Someone laughs and I look around. There are people milling about on the large wooden deck, most of them keeping warm at one of the gas heaters stationed in various places. What am I doing here? Why is he making me so crazy?

“We built this thing ourselves last year,” Eric calls from across the deck. I didn’t see him when I first came out, but he leaves a group of girls to walk over to me. He frowns as he gets closer. “You having a good time?”

“Of course.”

I guess I wasn’t convincing because he takes my elbow and we drift a few more feet away so we’re out of earshot of the other partygoers. We stand next to a heater.

“Parties aren’t your favorite?”

I exhale. “Nope.”

He nods. “Want to know a secret?”

“Sure.” I cross my arms as a cold gust of wind blows across the deck, ruffling the neckline of my dress. The motion pulls Eric’s eyes to my bust, and he blinks.

He looks back up at me. “Ah, sorry, what was I saying?”

I smack him on the arm and he rubs it like it hurt when I know it didn’t.

“Ow, babe. My eyeballs just went there, sorry. I’m a man, but you’re with Z and I respect that, so I won’t do it again. Plus, I’m thinking you’re going to be like the sister I never had, right? I hope so?” He grins.

I shake my head, laughing. I can’t even be mad at the babe because with Eric, it’s just a regular word.

“Anyway, the secret I was going to tell you is Z doesn’t like parties that much either. I don’t even think he likes all these people here at the house, but it’s my birthday.”

He must see the surprise on my face.

“He goes to the Kappa parties because they’ve hosted the hockey team for decades, and it’s kind of cool since we can’t pledge a real fraternity. Z knows he’s the star of this team, and after a big win, there’s always a party at the Kappa house, and you can bet your ass he’ll be there. He’s got a streak of devotion a mile long in him.” He takes a drink from his beer, his gaze searching mine. “Also, if you have any questions, I’m here to help. I’m your relationship guru when it comes to Z.”

I chew on my lips. “Has he ever had a serious girlfriend?”

“A high school sweetheart. I never met her.” He shakes his head, his face solemn. “She died in a car wreck right before he graduated from prep school…” He stops talking and sighs. “Willow was her name, but he doesn’t talk about her.”

My heart drops and I scramble to reinvent him in my head, picturing him with a girlfriend and then losing her. I think about his comments during class, about darkness and being lonely. “Is that why he doesn’t get serious with girls?”

He flashes me a bright smile. “Maybe he hasn’t met the right one?”

I blush.

He snorts. “Did you know he adopted a cat but pretends he doesn’t really care? I mean, she sleeps in his bed with him. You should hear him talk to her in the morning when he thinks I’m asleep. Dude is whipped by a cat.” He laughs.

I nod absently, my mind still on the girlfriend. I’m dying to ask more specific questions, but it feels like an intrusion.

I should just ask Z.

“You say you need a minute and here you are with Eric,” comes a husky voice, and we both turn to see him standing there. I freeze, wondering how much of our conversation he heard.

Eric holds his hands up and takes a step away from me. “Just being friendly is all.”

Z’s face is hard, and his gaze goes from me to Eric.

Some girl calls out Eric’s name, and he flashes an I’m sorry look at me before heading off. “Babe!” he says to the girl, giving her a twirl, and she ruffles his hair.

I look back at Z, and he’s never taken his eyes off me.

“He flirts with everyone,” he says. “Don’t think you’re special.”

I frown. “We were talking about you.”

“Did you learn anything interesting?”

“No.”

“Maybe if you’d stick around long enough to talk to me, you might learn something.”

“Lola isn’t my cup of tea, and you seemed to have it under control.”

He studies my face. “I never slept with her, in case you were wondering.”

“I wasn’t. This whole thing between us is pretend.”

“Right,” he says with a frown. He holds up his black varsity jacket. It’s black with gold sleeves and has the Hawthorn Lions crest on the back. “I thought you might be cold so I brought you this. You seem to like coats.”

I stare at it.

“Put it on. It’s cold out here. Please.” That last bit is added after a beat.

“You like telling me what to do, don’t you?”

“Are you saying you don’t like it? Because, well, I know how to read you, and you do like it, Miss Ryan.”

He gives me a heavy-lidded look as I take a step toward him and he envelopes me in the jacket. The sleeves go past my fingertips, the length reaching the hem of my dress. I let out a shiver as I huddle inside it.

“Still cold?” he asks, his voice low, his gaze intent.

I shake my head and let out a breath. “Yes, but I—I just like the smell of your coat. It smells like you.”

His jaw clenches, and he stares at me, almost fuming, his eyes hot.

“What?” I ask.

His teeth seem to grind. “I want to fuck you so bad.”

My body clenches.

“I’ve wanted a repeat since the moment you walked out of the Kappa house. And while I’m being honest, it pisses me off when Eric flirts with you. I know he doesn’t mean anything by it, but I’ve had a shitty week and all I’ve looked forward to is this party, which I can barely stand, but I knew you’d be here, and it’s killing me that I can’t have you.”

My heart flies. This is…this is a lot to take in. His brutal honesty, the way he looks at me—him.

“You want me too, but you’re in denial.” His hands rise and button the coat up, adjusting the collar against my neck while I’m flailing around inside, trying to figure out what to say. “This looks good on you. It could be the only thing you’re wearing and no one would ever know you’re naked underneath.” His face is serious as he traces the curve of my jawline and moves up to my cheekbone. Soft fingers trace my eyebrows. “You’re so goddamn gorgeous, Sugar.”

My eyes close. Shit, shit, shit. His touch…I…I…

“You want me,” he says softly. “Admit it.”

The blood in my veins goes molten, and fuck…it’s true. I’ve been trying to hold him off, hold this crazy thing back, but I can’t. There’s nothing pretend about how much I want him.

20

Zack

“Come with me,” I say, taking her hand.

She stares down at our intertwined fingers.

“Please,” I add, dying to get her alone before this moment passes.

She nods and I steer her through the few people out on the deck.

“Great game last week,” someone calls out, a guy, but I don’t look his way. My dick is so hard it hurts.

She’s behind me, her heels clacking against the wood, following me. I stop at the bottom of the steps and help her maneuver them.

“Where are we going?” she asks as we pass by the flowerbeds at the corner of the deck.

“Garage. Too many people in the house.”

She stops. “Wait, my shoes are getting stuck.”

I whip around, hands shaking more than they should be—shaking with need, with if I don’t fuck her now, I’m going to get blue balls and die—and I help her out of the shoes, cursing at them as I drop them in the grass.

Her breaths come just as quickly as mine.

I sweep her up in my arms, and she isn’t light, but I manage to carry her toward the small garage next to the house.

When I get to the door, I kick it open and step into the darkened room, thankful I didn’t lock it the last time I came out here.

It’s a dark building, but the moonlight shines in through the window, just enough to highlight where everything is. There’s lawn equipment and a wheelbarrow in the corner, and I brush past them and head for the large wooden table that runs the length of the back. Tools sit on top, and I shove it all off with one hand. They clatter to the cement floor as I set her down, easing her down my chest until she’s on the table, her breasts pressed against me. Her hands pluck at my shoulders, her lips reaching up to mine.

“Z, please.”

I maneuver between her legs and slide my hands in her hair and palm her scalp. “Right here with you.”

My tongue delves between her lips and there’s no going back. Sweeping inside her hotness, I taste and suck at her tongue. Our mouths cling to each other and she gives it back to me, responding with a soft moan as her arms curl around my neck.

“Stay away from Eric,” I say as I take a breath, push my forehead against hers, and stare down at her. She kissed his cheek, and fuck, the image is imprinted on my brain. It’s irrational to be jealous, and I know this, but she…shit…she belongs with me.

“He’s a friend,” she whispers before pulling my mouth back to hers.

I lean back and then suck on her neck, my lips and tongue vicious. I hope I leave a large goddamn hickey. “You want me.” My lips bite at her earlobe and she gasps, her nails tearing at my shirt.

“Just take your shirt off,” she snaps, and I smile as I grasp her chin. My tongue licks at her lips and pulls back.

“Kiss me, dammit,” she says.

“After you say I’m the one.”

She pauses, her tits heaving as she looks at me, hair wild from my hands.