Unexpectedly You by Mia Josephs, Riley Janes Read Free Book Online Page B

mine.
    She doesn’t give me time to unclasp her bra or to slide off her panties, and in seconds she’s ripping a condom out of the wrapper, and I’m getting exactly what I need.
    ***
    “Nathaniel,” a girl whispers next to me. “You have to go. I’m sorry.”
    My body is relaxed and rubbery, and… Darrian . Everything in me pools into something warm and perfect as I think about our night together. What might be our morning together…
    “Nathaniel.” A hand shakes my shoulder.
    I roll onto my back and blink a few times. The palest hint of sun is touching the tops of the hotels around us. “Hmm…?”
    “My boyfriend just called. He landed five minutes ago to surprise me. You have to go.”
    None of this is making sense. Boyfriend? Go?
    I sit up as shock hits me. I didn’t go out with Darrian last night to start a forever thing, but I also didn’t sign up to be the other guy. My stomach tightens because I’ve been on his end, and…
    “Boyfriend?” I run my fingers through my hair. “You have a boyfriend ?”
    “It’s not like you were looking to get married, Nathaniel.”
    Anger pushes through me in a rush. I stand and grab my clothes, very purposefully not looking at her. Now I’m really wishing I’d have taken the time to shower before crashing, but whatever. I slip on my shirt and start buttoning. Just wanting out. Home. Anything. My chest cracks and divides and it has nothing to do with last night and everything to do with Viv. I’d never purposefully be part of putting someone else in the shitty position I was in. Ever.
    “You’re pissed,” Darrian says. “Why are you pissed?”
    I stuff on my shoes and head for the door.
    “Nathaniel!” She runs up behind me and grasps my arm. “We had sex. I needed last night. You were kind of my last…fling, you know, before settling down. Thank you.”
    I work my jaw a few times. I should be proud or happy she chose me. I’m a guy. We’re supposed to be thrilled when a night of sex comes with no strings. “No one should be in your boyfriend’s place right now.”
    Her eyes widen in shock and I jerk the door open.
    Her fingers dig into my shoulder. “You won’t tell him, will you?”
    I shake my head, making sure I don’t look at her again before walking away.
    Everything I think says I shouldn’t be feeling torn up right now, but everything I’ve experienced says I should. I hate that such a great night had to turn to shit first thing in the morning.
    And because once I’m down, I tend to wallow, I pull out my cell in the elevator and scroll to the texts I’ve gotten from Viv. Starting with the apologetic ones to the ones accusing me of stealing her favorite LPs (which I totally did) and her grandmother’s earrings and necklace set (I’m more ashamed of taking these, but I knew they’d be the only thing that might get me a face-to-face with her) and then the texts degrade into rants on why I have to be so immature about the situation.
    Honestly, I still want to pitch a five-year-old fit. We’d been talking marriage, and she was screwing my best friend. Instead , I buy a bottle of Daniels at the liquor store and a few packs of cigarettes and don’t even bother to roll down my car window to smoke. I hate feeling pathetic. Before thinking, I pick up my phone and dial the girl who might be able to tell me why Darrian felt the need to screw around on her boyfriend.
    “Nate! Dammit!” Viv yells into the phone the second she picks up.
    “Yeah. Hey… It’s been a while since we talked. I just…” Wanted to torture myself further? I’m driving aimlessly after sex with someone who used me and when I didn’t take time to shower and when I feel like I should be enjoying the no-strings situation I found myself in , but I’m not.
    “I want my stuff back, Nate. I’ve left you messages. You don’t take my phone calls. Your mother is becoming my friend at long last while she tells me how miserable you are, and all I can think is that you