Heartless

by Jennifer Sucevic

  An unsuspecting guy with his face buried in his phone nearly gets run over as she stomps by him. One corner of my mouth hitches when she arrives at the table I’m camped out at. The vibrancy of her anger soothes the beast buried deep inside me.

  “Nice to see that you’re on time. Ready to get to work?”

  She looks like a rabid dog as she bares her teeth before slapping the palms of her hands against the table and lowering her face until it’s level with my own.

  Not that it’s the time or place, but my gaze falls to her lush lips.

  Fuck…she’s got a beautiful mouth. It’s one I’ve spent hours exploring. The urge to kiss her pounds through my blood.

  “Stay the hell out of my business, Hunter!” she growls. “You have no right to interfere in my life!”

  People working at nearby tables glance in our direction. If she continues at this decibel, one of the librarians will toss our asses out of here.

  “Sorry, I don’t know what you’re talking about.” I’m willing to bet this has everything to do with Josh.

  Her eyes reignite with fire. She’s so wound up. It’s entirely too satisfying.

  “Why are you telling people that I’m off limits?” she snarls.

  “Hmmm.” I stroke my shadowed jaw and give her a look meant to convey thoughtful contemplation. “Did I do that?” I lift my shoulders. “I don’t remember.”

  A frustrated growl vibrates from her chest, making her sound like a wild beast. I don’t think I’ve ever had the pleasure of seeing Skye this enraged. Any moment she’s going to lose her shit. “You know damn well that you did! Why do you insist on playing these games, huh?” Her voice escalates. “Why won’t you just leave me alone?”

  The thin veneer of my playfulness drops away as I bolt to my feet. Skye stumbles back a step as her eyes widen.

  “Leave you alone?” It’s like her anger is a contagious disease and I’ve been infected. “That will never happen. Do you hear me? Never!”

  Before she’s able to suck in a breath, my hand snakes out to shackle her wrist. She yelps as I drag her away from the table to the back of the second floor where there are a few small conference rooms tucked in the shadows.

  “What are you doing?” she gasps, straining against the hold I have on her.

  The girl can rage all she wants. I can’t help but feed off her frustration over a situation she no longer controls. Even though it’s futile, Skye continues to try and break free. If only she realized that she has just as much hold on me as I have on her. It’s a double-edged sword that cuts both ways. If I were smart, I’d set her free and stop the madness between us.

  But I refuse to do that.

  “I’m giving us a little privacy so I can explain matters to you.” I grab the handle of the first door we come to and jerk the knob. As soon as it springs open, I drag her into the darkened room before shutting and locking the door behind us. I spin her around to face me before pinning her against the wall with my body.

  All of her earlier bravado drains as fear and arousal fill the space. It won’t be long before I’m drunk with it. Anchoring her in place, I press my hips against her until my erection digs into her lower abdomen.

  A groan slips free from her lips.

  Barely have I touched her and already she’s responding.

  “You like that, sweetheart?”

  “No!” Her voice turns breathy and the conviction she waltzed into the library with is nowhere to be found. The way her lower body wiggles against mine has my cock growing more insistent.

  My guess is that she hates herself for wanting me as much as I hate myself for the same damn thing.

  I could almost choke on the irony.

  I’m so fucking tired of the need that rampages through me like a sickness. I want to be over this girl. I want the memory of her to fade away to oblivion. Until Skye Sinclair is nothing more than a distant memory that no longer throbs with painful awareness.

  Is that even possible?

  I have no idea.

  It’s a depressing thought.

  “You want to stop playing games?” I lower my mouth to the side of her face and press a kiss against the delicate skin. “Then just admit that you want me.” I caress the side of her face with the tip of my nose. “There’s no shame in wanting to fuck me.”

  I pull back to gauge her reaction. The way her pupils have dilated and the shallowness of her breath as her chest rises and falls in quick succession tells me everything I need to know. I won’t stop pushing until she gives in to what we both want. Maybe then I’ll be able to put the feelings I’ve been carrying around with me to rest and move on with my life. I’m going to goddamn get over her and she’s going to help me do it.

  “You’re wrong, I don’t want you.”

  “Do you really want me to prove what a liar you are?” I press my lips against the outer shell of her ear. “It would be all too easy.”

  She swallows but remains silent.

  “Is that what you want?” I pull back until my gaze can lock on hers as I finger the waistband of her shorts. I pause, fully expecting her to slap my hand away, but she doesn’t. Everything about her becomes impossibly still as I flick open the clasp and drag down the zipper before slipping my hand beneath the elastic band of her panties. I barely pause before thrusting two fingers deep inside her pussy.

  Fuck!

  She’s so damn wet that I nearly come all over myself. I wrack my brain, trying to remember the last time I was this turned-on, but can’t. I’ve screwed my fair share of girls over the years, but none have ever made me feel like this. It takes every ounce of willpower not to yank my shorts down and bury my cock deep inside her heat.

  My lips settle against her ear as she trembles beneath my touch. “Mmmm, so fucking wet.” I can’t help but gloat as I pump my fingers in her. Skye continues to insist that she doesn’t want me and yet, her body is sobbing. “Go ahead and tell me again how much you don’t want this. How much you don’t want me to touch that sweet pussy of yours.”

  She whimpers and drops her forehead to my chest.

  “It’s okay,” I croon, never letting up on the pressure of my fingers. “You can let go.”

  As I stroke her softness, I can’t stop my mind from spinning.

  How many other guys have touched her like this?

  How many guys have touched what’s mine?

  Those thoughts piss me off more than I care to admit, and I quickly shove them from my mind. I want to enjoy this victory. But what I want most of all is for her to stop fighting me. She needs to accept that this is going to happen. For the time being, her body belongs to me. It’s my property and I’ll do whatever the hell I want with it. The sooner she wraps her head around that, the better off we’ll both be.

  “Hunter,” she moans against my shirt as her body tightens around my fingers. When the muscles of her pussy spasm, I have to lock down my base urges so that I don’t go off like a shot. Barely do I manage to keep myself in check. Years of discipline are nothing in the face of Skye Sinclair getting off in my arms. Already I know that I’ll be heading straight home to rub one out.

  Maybe more than one.

  My body is wound impossibly tight and it has everything to do with the girl who just fell apart in my arms.

  When her body goes lax, I close my eyes and silently give myself permission to inhale the sweet scent of her hair. For a moment, I pretend that we’re still in high school and she hasn’t blown a hole in my heart. Once I’m back under control, I drag my fingers from her warm body.

  Skye lifts her head from my chest where it’s been resting as her cautious gaze seeks mine out. The pleasure that had been coursing through her is still visible, giving her eyes a drugged quality.

  It’s a pretty look that I’m about to shatter with one careless comment that I’ll wield with the precision of a samurai sword.

  With a wicked smile on my face, I trace the same fingers that had been buried in her tight heat along the perfect cupid’s bow of he
r mouth. Her eyes widen as I continue to rim them. When she inhales a ragged breath, I swoop in and lick the shiny wetness from her lips.

  “Mmmm, that pretty little puss tastes just as delicious as I remember.” I flick the tip of her nose with my index finger. “Don’t ever lie about wanting me.” Since her shorts are still gaping open in front, I slip my fingers back inside her panties and give her a possessive squeeze. “Your body will betray you every time.”

  I slide my hand free and step away. My gaze rakes over her, taking in her mussed appearance. There’s a freshly fucked quality to her that makes my cock throb. Her nipples are stiff little points that poke through the fabric of her shirt. Unable to resist, I reach out and give each one a little tweak. It’s not hard enough to be painful, only capture her attention and bring her crashing back to earth.

  It’s a pleasure to watch her wake as if from a dream before the harsh reality of her situation slams over her. Her face falls as she realizes what she allowed me to do with little to no resistance. Skye blanches before slapping my hands away.

  This is the response I was anticipating.

  “Come on, don’t go all shy on me now.” I smirk and point to the desk behind us. “Why don’t you bend over and I’ll finish you off.”

  A sharp hiss escapes from her lips as her hand slices through the air and cracks against my cheek. I welcome the bite of pain that goes along with it.

  “Go to hell, Hunter!” Her voice quivers with unspent emotion.

  Doesn’t she realize I’m already there?

  My cheek feels like it’s on fire as I finger the spot where she hit me. The sting takes the sharp edge off my arousal. “I take it that your answer to a quickie is a firm no?”

  A growl of disbelief rumbles up from her throat as she thrusts her hands against my chest and shoves me back a step.

  “Stay the hell away from me!”

  “That’s not going to happen. And let’s be honest, you don’t really want me to.”

  I hear the sob rising in her voice before it breaks free. “Yes, I do. You’re not the boy I fell in love with.”

  “Damn right I’m not,” I snap. “You made sure of that.”

  “You have no idea what you’re talking about.”

  “Really? Then enlighten me, please.”

  Her eyes dart away and her shoulders collapse. All of the fight rushes out of her. Where it goes, I have no idea.

  “There was a time when I loved you, but that’s no longer the case.”

  Her harshly spoken words cause my heart to crack wide open. I’m surprised by the pain that floods through me.

  “All good things must come to an end,” I mock.

  She remains silent but emotion shimmers in her eyes.

  My heart wavers. I need to get out of here before I say or do something I’ll regret, like beg for her forgiveness. She’s already made a fool out of me once. I won’t give her a chance to do it again.

  “See you around, Skye.”

  I give her a wink before strolling out of the room. Leaving her behind shouldn’t be one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to do, but it is.

  Chapter Twenty

  Skye

  L anie pushes her way through the crowd as we walk up the stairs, looking for empty seats in the student section of the football stadium. Not only is it game day, but it’s against one of Claremont’s biggest rivals, Clemson University. The energy in the stadium is electric. There are easily ten thousand rowdy fans filling the stands. Camera crews are busy setting up their equipment on the field. Reporters are making projections about who will come out victorious. It’s been a long time since I’ve attended a CU game, I almost forgot what a big deal they were. Half the state will turn up for them and the other half will be glued to their big screens.

  I glance across the bright green football field at the opponents cheering section. It’s packed full of Clemson fans wearing orange and purple. I’m decked out in orange and black. Both Lanie and I have cougar decals on our cheeks.

  Up until this point, I’ve been successful at avoiding anything that has to do with football. I’ve either been mired in homework or I’ve taken off to spend the day with Dad. But this morning, Lanie barged into my room and told me that we were going to the game and that she wouldn’t be accepting any of my bullshit excuses.

  As we move through the student section, Lanie spots a group of friends. Introductions are made and I realize one of the girls looks familiar. Anna and I strike up a conversation about our classes and discover that we’re both in the same sociology section.

  The marching band begins to play, and the cougars come out of the tunnel with their helmets in place. Hunter leads the pack and the other players fall in line behind him as they jog onto the field. They’re a formidable group.

  A reluctant thrill shoots through me when I catch sight of Hunter in his uniform. It’s been so long since I’ve seen him on the field for a game. My belly does a little flip when I realize he’s wearing the same number he did in high school.

  We had so many good times under the bright Friday night lights. I loved sitting in the stands and cheering for him. It was always the best part of my week. Once he took his place on the field, Hunter would search me out in the stands. All the noise and excitement would fade to the background and for one moment, it was just the two of us. No matter how many times we did this, once our gazes locked, my heart would flip over in my chest. My friends would swoon and gush about how perfect we were together.

  Afterward, there was always a party to celebrate and we would be surrounded by people who wanted to bask in the glow of Hunter’s celebrity. Even in high school, everyone knew he was talented and would end up turning professional.

  It didn’t matter how many girls threw themselves at him, Hunter never gave them the time of day. He only had eyes for me. After a few hours, we would take off and find a place to be alone. Most of the time, we’d end up at the beach and make out until we couldn’t bear another moment of it. Then Hunter would drive me home. I’d go through the front door and he’d sneak around back to my window. We would make love and afterward, he’d hold me against him until I fell asleep. Sometime before dawn, he’d climb out the window, so Dad and Brandi were never the wiser.

  I can’t think about high school without a wave of grief washing over me. Life was far from perfect. Especially after Hunter’s parents died, but we had each other and somehow, that made everything okay. We were stronger together and it felt as if we had the power to overcome anything. Those days were idyllic, and nothing has ever compared to them. Sometimes I doubt anything ever will.

  I blink out of my thoughts as Clemson kicks off. It takes effort to tamp down all of the old feelings that are fighting their way to the surface. This is exactly why I’ve dragged my feet about attending a game. I didn’t want to get wrapped up in the memories of what life used to be like.

  The student section is so loud and boisterous that it doesn’t take long for me to lose myself in the exuberance. When the Cougars make a seventy-yard drive, a cheerleader on the sideline yells through a megaphone, “Roller coaster!”

  Everyone goes nuts as they throw their arms in the air and mimic the movements of our mascot. We lean to the right, then to the left, before our arms go straight up again. By the time it ends, we’re all laughing and cheering. How could I have forgotten how enjoyable these games were?

  When the second quarter comes to an end, Lanie bumps my shoulder with her own. “I’m glad you came, girl. This is fun.”

  “Me, too.” I’m glad she talked me into this.

  The players jog off the field to the locker room and the Claremont marching band takes the field in perfect formation. Now that I’m no longer shouting at the top of my lungs, I notice how sore my throat feels. Lanie and I take this opportunity to make our way to the concession stand inside the concourse to grab a few snacks. From the looks of it, everyone else has the same idea. The line for concessions stretches around the corner. Lanie decides to hit the bathr
oom while I stand in line for the food and drinks. Every couple of minutes, I glance at my phone and hope the line will start moving. I don’t want to miss the start of the third quarter.

  When I finally make it to the counter, I order a giant soft pretzel along with two bottles of water. With my snack and drinks tucked into a cardboard holder, I glance around for Lanie but she still MIA.

  Maybe I should head to the restroom and see if she’s there. As I jostle my way through the crowd, my arm hits someone and I turn to apologize.

  “Sor—”

  The last syllable never makes it out of my mouth as my gaze collides with dark blue eyes. It feels like I’ve been kicked in the gut as the air empties from my lungs. I can only stand in the middle of the crowded walkway and stare as people funnel around us. A few grumble under their breaths before moving on.

  “Hello, Skye.”

  When I’d made the decision to return home, I knew I’d eventually run into Hunter.

  But Mason Price?

  He’s the one person I’d hoped to avoid indefinitely.

  When Hunter and I started dating in the beginning of ninth grade, Mason had already been out of the house and attending Clairmont. Even though he lived on campus, Mason would stop home frequently. He was a happy-go-lucky kind of guy who cracked jokes and had an infectious laugh. It was obvious from the beginning that he and Hunter shared a special bond.

  Hunter wasn’t the only Price who played football. Mason was a tight end in both high school and then at Claremont. The only difference was that there had never been any talk about Mason turning pro. Instead of being jealous of his younger brother’s success, Mason did everything he could to help develop Hunter’s talent.

  It was only after their parents died in a freak boating accident that everything changed. Both brothers were hit hard by the loss, but the responsibility of raising Hunter and taking care of all the financial details fell on Mason’s shoulders. My heart went out to both of them, but it bled for Mason. My dad offered to take Hunter in so Mason could finish school, but the older brother didn’t want to sell their family home or be separated from Hunter. After such a devastating loss, I could understand how he wouldn’t want to lose anything more.