On the Plus Side (Chubby Girl Chronicles Book 1) Read online

  “I’m not mad—I understand.”

  That stopped me. How could she possibly understand? Did her mother tell her? “You understand?”

  “Yepper deppers,” she slurred.

  “Are you okay?” I asked.

  She ran her fingers through her hair, causing her bangs to slide over her eyes. Her head bobbled a little before finally falling back against the headrest. I watched as a strand of her dark hair fell down her cheek and onto her neck. I suddenly felt like I was driving a drunk chick home from a party.

  “Thy drugs are quick,” she slurred a quote from Romeo and Juliet before she laughed hysterically. “I should’ve probably mentioned that I have zero tolerance for pain meds, huh?” She spewed another burst of laughter.

  There was no way in the world she’d take me seriously now. She was high out of her mind—glazed-over eyes and all!

  Once we got to her apartment, I had to practically pull her out of my car. She laughed the whole way to the door while trying to maneuver one crutch and my arm at the same time. I caught myself laughing, too. The simple fact was she was a cute druggie.

  If I were any other guy, I could have taken full advantage of this situation. I could have banged her back out, and she would have no idea about it in the morning. If I were any other guy, that was probably what I’d do. Instead, I took her key, opened her door, and then helped her to the couch, where she collapsed in laughter, pulling me down with her.

  I felt her arms go around my waist, and my entire body reacted. The sensation shot straight down my abs and into my thighs. My jeans went tight in the crotch just that quickly, and I freaked. As fast as I could, I pulled back and tried to get up to close the door.

  “Don’t leave,” she slurred with her eyes closed. “I don’t want to be alone—I’m so tired of being alone.”

  She looked up at me with unfocused, sad eyes before her head fell to my shoulder. She was out like a light.

  I laid her back and then propped her legs up on the couch, careful not to touch her cut. I got up, shut the front door, and then contemplated whether I should leave her or wait until her roommate got home. I decided to wait and sat on the loveseat, watching TV for what felt like hours.

  Her last words before she fell asleep lingered in my mind. She was tired of being alone. Maybe when this was all over with, I’d find her a nice guy who could appreciate her. All things considered, she was actually kind of great. Too damned good for a disconnected piece of shit like me. My own mother didn’t want me, why would that sweet piece of woman lying on the couch want me? I wasn’t good enough, but there was some dude out there that was and I’d find him if I could. It was the least I could do considering what I was doing to her.

  I looked over and watched as she slept peacefully on the couch. She looked angelic… all innocence… and I was the devil. I was the horrible fiend who was swooping in to attack. I suddenly felt a little sick to my stomach.

  “I have to do this,” I said out loud as I changed the channel and hardened my heart.

  Finally, I felt myself getting tired and before long, I was sleeping, too. I wasn’t sure how long I slept, but I woke to someone saying “ouch” over and over again. Looking up, I saw Lilly limping towards the kitchen. I jumped up to help her.

  “What the hell are you doing?” I asked.

  “I’m thirsty.” She was breathing hard.

  “Why didn’t you wake me up? I’ll get it for you. Here, sit down before you bust your stitches.” I helped her back to the couch and then went digging through the nicely decorated kitchen.

  I found a Coke in the refrigerator and took that to her.

  “You want anything else? Are you hungry? I could make you something.”

  “No, but thanks.” She rolled the Coke can in her palms nervously. “You can go. You don’t have to sit here and babysit me. I really appreciate it, but I can call my mom and have her come over until Shannon gets home.” She winced in pain as she put her leg back up on the couch.

  “I don’t mind; I like being here with you.” I said it to make her not so weary of me, but once the words came out, I realized that I actually meant them. “Besides, what kind of gentleman would I be if I left you here all by yourself? Just sit back and let Doctor Devin take care of you.”

  She giggled finally and then stopped suddenly as she gripped her leg in pain.

  “Do you want me to get you another one of your pain pills? Enough time has passed… you can take another one if you want.”

  “No, I’m okay. I don’t usually take pain medicine, and I still feel kind of groggy from the dose I took earlier. Thanks anyway.”

  “You’re crazy. If you’re in pain, you should take it. I still can’t believe you let him stitch you up without numbing you first. You’re a tattoo artist’s dream. Most girls would have cried.”

  “I don’t cry,” she said blandly.

  “What do you mean, you don’t cry? Like ever? You never cry?”

  That was the craziest thing I’d ever heard, women cried—that was what they did. It was, like, programmed in their DNA to be whiney and emotional. I haven’t ever met a woman that didn’t whine and cry about something or another. Even my little sister, Jenny, who was a total hard ass, still cried occasionally about something.

  “Never.” She sounded raspy.

  “Not even when you were a kid?”

  “The last time I cried was when I was fifteen. It’s been years since I’ve shed a tear, and I don’t plan on starting again anytime soon.” She smiled tightly.

  I didn’t say anything else on the subject. Something seriously traumatic must have happened to her. Her little confession changed something. There was a brief moment that I saw a broken Lilly. I knew broken when I saw it. But just as quickly as it slipped off, her giggle girl mask was firmly placed back on.

  She was hiding something… a darkness that only another broken person could see. Suddenly, I felt a manly streak of protectiveness run through me. It took everything I had not to growl and paw at the ground. It was a demented situation. Here I was… the deliveryman of hurt, and yet I wanted to beat the shit out of anyone who even considered bringing this girl pain.

  I was shocked by how protective I felt towards her. It was a strange feeling considering the only female in my life that I had ever been defensive over was my sister. She was the only female in my world that I gave a shit about.

  We watched a few sitcoms before she asked me to help her to her bed. Her room was exactly as I pictured it. Very Lilly… that was the only way I could explain it. First of all, there was no pink, which I silently gave thanks for. Her room was a neutral color with palm trees everywhere. It was like being stuck on an abandoned island. A huge king-sized bed that looked like fluffy clouds took up a lot of space, and beside it, there was a nightstand covered in books.

  She limped into the bathroom and was in there for a while before coming out with her hair piled on top her head and a pair of sleep pants on that were covered in cherries. It was fitting since she naturally smelled like vanilla and cherries. I shouldn’t have known that... I shouldn’t have cared to know that. I mentally punched myself in the balls.

  I helped her into her bed, gave her the TV remote, and then got prepared to leave. Her huge room suddenly felt very small.

  “I’ll call you tomorrow… if that’s okay?” I said as I started to leave the room. “I’ll make sure the door is locked and if you need anything before Shannon gets back, just call my cell.”

  “Devin,” she whispered.

  “Yeah?” I stopped and turned to face her.

  “I really hate to ask this, but could you stay until I fall asleep? I don’t wanna seem like a big baby, but I really don’t want to be alone right now.”

  The room began to shrink again. I nodded my head yes and started back towards the bed. My words were literally stuck in my throat. The last time I was alone like this with Lilly, we almost had sex. I swore I’d never get into this position again. Yet here I was, climbing into bed w
ith her.

  I slipped onto the bed and sat up against the headboard. She snuggled up under the covers with her eyes closed while I flipped through the channels, trying to find something to watch.

  I didn’t remember falling asleep. I just knew that I slept better than I had in many years. I didn’t know if it was her plush, expensive mattress or the fact that she snuggled up to me all night long. All I knew was that when I woke up the next morning, I felt a warm body pressed up against me in all the right places.

  Half asleep, I pulled that body closer to me and pressed my hard-on against the soft warmth. I heard a little moan, which in my mind was a bright green go sign, so I kept pressing myself against her.

  Pushing some thick, sweet-smelling hair out of my way, I began kissing the back of her neck. I felt her turn in my arms and soon, her lips were pressed against mine. In seconds, I was grabbing a handful of ass and pulling her closer.

  I kissed her deep and hard, and her little sighs drove me harder. When I slipped my hand inside of her shirt, I felt her tense against me. She didn’t say anything, so I just kept going. With my eyes still closed, I pushed her onto her back and fit myself between her legs. I didn’t need to see… I knew my way around a female body. I pressed up into her thigh and it felt so amazing that I thought I might unload right there, but I must have hit her stitches because she let out an ungodly scream that knocked me out of my sleepy, horny daze.

  I jumped up and shook my head, trying to get myself together. She pulled back the covers and started checking under her wrappings to make sure I didn’t accidently bust her stitches open.

  “I’m sorry,” I said roughly as I ran my hands through my hair, pulling on the ends.

  “It’s okay.”

  Her hair was all ratted up, and her eyes were heavy with sleep. Her lips were moist and red from my hard kisses as she nervously nibbled on her bottom lip. The strap to her tank top was pushed to the side, revealing a little peek of side boob. She looked so tempting. All I could think about was climbing on top of her and burying myself into her hard and deep.

  I shifted my hips and adjusted myself to relieve some pressure from my jeans against my hard cock. This shit wasn’t getting any easier. It was getting harder… literally. Like, any harder and I’d be popping a button on my loose-fitting jeans.

  It pissed me off just thinking about it. This was complete and total bullshit. This was not me, and I’d be damned if some chunky virgin was going to turn me into some little bitch over sex. I wasn’t about to let that happen. I would play this off, get my money, and get the hell out.

  “What is it about you?” I heard myself ask.

  “What do you mean?” she asked nervously.

  “I can’t seem to keep my hands to myself around you.” I laughed sarcastically to myself as I ran my hands through my hair again. “Which is why I tried to stay away from you, but there’s just something about you. I’m sorry. From now on, I promise I won’t touch you anymore.”

  I couldn’t even bring myself to look at her as I spoke. I was embarrassed that I was even feeling this way. I was pissed off that I even had to apologize for myself. I was a man and I liked to fuck... end of subject. I shouldn’t have had to say I was sorry for that. It was who I was.

  I had always prided myself on the fact that I never lost control with any woman and yet here I was, always losing my self-control with this girl. This chunky girl who I kept telling myself I wasn’t physically attracted to. It was a cruel joke from God.

  When she finally spoke, I had to force myself to leave.

  “I like it when you touch me,” she whispered.

  She was brazenly looking at me, and I watched as a pink blush covered her skin. It took a lot for her to say those words.

  “I gotta go. I’ll call you later.”

  Then I did what I was best at… I left a girl in bed, begging me with her eyes to stay. I didn’t even wait for a reply. I had to get out of that room before I jumped into that bed and screwed her brains out.

  I passed Shannon on the way to the front door, and I thought for a minute that her eyes were going to pop out of her head. I closed the front door behind me, but not before catching the smirk that she threw my way.

  And so fatty fell. In front of the God of lust, too, which made it ten times better. I was never one to do anything half-assed. I couldn’t have just fallen. Oh no, not me. I had to fall and rip my calf open, and I had to do it in front of Devin. Not Shannon, not alone, so that I had to drag my fat ass across the floor of Franklin’s army style to the phone. Oh no… Devin had to be there. After days of waiting for him to call me, he popped up at the store, only to watch me make a complete fool out of myself. I couldn’t just stop at busting my ass right in front of him. I then proceeded to sit the rest of the day in the emergency room. He stayed with me the entire time, probably because he felt like he had to or it was the right thing to do.

  Then, like a stupid bitch, I accepted the pain medicine that the doctor gave me because… DUH… I was hurting so damn bad. That was another one of my big, bright ideas! There was no telling what I said or did while I was drugged up.

  Then I slapped a big, fat cherry on top when I pretty much begged him to stay the night with me. Begged… like a dog… big, puppy dog eyes and all. I was still under a small influence of pain medication by that point, but that was no excuse.

  You’d think I’d stop there. Oh no, not Lilly! I then proceeded to rape him the next morning, only to realize that he was still asleep when he was kissing me and responding.

  This was good because it further let me know that I was a complete and total ass-face! This was also good because if he came back around after all the times that I’d practically thrown myself at him, it meant it must truly be meant to be.

  What the hell was wrong with me? My hormones were all jacked up. Maybe I should stay away from him? He did say one thing before he left that kind of threw me for a loop. He said that he was having a hard time keeping his hands off me. Me! That was just crazy! No one’s had ever said anything like that to me.

  Of course, he was running for the door when he said it. Running for his life… I was sure he was afraid to be eaten alive.

  After he left, I spent the entire next day in my bed. My leg hurt so bad that I could barely stand it. Mrs. Franklin sent over the biggest bouquet of flowers I’ve ever seen in my life and then called a million times to check on me. Shannon said something about how afraid she was about me suing her. If only they knew.

  If Shannon ever took the time to balance her checkbook, she’d see that I never cashed any of her checks for the bills. I’d say she had quite the checking account going on for herself. I wasn’t looking forward to the moment when she finally realized that she was living with me completely free. She was no squatter, and I could already imagine the wrath that she was going to let loose on me for that one. Just the fact that I never mentioned that I was filthy rich was going to be enough to piss her off.

  I had to explain repeatedly what happened the day before while Shannon and I played twenty questions about Devin. After lunch, Devin called me to check on me, which made my day.

  “Don’t leave that bed, young lady!” he joked.

  I couldn’t stop smiling for the rest of the day. Finally crawling out of bed, I got a shower at almost dinnertime and that helped me feel better. I hobbled out of the bathroom and into my bedroom, trying with all my might to keep the towel wrapped around me. I was still in so much pain and Devin was right, this thing was definitely going to leave one hell of a scar.

  Later that night, he called again and asked if I’d be interested in dinner this weekend. As if I’d say no.

  “There’s this really nice restaurant I wanna take you to. It’s the least I can do since I’ve been pawing at you like a wild beast,” he joked.

  If only he knew how badly I wanted him to unleash his beast on me. He thought I was offended by his touches and kisses. Meanwhile, I’ve had to change my panties three times today just thinking a
bout it. If anything, he was raising my metabolism because every time he came near me or any time I even thought of him, my heart rate increased. High metabolism equaled weight loss. Thank you, Devin Michaels!

  I took the rest of the week and the weekend off from work, spending most of my days hanging out around the house. Soon, my stitches weren’t hurting as bad as before, and I could manage to walk without leaning against something. My mom stopped by and freaked out over my injury and how bad it would scar. Of course, she went on and on about how I needed to quit my job and blah blah blah. I didn’t remember the rest because I zoned her out as usual.

  At night, I sat in my bed and talked on the phone with Devin, who was being so sweet I could hardly stand it. We stayed on the phone until I couldn’t keep my eyes open every night.

  Soon, it was Friday and I was getting dressed to go out to dinner. I put on a dark purple V-neck top and a black skirt that Shannon told me I had to wear. I wasn’t usually a skirt person, but anything rubbing against my leg caused it to burn and itch.

  I did manage to wear a pair of tall boots that didn’t stick to my leg. They were just tall enough to cover the bandage. Not long later, I had my makeup and hair done and I was nibbling on the inside of my mouth as I waited for Devin to ring my doorbell. When it finally rang, it wasn’t who I was expecting.

  “Well, well, Lilly, aren’t you all dressed up?” My mother smiled knowingly. “Got a hot date tonight?”

  She walked around me and threw her very expensive bag onto my couch.

  “Mom, what do you need? I actually do have a hot date and he’ll be here any minute, so could you make this kind of snappy?” I snapped my fingers for emphasis.

  “Oh, so now I need a reason to want to see my lovely daughter?” She smirked.

  “Mom, you never come over here this late. I know you, and you would’ve just called. What do you want?”

  The doorbell ringing stopped her reply. I ran to my room to get my purse, and then I ran back. I wanted to get out of my front door as quickly as possible. The last thing I wanted was for my mom and Devin to run into each other. I did not want them to meet. I couldn’t let that happen right now, not if I ever wanted to see him again.