Page 90 of Stick It
Tilting his head toward the exit, he asks, “Ready to get out of here?” He’s already bending down to grab my bag from the floorboards before I can move.
“I can carry my own shit,” I grouse, cautiously pushing to my feet.
“Sure you can.” He marches off, my bag slung over his shoulder, without a secondglance.
“Asshole,” I mutter, scrambling to catch up with him. “Please tell me I’m not going to be stuck with you all day.”
His responding grin is not reassuring as he pushes open the door and we step out onto the BSU campus, and I already foretell that it’s going to be a long day.
“I’m just as uncomfortable standing as I am sitting,” I snap at Ethan, swatting him away.
“Perhaps if you took your pain meds when you’re supposed to,” he grouses in return.
“I’m fine.”
“Yes, clearly.” His tone drips with sarcasm. “That’s why you’re white as a sheet and breathing heavily.”
“Maybe if you’d just back the fuck off and leave me be for two fucking seconds.”
“Wow, the tension is sizzling out here,” Wren interrupts—thank the fucking gods. Ethan and his hovering are driving me in-fucking-sane, and it’s only been one morning. Someone else better be onprotection detailsoon, or we’re going to be minus one captain this season.
“You weren’t kidding when you said you had bodyguards,” she adds, eyeing Ethan with a teasing smirk.
“Trust me,” I tell her, glaring in Ethan’s direction. “It’s not as fun as it sounds.”
“Mm, but it sure is pretty to look at. Hi, Ethan.”
“Wren,” Ethan greets politely, his exasperation from a moment ago suddenly nowhere to be found.
“Ready to eat?” I ask Wren, already linking my arm through hers and pulling her down the path, leaving Ethan to trail behind us. I called Wren last night to update her on what had happened, although I have kept my suspicions about who Ibelieve attacked me to myself. I don’t need to drag her into that mess. I also sent her a text earlier informing her that if one more person asked how I was doing today, I was liable to incite a massacre on campus.
So she sensibly doesn’t ask how I’m feeling, although I can tell she’s concerned as she runs her gaze over me, cataloging the cacophony of bruises that have drawn more than a few eyes this morning. It’s been awesome.
“I’m sensing some hot and heavy enemies to lovers vibes,” she comments while we walk, and I could fucking kiss her for skipping over all talk of the attack. However, I do side-eye her like she’s crazy—which, clearly she is.
“You’re sensing my supreme restraint to not rip his balls off.”
“Oh, kinky. I didn’t know Ethan was into ball play.”
“What?!” I splutter. “No. I mean…” I shake my head. “Ethan’s kinks are none of my concern.”
Wren grins at my flustering before wagging her brows. “But you want them to be.”
“I… Please shut up.”
She cackles like a true-to-life witch, before glancing over her shoulder and bringing her head closer to mine. Lowering her voice, she whispers, “For real, though, is anything going on between you two? Betweenanyof them?”
I choke on absolutely nothing, nearly tripping over my own feet. I cast a furtive glance back at Ethan, thankful to see he’s several steps behind us, surveying our surroundings with the scrutiny of a general navigating a war zone.
“I mean, come on,” she continues. “You have an entire lineup of walking sin babysitting you. Not to mention that you live withthreeof them. Don’t tell me you haven’t at least thought about it.”
Oh, I’ve thought about it, all right.That’s the problem!
I look away, but the heat creeping up my neck betrays me.
“Oh my God!” Wren squeals, and I snap my face back to hers, giving her wide eyes as I dig my fingers into her forearm in a warning toshut the fuck up right now.
Mouthing,sorry, she drops her voice to a hushed whisper. “Somethinghashappened, hasn’t it?” Another glance back at Ethan. “With which one?”
