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His smile widened. “It’s a date.”
“Nope, not a date. Just paying off a debt. I sure as hell don’t want to owe you of all people anything.” Despite my anger, I felt an odd sense of arousal from this argument.
He stepped forward, his brothers making room for him to pass. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
“You know what I mean, Luca.”
He shot me a look, as though I’d piqued his interest. “So, you do remember me.”
“We’ve had, how many classes together? How could I not? No one can miss the skank parade you bring with you.”
His cocky smirk set my skin on fire.
“Don’t think I give a crap about you, you stubborn ass.” I rolled my eyes. “You can go home and stroke your ego, but keep me out of it,” I said, making a jerking motion with my hand.
Luca laughed, but it came out more like a snort. “I can’t wait for tonight. You’re a mystery, Isabella Rinaldi. Always have been.”
I wondered why I’d invited him to the bar with us or why I kept talking to him. Stupidity, I guessed.
A small part of me, the side that had zero willpower, wanted him to do unspeakable things to me. My brain screamed for me to retreat.
“Next time, try not to be such a dick. It’s not flattering.”
He nodded, and then, I spun around and walked away from him.
“What the hell was that?” Silvia skipped across the lawn toward me.
The massive four-story brownstone and the courtyard surrounding it took up the better part of a city block. Strickland University had a beautiful campus. According to the pamphlets, the senior dorm was the oldest and, by far, the most architecturally impressive. The residence hall was split into multiple sections, with walkways that led to each of the wide staircases.
Silvia and I veered toward the right, passing a group of boys jogging. She turned for a second glance, smiling at her usual rugged type. Twenty-four/seven, she had boys on the brain.
Double doors swung open, concerned parents and their children forcing their way through them. A palpable air of excitement radiated off the incoming seniors. It would’ve been nice to have parents who cared enough to help me move. Mine had probably forgotten I was still in school.
I hooked my arm around Silvia’s skinny bicep, leading her into the hall. “We’re meeting the Delta Sig guys at Mickey’s later, so wear something hot.”
She squealed with delight, her elbow digging into my side, as we scooted closer to make room in the crowded hallway. “Yum. I got dibs on Hunter Sterling.”
“The chunky lineman?” I scrunched my nose at her. “He’s all yours.”
Silvia bobbed her head, unaffected by my sarcasm. “You’ve gotta admit, he’s still hot even though he’s gained a few pounds. I mean, how do you not want to grip those arms and straddle him?”
I rolled my eyes and climbed the stairs to our double suite, sliding my fingers up the wooden railing. “I hate rich guys. They’re all cut from the same cloth. Why would you even want him? He’s a total Preston.”
Silvia ducked to the side, trying to avoid a group of girls scampering in our direction. “Maybe, but they’re not like the rest of the frat boys, Izzie Bear. Most of them are from around here, not like those pricks over at the Alpha house with their boat shoes and cardigans. The things I’ve heard about some of the Delta Sig guys, I swear, would blow your mind.”
“I seriously doubt any of them could blow my mind.” Well, maybe Luca could, but I kept that to myself. “Let’s not talk about them. Now that I’m on Luca’s radar, he’s never going to stop bothering me.” I stuffed the room assignment paper in my pocket and pointed at our new two-bedroom suite. “I have a better idea. As soon as we get our stuff unpacked, we should have a little afternoon pick-me-up. Coffee with a little Sambuca sounds good right about now.”
Silvia turned the key and pushed open the door to our room, and we stepped inside. “Nah, Irish coffee all the way, babe. I’ve got a bottle of whiskey in the trunk we can work with.”
I held up my fist, and Silvia bumped hers against it with a goofy smile splayed on her face.
“Cheers to that,” I said, planning to drink away my past feelings for Luca. He broke my heart when we were kids. I wasn’t about to let him do it again.
