“Yep. English lit in Loyal Hall.”
He jerks his head in what I assume is the direction of the building. “I’ll walk you there. Come on.”
I grin. “Really? That’d be great.” I glance over my shoulder to see Hawk watching us walk away. Good. Maybe he’ll leave me alone if he sees me with someone else. “I could say I was paying attention on the tour of campus during orientation, but I’ve been a little distracted lately.”
“Oh yeah? What’s got you out of sorts?”
“Matty, that’s a long story.”
He smirks. “Aren’t they all?”
With one more pointed look at Hawk, who is following us with a scowl on his face, I turn back to Matty and nod. “Are there any good places to eat on campus? So far, I’ve only tried the dining hall.”
With Matty being on the football team, it’d be the worst idea ever to tell him what’s going on between me and Hawk.
Not that I have any real understanding of it myself.
THIRTEEN
HAWK
Football practice after the first day of classes is always heinous. I’m officially wiped out. At the end of my endurance. Today I had three classes, followed by practice, and now weight training. And all this while my brain has constantly been stuck in reverse, taking me back to biology… and what’d happened afterward.
I hadn’t meant for it to go like it did. I thought I’d scare her a little. Intimidate. Just like I’ve been doing the last few days. But there’s something about her. It’s almost like she’s a different girl. She’s not who I thought she was. And sure, it’s been two years. And she’s a total smokeshow, whether she realizes it or not. But I’d been caught off guard by my own reaction when I pinned her to the tree, when I’d silenced her with what turned out to be the most devastating kiss I’ve ever experienced. It was like someone doused us in gasoline and lit a match. We’d gone up in flames.
Shaking my head with regret, I watch my form in the mirror as I complete another set of lunges. I knew it wouldn’t last. Her head’s so far stuck in the past, I’m surprised she hadn’t wigged out long before she did.
And just like when I’d gotten a chance to touch her when we were on that damn ride, I wanted more… and that’s fucked. It’s tricky. Because I shouldn’t want her. Not like this. But she appears to have the same issue. Not wanting to want me but feeling an irresistible pull.
Despite all that, my intention hasn’t changed. It can’t. I’ll use what she feels for me against her. At first, I thought it was simply leftover emotion from an old high school flame. But now I’m positive it’s way more than that. There’s something flickering to life in the present, and that’ll make it even easier to bring her to her knees.
My gaze wanders the room in the reflection of the mirror as I pick up a set of weights and get started on some calf raises. It finally lands on our quarterback, who stands behind me and to my right, looming at six foot three—fucking Matty Monclair. I usually like the dude fine, but today? I don’t like anyone in my business. And Lux is my business. Mine.
Our eyes meet, and he cocks his head to the side. Slowly, he walks over to join me in front of the mirror. In a low voice, he mutters, “You gotta get some sleep or something, man. You’re gonna blow your chance to play this year. You’re all kinds of off and everyone sees it.”
The fuck? I swivel to face him. “I had a bad day. I’m allowed. We all have ’em. You couldn’t find a receiver to save your life two practices ago.”
“Yeah. You’re one of the ones who couldn’t get open.” He raises a brow at me. “You know it’s true.”
What am I supposed to say, I can’t fucking sleep because I’ve been watching the girl I’m trying to wreak havoc on… sleep. I’d sound like a fucking insane crazy person. Which, I guess that’s what she’s making me, come to think of it. “What did she say to you?”
“Pardon?”
“You fucking heard me. Why are you hanging around her?”
He frowns. “I have a girlfriend, she’s the only one I’m hanging around.” He looks at me like I’ve lost my mind, but then it’s like a light bulb goes on over his head. “Hold it. Are you talking about Lux? I don’t even fucking know her that well. I carried her shit up to her room on move-in day. And we talked on the way to her English lit class this morning. That’s it.”
I huff out a hard breath. “Fuck, man. Stay away from her.” I give him a more forceful shove to the shoulder than he probably deserves.
Matty’s no pussy. He pushes back. “Whoa, whoa, whoa. What the hell is your problem? Did someone piss in your Wheaties this morning?”
I grit my teeth as I notice we’re garnering unwanted attention. “Come out into the hall with me.”
“Fuckin’ fine by me if it’ll calm you the hell down.” He shoulder checks me on his way past.
Once we’re in the hallway, we face each other, hands on hips, glaring for so long it feels like we’re in one of those infantile staring contests.
Finally, Matty relents. “Look, I don’t know why you’re mad at me, but you clearly are. I can promise you I did nothing out of line. Showed her to class and talked to her about food on campus. You should know better to think I’d pull any shit on Ryleigh, anyway,” he grumbles, rubbing his hand over his jaw as he studies me.
