No Easy Way Out

By Ella Grant

Nicole Eckels has a perfect life. Her GPA is excellent. She has a job waiting for her once she graduates. On top of that, she's dating the sexiest guy on campus, Fraser Tillman. All she has to worry about is satisfying the dean's expectations, meeting her boyfriend's father, and hoping her escapades with Fraser aren't loud enough to disturb her best friend and roommate, Genna. It seems like nothing can go wrong. But she knows better than anyone—perfect never lasts forever.

When Dean of Students Lenora Peltin is murdered, Nicole quickly becomes the prime suspect. If she, Genna, and Fraser can't figure out who actually murdered Ms. Peltin, Nicole's perfect life—and future—will be over.

• Language: English
• Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
• Release date: Jan 7, 2019
• ISBN: 9781509224296

Ella Grant

Majored in Creative Writing at Columbia College Chicago. Currently lives in Texas with her husband, daughter and pets.

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No Easy Way Out

by

Ella Grant

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales, is entirely coincidental.

No Easy Way Out

COPYRIGHT © 2019 by Ella Grant

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission of the author or The Wild Rose Press, Inc. except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews.

Contact Information: [e-mail]

Cover Art by Kristian Norris

The Wild Rose Press, Inc.

PO Box 708

Adams Basin, NY 14410-0708

Visit us at www.thewilderroses.com

Publishing History

First Scarlet Rose Edition, 2019

Digital ISBN 978-1-5092-2429-6

Published in the United States of America

Chapter One

The sound of her roommate’s high-pitched scream woke her up. Nicole Eckels looked over, saw the empty bed beside her, and groaned. She had the sneaking suspicion what had happened. After locating a long shirt on the floor and throwing it over her head, she threw open the bedroom door. Fraser, please tell me you’re not… Yup, I figured.

Genna stood in their kitchen, covering her eyes with her hands. Fraser was attempting to cover himself with a cereal box and failing. Nicole burst out laughing.

Tell your boyfriend to put some clothes on, Nikki! Genna demanded. I thought we’d established boundaries.

I think we all know I’m not great with boundaries…sorry. Fraser threw an apologetic look Nicole’s direction. I thought it was early enough she wouldn’t be up yet.

Since when are you an early riser? Nicole asked, putting a hand on her hip.

"I was hungry. And as I’m sure you know by now, I rise quite quickly, thank you." His tousled hair fell over his forehead as one of his eyebrows quirked up at her.

Can you two please have this conversation in the privacy of your bedroom, Nicole? Genna still had her eyes covered, although she was peeking out between her fingers, and if she was trying to be subtle about it, she was failing.

Nicole pointed to her bedroom and gestured for him to go. I’ll be there in a minute. And don’t take the cereal, Fraser. The last thing I need is an ant infestation in my bedroom.

He put the cereal box on the table and began walking back to her room. I’ll be waiting for you, babe. He strutted away, giving her a suggestive look.

How are you already wide awake and ready for a quickie after last night? Nicole rolled her eyes at him.

Morning wood, he grunted, winking at her before shutting her bedroom door.

I’m sorry, Gen, she said, turning to her roommate. He’s sorry, too.

He wasn’t acting like it, Genna huffed, crossing her arms over her chest.

He’s horny. It’s obvious his brain is not working at full capacity right now. She shrugged. He’ll apologize later—fully dressed, I promise.

Genna sighed and sat down on their small futon. Look, I know why you don’t want to spend more time in his room, but if he’s going to be spending the night here this often, he will need to respect the rules.

I know, I know. This is the first time this has happened, and he’s been here at least once a week for more than a month. He learns from his mistakes. Nicole smiled a little, then added, I am sorry, Gen.

Genna shook her head, her blonde hair falling from the curlers, and giggled. I think if I keep you out here much longer, his brain might stop working altogether.

He’s learned to be patient.

For you. But really, go back in there. Watch the volume, though? I may wear earplugs when I sleep, but I don’t wear them when I’m making coffee.

You got it. Nicole gave her friend a mischievous look and bounced into her bedroom, finding Fraser had disappeared. Um…?

He came out from behind the door as it shut, scooped her up by the waist, and murmured, Finally. Come here.

She laughed as he lifted and placed her on her desk, not bothering to move her books out of the way. Fraser, I am not ruining that poetry anthology, no matter how good the sex is. It was expensive.

He took the book and tossed it to the floor. There. He nudged her nose with his as he moved his body between her opened legs. He pushed the T-shirt she was wearing up and ran his fingers along her thighs, moving upward. I like you in my shirt.

I think you like me better without it, though. She pulled the shirt over her head and tossed it next to her book. As one of his fingers entered her and another teased her clit, she whimpered, Stop wasting time on foreplay and fuck me already.

You are a wicked woman, he told her. And I love it. He pressed the head of his throbbing cock against her slick folds. I’m going to make this hard and fast.

Good. She wrapped her arms around his neck, squealing as he pushed inside. She hooked her legs around him, pulling him even closer. He knew her body language and moved deeper. She clutched at the back of his neck, pressing her face into his chest in an attempt to silence her moans.

He held her in place with one hand and braced the other on her desk for better leverage as he moved inside her, thrusting faster. God, how you own me.

Mmm, and here I remember when we first met you said something about how you’d own me? She relaxed against him as he found her sweet spot, plowing into her. Her head fell back and she moaned. She was already buzzing with electricity. Her eyes were locked on his, and she ran her hand down his arm.

It’s a mutual thing. He nipped at her exposed neck with his teeth. Oh, fuck, Nicole.

Her body was ablaze with sensation as he grabbed her ass and moved her even closer, so far he pushed her limits, bruising her pussy. She yelped as he thrust into her again and again, his hand squeezing so tight she knew there’d be a mark on her ass. The first tingles of orgasm built in her belly as the slow but inevitable waves of pleasure began. Oh, damn it, Fraser, she whispered. You’re going to make me come.

I’m pretty sure that was the goal here. Both hands were now on her ass, lifting her so he could adjust the angle to fuck her harder and deeper. He kept slamming into her, rubbing her swollen walls mercilessly, over and over.

She was climbing higher, clawing at him. You… She lost the capability to form coherent words and moaned again as a climax tore through her body, then buried her face into his chest so she could scream without making too much noise. A moment later, his cock twitched as he came, and she looked up at him, smiling.

He pressed kisses to both cheeks, her jaw, her neck. You’re amazing.

So are you.

He pulled out and lifted her again, this time placing her on her bed before joining her. I love you, he said, pulling her against him.

I love you, too. She rested her head against his shoulder and closed her eyes for a moment. She was so tempted to fall back to sleep with him, but she had class in an hour. She ran her hands along his arm, tracing circles on his skin, struggling to stay awake.

How mad is Genna? he asked after a moment.

Not very. She sat up a little. But Fraser, you can’t do that. I don’t care if you think she’s awake or not. She lives here. You don’t. She’s been so great about letting us spend so much time here. We were lucky she wears earplugs to bed. But you, my love, are pushing the limits.

He propped himself up on his arms. I understand. We can always go back to my room…

Bobby would be scandalized, and Aaron would hear. No thank you. She grimaced, remembering the way Aaron had spoken to her after one of the first of her and Fraser’s many little interludes.

I’m still sorry about that. He moved up and kissed her softly on the lips.

I know you are. Be sorry about this and don’t do it again.

I won’t.

She brushed a sweaty piece of hair from his forehead before kissing him again. Thank you. Now, I believe we both have classes to get to.

Ugh. He fell back into her bed. Do I have to?

She threw a pillow at him. Only if you want to pass and still have a girlfriend. You know I don’t sleep with guys who don’t pass their classes, she teased before getting out of bed. So go, Fraser. I don’t want you to be late.

I can’t believe you let me stay over on a school night, he joked.

She threw on a clean pair of panties and a bra before stepping into a pair of jeans. I can’t, either. She tugged a T-shirt, her own this time, over her head. And if you don’t make it to class on time, it will not happen again. She fumbled toward her dresser, grabbed for her birth control, and popped a pill into her mouth, swallowing it without water and wincing as it went down.

Fraser yanked his pants up and dug through the clothes on the floor for his shirt. Fine, fine, I’ll go. As he walked through the living area of the suite Nicole shared with Genna, he stopped and looked sheepishly at the petite blonde. Genna, I’m so sorry. It won’t happen again. He turned to the doorway of Nicole’s bedroom where she stood. I love you, you know. He threw his coat over his shoulders and left.

Love you, too. Nicole watched him walk out the door and smiled to herself. She was still in a state of bliss. They were in the early stages of their relationship, and everything had moved so fast—though there hadn’t been much of a choice after the way their physical relationship had