His mouth quirks. “Don’t mentioned it. You were pretty drunk when I carried you in here last night and put you to bed. I figured you’d be regretting that sixth beer this morning.”
The memory of Baker carrying me over the threshold into the apartment and then into my room last night comes flooding back to me. I also remember kicking off my shoes once he laid me down and stripping down to my panties and bra. I didn’t care that he practically saw me naked because I was flushed from all the alcohol coursing through my body.
My face grows hot, no doubt revealing my blush.
He clears his throat. “I need to hit the books since I missed a few classes this week, and I wondered if you wanted to study together today?”
I nod. “Sure. I’ve got a paper to write myself.”
A pleased smile fills his face. “Awesome. I’ll make us some lunch while you get dressed. Unless…you want to study naked?”
I smack his arm. “Baker! Oh, my God. Stop it.”
This earns a chuckle from him as he holds up his hands. “It was just a thought. Besides, I’m only teasing. I know you’ve got a thing for Luke.”
My smile fades a little. “Right. Luke.”
He folds his arms over his chest. “That didn’t sound convincing. Have you changed your mind about him?”
I shake my head. “Definitely not. Luke just makes me nervous is all.”
He stares into my eyes. “No guy should ever make you nervous. You’re beautiful and can have any guy you want.”
“Yeah, right,” I say dismissively as I break our stare.
Baker slides his index finger under my chin and tips my head up to force me to look at him. “I mean it, Sky. You’re gorgeous. You just lack a little confidence. I would kill to have a girl like you in love with me.”
My heart thunders in my chest. The way he’s looking at me…it’s like he’s staring into my soul. I don’t know if anyone has ever looked at me the way Baker is now. If I didn’t know any better, I’d say there’s some heat between us right now, but I know he’s not into me. And he knows I’m not into him either….right?
“Thank you. I’ll try to act more sure of myself around Luke next time I see him,” I say.
Baker drops his finger, and a little frown tugs at his lips. “Good. Before you know it, my brother will be throwing himself at your feet.”
A nervous laugh slips through my lips. “Let’s hope.” I take a step back and grip the towel in my hand a little tighter. “I better go get dressed so we can study.”
“Sounds good.”
I all but dash into my bedroom and shut myself inside. I need to be careful around Baker. My body seems to have a mind of its own when I’m around him, and I don’t want it leading me down the path of wanting to jump his bones.
8
Sky
The shift at the library today feels like it’s dragging on forever. It’s Friday evening, and most of the students are out getting ready to party, so it’s dead in here.
I check in the last book from the return box as Baker walks up to the counter. The gray T-shirt he’s wearing stretches over his toned chest, and the dark jeans he has on hug his thick thighs. One thing Baker has going for him is his amazing body. I’ve seen him come out of the bathroom a few times wearing nothing but a towel as he heads to his room, and I have to admit he’s nice to look at.
“Hey,” he greets me. “You about ready to go? I’m on my way to the apartment, and I thought I’d walk you home if your shift was over.”
“I still have another hour left.”
He frowns. “Oh. Do you want me to wait?”
“You don’t have to do that. I’ll be fine walking back.”
“Really, it’s no problem. I’ll hang out until you’re ready.”
Oddly, I find his offer comforting and am genuinely touched by it. Baker and I have been getting along great since he moved in. Baker’s cooked dinner every night and we’ve had good conversations getting to know one another. He’s a nice guy, which surprises me. His outward appearance disguises that fact. We’re definitely entering friend territory now, but he still doesn’t want me to come watch one of his fights. I still want to see him in action.
“Cool. If you don’t mind, that would be awesome.”
A crooked grin takes over his face. “I don’t mind, Sky. Besides, I’m just keeping up my end of the friendship deal. We have to look friendly, right?”
My lips pull into a tight line. “Yeah. I guess so.”
Well, maybe our friendship isn’t as legit as I thought, but it’s still a nice offer. Walking alone across campus in the evening isn’t my favorite thing, but I feel relatively safe having been taught self-defense by my father and given pepper spray from my mother. My parents hate the idea I’m in another state away from them, so they did what they could to prepare me for a life on my own.
Baker makes himself comfortable at the empty table across from my desk and pulls out his phone. He keeps his promise and patiently waits as I finish the rest of my tasks for the evening, not complaining once.
“We’re dead in here, Sky. You can go ahead and call it a night. I’ll finish closing up,” Mrs. Mackenzie tells me.
“Are you sure?”
“Positive. Besides, your boyfriend seems to be getting restless.” She eyes Baker over her purple glasses.
Baker stands next to a nearby table and stretches, his shirt riding up a bit showing off his ripped abs.
“Oh, he’s just a friend,” I correct her.
A knowing smile fills her face. “Of course he is, dear.”
Mrs. Mackenzie is way off base here. Baker isn’t interested in me. He thinks I’m a nerd, but we’re friends, I think.
I grab my satchel and head in Baker’s direction.
His eyes soften a bit when he glances up at me from his phone. “You ready?”
“Yep. Let’s go.”
A few people walk around the campus, hurrying off, no doubt, to get ready for their Friday night. Tonight’s the big night of the Delta Psi Homecoming party, and I’ve been stressing all day about being at the same place with Luke. I won’t know anyone there other than Baker, and I’m doing my best not to freak out and call the whole thing off.
“You ready for tonight?” Baker asks as he walks next to me as if he can read my mind.
I swallow hard. “Honestly? I’m scared.”
He gives me a dubious expression. “Why? It’s just a party, Sky.”
“You say that like it’s the easiest thing in the world.”
“It is.”
“Not for me,” I admit. “I’ve never been to a party on campus.”
Shock registers across his face. “Why not?”
“I’ve never been invited.”
He laughs. “Hot girls never need an invitation to come to the frat house.”
A smile stretches across my face. “Did you just call me hot?”
His gaze points down at me, and it’s so serious it causes my heart to flutter. “You know you’re beautiful.”
I bite my lip. “Now let’s hope Luke thinks so too.”
Baker shifts his gaze away from me and shoves his hands into the front pockets of his jeans, the thick cords in his forearms stretching beneath his skin and tattoos. “Yeah.”
An odd moment of silence floats between us as we continue to walk home. Every time I’ve mentioned Luke’s name over the past few days, Baker gets this expression on his face that’s a mixture of sadness and disgust. I’m not sure what’s going on between them, but I know they’ve both expressed to me separately they’re not on the best terms. Let’s hope whatever their problem is doesn’t ruin tonight for me.
Near the edge of campus in the parking lot, a pretty brunette steps out of a silver Porsche and stops dead in her tracks when she spots Baker and me. Her mouth falls open, and her eyes widen. I don’t think the expression she’s wearing is for me because I’ve never seen this girl before in my life.
I’m about to ask Baker who she is, but he wra
ps his fingers around my elbow, and we cut in the opposite direction. “Let’s go.”
The muscles in his jaw work like he’s gritting his teeth as we continue walking.
Curiosity overwhelms me, and more than anything, I want to know who the girl is. She’s got to be an ex-girlfriend to cause this type of reaction from Baker.
I glance back at the woman, who is still watching our retreating backs. She’s young, close to my own age, beautiful and very expensive looking. The type of woman who gets pedicures and manicures every week and wears clothes that probably cost as much as one month’s rent at my apartment.
“Don’t look at her,” Baker growls, still marching us forward.
I whip my head forward. “Who is she?”
His nostrils flare a bit. “No one.”
We round the corner out of the woman’s line of sight, and Baker releases my elbow.
“That’s obviously not true. A no one wouldn’t cause you to freak out like that.”
He sucks in a deep breath through his nose. “Another house rule. She’s off-limits.”
In the short time I’ve lived with Baker, I’ve discovered most of his house rules involve discussing his past. It’s going to be difficult to understand what makes him the person he is now if we can never broach the topics of things that have happened to him or people he once knew, but I don’t want to push him. The expression on his face tells me he’s close to snapping. Some people have buttons, and if you want to stay close to them, you learn not to push them.
Doesn’t mean I’m still not dying to find out who she is and why she causes such a reaction from him. It’s got to be a juicy story.
We finally make it back to the apartment, and I’ve restrained myself from asking him any more questions about the situation. He didn’t volunteer any information, either, so I decide to forget about the woman. Nothing good will come of me pushing him for info.
Baker shuts us inside the apartment and then glances down at the clock on his phone. “The party starts in an hour. You still want to go?”
I nod. “Yes. Don’t you?”
His lips twist. “Not really, but I’ll go for you.”
I bite my lower lip, and I don’t want to be one of those girls who read into things too much, but saying he’ll go to the party because of me makes me believe he actually cares about me a little. My heart flutters in my chest at the idea of going to the party with Baker.
His brown eyes study me as if he’s waiting on me to say something, so I lick my suddenly dry lips. “Guess I’ll go get ready then.” I take a step back toward the hallway.
He nods. “All right. Me too.”
I slip into my bedroom and close my door. I’ve had my outfit picked out for this event since Miley and I went shopping. It’s a low-cut, black spandex shirt that hugs my body, a pair of tight jeans, and black heels. While I might be a self-professed book reading nerd, I also take care of my body. I come from a family who believes a weekly gym routine is critical to your health. While I admit I have been slacking a little bit here at school, I’ve been known to hit the college gym, which is how I first spotted Luke Finnegan. It’s where this crazy obsession I have with him started. So, tonight I feel the need to show myself off a little bit.
Dark curls cascade down my shoulders as I get to work on putting the finishing touches of eyeliner around my blue eyes. People say I’m a mix of both my parents, but I look most like my mother. I don’t see it because I think my mother is stunning, and I don’t feel the same way about myself. My dark hair and tan come from my Spanish mother, while my blue eyes come from my father.
I take a step back and stare at my reflection in the mirror. The girl in the mirror looks completely different than the one I’m used to seeing. This girl looks fun and flirty. At least that’s what I’m hoping Luke will see when he looks at me.
I take a deep breath and open the door. The TV is on in the living room, so when I step around the corner, I close my eyes and brace myself for Baker’s judgment. “What do you think?”
“You’re fucking sexy as hell,” a voice I don’t identify answers in response. My eyes snap open to find three strangers in my living room all staring at me.
My cheeks burn with embarrassment.
“Oh, shit! Is this my birthday present?” the dark-haired guy wearing a backward baseball cap asks Baker, and I immediately recognize the voice as the one who just called me sexy moments ago. “Did you get me a stripper?!”
“Jesus, Milo. No! This is Sky. My roommate,” Baker answers.
Recognition registers across Milo’s face. “Ooooooh. Riiiiiiiiight.” He jumps up from the couch and sticks his hand out to me. “Then allow me to introduce myself. Milo Riviera. Maybe you’ve heard of me?”
I take in Milo’s handsome face. He’s got a strong jawline, green eyes, muscles like Baker, and a mischievous crooked grin. I rack my brain to think if I’ve heard of him, but nothing pops into my mind. I grimace as I reply, “I’m sorry. Should I know you?”
The corner of his mouth turns up. “No? Well, you should. All beautiful women need to know me.”
“Oh, good Lord,” the pretty blonde sitting on the lap of the other muscled guy in my living room says. Her accent is a strong Southern one, and it’s easy to tell she’s annoyed with Milo’s antics. “Give the girl a break. She’s not interested.”
Milo swings his head around to glare at her. “You don’t know that, Jamie. Eddie, put a muzzle on your old lady. She’s cock blocking me on my fucking birthday.”
Jamie and Eddie…I remember those names from when Baker was being kicked out of the apartment upstairs.
Baker shoves himself up from the couch and claps Milo on the shoulder. “Save it, dude. Sky, here, is into my brother.”
“Damn.” Milo drops my hand, then clucks his tongue at me. “Why does Luke always get the first pick of the hot ones?”
My eyes widen as this good-looking guy refers to me as hot. What universe is this?
“Sky, this is Jamie and Eddie. They’re my friends who live in the apartment above us.” Baker waves his hand at the couple who’ve made themselves comfy on my favorite chair. Jamie wiggles her fingers at me, and Eddie gives me a quick head nod. “And this idiot is Milo. He’s harmless…and I apologize for his rude ass because he doesn’t know how to talk to girls without making himself sound like an arrogant dipshit.”
“Watch it with all the name-callin’, fucker,” Milo complains. “And the chicks love me.”
“Sure they do.” Rolling his eyes, Baker heads toward the front door and opens it. “Let’s go find you some other girls to hit on.”
We head out to the parking lot as one big group.
“You cool with catching a ride over with Eddie and Jamie? I figured one designated driver for the group was a good idea,” Baker says to me as we walk toward a black Charger.
“Yeah. Sounds good,” I tell him. Glad to have a couple more familiar faces to look for at the party.
Baker opens the back door for me to slip into, and as I slide into the middle, I find myself wedged between Milo and Baker. The heat from these two guys makes me well aware of how closely we’re pressed together. I try to adjust in my seat to make a little more room, but it doesn’t work. Nervous energy rolls through me, and I can’t stop wiggling around.
Baker throws his arm around my shoulders with a laugh and pulls me a little closer to him. “Relax, Sky. You look amazing. You’ll have fun. I promise. Now stop fidgeting.”
On the way over to the Delta Psi house, I learned both Eddie and Milo are also members of the fraternity and have been to recent meetings where the other members were bitching about Baker’s lack of appearances at their events.
“You really need to talk to your brother, dude. He’s the one who’s been leading the bitch session about you not showing up to the last two parties,” Milo says.
“Fuck Luke. If he’s got a problem with me, then he can come tell me to my face and stop being a bitch about things,” Baker retorts. “He
has my number.”
I swallow hard, not liking what I’m hearing. How is Baker supposed to help me get to know Luke if their relationship is this strained?
9
Sky
Eddie parks the car along the curb and cuts the engine. Baker opens the door and extends a hand to help me out. People line the sidewalk and fill the front yard of the house, but that’s Greek row for you. These houses are known for wild parties, so there no dangers of anyone phoning in a noise complaint about the club-thumping bass emanating from the place. Baker grabs my hand and leads me toward the entrance of the house. Holding his hand is comforting—a small gesture that means more to me than he’ll ever know. We weave through the bodies to make our way into the kitchen, where there are at least seven kegs of beer. A lot of curious eyes point in our direction, and I’m not sure if everyone here is surprised by Baker’s appearance, or the fact he’s here with me, still holding my hand.
Baker grabs two cups and fills them up, handing me one. “Don’t take these from anyone other than me. You got me?”
I take the cup from his hand and nod, understanding exactly what he means by that, and knowing at that moment how much I’ve actually grown to trust Baker.
“I’m going to go find some of the other brothers so they know I’ve made my appearance,” he grumbles. “You okay in here for a minute?”
“Of course, she is,” Jamie chimes in while wrapping her arm around me. “I’ll stick with her.”
Baker’s eyes dart from me to Jamie and then back to me. “Remember what I said about the drinks.”
Jamie rolls her eyes. “Yes, dad. We got it. No drinks from strange men who may poison us.”
I chuckle, and Baker shakes his head and stalks off.
“He’s always so intense, isn’t he? It’s like he doesn’t know how to let loose anymore ever since…well, never mind,” Jamie says as she stands next to me, sipping on a beer.
“Ever since what?” I ask, curious as to what she was about to say.
Rebellious and Reckless: College Sports Romance Stand-Alone (Campus Hotshots Book 1): Campus Hotshots Page 5
