Even though a couple of weeks have already slipped by, I think we need to give it a little more time. A solid month, maybe even six weeks, should be enough for her to move on to her next victim.
I mean, guy.
I’m sure by then, I’ll have gotten my fill of Sydney and won’t give a crap about parting ways.
Thankfully, Carson rounds the corner at that precise moment and I’m able to shove these pesky thoughts from my head before I’m forced to inspect them more thoroughly. He pushes his way through the thick mass of bodies until he reaches my side.
“Hey, man,” I say, “what’s up?”
He jerks his head toward the jam-packed dining room. “Did you notice that Kira has turned up tonight?”
It’s almost like my thoughts have conjured her up like a specter. I shake my head. Before I can decide what to do, the crowd parts like the Red Sea and I’m given a direct sightline. I’m tempted to duck out of the way so that she doesn’t notice me. The last thing I want to deal with tonight is her crazy ass. Kira needs to let go of the idea that we’ll ever get together and move on with her life. Find a twelve-step program if that’s what’s necessary.
Strangely enough, her gaze stays pinned to whomever she’s talking with as she flashes the person a smile before twirling a lock of hair around her finger. I straighten to my full height, knowing exactly what a smile like that implies. She’s flashed it at me hundreds of times. Interest piqued, I crane my neck, attempting to get a better look at the person she’s talking to.
It’s one of the junior players.
“Yeah,” Carson says, slapping me on the back, “I’ve seen them together a few times this week on campus. And get this—they’ve been holding hands. Crazy as it sounds, I think your plan actually worked.”
Well, I’ll be damned.
Carson just might be right about that. Air escapes from my lungs as the thick tension that had taken up residence in my shoulders gradually dissolves. It feels like a huge weight has been lifted from me. That girl was really starting to venture into scary stalker territory. It’s a relief that I no longer have to worry about her climbing into my bed or tailing me around campus.
He taps his glass bottle against mine. “Congrats, dude. Thanks to your fake girlfriend, you pulled it off.”
Sydney.
Right. I’ll have to let her know that we can put an end to this charade and go back to—
Not talking.
My brows pinch together at that unwelcome realization. At this point, I’m not interested in our relationship reverting back to the way it’s always been. I’d like to think that we’ve become friends over the past month.
Shocker—I actually enjoy hanging out and spending time with the girl.
And the sex is fan-fucking-tastic.
My gaze bounces to Kira and the guy she’s set her sights on. If Sydney caught them together, she’d pull the plug on our fake relationship faster than I could blink. Maybe it’s a good thing she’s been a no-show tonight. But still...I’ll have to tell her about it sooner rather than later. If those two are walking around campus holding hands, Sydney could stumble across them at any time. And then I would have some explaining to do.
“Now you can cut Sydney loose,” Carson adds.
The thought of actually doing that feels like a fist closing slowly around my heart, squeezing it until it becomes painful. I drag a hand over my face as understanding dawns. Somehow, when I hadn’t been looking, I developed real feelings for her.
Fuck.
Now what the hell am I going to do?
Sydney has made it perfectly clear that she doesn’t feel the same way. Hell, if she’d gotten her way, I wouldn’t have met her family. She attempted to talk me out of attending the party half a dozen times.
Oblivious to my inner turmoil, Carson glances around. “Speaking of Sydney, where is she? I haven’t seen her in a while.”
Yeah, me neither. Although, that had been by design on my part.
I jerk my shoulders. Since we aren’t dating for real, it’s not like we check in with each other every moment of the day. It’s one of the things I like about her. She lets me do me and I give her the same courtesy. We don’t need to be in constant contact every second of the day.
Instead of shooting her a text, I decide to be stealthy and do a little social media recon. She doesn’t need to know that I’m curious about her whereabouts. Even though I don’t post a lot of shit on Insta, that doesn’t mean the app isn’t on my phone. I bring up her profile and check to see if she’s been posting. Chicks are so like that. They need to take a selfie and update the world on what they’re up to every other minute.
Earlier this evening, there’d been a soccer game. I showed up for half of it and then took off. The girls probably went to grab something to eat afterward or are hanging out at their apartment, chilling and watching a movie. Maybe even cracking the books. I know Sydney has been loaded down with schoolwork.
Instead, I find something all together different. My lips tug down at the corners as I drag the phone closer to my face to get a better look at the screen. And the freshly posted photos that have popped up. In the first one, there’s a group of girls all smashed together in the frame. They’re all wearing sparkly, lowcut dresses.
Are they at a party?
I scroll through a few more shots and realize they’re at one of the clubs downtown.
The last pic has me seeing red. It’s one of Sydney. That hockey playing douche, Ryder McAdams, has his arms wrapped around her while he pretends to bite her neck, and she’s laughing.
What the actual fuck?
Fake girlfriend or not, there’s no way in hell I’ll allow that to happen when she belongs to me. Does Sydney think that it’s okay for some random dude to get handsy with her when I’m in the picture? I thought we had an understanding. What exactly that understanding is, I’m not sure. All I know is that I’m fucking furious.
“Hey,” Carson yells as I stalk toward the entryway, “where are you going?”
Not bothering with a response, I slam through the front door.
Chapter Twenty-Six
Sydney
“Happy birthday, Sasha!” a dozen girls shout before clinking their glasses together and tossing back their shots.
The club is dark with colorful strobe lights that flicker and techno music that pulses in my ears. Not only is this our goalie’s twenty-first birthday, but we won our game earlier this evening. Everyone is in a celebratory mood. They’re cutting loose and getting a little wild. All right, maybe more than a little. What the hell—they deserve it. We deserve it. Without Annica here, we’re like one, big happy family. This is exactly how a team should be.
We’ve been drinking, dancing, and flirting with some of the cute boys that have shown up to party. I’m having a great time. The very last person I should be dwelling on is Brayden. It’s like he’s taken up permanent residence inside my brain and there’s nothing I can do to evict him. Had I suspected it would turn out this way, I never would have agreed to our arrangement in the first place. He was never supposed to burrow beneath my skin. Kind of like an itch I can’t quite scratch.
More frustrating than that, my feelings were actually bruised when he didn’t stick around and wait for me after the game with Rowan and Coach Richards. The reality of the situation is that I shouldn’t have any expectations when it comes to Brayden. But somewhere over the course of the past few weeks, this fictitious relationship has begun to feel like the real deal.
My first mistake was allowing myself to get caught up in playing pretend. The second one was in thinking I could sleep with the guy and not develop feelings for him. Not fall into...
Something with him.
In hindsight, it’s better that this happened before I could become any more entrenched. At this point, I can still pull back. With any luck, we can put an end to this farce sooner rather than later.
Because I’m over it.
It’s the light tap on my shoulder that
knocks me from those troubling thoughts. And for that, I’m grateful. Brayden Kendricks is the last person I want to dwell on. Especially when I’m out celebrating with my teammates. I should be carefree and living it up. I swing around, only to find Ethan standing in front of me.
“Hey,” he says, raising his voice in order to be heard over the loud pulse of music.
“Hi.” I’m a little surprised to find him here. He was never one for the clubs, preferring to party near campus or at one of the local dive bars where the beer is cheap.
He leans toward me, swallowing up the distance between us. “Congratulations on your win tonight.”
“Thanks, they were a tough team.” There were definitely a few times when I was afraid the outcome could have gone the other way.
“You were all over number five. You had her locked down tight. She couldn’t make a move without you on top of her.”
I blink, thrown off by the comment. “You were there?”
He nods before sucking the corner of his lower lip into his mouth. “Yeah, I thought I’d show up and support.”
When we were dating, Ethan always made a point of attending my games. It was one of the things I loved about him. He plays baseball and his schedule is just as crammed as mine, so I always appreciated him carving out time for me. I’m a little surprised that he would do that after everything that happened between us.
Without me giving voice to the words, he seems to understand the questions swirling through my eyes. Instead of addressing them, he asks, “Do you think we could go somewhere and talk?”
Umm...
“If now isn’t a good time, maybe tomorrow?” He jerks his hand toward the group of girls I arrived with who are showing no sign of slowing down. More shots have been ordered and are currently being passed around. “I know you’re out with friends. It’s just,” there’s a pause, “I’d really like to talk to you.”
I shift from one foot to the other and cut right to the chase. “Aren’t you dating someone?”
“It didn’t work out.” With a jerk of his shoulders, he shakes his head. “It would seem like I’m not completely over my ex.”
Oh.
Oh.
My eyes widen at the curveball he’s just thrown me. Ethan and I were together for about six months, and I really liked him. There was a time when the sight of him sent my pulse skyrocketing. That’s no longer the case. As painful as it is to admit—even silently to myself—there’s only one guy capable of producing that kind of reaction within me, and it happens to be the one I’m fake dating.
The one I should most definitely not have feelings for.
Before I have a chance to collect my scattered thoughts and come up with a response, Ethan takes hold of my hand. “I know our relationship wasn’t perfect, but it could be different this time. I still lo—”
“Hey, babe.” The connection is broken between us when a thickly corded arm snakes around my waist and hauls me close. Before his masculine scent has a chance to wrap around me and tease my senses, I already know who’s taken hold of me. “I’ve been looking everywhere for you.”
The awareness exploding inside me like a firework only reinforces the fact that whatever I once felt for the baseball player now pales in comparison to the feelings I’ve developed for Brayden. It takes effort to bite back the disheartened groan attempting to escape from my lips.
How did I manage to fall so hard for him when I was trying my damnedest not to?
Ethan glares at Brayden before his gaze cuts to mine. “Are you two still together?”
I open my mouth to respond, but Brayden beats me to the punch.
“Yup,” he says, “we are.” His arm tightens around my waist, pressing me closer as if he’s afraid I might try to escape.
Honestly, I’m not sure how I was going to tackle the barked-out question. The truth of the matter is that Brayden and I aren’t really together. We’re playing make believe. It’s only during the last fifteen minutes that I’ve come to realize how disastrous an idea this has turned out to be. We need to end this charade before someone gets hurt.
Someone like me.
Instead of taking Brayden’s word for it, Ethan’s gaze burns into mine. It’s like he’s waiting for me to contradict him.
Even though it would probably be best for everyone if I did, I find myself agreeing with Brayden. “Yes, we’ve been seeing each other for the past couple of weeks.”
Ethan’s shoulders slump before he nods. “Then I guess there isn’t much of a reason for us to talk, is there?”
I release a steady breath and shake my head. “Probably not.”
Even if Brayden weren’t involved in the picture, I still wouldn’t get back together with Ethan. We were way too volatile. We’re much better off as friends.
“All right. I guess I’ll see you around, Syd.” His gaze hardens as it flickers to Brayden, whose muscles are coiled tight. “Let me know if anything changes.”
A low growl emanates from deep within his chest. When he steps forward, I grab his arm to hold him back. “Brayden!”
Ethan melts into the crowd before anything further can happen, which is probably for the best.
When he glances at me, I’m shocked by the possessiveness that has flared to life in his eyes. I don’t understand why he’s acting like this. It’s not like we’re actually together. There’s no reason for him to be jealous or angry.
“We need to talk,” he bites out in a surprisingly gruff tone. If I’d thought he would drop the pretense now that Ethan has disappeared, it doesn’t happen.
Considering how he almost went off the rails, that’s probably a good idea. The sooner we straighten out this mess, the better off we’ll be.
“Yeah, we do.” The response is barely out of my mouth before his fingers lock around my wrist and he’s dragging me through the crowded nightclub. I stumble on my heels in an attempt to keep pace with him.
I’ve never seen Brayden behave like this before. He’s usually so laid back.
We make our way through the main part of the club before turning down a long corridor that is less crowded. A heartbeat later, he’s shoving through an exit into the darkened alley. Cool night air slaps at my heated cheeks. Before I have a chance to catch my breath, Brayden wheels around, forcing me up against the rough brick of the building. I find myself caged in by his muscular body. His forearms rest on either side of my head as I stare in wide-eyed surprise.
“What was that with Ethan?” he bites out. Sparks of anger fly from his eyes. Any moment and I’ll be singed alive.
If he were any other guy, I’d assume he was jealous. But that can’t be.
I blink, attempting to find my bearings. My heart pounds a painful staccato beneath my rib cage. Any second and it’ll burst out of my chest. “He wanted to talk.” It’s only when the words escape from my lips that I question why I’m even telling him this. The last thing I owe Brayden is an explanation. That certainly wasn’t part of our deal.
“Do you still have feelings for him?” He presses closer until his lips can hover over mine.
The feel of his warm breath drifting across me is nothing short of intoxicating. I want to squeeze my eyes closed and inhale a big breath of him.
Oh god, this is such a disaster. Lines have been crossed and all it’s done is blur our relationship.
When I remain silent, uncertain how to respond, he growls, “Sydney!”
“No,” I snap.
“And what about Ryder?”
I shake my head. Where is all this coming from? “I already told you, we’re just friends. Nothing more.”
My answer has the thick tension that had been wafting off him in suffocating waves gradually dissipating. The muscles that had been whipcord tight loosen one by one as he presses closer. Close enough for me to feel the thickness of his erection jutting into my lower abdomen. Arousal explodes in my core.
This is exactly what I didn’t want.
If I’m smart, I’ll stop this in its tracks. M
y palms land on his chest in a feeble attempt to keep him at a safe distance. If I don’t push him away now, I won’t be able to do so later. This entire situation has spiraled too far out of control. I’m able to see that, even if Brayden can’t.
“We need to end this,” I force myself to say. “It’s gone on long enough.”
Brayden jerks away as if my touch has scalded him. “Is that what you want?”
No.
“Yes.” It takes effort to swallow down the unexpected lump of emotion that has become wedged in the middle of my throat. “The lines have become too blurred.”
“Really?” He cocks his head as his eyes sharpen. “I don’t think they’re blurred at all. I know what I want, and I think you do, too.”
My throat grows parched, making it difficult to swallow. When I say nothing in response, he lowers his face until his lips can drift over mine.
Slowly.
So slowly that the movement becomes almost tortuous.
As much as I try to keep the sound buried deep inside where it can’t see the light of day, a whimper manages to escape.
“You want me, don’t you?” His voice is thick. Knowing. I hate that he’s able to see right through me. That somehow, in the short amount of time we’ve been together, he’s come to understand my wants and needs. It was never supposed to be this way.
Brayden nips at my lower lip, sucking the fullness into his mouth and holding it captive until my knees turn weak and it feels like I’m in danger of falling to the pavement.
Once the plump flesh has been released, he growls, “Answer me, Syd. I’m done playing games with you.”
That’s almost laughable. This entire relationship has been one giant farce from the beginning. The only reason we’re involved with one another is to fake another girl out. Doesn’t he understand that our very foundation has been built on lies and subterfuge?
Brayden’s mouth slides lower as he peppers hot kisses along the curve of my jawline. “Tell me.”
My brain clicks off as I bare my throat, giving him unrestricted access to my flesh. “Yes,” I groan, unable to hold back the truth any longer, “I want you.”
Campus Heartthrob (The Campus Series Book 2) Page 19
