Today, Skylar and I are going to Intro to Getting Your Ass Up Early in the Fucking Morning while Austin and Dean and the others sleep in. But tomorrow, I’m not getting out of bed until noon. Especially since we need to be rested for our scrimmage against the upperclassmen. Remembering the thrill of Layla watching me play soccer has my adrenaline surging full force, and I’m wide awake even before we stop at the coffee shop on campus.
Skylar’s texting while we wait in line. Whether it’s the girl he knows from high school, Corin, or some other chick he’s managed to run some game on in the few days we’ve been here, I have no idea. But he’s grinning like an idiot so it’s definitely one of the above.
When he orders two coffees, I know it was most likely Corin. And if Corin’s coming to class, then Layla probably won’t be there since she mentioned that they were planning to switch off. But knowing Layla, she won’t miss the first day of class for anything, so I order an iced mocha in addition to my black coffee.
“Dude, you are so pussy whipped,” Skylar tells me as we walk to class.
“Oh yeah? I’m not the only one carrying two coffees.”
“Yes, that’s because I’m trying to get laid. You, on the other hand, are chasing one you’ve already had when there’s at least ten thousand other fine-ass girls around.”
I clear my throat without looking at him and take swig of my steaming, bitter coffee.
“Oh, no.No way.You lost your shit on Taite over a piece of ass you haven’t even tapped? Whoa, that’s like a whole new level of pussy whipped. It’s like…shit, it’s like you’re titty-whipped or something. Please tell me you’ve at least rounded the bases.”
I glance over at him, irritated at how well he’s putting the pieces together. “How old are you man? Cause I’m having flashbacks of the junior high locker room.”
He snorts. “Yeah, okay. I’m just saying, you’re ruining the freshmen experience, my friend.”
“Says the guy who said my pussy lips were showing and I needed to make a move.”
I watch as he shakes his head in a you’re-a-complete-dumbass way. “Yeah, a move to hit it one more time so everyone would know that shit was yours and then back the hell off. Not to get all bleary-eyed and follow her around like a damn stalker.”
So much for being discreet. Running my hand through my hair, I try not to sound as panicked as I feel when I ask, “Do I really seem like her stalker?” Her words from Saturday night come back to me.So you’ve resorted to stalking me?
“Let’s recap, shall we? You shouted her name across the whole freshmen class at orientation and tried to run her down, went balls-to-the-wallpsychoon Taite fortalkingto her at a party, showed up at a club you knew she’d be at, molested her in an alley, and reacted like a lunatic when some guysalmostran into her. Now you’re taking her a coffee on the first day of a class that, once again, every freshmen enrolled will be at.”
Son of a bitch.“Well, it sounds bad when you say it all together like that. Here, you take this one too and be the damn gentleman.”
Skylar looks awkward carrying three coffees, but there’s no way I can ask for hers back now. I just need to take a step back. Be friendly, but not overly interested because, like her aunt said, she’s a smart girl. If I don’t back the hell off at least a little, she’s going to know something’s up.
Walking into Hilton Hall Auditorium, I groan at the crowd. She won’t like this. But then I remember how she handled the club. She’s doing better. And I have got to take it down a notch if even Skylar thinks my behavior is excessive.
Maybe I won’t even sit near her, and I’m definitely not going to bring up the scrimmage tomorrow or shakes afterward again. If she comes with Ginger to see Skylar then that’s cool, and if she doesn’t, that’s okay too. I’m psyching myself up to give her some space when Skylar turns down an aisle and I see her and Ginger—fuck,Corin—already sitting. And all my plans to chill out are shit. Because she’s wearing these short-ass shorts and her long tan legs are crossed in front of her. On the foot propped in the air dangles a flip-flop that matches her snug pink t-shirt. She’s jiggling her leg just enough so I know she’s uncomfortable in the crowd—and just enough to drive me insane with want.
My pulse ramps up as we say good morning, and they thank Skylar for the coffee. Layla leans around my roommate, making a special point of saying good morning to me. She licks the whipped cream from her bottom lip, and I can’t help but remember the soft, sweet feel of her mouth on mine.
I nod at her like I’m too tired to chat and drop myself into the seat next to Skylar.
The lecture starts and I’m congratulating myself on keeping my eyes off her legs and her pretty little pink painted toes, for the most part anyway, when my phone buzzes in my back pocket. I didn’t even realize I was sitting on the damn thing.
It’s a text from Skylar.You are so screwed. Maybe after tomorrow night’s scrimmage you and legs can go ring shopping.
I don’t bother with a response but I jab my elbow hard into his ribs.
“Damn, dude,” he hisses at me.
“Keep your eyes off of her fucking legs,” I hiss back. Both Layla and Corin lean forward to see what the hell is going on with us.
And I see it. The look on her face that tells me she’s hurt that I’m not sitting by her, and that I didn’t say good morning. And my one goal in life has been not to cause her anymore pain. As soon as our gazes cross paths she turns her head abruptly and focuses intently on the heavyset brunette lady conducting a lecture that may or may not be on time management. Who can concentrate with so much of Layla’s skin exposed? I wish it were winter so she would put on some damn pants and maybe even a sweater.
I’ve got to figure out a way to back off without hurting her. Because if things go as far as I want them to, and she finds out what the hell I’m really doing here, I will have forfeited any chance I had of her being mine. Ever again. And dammit, now that it’s even a remote possibility, the thought of not having her is razor blades raking me raw.Just slow your roll, O’Brien.
A voice I’ve contained for so long pushes through my internal struggle. My father’s voice.Why did you ever think you could do this? You will screw this up and ruin you both. Just like before.
Something’sup. Landen ignores me all through freshmen seminar, and when I ask him about his class schedule, he mutters something vague about not having it with him.
Corin’s watching us both like a hawk so I pretend I’m not affected by his lack of interest. Because I’m pretty sure he’s pretending, too. I felt his gaze more than once during the lecture, and his neck muscles are straining visibly. He’s working awfully hard to ignore me and I have no idea why.