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Her eyes narrowed. “That means no sleeping around, either. If we’re doing this, we’re going all the way. I don’t want to deal with bimbos regaling me with what they did with you the other night.”
“Fine.” That wouldn’t be a problem. “Same goes with you.”
“Yep. And then there’s the baby.” She waved to her stomach. “This isn’t going to stay flat forever.”
And just like that, I could picture her stomach swelling with our baby. A wave of possessiveness hit me hard, and I realized how excited I was. But that was not something I could unpack just then. “Let’s revisit this tonight. I have to get to practice.”
“Fine. My dorm, since my roommate is basically living with her boyfriend and is never there.”
There were people everywhere. Some cast us curious glances, and I knew it was the perfect time to seal the deal. I hadn’t forgotten our time together at the cove. It played far too often like a movie in my mind.
I moved closer to her, my hand at her hip. Another threaded into the back of her silky hair, tilting her face toward me. “Then let’s make this official and public too.”
I slanted my mouth over hers, reveling in the small gasp that escaped her lips as she melted into me. Her arms wound around my neck, and my heart stuttered with how right it felt to hold her. The heat of her body pressed enticingly against mine made everything around us fade into nothingness. She moaned, and I pulled her tighter in my embrace. God, I wanted all of her.
Awareness ripped through me. In my arms, she was responsive, willing, and so goddammed addictive. If I didn’t pull back, I wasn’t sure I would be able to stop.
CHAPTER SIX
ASPEN
Phoenix was late. No text. No call. And I knew football practice had ended hours before. His lack of consideration proved that I couldn’t count on him. It wasn’t going to work.
“The guy’s a jerk, Aspen. Do not put up with him ghosting you.”
I stood in the hall with Max, my new friend from 2D design class. “No arguments here, but there are extenuating circumstances.”
“Girl, no guy is worth waiting around for. Even one as hot as Phoenix fucking Bennett.” Max fanned himself. “Trust me on that.”
I laughed. “I agree with you on both points. And are you blushing?” I leaned closer and tapped my finger on his flushed cheek.
He rolled his eyes, and I laughed again. I was lucky to have met him, and that he lived on the floor above me was the icing on the cake. I’d caught him on the way to the gym when I was trying to storm out and go for a walk, since waiting for Phoenix was making the walls of my room close in on me.
“I may have peeked at one of the football practices when I went to watch Joel.”
“Cheerleader Joel? Are you guys dating?”
“Not exactly.” A slow grin pulled at his mouth, and the wicked gleam in his dark eyes told me all I needed to know. “But back to the douche canoeyou’re‘dating.’” He air-quoted. “He’s a big deal to the team. And… I can see why, even though I hate the guy. He’s talented.”
I shrugged because I didn’t care. “That has nothing to do with me.”
“Doesn’t it?” Max frowned. “You’re supposedly dating an NFL hopeful. He’s a big deal, and it’s only going to get worse on campus.”
“I don’t care about any of that, Max. And to be honest, I don’t know if it’s worth continuing with this lie just to keep my parents off my back.” I sucked in a breath as the prospect of being alone this year set in. Even though he was a new friend, I knew Max would be there for me as much as he could. My sister, too, but neither of them could be there for every doctor’s appointment or to help with notes if I wasn’t feeling like going to class. And—oh, God—the body changes. I wasn’t even able to face the thought of it. I had to give up diving. I would not give up surfing.
My first doctor’s appointment had come and gone. I hadn’t told anyone about it, but a part of me wished Phoenix had been there with me. The doc had recommended getting a book,What to Expect When You’re Expecting. I’d ordered it immediately, only reading through the chapter that coincided with my current month. There was no way I would skip ahead. It was too overwhelming.
“Hey.” Max brushed some wetness off my cheek. “It’s going to be okay. You know I’m here for everything, right?”
I peered at his concerned face, wondering if he would be there for me even if he knew the truth about the pregnancy.
“What the fuck did I tell you?”
I jerked away from Max, shocked to hear Phoenix’s voice. My jaw dropped as he barreled down the hall and shoved Max back.Oh no. I leapt between them. Max was tall, but Phoenix still had inches and about seventy-five pounds of muscle on him. They were not an even match. I smacked my palms against his chest and leaned into him to hold him back.
“Max is a friend,” I growled at Phoenix, almost gagging at the heavy scent of alcohol that wafted off him. “You have no right to treat him like that.”
“Get lost, Max,” Phoenix spat over my head.
