Kiss To Conquer (Blairwood University #1)

by Anna B. Doe

  “What’s going on today? Zombie apocalypse or something?” I ask Yasmin as soon as I’m within hearing distance.

  I didn’t even realize Yasmin’s working here until Chloe brought me after that disastrous Spanish class. The one we shall not name or think about.

  “Worse,” she mutters, a deep frown appearing between her brows. “First football game of the season.”

  The words are spat out, disgust evident in her voice. I know why I’m staying away from everything football related, but what’s her issue with it? I want to ask, but I don’t.

  Yasmin and I are still working on our relationship. When we’re in the room together we’re polite, sometimes overly so. But overall we don’t see much of each other. Yasmin is taking six classes, atop of working here as much as possible and occasionally jogging. One evening when I asked her why she goes running even though I can see how tired she is, she told me it relaxes her. How can it relax you when you’re falling off your feet? Seriously, to me, it seems that the girl is trying to drive herself to an early grave.

  “Oh…” I breathe weakly, not knowing what to say. I usually keep my head down and earbuds tucked in my ears, so it’s not really strange I didn’t notice.

  Thankfully I haven’t seen any of the football players apart from our two Spanish classes that are on Wednesday and Friday. I was debating dropping the class altogether but changed my mind. I needed to take basic courses while I try to work out the shit in my life, one of them being language credit. And since I knew there was no way in hell I’d pass French or German, Spanish it is. Whether I like it or not.

  Just for the reference: I don’t.

  Yes, he who shall not be named barely spared me a look, but other people’s eyes were still on us the whole time we were in the same room, observing and waiting to see what will happen next.

  “What can I get you?” Yasmin asks, changing the subject.

  “Hmm…” Nibbling at my lip, I look over the whiteboard checking out what’s on the menu. I have a thing about coffee. Every time I find a new coffee shop and deem it worthy enough to come back, I try a new thing on the menu until I’ve tried them all. “How about Toasted Coconut Mocha? Iced, please.”

  I don’t bother pointing out I want the biggest cup she can give me. Yasmin already knows that.

  My lips tip in a smile when I notice today’s quote written at the bottom of the list.

  It’s a five-letter word that starts with B. I love it strong and big. No, I don’t talk about balls, I mean beans!

  “Ohh, that’s a good one.”

  Her eyes glimmer with amusement. “It is, isn’t it? If I may say so myself.”

  “Whose idea was it anyway? The quotes?”

  “Monica’s, she’s the owner, but I do like it myself.” She goes around preparing my order while I look at the glass display, debating should I order a sandwich or muffin, as I listen to her talk. “We have this thing going on. The one who opens the shop gets to pick the day’s quote but we cannot repeat each other. The one who does, gets to clean the bathroom.”

  I lift my head, brows raised. “Sounds like you guys have some serious competition going on behind that counter.”

  “The café is super cute, but gosh, the things people do in the bathroom can be downright disgusting. Can you believe I caught two people making out in there the other day? And they were going at it pretty heavily too. His hand was so far up her skirt I’m surprised he didn’t sprain his shoulder.”

  “Oh my God…” I breathe, unable to contain the giggle at the image she’s portraying. “That’s priceless. What did you do?”

  “What do you think? After a few very loud and not at all subtle clearings of my throat, I asked them kindly to leave. They weren’t even embarrassed I caught them!”

  “The nerve!”

  Her eyes narrow. “Don’t you dare tease me! This is not a brothel, it’s a freaking coffee shop.”

  “True,” I agree as she finally slides me my drink over the counter. “Remind me never to use the bathroom, ever again.”

  “Do you seriously think that our floor bathroom is any better?”

  Eww… I frown. That is so not the image I needed in my head, like ever. “Did you really have to say that?”

  Yasmin shakes her head at me, the motion making her ponytail swing. “Girl, you’re delusional.”

  “I’m just trying really hard not to think of it since the only other option I have is to be all stinky. And trust me, you don’t want that.”

  “Try it and your stinky ass will sleep in the hallway.”

  Just then the bell rings, we both turn around to see new customers roll in.

  “You want anything else?”

  After another quick glance at the offered goodies, I finally say, “Turkey avocado sandwich.”

  Might as well eat something healthy since I’ll be picking up with my PT starting next week.

  She rings me up and I leave a twenty-dollar bill on the counter, collecting my items. The smell of coffee already reaching my nostrils and entering my veins.

  Mhmm… there is nothing quite like coffee.

  “Thanks! See you later.” I throw over my shoulder and go to the back of the shop. There is a really private nook back there hidden behind a huge plant of some sort that I love to hide behind. It gives me the privacy I want without having to be confined to the four walls of my bedroom.

  Once I’m settled in my chair, my legs propped on the chair across from me, I pull out my books. Professors here don’t mess around. We already have some statistics homework along with reading for Biology and Spanish, plus a short essay for English Lit class.

  Might as well get to work.

  “Oh my God! Did you see that pass?”

  “Mhmm… and the way Hades leaped in the air to catch it? God, all those muscles. The guy’s like a machine.”

  “Girl, with the V that guy has, I wouldn’t be surprised he is. His body is out of this world. I think my panties melted when he pulled his jersey to wipe his face.”

  “Don’t remind me. I’ll have to rub one out of the way before we go out because otherwise…”

  What? Ewww…

  I put my earbuds back where they belong, blasting the music to the max so I don’t have to hear any more of their conversation. Don’t these girls know they’re in public and anybody can hear them? Seriously, what is wrong with people?

  I mean, whatever floats your boat, girl, but not every freaking person in this world has to know about your relaxation tendencies.

  Taking out my phone, I check the time and I’m surprised to see how late it actually is. With my nose stuck in the book and earbuds in, it was easy to tune out everything else.

  Sighing, I start packing up my stuff. Might as well go back to the dorm.

  When I get to the front of the shop, Yasmin’s amused gaze collides with mine. Reluctantly, I pull one earbud out.

  “What? Not in the mood to listen to the sexual escapades of these two?”

  “Girl,” I drawl out, mimicking the girls’ irritatingly nasal voice. “Some things are just TMI.”

  Yasmin bites at her cheek to stop herself from laughing. “Apparently not. You should announce to the whole world you’re getting yourself off.”

  I almost choke on the laughter.

  “Anyway, are you going home? I should be done in a few minutes so we might as well go together.”

  “Sure.” I give a quick glance to the two girls who’re sitting close to where I was only a minute ago still discussing… whatever. I don’t really want to know. “But I’m waiting for you outside.”

  “Sounds good. I’ll see you in a few!”

  There is a little bit more activity outside than there was before. People are mingling around, most of them dressed in black and gold, which I can only suppose are the football team colors.

  If we don’t include those two years in high school, I never paid much attention to football. Yes, I was a cheerleader, but I understood only the basics of the game and
was more interested in dance. It was always about dance with me. I loved it. I lived it. I breathed it. Until the moment I couldn’t anymore.

  Even after three years, when I hear a familiar tune, my legs itch to do their own thing only for the harsh reality to kick in.

  I’m just about to pull out my phone to do some mindless scrolling on the internet while I wait when I hear a familiar voice. “Callie?”

  Turning around, I spot Chloe with a few of her friends. She says something to them before waving goodbye and coming to join me. “I thought it was you!”

  “Hey, Chloe,” I say as she comes closer.

  She looks at the shop before her gaze returns to me. “What were you up to?”

  “Studying.” I shrug.

  Chloe shakes her head. “Girl, you need to relax and have some fun!”

  Just then the door opens and Yasmin comes to us. “What fun?”

  “Both of you need to have some fun,” Chloe corrects, looking between us, a slow smile curling her lips. “And I know just what to do about it.”

  Chapter Eleven

  HAYDEN

  “Small party?” Maddox looks at me and then pointedly at the room overflowing with people.

  “Hey, don’t look at me.” I lift my hands in surrender. “It was all Nix’s idea.”

  Just then, like we summoned him, Nixon pops up next to us, his arms landing over our shoulders, pulling us close and thrusting two beer bottles in our hands. “Chill. It’ll all be just fine.”

  “Is that before or after somebody calls the cops on us?” Maddox looks skeptical. The dude isn’t really big on parties, and that’s to say the least. If we don’t include going to classes, he spent most of our freshman year in our dorm room under the dim lights of half a dozen computer monitors. It took us months to even get him to go out to eat, much less anything else.

  “Nobody will call the cops on us,” Nix counters reassuringly. “Now drink your beer and socialize for a change. How will you ever get laid otherwise?”

  Maddox pushes his black-rimmed glasses up his nose, his pale cheeks growing beet red making us both laugh at his embarrassment.

  At first glance, nobody would think Maddox fits into our little group. That’s what I thought the first time I met him. The dude’s just so awkward, sometimes it’s painful to watch. Tall and on the skinny side, with messy hair and glasses, he’s the poster child for a geek. He’s a loner, definitely not somebody I’d peg as a son of a US senator. He mostly keeps to himself, preferring computers and books to people. And the guy’s ultra-smart. I don’t even get what he’s doing here with us. A couple of years ago he sold some of his apps and earned a bunch of cash, not that he needed it, and now he’s working on his own video game.

  I watch as his eyes dart to the packed living room and catch a glimpse of red in the crowd. A smile tugs at his lips.

  “Alyssa here?” I ask innocently. There’s only one person I know with this particular shade of red hair and she just passed by.

  “I guess.” He shrugs, schooling his expression, but he can’t fool me. “She said she might come.”

  Alyssa has been Maddox’s best friend his whole life. The redhead is smokin’ hot and Maddox has it bad for her, but as far as I know, he never did anything about it. And she’s clueless about the way the poor guy feels about her.

  “Of course she might come.” Nix rolls his eyes. “That girl loves to party.”

  Ain’t that the truth. While Maddox can’t run as far and fast as possible from the party, Alyssa is his complete opposite. I still have no idea how it is that they’ve been best friends for as long as they have been.

  Maddox plays with the label on his beer bottle. “I think I’ll go and see if she’s around.”

  “You do that.” Nix pats him on the shoulder.

  “You two please make sure nobody destroys anything,” he warns before leaving.

  Although technically we all pay for rent, this place is Maddox’s. Like the guy actually went ahead and bought the house. He tried to explain it by muttering something about real estate and investments but I couldn’t wrap my mind around the fact that he bought a fucking house at just shy of twenty years old, so I didn’t really listen to the specifics.

  And then he went ahead and offered us to move in with him. It wasn’t really a tough decision to make. We were already rooming together, well, all except my buddy Zane who took the fourth bedroom, in the tuna-can-sized dorm room our freshman year, so this was a step up.

  Where the hell is Zane anyway?

  Both Nix and I stand, watching him struggle through the crowd in search of his best friend.

  “You think he’ll ever ask her out?” Nix asks, taking a sip of his beer.

  “No idea.”

  And that was the truth. Maddox might seem meek and antisocial, but he was actually really unpredictable and once he decides on something, there isn’t any stopping him until he gets what he set his mind to.

  Like last year. A few of our teammates were mocking him about never building some muscle if he kept typing away his life in front of his computer. The next morning he was up and waiting when we woke up to go for weightlifting. Or maybe he never went to sleep in the first place. With him, you can never be certain. The point is, since then he built some serious muscles. If he ever decided to go for Alyssa, there would be no stopping him.

  “C’mon, man.” Nix taps me on the shoulder. “Tonight we’re celebrating!”

  People surrounding us hear his words and hoots in agreement spread through the room. The victory buzz is still running high through my veins. It’s just the first game of the season, but we kicked it off with some serious ass whooping. Our opponents didn’t know what hit them, and we ended the game with the score of 56 to 7.

  No sooner do we start to move through the crowd to the rest of the team, three girls in tight, extremely short dresses come to us. Nix slips his hands over two that are closest to him, and the third slowly sashays her way toward me.

  She licks her lips as her eyes roam my body and I can feel myself react to her appreciative stare.

  I return her gaze, taking her in from head to toe. Her curly blonde hair, blood-red lips, a dress that hugs her every curve including an impressive rack and high heels that make her legs look a mile long. They’d look even better wrapped around my waist as I pound into her.

  Yup, I take a sip of my drink, she’ll most definitely do.

  “Who do we have here?” I whistle softly, slipping my hand around her slim waist. “What’s your name, sweetheart?”

  “Hannah.” Her palm lands on my chest as I pull her into my body. A heartbeat passes before she lifts her eyes to meet mine, looking at me through her thick, black lashes. “Impressive game, Hades.”

  “You a fan?” I ask, although I know the answer. She has groupie written all over her.

  “Sure.” She bats her eyelashes innocently, although the look in her eyes tells a completely different story.

  “Yeah? What was your favorite part of the game?”

  Her hand moves slowly over my pecs and down my stomach. There is nothing innocent about her touch. She knows exactly what she wants and she’ll do everything to get it.

  “Besides winning?” She leans closer. I can smell the sweet perfume on her skin. Her fingers reach the hem of my shirt and dip inside, nails grasping my skin and making me inhale sharply. My dick stirs to attention, mind already going through all the ways I can get her under me in the next five minutes.

  Her lips brush against my ear, hot breath touching my skin. “I like the little show you put on.” Her finger traces the dip of the V leading into my pants. “I figured you might be interested in putting on a private show for me?”

  Damn, she’s good.

  My hand slips down, wrapping around her wrist.

  Fuck the party.

  I’ve been on edge for the whole week, practice my only outlet since I decided to cool things off with Tamara. She was getting too nosy for my liking.

  This girl�
�s here and she’s more than willing, might as well get a different kind of release.

  She looks confused when I pull it away, almost disappointed for a moment. “Why don’t we…”

  I start, ready to pull her in the first available room—because no matter how much my body craves the release, there is no way I’m going to put on a show in front of my friends—and fuck her brains out—but stop when something in the corner of my eye catches my attention. The horny part tells me to fuck it, take the girl and go, but the other part, the rational part, wants to know what caught my attention.

  Who caught my attention.

  Slowly, I turn my head to the side, my eyes scanning the dim space for anything standing out.

  Nix is by the keg where one of the girls he was with is doing a keg stand, he and some of our teammates cheering her on. Some guys are sprawled on the couch playing video games on our 80-inch television screen, including Maddox, although by the looks of it, he’s interested more in Alyssa who’s grinding on the make-shift dance floor with some frat boy than anything else.

  And then I see her. In the middle of all the people and chaos is no other person than Callie.

  And she’s talking to… Zane.

  Fucking hell.

  Chapter Twelve

  CALLIE

  “Whose house is this again?” I ask as we step through the door of the large brick house. It’s situated close to the campus, only a ten or so minute drive. When I heard the word drive, I almost told them to count me out. Not that I believed Chloe would let me. I’m starting to learn that when that girl gets something in her head there is no stopping her until she gets it.

  “Just some guys.” She shrugs nonchalantly, yelling over the music that’s so loud we could hear it when the Uber left us a few houses down. I seriously hope this isn’t a residential neighborhood because somebody will call the cops. Then again, if it’s to be judged by the number of cars parked along the curb and across the lawns as well as the number of people mingling around in the warm early fall night, this is more of a Greek row.