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When I get to the kitchen island, I feel a hand on my shoulder.
“Leia! Where are you going?” I freeze, feeling the urge to walk off without even responding to him. Instead, I turn around and face him.
“I didn’t think you knew I was here, by the looks of it,” I accuse. He raises his eyebrows as if I’m talking nonsense.
“What’s your problem? I thought we were having a good time.”
I can’t stop the spiteful laugh that escapes.
“No,youwere having a good time. If you like blondes, why even bother dating me? You don’t think this is a waste of time?”
He gives me a confused look yet again. Here is one of many episodes featuring Nicholas Swanson gaslighting me.
“What are you talking about?” He can’t be serious. Or maybe he is. I just stare at him until he gets a clue. My eyes go outside to the girl in the pool, and she’s floating on the water, eyes closed. Looking peaceful. Fucking bitch. His eyes follow my gaze, and then he gets it. “Leia, don’t tell me this is about Stephanie. You’re mad that I was talking to her in the pool?”
“If you call that talking, sex is just kissing, yeah?”
He flinches at that. “I wasn’t flirting with her, babe. She was just being friendly.” Friendly, my ass. Friends don’t wrap their arms around each other and kiss each other’s cheeks.
“She kissed your cheek, Nick. And you didn’t stop her.” I hate the tears welling up in my eyes.
“Well, that’s more action than what I get from you.” I freeze. I just stare at him in disbelief. I knew Nick could be an asshole. But I didn’t think he’d stoop that low. His face doesn’t show that he’s apologetic. I just grab my keys and walk away. “Leia, wait. Don’t leave.”
“Nick, leave me alone. I need to be away from you right now.” I bolt away from him, tears building up to the point that my throat hurts. I can’t do this tonight.
I’ve driven thirty minutes from Nick’s villa in Malibu. As I wait at a stoplight, I look over the Pacific coast. The water’s beautiful, so peaceful and still. It’s the end of July, and I can’t wait until school starts. It’ill give me something to focus on.
I won’t have boy troubles to think about. At least, not a ton. At this thought, I suddenly look at Rubenstein’s campus as it sits on a hill above me. Such a big campus with a beautiful view. The campus that I’ll be living on for the next four years. The campus that will be my home. The campus that Jake Larson is currently living on.
Jake Larson. I wonder if he’s on campus tonight. He’s a popular guy, so I see him being at a bar. Or at least some sort of party. Still, that doesn’t stop me from driving up.
JAKE
It’s a Friday night and I’m sitting in my dorm.
I’m watching the Olympic hockey game, screaming at the TV whenever the American team misses a shot. I live for the cheapshots in the game. They’re idiotic plays and risky, but so entertaining to watch. This is what my weekends look like, for the most part. My teammates go out and get wasted, while I sit at home and study plays. It’s why they look up to me. I’m their captain. King Larson.
And it’s senior year. It’s a draft year for me. I was contacted sophomore yearandlast year by a few top NHL teams, but I wanted to wait to improve my stats. So I’ve gotten more serious about making the most of my college hockey career. One of the reasons why I suck at keeping friends—outside of my teammates. Maintaining a girlfriend is out of the question. It’s quite pathetic. But when you have an abusive dad who thinks you’re nothing more than a meathead whose body amounts to more than your brain, you don’t have a choice but to neglect your social life.
It’s the third period, and I hear a knock at my door. I look at it, confused as hell. Who would be dumb enough to bother me on a Friday night? None of my teammates would knock, since they live here.
Bracing myself to chew the shit out of a hockey groupie, I open the door and freeze when I find Leia standing there looking like every fantasy I’ve had. She’s wearing a sexy-as-hell blue bikini with a see-through cover-up. The blue looks so good against her almond skin. She has such a natural glow, and seeing the blue against it is doing something to me. I need to stop leering at her. She looks lost. She has a small smile on her face, and it’s all I can do to not say something stupid.
Clearing my throat, I open the door wider to invite her in. But she just stands there, looking unsure.
“Leia? What are you doing here? Are you okay?” This is a very dangerous game, her showing up here like this. She doesn’t say anything, and it’s starting to freak me out. “Leia—”
“I don’t know why I’m here,” she blurts out. I just give her a blank stare. “I didn’t think you’d be here. I sort of came here in passing, and I guess I figured you were out tonight. You know, since you’re a popular guy.” Something’s off. I’m worried about her. She’s doing this strange twitching that makes me think she’s been drinking.
“I-I’m not sure what you want me to say,” I say, unable to keep my laugh from coming out. She looks crazy and adorable at the same time, and I had no idea there was such a possible combination. “Do you want to come in?” She just continues to stare at me. She has to be drunk. “Leia—”
But I’m instantly shut up when she slams her lips against mine in a hungry kiss. I’m stunned for a second because, what. The. Hell. Her lips move against mine hungrily, like she’s searching for some reciprocation. And God knows I’m reciprocating. Her arms wrap around my neck as she stands on her tiptoes, pushing her tongue into my mouth. So fucking hot. One of us lets out a moan, and I’m not sure who. All I know is the girl of my dreams is making out with me right now, and it’s hard to process that fact. My arms squeeze around her tiny waist, her feeling so good in my arms. And then she does something so unexpected. I feel a small sting and then the taste of blood in my mouth. She bit my lip.
Growling, I pick her up, and she wraps her legs around me. I walk backward into the frat house, kicking the door closed. I trail kisses down her neck, leaving bite marks where I can. Her moans and whimpers trail down to my core. Fuck, she’s so sexy. But it’s as if a light switches on, and she gasps. Pulling back, she looks into my eyes, bewildered.
“Oh my gosh. Jake, I’m so sorry,” she says, covering her mouth.
“It’s okay,” I say, leaning back in to kiss her. I was mourning that kiss. But she backs away again, shaking her head. And then the weirdest thing happens. She starts crying. “Leia? Wait, wait, hun, what’s wrong?”
