or anyone for that matter. I want to smack him until he tells you he is sorry the right way.” He then smiles and stares at me, “I knew taking you there would be a good thing. All you had to do is bat those eyes and you stopped a fight that would have been probably really bad. You stepped in with your sweet smile and turned those eyes on. They made all the guys stop to look at you. You were so brave when you did that. I almost had to beat them both down because they were looking at you. Now I have to keep all the guys at school from stalking you. You are going to be trouble for me.”

I laugh at him. “Trouble? Me? I don’t think so I am just plain ol’ me. Nothing for anyone to remember, so you won’t have to keep anyone away.”

Tyler speaks up before Phillip can reply. “Wow, what a night. I know Jacob probably won’t know a thing in the morning. He probably won’t remember he has an early class and he will have a killer hangover. I didn’t drink as much as he did, but I sure feel the buzz too. I don’t know if I can make it back to the dorm. Are you going to take us back Phillip?”

Phillip says, “If you want to go, I’ll take you back, but you and Jacob can share the guest room.”

“Do you still have twin beds in that room?” Tyler asks.

Phillip smiles “Yes. They are still there. What, you don’t want to share a bed with Jacob?”

Tyler laughs. “Heck no man. Have you ever slept in the same bed as him? He snores and tosses like crazy in his sleep. I did it once and never again. I guess we should get him to bed, and I am going to hit it too. Thanks, Alexia for your help tonight. Pay Jacob no attention. He won’t remember being a jerk to you in the morning.” Tyler smiles at me.

“You’re welcome Tyler, and thanks. Get some rest and drink water. Don’t forget to take aspirin so you won’t have a bad hangover in the morning.” I smile at him and wave him goodnight. Tyler and Phillip drag Jacob to the bedroom. I wait a minute to see if Phillip comes back to say goodnight to me.

While I do, I pack up my schoolbooks and computer. I look over at the clock and realize it is already two o’clock in the morning. There has been so such excitement; I didn’t notice how late it has gotten. I stand up and stretch. Yawning, I turn around and see Phillip standing close by me. He even looks more relaxed than he was a few minutes ago and I like that.

“You look like you might be tired. I didn’t notice the time until now and it is late. I’d hate for you to drive back this late. You can stay here if you want and sleep in my bedroom. I will sleep on the couch,” Phillip says, reaching my arm to rub it.

“I’d hate for you to sleep on that small couch. You are so much taller than it is long. I don’t mind driving back.” I reason, yawning again.

He smiles and yawns too. “It is settled. You can’t drive this late and you are tired. Come on stay. We can share the bed of you don’t mind. I will sleep on top of the covers. I will loan you a t-shirt because it’ll will be like a gown on you.” He grabs my hand and leads me to his room. “Look the bed is a king-size one and there will be plenty of room for both of us. Please stay the night, and I promise not to bite.”

I look around the room and it seems relaxing. The bed is huge and much bigger than the dorm room. I even notice the double doors and see a balcony. I think about it, and I really do feel extra tired. It would be nice to wake up and see the ocean in the morning. “Okay… As long as you keep to your side of the bed. You can sleep under the covers. I believe I can trust you to keep your hands off me. I would like to borrow that shirt. I wish I had a toothbrush though.”

He goes to the dresser and gets me a shirt. Then he enters the bathroom and brings out a toothbrush still in the pack. “Toothpaste is in the bathroom. Go change and brush. I’m tired, so lets get to sleep.”

“Be right out in a minute.” I hurry to the bathroom. I change into the shirt, and it does make me a nice gown, stopping just about at my knees. I wash my face and brush my teeth. Looking in the mirror, I see a woman who is nervous. This will be the first time I will share a bed with a man. I don’t plan on doing anything but sleeping. I’m still nervous and don’t know why. I shouldn’t be because it just is sleeping. I finish and go to the bedroom. I jump in the bed and notice that Phillip is already in it, sitting on top and waiting on me.

He smiles at me. “You look cute in my t-shirt. I may have to keep you here every night.”

“I don’t think so. You wouldn’t have time for all your girlfriends to visit.” It makes me sad that I said that to him when he is only trying to be nice to me.

Now he looks unhappy. “I don’t have any girlfriends.
Or
a girlfriend for that matter. I really don’t. I know it might seem like I do to you, but you’re wrong. Unless you are going to be my girlfriend?” He smiles over at me with a twinkle in his eyes.

“Are you for real? Asking me to be your girlfriend? I think you’re a big jokester. You don’t even know me. I know you are playing me right now.” I angrily jump up off the bed to put my clothes back on.

Before I can start, Phillip has his arms around me and has my back pressed to his chest. “I am not joking to you. I know we just met, but this feels right. You and me just feel right. I can’t explain it. It does. We can hang out together and take it slow, but believe me, I want you to be with me.” He keeps his arms around me, holding me close to him. I feel his heart beating as hard and fast as mine. This does feel right, but I am so scared to get close to him. I said that I would let things happen, but now I don’t know if I can. I’m scared of what might happen to me.

I turn around in his arms to face him. He looks down at me like I am the most special thing in the world. His brown eyes have turned darker with passion, and that makes my breathing stop. He bends down and kisses me like a man who knows what he wants. I kiss him right back, like I even know what I want. It lasts forever.

Then I want more of him, which wakes me up, and I realize that this isn’t fair to him. I pull back, catching my breath and look at him. How can I do this to him? I turn away from Phillip and wipe a tear, because I have to tell him the truth.

He leans down to me and says, “Just think about it, but not tonight. It is late and we need sleep. I meant every word of what I said. I want you to think about it, and no rushing into anything. I won’t even kiss you again until you’re ready. So come back to bed and rest.” He guides me back to the bed, and I crawl back under the covers.

I smile at him as he gets in the bed. He asks me what time my class is in the morning and I tell him that it’s at ten but need to get up at 8:30 so I can go to the dorm and get changed before class. He sets the clock before he reaches over, grabs me and pulls me close to him. I snuggle up to him like I was made for him. It does feel right to be next to him. I didn’t think I could sleep, but I fall to sleep rather fast.

Chapter Twelve

Phillip

I grab my books off the table and watch Alexia lean over the balcony. She sees the party and frowns. I wonder if she’d rather be there than here with me. She asks if I had plans that I am missing out on. I tell her no. So she is concerned about me missing the party. That is funny because I’d rather be with this girl than at any party. I let her know that I’m not interested in Megan’s party. I tell her about Jacob and Tyler being there and that they may need a ride if they get drunk. She is okay with me leaving to get them, if I need to.

We start studying and I actually enjoy doing this with her. This is the first time I have ever enjoyed doing any studying. Most of the time, I would rather skip it altogether. If I had Alexia here more often, I might get better grades. She really is helping with this project, and she is making me learn a lot. She said that she wasn’t to good in biology, but the way she gets us moving on this project, I think she is wrong.

I look at her when she is reading from her book and my heart flutters as she looks at me. I have never had this reaction around anyone before. I hope this takes a while longer to finish, because I am going to hate it when she leaves. The guys better be good tonight because I really don’t want to have to pick them up and leave Alexia.

I notice that we have been studying for two hours. I get up and stretch. I see if Alexia needed something to drink. I’m inside getting us some water, when my phone rings. I look at the phone number and I know that if I answer it, our time together will be over. I have to answer it. I promised the guys I would come. Tyler sounds upset about Jacob, who is about to get into a fight. I let him know that I’ll be right over.

I take Alexia her water and tell her that I have to go get Jacob and Tyler. She surprises me and asks if I need her help. I think about this for a minute and decide that she could be great distraction for Jacob. I don’t really want her to leave and I know I am being selfish. I tell her that if she bats her beautiful eyes, he would do whatever she wanted. She doesn’t believe me when I say this. I let her know that she could and that I would do whatever she wanted me to with beautiful her eyes batting at me.
Yeah
, I know she has this power on me like no other girl possibly can. I really don’t care at this point. I keep flirting with her and she thinks I am joking, but I’m not. I let her know quickly that I’m not joking. I grab her hand and we head to get Jacob out of trouble.

We take to the beach. It is faster, and I want to walk on the beach with Alexia, just holding her hand. It feels good to walk hand in hand with Alexia. Her hand feels good in mine and it is so small and fits perfect into mine.

Then she offers to take the guys back to the dorm. That is something I can’t let happen. A drunken Jacob would hit on her as soon as he got in the car, thinking she might want him too. It is a nice offer, but I let her know that it isn’t going to happen. Over my dead body, would I let that happen. Thinking about this makes me have a strange feeling of jealousy. Jacob will have to stay at my condo and sleep by himself.

As we get close to Megan’s, I hear a bunch of guys arguing. I hurry and pull Alexia along with me to get closer. I never let go of her hand. I love the feeling of it in mine, and it is helping me not lose it as I get closer to the argument. I glance over and see James, who looks like he is going to beat the crap out of Jacob. I wander what Jacob has done now. I have to let go of Alexia’s hand so I can help stop the fight.

James isn’t the kind of guy who likes to fight anyone who crosses his path. Jacob must have done something really bad to get into it with James. I step up and get between the guys. I ask James what Jacob did and he explains that Jacob was hitting on his girlfriend. I notice Tyler coming to stand beside me looking right at James like he is going to punch him. Good, I have backup.

This makes James step back. Jacob asks who James’s girlfriend is and James tells him, and Jacob says that he knows her and wasn’t hitting on her. He tripped and grabbed her by accident. With that smile on Jacob’s face, I know he is lying to James, and I can see what will happen next. This fight is going to be ugly. This isn’t in my plans for tonight.

As I tense up, reading myself for a fight, Alexia comes over and grabs Jacob. She goes on and on about looking everywhere for him and how she can’t take him anywhere. She bats those blue eyes at James, and I can see him melting into them they way I do. Now I really want to beat him down, but she ends up getting us all out of a fight and drags Jacob off. I start to follow and hear James tell her to keep him on a leash. I smile and follow closely behind Alexia and Jacob. Yes! This girl is amazing.

I hear Jacob ask her if they hooked up and if that’s how he knows her. This makes me want to explode my fist into Jacob, but I calm myself down. I walk up to Alexia and grab her hand. Then I explain to my friend, who is so drunk that, he hasn’t nor will he ever will hook up with her. I tell him that he is going to have to stop with all his drinking and get focused on his classes. I am calming down from my rage toward Jacob, because Alexia still has her blue eyes on me. She has this effect on me like no one ever has and I’m starting to like it more and more.

We get ready to move toward my condo and then I hear this annoying voice. I don’t even have to turn around to know who it is, but I do because I’m not rude. Megan wants me to go back to the party and hook up with her. She just basically asks me this in front of everyone.
Really,
this girl is unbelievably slutty. I quickly let her know that I have no interest in her and her party. She tells me that I’m missing out on the best thing I’ll ever have while giving Alexia dirty looks. I let her know that I’m not missing a thing and grab Alexia’s hand pulling her close to me.

I have to get us away from Megan and fast but not before hearing her say that I’ll be sorry. That girl is unaware of what is going on around her. Can’t she see this beautiful girl beside me with her hand in my hand? I will never mess up being with Alexia for anyone. I’m not missing a thing. I smile at Alexia and she smiles right back at me. I think my heart jumped a beat when she did that, and I love having her next to me. I just don’t know the reason for that yet.

Jacob says another stupid drunken thing - that I am missing out and that he would take care of Alexia for me, so that I can go to Megan. I tell him that that isn’t going to happen ever. These drunken people don’t have feelings. If they did, they would see that I am already head over heels for this blue-eyed girl standing beside me.