Scoring the Quarterback - SM Soto

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Table of Contents Title Page Copyright Other Books by SM Soto Dedication Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter 7 Chapter 8 Chapter 9 Chapter 10 Chapter 11 Chapter 12 Chapter 13 Chapter 14 Chapter 15 Chapter 16 Chapter 17 Chapter 18 Chapter 19 Chapter 20 Chapter 21 Chapter 22

Chapter 23 Chapter 24 Chapter 25 Chapter 26 Chapter 27 Chapter 28 Chapter 29 Chapter 30 Chapter 31 Chapter 32 Epilogue Acknowledgements About the Author

Scoring the Quarterback

S.M. Soto

The characters and events in this book are fictitious. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, places, or events is coincidental and not intended by the author.

If you purchase this book without a cover you should be aware that this book may have been stolen property and reported as “unsold and destroyed” to the publisher. In such case the author has not received any payment for this “stripped book.”

Scoring the Quarterback Copyright © 2018 SM Soto All rights reserved.

ISBN: (ebook): 978-1-945910-55-5 Inkspell Publishing 5764 Woodbine Ave. Pinckney, MI 48169

Edited By Vicky Burkholder Cover art By Najla Qamber Photography By Lindee Robinson Model: Nick Roberts

This book, or parts thereof, may not be reproduced in any form without permission. The copying, scanning, uploading, and distribution of this book via the internet or via any other means without the permission of the publisher is illegal and punishable by law. Please purchase only authorized electronic or print editions, and do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials. Your support of the author’s rights is appreciated.

OTHER BOOKS BY S.M. SOTO The Darkest Hour: A San Diegan Novel Damaged Heart (Coming August 2018)

DEDICATION To anyone that’s ever been told it was impossible. To those who have ever been told you can’t do it. This is for you.

CHAPTER ONE Natalia “I can’t believe we’re actually wasting our Friday night picking up this demon.” My best friend Sam groans from the passenger seat. My hands tighten on the steering wheel and I blow out a deep breath. “I know. Believe me, this is the last thing I want to be doing tonight, but if I don’t give her a ride from this party, I’ll never hear the end of it from her or my dad, so we’re ending this before it starts.” Sam grumbles something unintelligible under her breath and I roll my eyes at her. I’m supposed to be home studying for a psych exam on Monday, while my best friend Sam is missing her date in order to ride with me. Granted, I

said I could manage to pick up the anti-Christ on my own, but she refused, being my best friend and all. My half-sister, better known as the anti-Christ, AKA Gina, called me in the middle of my study session, demanding I pick her up from the party she’s currently at. Music blared through the speakers and I had to scream over the line just to be heard by her. It’s still a mystery to me how my sister gets invited to these parties, because she doesn’t even go to college. Even without being enrolled at San Diego State, she’s still known by more people on campus than I will ever be—which is totally fine by me. I’m there for one thing, and one thing only—my education. Everything else can just take a back seat. Screw the whole college experience. Thumping music and loud voices blare outside my car as we get closer to the frat house that’s throwing the party. I’m still a few blocks away, but I know if I drive any closer, there will be no parking up ahead. I pull out my phone and tap out a message to Georgina, letting her know I’m here. I glance at Sam who’s texting furiously on her phone. “Might want to slow down before you break the screen, Sam,” I admonish. “Shut up, Natalia. This is all your fault you know,” she says, turning to me with narrowed eyes. “I’d be getting laid right now if it wasn’t for you. You know that, right? You know how angry I get

when I go without a good dicking—it’s been two fucking days!” I sputter a laugh and receive a death glare from Sam. “I’m sorry, but no one told you to come, Samantha. You could’ve stayed home, taken your own car to get the ‘D’,” I chide. “You’re right, but I wasn’t about to let the devil walk all over you when you came to get her, so technically I should be getting a thank you.” “Thanks,” I reply sarcastically, unlocking my phone. There are no new notifications for text messages or calls. Damn my sister. She probably won’t bother to check her phone again, which means I’ll physically have to get out of the car, walk into a frat party, and let her know I’m here. I shiver just at the thought. Running a frustrated hand through my hair, I concoct a plan. “Okay, new plan, how do I look?” I ask Sam with a raised brow. She eyeballs me up and down, then shrugs. “Like you just came from the library, same as usual. Why?” I don’t have time to chew her out for saying I look like a librarian. Instead, I unbuckle my seatbelt and throw the car in park. “I’m gonna have to go down and get her. She won’t hear any of my calls with that loud music.”

“You’re kidding, right?” Sam damn-near yells. “Fuck the bitch. It’s not your job to babysit her, Natalia. You’re twenty-two years old for fucks sake, so that has to make her almost thirty!” I groan and rest my head on the seat. “She’s my sister Sam. And she is not thirty. She’s only twoand-a-half years older than me.” “Half. She’s only your half-sister. Let us not forget the devil was once an angel too.” Huh? I knit my brows together. “What does that have to do with anything?” She shrugs. “I’m not even entirely sure. I was just trying to make a correlation between her and the devil. Sounded better in my head though, obviously.” I shake my head and chortle at her stupidity. Damn, I love her. “But seriously, she’s the anti-Christ, let’s not forget that major factor,” she states as she tries to talk me out of doing this, all while I’m trying to talk myself into it. I don’t want to be anywhere near that damn party, but what other choice do I have? None. I never have a choice when it comes to my sister. For as long as I can remember, it’s always been about Gina. I think over the years, growing up, my father tried to overcompensate for cheating on Gina’s mother, then having a child with someone else. He’s always done everything to placate them.

It sort of makes me feel like I’m in a freaking Cinderella story or something. But that’s just something I’ve learned to live with. I close my eyes and give myself a mental pep talk. You can do this. Just in and out. Who cares that you’re wearing yoga pants and a tank top. Just do it. “Wish me luck,” I say as I push the door open and hop out of the car. With my phone gripped tightly in my hand, I walk up the street, unsure of where exactly I’m supposed to be going. Red plastic cups litter the sidewalk, letting me know I must be close. The deafening roar of rap music and wild college party goers only gets louder the closer I get. Light streams through the wide open front door of the house a few yards away from me. Drunken college kids fill the space inside and I force my legs to keep moving. Here goes nothing. I trudge across the lawn in my flip flops and hear a few drunken snickers from girls dressed to the nines in skimpy outfits and heels. I look down at my outfit and shrug, continuing toward the front door. I squeeze my way inside between the crowded bodies, unable to see beyond all the dry humping before me. “White Sand” by Migos blares throughout the house and I’m half tempted to cover my ears. Just go in and come right back out. In and out.

I recoil when hands slide around my hips. “Oh, no you don’t!” I shout whirling around slapping the hands wrapped around me. Some guy, drunk off his ass, lifts his hands off my hips and moves onto his next victim seemingly unbothered by my outburst. Jesus. I sigh irritably, pushing my way through all the dancing college kids—who seem like they’re in their own world—in search of my sister. I somehow manage to wiggle my way into the living room where I spot her immediately. On. Her. Fucking. Phone. My eyes narrow as I push my way through the bodies aggressively to get to her. When I do, I’m out of breath and seeing red. “What the actual fuck, Georgina!” I shout in anger. Her eyes snap up from her phone to my enraged ones. She proceeds to roll her eyes at me in a dramatic fashion. “What’s the problem now, Natalia?” My mouth hangs open and I gape at her. Is she kidding? She must be, right? I clench my teeth, mustering up enough strength to proceed. “Georgina.” I say her name as calmly as I can. “You asked me to give you a ride, and I drove all the way from my place to get you.” She stares back at me, waiting for me to go on, which only serves to thin my patience.

“I let you know I was here almost twenty minutes ago. What the hell?” I shout, way past the point of trying to be calm with her. She narrows her own eyes. “I didn’t say to get me right away Natalia, all I did was ask for a ride, but I meant later. See, if you were paying attention you would’ve noticed that major little detail,” she scolds, and I have to fight the urge to punch something or someone in the face. “So, what then?” I ask angrily. “I’m just supposed to wait until you’re ready to leave?” “No, it’s okay I found a ride, actually,” she says flippantly, with a shrug like it’s no big deal. My hands curl into fists at my sides, and I’m sure my face looks the same shade as a tomato. “You should stay and enjoy the party though. My ride can give us all a lift if you’d like?” she asks with a sweet smile. I try to smile back, but I’m sure it looks forced and probably really ugly. Taking a deep breath, I whirl away with my phone already in hand, dialing Sam. “What happened?” she asks on the first ring. I sigh and plug my ear with my finger to hear better. “Just go home and go on your dick date. It’s a long story but I’m staying.” I sigh. “Sorry I ruined your night.” “You’re not serious, are you?” Sam screeches, blowing out my eardrum.

“She’s drunk, and her friends are all stupid idiots.” “Fitting. Stupid idiots, just like her,” Sam snarks. “What if she gets a ride home from a drunk person? My dad will probably kill me. I’ll just stay for a while, then call us an Uber. No big deal. Take my car on your date—no sex on the seats, Samantha! I’m serious.” “I think that’s a stupid fucking reason for helping out the devil, but whatever. Just call if you need me. And no car sex, got it.” On a sigh, I hang up and place the tip of my phone to my forehead and bang it there, repeatedly. I’m at a stupid frat party, on sorority row, on a Friday night when I should be home studying. Fucking great. This is going to be the worst night of my life. I can already feel it. I walk back to the spot my sister and her friends were just habituating no more than a few minutes ago and come up short. I dart my eyes around the packed room but don’t see them. Motherfucker. Sighing deeply, I force my way through the bodies again until I end up in a kitchen. Liquor bottles and kegs line the counter surfaces, while puddles of what I hope is beer are all over the floor. The kitchen isn’t as packed as every other square inch of this house, so I use this little moment as a

reprieve from the chaos. Leaning against the counter, I close my eyes and take deep breaths to center myself. She’s your sister so you can’t kill her, I repeat to myself over and over. “Hey, I know you!” A boisterous voice shouts and my eyes fly open. A blond guy who’s the size of a bear is pointing at me like he knows me. What the hell? I search around me for anyone else he could be talking to, but nope, sure enough, he’s talking to me. He’s with a group of guys who are unrealistically huge, giving me the impression that they play a sport of some sort. It’s either that or these guys have all been taking steroids. “I had you in stats! I used to copy off you all the time when you weren’t looking, dude. Only way I could’ve passed that class.” He cackles with laughter, fist bumping his friends, and I narrow my eyes at him. I did take stats but I’m pretty sure I would’ve remembered this loud idiot. I look at his friends to see if I recognize any of them. My eyes rake them up and down with no spark of recognition. My heart stutters in my chest when my eyes land on a pair of narrowed green eyes that are trained solely on me. I freeze. Every cell in my body thrums to life, becoming hyper aware of the guy before me. My breath rushes out of me and I’m

momentarily lost in the swirling color of his eyes. I’d know this guy anywhere. Luke Caldwell. Gorgeous. Cocky. Star quarterback. MVP. The list goes on. He’s the talk of the campus. Everyone wants to be friends with him. Every guy wants to be him. And every girl on campus wants to know him. I also know he used to date my sister, which makes him off limits. Not that I even stood a chance with a guy like Luke Caldwell anyway. I don’t know many people at SDSU, but I’ve heard enough to know about Luke. You’d have to live under a rock not to know anything about him. He’s leaning casually against the wall, away from his group of friends, just staring at me. Unnamed and unfamiliar emotions flash across his face. I shift on my feet when it suddenly hits me. It all makes sense now—they’re football jocks. That definitely explains the bear-body build, and the boisterous laughter. I swallow thickly as I take him in. Even as he silently hangs back in the corner, I can feel the intensity surrounding him, it cackles in the very air of the kitchen, somehow making the oxygen I breathe heavy and thick. Luke Caldwell demands the attention of everyone in the room with a face chiseled to perfection and lean athletic build—he has to be at least six foot four. He has short copper

hair that’s longer on the top than it is at the sides and the most formidable pair of eyes I have ever seen. Luke’s dressed in a simple black tee that hugs all his thick muscles, and a pair of jeans. He makes the simplest of clothes look like something out of a designer campaign. He takes a sip from his red plastic cup, never once taking his dark eyes off me. It’s unsettling. The jock’s voice penetrates my stare-off with Luke as the idiot keeps shouting in his drunken rant. “You were so smart, it was fucking freaky, dude!” He laughs, and I shift my gaze to him. Narrowing my eyes at him, I place my hand under my chin and pretend like I’m thinking hard about something. “I remember you now!” I say pointing at him. He smiles back at his friends with a smug head nod. “You were that special needs guy from my stats class. I totally remember now.” I slap my hand to my forehead in a duh gesture. “How could I forget?” All his friends burst out laughing while he turns his furious gaze to me. “Major fucking burn, Shaun.” One of his friend shouts. I don’t wait for his reaction. I quickly turn around, running smack into Georgina. “Jesus, Natalia!” she yells. “You almost made me spill my beer.” Her whiny voice grates on my nerves. I rub my

aching shoulder that collided with her body in hopes it’ll keep me from shoving my fist down my sister’s throat. An apology would be nice, Gina. “Luke!” she squeals when she realizes who’s in the room behind me. I roll my eyes at her infuriating show of enthusiasm. Get a grip Georgina, he’s just a guy. A very hot, and desirable guy, but nonetheless, just a guy. Stop it! I berate myself internally for even having those thoughts. I turn around with a groan. Now that Gina’s spotted Luke, she’ll dig her claws into him, and we’ll probably be here for a while. Time to face the aftermath of my big mouth. Shaun, the guy I just insulted, is frowning at me and his friends are all still laughing. I at least have the decency to look apologetic for my insult. “Slutty G, how the hell do you know someone like her?” One of the guys asks incredulously, like he honestly can’t believe my sister would be friends with someone like me. Believe me buddy, we’re nowhere near friends. “Fuck off, J!” She spits venomously. I glance at Luke who’s now looking between me and Georgina with a subtle crease between his brows. His gaze falls back on mine and indifference clouds his features. He no longer looks intrigued by my presence—now he just looks down right disgusted by me.

Ouch. He doesn’t acknowledge my sister, he just pushes off the wall and walks out of the room. I breathe a little sigh of relief. No Luke means I won’t have to wait around long for Gina. I turn around to face my sister, a frown mars her pretty pale features, and if I’m not mistaken, she looks a little hurt by Luke’s brush-off. “Are you ready to go yet?” I ask as patiently as I can. Georgina downs her cup of beer and burps loudly in my face, and I swear I almost throw up. She walks away laughing and stumbling. Well, I guess I have my answer to that question. I have to keep telling myself it’s not okay to punch a drunk person. Let alone punch your drunk sister. I refrain from doing so by pulling up the text message notifications on my phone to distract me. Of course, they’re all from Sam. Sam: Call me if you need me then. I’m late for my dick date ;) I roll my eyes and open her attachment, immediately wishing I hadn’t. I’m scarred—the image she just sent me is etched into my brain forever, even if I don’t want it there. I text her back as quickly as my fingers will let me as I try not to gouge my eyes out simultaneously.

Natalia: NO MORE DICK PICS!!!!!! Sam: Aw c’mon. This dick looked better than the last There’s no doubt in my mind she’s rolling with laughter right now over my misery. If there’s one thing to know about my best friend, she loves to torture me in any way possible. Or anyone else for that matter. I swiftly open the Uber app on my phone to schedule a pickup since I don’t have my car anymore. There’s no way I’m calling Sam after seeing the intimate details of her dick date, and I’m sick and tired of waiting for Georgina. To hell with the consequences from my dad. She’s a big girl. She can take care of herself. After fighting my way out of the house filled with drunken party goers, I finally make it outside. The cool breeze is welcome after being in that house surrounded by warm bodies. It was so stuffy in there, I was beginning to hyperventilate. I scan the front of the house searching for an address to send the driver but can’t find anything that would work as an address for him. I groan in frustration. Can’t anything work in my favor? Walking away from the house, I make a left down the street, the way I came when I parked with Sam. I exhale in frustration and mumble insults to my sister under my breath. I could’ve

been at home right now, safely in bed, curled up with my textbook and a bag of chips. “Normally, I would say not being aware of your surroundings is dangerous and stupid, but the fact that you’re talking to yourself is enough to make a predator run the opposite way.” A deep voice a few yards away from me rasps, nearly sending me into cardiac arrest. I snap my gaze up, finding Luke Caldwell in all his glory, leaning against a sleek black BMW. I feel his voice in my stomach. That’s not good. Voices should stop at the ears, but his— no, his voice travels throughout my entire body. His is deep, confident, and smooth—like fucking butter. It’s exactly how I expected someone like Luke to sound. He has it all. Looks, popularity, and now a sinfully sexy voice to match. Damn him. My mouth opens and closes like a gaping fish. I’m at a complete loss for words, and it takes a few seconds for my brain to play catch up, digesting everything he’s just said. My eyes instantly narrow into thin slits. “I wasn’t talking to myself.” I clip. He raises his brows in an “oh really” expression calling my bluff. “Okay, well maybe I was, but that doesn’t mean I’m crazy,” I correct. Luke chuckles, crossing his thick arms over his chest, and I have to force my eyes not to follow the movement. “The fact you had to say you aren’t crazy probably means you are.”

“And you would know wouldn’t you,” I snark, my patience thinning. “One would think you were looking for trouble with the way you came walking out of that party, no doubt under the influence. Anything could happen to you out here by yourself. So yeah, I guess I would know crazy when I see crazy.” He shrugs with airy nonchalance, and I lose it. How dare he accuse me of looking for trouble? My anger starts to bubble over the surface, and I take threatening steps toward his casual stance against the car. He doesn’t even flinch a muscle as I advance. Surprise flashes in his eyes fleetingly, but the intensity and intrigue with which he regards me is unnerving. I stop no more than a few feet away from him and jab what I think is a threatening finger in his face. “You don’t know jack shit, asshole.” He chuckles again only fueling my anger. “What the fuck is so funny?” I shout. “This is seriously not the night to mess with me! I’m supposed to be studying for exams on Monday for Christ’s sake, not out babysitting at a freaking frat party!” I shout again. Great, I probably do look like a crazy person now. Shouting like a complete lunatic outside in the middle of the night. To my dismay, he doesn’t seem bothered by all my shouting, just all the more intrigued. He continues staring at me, searching for

something. What it could possibly be, I’m not entirely sure. “So, you’re friends with Georgina,” is all he says. Did he not just hear anything I said? Why are we now talking about Georgina? Then it hits me. Mother fucker. He wants me to talk to Georgina for him. Well too fucking bad Casanova. I’m not in the business of playing Cupid. His blank expression doesn’t change—he just watches me. Gauging my reaction. If he wants a reaction, I’ll give him one. “Friends?” I scoff. “She’s my sister. Well halfsister. And she’s also told me all the sordid details of you guys banging each other, so please don’t try to befriend me in hopes that I’ll put in a good word for you, because I won’t.” His brows pinch together, and something flits across his face for a brief second before he uncrosses his arms and looks me up and down. Not in a predatory way, but a way that says what the hell are you wearing? Is he seriously just now noticing my lack of slutty attire? “I was home studying. Gina said she needed a ride, but when I got here, she told me she had it covered,” I say in explanation. Luke smirks and shakes his head. “Typical Georgina.” I nod my head in agreement because he’s right.

She does this stuff all the time, and I always fall for it. “Why would I need you to get close to your sister? Do you not know who I am?” The way he asks the question irks me. Is this guy serious? I mean, of course I know who he is. He’s Luke Fucking Caldwell, but the fact that he knows how popular he is just shows he’s a total douche. I bark out a sharp laugh. “You have got to be the most self-centered guy I’ve ever met in my life.” He ignores my remark, instead switching the topic of our conversation. “We didn’t ‘bang’.” He air quotes for emphasis. “Your sister came onto me when I was drunk and offered her…services.” I scrunch my face in disgust and wave my hands to cut him off. “Please, don’t say anymore. I already feel like I might throw up after some of the things I’ve seen tonight.” He laughs at the repulsed look on my face and I frown. “Where’s your car?” Luke asks as he scans the area for any cars nearby that might be mine. I sigh. “Not here with me. I was just gonna get a ride from an Uber, but I don’t have an address to give. That’s why I was talking to myself. Trying to think of another option.” I look around the street still trying to find anything akin to an address. “I can give you a ride,” he offers casually, still leaning against his shiny car. I pause for a beat,

then purse my lips, crossing my arms over my chest protectively. Getting a ride home from a guy like Luke Caldwell can only result in one thing, and that’s something I’m not interested in. No matter how fine he is. “Thanks, but no thanks. I think I’d rather be hit by a bus than get a ride home from you.” I’m hoping spewing hurtful things will give him the impression I’m not interested when really, I am, but he sure as shit doesn’t need to know that. He doesn’t even seem the least bit offended. He just shrugs like it’s no big deal. “In all honesty, I think I’d rather be the one driving said bus but hey, I can’t always get everything I want.” “Did you seriously just imply that you’d like to run me over with a freaking bus?” I ask incredulously. “Yeah, sounds like I did.” I narrow my eyes at him and my nostrils flare. I’ve heard a lot of things about Luke, and being an asshole to people has always been the most frequent of discussions about him. That and the fact that he’s a manwhore. Can’t forget that. “You do realize you’re an asshole, right?” I raise an inquisitive brow and he smiles. Framing his perfectly straight teeth and full lips are two incredibly attractive dimples. Jesus. This guy can do no wrong when he shows

off those things. They’re disarming. “Fine,” I acquiesce and grumble under my breath all the way to the passenger side of the car. Luke unlocks the doors and I drop into the seat stiffly, with my arms over my chest like a petulant child. After giving him directions, he starts the car and most of the drive is done in silence. I faintly hear the beat to my current favorite song on the radio and ask Luke to turn it up. He tweaks the knobs in the center console of his car, turning up the stereo. I quietly sing the lyrics of “The Middle” by Zedd, and can feel Luke’s stare at the side of my head. “Stop looking at me. It’s weird,” I grumble, trying to lose myself back into the song. “You’re weird,” he quips, and I whip my head over toward him. Does he always have to have some sort of comeback? It’s freaking irritating. I heave a deep sigh and go back to my silent singing. “You’re pretty good.” I frown. “Good at what?” “Singing,” he states, and I laugh. Like really laugh. “Are you kidding?” I ask through my laughter. “I’m horrible at singing. I think a dying cat sounds better than I do.” I shift in my seat toward him and see a small smile play at the corners of his lips. “Yeah, I know. I was just kidding.” His grin turns devious, and I have the urge to shove my fist in his

face yet laugh all the same. “You’re a dick,” I grumble under my breath. That gets a loud rumbling laugh out of him, and I have to force myself not to smile at his laughter. It’s infectious. Smug asshole. “Yeah, I know, babe. Pretty sure everyone knows it too.” My heart stutters in my chest at his little endearment. I’ve never been called babe by anyone in my entire life. Hearing it come out of Luke’s mouth does something strange to me. I have to remind myself who he is, and what he does for a living besides play football—be a whore. He calls everyone babe, Nat, don’t feel too special. “You know this is just a ride, right?” I find myself saying into the silence of his car. “You’re not expecting anything from me? Because I don’t even like you.” Luke mashes his lips together, trying to stifle his laughter, and I frown once again. Why is he always laughing at me? “I know for certain I don’t like you either, so rest assured there’s nothing to worry about. It’s just a ride.” I should feel better now that he’s said that, but instead I feel like he’s just slapped me in my face. I mean, I know I’m not the prettiest girl in the world but damn, doesn’t he find me the least bit

attractive? Way to squash a girl’s self-esteem. The rest of the ride to my apartment is in awkward silence. Or maybe I’m just feeling awkward after he basically said he doesn’t like me and thinks I’m ugly. Sure, he didn’t say that in so many words, but try telling that to my brain. That piece of gray matter interprets things any way it wants. He throws the car in park, and I shuffle quickly to get out. Before closing the door, all I can offer is one word. “Thanks.” As lame as it is, I hurry up the stairs to my door and rush inside. I rest my body against the door, and my chest heaves with the realization of what this night turned into. Holy shit. I just got a ride home from the Luke Caldwell. Pulling away from the door, I drag myself into my room and lie on my bed, staring up at the stark white ceiling. Thoughts of Luke cloud my mind and I’m no longer interested in studying.

CHAPTER TWO Natalia It’s been two months since I last saw Luke, and for that, I’m all too thankful. A few weeks after my ride home with him and I still wasn’t able to get him out of my head. He’s everywhere I look, and I often find myself searching for him on campus— which is just absolutely crazy because I’ve never seen him on campus anyway. Luke Caldwell might as well be a ghost. He’s untouchable. After a few weeks, I am slowly—but diligently—purging him from my mind and getting back to the way life was before I ever met Luke Caldwell. Work and school; work and school. The fall semester is going to start in a few weeks, so I’ll need to prepare myself for another busy

workload. I’ve already talked to my boss CJ at the Bar and Grille, asked if I can leave early on Tuesdays and Thursdays for classes. The class I’m most excited about taking is Psych of Personality. It’s required for my major, which is psychology, but unlike most other students, I’m looking forward to it. I’ve always wanted to be someone with a career that actually helps people, especially because of the way I grew up. I didn’t really know my mother all that well as a child, and I think that undoubtedly messed with my childhood. My dad was married with a child of his own—Georgina—and he went off and found himself a little sidepiece who turned out to be my mother. He traded in the older model, which was Gina’s mother, for a newer model who was my mother. She was from Mexico, and she wasn’t a legal documented citizen. My dad knocked her up and, well, lo and behold, here I am. Instead of being the better man and divorcing Gina’s mother to marry my own, he strung her along until she had me—he strung both women along, actually. I briefly remember parts of her but not everything a young girl should remember about her mother. I remember what she smelled like— coconut and vanilla bean meshed together. I spent most of my teenage years searching for a fragrance that matched hers to a T. It took me a while, but I finally managed to concoct a fragrance similar to

hers. I can hardly remember what her voice sounded like. She would sing to me in Spanish when I was just a little girl. It was beautiful. I can’t remember the song or the words, but I do know that whenever she sang it, I was happy. I vaguely remember what she looked like. Usually, I have to stare at the pictures I have of her until they spur buried memories of my childhood. Three damn pictures are all I have left of my mother. The first, her holding me as a baby. The second, our smiling faces shoved in front of the camera. And the third, my mother sitting on a rock somewhere, smiling at something in the distance. That one’s my favorite. It captured her beauty perfectly. Tan skin, full red lips tipped into a smile, with big brown doe eyes, and long thick strands of dark hair blowing behind her. She was the most gorgeous woman I’ve ever seen to date. The epitome of beauty. I can easily see why my father fell for her. She was stunning in every way. Gina’s mother was furious when she found out my dad knocked up another woman, so she did what all scorned women do when they know they’re close to losing their happily ever after. She sabotaged my mother by having her deported back to Mexico. I was only four years old at the time. Can you say fucked up? I know I can. We kept in touch with her as best as we could, but my father would never let me go visit her or my

family in Mexico. Eventually, he stopped allowing the calls, and I lost contact with my mother. It was hard. Especially since I didn’t understand why any of this was happening. I was just a kid. I still don’t know why he kept me away from my mother, the woman who I’m positive would’ve given her life for me. I can’t ask him about it because the conversation always turns into a heated argument. I get that I was born as an American citizen, but what I don’t get is why couldn’t she take me with her? I mean surely Gina’s mother would’ve preferred that instead of my father moving me in with his family. It’s hard to believe becoming a Mexican citizen is harder than becoming an American citizen. My only guess—my mother didn’t want me to be stuck in Mexico with her. She had to have been working here for a reason, and maybe it was to get away from the place she grew up in. Around the time I turned twelve, my father sat me down and told me my mother had passed away. Something about pneumonia or asbestos in the chest. It was devastating. I was hurt. Beyond hurt. Because my mission was to one day meet the family that should’ve been mine. I had a plan— once I turned eighteen, the first chance I got, I would find my mother, and make up for lost time. Instead I got stuck with my father and Gina. Yeah, my dad loves me, but not like he loves Gina. He’ll

do anything for her, and he almost always does. As for me, he can’t ever find the time to make an effort—which is fine. I get it. He didn’t ask for me, yet he ended up stuck raising me while my mother, who would’ve done most of the work, died. But sometimes I can’t help but be angry and let the hate fester. I didn’t ask for any of this. I didn’t ask for my father’s wife to hate my very existence. I didn’t ask for my half-sister to loathe me. And I sure as hell didn’t ask to grow up without a mother. Call it naïve, but how is any of this my fault? I didn’t ask for it. The few pictures of her that I stole from my father are all I really have left, no other ties binding us together. I just wish I was given the choice to leave with her instead of being forced to stay here with a dad who doesn’t love me like he loves his first born. This is the main reason I don’t date, because of the fear of dealing with something like this. Yeah, it’s a little far-fetched that it will happen to me too, but you never know. That’s not a chance I’m willing to take. When I’m ready, I’ll find someone who is worth everything, someone who can’t live their life without me in it, someone who is willing to put me first, and we’ll spend our lives together happily. No drama, no fucked-up family issues—just us. For once in my life…I just want to come first.

CHAPTER THREE Natalia Today’s the first day back from break and I’m beyond ecstatic. The quicker I finish my education, the faster I can get the hell away from Gina and my dad and move on with my life. There isn’t very much diversity here at San Diego State, so my tan skin usually stands out among everyone else. They say your college years are where you build longlasting relationships, and make some of your best friends, but honestly, I couldn’t disagree more. Some of the students here are complete assholes, which is why I don’t bother befriending anyone. As for the campus, it’s beautiful. Pictures don’t do it justice. With lush green palm trees, white stucco Spanish architectural buildings, and clear blue

skies, you almost feel like you’re at a resort somewhere in Latin America. I take a seat in the center of the lecture hall in my psyche class. As I’m pulling my notebook out of my shoulder bag, I hear someone slide into the seat beside me. I roll my eyes in irritation. I hate it when people take the seat right next to me when a class isn’t even full. Like seriously dude? There are hundred other seats to choose from. Why me? After pulling the essentials out of my bag, I shift to glance at the annoying stranger beside me, and my mouth drops open. “Was wondering when you’d notice me.” Luke chuckles, showcasing his dimples. I forget to breathe for a second. What the hell is Luke Caldwell doing in this class? My class? And that’s exactly what I ask him. “What the hell are you doing here?” I demand with narrowed eyes. “Are you following me?” That gets a howling, stomach-holding laugh out of him. “Wow, it’s amazing you even made it through the lecture doors with that big head of yours,” he teases. “I hear being humble is good every now again. You should try it.” I roll my eyes because, as annoying as he is, he’s completely right. That was a little too assumptive of me to presume he was here just for me. Wishful thinking on my part I guess.

“And if you must know why I’m here, it’s obviously because I’m taking this class, all semester long—with you.” I slouch in my seat and groan. Right when I purged thoughts of him from my mind and finally got my head on straight, this would happen to me. Of course it would. Why me? Thankfully Luke doesn’t talk much during our first class. I sort of forget he’s even sitting next to me. Aside from my sneaky glances out of the corner of my eye, it feels like an ordinary day of class. Who am I kidding? Of course I can’t forget Luke Caldwell is sitting right next to me during the lecture. His body heat radiates off him, and the smell of his cologne will permanently be ingrained in my memory. Why do hot guys always smell so good? It’s unfair. You can’t be completely gorgeous and smell delicious too. It’s just not fair to the rest of the decent looking population. My heart nearly explodes out of my chest when Luke’s firm arm lightly grazes mine. I momentarily forget to breathe as my stomach buzzes with what feels like thousands of angry bees. I can’t explain why the small touch has such a profound effect on me, but all I know is, I’m not happy about it. In fact, it makes me angry. I’m not this girl—I don’t

trip over myself and fall over hot guys with freaking hearts in my eyes, but for some reason, here I am, close to doing that. He doesn’t ever need to know that though. For all Luke knows, I can’t stand him. After the professor dismisses us, I gather my notebook, stuff it back in my bag, and get ready to head to my next class. It’s not too far from here, only about a seven-minute walk, so I’ll have a good fifteen minutes to spare before that class starts. “Where are you heading to now?” I jolt at the sound of Luke’s deep voice beside me. I thought for sure he would’ve been one of the first out of the door when we were dismissed, so I’m more than surprised to still see him here. I shift my eyes and meet his gaze. I’m momentarily lost in the swirling color there. I don’t think I’ve ever met anyone with such intricate eyes. They’re gorgeous —more so than my average brown ones. His eyes are hazel, but not like any hazel I’ve ever seen. The brown is so light I can easily make out green and shards of blue. Luke continues staring down at me expectantly. His Aztecs football tee shirt hugs his muscles to perfection, and his sweats somehow make him look hotter than usual. There’s something to be said about a guy who dresses casually without thinking twice about it. There’s no doubt in my mind, Luke dresses in whatever way he wants, whenever he

wants. He doesn’t have to try to look good or dress nice because he obviously looks good in anything. I clear my throat, coming to the realization I haven’t answered his question. Instead, I’ve just been standing here, gawking at him like a mesmerized fangirl meeting someone like Justin Bieber for the first time. For the record, Luke Caldwell is so much hotter than Justin Bieber. “I, um, I’m heading to my next class over in the EC building.” He runs a hand through his wayward hair, making it somehow look like he just rolled out of bed, but instead of bedhead, his hair looks like something out of a GQ magazine. How is it that I have to spend a good half hour on my hair and all he has to do is run his hand through his in a matter of seconds and the result looks amazing? Unfucking-fair. “I’m headed that way for my next class too. I’ll walk with you.” He leaves no room for argument. Thoughts come rushing in all at once, making my heartbeat speed up. Holy shit, what if we share another class together? Can I handle being around him again? Why wouldn’t I though? He’s just a guy. A stupid, gorgeous, man-whoring guy, who just so happens to look like the man of my dreams. What if— “Hey,” Luke chuckles, snapping me out of the wayward thoughts. “Are you coming? You zoned

out for a second.” I plaster a reassuring smile on my face. “Yeah, of course. Sorry. I was just thinking about my next class. You said you were headed the same way?” I try to keep the jittery nerves I’m feeling out of my voice. Luke nods, allowing me to lead the way out of the aisle in the lecture hall. Please don’t say Abnormal Psych. Please don’t say Abnormal Psych. I repeat the mantra over and over again, even though some sadistic part of me hopes he’ll say the same class. “Yeah, I’m headed to the speech building for Spanish.” I breathe a sigh of relief, or maybe I deflate at his answer. I’m not entirely sure. I keep my fake smile plastered on my face as we walk silently beside each other. I can’t tell if this feels awkward or if I’m just acting weird. Probably the latter. “Why do you keep smiling like that? You look constipated or something.” Luke looks down at me with a perplexed expression and my face heats. Oh God. Can this get any worse? My smile falters, morphing into a scowl and I narrow my eyes in what I presume to be a threatening manner, all the while grumbling insults under my breath. Great, constipation and my face put in the same sentence is not a good thing. Especially coming from a guy like Luke Caldwell.

“I was kidding Natalia. You just looked like you were thinking too hard.” He nudges my arm with his elbow and my lip twitches, ruining the effect of my scowl. “You do realize girls don’t like to be told that they look like they’re constipated, right?” I raise a questioning brow, and Luke just shrugs with his dimpled grin in full effect. “Honestly, I couldn’t really care less. I say what’s on my mind, whenever it’s on my mind. I have a no bullshit policy.” The seriousness implied in his tone makes me downright laugh. A few people walking past us on their way to classes look at me like I’m crazy. “A no bullshit policy?” I scoff. “Good lord, you are something else entirely.” Luke’s dimples deepen, and he suddenly stops walking, right in front of the statue of Samuel L. Black. I follow suit, cocking my head to the side in a “what’s up” gesture. “Gotta get to my next class.” He points to the building behind him. “See you around,” is all he says before casually walking away into the building. He’s so calm and collected. He has this natural swagger about him, no doubt due to the fact that he’s a smug bastard who probably gets everything he wants. But nevertheless, it actually looks good on him. He’s probably one of the only men in

history who can pull off being as confident as he is. My eyes shift from the doors he just disappeared through to all the people around me staring as intently as I am. It seems like wherever Luke is, that’s where everyone’s eyes are too. He’s magnetic. It’s almost like they all stop to watch his every move. I shake my head, ridding myself of any lingering thoughts about him. Instead of feeling happy that he’s gone, I feel the complete opposite. I’ve only spent one class with him, and this is what he’s already doing to my head? How the hell am I supposed to make it through the rest of the semester? I force my legs to move so I can get to my next class. Focus, Natalia, focus. That’s the mantra I use the rest of the day.

CHAPTER FOUR Natalia On my way to class the next day, I repeatedly attempt to convince myself that it is just like any other day. Just focus on your classes, and your work. Nothing else. Ignore the wonderful smell of Luke at all costs. Who’s to say he’ll even sit by me again anyway? Maybe he’ll decide to torture someone else today. After finding a decent parking spot, I make the trek across campus to my class. I’ve always loved walking around campus. The buildings here remind me of old missions or pueblos. Palm trees are strategically placed throughout the campus, giving it a tropical feel. Inhaling a deep breath of the fresh air, I smile as I walk into the lecture hall for class.

There are only two other people here. I’m always early to every class. I hate being late to anything. Just the thought of being late makes me want to break out in hives. A shiver crawls up my spine and I shake it off, forcing myself to finish any work for my other classes. If I’m being honest, there isn’t very much work to be done because I finished everything ahead of time. I always do. With a good twenty minutes to spare before class starts, I occupy myself with mapping out my paper for one of my other classes. It’s not due for another few months, but what’s the harm? It never hurts to be ahead of schedule. I don’t know how much time passes, but when I feel someone sit next to me, my muscles tense in anticipation. I timidly tilt my head toward the seat, disappointed at the sight before me. A blonde girl with glasses and chipped red nail polish is carefully setting out her class supplies, effectively deflating my hopes that it would be Luke in her place. Maybe it’s a good thing she sat there instead of him. He’s obviously too much of a distraction for me. I still can’t tell if I like him or loathe him. His attitude gets on my nerves, and his humor completely irks me. He’s definitely good looking. I don’t think there’s any girl on this campus who can deny that. But looks aren’t everything, and I’m not sure Luke has any other good attributes other than his looks, which is really sad.

Class begins, and I push all thoughts of whoring quarterbacks aside to focus. Halfway into the lecture I notice someone slide into the unoccupied seat beside me, but I don’t pick up my head to acknowledge who it is. I can’t risk missing a word of this lecture and fall behind. I swear this professor talks like he’s an auctioneer or something. My hand is starting to cramp, and I wouldn’t be surprised if I contract carpal tunnel after taking this damn class. I know professors say to only write down the important things, but I don’t know how to do that. Everything that comes out of his mouth sounds important—so I write it all down. A clean and woodsy scent infiltrates my senses, causing my hand to falter with my frantic writing. Jesus, that smells good. It almost smells like sandalwood and…Luke. My suspicions are confirmed as I peek out of the corner of my eye, and lo and behold, there he is. Forcing my eyes back to the podium so I don’t ogle him, I try to refocus. I groan when I look up at the professor standing at the podium. He’s already switched to the next slide, and now I’ve missed those notes. I strain to listen in on what he’s saying, but I can’t decipher what he’s talking about since he’s moved onto the next topic. Propping my elbows on the desk, I drop my face into my hands. Sometimes I really, really, hate college.

Is the master’s degree really worth it? I silently ask myself. “I can be your tutor if you really need me to.” His voice sends a jolt of electricity through my body, and I snap my gaze up to his. Luke is leaning back in his seat with his arms crossed behind his head. Today he’s dressed in another Aztec’s football shirt and a pair of basketball shorts with a stark white pair of Nike’s. His scent wafts around me, and I take inconspicuous sniffs so I don’t seem like a complete weirdo. Who am I kidding? That ship has already sailed. His cologne or whatever the hell it is, is freaking magnificent. Someone needs to bottle that up and save it for later, maybe even sell it somewhere. I snap out of my idiotic thoughts, immediately noticing he doesn’t even have a notebook or pen out. His desk is empty. “How the hell can you possibly tutor me if you haven’t even been taking notes?” I hate that I probably always come off as a bitch around him, but his distracting good looks irritate me. I’m not like most girls. I can see a hot guy and look the other way without a care in the world, my mind already onto the next school project that needs to be done. But something about Luke makes my brain turn to mush, forcing me to act out like an irrational asshole. Luke shrugs.

“I don’t physically need to take notes. I have a good memory.” He taps his temple with his index finger. “Everything gets saved right up in here.” I huff out an exasperated breath. “Sure, let me know how that works out for you.” “It’s worked out pretty good for me so far.” I do my best to ignore Luke because quite frankly I’m close to throttling him. His talking is distracting me from the lesson that I’m now behind on. “So, what do you do for fun?” he suddenly asks, and I purse my lips, deciding if I should ignore him, or give him an answer. I turn to face him, deciding it’s in my best interest to answer, maybe then he’ll shut up. “I mostly hang with my roommate Sam, or my friend Aliza from work. Other than that, it’s just pretty much work and school for me.” His face sours like he’s in actual pain from hearing my answer. “God what a shitty life.” “Hey! It is not. It just means I’ll be ready to start my career that much faster,” I hiss in a whisper. He doesn’t realize how badly I want to start my career, distancing myself from my dad and sister. “And what about everything else? Aren’t you interested in experiencing your college years at all? You won’t be young forever.” He throws it out there like it’s something that hasn’t crossed my mind before, and I narrow my eyes at him.

“I know that asshole, but I’m also not the type of girl who enjoys going to wild parties.” “I figured that much,” he suggests, making me frown further. “I can already imagine what your home life looks like. You and your roommate sitting around reading textbooks all day, braiding each other’s hair.” He sighs dramatically for show. That gets a laugh out of me. Samantha reading a textbook? I’d pay to see that. Pretty sure the only things Samantha reads are text messages and the food labels on her Oreo cookies. “Not even close. My best friend is the exact opposite of me. She’s the outgoing party girl who sleeps with any guy who looks capable of giving her an orgasm.” Luke’s eyebrows lift in surprise. “Didn’t see that one coming.” “Yeah, most people don’t when they see us together.” I shrug, used to people’s surprise when they find out who my best friend is. “Is there a reason you two are holding a conversation during my lecture?” Our professor’s voice rings out through the lecture hall and my body freezes—turning into a statue. My face visibly heats, and I flinch in mortification. Oh God. This is bad. So bad. My mouth opens and closes like a gaping fish. I don’t even know what to say to get out of this

situation. I sink farther into my seat with the weight of everyone’s stares on me and Luke. “Sorry, professor. My friend here was asking if I had any Pepto-Bismol, you see she’s been having the runs all morning, and didn’t want to have to keep getting up to disrupt your class.” I swing my gaze to Luke, and stare at him in horror. Did he really just say that? In front of a class full of two hundred students, maybe more? If it’s possible for my face to turn any redder, it does. All I want to do is disappear—die of embarrassment. I take a chance looking at the professor who is just nodding his head in understanding. Is he seriously believing this? Oh God, if he believes it, so will everyone else. I sink farther into my seat, any lower and I’ll slip right onto the floor. When the professor begins his lecture again, I whip my head around to face Luke, practically throwing darts with my eyes. “Seriously? The runs!” I hiss. Luke sputters a laugh and shrugs like it shouldn’t be a big deal. “Crisis averted. You’re welcome.” I narrow my eyes at him, and his mouth twitches, hiding a smile. Easy for you to say. “I hate you. I hope you know that.” Luke shrugs. “Join the club, baby girl.” I do my best to ignore him the remainder of the

class as well as all the stares I’m now getting from everyone else. Have I mentioned how much I hate him? Because I do. Once we’re dismissed, I hastily gather my stuff in my bag, trying like hell to escape before everyone else. I’m going to be known as the girl with the runs forever, thanks to jock-jackass. “Hey, Luke,” a sultry voice purrs beside me, blocking my escape route. The girl is absolutely gorgeous. All legs and perfect skin. Luke smiles at her, making a show of looking her up and down, obviously liking what he sees. I roll my eyes at the two that are so obviously eye fucking each other. “Well, well, to what do I owe the pleasure?” he says smoothly, and she giggles like a horny little school girl. I swear I almost gag. Shooting to my feet, I try to a move out of the aisle but she’s blocking my way. Her eyes don’t shift to me at all, almost as if I’m invisible, like it’s not even worth it for her to look at me. “Excuse me,” I say irritably. She doesn’t look at me, just shoulders past me, falling into Luke’s open arms. Man-whoring up close and personal. How great is that? I roll my eyes and walk to my car in an irritable mood. I hate going to work when I’m upset because I don’t like taking my problems out on my

customers, but damn, Luke has a way of getting under my skin. Thankfully, by the time I clock in for my shift, my fury has subsided. Don’t get me wrong, I still hate Luke, but at least now, I’m not walking around like a ball of anger, ready to explode. The Bar and Grille is just as wild and lively as it always is. On the outside, it looks like your average beach shack, but on the inside, it’s incredible. There’s a wall of floor to ceiling windows with an amazing view of the beach, a fully stocked bar, dark mahogany wood with dim lighting, in-house bands playing music and beach fixtures strategically placed throughout the restaurant. CJ, the owner, worked really hard on renovating the inside. His father, who was the original owner of the Bar and Grille before he passed away, wanted the Bar and Grille to be a place that made people feel comfortable, and I think CJ mastered that with his renovations. The place is buzzing with the loud clatter of plates and shouts from my fellow co-workers as they hustle back and forth. A smile tugs at the corners of my lips when I see Sam sitting next to our friend, Aliza, the new girl. Aliza’s long, golden blonde hair flows behind her back, and her arctic blue eyes look brighter today than they did yesterday. The first day I met her, I knew she needed a friend, so I made it my mission to include her in everything Sam and I did. Her first

few days of working here were quiet and kind of awkward, but now, Sam and I are both starting to see bits and pieces of her personality. It brings a smile to my face. It feels like she’s part of our duo now—I never thought I’d meet another person I’d consider my best friend other than Sam, but Aliza has changed that. No one should ever look as sad and alone as she does. There was only one person I knew before her who had that same look— Samantha. “Hey guys.” I slide into the seat next to Aliza. Both of my friends smile at me. “Well, shit, look who it is,” Sam says, and I groan. “Please don’t say shit, poop, or crap for the rest of the day. I don’t ever want to think of those bodily fluids ever again.” They both furrow their brows, and of course Samantha is the first one to say something. “Why would I ever say poop, or crap Natalia? I mean seriously, do you even know me at all?” She feigns hurt, placing a hand over her wounded heart. I crack a smile and roll my eyes. “Forgive me Sam, if hearing those words remind me of the most embarrassing day of my life to date.” I drop my head into my hands, reliving my mortification in class earlier. How am I going to show my face again? “What happened?” Aliza asks from beside me. I

proceed to tell both her and Sam about Luke and what he said. They both erupt with laughter at my expense. “Oh God, that is priceless. I can’t believe he actually did that!” Sam cackles loudly, gaining the attention of other tables. “I really need to meet this guy now. He’s A-Okay in my book if you ask me.” I narrow my eyes at her threateningly. “You will never meet him because I’m staying far away from him from here on out. We’ve only known each other for a week, and I seriously already want to stab him in the eye.” “That’s pretty devious and evil. Maybe you should stay away from him then, diarrhea girl,” Sam jokes playfully as she and Aliza start laughing all over again at my expense. With a roll of my eyes, I get up from the table to start my shift. “Hardy, har, har. You’re so funny,” I throw over my shoulder in passing. *** My nerves are ridiculously jumbled as I walk to psyche class. I’ve had one whole day to prepare for the embarrassing walk of shame that comes with entering this class, and I’m still not entirely ready. Damn Luke Caldwell and his stupid humor. I hate him. I mean really, really hate him. I get to class early, as usual, sliding into a seat in

the back of the class. Far, far away from the professor, and hopefully most of the students. Maybe I’ll blend into the corner—hopefully no one will even know I’m here. Pulling out my notebook and pen, I wait patiently for the class to fill up. The faster it gets started, the faster I’m out of here. I scroll through my Instagram feed on my phone to pass the time. The lecture hall fills with chatter that grows louder by the second, the class finally starting to fill up with students. Leaning back in my chair, I continue stalking Kim Kardashian’s Instagram page. I’m not proud of it, but I can’t help it. She’s just so aesthetically pleasing to look at. Perfect face, perfect hair, perfect body; it’s a little unfair. She’s annoying yes, but you can’t deny the woman is freaking beautiful. “You remind me of her.” Luke’s voice jolts me out of my celeb stalking. I shift in my seat to face him, furrowing my brows. “Of who?” “Kim Kardashian.” He lifts his chin pointedly at my phone. I open my mouth to say something, then wisely shut it, thinking better of it. This is no doubt a joke or a trap. There’s probably an insult in that answer somewhere. “What’s that supposed to mean? Is that another insult?” I cross my arms over my chest defensively and raise a brow expectantly. Luke chuckles, revealing his perfect smile and perfect teeth—

infuriating me to no end. “Calm down, tiger, it was a compliment.” I narrow my eyes in scrutiny and grumble. “Somehow, I find that very hard to believe.” “What’s so hard to believe? You guys have similar features, the tan skin, dark hair—except for her ass. That shit is just out of control. Thigh to ass ratio doesn’t lie, baby, and hers? Well, there’s something fishy going on.” I do my best to stifle my laugh because that whole family has taken ass proportions to another level. I don’t know who she thinks she’s fooling because we all know it’s not real. It’s impossible. “Well, thanks. I guess,” I say wearily, unable to meet his gaze. We both stop talking once the class starts. I take notes like the good student that I am while Luke sits there with his phone in hand and nothing else on his desk. I shake my head and roll my eyes. Good luck passing this class, buddy. Typical jock. “By the end of class, everyone will need to choose a partner who you will work with for the remainder of the semester. You both will conduct a study on the behavior and psyche of one another. Per the syllabus, this is due the week before finals begin. I suggest you all get started soon.” I deflate in my seat. Partners, seriously? What are we, in third grade?

I’ve always hated working with a partner for schoolwork. Somehow, I always get stuck with someone who doesn’t care about their grade or the quality of their work, so I’m the one left doing everything. I prefer working alone—it’s faster and error free. “Alright, when are we meeting up to start this?” Luke asks, and I whip around to face him. “Excuse me?” I scoff. “What makes you think I’m going to be your partner?” Incredibility laces my voice. Luke tosses his head back and laughs. “Believe me, the feeling is mutual, but what other choice do you have sweets?” My jaw clenches in irritation. “I have choices, asshole,” I retort, gaining another chuckle from him. “Right. Of course you do,” he says sarcastically with a head nod. I avert my gaze, shifting my attention to the rest of my classmates. The majority of the students have already found their partners. I huff out a breath in irritation. Damn him. Turning back toward him, internally fighting the urge to wipe the smug look off his face, I physically restrain myself from stabbing him in the eye with my pen. “You did this on purpose,” I accuse through narrowed slits. He chuckles wholeheartedly. “You give me way too much credit, sweets. I

actually like it.” He winks at me and I know in that moment, without a doubt, this is a test from God. He’s testing me, making sure I won’t murder someone out of anger. It all makes sense now. “Fine. We can be partners,” I concede in defeat. He smiles victoriously, and God help me if I don’t like the way his dimples deepen. After class, Luke and I exchange numbers to set up a time and place that best suits the both of us to start the project. Not even five minutes go by in my next class, and I already have a new message from him. I swipe across the screen with a small shake of my head. Luke Caldwell 10:30 a.m.: Look, now that you have my number I don’t want you booty calling me in the middle of the night, Natalia. I scoff at his message, quickly typing out a reply. Natalia 10:31 a.m.: In your dreams. The text bubble pops up on the screen indicating he’s typing. Luke Caldwell 10:33 a.m.: No seriously, if you ever need anything don’t be afraid to ask. My brows pinch together as I read over his message. I’m still having a hard time believing he’s

truly said something nice for once. Just as I’m about to respond with a sincere thank you, he ruins it. Luke Caldwell 10:34 a.m.: Like Pepto-Bismol Luke Caldwell 10:34 a.m.: Maybe even those anti-diarrheal pills He adds a whole message filled with the poop emoticons and a scowl forms on my face. I knew it was too good to be true. Asshole. Natalia 10:36 a.m.: You’re depraved. Luke Caldwell 10:37 a.m.: Yeah, I know. Side effect of mommy and daddy issues I guess. With my fingers hovering over the screen, I stop to think hard about his message. Does he have serious problems with his parents? Maybe that’s why he acts the way he does. It would certainly make a lot more sense. Typically, people who act out never received much attention as kids. Take Samantha for example. My mind formulates its own scenarios of what his home life could’ve been like growing up. I wonder if his parents were abusive? Or maybe his situation was similar to mine—not enough affection.

Natalia 10:40 a.m.: I’m sorry. Luke Caldwell 10:41 a.m.: Don’t be, I was kidding. He adds the laughing emoticon, and I grind my teeth together in irritation. I shove my phone in my bag, ignoring its vibrating the remainder of the class. That’s pretty much how the next few weeks go. Luke sends me text messages throughout the day, every day, until I beg him to stop. Some are funny, like laugh out loud funny, others are inappropriate, and some are just down right gross. Most of his messages are trivial things, like what he is doing, or when he is really bored, he’ll call me on FaceTime to irritate me some more. For the most part, our relationship hasn’t changed. I still can’t stand him almost as much as he can’t stand me. His bevy of busty college girls still follow him everywhere like he’s some prophet of God. And my focus is still on school.

CHAPTER FIVE Natalia I hurry into work two minutes late, juggling my school bag and my purse. I don’t bother waving hello to any of my co-workers, too busy trying to stow my items away so I can get to work. Turning the corner of the hall, I slam into a hard body that knocks the breath right out of me in an oomph. Strong hands dart out and steady me, helping me gain back my equilibrium. “Shit, sorry—” My sentence trails off when I lock eyes with CJ. Shit. The one day I’m late and this is who I run into? Seriously? “Natalia,” he says with a small smirk. Not too long ago, the smirk on CJ’s face would’ve made me feel giddy because he’s a total babe, but over my

time working here, I’d like to say I’ve become somewhat immune to his charm. I can’t say the same for my friend Aliza. Whenever she hears his name or sees him, her face turns a deep shade of crimson—it’s hard to miss. I don’t think she realizes how much she lets her emotions show. “I’m so sorry I’m late. I promise it won’t happen again CJ. I just got out of class, and there was so much traffic getting off campus, then there was an accident on the freeway—” “Whoa, whoa. Calm down Natalia. I haven’t even said anything. It’s fine,” he says with a chuckle. “Now, if you were Sam, this would be a completely different conversation.” I can’t help but laugh because he’s right, my best friend is late to everything, I wouldn’t be surprised if she was late to her own funeral. I know CJ only tolerates her because they’ve known each other for so long, and because she had a fling with his best friend Alex, but I think even he has his moments where he’s fed up with Sam. And I don’t blame him. Just as I’m about to agree with him on the topic of Sam, Aliza turns the corner and freezes when she sees who I’m talking to. Her eyes land on mine for a fleeting second, then they dart everywhere, like she’s making it her life’s mission not to look at CJ. She shifts from foot to foot, her face turning the deep shade of crimson again. I open my mouth to

say something, trying to quell the awkwardness in the hall, but before I do, she spins on her heel skittishly. My brows furrow and I turn back to CJ with a questioning look. He’s staring after her with a look on his face I can’t decipher. “Okaaay,” I draw out. “Well, I’m heading to work now. Later, CJ.” His throaty “Alright” is the last thing I hear before I submerge myself in work. Three hours into my shift, I’m seated at a booth with Aliza and Sam on a lunch break. I’ve been tuning in and out of their conversation for most of my lunch. My mind has been elsewhere. Focused on things that shouldn’t matter—like Luke Caldwell. I hate that I’m thinking about him at all, but I can’t help it. The little shit has seriously gotten under my skin. “Hello? Earth to Natalia!” Sam snaps her fingers impatiently in my face, jolting me out of my daydream. “What? Sorry, I was thinking about something,” I say, still a little sidetracked. “Yeah, I’ve fucking noticed. You’ve been like this for the last few weeks. What the hell is going on?” Sam demands. “Ohio, back me up on this one.” Aliza darts her eyes from me to Sam warily. “I guess you’ve been a little off.” She shrugs. “I honestly haven’t paid enough attention.”

Sam groans, turning back to me with an expectant look on her face. “Are you gonna sit there with that dumb look on your face or are you gonna start explaining?” “Seriously Sam, there’s nothing going on. I didn’t realize daydreaming was a crime,” I grumble. “It damn well should be.” I narrow my eyes at her in warning. “I have tables to get to, Ms. Officer.” I push up from the table, grabbing my pad and pen. “I’m onto you,” Sam yells after my retreating form. I flip her the bird as an indication that I heard her loud and clear. *** I trek across campus to my psyche class. Last night, I was up until two o’clock in the morning with Luke on FaceTime. We were studying for the quiz today. I was surprised and quite impressed by how smart Luke actually is. When he said he didn’t need to take notes because he had a good memory, he wasn’t lying. He knew every single answer like he was reciting the alphabet. It was completely unfair that he knew all the answers, but also extremely helpful because without him, I would no doubt be failing this quiz today. It’s not even like it’s a hard class, it’s just with all my other classes, my workload is suffocating me. I feel like I’m

drowning in schoolwork. I slide into the empty seat next to Luke, completely surprised to see him here early. That’s a first. There are two Starbucks cups on his desk, and my mouth waters instantly. He chuckles at my expression, pushing one of the cups toward me. “Don’t worry, it’s yours.” I lift my brows in surprise. “Really? What is it?” “It’s a caramel mocha-something. The hell if I know.” He shrugs like he really doesn’t have a clue. “How did you order it if you don’t even know what it is?” I question in confusion as he downs the remaining contents in his cup. “I was at Starbucks this morning with a lady friend, she ordered it, so I thought you’d probably like it too.” I scoff. “Lady friend?” He chuckles, quickly correcting himself. “Okay, okay, you got me. It was some chick I had just met.” “Wait, so let me get this straight, you were on a coffee date with a girl and buying coffee for another girl?” He purses his lips in deep thought, mulling over what I said. “Yeah, I guess I did.” “You are something else entirely, you know that, right?” “Don’t I?” he says with a wink and I laugh. I tilt

the cup toward my lips and pause as I see Luke staring at me out of the corner of my eye. “What did you put in my drink?” I suddenly ask, placing the cup back on the desk. “Laxatives? Milk of magnesia? Tell me. I know you did something.” He cocks his head to the side and looks at me for a beat before laughing with a subtle shake of his head. “I promise you, I did nothing to your drink. Although, the milk of magnesia thing is a great fucking idea for the future, thanks for that.” I narrow my eyes at him, then drop them toward the full Starbucks cup. I eye them both warily. My mouth salivates as I stare at the stark white lid and the green nautical logo. Oh, screw it. I snatch the cup up and take a huge gulp of the caramel flavored coffee. Mmm, so good. I wait for any gurgling in my stomach, but thankfully nothing happens. Assuming the coffee is safe to drink, I finish it off and wait for class to start. After everyone finishes the quiz, the professor ends class early, and I can’t be happier. An actual break. All the students leave the lecture hall in a loud rush of excitement, feeling the same way about getting out early. I hang back with Luke, waiting for the chaos to deplete. “When did you want to work on the psyche project?” Luke scrubs a hand through his hair, guiding me

out into the hall. He’s wearing a San Francisco 49er’s shirt with ripped jeans and sneakers. How is it the simplest outfits look good on him? “I know you have practice like ten times a day, but seriously dude we need to get this done.” He laughs, nudging me in the arm playfully. “We don’t have practice ten times a day.” I raise a knowing brow. Yeah, right. I would say I feel bad for Luke and the rest of his teammates for how often they’re forced to practice, but really, I don’t care enough to feel bad for them. My phone suddenly vibrates in my bag and I sift through its contents searching for the damn thing. Once my fingers close around it, the vibrating stops, only to start right back up again. Jesus. My brows furrow as I look at the name on the screen. Chantell. My co-worker calls me for one thing, and one thing only—when she needs me to cover her shift. Luke and I veer off to the side of the walkway so I can answer. And sure enough, when I answer, the first thing she asks is if I can cover her shift tonight, which means I’ll be working a double. I sigh into the line. I can’t say no, I mean seriously, her dog just died, but damn do I hate working doubles. “Yeah, of course.” Chantell thanks me profusely clicking off with an upbeat goodbye. I can’t tell if I’ve just been played

or not. “Where do you work?” I shift my gaze to Luke, who’s staring down at me intently. “Oh, at CJ’s Bar and Grille. I waitress there with my two best friends.” “I can stop by with the guys after practice tonight.” My breath catches. He wants to come to my job? Holy shit. “Yeah, I’ll be there until closing, I’m working a double tonight, if you didn’t hear.” I smile. His lip twitches at the corners. “Yeah, I did. Sounds like you got played. What time is your break? We can always work on the project then,” he offers, and I rapidly blink my eyes, staring at him with a blank expression. What the hell is happening right now? “I can do that,” I say cautiously just in case this is another form of his asshole humor. He starts walking away toward his next class. “Alright, see you later,” he tosses over his shoulder, leaving me standing like a frozen fool. Well I’ll be damned. Luke is coming to my workplace tonight.

CHAPTER SIX Natalia I can’t keep my eyes off the doors of the Bar and Grille. Ever since my shift started, my eyes have been glued to the entrance, waiting for him to walk in. I’ve skipped two breaks, and my feet are blistering from standing so long. Jesus, where is he? Just then, the doors open, and Luke strides in with a few of his teammates behind him. I swear it’s like watching a scene out of a movie in slow motion where the cool guys float through the doors perfectly in sync. I shift my eyes around, fighting a grin as a few of the female patrons stare in pure feminine appreciation. Who knew sweaty football players could be such

a turn on? Luke’s eyes travel across the room until they land on mine. A small smile tugs at the corners of his lips when he sees me. I wave him over, indicating a table I’ve saved just for them. “I’m saddened by your choice of attire, Natalia. I truly am.” He pointedly looks me up and down, clicking his tongue against his teeth. The heat of his gaze lingers on my skin, causing my flesh to pebble with goosebumps. I brush my body’s strange reaction aside, ignoring the twinge in my chest. “What did you think I’d be wearing, Luke? A Hooters uniform?” He tosses his head back and laughs, prompting me to roll my eyes. Seriously? I guess black pants and a Bar and Grille logo tee shirt weren’t enough for him. “That’s what I was hoping for, but hey, I won’t hold it against you,” he says with mirth. Men. The guys sit around the table, and I take their orders while simultaneously waiting on other tables. Aliza’s on her break, so I’m covering for her until she gets back. I hurry across the expanse of the room to the bar. My arm is tugged roughly, and I squeak in surprise. Sam yanks me behind the bar with wide eyes. She looks like she’s seen something shocking, which is surprising because I didn’t think anything could shock Sam.

“Who is that with the group of guys at table thirteen, and why haven’t you sent him my way?” she demands through narrowed slits. I swallow thickly, looking back at Luke’s table. The guys are talking animatedly around the table all while he’s sitting back in his seat uninterested—taking in his surroundings. Blowing out a deep breath, I shift my gaze back to Sam. “Oh, that’s Luke and a few of his teammates.” I feign indifference, hoping she won’t put me in an awkward position by asking me to hook them up. “Christ on a cracker, Natalia. That’s him?” Sam practically yells in my ear, blowing out my ear drum. I wince away from her, covering my ear, protecting myself from any permanent damage. “Yes, that’s him, Sam. What the hell is the matter with you? You almost busted my ear drum!” I shout-whisper back to her. “Oh, don’t you start with me,” she warns. “Why the fuck didn’t you tell me he looked like that? Jesus that man is like sex on legs. I could’ve been riding that stallion a long time ago.” “Sam,” I warn sternly. “An even better question is, why haven’t you banged him yet? I mean Jesus, Nat, look at the guy! Tell me he isn’t what wet dreams are made of.” I contemplate what she’s said while watching Luke from afar. She’s not wrong, not even close— Luke Caldwell is hotter than all hell, which is why I

need to stay away. Most days I can’t stand him, but other days, as vain as it may sound, his looks affect me in ways that aren’t normal. Especially for someone like me. I couldn’t care less about Luke or his good looks—at least that’s what I thought. I shake those harmful thoughts away and turn back to Sam. “I’m not interested in banging him, okay? We are classmates, Sam. I can’t stand him, and he can’t stand me,” I reiterate, and she gives me a disbelieving look. “Bitch, please,” she scoffs. “You are so full of shit. He’s the reason you’ve been so off lately. Walking around here, daydreaming with those stupid goofy grins. I hear you on the phone with him twenty-four seven. That’s not the relationship of two people who can’t stand each other. Sooner rather than later, you have to relinquish the hold you have on your V-card. Why not hand it over to someone like him? He looks like he’d know what to do in the sack.” I clench my jaw in irritation and pinch the bridge of my nose, inhaling deep breaths, tamping down my frustration. “We talk for school purposes and even those brief conversations make me wish I was deaf. And I do not walk around with stupid goofy grins!” I hiss. “I am not going to lose my virginity to someone like Luke Caldwell. He’s probably a walking STD. I

want my first time to be meaningful, not just a spurof-the-moment thing.” “Oh, I’m sure he can make it meaningful, Natalia. He’s probably hung. I can’t even imagine all the orgasms he’d give you. Now that’s memorable, babe.” “Sam,” I sigh loudly in exasperation. She takes a step back and makes a show of looking me up and down. Her eyes brighten, and a wide smile spreads across her face. “Ooh, ooh,” she yells, pointing at me excitedly. “You like him,” she taunts in a singsong voice, and I narrow my eyes at her threateningly. “I do not,” I seethe. “You do! You dirty little slut. That’s why you didn’t tell me he was so hot. You wanted him all to yourself,” she accuses. She’s not entirely off base, but she doesn’t need to know that. “You’re certifiably crazy,” I say dismissively, walking away from her and this stupid conversation. Aliza chooses that moment to come in from her break, and I exhale in relief since I can finally take a break. A while later, I check on the guys at the table and choke on my laughter. Every plate I served to each of them is now licked clean, you can’t even tell it was plated with food before they got their hands on it. “Can I get you guys anything else?” I ask, trying

to keep my laughter at bay. Luke’s mouth twists into a crooked smile. “No, we’re good,” he reassures me. His gaze flicks to something behind me. An arm is suddenly slung around my shoulders and I deflate. “Well, aren’t you boys a sight for sore eyes,” Sam purrs from behind me, and I tamp down the urge to elbow her in the gut. “I’m Sam, Natalia’s best friend,” she introduces herself. Everyone at the table exchanges pleasantries while my gaze burns holes through the side of her head. I watch in horror as she shifts her gaze to Luke. “And aren’t you just the cream of the crop. When Natalia told me she was working with you on a project, she didn’t mention how sexy you were.” I gasp, swinging my gaze to hers. If I had the power to control people with my mind, you can bet your ass I’d be doing some damage to Sam right now. Luke sits back in his seat with his crooked smile, looking mildly amused by her antics. “Why don’t we take a walk big boy? Let me show you around.” She winks at Luke, and I gape at her. “Samantha,” I say her name in a warning. “Don’t you have to cover the bar?” I pointedly flick my eyes toward the unattended bar, knowing full well she understands to back off. But then again, it’s never stopped her before. She smiles like the Cheshire cat. “Don’t worry about it, Nat. A few

minutes away won’t hurt.” What the hell does she think she’s doing? Luke arches a brow and looks at me pointedly, waiting for me to save him. I open my mouth to say something, but nothing comes out, so I close it. Sam shifts her gaze to mine and there’s a challenge there. She wants me to react, so she can prove her point. My lips thin into a grim line. Like hell I’m going to let that happen. She raises her brows at me, but I make no move to stop her little game. She smirks with a small shake of her head, and I watch in complete shock as she walks off toward the deck with Luke. My mind travels a million miles per minute as I try to guess what they could be talking about. What is she telling him? Are they even talking? I force myself to sit in Luke’s empty seat, trying like hell to participate in the conversation his friends are having. My knee bounces up and down nervously, and my eyes dart around the expanse of the restaurant, searching for any glimpse of them. Sam finally rounds the corner of the deck, and she’s wearing a victorious smile. I meet her gaze and proceed to shoot her my dirtiest glare. It must’ve not been too dirty because she chuckles with a small roll of her eyes. I shoot up from the table and stride toward her. “What the hell was that?” I hiss angrily. Sam

smiles placatingly. “Nothing, just had a small chat with your QB. No biggie. He’s on the deck waiting for you. I told him you would meet him out there for your break.” My lip curls in anger. “Sam.” Another warning. She knows I’m close to losing it. She takes a step toward me with her shit-eating grin. “I’m onto you Natalia Baldoni. You may be able to lie to yourself, but you’re not fooling me.” With that, she strides around me, back to her perch at the bar. I blow out a frustrated breath and walk toward the deck where Luke is sitting, casually staring at the ocean. “So, you ready to get started on this project?” I interject loudly, ruining his peaceful moment. He shifts his gaze to me and nods. I slide into the chair across from him and try to discuss the major points of our project. The only problem is, I’m not focused. There’s one thing nagging at the back of my brain, and I need an answer to quiet it before I go crazy. “What were you guys talking about?” I ask suddenly. His eyes lift to mine, and he starts laughing. Like a real gut clenching laugh. Thick frown lines embed into my forehead. What did I say? He finally gets control of his laughter and smirks at me knowingly.

“She told me you’d ask that. I’ve been waiting for you to break down and do it.” I narrow my eyes at him dangerously, silently cursing Sam for being an ass. I take back her title of best friend. She’s on my shit list now. “Of course she did,” I grumble, and he chuckles. “We were just talking about school and football, mostly. Your friend is brave, I’ll give her that.” I laugh helplessly because he’s right. Under the definition of brave, I wouldn’t be surprised if there was a picture of Sam. “Yeah, she’s definitely something,” I say on an exhale. “I’m surprised she didn’t try to hook up with you.” I say waiting for him to tell me if he’s interested in her or not. He stares at me for a beat, his face expressionless. His mouth twitches into a small smile, and he shakes his head. “No, she didn’t. I’m a little hurt though. The crazy stories you’ve told me about her just don’t measure up,” he says with a dramatic sigh, forcing a laugh out of me. “Believe me, most of the stories I’ve told you have been PG. You haven’t heard anything yet. And don’t you dare ask me to hook you both up. Some things are better left unthought of.” I shiver and my face sours, making him laugh. He shakes his head adamantly. “Believe me, she’s not my type. Nor am I hers.” I exhale in relief at his answer. I shouldn’t feel

happy that he doesn’t want to hook up with my best friend. Hell, I shouldn’t feel anything, but I do. And I couldn’t be more relieved. “What are you doing tomorrow night?” he asks suddenly, and my heart stutters. I shakily tuck a strand of hair behind my ear. “Just work after classes. Why?” “You can come over to my place so we can get some actual work done. Most of the guys will be gone so we won’t have any interruptions. I have an away game coming up next week, so I won’t be around much to work on it after tomorrow.” I deflate in my seat. Oh, right, the paper. I clear my throat, shaking off the nervousness that was consuming me whole. I force a small smile. “That works. I can come after work?” He stands up from the table and I follow suit. “Sounds good. I’ll send you my address. Just let me know when you’re on your way.” He starts to walk away, then stops and turns back around toward me. “By the way, Sam told me you guys are going to the club this weekend. She invited me and the guys. Sounds fun, Textbook.” I roll my eyes at his frequent nickname for me. Before I can respond, he gives me a head nod, indicating his goodbye, then walks off. I scratch the back of my head, standing there feeling like a complete fool.

She invited him to the club? With us? Great. I do my best to ignore Sam the rest of my shift. Inhaling deep calming breaths, I had to suppress the urge to slam my fist into my best friend’s face. I didn’t appreciate the little stunt she tried to pull on me tonight just to get me to admit I like Luke— which I don’t. It was juvenile and stupid. I told her we were just friends, classmates even. Why isn’t that enough? I’m even more angry that she invited him along with us to the club. Tomorrow, I’ll have to let Luke know that he’s uninvited.

CHAPTER SEVEN Natalia I shoot a quick text to Luke letting him know I’m on my way. His reply is immediate with the thumbs up emoji. I’m slowly starting to notice Luke is very fond of iPhone emoji’s. He uses them for the simplest things. It’s absolutely ridiculous. I mean how hard could it be to type out “okay” like a normal person? On the drive over to his place, I inhale deep breaths, hoping it’ll calm some of the nervous energy surrounding me. I’m not entirely sure why I’m so anxious. It’s not like he invited me there to hang out. He invited me to work on our assignment. Nothing more. But my brain hasn’t caught up with that yet. Instead it’s working a million miles a

minute, conducting scenarios that are out of this world. I’m not this girl. The one who turns to complete mush when I get near a hot guy. But for some reason, Luke affects me in the most infuriating of ways. I can’t stand the guy, but yet, he still has this profound effect on me that I can’t seem to get over. If I’m being completely honest, I’m not sure I even want to get over it. I slow down the closer I get to the apartment housing near the university. Siri’s irritating electronic voice directs me as I try to keep my eyes peeled for his apartment number. “6B, 6B, 6B,” I repeat like a mantra—like it’ll somehow help me find his place faster. Apartment 6B comes into view and I park my car in the lone, empty space in front, next to the curb. The street is surprisingly quiet. Definitely not what I was expecting for someone like Luke Caldwell. Cutting the engine, I clamber out of the car. My eyes flutter closed as I exhale a deep breath in preparation. You can do this. Act natural. You can do this. “What are you doing?” I whirl around in surprise, meeting the quizzical stare of a large brooding guy holding a brown paper bag. His brows pinch together as he stares me up and down. “Sorry,” I finally manage. “I’m supposed to be meeting a friend here. Did I take your parking?”

He looks at me for a beat. Dark brown eyes drift to my beat-up car, then back, and he shakes his head subtly. “No. No it’s alright. What apartment are you headed to?” “6B.” His brows shoot up in surprise, making him look mildly shocked. Quickly recovering, he clears his throat, moving around me toward Luke’s apartment door. “C’mon,” he calls over his shoulder. “It just so happens, I live here too.” Of course, he does, I can’t help but think. He has football player written all over him. I follow him inside, stepping into the warmth of the apartment. “Looks like someone has a visitor,” he announces once he’s over the threshold. Loud boisterous voices can be heard over the background noise of the television. This apartment is the epitome of a man cave. Fully equipped with a video gaming system, a pool table, and men’s clothes strewn across the floor. Let’s not forget the pictures of half-naked models on the walls. Definite man cave. Luke rounds the corner, a smile tipping his lips when he sees me. “Was wondering when you’d get here. Jesus, you must drive like a grandma.” He shifts his gaze to the guy walking in front of me and they slap each other on the back.

“Drew, this is Natalia, G’s half-sister. We have a class together,” Luke offers in way of greeting. Drew’s eyes widen, and he looks at me like he doesn’t know what to say. “Don’t worry bro, she’s cool. They’re nothing alike.” Drew visibly relaxes, and I have to stifle a laugh. Yeah, I feel the same way when it comes to my sister too. Drew walks into what I’m assuming is their kitchen where more male voices can be heard. I pointedly look at Luke, waving my hand around the room. “Lovely décor around the place.” His lip twitches and the dimple in his cheek slowly deepens. He turns around, examining the room with his hands on his hips like it’s the first time he’s really seeing everything around him. “Yeah, the guys can be a little over the top sometimes.” I sputter a laugh and raise a brow. “Sometimes?” He laughs at that and nods at my assessment. “And I do not drive like a grandma,” I grumble, punching him in the arm. He feigns hurt, rubbing his arm. “Okay maybe not a grandma, more like a soccer mom.” I tilt my head to the side pursing my lips. “I can work with that.”

“A few of the guys should be leaving soon, so it’ll quiet down a bit, then we can get to work.” I nod and lower myself onto the couch, afraid to touch anything. I don’t even want to think about what happens on this couch, shared by an apartment filled with guys. I shiver in contempt. Clearing my throat, I tighten my cardigan around my body and wipe my clammy hands on my jean clad thighs, trying to get rid of the excess moisture. Damn nerves. After the guys eat in the kitchen, they slowly filter out of the apartment, leaving Luke and me alone. “Ready to get started?” “Yup. I brought my textbook, only because I know you don’t own one.” I pull my textbook and notes out of my shoulder bag, balking when I see Luke lay his own textbook on the table. “I hate to correct you, but I do have one,” he says smugly. “If you own one, why am I always forced to share mine with you?” “Because I hate carrying unnecessary items around. It’s obvious I don’t need to bring one when you already have one.” I roll my eyes at his statement and proceed to start working on our project. We’ve got a decent

amount of information down so far, but it’s not enough for me. I like to be ahead in all assignments. This is the main reason I hate group projects or having partners. Waiting for a person’s availability is irritating. If I had it my way, I’d be halfway done with this project by now. “What’s your end game anyway?” Looking up from my notes, I furrow my brows at Luke in confusion. “End game for what?” “I mean school. What do you want to do after you graduate? Career wise.” “Well, I’m a psych major, but my ‘end game’ as you say, is to be a counselor. Decent pay, and I get to help others in the process. What about you?” “Football,” he says as he flips through the pages of his textbook. My brows shoot up in surprise. “So, your end game is football? Don’t you have a plan B? What if something happens and you can’t play anymore?” He shrugs. “There is no plan B. It’s football or nothing for me.” My mouth hangs open and I gape at him. I mean, he can’t seriously be this stupid, can he? “But everyone needs a plan B,” I stress. “Becoming a pro football player isn’t guaranteed.” Luke sighs in exasperation. “I know it’s not guaranteed, but it’s my only passion. I come from a family that loves to throw their wealth around. My father wanted me to become a lawyer just like him.

It was expected of me. But fuck, stuck wearing a suit all day isn’t me. And my mother wanted me to become a doctor, just like she is but I told them a long time ago I knew what I wanted to do with my life. Thankfully, I have a family that accepts my decision and pushes me toward my goals. So no, I don’t have a plan B because I know I’m going pro one day. There’s no doubt in my mind that it will all work out.” My lip twitches into a small smile at the passion in his voice. I had no idea football meant so much to him. I still think it’s idiotic to base your future solely on a dream, but still, I can’t argue with the fact that he’s determined. The dude’s got passion. “Well, for your sake, I hope one day you will go pro.” “You don’t have to hope, babe. I know I am.” I ignore the fluttering in my belly and roll my eyes at his comment. “I actually wanted to talk to you about something,” I say, nervously tucking a loose, wavy strand of hair behind my ear. “Okay, shoot.” “I know Sam invited you to the club with us, but I don’t think you should come. No offense or anything.” Luke freezes with a pen in his hand and shifts his gaze up to mine. “Oh, she was serious? I thought it was a joke to piss you off. I didn’t really plan on

going anyway, so no worries,” he says with an indifferent shrug. “Oh.” My brows furrow. “Okay then. That’s good I guess.” I breathe a sigh of relief that this conversation wasn’t as uncomfortable as I imagined it would be. I don’t know why I even thought he would want to hang out with me and my friends, anyway. We go back to studying in comfortable silence The stark ringing of Luke’s cell phone blares around the room as he digs it out of his pants pocket. The universal chime of the FaceTime ring goes on and on. His finger hovers over the screen before he finally decides to answer it. “Hey, Mom. What’s up?” He shifts his gaze to mine, lifting a finger indicating he’ll a be a minute. “Lukey! How are you, honey? And what took you so long to answer?” I stifle my laughter at his mother’s inquisition. If I grew up with a protective mother, I assume this is what it would be like. “I’m good, Mom. Everything here is good.” I discretely scoot farther away from Luke, making certain his mother can’t see me. That would be awkward. As Luke continues his conversation with his mother, I jot down notes from the textbook. I carelessly flip the page of my textbook, and the thin

paper cuts through my skin. “Ouch! Crap.” Sucking my index finger in my mouth, the slight tang of copper tingles on my tongue. I swear, papercuts might seem like a minor scratch, but the pain that comes with them is unbelievable. I’d imagine this is what it feels like to almost chop off your own damn finger. I didn’t realize I said anything out loud until I hear Luke’s mother. “Are with someone right now, Lukey? Let me see!” she says excitedly from the other line, and I can’t help it. I laugh. Luke snaps his gaze to mine with narrowed eyes, giving me what can only be described as the death glare. “Is that her? Put her on, damn you!” she urges, and Luke blows out a sigh before he tilts the phone toward me so I can see his mom, and vice-versa. “Well I’ll be damned. She is gorgeous! All that tan skin, and black hair—she looks like she’s from those Mexican novellas!” Luke’s mom is absolutely adorable. There’s no other way to describe her. She has chestnut brown hair cut into a short bob that frames her face, and one of those smiles that makes you feel immediately at ease. I don’t see much of a resemblance between the two of them, except for the deep dimples. He must take mostly after his father. “Well, hi there! I’m Karen, Luke’s momma. It’s

such a pleasure to meet you.” I wave awkwardly not sure what the protocol is for something like this. She probably thinks we’re friends, but little does she know, we’re the furthest thing from it. “Hang on real tight to this one, Lukey, she looks like a keeper,” she says excitedly, and Luke rolls his eyes, tilting the phone back toward himself. “Hate to burst your bubble, Mom, but Natalia and I aren’t dating. We have a class together, and we’re partners for a project.” He looks at me out of the corner of his eye and I raise my brows, mouthing, “Lukey?” His lips thin and he flips me off outside of his mother’s camera view. “Oh, Luke, honey. Why not? She’s gorgeous and obviously very smart. I’ve always told you, the women with their heads buried in the books are always the best!” “Alright, Mom. I’m hanging up now.” “Okay, okay, okay!” she says in exasperation. “Fine. I won’t say anything else.” “Good.” Luke says, blowing out a relieved breath. If this wasn’t so entertaining, I might actually feel bad for him. Key word being “might”. “How’s football?” she asks, changing the subject. “Great. Coach told me I’m being scouted by a few teams. He says my chances of being drafted are really good.”

“Oh my God, Luke! That’s great, Baby. I’m so proud of you. When is the next game? Your father has been pestering me nonstop about going.” Luke chuckles, and his dimples deepen at his mother’s enthusiasm. “The game is next Friday. I’ll send you guys the tickets.” “Good, Baby, good. How’s school? Your classes?” “My grades are good. Everything’s good.” “Are you trying to get rid of me Luke Alexander Caldwell?” He chuckles down the line and darts his gaze to mine. It’s then I realize I have a huge smile plastered across my face from listening to their conversation. “No, Ma, I’m not trying to get rid of you. I’m just in the middle of studying.” “Fine. I’ll leave you guys to it. Bye Natalia! Please keep an eye on my boy, maybe even smack some sense into him every now and then.” I laugh and scoot next to Luke so I can say bye to his mother. “You don’t have to tell me twice. It was nice meeting you, Mrs. Caldwell.” “You too sweetie,” she says with a warm smile. “And you, Luke,” she turns her attention back to Luke. “Be good and stay out of trouble.” “Yeah, yeah, whatever,” he grumbles. “Love you, sweetie.” “Love you, Ma. Tell the old man I love him too.

See you guys next Friday.” When Luke finally gets off the phone, I can’t suppress the smile on my face. Watching him interact with his mom made him seem more real and down to earth. Not that he wasn’t before, but now, it’s achingly clear he loves his parents, especially his vibrant mother. “You’re such a momma’s boy,” I taunt playfully. He shrugs and smiles, revealing his dimples. “Sure am,” he says with a wink. *** I don’t know how much time passes before the silence of our studying prompts me to turn to Luke. “Can I ask you something?” Luke flicks his hazel eyes to mine and stares, prompting me to go on with my question. “Why do you torture me the way you do? I mean seriously, if I was a totally different person, I think I might’ve jumped off a bridge by now.” Luke chuckles. “I don’t know to be honest. It’s fun sparring with you. You’re witty and you always have a comeback. But honestly, I think I just love watching you squirm. It’s hilarious.” “You’re such an asshole.” He laughs whole heartedly with a shake of his head. “Don’t I know it.” I roll my eyes with a huff and get back to work,

doing my best to keep all sources of conversation project related. On my fifth yawn of the night, we finally decide to wrap it up until we’re both free again. “I’ll see you in class. Thanks for actually not being a douche and for walking me to my car.” I toss my bag onto the passenger seat and reach out to shut my door. Luke’s arm shoots out, stopping me from closing my car door. I swing my gaze to him and pinch my brows together in question. “What are you doing next Friday?” Hazel eyes search mine. Swirls of amber, arctic blue, and emerald green intermingle together so well I can hardly tell where one starts and the other ends. “It’s my day off. I was just going to stay home and study.” “Come to my game.” The intensity of his stare makes my skin prickle with awareness, and I force myself to swallow. “A football game? You want me to go to a football game?” I ask incredulously. “That’s what I said, right?” I narrow my eyes at him. “Why? He shrugs. “I think you should see me play before I go pro.” “God, you’re so full of yourself.” I watch him smirk in satisfaction. He knows he has me. I can’t lie that going to a college football

game doesn’t sound intriguing, a little scary, but intriguing nevertheless. And a little, tiny, minuscule part of me does want to see Luke out there on the field. “Fine,” I groan, slamming the door in his face. He backs away from the car, grinning all the way back to his door.

CHAPTER EIGHT Natalia The weekend at the club with the girls does not go as planned, at all. Luke shows up with a few of his friends after all, and my night is immediately ruined. I didn’t expect to see him here. The night is just supposed to be spent with our closest friends, not a group of hulking football players. Of course, it doesn’t take a genius to figure out who is behind it all—Samantha. I am so close to murdering my best friend, I’m surprised I don’t follow through, that’s how angry I am with her for interfering, again. I have to watch every girl with a beating heart fawn all over Luke for what feels like the entire night. It is ridiculous. What makes matters worse is, I can’t understand why I am so pissed off. I mean,

he is just my assignment partner for class. Why do I even care? But I do. I am so frustrated, I even resort to drinking. Alcohol and I do not mix well when paired with hot football players. I had to learn that the hard way. By the end of the night, I am a slurring, angry mess of my normally composed self. To top it off, I piss off CJ and Aliza in the process, nearly breaking them apart. To say a night out at the club goes sour is putting it mildly. I’ve never felt more like an idiot than I do this weekend. *** Today’s the day of Luke’s football game, and I can’t escape the fact that I’m nervous. I attempt to talk myself out of going at least a hundred times after the disaster at the club last Saturday. But ultimately, I decide to bite the bullet and just do it. I told him I would be there, so I’m going no matter what. This is the first college function that I’m going to, and I’m not entirely sure what to expect. College football is wild from what I’ve heard, and to top it off, I’m going alone. Sam and Aliza can’t come because of work, and now, I’m forced to do this like a loner. I push past rowdy students in the Qualcomm stadium and try to find the section housing the people wearing our school colors. A large group of

people wearing red and black catch my attention, and I navigate my way through the wild crowd toward a semi-empty row of seats. Elbows and bodies slam into me as I walk past people, trying to make my way through the crowded stadium. “Oops. Excuse me,” I mumble every time I bump into someone. It doesn’t matter anyway. Even with my apologies, no one cares if you crash into them. They’re only worried about getting to their spots to watch the game. I squeeze my way into an open section, looking for a seat. I jolt back in surprise as a die-hard fan with face paint jumps in front of me. “Go Aztecs!” he yells at the top of his lungs. The jugular vein in his neck bulges, and I’m half surprised he doesn’t spontaneously combust on the spot. My eyes widen in shock at his display of support as I squeeze past him to the nearest empty seat. What the hell have I just walked into? The people here are living in an alternate universe. Plopping down in the seat, I give a little sigh of relief. My view isn’t bad. I can see the players practicing on the field decently. I scan the guys on the field, looking for the jersey with the number six. When I see Luke, a smile tips the corners of my lips. A group of girls seated ahead of me catch my attention with their loud giggling. The number six is painted on their faces. I roll my eyes at Luke’s

bevy of supporters. Such a man whore. I try to keep up with what’s going on in the game, but I have no idea what’s happening half the time. The announcer and the camera crews are distracting enough. Topped with the screaming fans, I’m half tempted to cover my ears from the level of noise. I can hardly tell if Luke is doing good or not, but I assume he is. Every time he gets the ball and throws it, the crowd screams wildly. He even runs into the end zone a few times with the ball. At least I think that’s what it’s called. My knowledge on football is non-existent. I couldn’t really care less about sports, if I’m being honest. The blowing of a whistle and the deafening cheering of the crowd signals the end of the game. Fans jump around hugging each other like they just won a million dollars. It’s ridiculous. The football players slowly walk off the field, and the stands filled with people start to clear out. I walk out of the crowded stadium and try to find my car. The parking lot is huge. I could’ve sworn I’ve spotted my car at least four times already, though none were mine. Continuously clicking the alarm signal, I try to locate my car by the flashing lights and the horn. My phone vibrates in my pants pocket, ruining my concentration on the rows of cars. Sighing, I dig my cell out of my pocket. My brows pinch together when I see the name that’s flashing on my screen. Luke Caldwell. Why is he

calling me? “Hello?” “Where are you?” His voice is breathy like he’s been running. He just played a football game, idiot. “I’m in the parking lot, walking to my car. Why?” “Alright,” he says breathlessly. “Stay there. I’ll find you.” He hangs up before I can even get one word in. Dropping the phone from my ear, I look down at the black screen and frown. Not even five minutes later, Luke comes sprinting toward me. He’s no longer in his uniform. Instead, he’s wearing one of his signature Aztec’s shirts and ripped jeans. “C’mon, we’re going to a party tonight,” he says in passing as he walks down the aisle of cars. I follow with a frown on my face, dread consuming my body at his words. “Whoa, wait a minute. Who’s going to a party?” Luke navigates through the aisles, easily finding my car, and I gape at him. “Us,” he tosses over his shoulder as he walks around my car to the passenger seat. I quicken my pace, nearly chasing after him. “What the hell are you talking about? You’re crazy if you think I’m going to a party. With you.” The incredulity in my voice is evident. We stare at

each other intently over the hood of my car as we wait for someone to break first. A slow, knowing smile spreads across his face, and I frantically shake my head. “No. No. No. Not happening. Nope.” His smile deepens, revealing his dimples, and I grind my teeth together in irritation. His eyes dart to the car pointedly. With a groan, I unlock the doors. Before we’re even comfortably seated, I’m already shaking my head. “I’m not going to a party, Luke. That’s final.” I grip the steering wheel tightly and keep my eyes focused ahead—unwavering on my decision. No parties. Thirty minutes later, I pull the car to the curb and park on the crowded street. Tons of cars and scantily clad girls are everywhere. I pull the key out of the ignition in a huff and shove open the driver’s side door. “Oh c’mon, Natalia. It’s not that bad. It’ll be fun, I swear.” I swing my murderous gaze toward him threateningly. “If you know what’s good for you, you’ll shut the hell up, Luke.” He makes a concerted effort not to laugh, but the twitching of his lips is enough to let me know it’s not working. Asshole. “And by the way,” I say menacingly. “You smell like a jock strap. It’s disgusting.”

Luke tosses his head back and laughs hysterically. “God, you’re so bad at insults. It’s comical really. Now stop stalling and let’s go.” He grips my hand and leads me toward the party. I glare up at him, hoping I’ll burn him to a crisp with my stare. It doesn’t work. A sense of déjà vu hits me like a tidal wave. The loud party goers on the front lawn. The open front door blaring hip hop music. The half-dressed girls pining for attention—it’s all too familiar. Except this time, instead of being invisible or receiving odd looks, people are greeting me, all thanks to the star beside me. Luke. He gets slaps on the back, cheers, even high-fives. Seriously? Is this what it’s like for him? I mean, everyone here is treating Luke like he’s a famous movie star, or an actual professional football player. It’s crazy. The one thing that hasn’t changed are the dirty looks from the girls—which have now intensified tenfold—all thanks to the fact I’m standing next to Luke. Girls eye me up and down disapprovingly. Yeah, yeah, I get it. Luke leads me into the house, not once letting go of my hand. Under normal circumstances I’d be a little embarrassed and pissed off, but right now I’m just thankful. There’re so many people here, it’s hard to breathe. I’m not normally an anxious

person, but being here right now, with all these strangers, I’m freaking the hell out. I’m afraid my arm will be yanked right out of its socket, and my hand will slip out of his—then I’ll likely be swallowed by the crowd. I won’t be surprised if my shoulders are bruised by the end of the night with all the jostling around. There are so many people in here, I’m sure this is somehow a fire hazard. We stop every few steps to talk to someone else or listen as someone congratulates Luke on his performance. He looks down at me and grimaces in apology. I roll my eyes playfully and nudge him in his side so he knows I’m not mad anymore. He navigates through people and sweaty dancing couples until we reach a group of guys I vaguely recognize as his friends. “The man of the hour has arrived!” one of them shouts and playfully pulls Luke into one of those guy arm hugs with a slap on the back. Real manly. I immediately recognize him as the guy I insulted at the first party. Shaun, I think his name was. Shaun is the definition of a beefcake. With long blond hair, broad shoulders, and a tree-log for a neck, he looks like a surfer on steroids. “And you bought your bestie. Look at that, how cute,” Shaun says mockingly. I dart my gaze to Luke who rolls his eyes and says, “Fuck off, asshole.” “Be careful Shaun. Wouldn’t want her to roast

you in front of everyone like she did at the last party,” Drew says. Shaun’s face sours as he shifts his gaze to mine. He throws his heavy arm around my shoulder and pulls me in for a friendly hug. “Natalia and I have put the past behind us. We’ve let bygones be bygones. We’re pals now, aren’t we?” He smiles down at me pointedly. “You smell like a dirty armpit, Shaun.” All the guys howl with laughter, and Shaun narrows his eyes at me in irritation. He stalks away, flipping us all off, mumbling about finding a hot piece of ass. “Did you want to drink anything?” Luke asks as he chugs the liquid in his red plastic cup. “No thanks. One of us here has to be the responsible one.” “Oh c’mon, Natalia. It’s just one night. Let loose and have fun.” I narrow my eyes at him and grumble, “This isn’t exactly my idea of fun, Luke.” His smile instantly falls, and he gets serious. “If you want to go, just say the word and we’ll leave. I just wanted to have fun with you tonight.” I open my mouth to say something, but come up short. What the hell am I supposed to say to that? Anything I say will make me come off as a total bitch. Just as I’m finally about to say something, I hear the one voice that grates on my nerves like no

other. “Luke!” Gina squeals. I roll my eyes in irritation as Gina turns into a school girl with a crush. It’s pathetic. She tries to rub herself on Luke, but he ignores her completely, turning to me. “C’mon, I think I see someone I know over here.” He grips my hand in his and pulls me after him. My hand tingles at his warm touch, and I suck in an inaudible breath while my stomach flips. The delightful, yet foreign, sensation shoots up my arm straight into my chest cavity. I look back over my shoulder and stare into the enraged face of my sister. I’ve seen that look many times before, and it can it only mean one thing. Trouble. If Gina doesn’t get her way, she’ll do everything she can to get what she wants. Even if it means hurting me—or anyone else—in the process. I close my eyes, taken back to a childhood memory. I sling my backpack over my shoulder and freeze when I see an angry Gina stalking toward me. Blowing out a sigh, I shift on my white tattered Converse and prepare myself for her inevitable wrath. “Really, Natalia. Michael Woods? Are you fucking kidding me!” I roll my eyes at her. Michael Woods was a senior at our high school, and for a short time, he

was Gina’s fuck-buddy. A few weeks after they broke off their arrangement, Michael tried talking to me more and more after school each day. It finally dawned on me that he was either trying to win a bet with his friends for sleeping with two sisters, or he was trying to make Gina jealous. It could’ve been the former or the latter. I was only a freshman who hung out with the nerdy group at school, so I know he wasn’t interested in me. There was no way someone as popular as Michael would stoop low enough to talk to the nerdy freshman. “Gina, I don’t know why you’re angry about Michael. He asked me out to the movies and I said no. You know I would never be interested in him. Plus, you’re my sister, that’s just weird.” I shiver at the thought of sharing Gina’s sloppy seconds. “You are such a filthy little liar,” she scoffs, staring down at me with a look of hatred. “He said you let him kiss you. I always knew you were a little slut, Natalia, but this time, you’ve taken it too far. You’re going to pay for messing with what’s mine.” There’s a sinister promise in her voice that sends a shiver of dread down my spine. Fire roars behind the thin film of her eyes, and I know without a shadow of a doubt, something bad is coming. I still remember the catastrophic events of my sister’s rage. One day after coming home from

school, I walk into my bedroom only to find it trashed. It looked like a cyclone had a field day in the only place that felt like a safe haven. My dresser lined with body sprays and homework, trashed. My makeshift library filled with all of my favorite paperbacks, trashed. My closet that I painstakingly color-coded, trashed. But what hurt the most was the prized box of photos my father gave me of my mother. Every single one was ripped in half, or torn into little pieces. It was carnage, seeing the only pieces—the only connections I had left of my mother torn so carelessly. Gina only left three photos untouched, and that was because I always kept those beneath my pillow. “Shit that was close,” Luke says, blowing out a sigh of relief and snapping me out of my thoughts. I laugh at the stricken look on his face, trying to forget about the painful memory. Luke seems so put off by my sister, it’s almost comical. Most guys can’t keep their eyes off her, but Luke acts like he couldn’t care less. And I hate to admit it, but I like that. A lot. “You realize now that she’s seen us her together, she’s going to assume the worst, right?” Luke drains the contents of his cup, never once looking away from me. “Let her,” he says with a shrug. I balk as I gape at him. “She’ll think we’re friends, or worse, she’ll think

we’re banging each other.” I don’t try to mask the distaste in my voice. “And that’s a problem because…? I thought we were friends.” “Are we friends, Luke? I don’t know anything about you, just like you don’t know anything about me. You’re my class partner. Last time I checked, friends don’t try to make each other miserable. They’re supposed to be trustworthy and know almost everything about each other.” His brows pinch together, and his face sours. I suck in a breath, suddenly feeling really, really bad for what I just said. That came out so wrong. “Luke, I—” “Don’t apologize, you’re right. We’re just classmates. Not friends. Glad we’re on the same page.” There’s an edge to his voice I haven’t heard before, and I know it’s because I’ve pissed him off. He opens his mouth like he’s going to say something more, but purses his lips thoughtfully instead. “Enjoy your night, Natalia.” He shoulders past me, and I’m left feeling even worse than I did when we walked into the party. Shit. Shit. Shit. I search for Luke for what feels like hours, but can’t find him anywhere. I hope to God he didn’t leave me here at this damn party, then I remember I drove my own car, so technically, I’d be leaving

him. Just the thought of trying to get out of this party alone is enough incentive to make me want to stay—and if I’m really being honest, I don’t want to leave things with Luke the way they are now. I need to fix this. I’m just turning the corner of the hall when I smack into a bony shoulder. “Owww!” “Good. Just the person I was looking for,” Gina sneers. “We need to talk.” I internally groan. This is not good. I follow my sister into a quiet corner of the party. But really, it’s not all that quiet. We have to yell to hear each other over the music. “What the hell do you think you’re doing here with him?” The contempt in her voice can’t be missed, and if I’m not mistaken, she actually sounds jealous. Score one for Natalia. “He invited me to the game, Gina. We’re working on an assignment together, and he asked me to come here with him. No big deal.” I shrug my shoulders. She takes a step closer, narrowing her eyes. “I don’t believe you.” I roll my eyes. “Seriously, what is there not to believe? We’re…friends.” Gina scoffs. “This is typical Natalia. Always chasing after everything that’s mine.” My eyes widen and I back away from her. “Are

you seriously making this about you right now, Gina? I don’t even like the guy, and he sure as shit doesn’t like me. I’m not that incapable of finding a man that I need to run after your sloppy seconds.” “You can’t handle the fact that everyone always wants me instead of you. I’m the cool sister, and you just can’t handle it, so what do you do? Sabotage my relationship with Luke. He won’t even answer my calls because of you!” Her last comment has me seeing red. My anger bubbles over, getting the best of me. “What relationship?” I shout running my hand through my hair in frustration. “Luke said that was a lie, you were never even an item, you just wiggled your way into his arms when he was drunk. I mean seriously who does that? You took advantage of him!” She narrows her eyes at me, taking a threatening step toward me. “Stay the hell away from him.” “Or what?” “You’ll regret it,” she sneers. “He’s my friend. Last I recall, I can make friends with whomever I want,” I say with steel in my voice. “You’re playing with fire, sister.” “You don’t intimidate me, Gina. We’re not little kids anymore.” She smiles at me like the cat who got the cream, and walks away without another word. A strange

sense of foreboding overwhelms me. I wasn’t lying when I said I wasn’t afraid of my sister anymore, but still, I don’t like the smile she gave me. It’s almost like it was promise that this wasn’t over. I knew coming here with Luke was a bad idea. Gina thinks he’s her property, which is insane, but that can only mean bad things for me. She’s delusional and unwillingly to give him up, even if we are just friends. I groan. God, I hope he’ll still be my friend after what I said. I need to find him. I shove my way through throngs of people in search of Luke, but come up short. Craaap. I ask everyone and don’t get any useful information until I run into Drew. “Drew!” I yell, clasping my hand on his arm. His eyes flick to mine, then the hand firmly placed on his arm. His eyes burn into mine, and I immediately let go. “Have you, uh, seen Luke anywhere by chance?” I stumble. “Yeah, he’s out back. He’s not really in the best of moods, so you might want to give him his space,” he warns, and I immediately deflate. Crap. I did this. “That’s probably my fault.” Drew’s dark eyes burn into me, and he runs a hand over his buzzed-cut head. He looks like he wants to say something but changes his mind and doesn’t. He turns away from me without another

word, and I’m already halfway out the back door looking for Luke. I spot him immediately. He’s leaning against the railing at the side of the house with a plastic cup tightly gripped in his hand. I cautiously walk toward him, seemingly unsure of myself. I lean on the railing next to him, staring at the side of his profile. Copper colored hair frames his ruggedly handsome face. The muscles in his jaw work back and forth as he grinds his teeth together. “Hey,” I say quietly, voice unsure. “Hey, classmate,” he says without looking at me, taking a drink from his cup. I blow out a sigh, and twist toward him. “Luke…I didn’t mean what I said earlier, okay?” “Yeah, you did.” “Okay I did, but I didn’t mean it the way you took it. It came out all wrong. It was insensitive of me to say we’re just classmates, because that’s not true. You really are a friend. I guess I just freaked out because I didn’t want to stir the pot with Gina. Too late for that now.” His eyes narrow and he shifts toward me. The moon and the lights attached to the house illuminate his face. God, he’s handsome. “What happened?” I blow out a sigh and smile scornfully. “What do you think? She threatened me. Pretty much said I

ruin everything and try to sabotage everything in her life, and apparently, she thinks you’re her property.” “God, your sister is fucking mental.” I choke on a laugh. He’s never been more correct. “Yeah, I know,” I say sadly. “Are we okay?” I search his eyes for any lingering anger or resentment, but see none. Thank goodness. He licks his lips and smiles, revealing those dimples that I love. “Yeah, we’re good. Come here.” Luke reaches for me, and to my surprise, he pulls me in for a hug. I slam stiffly into his body, but it only takes seconds for me to go limp and compliant in his arms. His woodsy scent infiltrates my senses and I find myself burrowing my face in his firm chest, and squeezing my arms around him tightly. This is dangerous territory for “friends” but in this moment, I can’t care less. All that really matters right now is how safe I feel in Luke’s arms.

CHAPTER NINE Natalia It’s been two weeks since the party with Luke, and I’m beyond grateful that things are back to normal. If we’re not texting, he’s usually calling me on FaceTime or we’re cooped up at his place, working on the assignments for class or the psyche assignment. I’ve never felt more comfortable than I do around Luke. He brings out sides of me I never knew existed. Where most girls would be afraid to act goofy, or look stupid, he encourages it. My friendship with Luke is different from the one I share with the girls. There’s no unnecessary drama, just us. And after a drama filled week at work, I’m glad two of my best friends are no longer fighting. When Aliza accidentally insulted Sam, I knew

immediately she never meant to hurt her, but you can never be too careful with what you say, especially with Samantha. I’ve learned that the hard way. After the life Sam has had, one would think she’s strong and resilient. Don’t get me wrong, she is all those things, but she also has small chinks in that armor she’s built, and sometimes, all it takes is one misplaced word to set off the ticking time bomb inside her. When I met Sam, my first impression of her was the same as most other people—crass, promiscuous, vulgar. But after I got to know her, the real girl behind the persona, I understood why she felt she had to act a certain way. It was her defense mechanism. After dealing with a druggie mother, being passed from foster home to foster home—that can really take a toll on someone’s life. Just as it has with Samantha. Somedays, I can’t help but be angry with her and the way she acts. Especially with Alex. He’s in love with her. He has been since the day he met her. I know that. But Sam doesn’t care about feelings or attachments. It’s all about the now. What can she get out of it right now? But then I have to remember she isn’t like me or anyone else. I know that for her, keeping Alex at a distance is what she thinks is safest for him. I don’t know if she thinks she’s protecting Alex from herself, or she’s protecting herself from Alex. One of these days, he’s going to get tired of only being a

sleeping arrangement for Sam. And when that day comes, I don’t know what Samantha will do, because even when she tries to deny it, I know she’s in love with him too. *** My hand starts to cramp from the firm hold I have on my pen as I jot notes down for my Clinical Psychology class. Just as I flip the page of the textbook in my lap, the phone vibrates loudly on my nightstand. Craning my neck to the side, I see my dad’s contact picture flash across the screen. Blowing out a deep breath, I swipe right, and bring the phone to my ear. “Hey, Dad.” “Hey, Nat. How’s everything?” My dad’s deep voice travels down the line. “Pretty good. Just busy with school and work. The usual. How’s everything at home?” I flip my textbook shut and lean my back against the headboard, getting comfortable. I’m not entirely sure what Dad’s calling to say. We don’t have the closest of relationships. The only time we make an effort to see each other is on special occasions, holidays, or someone’s birthday. We’ll call each other every once in a while to catch up, but I have a feeling this conversation has nothing to do with that.

I pluck little pieces of lint off my yoga pants, trying to distract myself from the awkwardness I feel. “Oh, you know, the usual. I was just checking on you. Wanted to see how you were doing.” There’s an awkward, pregnant pause before my dad cuts to the chase. “So your sister says you’re seeing someone.” I roll my eyes and grind my teeth together. “She’s wrong, I’m not seeing anyone. Luke is a friend from class. We’re working on a project together. That’s it.” God, I hate that I have to explain myself to everyone like I’m some little girl. “Honey…don’t you think it’s insensitive to befriend Gina’s ex-boyfriend? She made it sound like they were very much in love before you came along and put distance between the two of them.” I scoff in the most unladylike way. “They were never even together, Dad. She lied. Like she always does.” “Natalia.” His voice has that stern tone to it that it gets whenever it comes to an altercation with my sister. “C’mon, Dad, you know me better than that. Do you really think I’m capable of stealing Gina’s boyfriends? You know the only thing I’m interested in right now is finishing school.” I try to keep the anger out of my voice, but I’m not sure I succeed. I can’t believe my father thinks I would do

something like that. “You’re right, Natalia, I’m sorry. How about you stop by and visit sometime soon? It’s been a while since we’ve seen you.” By “we” my father means him, because I’m certain my stepmother Lisa and my sister Gina are glad I haven’t been around. Especially my stepmother. When I was younger, it was obvious she hated me and what I represented to her and her “perfect” little family, but back then she at least made an effort to hide it. Not now. Now, she makes no effort to hide her distaste for me. That’s one of the main reasons I don’t visit my dad as often as I should. “Right. I’m sure everyone in that house is dying to see me walk through those doors.” Sarcasm drips from my voice. “Don’t act like that,” he warns. “I raised you better than that. I just think it would be nice for you to stop by and visit. Say hello to everyone. Maybe even apologize to your sister.” My muscles tense and I force myself to take deep breaths so I don’t lose it. It doesn’t work. Not one bit. “Why the hell would I do that? I did nothing wrong! Is this the only reason you called? So I can apologize to Gina for being friends with a guy who doesn’t like her—well I’m sorry, but that isn’t happening.”

My grip on the phone tightens, and I fight back the burning behind my eyes. “I’ve gotta finish studying. Bye.” I don’t wait for him to respond. Instead, I hang up and toss my phone. I rake my hands through my hair and pull tightly, relishing in the sting on my scalp. My eyes burn with unshed tears, and anger boils in my veins. I hate feeling like this. I hate always coming second to Gina. Even though I’m the one in college, paving the way for myself and my career—while Gina does God knows what—it’s still not enough for my dad to notice me. I wish Sam was here. She always knows what to say to make me feel better. My phone vibrates on my bed, and I blow out a sigh. If that’s my dad calling again so soon, I won’t be able to control the words that fly out of my mouth. I debate on whether I should answer it or not. With a huff, I pick up my phone and frown at the name on the screen. Luke. “Hello?” Loud noise erupts on the line, I can’t help but scowl. I knew I shouldn’t have answered. I’m in no mood to talk to Luke right now. “Hey Hershey squirt, you busy?” “Why?’ I ask skeptically. “Wait, did you seriously just call me a Hershey squirt? You’re such an ass.” He chuckles down the line. “I’m hilarious. Don’t fight me on this.” “Of course you are. What is it you want, Luke?”

“The guys are throwing a party here. Can I chill at your place till it’s all clear? I got homework and shit to work on.” I never thought the day would come when Luke Caldwell rendered me speechless, but I’ll be damned, it’s happened. Swallowing thickly, I debate on what to say. On one hand it would be nice to have some company after the shitty phone call I’ve just endured, on the other hand, I’m not sure how I feel about said company being Luke Caldwell. Clearing my throat, I say, “Yeah, sure. I’ll send you my address.” “Cool. See ya.” He clicks off without a proper goodbye and I stare down at my phone like it’s a foreign object. Luke is coming here. To my apartment. Where I live. I send him my address, then shoot up from the bed and sprint to the bathroom so I can get cleaned up before he arrives. I assess my reflection in the mirror and pause. What the hell am I getting ready for? This isn’t a date, or anything special. This is Luke coming here because he needs a quiet space to study. No one special, just Luke Caldwell. After a few minutes of deliberation, I decide to stay dressed in my black yoga pants and throw a v neck over my tank top so my breasts aren’t hanging out. No more than fifteen minutes later, just as I’m

closing the door to my bedroom, there’s loud knocking at the front door. “One knock was good enough, Assface,” I say indignantly as I yank the door open. Luke, who’s dressed simply in a red baseball cap, white t-shirt, and jeans, throws his head back, laughing. “Assface? God, I love when you try to talk shit. It’s hilarious.” I narrow my eyes at him, side-stepping so he can come in. “Nice. Very nice. Smells like chicks and flowers in here,” he says as he looks around the small apartment. “That’s better than the smells wafting around your place.” I lead him into the living room where the TV is. The Netflix guide is still sitting there, untouched. I usually watch Netflix while I study or do homework. I know, right? Typical college student behavior. “Well, it’s not my fault the guys I live with smell like ass and balls all the time,” he says with a shrug as he flops down on the couch right in the center. “You smell like ass and balls half the time.” I sit as far away from him as possible. It feels so weird having him here in my private space. I need some distance between us. “You’re fucking lying. I take a shower twice a day, and I’ll have you know, the ladies love the way

I smell.” He grins smugly, and I roll my eyes. He’s right though, I am lying. Luke smells like a damn dream. Too damn good. “So, what are we watching?” He picks up the remote and starts scrolling through the “continue watching” queue on Netflix. Luke stops on the show How To Get Away With Murder. “Is it any good?” I give him a look that says, “Are you kidding?” I’m only on season one, but this show is freaking addicting. “It’s really good. I just started it a few nights ago, and so far, I love it.” Luke plays the last episode I left off on and we watch in silence. He asks me questions every now and again, trying to catch up with everything that’s happened so far, but overall, he seems intrigued by everything. A bowl of popcorn and four episodes later we’re both on the edge of our seats, with eyes glued to the TV. “So, who do you think killed Lila? Sam, Rebecca, or an unknown character? I’ve got my money on the unknown. They always do that shit in these types of shows.” “It’s gotta be Rebecca. Or Sam. Shit.” I groan.” I don’t even know what to think anymore.” “Wanna place a bet on it?” Luke says with a wolfish grin and I shake my head adamantly.

“No thanks. I don’t trust that you haven’t secretly found out how this ends.” “Oh c’mon! I’m no cheater.” I pause and give him a knowing look. He laughs, nudging me lightly in the arm. Somehow, during our watching of the show, we managed to sit closer and closer together. Now, we’re side by side. I’m trying not to let his close proximity affect me, but Jesus, he really does smell good. It’s a mixture of laundry detergent, body wash, and fresh pines. It’s intoxicating. “So, what happened earlier that had you so upset?” he prompts, and I swing my gaze up to his. “What do you mean?” I search his eyes, wondering how the hell he would know something was wrong when he called. It’s not like I told him I was having a bad night. “You sounded different when I called.” He shrugs. “I guess I just had a feeling something was up.” His eyes are an unusual shade of green and blue right now and I’m having a hard time looking away. “I was on the phone with my dad before you called. Things got heated.” He lifts his brows prompting me to go on. “It was about Gina. I told you she wouldn’t let it slide.” I smile sadly remembering my conversation with my dad only a few hours ago. I still can’t believe him. On that upsetting note, I shove a handful of popcorn in my

mouth. Sometimes I eat my feelings. Luke’s brows pull down, and that cute little indent forms between them. “What happened?” Blowing out a sigh I tell him everything. About Gina complaining to my dad, him expecting me to apologize for absolutely nothing. Luke glares in anger, tensing his jaw. “Please tell me you’re joking.” “I wish I was. This happens all the time, Luke. It’s not like it’s anything new,” I say with a shrug, trying to downplay how much it hurts. “Bullshit. It’s not right. I’m sorry for saying this, but your dad sounds like a real fucking prick.” I can’t contain my chuckle. Don’t I know it. “I’ve learned to deal with it. I think what bothered me the most was the fact that he actually thought I was capable of stealing my sister’s boyfriend.” “She was never my girlfriend.” I laugh. “You know what I mean.” Dropping my head back on the sofa, my eyes train on the ceiling and sting the longer I think about the conversation with my father. “You know what really sucks?” I ask so quietly, I’m not even sure he’ll hear me. “Everything I’ve done in my life, the good grades, getting a scholarship to SDSU, I thought finally my dad would notice me, you know? Be proud of me

even.” My tone is tinged with sadness as I shift my gaze toward Luke. “My whole entire life I’ve been in second place. It’s like no matter how well I’m doing in school or at the Bar and Grille, it’s like none of it even matters to him. I mean, I went out and got myself a job during my senior year so my dad wouldn’t have to keep paying for everything, but Gina? She still doesn’t even have a job. I work my ass off at school and work, doing everything I can to be responsible just in the small hopes that he’ll notice, but he never does.” My eyes fill with tears, distorting my vision. I rapidly blink the wetness away, and silently berate myself for being so weak in front of Luke. “Hey,” he whispers gently. He leans in ever so slightly and raises his hand toward my face, I stop breathing the second the rough pad of his thumb glides beneath my eye, catching the lone tear that has fallen. “If it’s any consolation, I think your dad is a fucking idiot.” My lips twitch. “You don’t need his approval or a pat on the back, Natalia. If he can’t see how amazing his own daughter is, there’s no hope for him. He’s not worth wasting your hopes or energy on.” I sniff past the pressure in my nose and smile, trying to ignore the tightness in my chest. Time slows as we gaze into each other’s eyes. Luke’s stares at me, unblinking, with his arm over the back of the couch. His muscular body is

on full display, and his white t-shirt does nothing to hide the body beneath those clothes. Jesus, it’s getting hot in here. Or is it just me? Tucking loose strands of hair behind my ear, I clear my throat loudly. “You do realize that you came over here to study, and instead we’ve been watching TV the whole time.” “It was worth it. Plus,”—he looks down at his black watch—“it’s only a quarter till midnight. We can still get some work done tonight.” I fight the urge to yawn in his face. I hate to admit it to myself, but I’m super tired. Although, the idea of spending a few more hours hanging out with Luke is enough to damp down my sleepiness. Anyway, sleep is for the dead, right?

CHAPTER TEN Natalia I mentally curse myself and Luke the next morning when my alarm goes off. I don’t have any classes today, but I do have to be at work, and since I only got a few hours of sleep last night, I’m not looking forward to faking smiles all day. I think I need coffee. A huge pot of coffee. Or crack. Later at work during our break, Sam snarks at me, “Jesus, who the hell shit in your Cheerios this morning?” She nudges me in the arm from across the table. I shoot her a warning glare. I’ve been irritated all day. When I don’t get my usual eight of hours of sleep, I turn into a troll. I was so glad when lunch rolled around. I really needed a second to rest my feet, and possibly even rest my eyes.

“Oh, c’mon, Sam. Leave her alone, she looks tired,” Aliza says defensively in between bites of her lunch. Sam levels a glare at Aliza, then down at her sandwich, and then looks back up again. She points across the table at her. “Ohio, I swear to God, this is the third time this week that you’ve tried to tell me off, and I don’t like it. I think your relationship with CJ has made you a little ballsy.” Aliza actually laughs, reaches across the table, and lightly pinches Sam’s cheeks. “Oh, Sammy, don’t pretend you don’t love my sass,” she says with a smile and wink. I can’t help but laugh, because seriously, this girl has transformed during her short time here at the Bar and Grille. “As an apology, you can have my sandwich because I know you’re about two seconds away from complaining about its size, and how it isn’t fair that I always get the bigger sandwiches, so here you go.” She slides her plate across the table to Sam with a sweet and knowing smile. Sam purses her lips thoughtfully for a beat before shrugging. “Apology accepted.” I cast a look at Aliza and she smiles in return. Typical Sam. “So, are any of you assholes ever going to ask how things are going with my new guy? The lawyer,” Sam says with a devious smile and I groan. I’m just too tired to listen to this.

“I honestly don’t want to know, Sam. Plus, you already know how I feel about you dating around. You have a good man who loves you, why isn’t that enough?” Sam rolls her eyes at me. “Alex isn’t relationship material, and he doesn’t love me. We’re too much alike. That’s why our sleeping arrangements never work out, because we drive each other fucking nuts.” I shake my head. “No, you guys don’t work because you don’t know how to not be in control all the time. Alex takes away your control and makes you feel helpless. Don’t fight me on this, I know I’m right.” “You know who else knows how to take control? James,” she says with a saccharin grin. “He loves to tie me up, and leave me powerless. Last night he —” “Sam!” Aliza and I groan in unison. “Please, I really don’t want to hear about what the lawyer did to you while you were tied up.” “Me either,” Aliza chimes in with an uncomfortable look on her face. “You guys fucking suck,” Sam says, sulking in her seat. We finish off the rest of our lunch, thankfully without having to hear the sordid details of Samantha’s sex life. I’m seriously not a prude. I’ve heard sordid details before, but this time I just can’t

stand it. For some reason, James the lawyer, gets under my skin. I met him once and honestly, he didn’t leave the greatest impression. He treated Sam and me like we were children, which compared to him, I guess we kind of are. But it wasn’t only that, no—I don’t like the way he looked at Sam. He doesn’t stare at her like a man smitten. He looks at her like she’s nothing, just a way to pass the time. I know Sam isn’t interested in marriage and the happily ever after, but shouldn’t she at least want to be with someone who looks at her like she’s everything? I’ve tried telling her how I feel, but of course, Sam brushes my comments under the rug and ignores them completely. Whatever Sam wants to do, she will do. Repercussions be damned. *** My phone vibrates in my pocket for the fifth time within the past hour. I curse under my breath. I set down a plated burger and fries for my customer with a smile on my face before heading to the kitchen to check my messages. I weave my way through my coworkers scrambling to get orders to the waiting tables. The Bar and Grille is always semi-packed, but today, it’s just crazy in here. The buzz of conversation, dishes clattering, orders being yelled out, patrons cheering for their team on the

flat screen. The atmosphere is hectic today. With the back of my hand, I wipe off a thin sheen of sweat from my face, then read over the messages. Luke Caldwell: Busy? Luke Caldwell: What are you doing? Luke Caldwell: Should I be freaked out that there’s a “Future Wives of Caldwell” fan club on campus? Luke Caldwell: I’m a little spooked, I swear one of the girls had a shirt with my picture on it. It was fucking disturbing…but then again, I bet she’s a freak in bed. All the crazy ones are. I roll my eyes at Luke’s messages, yet I struggle to fight the grin itching to spread across my face. Such an asshole. I know most people would say Luke’s humor is juvenile, or irritating, but truth be told—I actually like it. He’s not afraid to say whatever it is that’s on his mind, and he doesn’t care what other people think of him in the process. Sometimes, I think he jokes with me the way he does because he knows I secretly like it. I quickly type out a reply knowing it won’t be long till my coworkers come looking for me. Natalia: What do you want, Jockstrap? I don’t have to wait for a reply, within seconds

the little bubble of jumping dots pops up on the screen. Luke Caldwell: Good, I finally got your attention. I have a window of free time to get together tomorrow. Practice from 6:30-9. I’ll be free from 10 to 3. I have weight room at 3:30. Natalia: That’ll work. See you tomorrow, Jockstrap. After sending off my response, I slip my phone into my pocket and head back to work with a contented smile on my face. I hate to admit it, again, but the thought of seeing Luke tomorrow makes me uncharacteristically happy.

CHAPTER ELEVEN Natalia After a long night of work, then coming home to study, I’m completely exhausted as I roll out of bed the following morning. I’m supposed to be meeting Luke at his place so we can get some work done on the psyche assignment before he goes to practice again later. I only wish I could sleep in longer. Since befriending Luke, these late nights are killing me. I take a quick shower, tie my hair into a sloppy bun, and throw on my favorite pair of yoga pants with a simple Victoria Secret PINK t-shirt. I don’t bother trying to put any makeup on this morning— Luke is going to have a field day with his jokes once he gets a good look at me. I usually try to make myself look somewhat presentable to the

world, but today, I really can’t care less. I’m so out of it, I feel like the walking dead, and I’m sure I probably look like a zombie too. Per usual, I send Luke a text, letting him know I’m on the way before getting on the road. The drive from my place to his is only about twenty minutes which is about the same from my place to school. For someone who lives so close to campus, you’d think that Luke wouldn’t always be late, which isn’t the case at all. He’s always late. I’m not sure if he purposely does it just to be cool, or if he really is horrible at making it anywhere on time. I’m hoping it’s the latter. Anyone who is late to anything that often just because they’re “popular” and able to get away with it is a total douche. After parking and knocking on his door, Luke lets me in and tells me to make myself comfortable on his couch. I’m immediately surprised when I walk past him toward the empty sofa. His place is unusually silent, and I raise my brows at him in question. “No idea where everyone is, but fuck if it doesn’t make me happy to have some peace and quiet for once,” he says, dropping onto the couch. With a shake of my head, I laugh and take the seat beside him. In doing so, I accidentally step on his shoe and he nearly has a heart attack. He gasps and stares down at his shoe in horror. “What did I ever do to you?” he asks seriously

while wiping the scuff mark off his shoes. I can’t help but laugh. “Sorry, it was an accident.” He looks up at me through narrowed eyes and huffs like he doesn’t believe that for one second. In all honesty, I’m not sure I believe it myself either. Watching Luke get worked up over a pair of sneakers is hilarious. I decide to play the victim instead, give him a little shit for always making my life a living hell. “I’m serious! Plus, your shoes are black, it’s not like you can even see the mark.” His eyes widen, and he looks up at me incredulously. “Do you even know what kind of shoes these are? Jesus, Nat, these are the Yeezy Boost 350 pirate black 2.0’s. Does that mean anything to you?” I bite my bottom lip to keep from laughing. Luke looks like he’s on the verge of being hysterical as he awaits my response. Over a pair of shoes. “Nope.” The laugh bubbles up my throat, and he spreads his arms out at his sides in defeat. He gets up from the couch, grumbling under his breath, and disappears down the hallway toward his room. A few minutes later he walks back in with a pair of dirty, scuffed up Nike’s. “Note to self—never wear good shoes around you.” I fall back against the couch and laugh

uncontrollably. Because seriously, shoes? Half-way into working, Luke clears his throat and turns to me with a serious look on his face. “So, my mom won’t shut up about you since our last FaceTime session.” Something foreign happens in my stomach, but I ignore it, waiting for him to go on. “She wants to meet you in person. She wants you to come out to dinner with us.” The pen I’m writing with freezes mid-stroke, and I momentarily forget how to breathe. What? I lift my eyes up and meet Luke’s steady gaze. His amber and emerald eyes bore into mine, waiting for me to say something. “I’m sorry. I don’t think I’m following you. Your mother wants to meet me? Like have me over for dinner?” Luke runs his hand through his hair nervously and nods. “Pretty much.” My brows draw together in confusion as I try to make sense of this. “But why?” “Apparently, you made such a good impression with my mother that she’s been mapping out our future together,” he says sheepishly, and I can’t help but laugh at the way his cheeks redden. “Oh, God,” I groan. “This is so weird, Luke. And you’re okay with this?” “Mostly, yes. I don’t necessarily want this dinner to happen, but if it’ll get my mother off my back,

hell yeah.” My heart constricts at the realization that he doesn’t want me there. His mother may have liked me, but to Luke, I’ll only ever be a friend. I didn’t realize until now just how much I want to be more than a friend to Luke. “Well, whatever you’re comfortable with, I guess I can handle,” I say, forcing a smile as I try to ignore the sharp, stabbing pain in my chest. Luke blows out a relieved breath and smiles. “My parents will love you, so don’t get all nervous. I think my mother is just curious how we’ve been friends for so long and I haven’t managed to sleep with you yet. I think she commends you.” Heat rushes to my face, and I blush an indecent shade of red. Dammit. “Well, there’s no need for her to commend me. Not sleeping with you is easy when I find you unattractive,” I say flippantly, trying to downplay how I really feel about him. Luke’s brows pull down and he sits up straight. I internally grin with satisfaction, knowing that I’ve just gotten to him. Never tell a hot guy that you think he’s hot. “What do you mean you’re not attracted to me?” “I mean, I’m not attracted to you.” Liar, my inner subconscious screams. “Why the hell not? Girl’s practically shit themselves when they see me. I wouldn’t be

surprised if girls sold their souls to the devil for one night with me.” He waggles his brows playfully, purposefully goading me. I scoff and roll my eyes. “That right there is exactly why I’m not attracted to you.” “Why?” “Because you think you’re God’s gift to women when really, you’re just a spoiled jock who thinks he can do no wrong and have whatever girl he wants at the snap of his fingers.” “How the fuck is it my fault that girls act a certain way around me? I like to fuck, Natalia. So obviously if a hot piece of ass is throwing herself at me, I’m gonna take what’s being offered to me, and run with it.” “That’s exactly my point! You take advantage of your popularity and looks to get whatever you want, and by that, I mean sexual favors. It isn’t fair for people like us.” “Us? Who the hell is us? I know you aren’t talking about yourself, because then I’ll know you’re really fucking with me. And I don’t take advantage of anything. Girls throw themselves at me because of who I am and what I look like. They couldn’t care less about me, or my dreams, or anything else important for that matter. So sue me if sleeping with girls who only want to fuck makes me look bad. It’s tit for tat. They want a good night in bed with me, and the five minutes of fame after. I

want a quick release for my problems and the noncomplications that come with it.” Luke and I glare at each other, our gazes unwavering. I’d be lying if I said I didn’t feel a little bad for the way girls treat him, but on the other hand, I don’t. This is Luke Caldwell we’re talking about. King of the San Diego State football team, infamous ladies’ man, and arrogant jerk—I won’t relent on this. Luke blows out a sigh in defeat. “Fuck you’re stubborn.” He runs a hand through his wayward hair and rubs the back of his neck. “So, dinner with my family? Is it a yes or no?” he asks sheepishly, and my hard exterior breaks, and I crack a smile. “Yes, I’ll go. Not for you though, only for your mom. I think I like her better than I like you,” I say with mirth and Luke chuckles. “I wouldn’t doubt it.” He nudges me in my arm while giving me his dimpled grin. “Can we drop our last conversation?” “With pleasure.” I smile graciously. After our conversation, we finally get back to working on our assignment for psych class. The assignment consists of conducting research on the interpersonal processes of our partners, which so far has been interesting. Our conversation flows easily while working without another incident the rest of the time. I leave a little before Luke has to start getting ready for practice, heading back to my

own place before my shift at the Bar and Grille starts. On the drive to work, I can’t stop thinking about dinner with Luke’s family—the Caldwell’s. On one hand, I know for certain the dinner is bound to be awkward, but on the other hand, it will be interesting to meet Luke’s parents, the people who shaped him into the man he is today. Just the thought of seeing how he interacts with them is intriguing in itself. Pulling up to the Bar and Grille, I shake my head, clearing myself of those thoughts. I need to get myself into work mode. All I need is Sam and Aliza giving me shit for being off my game much like I have been lately. Well, not so much Aliza— she’s too caught up with CJ—but Sam, Jesus, that girl drives me crazy sometimes. Speaking of the devil, upon walking through the doors, her bright red hair is the first thing to greet me, followed by a glimpse of golden blonde hair. “Where the hell have you been, Natalia?” Sam says in a hostile tone, striding up to me. “I called you almost a hundred times!” I roll my eyes and fix Sam with a stare. “You called two times Sam, and I even sent you a text that you never replied to.” I cross my arms over my chest and raise a brow, waiting for her to deny it. She doesn’t bother. Instead, she walks past me, grumbling incoherently under her breath, heading toward the bar.

I turn to Aliza with a questioning look. “What’s her problem?” Aliza’s lip twitches. “Alex came in earlier with a very pretty girl. I don’t think that sat well with Sam. It probably didn’t help that he completely ignored her.” A small satisfied smile spreads across my face. “Good. Maybe it’ll finally knock some sense into her. She’s spent all her time and energy pushing Alex away for this asshole lawyer guy who doesn’t even care about her.” “Well, you know how Sam is. I just wish she would give Alex a chance. He’s such a great guy. And I’m not just saying that because he’s Chase’s best friend.” Aliza and I shift our attention to Sam who’s behind the bar, slamming down bottles with unnecessary roughness. From here, I can see her still grumbling under her breath, and it’s only a matter of time before she loses it. Aliza and I both turn to look at each other with knowing looks, then shake our heads and head off to start our shift. In between taking orders and dropping off plates of food, I strike up a conversation with Aliza about dinner with Luke’s family. It feels safer to tell her when Sam isn’t around. I know she won’t give me shit for it. That just isn’t her. “So, you know Luke, the guy I’m partnered with in my psyche class?”

“The quarterback, right?” Aliza juggles four plates in her arms as we walk back to the kitchen. “Yeah. Him.” I nervously tuck stray hairs behind my ears before I go on. “Well, his family invited me to have dinner with them.” Aliza’s wide-eyed gaze swings to mine. “I’m sorry, did you just say he invited you to have dinner with his parents?” “Well, technically it wasn’t him. One day, he was on FaceTime with his mom, and I was there, and I guess she wants to meet the girl who’s been hanging around her son.” I shrug. “So, now I guess they want to meet me, officially, over dinner.” “THEY WHAT?” Sam shouts from behind me and I jump in surprise. Aliza shrieks, and I turn around with my hand resting over my heaving chest. “Jesus, Sam! You scared the crap out of me. What the hell is wrong with you?” “Hey, I’m not the one holding up all the orders because I’m gossiping in the kitchen.” She narrows her emerald eyes at me, “And what’s this I hear about your boyfriend inviting you to meet his family over dinner?” I roll my eyes. “He’s not my boyfriend. His parents invited me over for dinner since we’ve been spending so much time together.” I shrug like it’s not a big deal, but of course, Sam sees right through my act.

“Bullshit. No guy who’s a man-whore and looks like your quarterback would ever invite a lady friend for dinner with his parents. Just admit that you’re both into each other. It’s obvious!” “Here we go,” I groan. “This is why I didn’t want to tell you, Sam. I knew you would make this into a bigger deal than it needs to be. It’s just a dinner.” “Just a dinner my ass, Natalia. If you didn’t think it was a big deal, you wouldn’t be gossiping about it on work time, trying to convince yourself it’s not serious. You may be able to lie to yourself about your feelings for him, but it’s obvious to everyone who knows you.” I shift my eyes back and forth from Aliza to Sam. I meet Aliza’s gaze and she gives me an apologetic smile, probably wishing she would’ve seen Sam coming to avoid all this. I turn back to Sam and blow out a deep breath. “I’m going back to work. We’ll talk later, and not just about dinner with Luke.” I narrow my gaze at her, letting her know we’ll be talking about the Alex situation. For the rest of my shift, I can’t help thinking about what Sam said, about Luke and me obviously being into each other. I mean there’s no denying Luke is good looking—better than good looking actually, but that doesn’t mean I want to be with him, and vice versa. He’s made it abundantly clear I’m not his type, nor is he mine. I’m plagued the

rest of the night with what if scenarios featuring Luke and me. *** After our altercation at work last night, I’m kind of glad I don’t run into Sam at home. Ever since she met the lawyer, she stays at his place most of the time, leaving the apartment to me. I wake up, expecting my phone to be blown up with angry messages from Sam, but instead there is nothing. Tamping down my irrational feelings, I get ready for school and prepare myself the entire ride to see Luke and everything that comes with him. “Good news. Practice is cancelled today, so I’m free after class,” Luke says as he slides into the seat next to me. “Well, I guess that is good news because today’s my day off. We can meet up after my last class if you want?” “Sounds good. At your place? The guys will be at mine. So, unless you want to work with the smell of sweat and balls, I suggest your place.” I loudly laugh and cover my mouth before I attract the attention of everyone in the lecture hall. “Good idea. My place it is.” The rest of the class, Luke and I talk in hushed tones all the while taking notes. Before long, the class is over and we’re going our separate ways

until we’ll see each other later at my place. I really do try to pay attention in most of my classes, but in all honesty, I can’t. All I can think about is seeing Luke, and whether or not Sam will be home when he comes over. That would be a freaking disaster. I rush home after my last class and run straight to my room, doing my best to make sure everything is tidy. I then run to the living room and proceed to vacuum anything that looks like dirt or crumbs. With my hands resting on my hips, I smile, feeling satisfied with the living room. My cell chimes from my back pocket with a text message notification. Swiping across the screen, I read over Luke’s message. Luke Caldwell: Just parked. Walking up. Just then, there’s a knock at the door. I blow out a deep breath and pull the door open, letting Luke in. “Let’s do this, babe,” he says as he walks past me, and his scent trails behind him. It smells like fresh pines and body wash. My favorite scent. “Let me just get my stuff from my room, then we can get started.” “Oh, no you don’t. Aren’t you going to give me a proper tour?” “Seriously, Luke. There’s not much to see. Plus, you’ve already been here, a tour is off the table

now.” “Technically, the last time I was here we stayed in the living room, so I didn’t get a chance to see anything else. I want my tour, Textbook.” I roll my eyes. “There really is nothing to see.” “Bullshit,” he says, heading down the hallway toward my room. “Don’t deprive me of this. Show me the way, or I’ll just open up every door till I find your room.” I roll my eyes and relent, leading him toward my room. I fling open the second door on the right. “Welcome to my humble abode.” I gesture around at my simple bedroom. The last time Luke was here, he never saw my room, and I can’t help the fluttering in my belly at the sight of him in here. My private space. “Oh God, this place looks almost as boring as you,” he says in mock horror, and I laugh, shoving him away playfully. “Excuse me for not having posters of half-naked women plastered all over the walls.” “Don’t underestimate the importance of a suggestive poster,” he says as he takes in my mostly bare walls. My room is as plain as they come. Plain, cream colored bed sheets. Two matching dressers against the far wall, and a colorful closet overflowing with clothes. Shoving textbooks aside, I make room on my bed for us to work. Luke takes his time, looking around

the entirety of my room before taking a seat. I swallow multiple times as I try to tamp down my nervousness. I don’t know why having him inside my personal space is so nerve wracking. Is this how he feels every time I come over and make myself comfortable at his place? Luke’s steps slow and stop in front of my vanity. Without caring, he lifts the photographs littered on my dresser, and my heart constricts painfully, cutting off my air supply. My body shakes as I slide off my bed and stand beside him. I stare down at the photograph in his hand and smile sadly. “That was my mother.” The photo is one of my favorites. I was no older than two or three years, smiling up at my mother as she smiles for the camera. Her long dark hair flowed down her back like a curtain, and her eyes, encased by long thick lashes, sparkled happily. She had the most beautiful smile. That’s one thing I’ll never forget. “She’s…wow. She’s gorgeous, Natalia. You look just like her.” His eyes travel back up to mine and my stupid heart flutters in my chest because he just said I was beautiful in his own way. I dart my eyes away, feeling the heat creep up into my face. I busy myself with putting the old pictures of me and my mother back where they were before I clear my throat nervously. “Ready to get started?” I gesture to the open

textbook on the bed. He obliges with a nod, and I let out the breath I had been holding. We try to get as comfortable as anyone can on my bed. “Do you miss her?” I close my eyes at his sudden question. My stomach churns, and I blow out a shaky breath. “Every day,” I whisper. “I’m sorry.” The sincerity in his voice prompts me to look up at him. The afternoon light from my window makes his normally light brown hair look copper. His eyes are a unique shade of whiskey, with a hint of turquoise at the edges. I force a small smile on my face, and silently nod my head, accepting his apology. We make good progress on our project. Luke’s phone chimes, and he groans in exasperation. “Fuck me,” he mumbles under his breath. “Who is it?” He looks up at me through his lashes. “My mom,” he says sheepishly. I don’t bother hiding my smile. “Momma’s boy,” I taunt playfully, and he flips me off before answering. “Hey, Mom…. Yeah. It’s good. Didn’t have practice today…. No, I sent the tickets to Dad already. You’ll have to check with him…. Not really…. Yeah, I’m actually in the middle of studying.” He looks at me out the corner of his eye,

and I just know his mom is asking about me. Point for Natalia. “She’s here studying too.” His mother mumbles over the line, but I can’t make out anything that’s being said. I turn away from Luke, giving him some privacy to talk freely. I also do it to hide the blush creeping over my face. I can’t believe his mother likes me enough to constantly ask her son about me. I head down the hall to the kitchen and search through my cabinets for any snacks. All I’m able to find is a stale red licorice and a box of cheese crackers. Shrugging, I grab the box of crackers and two bottles of water from the fridge before heading back to the room. I’m sure by now he’s gotten off the phone with his mom. “So, this is all I was able to find for us to snack on. Don’t judge me.” I hand a bottle of water to him and offer the box of snacks his way. He scrunches up his nose, and makes a face of disgust. “What’s that look for? You don’t like these?” I say gesturing to the box of crackers. “Hell no. Goldfish is where it’s at,” he says seriously. I roll my eyes. “Whatever. More for me then.” We get to work on our project, only talking when we need to ask each other important questions. So far, we’re making good progress with our assignment, which is quite surprising. I thought for sure he would fall behind due to football practice

and games, but surprisingly, he’s kept up with his side of the work. I couldn’t be happier. I’m so immersed in my work that when Luke’s phone vibrates on my bed, I jolt in surprise. “Well, aren’t you popular today?” I say as I look down at the photo ID displayed on the screen. Huge breasts covered by a lacey hot pink bra fill the screen and I’m suddenly irritated. “She seems like a nice, God loving girl,” I say snarkily, gesturing to his phone. Luke snatches it off the bed and hits decline, surprising me. “She’s not a nice girl, but she is one hell of a lay.” I groan in disgust, nudging his muscular thigh with my foot, making him chuckle. “Stop, please.” His chuckle is cut off by his phone ringing again. The same photo ID pops up, and he hits decline again. “What? She’s not good enough to get an answer from you?” He shrugs. “I’m just not interested.” I narrow my eyes in question. “Why? She’s perfect for you. All boobs and no brains.” I tease. “Nah, she’s nowhere near my type.” His tone is deadly serious, and I frown up at him. Huh. I definitely wasn’t expecting that. “Well what is your type then Mr. I-geteverything-I-want? I thought as long as she had tits and a great ass you were sold?”

Luke chuckles and shakes his head, growing serious. “Nah, not my type at all. Sometimes I fuck to block it all out—when I just need a release from all the expectation in my life. She’s gotta be hot, that’s a no brainer.” I laugh because well, I didn’t expect anything less from Luke. “But she’s also gotta be smart, loyal, funny, and she’s gotta be different. Every girl I meet is the same, they all look the same, dress the same, and act the same. It gets old. I want a girl who can keep up with me, and isn’t afraid to be herself.” My heart is beating so loud, I can hear it pounding in my ears. Or maybe that’s all the blood rushing to my head? Shit. I can’t even focus. Is it just me or is he referring to someone like me? “So, you still want your regular sluts just mixed in with a little bit of the good girl. Sort of like me, because we all know that I’m the furthest thing from normal. You’d be interested in me as a person, but on the outside, you want someone who looks like Gina. We all know she’s the looker out of the two of us. You basically want to combine Gina and me together.” That gets a laugh out of Luke. He looks me up and down making the heat rush to my neck and face again. Jesus, Nat, get it together.

Luke stares at me in complete silence, until suddenly he jolts, realizing he hasn’t answered. He rakes a hand through his hair, then he shakes his head. “No, not someone like you. And definitely the fuck not her.” He shudders violently. “I don’t even know what I’m looking for to be honest. I guess I’ll know when I find her.” My little invisible bubble of hope bursts right in my chest with a loud pop, and my heart twists with envy. Of course, he wouldn’t want someone like me. Like I said before, I never stood a chance here with Luke Caldwell. He’s everything I’m not, and quite frankly, everything I never want to be. He’s a friend. Not even a friend, a classmate, and that’s all he’ll ever be.

CHAPTER TWELVE Natalia I haven’t seen Luke since he was at my house a little over a week ago, when he made it abundantly clear that he’s not interested in me. I mean, seriously, I don’t know why I thought someone of his stature could ever be interested in someone like me. It doesn’t lessen the sting of it though. He’s been texting me like crazy, begging to FaceTime, but honestly, I just need a little break to get my head back on straight. Hanging around Luke for long amounts of time can fuck with anyone’s head. I’m no different. I’ve done my best to avoid him, and of course, he doesn’t suspect a thing. He just thinks I’m busy with school and work. Typical man.

After the fifth missed call from Luke, I decide to ring him back to see what he wants. Placing the phone between my ear and shoulder, I pick up the framed picture of my mother and admire her beauty as I wait for the ringing to stop and him to pick up. “Look who finally decided to answer her phone. Damn woman, you’re harder to get in touch with than God himself.” I roll my eyes dramatically because seriously, God? “Sorry. I guess I’ve just been busy,” I say, trying to skirt around the truth. “Mhmm. If I didn’t know any better, I’d think you’re avoiding me.” I’m about to open my mouth and argue with a well said lie, but he cuts me off. “It doesn’t matter. I’m on my way over. We’ve fallen behind, Baldoni.” The line abruptly goes dead, and I stare down at the phone in shock. Did he seriously just hang up on me? And is he seriously reminding me we need to work on an assignment? The world has got to be coming to an end. I guess the jig is up. I won’t be avoiding Luke any longer. Shame really. I was actually beginning to think straight. *** “Why don’t you ever ask me about football?”

Luke questions suddenly. I lift my head up from the psych text I was immersed in. “I know you know I play, but you never bring it up like most other girls do.” Not long after our conversation, Luke showed up at my place with his textbook in hand ready to work. It was surprising, to say the least. I wasn’t really in the mood for talking so I went straight to reading from the psyche textbook. I know most of these chapters by heart by now, but Luke doesn’t know that. It also doesn’t hurt to refresh your memory every once in a while. At least that’s what I’ve been telling myself as I’ve been reading. I’m actually sort of glad Luke finally broke my trance and asked a question. “Honestly.” I sigh. “I don’t know anything about sports. And I couldn’t really care less. The whole ESPN thing is stupid. Can’t stand any of it.” I shrug and watch humorously as Luke gasps. His mouth opens and closes like a gaping fish. “I’m half tempted to kick you out, right now.” I can’t help but laugh because it’s hilarious, and partly because it’s such a ridiculous statement. “You realize this is my place, right?” “Doesn’t matter. You seriously don’t know anything about sports?” he asks incredulously. His hazel eyes are wide as he waits for my answer. “Well I know a little bit about soccer,” I relent. “I used to play when I was younger. I loved it. That

was the one sport I could actually see myself playing for a long period of time, but I missed signups one year because Gina wanted to try out dance class.” I scrunch my face up as I remember our dancing days. “I wanted to continue playing soccer and she wanted to dance. My dad said he couldn’t take us to two different practices, so I gave up soccer and tried out dance.” Luke’s brows furrow and his jaw clenches. I keep going, ignoring the frown lines forming on his face. “Of course, it didn’t last long. After the first two weeks Gina quit and I would’ve kept going but my dad stopped taking us when she no longer wanted to go. I had already missed soccer signups too, so that ended that for me.” I roll my eyes, recalling how heartbroken I was. “Did that happen a lot?” Luke asks quietly. I look up at him, seeing unfamiliar emotions flash in his eyes. The amber and gold flecks are a stark contrast to the green. Aqua blue lines the outer corner of his eyes and I find myself staring intently, never wanting to look away, almost forgetting his question. Luke Caldwell is gorgeous. But his eyes…God his eyes are something else entirely. I’ve always wanted colored eyes and he has almost every color you can think of in one set of eyes. It’s incredible. His brows are still furrowed, and I cock my head to the side. Why is he so upset?

I nervously tuck strands of hair behind my ear. “Did what happen a lot?” “I mean, did your dad chose your sister over you all the time? Because that’s what it sounds like to me. That Gina was the priority most of your life.” I quickly dart my eyes away because he’s right. With only hearing one childhood story, he understands what I’ve gone through my whole life. I blow out a deep breath. “Not really. No.” Lie. “Sometimes things just happened.” Lie. “My dad stepped up when my mom wasn’t here. I was never angry at my father nor did I ever blame Gina.” Lie. I feel like the biggest liar for everything that just came out of mouth, but how the hell do I voice how I really feel? That I blame my father for the way things turned out? That I hate Gina and her mother with a passion? I can’t be angry at anyone though because sometimes these things happen, and you just have to deal with it. That’s life. “That’s seriously fucked up, Natalia,” Luke says with a scowl, and I push out of the chair, heading toward the refrigerator. “Want any ice cream?” I offer, trying to change the subject. “Sure.” His smooth voice rolls over me and I smile. I pull out Sam’s pint of Ben and Jerrys and hand it over to him, then get my own pint out. Sorry, Sammy. I’ll get you another one. Handing him a spoon, we both dig into the ice

cream, mint chocolate cookie for me and Phish food for Luke. My lip twitches as I watch him devour the ice cream. He raises a brow at me when he catches me staring, and I can’t hold in my laughter anymore. “What are you laughing at?” He pauses with the spoon of ice cream midair, inches from his mouth. I laugh harder. He scowls, dropping the scoop into the tub and I try to get my laughter under control. “Don’t you think it’s funny that you’re sitting with a girl you can hardly stand, on a Friday night, eating ice cream?” I burst out laughing again when his scowl deepens as he looks down at the ice cream in front of him. “Mother fucker.” He mumbles and shoots out of his chair. I cackle, nearly falling out of my seat. “I’m out of here.” He gathers his stuff, and I finally manage to stop laughing. “See you around, Mr. Popular,” I joke and waggle my brows. Luke chuckles before flipping me off and leaving. I sit back down at the table and finish my pint of ice cream with a huge grin on my face. As I crawl into bed, my good mood falls sour once again. I hate that I have feelings for Luke. I could lie and say it’s all sexual attraction, but it’s not. There’s so much more to Luke than meets the eye. He makes me laugh even when I’m trying to be serious, he even makes me feel safe, and that’s

something I’ve never felt in my life. When he smiles at me, it twists my insides and liquefies my body all at once. He’s like a drug, and I can’t seem to get my fix no matter how much time we spend together. I hate that I feel any of this for a guy like him. He’s just supposed to be my classmate. But over the last few months, he’s become so much more than that. He’s actually my friend. Someone who knows how to make me laugh and smile, even when I’m not feeling up to it. Just the thought of him sleeping his way around a campus party on a Friday night makes me irrationally angry. Not at him, but at myself. I toss and turn most of the night, hoping I’ll get my head back on straight sooner rather than later.

CHAPTER THIRTEEN Natalia I know my little reprieve from Sam is over the minute I pull into my parking space and see her car there. It was only a matter of time before she finally came home to give me a piece of her mind. Awesome. So, when I walk through the front door, I’m surprised to see she picked up Chinese takeout for us and has it set out on the kitchen table. I cautiously shut the door and look around for her. “Hey.” I twist, facing the living room where Sam is sprawled out on the couch. The expression on her face has me taking unsure steps toward her. “Hey stranger,” I say, trying to lighten the mood.

She doesn’t smile. Instead she points out the obvious, staring at me with an intense look on her face. “I brought home some Chinese takeout for us. I know it’s your favorite.” “Yeah, I see that.” I clear my throat. “What’s going on Sam? You’re kinda freaking me out here.” Sam blows out a deep breath and pats the empty spot on the couch next to her. “Sit.” I do as she says, waiting for her to go off at any second about the Luke situation, but surprisingly she doesn’t. “I’m sorry.” My eyes widen, and I do a double take, just to make sure it’s really her sitting here and not some imposter. “I’m sorry, what?” “I know I haven’t been acting like your best friend, and I really am sorry.” Sam blows out another deep breath and tucks a stray curl behind her ear before going on. “I’m just worried about you. This isn’t you. Hanging around jerks like Luke. You text each other twenty-four seven, and now you’re talking about meeting his parents? I mean, what the hell is going on?” “It’s not like that. How many different ways do I have to tell you that? And he is not always a jerk.” “I’ve been your friend for four years, and I’ve never once seen you react to any guy the way you have to Luke. You don’t want to admit it, but you

have feelings for him. And that’s scary, because if what you’re saying is true about you guys only being friends, then you’re bound to get hurt by him eventually.” I sit silently for a beat, trying to process everything she’s said. I know deep down she’s right. She’s my best friend, and she knows me better than anyone. But what she doesn’t know is I’ve locked away my heart. There’s no way Luke is getting to it. I may not be able to stop the feelings I have for him, but that doesn’t mean I have to be stupid and lose all my inhibitions around him. Placing my hand over Sam’s thigh, I squeeze and give her a reassuring smile. “I know what I’m doing, Sam. Once this semester is over, things will go back to normal. Okay?” Her lips thin into a grim line, she eye’s me up and down, then slowly nods. I can tell she still doesn’t believe me, but she’ll have to trust me on this one. I know what I’m doing. “Just promise me you’ll be careful?” Sam presses again, and I roll my eyes, playing off the seriousness. “We’re just friends, Sam. It’s gonna stay that way, I promise. I love you for looking out for me, but please don’t worry about me. Seriously,” I plead. Bending down, I kiss her on the cheek and pull her up to her feet. “C’mon, let’s eat before the food gets cold.” For the most part, things feel normal during

dinner with Sam. I can tell she wants to keep on with the subject of me and Luke, but it’s easy to shut her down. Every time she mentions Luke, I mention Alex. Two can play that game, girlfriend. We make small talk, and I try not to groan every time she mentions the lawyer. I am hoping all discussion of men will be off the table just for tonight, but obviously, I am wrong. The guy is just a complete douche. I can’t wait till she gets tired of him. After cleaning up, we lounge on the couch and watch a movie until I call it a night. Just as I’m on the cusp of falling asleep, I hear Sam shout angrily from the kitchen. “Who the fuck ate my ice cream?” I bury my face in my pillow to stifle my laughter. I can’t even imagine what her reaction will be if she finds out Luke was the one eating her kryptonite— Ben and Jerry’s. Sorry, Sammy. *** The next morning, just as I’m swinging the strap of my bag over my shoulder, my phone rings from my back pocket. I toss my car keys on my desk and swipe across the screen. “Good morning, Sunshine,” I chirp into the

phone and Aliza groans. “Oh God. You sound just like Alex when you say that.” I chuckle because that’s exactly what I am going for. Alex is the one who started calling Aliza, Sunshine. At first, I think he said it as a joke, because when she first started at the Bar and Grille, she was the furthest thing from “sunshine”, but now, I guess the name kind of stuck. I think Sam is the only one who refuses to call her Sunshine. She swears Aliza’s designated nickname is “Ohio”. “I know, my bad. So, what’s up?” “Can you give me a ride into work today? Chase is out of town, and Alex keeps complaining about my neighborhood.” I roll my eyes. “Tell Alex to suck on it.” “Did that. All I got in return was a cheeky grin and a smack on the ass. If you can’t, it’s okay, I can get an Uber.” I shake my head and smile. Typical Alex behavior. “Don’t you dare, sweet-cheeks. I’m on my way.” “Thank you!” I pull up in front of Aliza’s condo and don’t have to bother honking. She’s already dragging herself down the steps toward the car. “Well, aren’t you in a joyous mood today,” I say sarcastically as she climbs in the car with a huff. “Yeah, right,” she snorts, rubbing small circles on

her temples. “I swear, I’ve had the worst headache for three days straight. I’d rather have a pencil stabbed repeatedly into my skull than deal with this.” “That was too graphic for my liking, Aliza.” “Sorry,” she sighs, slouching into her seat. I pull out of the cul-de-sac she lives in and onto the main road, heading toward work. “Have you ever been to a rock concert?” she asks still rubbing her temples. My brows pinch together, and I shake my head no. “That’s what my head feels like right now.” “A rock concert? Have you ever even been to a concert, Aliza?” “Nope. But I imagine if I did, this is what my head would like. Feels like someone’s using my head as a drum set.” She groans, making me laugh. God, I love her. I pull into an empty parking spot at the Bar and Grille twenty minutes before our shift starts. Just as I’m about to fling my door open, Aliza stops me. “Nat? Can we talk for a second?” I let go of the door handle and turn back to Aliza. “Yeah, of course. What’s going on?” “There’s nothing going on per-say, I just wanted to talk to you about something.” “You’re freaking me out, Aliza.” I laugh nervously. “I just wanted you to know, that no matter what,

I will always have your back, one hundred and ten percent.” Aliza shifts in her seat and looks at me. Really looks at me. “Now I’m really freaked.” She laughs and rests her hand on my forearm. “Don’t be.” She gives my arm a reassuring squeeze before going on. “Did I ever tell you about Rosie’s dad?” My heart stops, and my breath gets caught in my throat. It’s not every day your best friend brings up the father of her deceased daughter. Aliza lost her eighteen-month-old daughter to leukemia a few years ago, and it’s not something she ever talks about. Sam and I have seen the pictures and heard stories here and there, but that’s about it. It’s hard for her to talk about it without crying which is completely understandable. So, the fact that she’s bringing it up right now is beyond strange. “His name was Tyler. I met him when I was a sophomore at Tulpehocken High School. It was a small town of only about a hundred something people and everyone pretty much knew everyone, so of course I knew everything there was to know about Tyler Dunn. He was a senior, infamous ladies’ man, super popular—at least as popular as one could be in a small town—and he was the cutest guy I had ever laid eyes on at the time. All the girls in Bernville were completely in love with him. For all of my sophomore and junior years, I was

convinced that I was in love and had met my soulmate. It wasn’t until my senior year of high school that Tyler even realized I existed.” She smiles sadly. “We met at a mall a few towns over from Bernville. We hung out a few times, exchanged numbers, all that good stuff. I was so young, and naïve—here was this popular guy I had a huge crush on, and he was finally noticing me. I was ecstatic. I was prepared to do anything to make him happy. I’m sure you can guess how this ends.” I nod my head, because yes, I have a feeling I know where this story is going. “We slept together once, I got pregnant, and along came Rosie. All before I could graduate high school. Tyler didn’t want any part of her life. Didn’t even acknowledge that we slept together. But I was fine with that, you know? I didn’t need him because once I had Rosie, I realized I would never need a man in my life to make me happy again because I had her.” I wipe the stray tear gliding along my cheek with the back of my hand and watch as Aliza does the same to her own. “What I’m really trying to say is, I know how easy it is to get caught up in your feelings. You see this cute guy, and he’s showing all this interest in you when you thought you never even stood a chance. So, you convince yourself to throw all inhibitions out the window and let go. I just want

you to be smart…with Luke. He’s gorgeous, and charming, but as you’ve said, he’s not a onewoman man, and I’d hate to see you get hurt. Just…just be careful.” “Aliza,” I sigh, wiping away excess tears. “I know what I’m doing. I’m not going to throw myself at Luke just because we’ve gotten close. He’s…a friend. And he’ll remain my friend until he decides he doesn’t want to be a part of my life anymore.” Aliza smiles sadly and nods. “Of course. Just know…you can always talk to me. I know sometimes Sam gives you shit for being friends with Luke, but I get where you’re coming from.” Sucking in a shaky breath, I smile and pull Aliza into a hug. “I love you.” “I know. I love you too,” she whispers. The center console digs into my stomach and I grunt. “Okay, let’s get out of here before we’re late.” “Good idea.” For the remainder of my shift, I’m plagued by Aliza’s story, and Sam’s words from the night before. I can’t deny that they both have good points, but at the end of the day, I know myself and how far I’m willing to go. I love being around Luke, and if I’m being honest, I know my feelings for him aren’t in the friend category anymore, but I would never act on them. Ever. I just want to pretend like things are normal, like they were the first time I met

Luke. It’s just strange, I mean, what are the odds of two of my best friends begging me to be careful? God, I bet they’re tag teaming me, sharing their worries behind my back. With a shake of my head, I push all thoughts of Luke and the girls out of my head so I can stay focused.

CHAPTER FOURTEEN Natalia I stride into the lecture hall of my psyche class and plop down in my normal seat, waiting for Luke. Digging out my textbook and notes, I’m a little surprised when Luke slides into the seat next to me with a McDonald’s bag. “I thought football stars were supposed to eat healthy foods, not McDonalds.” Luke rolls his eyes, “I eat whatever I want, Babygirl. That’s why I spend forty hours a week practicing.” He pats his abdomen. “These abs weren’t made from burgers and fries, I’ll tell you that.” Now it’s my turn to roll my eyes. “Well, obviously. I just thought maybe you ate healthier

foods.” “Do you want a bacon McGriddle or not, Natalia? Don’t think I won’t eat your sandwich for asking all these damn questions.” He glares at me, holding the sandwich just out my reach. I promptly shut my mouth and reach my hand out in a gimme gesture. One can never go wrong with a bacon and egg McGriddle. After my last class of the day is over, I trek across campus to the parking lot. “Hershey squirt! HERSHEY SQUIRT!” I finally realize what’s being yelled a few yards behind me and turn around with narrowed eyes. Seriously? Luke jogs up to me, not even slightly out of breath, with a wide grin spread across his face. “Fuck, I was wondering when you would hear me. I’ve been yelling out at you for what feels like the past ten minutes.” “You’ve been yelling that out for the past ten minutes?” I ask incredulously, and he chuckles, nodding his head. “And can you stop calling me Hershey squirt already? It’s getting old. You’re also making it really hard for me to enjoy chocolate bars.” Luke laughs harder, revealing both dimples, and runs his hand through his hair. The muscles in his arm bulge in an almost obscene way, and I swallow

thickly. Get yourself together, Natalia. “Alright, fine. No more Hershey squirt.” “Thank you,” I reply stiffly, crossing my arms over my chest. “Where you headed?” “My car. I was just gonna go home and study. I don’t have work until six. Working the nightshift.” “Come over. We can hang-out at my place,” Luke offers. “The guys are heading to a party, pregaming before the big game tomorrow.” I nervously twiddle my thumbs. “No party for you?” “Nah. I usually like to rest before any games. The partying and drinking can wait until we have a win under our belts. So, my place?” I inconspicuously blow out a sigh of relief at his response. The idea of Luke out partying with drunken sorority girls makes my blood boil. “I don’t know, Luke. I should really just head home and study. I have a crapload of work to do. I’m not exactly the best company.” “Oh, c’mon, Babygirl. If I didn’t want you at my place, I wouldn’t have asked. You’re great company. Now let’s go, I don’t have all day.” My brain yells at me to say no. I’m sure I’ll be fine studying on campus on my own, but my stupid mouth has other plans. “Yeah sure. I’ll meet you there.” I turn to head

toward my car but stop when he speaks up. “Why don’t you ride with me? No point taking two cars to the same place. I’ll give you a ride back to your car before work.” I start shaking my head no before he’s even finished with his sentence. “No, really, it’s fine. I can drive.” “Oh, c’mon,” he says, grabbing my arm. “I’m trying to be a gentleman here.” I follow Luke toward his car, trying my best to ignore the warmth radiating from my arm on the spot he was touching. Fire roars through my veins, coiling deep in my core, and my stomach flutters wildly just at the thought of being alone with Luke. I can’t help but smile on the inside. He actually wants me around because he enjoys my company, not because we have to, or for some stupid assignment, he wants to spend time with me—the real me, and it makes me impossibly giddy. This guy will surely be the death of me. The drive to Luke’s place is quiet. We don’t say much, I just listen to the radio and my pounding heart. With my nerves kicking in, I can’t help but blame Sam and Aliza. First, Sam is the one who basically forced me to realize I have feelings for Luke. Then Aliza had to go and throw in her two cents with her cryptic advice, and now I can’t stop thinking about Luke. Especially since I’ll be at his place with him. All alone. My heart pounds

violently within the confines of my chest just at that thought. I don’t know why I’m so nervous anyway. I’ve been alone with Luke plenty of times, but this time…it just feels different. There’s this static in the air around us, and I can’t help but feel drawn to him in a way I was never attuned to before. What’s even more shocking is, I want Luke to notice me. I want him to enjoy my presence because I’ve never felt closer to another person than I do with him. But now that I fully understand my feelings for him, my nerves are constantly in a state of dysfunction when I’m near him. It’s infuriating. This morning, I tried to act as if everything was normal between us, just like it usually is. But it’s not. Throughout most of the class, I was either sneaking glances at Luke out of the corner of my eye, or just blatantly staring at him. I’ve never really taken the time to just stare at him and appreciate his handsome looks. Don’t get me wrong, it’s hard not to ogle him every now and then because the guy is pretty much freaking dripping in pheromones, but that was before, when it was easy to ignore him by placing his looks aside. Now, with my emotions raging within me like a hormonal teenager meeting her celebrity crush for the first time, I just marvel at the Luke Caldwell package. Everything seems fine as I ogle him in peace without a care in the world—until he catches me

staring at him. He then asks if he has something on his face, and I freeze, caught like a deer in headlights. Feeling like a complete idiot for being caught, I tell him I think he has food stuck in his teeth. Talk about a smooth operator. I’m beyond thankful when we pull up to his apartment. I all but hop out the car and bound up the steps to his door just to avoid him starting a conversation. I don’t know why I thought that would help me, it’s not like once we get inside his place, alone, he’ll avoid talking to me. If anything, he’ll try to talk to me even more to get rid of the awkward silence. “You alright? You seem kind of quiet,” Luke says as he unlocks his door and lets me inside. I force a smile and nod my head. “Oh, yeah. I’m fine. I’ve just got a lot of schoolwork on my mind.” He snorts and walks off into the kitchen while I veer off into the TV room. I sit on the edge of the cushion, feeling exceedingly uncomfortable. What the hell is wrong with me? “Are you hungry? I think we got snacks in here somewhere,” he yells from the kitchen. “N-no thanks,” I stutter. Swallowing thickly. “Alrighty. Are you thirsty? I can bring you some water.” Yes, water, please. I nod then quickly realize he can’t see me.

“Yes!” I yell out too enthusiastically. I drop my head into my hands and groan. Fucking Sam and Aliza. “Are you sure you’re okay?” Luke asks again as he walks into the room. I jolt upright and nod as he hands me the water bottle. My hand accidentally grazes his and I jump. Literally jump away like his touch has burned me. It practically has. His eyebrows shoot up in question, and I sit there, staring at him completely on mute. Say something. Anything! I say the first thing I can think of. “Honestly no. You smell really bad. I can’t even think straight,” I blurt. Luke opens his mouth to say something then closes it, having no comeback for my rude outburst. He lifts he collar of his shirt and sniffs furrowing his brows. “Alright,” he says slowly. “Well, my bad. Let me hop in the shower real quick, then we can get started.” He twists off the cap of his water bottle, brings it to his lips, and finishes it in a few gulps. I watch in awe as his Adam’s apple bobs up and down sexily, almost in slow motion. His plump lower lip hangs below the rim of the bottle and I almost start drooling. I quickly avert my eyes before he catches me ogling him. Again. Once a day is more than enough.

I pace the floor of the entertainment room—or living room, whatever you want to call it—listening to the shower running. While Luke is in the shower, I give myself a mental pep talk. Okay, Natalia. Just be cool. Act calm. He’s still the same Luke he was a few weeks ago, nothing has changed. The pipes make a squeaking noise, and the water is shut off, followed by thumping footsteps. Great. He’s done. I look toward Luke’s room, thinking he’s finished, and realize what a huge mistake I made coming here today. I suck in a sharp breath. Sweet baby Jesus. Seems like Luke forgot to close his door and now I can see him. All. Of. Him. In all his perfect glory. His chiseled muscles are glistening with droplets of water and a little towel is wrapped around his hips. I swallow thickly as my eyes travel from his broad shoulders, to the rivulets on his abdomen, down to his tapered waist, and the deep V of his groin. The small knot on the towel is being held up by his hand and only his hand. Wow. That’s just…wow. My feet slowly move closer and closer to his room of their own accord. I know I should look away, give him his privacy, but I can’t summon the strength to tear my gaze away. It’s almost like watching a horrible accident, yet you’re unable to look away, no matter how badly you want to—or

how badly you know you should. Luke is rubbing another towel over his hair, drying it, and his muscles bunch deliciously with each small movement. I watch this God-like man in awe, with pure feminine appreciation. He looks like the goddam statue of Michelangelo’s David. With the back of my hand, I wipe off the perspiration beading on my forehead. Is it hot in here, or is it just me? My heart stutters violently in my chest, and my breath leaves me in a gasp when his eyes meet mine. Heat crawls up my neck and face in embarrassment. I force my feet to move, not even paying attention to my surroundings. I stub my foot on his coffee table and pain like no other tears through my big toe, shooting throughout my entire foot. My body flings forward with the force of gravity, and I trip with a loud Aargh, falling face first onto the carpet. I hurriedly scramble to my feet trying to slow my erratic breathing and thumping heart. “Jesus, Natalia are you alright?” Luke says breathlessly as he hovers in front of me. He’s looking at me like I’m certifiably crazy, and I know I’m warranting that kind of reaction. I run a shaky hand through my hair. “I’m actually not feeling very good. I think I’m gonna head home.” My voice shakes with nerves, and I fling my arms toward the door in a jittery

motion, feeling like a complete idiot. He stares at me strangely for a beat before nodding. “Uh, okay, I’ll give you a ride then,” he offers, already reaching for his keys. “No!” With a look of astonishment, Luke whips his head to me and freezes. My face turns beet red and I lick my lips nervously, feeling completely frazzled. Shaking my head, I say, “Sorry, I just meant I can walk. It’s not too far. Sometimes, I feel better if I just walk it off, you know?” I offer a nonchalant shrug like everyone does this. Luke continues staring at me like I’m crazy. He rubs his hand across the back of his neck helplessly. “Are you sure? I said I would give you a ride…I kinda feel like a dick if I don’t.” “It’s fine!” I force a loud laugh, and he flinches at my volume. “Alright then.” Under normal circumstances I would laugh at his bewildered look, but instead, I grab my shoulder bag and nearly sprint out of there. Stupid, stupid, stupid! *** Almost a half hour later I finally make it to campus from Luke’s. I certainly didn’t think it

would take that long to walk, but, boy was I wrong. I really should consider buying a gym membership because there’s no way in hell it’s healthy for me to so completely out of breath after that walk. After scrambling into my car, I drop my head onto the steering wheel and bang my forehead repeatedly. “Why?” Bang. “Why?” Bang. “Why?” Bang. Bang. Bang. I finally pull myself together long enough to drive home and get ready for work. I pull into my parking space and curse when I see Sam’s car in the driveway. Dammit. Of all days for Sam to be home at this hour, this is seriously the day? Blowing out a deep breath, I give myself a mental pep-talk before I head inside the lion’s den. She’ll know something’s up. Pull it together! Pushing through the front door, I plaster a smile on my face, just in case Sam is close by. “Hey, where were you? Don’t you usually get out of class earlier than three?” Sam asks from her perch on the kitchen counter before I even have a chance to close the door. “Yeah, but I had to study for few classes, so I went to the library.” Liar. Her brows pinch together, and she crosses her arms over her busty chest. “The library, huh? You don’t usually go to the library on the days you’re scheduled to work.” “Yeah, I know. But I wanted to get some extra

studying in, and I had a few books to check out,” I squeak, brushing past her toward the refrigerator. Don’t get me wrong, I feel freakin’ horrible for lying to Sam about where I was, but in all honestly, I really don’t need to hear her crap right now. Especially not after the embarrassing day I’ve had. I pull out the ingredients to make a sandwich, trying to ignore Sam’s hovering presence. “Need a ride to work? It’s been a while since we rode in together.” “Good idea. I’m low on gas anyway.” Sam drums her hands on the kitchen frame. “Alrighty, Mother Theresa.” I roll my eyes at her Mother Theresa dig, and continue spreading the mayo on my bread for my sandwich. The ride to the Bar and Grille goes without incident. Sam doesn’t bother bringing up Luke because she’s too busy talking about “the douche”. I let it slide though. Most days, I beg her to keep her stories to herself, but today, I welcome them. It is an easy diversion. Get her so caught up in her own drama that she forgets about everyone else’s. I think my shift at work will run just as smoothly, but that is just wishful thinking. “Soooooo,” Sam says later on, sidling up beside me, grinning like the cat who got the cream. I look at Aliza in question. She just shrugs, having no idea what her deal is. Half the time, we never know

what goes on in Sam’s head. “So what, Samantha?” “How are things? You score the quarterback yet? Ready to knock boots?” Well, that didn’t take long. After Sam’s heart-toheart with me about Luke, I hoped she would finally leave me alone and drop it. Not surprisingly, I am wrong. It’s our last break of the night and I use this time to rest my aching feet and close my tired eyes. That is, until Sam finally breaks her silence on the Luke subject. I guess it was only a matter of time. I curl my hands into fists and inhale deep breaths, trying to tamp down my frustration. I don’t how many times I’ve told her that we’re just friends, but for some reason she seems to think I’m keeping something from her—which technically I am, but she doesn’t need to know that yet. I may have a small crush on Luke, but who wouldn’t? He’s a great guy. And I’d have to be blind not to appreciate his looks. I mean, even she isn’t immune to his charm, and she’s the biggest man-eater of all for Christ’s sakes. But regardless of what she thinks, we’re nothing more than friends, or at the very least that’s the way it needs to stay. If today’s events are any indication, I don’t do well in any intimate situation that involves Luke. “For the hundredth time. We. Are. Friends. What is so hard to believe about that?”

“Everything!” she yells in exasperation. “Help me out here, Ohio.” “Oh no, no. Don’t drag me into this,” Aliza says, frantically waving her hand, trying to get her point across. I catch her eye and give her a silent thank you. At least one of my friends is on my side. “How about we focus on how great Aliza and CJ are doing together? I think that deserves some attention,” I say instead, trying to get the heat off me. Aliza spins toward me with a stricken look and I mouth, “Sorry.” She stares at me through narrowed slits, giving me a look that tells me I owe her big time. Better her than me. At least she’s in an actual relationship. Thankfully, Sam gets sidetracked with a list of questions for Aliza, asking about her and CJ’s sex life. I swear, I don’t think I’ve ever seen her look more uncomfortable in my life. Poor Aliza. Just as I’m slipping out of the booth to use the restroom, Aliza grasps my arm in a vice grip, and hisses under her breath. “You fucking owe me, Baldoni.” I can’t contain my small chuckle. Don’t I know it. *** Later that night, after our shift at the Bar and Grille, Sam and I plop down on the sofa like two couch potatoes. We watch old reruns of Friends for

a while until eventually, my eyes flutter closed, and I drift off to sleep. Light knocking on my bedroom door jolts me out of the text I was reading. With my brows drawn together, I push to my feet and pad toward my bedroom door, yanking it open. My eyes widen. “Luke?” He grins, revealing two deep dimples. “Hey, Babygirl.” He brushes past me, flopping backward onto my bed. He rests his arm behind his head and crosses his legs. My mouth drops open in a “what the hell is going on?” expression. He pats the empty space on the bed beside him and chuckles at the look on my face. “I won’t bite, Natalia.” I swallow thickly. “I know that. I’m just trying to understand what you’re doing here.” Luke shrugs. “I wanted to see you.” I heave a sigh and slide onto my bed next to him. I feel his stare burning at the side of my skull. My body shifts, and I turn my head toward Luke’s gaze ever so slightly. No words are spoken as his hazel clash with my brown. The atmosphere in the room thickens, making it almost impossible to breathe. My palms sweat as I take this time to admire him. His eyes, which are staring at me with so much heat in their depths, are lined with thick long lashes that rival my own. His tongue juts out,

wetting his bottom lip and my eyes follow the erotic movement. My chest rises and falls rapidly and my core clenches as I continue my perusal of him. I try to ignore the butterflies roaring through my body, but it’s impossible. Whenever I’m around Luke, I can’t ignore the butterflies that always seem to take flight in my chest. Their wings always seem to flutter whenever he’s near. Even if I don’t want them to. My body’s reaction to this man is visceral. His eyes hold mine, and my stomach knots at all the questions I see there. My heart flutters in my chest, and an urgent need to feel his body against mine slams into me. It’s foreign and so unlike me, but I want it—need it—more than I need my next breath. Luke leans in and his lips hover in front of me. His warm breath, that smells of mint and toothpaste, ghosts across my lips. My eyes flutter closed on a harsh breath and I close the distance, pressing my lips against his. His warm mouth devours mine, and I’ve never felt like anything was more right in my world. “Tell me you want this?” He breathes into the kiss. “Tell me you want me, Natalia.” His tongue dips into my mouth, making me moan helplessly. “Luke…” I start, but he digs his hand in the back of my hair, tugging gently on the strands, effectively silencing me. A warm, heady feeling

surges through my body, making my thighs quiver and clench. “Tell me yes, Babygirl,” he manages between kisses. My womb clenches at his words. His kisses. His nearness. A hot wave of lust crashes against my pelvis, jolting my hips forward, seeking any kind of friction. “Yes,” I suddenly moan, throwing caution to the wind. Luke’s mouth attacks mine with a fervor I’m unfamiliar with. His tongue parts my lips skillfully, toying with me. His lips trail down my neck, sucking and licking the tender skin. He lowers his kisses to my breasts, pulling down my sweater and sucking on my nipples through my bra. My core spasms and my hips lift off the bed, seeking his touch. When Luke trails his tongue down the center of my body and dips it into my belly button, a thick, heady, sexual fog clouds my brain. His tongue swirls while his hands simultaneously peel my shorts and my underwear down my legs. When his mouth covers my center I release the longest, breathiest moan. Luke licks me in one full swipe that takes my breath away. His tongue flutters over the bundle of nerves and my body tenses with euphoria. “Oh God, Luke,” I breathe. Luke devours me with his mouth, taking no prisoners. He dips a finger inside me, pumping in

and out slowly as his mouth continues to work me over. My chest heaves violently as I try to catch my breath and my body flushes with my impending orgasm. “I’m almost there,” I moan. “Don’t stop.” “Natalia.” I clench my eyes shut, trying to focus on the pleasure. “Don’t stop!” “Natalia.” “Natalia!” I jolt awake with a start. My body flings upright and my chest heaves as it takes me a second to realize where I am. The living room. What the…? “Hey, weirdo!” Sam says, snapping her fingers in front of my face. “Are you finally awake now?” She’s dressed in her pajamas with the TV behind her turned off. Weren’t we just watching TV? I shake my head, trying to clear the drowsy fog. “Y-yeah.” My voice cracks so I clear my throat. “Yeah, I’m awake now. I must’ve fallen asleep.” Sam rolls her eyes. “Yeah, no fucking shit, Sherlock. What I want to know is what the hell you were dreaming about. There was a whole lot of panting and moaning going on.” My cheeks flame in embarrassment as I come to the realization that I was having a sex dream,

starring Luke. Jesus, Lord in heaven help me. “I was having a nightmare,” I croak lamely. Sam raises a single brow and crosses her arms over her ample chest. I swallow thickly. “A nightmare?” she asks dubiously. I nod my head aggressively, trying to drive my point home. “Yup.” “So, in this ‘nightmare,’ what was happening to you that made you so breathy?” I wrack my brain for something to say. “I, uh, I was being chased….by a…murderer.” “Hmmm. Did the murderer happen to be Luke Caldwell chasing you with his dick?” A knowing grin spreads across her face, and I gasp in mortification. “Samantha!” I yell after her retreating form as she howls down the hallway in a fit of laughter. I deflate against the couch and drop my head back onto the cushion. What the hell am I going to do now?

CHAPTER FIFTEEN Natalia The next morning, I’m hurrying across campus like a bat out of hell to get to class. I get shoulder checked a few times, and accidentally bump into a few people along the way. Never realized it before, but sometimes, people on campus can be real assholes. Obviously, if you see a girl jogging across the campus, you should probably move out of her way instead of walking like you’re taking a stroll through the park on a Sunday with your grandmother. I check my watch for the time and groan when I get a good look. Shit! I’m already ten minutes late. I quicken my strides, until I say, screw it, and break out into a sprint to make it to class so I’m not

any later. My chest feels like it’s about to explode, and I silently remind myself that maybe being physically active wouldn’t hurt too much. If my huffing is any indication, I’m extremely out of shape. All this because my stupid car didn’t start. I got to campus earlier than usual today and spent most of the morning studying in the library, figuring I had time to make it to class. But when I got to my car… the shit-bucket wouldn’t start. My next class was on the opposite side of campus. There was no way I’d make it in time without my car. I spent a good fifteen minutes trying to figure it out, but it was no use. I know jack-shit about cars. My father never even taught me how to change a flat tire. Now, I’m going to be late to class and I’m never late. It wouldn’t have been so bad if the library was near my psych class, but nooo, of course my class was on the opposite side of the campus. And it’s not a small campus. Just my damn luck. The lecture doors come into view as I’m trying to catch my breath, and I notice that the doors are closed. Please let them be unlocked, I chant to myself over and over. Sometimes, our professor can be a dick, locking the doors five minutes after class begins. Luckily when I yank the handle, they’re unlocked, so I quickly find a seat near the back, trying to be discreet. But of course, that doesn’t

happen for me. As I’m hurrying through the back aisle to get to an empty seat, I accidentally knock a girl’s iced coffee off her desk with my shoulder bag, and all hell breaks loose. The coffee splatters all over her desk and the floor with a loud crash and the girl shrieks. Every head in the lecture hall swings to us and I turn beet red. My stomach drops, and I momentarily forget to breathe Nooo. No. No. I frantically drop to my knees, “I’m so sorry. Oh god.” I keep apologizing over and over as I try to scoop up the ice off the floor with my hands. Why? I don’t think I even know why. I’m just trying to make myself look useful now that everyone is watching us, including the professor. “Is there a problem?” Professor Gillory asks from the podium, irritation lining his voice. I shoot to my feet and shake my head profusely. “Find your seat and do not disrupt my class again or you will be asked to leave,” Dr. Gillory says coldly. I swallow thickly and hurry to the empty desk, trying not to cause anymore scenes. My heart is beating erratically, and I can still feel the weight of everyone’s eyes on me. I sink into my chair, wanting it to swallow me whole. I timidly pull my notebook out and spend the rest of the lecture jotting down everything Dr. Gillory says, trying to keep busy. When class is dismissed, I take my time

putting my things away so I don’t have to run into anyone who probably wants to laugh in my face. When most of the lecture hall has cleared, I gather my stuff and head out the doors. Immediately upon exiting, I run into Luke. Like physically run into him. My shoulder collides with a rock-solid body, nearly knocking me off my feet. Strong hands grip my arms. “Whoa. Whoa.” Luke chuckles as he steadies me. He bends at eye level with me, and I stare into the most intricate pair of eyes I’ve ever seen. “Everything alright?” he asks as he searches my face. His eyes look unusually light today with the faintest ring of blue around them. I’ve noticed the colors change from day to day depending on the lighting. Sometimes his eyes look auburn with gold flecks, while others, his eyes look a vivid green with the faintest trace of blue. As I stare up at him, I can’t help but replay the dream I had last night. My tummy flips and I start to blush under the intensity of his stare. I clear my throat, realizing I’ve been staring without speaking. “Yeah, I’m fine. Today’s just been…shitty.” Luke’s chest rumbles with a laugh. “I saw your entrance in class, which was very graceful by the way. You looked like you had just run a mile.” I narrow my eyes at him. “My car didn’t want to start, so I had to basically run to class. Which is

very depressing since I’ve never been late to class. Ever,” I emphasize. “There’s a first for everything, Babygirl.” My heart flutters at his little endearment. It never gets old. “Wait, did you just say you saw me come into class? I thought you’d be sitting in our normal spot.” We usually sit in the middle of the lecture hall, toward the front. It’s not up too close, but it’s still close enough to concentrate and look like good, interested students. It’s also pretty much impossible to see who comes through the doors unless you’re staring, waiting for someone in particular to walk through. Luke shifts on his feet. “When I got here before you, I knew something was up, and after you didn’t text me back, I checked the doors once or twice to see if you’d be late. I happened to look back when you came in and made a scene. I don’t think anyone in class missed your arrival today.” I groan, and my heartbeat returns to normal. Of course, he wasn’t waiting for your arrival, Natalia. He just wanted to be sure his punching bag was in class with him today. This is Luke Caldwell we’re talking about here. “Oh, right,” I say dejectedly. “Seems I forgot to charge my phone last night, so I couldn’t call anyone for a ride earlier when my car wouldn’t start because it was dead,” I explain.

Luke searches my face before he says something that surprises the heck out of me. “I’ll take a look at your car if you need me to. In the meantime, if you need a ride, or two, I can give you one as long as they don’t interfere with practice.” My mouth hangs open in shock. Luke is actually being nice? I recover quickly. “Really?” I ask. “Are you sure? Because you don’t have to. I can take an Uber or ask Sam whenever she’s not busy.” Luke shrugs. “It’s no bother, really. Although there is one stipulation,” he says with a smirk that showcases a dimple. I narrow my eyes and search his expression for whatever his stipulation is. “What is it?” I ask warily. Luke gives me a fullblown smile, deepening his dimples. “In return for rides, you let me teach you about football.” “That’s the stipulation?” That’s not so bad. How hard can it be? “Yup.” Luke grins. “So, what’ll it be?” I mull it over for a few seconds before shrugging. “Screw it. A little football knowledge never hurt anyone.” “Perfect. First practice starts today. Meet me after your last class.” “Wait. Do you even know anything about cars?” He frowns at me. “Of course I do. That’s just insulting to my manhood, Natalia.”

We make a big show of shaking on it, and I can’t wipe the stupid smile off my face when his hand touches mine. *** After my last class of the day, I meet up with Luke a little way off campus on Fifty-Fifth Street. Across the street from campus, next to the school’s alumni center, is a large track and field that are used for various sports. I’ve never been on this side of the school. I’m really only familiar with the library, the parking lots, and the buildings where most of my classes have been. San Diego State is a huge university. If you don’t have some sort of knowledge of the campus, or a map, it’s easy to get lost. “Follow me.” Luke nudges me in my back, and I follow a few steps behind him onto the field. It’s easy getting access to the field standing next to the university’s star quarterback. The campus security doesn’t bother with any questions. Typical. Luke sets the bag he has slung over his shoulder down on the lush green grass of the field and pulls out a football. “What, do you carry a football around with you all day in case you need it?” I joke. “Pretty much.” He shrugs.

I turn to him with wide eyes. “Seriously? That’s…weird.” “Weird for you, yes. Weird for me, no. I carry around a football just like I’m sure you carry around an unnecessary textbook.” I narrow my eyes. “I do not carry around unnecessary textbooks, you asshole.” He chuckles and tosses the football to me without warning. My knee-jerk reaction is to cover my face, but I’m too late, the ball clips me right in the nose. “Ouch!” I groan and clasp my hands over my nose. “Seriously? You could’ve broken my damn nose. Why didn’t you warn me?” He winces. I watch through my hands as he strides up to me and lightly places a finger under my chin, tilting my face up. He pushes my hands away and assesses the damage. Warmth spreads throughout my body from my chin down to my core. Damn him and his stupid warm touch. He snorts loudly. “You’re so dramatic. Your nose isn’t even red.” I slap his hand away from my face, “You’re such an ass,” I grumble. Luke reaches behind his back and pulls his shirt over his head. He jerks his chin toward the center of the field, indicating for me to follow him. “C’mon, Textbook. Let’s get started. Teaching you is gonna be a lot harder than I thought.”

Instead of following him, I stay rooted in place, staring after him. He has one of those sleeveless under-armor shirts that hug his muscles to perfection. My eyes trail up and down his body, and I’m vaguely aware of the heat swirling in my core. “You done checking me out, Babygirl? I’d like to get started sometime today.” My eyes widen and snap up to meet Luke’s gaze. I open and close my mouth like a gaping fish. “I was not checking you out!” I snap. Luke smiles at me condescendingly. “Okay. Right. Just like you weren’t checking me out the other day after my shower?” His voice has a teasing tone to it, and I narrow my gaze at him. Evil butterflies churn in my stomach as I recall a dripping wet, shirtless Luke. Just the thought of being touched by Luke has me drooling like a dog in heat. Letting out a frustrated growl, I shoot a glare at him. “Just shut up and show me how to throw the damn ball, Mr. Popular.” Luke lets out a loud laugh, then proceeds to show me all about the football, and where to hold it. “When you throw it, you want the ball to spiral.” Lifting the ball, he shows me where he wants my fingers. “Position your fingers in between these white laces right here. Your ring and pinky finger should be placed in between the breaks of the

laces. I know it’s a bit awkward with the shape of the ball, but over time you’ll get used to it.” I do as he says with a smug little smile. “Doesn’t seem too hard. This is seriously why you’re so popular?” Luke narrows his eyes at me. “Watch yourself, Baldoni.” I laugh, raising my free hand in surrender. Ignoring my dig, Luke jogs back a few feet then indicates for me to throw it. “Throw it from there. I’m not too far away, I just want to see if you have the throwing down.” I do as he says and throw the ball. I wince as the ball misses my target completely. I’m also pretty sure the ball isn’t supposed to be jolting wildly in the air like that. Luke sputters a laugh. “How the hell…? I literally just showed you how to throw it.” His hands are down at his sides in the universal “what the fuck” gesture. “I forgot!” He jogs back toward me with the ball in hand, and an impish grin on his face. “C’mon, Textbook, lets focus, because you’re gonna need more help than I thought.” I roll my eyes, and let Luke show me how to throw the ball correctly for the rest of the practice. After a good ten tries, I finally get it down, until he moves a few more feet away.

Throwing a football is a lot harder than I anticipated.

CHAPTER SIXTEEN Natalia It’s been two weeks since Luke and I made our arrangement, and I’m starting to think he’s not even planning to look at my car. I think he’s having way too much fun teaching me everything there is to know about football. Every time I ask him to look at my car, he has some bogus excuse. And I never call him out on it, mainly because I might be enjoying myself a little too much whenever I’m around him. To recap, my throw is shit, I can’t catch a ball even if my life depended on it, and apparently, I don’t follow directions very well. All Luke’s words, not mine. Sam still thinks I should be banging Luke instead of pretending we’re just friends—especially after

the sex dream I had about him. Surprisingly, Aliza hasn’t said anything more on the subject. But sometimes, I do catch her staring at me out of the corner of her eye. I know my friends are worried about me—I get it. I really do. But I know what I’m doing. I don’t need the guilt trip every five seconds, and I definitely don’t need to be thinking about screwing the irritatingly handsome guy who has gotten under my skin. Trudging across the field, I ignore Luke yelling instructions at me. For the past fifteen minutes, he’s been trying to explain the “routes on air” drill used for passing accuracy. So far, all I’ve understood is basically run until I catch the ball. He keeps repeating words and phrases like pass plays and running routes—it’s all gibberish to me. “Okay, you ready? Show me what you got, Baldoni,” he shouts from the fifty-yard line. Blowing out a deep breath, I widen my stance and sprint across the field, to the thirty, as fast as I can, Luke throws a pass at lightning speed and my lungs burn the harder I push myself to reach it. I halt in position as the football spirals toward my face. I let it fall into my arms. The force makes me stumble backward a few steps as I cradle it to my body. I take off in a sprint again and run toward the makeshift end zone. Thumping footsteps behind me alert of Luke’s impending presence. Before I know what’s happening, I’m literally swept off my feet,

and the green grass swirls before my eyes. My back hits the ground with a resounding thud, and I blow out a puff of air. I squeak in surprise, then squeal with laughter as Luke topples on top of me. His heavy weight above me sends my already frantically beating heart into overdrive. His face is so close, his breath skirts across my cheeks. Holy shit. He’s even better looking up close. “Are you hurt?” Those amber and green eyes search my face intently. I shake my head no, afraid my voice will betray me and reveal all the emotions building inside me at his proximity. “Not bad. But we still have work to do, so don’t think your football lessons are over yet.” Standing, he offers his arm, and pulls me up. The ground beneath me shakes, and my body is still trembling. I’m not sure if it’s from the adrenaline, or the fact that Luke Caldwell was just lying on top of me. “Why do I get the impression that our football lessons are never going to end?” I ask with raised brows. “You are one smart cookie, Babygirl,” he says with a chuckle. “Seriously, Luke, are you ever going to work on my car? Having a chauffeur is great and all, but I need my own car, eventually.” “Yes, your majesty, I plan on working on it after this. I already bought you a new alternator. That

was the problem,” he says, putting his San Diego Aztecs shirt on over his under armor shirt. “Oh.” I pause, my brows pull together in confusion. “Why didn’t you tell me you needed to buy a part for my car? I would’ve paid you.” He shakes his head and waves me off, slinging his bag over his shoulder. “Nah. Don’t worry about it.” “Luke. I can’t let you pay for that. Seriously.” “Think of it as restitution for all the times I was a complete dick to you.” “Luke…,” I start to say, but I’m cut off by him prowling toward me and throwing me over his shoulder. I scream in surprise and laugh, feeling all the blood rush to my head as I hang upside down. “You can just say ‘thank you’, Baldoni.” “Thank you,” I say with a chuckle as I stare at his plump backside while he walks. *** “Are you sure you know what you’re doing?” I ask warily as Luke works on my car. “Of course I know what I’m doing,” he snaps from under the hood. I raise my hands in the air defensively and sit back down on the curb in front of his house. After I couldn’t get my car started a few weeks ago, Luke suggested having it towed to his place. It was only a few miles away, so it would

be cheaper to leave it at his place instead of towing it to mine. Tow trucks and car insurance companies can be a bitch. Luke’s white t-shirt is covered in black oil stains from working under the hood. He’s wearing a San Francisco Giants baseball cap on backward to keep his wayward hair out of his face. His hands and arms are covered in filth, and I watch as the veiny muscles in his forearms flex with each movement. Something warm coils in my belly just from watching him work. He’s incredibly good looking, but even more so now that he’s gotten down and dirty working on my car. I shake my head, trying to banish Luke from my thoughts. Shooting to my feet I offer the only help I can. “Should I go inside and bring you some water?” “Yeah. Thanks,” he mumbles from under the hood. It doesn’t take me any longer than five minutes to go inside and grab a bottle of water for him out of his fridge, but by the time I come out, the hood to my car is shut and Luke is wiping his hands on his shirt. “Oh, you’re done?” “Yeah. She should be good to go. I changed the oil while I was at it too.” He tosses me my keys, and I just barely manage to catch them as I juggle his water bottle. “Here, start her up,” he says, taking his water

bottle from my hand. Walking around to the driver side of my car, I pull the door open. With the key in the ignition, I turn it, and blow out a sigh of relief when the car roars to life. “Oh my God! It’s working. You did it!” I laugh in surprise. “Told you I knew what I was doing. Changing an alternator isn’t usually this messy, but fuck woman, do you ever get maintenance on this car?” He chuckles. “Nope. But I promise I will after this.” I hop out of the car, and without thinking about it, throw myself into Luke’s arms. He staggers back from the force of my hug, but it doesn’t take him long to hug me back. “Thank you so much, Luke. I owe you one.” Grasping my shoulders, he steps away and stares down at me intently, hazel eyes search mine for a few silent seconds. His lips turn up into a smile, revealing his dimples, “Yeah, you do Babygirl.” He steps away from me and finishes off his water bottle. “Now, c’mon, I’m starving. Let’s get something to eat.” After Luke went inside to take a shower and get cleaned up, we drove to Oggi’s, a pizza joint nearby —my treat, of course. Three quarters of a large pizza later, we’re both slouching in our booth laughing over our most embarrassing stories.

“Back home in San Francisco, I was seeing this girl Sabrina on and off. Our families knew each other pretty well, and we both knew each other since we were kids. We were both seniors at the time, so she knew it wasn’t serious. It was the night of my birthday, and we were at her house because her parents weren’t supposed to be home all weekend. As she was giving me my “birthday gift”, her parents walked in her room with a birthday cake to surprise me with. I was kicked out of their house, and our parents are no longer friends.” I laugh uncontrollably, gaining the attention of the patrons in booths surrounding us. I try to speak through my laughter. “Oh God. Why the hell were they trying to surprise you with a cake anyway?” He shrugs. “I told you, our families were really close at the time. Sabrina and I grew up together, so it was like they were gifting a birthday cake to their ‘son’.” Shaking my head, I try to control my laughter. “That’s pretty bad, but mine is sooo much worse.” “Let me be the judge of that. What’s your most embarrassing memory?” “The night before I had to take the SATs, I was having really bad stomach pains, and I kept going to the bathroom most the night. The next morning, I took an Imodium, thinking I’d be okay to take the test. While I was in the class, it was dead quiet, and everyone was so focused. I had the urge to sneeze,

but I didn’t want to attract any attention to myself. I tried to hold in my sneeze, but in doing so, I just made myself fart instead. The whole class heard, and they wouldn’t stop laughing, it was completely mortifying.” I say, my cheeks turning an indecent shade of red. Luke howls with laughter across from me, and I reach across the table, batting him in the arm. “Shut up.” “No wonder you hate it when I call you Hershey squirt.” His eyes water from laughing so hard and I narrow my eyes at him, flipping him the bird. “I hate you.” Luke continues laughing, and I ask him the one question that’s been on my mind for a while now. “So, that dinner with your parents…?” I trail off not knowing what else to say. Ever since Luke basically asked me to go to dinner with his parents, I’ve been wondering when it would finally happen. “Right,” he says with an impish grin, rubbing a nervous hand behind his neck. “I’ve been trying to hold my mother off for as long as possible. I mean, with practice and games, it’s hard to find free time.” I nod my head in agreement, completely understanding. “And you’re positive you want to do this?” “What do you mean?” “I mean, take me to meet your parents,” I say,

fidgeting on my seat in the booth. His brows furrow. “Why wouldn’t I? You’re the only girl I can imagine taking around my parents.” My breath gets lodged in my throat, and I swallow thickly. “Really? Why?” “Because you’re smart, beautiful, and not to mention uncharacteristically funny,” he says with a grin, and my heart nearly explodes out of my chest. Clearing my throat, I will my wildly beating heart to slow and say, “Well, in that case, I look forward to meeting them.” Luke and I spend the rest of the night at Oggi’s until one of their employees comes out and lets us know they are closing. Of course, Luke spent most of the night torturing me with my embarrassing story, but he also told me more about his family, and his life growing up in San Francisco. And I, in turn, told him all the times I plotted my sister’s demise whenever she did something to piss me off as a kid. It was easily the most fun I’ve ever had.

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN Natalia The last week and a half, the Bar and Grille has been crazy packed. I don’t even remember the last time I had a day off. CJ’s Bar and Grille was featured on Guy Fieri’s show, and on Travel channel’s Food Paradise. In the last week, we’ve had more tourists come in to try out the food than we’ve ever had in a whole month. It’s been insane! To top it off, school has been taking up most of my time with the impending finals for the end of the semester. We have about a month and a half before the semester is finally over. No more Luke Caldwell. I’m trying not to dwell on it. I should be happy, but I’m not. I don’t want our strange friendship to

end, but I know without a doubt, once this semester ends, I can say bye-bye to Luke. I’m husting back into the kitchen with an arm full of dirty plates when I almost crash into Sam, who surprisingly looks a little frazzled. “Fuck it’s crazy in here!” “Tell me about it. My feet are killing me,” I whine. “Can we take a break yet?” Aliza groans, popping up beside me. “I fucking wish, Ohio,” Sam says. “That reminds me, Nat, I forgot to tell you your boyfriend stopped by today again, hoping to catch you for work. We actually had a decent conversation. Your boyfriend is pretty funny.” I do my best to ignore the fluttering in my belly and keep a straight face for Sam. “He’s not my boyfriend.” “Mmmhmm, keep telling yourself that,” Sam tosses over her shoulder as she heads back to the bar. I roll my eyes and catch Aliza’s look. She purses her lips. “I’m not gonna even say anything.” I groan and stalk toward the kitchen to drop off the plates and take out more orders. I don’t have time to worry about Luke or my friends, I just need to make it out of my shift alive. By the time I walk into the apartment, my legs feel numb and my feet feel like I’ve been walking

in twelve-inch heels all day long. I force myself to get in the shower and wash off the food smell clinging to my skin. I love CJ and all, but right now, I’m really cursing him for having such a booming business. I’m literally counting the days down until my day off. I plan to sleep all day and rest ice packs on the soles of my feet until the throbbing goes away. I wouldn’t be surprised if I woke up with blisters on my feet. I spit a mouthful of toothpaste in the sink while simultaneously putting night cream on my face, when Sam suddenly starts pounding on the bathroom door like a complete psychopath. “You’ve got company!” she yells in a singsong voice. I freeze with my toothbrush in my mouth, and rinse quickly. What the hell is she talking about? Yanking the bathroom door open, I’m greeted by a smug looking Sam, leaning against the wall. “The quarterback is here.” “Right now? It’s nearly midnight!” I look over her shoulder toward the living room. Sam shrugs. “Whatever you’re doing to that man, keep it up.” “I am not doing anything,” I hiss. She arches a brow and smiles at me knowingly. My brows pull down and I pause. I’m not doing anything to him, am I? Sam walks away snickering, and I scowl after her

retreating form. I quickly look down at myself, assessing my appearance, and blow out an aggravated breath. Great day to wear my Hello Kitty pajamas. How very mature, Natalia. With a quiet groan, I make my way toward the living room where Luke is sprawled across the couch, clicking through Netflix. “You do realize this visit is cutting into my sleep, right?” “Sleep is for the dead,” he says, turning toward me. His eyes trail up and down my body, and he starts laughing. “God, this is priceless. Hello Kitty, Natalia, really?” I walk around the couch toward the cushions and nudge him in the leg with my foot before plopping down next to him. “Shut up. No one is ever too old for Hello Kitty. Grown women have actual Hello Kitty tattoos, you know.” “If you say so.” “Why are you here, Luke?” “I kinda missed you.” “Aww. That was halfway sweet. Too bad I didn’t miss you.” Lie. “Natalia?” “Yeah?” “Shut up.” Laughing, I rest my head on Luke’s shoulder as he puts on How To Get Away With Murder. We finally caught up to season two, and we’ve been so

hooked, we’re nearly onto season three. Heat emanates from his body, keeping me warm. Way warmer than I should feel resting next to a guy like Luke Caldwell. He smells clean—like he always does, fresh pines mixed in with the faintest hint of spice. I know my damp hair resting on his shoulder has to be bothering him, but surprisingly he doesn’t speak a word about it. “How was work?” he asks while we watch the show. I give a noncommittal shrug. “It was whatever. Work. Things have been so hectic lately. The Bar and Grille has been packed to full capacity. I’m looking forward to my next day off.” He chuckles. “I’m sure you are. I knew I’d be left doing all the work for this project.” He makes a tsk-tsk noise, shaking his head back and forth. My lip twitches into a smile, and I elbow him into his rock-hard abdomen. He doesn’t even flinch. “Shut up. We still have time. We’re almost done anyway.” “I know. I just like messing with you.” I tilt my head up to him, finding him staring straight down at me with a smile on his face. That smile and those dimples hit me right in my core. This silent moment between us does something strange to my heart, and my body—everything feels off kilter. Searching his face, I admire how perfect he really is. Smooth golden skin, chiseled

features, and dimples that are deeper than the Pacific. He has a small, barely there, silver scar just along his chin. The imperfection makes him all the more beautiful. Realizing that we’ve been staring at each other without saying anything, I finally smile up at him, before turning back toward the TV. I could’ve sworn, in that brief second that I smiled at him, something flashed behind his eyes, I just don’t know what it was. We settle into a comfortable silence and continue watching TV. After a few minutes, my eyes start to grow heavy, but I fight it. With Luke’s body heat and smell, I feel more comfortable than I should. He gently runs his fingers along my arm, and I struggle to remain conscious—to commit this moment to memory. The attempt is futile. I don’t even remember closing my eyes or falling asleep. Next thing I know, I’m alone in bed, nestled under the covers, and I don’t question it. I just burrow further under the covers, clinging to Luke’s scent and fall back to sleep with a smile on my face. *** The next morning, I wake up to rap music blasting from Sam’s bedroom next door. What the hell? With a yawn and groan, I throw the comforter off my legs and force myself to stand. Stomping to the door, I throw it open and yell out to Sam.

“Turn it down, Samantha!” I get no response, so I march to her door and bang on it wildly, yelling for her to turn it down. With sleep out of the question, I huff all the way toward the bathroom to take a shower and get ready for the day. I start work at four today, so I have most the day to myself since there are no classes today. I purposely spend over an hour in the shower, then another hour getting ready just to piss Sam off in case she needs to use the bathroom. Much to my chagrin, she is still in her bedroom with the music blasting. Rolling my eyes, I sidle up to her door and knock again. “Sammy! Would you lower the music already?” My irritation rises at her blatantly ignoring me. I knock twice on her door before opening it. It takes me while to understand what’s happening in the room before me. When my brain and my eyes finally get up to speed, I screech at the top of my lungs in horror. Or maybe its disgust. I’m not entirely sure. 2-Chainz blares from the speakers as Sam takes part in a threesome. I’ll never be able to listen to a 2-Chainz song without thinking about this moment. One guy is behind her, and the other is below her. The noises coming from them make me want to barf. This isn’t the first time I’ve walked in on something like this, but it’s been a while since Sam has had one of her “orgies” so I

wasn’t mentally prepared for this. The guy drilling Sam from behind catches my eye and winks at me and I turn around so fast, I get nauseous, then slam the door with a resounding thud. I practically run to my room, grab my purse and car keys, and start dialing Luke. Thankfully, he picks up on the third ring. I don’t wait for him to say anything, I immediately blurt out, “I’m coming over,” before I hang up. On the whole drive over to his place, I can’t get the images of Sam and her friends out of my head. I only wish she would’ve sent me a warning text message or even thought to lock her damn door. Who engages in sexual acts like that, and doesn’t lock the damn door? “What the hell is wrong with you?” Is the first thing Luke asks when I walk through his door. I drop down onto the couch and cover my face with my hands. “You look like you’ve just seen a ghost,” he says with a chuckle. “I seen sumting bery bisturving.” “What?” I take my hands away from my face and proceed to tell Luke what happened when I got up this morning. “Orgies?” Luke damn-near shouts. “Jesus, Natalia, the guys don’t even do shit like that! Is Sam crazy?” he asks with wide eyes. “Is it even

safe for you to stay there? Jesus.” He sighs, running his hand through his hair, and I manage a laugh. Like a real laugh. “Calm down, Casanova. It’s her place too. I’m not going to tell her how to live her life. She’s my best friend. Plus, whenever she has company, I usually make an excuse to leave the apartment or study at the library or something. No big deal.” I shrug. “It’s been relatively calm lately. She was seeing this douche lawyer guy, so I don’t know what happened. I honestly wasn’t prepared. That’s all.” “Wow.” He blows out a deep breath and chuckles. “I don’t know whether to feel bad for you, or actually laugh at you.” My lip twitches into a small smile, and I roll my eyes. “I should actually be thanking Sam and her sex fiend friends. They’re one of the reasons I’ve decided to stay abstinent for so long.” Luke’s brows shoot up in surprise and his mouth gapes. “What did you just say?” My heart freezes, and I momentarily forget to breathe. My eyes widen at my slip up. Oh, shit. Did I just say that? Crap, crap, crap! “Nothing,” I blurt quickly, turning away from him. It doesn’t do much good when we’re both sitting on the couch. I really have nowhere else to

run. “You’re a virgin.” It’s not a question. It’s a statement. Like everything is finally starting to make sense to him. Pieces to a puzzle clicking into place. I whirl back to him and point a threatening finger in his face. “No stupid jokes! My virginity is important to me, especially with the way I grew up, so don’t try to make me feel like some loser or something.” His brows pinch together, and he squares his shoulders. “I wouldn’t joke about something like that, Natalia. Not many girls can say they’ve saved themselves for that many years. It’s nothing to be ashamed of,” he says sincerely, and it throws me for a loop. So, what, no sex jokes? No ridicule? Who is this person sitting before me and what have they done with Luke Caldwell? “Really?” His lip twitches at the corner, and I shake it off correcting myself. “I mean, I know that.” He chuckles with a shake of his head and stares at me intently. Today his eyes are a forest green. The color is riveting. Unlike anything I’ve ever seen before. “You are full of surprises,” he says more to himself than to me. I get that stupid flutter in my stomach, and heat crawls up my neck to my face. I

drop my gaze, avoiding the intensity of his stare and the twinge in my chest. Seriously? Am I seriously blushing right now? “Yeah, well whatever, it’s not a big deal. Let’s forget about it.” “What does your family have to do with your virginity?” he asks, ignoring my plea for him to forget I said anything. “Well, you know, because the way my parents started, how I ended up living life without a mother, all because my father was selfish.” “You can’t honestly think staying abstinent will change any of that, do you?” “Of course not! I don’t know…I just don’t ever want to be the other woman, or the one left behind. I especially don’t want to end up like a sex-fiend.” “There’s nothing wrong with liking sex, Natalia. It’s biology.” “Having sex with anything that moves is hardly biology, Luke. You can’t justify having a lot of sex because it’s science. That’s dumb.” “It’s not dumb. It’s a fact. Some people are wired differently than others. Some have low sex drives, other have high sex drives—like me.” “Yeah,” I scoff. “And look at you. You’re the biggest whore on campus.” “You may have a point, but that doesn’t make me a bad person. I just like having sex. Just because Sam likes having sex all the time, does that make

her a whore in your book too?” he asks with raised brows. My face heats, and I stutter for something to say. “N-no. What? No. Of course not, that’s completely different. I know Sam, and her reasons for having so much sex—” “Ahh, so just because she’s your friend, she gets a free pass for sleeping around? What about me? Sounds a little unfair.” I purse my lips for a beat while I process what he’s said, then blow out a deep breath. “Okay, you got me. You’re right. I just…I want sex to mean something more than just…sex.” “So, you want the fairytale. Like those romance books you read.” I roll my eyes because I know what he’s getting at. “I’m not asking for a fairytale or even a happily ever after. I know that isn’t real. I just want sex to be as important to my partner as it is to me.” Luke stares down on me from his perch on the couch, and I take a minute to look at him. Like really look at him. He’s wearing a plain black t-shirt and basketball shorts. His light brown hair has gotten a little longer since we’ve started hanging out, the tips now hanging in his eyes. There’s an indent between his brows where he’s frowning, and his full lips are slightly parted. His hazel eyes— forest green blending into swirls of light brown, with amber flecks, a rogue circle of blue surrounds

his iris—stare me down intently. “Well,” he says thickly, “for your sake, I hope one day you find him.” A small, tentative smile spreads across my face. “Me too.” “In the meantime, if you ever need a willing participant, I’d gladly help you out.” My cheeks heat, and I shift uncomfortably on the couch. Did he just say he wants to have sex with me? Rapid flashbacks of my sex dream bombard my brain. I clench my thighs together. “That won’t be necessary,” I mumble, unable to meet his gaze. “I’m kidding, Natalia. I have more class than to proposition you after you’ve just said you were a virgin,” he says with laughter in his voice. I scratch the back of my neck nervously and force a laugh. “Right. Right. Of course.” “Now, c’mon. We’re going to breakfast. I’m fucking starving.” Luke pulls me to my feet and drags me toward the door. My stomach growls just at the mention of food. Good. Maybe we can forget this conversation ever took place. A stack of pancakes can fix this building ache between my thighs, right? After two separate stacks of pancakes, Luke and I are resting against the back of our booth with our stomachs bloated from all the sugary goodness of our breakfast.

“You once asked me something about my dream girl…,” Luke starts off, prompting me to look up at him. “So, now it’s my turn. Who’s your dream guy?” You. “My dream guy? I’m not sure. Someone I can trust, and who can make me laugh. I want him to be smart, cultured even. He has to have a big heart and treat me like I’ve always dreamed.” Propping his arms on the table, Luke drops his chin into his hand. “Have you found him yet?” “What?” “I mean, everything you just described, have you found all that in someone yet? Have you found him?” My brows furrow, and I stare at Luke, not really understanding why he cares. Why would he want to know? Shrugging, I say, “No. I haven’t found him yet, and honestly, I don’t think I ever will.” His eyes twitch at the corners, and an unfamiliar look flashes across his face, but it’s gone within seconds, replaced with his crooked grin. “Alright, Textbook, I’m gonna pay the tab, then we can head out.” He shoots out of his side of the booth, not even giving me a chance to fight him on paying for me. The drive back to Luke’s place is silent, and I can’t help but think about his question earlier. He

seemed really quiet after I answered, but why? It doesn’t escape my notice that the dream man I described is basically Luke, in a nutshell. If only things were different.

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN Natalia The warm afternoon sun beats on my back as I stand with my legs spread at the ready. The sky is cornflower blue today, with a few wisps of white clouds scattered among the blue. After our classes ended, Luke and I headed to the field just like we have been doing for the past two weeks. Even though he fixed my car, I’m still going along with his football lessons. I’m actually doing pretty well now, if I do say so myself. Every day I come to school prepared, with an extra bag of clothes and shoes—I’ve since learned my lesson. “GO!” Luke shouts from across the field, and I take off down the wide-open field at a sprint. Luke throws a pass a few yards away from me and I

watch in slow motion as it sails toward my open hands. I do everything I can to remember Luke’s instructions. Keep your eye on the ball and stay ahead of the ball at all times. Make a diamond with your hands or cradle the ball against your body. The ball gets closer, spiraling toward me, and I make sure I’m ahead of it for the catch. It falls perfectly into my arms, and I let out a little oomph at the force. I cradle it against my chest, and stare down in amazement. Holy crap. I just caught a football. Without Luke helping me. I flick my gaze up, and Luke is charging toward me with a wide, devious grin on his face. Like someone flicked the switch on my adrenaline, I come to my senses and take off toward the makeshift end zone. I can hear the pounding of his feet stomping behind me, but I push myself to make it to the end zone before he takes me down. Come on. Come on! I make the mistake of glancing behind me, and I freak when I see how close he is. “Brace yourself!” “What?” I yell and gasp, feeling completely out of breath. I look over my shoulder, but it’s too late. His thick arms wrap around me and suddenly I’m airborne, being lifted off my feet and onto the grass with a thud. I laugh like a complete psycho at the adrenaline pumping through my veins. What a rush!

Luke rests his body over mine, hands on each side of my head caging me in. His chest heaves as he tries to catch his breath, and I do the same. My heart is pounding wildly, and it’s a struggle just to inhale and exhale. Each intake of breath brushes my breasts against his chest, and that’s when it hits me. I realize we’re only inches apart. That’s the closest we’ve ever been. We’re so close, that if I really wanted to, I could purse my lips and lightly graze his without even moving my head. The way Luke is staring down at me does something strange to my body. My skin tingles, and an unfamiliar warmth begins to build in my belly. I try to drag in slow, controlled breaths to stabilize my breathing, but it’s no use. Luke keeps invading my senses. He’s everywhere. I can feel him on top of me, the heat of his body rests over me, making me hot. I smell his unique woodsy scent as it wafts around me. His eyes are a thousand shades of gray, blue, green, and brown, indefinable and indescribable. His tongue juts out, wetting his plump lower lip and a zing of something unfamiliar shoots between my legs. His eyes search mine. I can’t tell what he’s thinking, or what he’s searching for, but I do the same. I take in every minute detail of his features and commit them to memory. He really is too good looking for his own good. “You caught my ball.” I swallow thickly as his warm breath ghosts

across my face, smelling of cool mint and everything I love about Luke. “I did.” My voice comes out breathy. I can’t tell if it’s from all the running or his close proximity— probably the latter. Luke’s brows pull down, creating an indent in his forehead. His jaw grinds back and forth like he’s suddenly irritated. What the hell? Just as I’m about to call him out on it, he mumbles something under his breath that sounds a whole lot like “fuck it”, then his head dips, and his mouth is on mine. My breath leaves me in a gasp, and my body coils tightly beneath him. My mind works a million miles a second trying to make sense of what’s happening. His lips tentatively stroke mine, and I lose my train of thought completely. His lips are soft as they glide across mine, yet firm in their intent, and plump, oh so plump, yet extremely gentle. I press my mouth more firmly against his, and marvel in the way his lips mesh with my own. He’s skilled. There’s no doubt about that. With the tip of his tongue, he caresses my lower lip, and it’s like a bolt of electricity is shot through my body. With trembling hands, I wrap my arms around his neck and pull his body flush against mine, needing him closer. A low growl rumbles from the back of his throat and the sound goes straight to my core. The throbbing between my legs

is unlike anything I’ve ever experienced before. The urge to grind my hips against him is allconsuming. A deafening whistle rings out on the field and Luke jerks off me in one fluid movement. He’s on his feet and a hard look takes over his face. I scramble to my feet and feel all the color leave my face when I see one of the football coaches. “Caldwell, what the hell have I told you? No more floozies on the field, God damn it!” he shouts, pointedly staring at me. A sharp pain pierces my chest, and all the air is extracted from my lungs. I feel like a complete idiot. He’s done this before, with other girls. Why would I think I was anyone special? My eyes sting, but I hold the tears back. I refuse to cry over this like some childish girl. I can’t believe I let Luke Caldwell kiss me. On shaky legs, I manage to get to my feet and I stride to the exit of the field, hoping like hell Luke isn’t following me. Was this his plan the entire time? Pretend to be my friend just so he can get in my pants? Red hot anger coils through my body. After all the time we’ve spent together, I was actually starting to think he was different…that he wasn’t this ladies-man that everyone has pegged him out to be. But I was wrong—so completely wrong. I spot Luke’s car in the parking lot almost

immediately. We rode to school together, because Sam needed to borrow my car. I didn’t bother asking what for because she’s my best friend. It didn’t matter at the time. It was fine, up until now. I’m praying he left the doors unlocked so I don’t look like some idiot standing around waiting for him. God, I wish I would’ve just taken an Uber to school this morning instead of letting Luke give me a ride. Footsteps pound behind me, but I ignore them. “Natalia, wait,” he puffs out breathlessly like he ran to get to me. I stop walking, close my eyes, and summon the strength to look indifferent. I turn around and cock my head to the side. “What?” “Look…what happened back there…what he said—” I cut him off before he can finish. I don’t think I can handle listening to the last of that sentence. I’m close enough to crumbling as it is. “Don’t worry about it. The kiss meant nothing. You do this stuff all the time, Luke. I get it. You’re the ‘Ladies man Luke’. This is who you are, what you do. I know that. You don’t have to explain it to me.” His brows pull down, and if I’m not mistaken, a brief look of hurt flits across his face, only for a second before his face hardens into a mask. His jaw grinds back and forth and his hands clench into fists at his sides.

“That’s what you really think of me?” His words are cold, so much unlike the warm, and playful Luke I’ve come to know. But did I really know him? Maybe I just see what I want to see, and this guy here is the real Luke Caldwell. I shrug. “It’s all I know.” Luke stares at me for a beat, then purses his lips and laughs dryly. “You know what? Fine.” I cross my arms over my chest and feign a look of indifference. I don’t want him to know how much today has hurt me. “Can we go now? I have to be at work, and I’m already running late.” His nostrils flare, but he doesn’t say a word. Instead he walks toward his car, fishes out his keys to unlock the door, and climbs inside. The ride to the Bar and Grille is silent. We both haven’t said one word to each other, and for that, I’m thankful. I don’t even want to be in the same car as him right now. I internally berate myself for letting my guard down with Luke. After that completely mortifying experience, being with him, in the closeness of his car while he takes me to work, is complete torture. Can this get any worse? I breathe out a sigh of relief when he pulls up at the front entrance. I don’t bother with the formality of a goodbye. Instead, I just gather my bags and speed walk through the front doors, ignoring the

irritating ache in my chest that makes it impossible to breathe. I don’t even look back once. Hours after the incident on the field with Luke, I’m still fuming. Aliza and Sam aren’t stupid, they know me well enough to get when to not ask any questions—and today is one of those days. I feel my control on the verge of snapping beneath the weight of my anger. I can’t believe I was that stupid. How could I let myself slip? I thought I knew what I was doing! I’m just turning the corner from the kitchen, when I stumble into Alex. Giving me a quick once over, he tugs on my arm and pulls me into a quiet corner of the Bar and Grille. “What’s going on?” I huff out a breath. “Don’t want to talk about it.” He levels me with an intense gaze, his whiskey colored eyes probing for answers. “Start from the beginning. You’re freaking out the customers.” “I’m just having a bad day, I guess. Boy trouble.” Alex cracks a smile revealing a perfect row of white teeth. “Never thought I’d see the day.” I roll my eyes. Yeah, I know. Who would’ve thought I’d ever be this angry over a guy. Not me, that’s for sure. “You gonna be alright? Can’t have you scaring off all the customers, now,” he says in jest, elbowing me in my arm playfully. Forcing a smile, I

nod my head. “Yeah. Yeah, I’ll be fine. It’s just…how do you do it?” His forehead pulls down, indenting between his brows. “Do what?” “You know…deal with Samantha? How do you put up with the drama and hide your feelings for her, all the while seeing her every day? You make it seem so easy.” “Samantha and I have been going in circles for years. I guess after a while, you start to get used to it.” He shrugs and my heart constricts. Stupid Sam. I give him a look that says I hope one day she’ll pull her head out of her ass. “Don’t worry,” he says, his lips turning up sadly at the corners. “I’ve spent my whole life dealing with people who didn’t love me back. This thing with Sam…it’s nothing new.” Patting my shoulder, Alex turns on his heel, heading back to work. I’m rooted to the spot for I don’t know how long, wondering why I couldn’t end up attracted to guy like Alex. He’s perfect, and loyal, but he saw Sam first, and it doesn’t sound like he’s ever going to move on from her. Blowing out a sigh, I tilt my head heavenward and hope my best friend can get it together—myself included. ***

“What are you doing, Samantha?” I ask, irritation lining my voice. We just got off work, and I’ve been stewing over my anger for what feels like all day. After my conversation with Alex, I’ve been furious with Sam. She has the perfect guy, who is in love with her, but she doesn’t even care. Instead, she treats him like garbage because she’s afraid. All throughout our shift, I’ve tried to keep quiet on the conversation I had with Alex, but it hasn’t been easy. On my last straw, I’m ready to dump all my anger on Sam. “Making a damn sandwich, Natalia. Who the hell shit in your cornflakes?” Her lip curls in anger before she turns back to the fridge. “I’m talking about Alex, Samantha. What the hell is the matter with you? Do you want to be alone for the rest of your life? Sleeping around until you’re fifty fucking years old?” Sam slowly turns from the fridge and faces me with her brows raised. “Why don’t you say what’s really on your mind, Natalia? Because I have a feeling this isn’t about me.” She crosses her arms over her chest and pins me with a withering stare. “It is about you! You’re just so selfish. You don’t care about anyone you hurt around you, just as long as you get what you want, that’s all that matters.” Sam smiles at me, but it’s not a normal smile, it’s a scary smile. “Damn fucking right, I’m selfish,” she says in a calm voice. “Do you really think I

would’ve made it where I am today, if I didn’t only look out for myself? I had a fucking crack whore for a mother who didn’t give two shits about me. I grew up in a foster system that fucked me over every night, literally. I did what I had to do to leave Roxbury and make a new fucking life for myself. So what if I step on people who are in my way? It’s fucking life, Natalia. People are bound to get hurt.” I narrow my eyes at my best friend, feeling my temper rise. “You’re going to regret never giving him a chance. When you’re alone and old, and he starts a family, you’re going to regret it,” I seethe. Sam’s smile falls immediately. “Well…don’t try to spare my feelings,” she says quietly, brushing past me out of the kitchen. Just as I start feeling bad for being so harsh, Sam turns back with a look on her face that makes me flinch. “Too bad I don’t have feelings to spare. You just reminded me of that.” She walks out of the kitchen without another word, and I sag against the kitchen wall. What the hell is wrong with me? *** I pound my fists on my sheets in frustration as I turn over in bed once again, trying to get comfortable enough to fall asleep. But I can’t. Ever

since our fight in the kitchen, I’ve felt horrible for saying all the things I did to Sam. On some level they were true, yes, but that doesn’t mean I should’ve said it. She didn’t deserve my anger over something that Luke did. Usually, when Sam and I fight, we make up by the end of the night, but not tonight. She went straight to her room after our fight, and I haven’t heard a peep since. Blowing out a breath, I stare at the ceiling, hoping the darkness will bring me comfort, and lull me to sleep, but it doesn’t. I know exactly what I need to do in order to fall asleep. I throw back the covers, climb out of bed, and pad down the hallway. Twisting the doorknob, I push inside, and climb onto the empty side of Sam’s bed. Lying on my back, I stare at the ceiling and push past the tight feeling in my chest. “I’m sorry for what I said.” “Are you?” Sam asks in sarcastic tone from her side of the bed next to me. Blowing out a sigh, I turn toward her, and find her in the same position I just was—flat on her back, staring at the ceiling. “I’m sorry, Sammy. It’s just…I don’t know what’s wrong with me.” My voice cracks on the last word, and I bite my bottom lip to stop myself from crying. Sam shifts, turning onto her side toward me. Red hair that I’m so familiar with and emerald eyes face me. “Talk to me.”

“You’re right, you know…I like him, but I don’t want to like him. I didn’t ask for any of this, Sam.” She smiles sadly. “I know you didn’t.” “Are you still mad at me?” I ask like we’re little girls in elementary school, and she laughs. “I was never mad at you, babe. You’re my best friend and I love you. Sometimes we fight. That’s life.” She smiles at me, and I rapidly blink away the tears that so badly want to fall. “You were right, per usual.” Sam sighs dramatically. “I was just mad at myself, because I am afraid. Alex’s feelings for me…they scare the shit out of me, Nat. He puts me on this pedestal, and I don’t know if I’ll ever measure up to the girl he thinks I am, or the girl he wants me to be.” “Stupid girl. Don’t you know you already are the girl he wants you to be? Alex loves you for who you are, and what you’ve been through, Sam. He doesn’t expect you to change because you’re already the girl he wants.” “I wish it was that easy, Natalia.” “Why can’t it be? I know deep down in that nasty little brain of yours that you love him too.” Sam’s eyes gleam in the dark, and I swear I think I see her chin tremble. She reaches out, grips my hand in hers, and squeezes. “I don’t think I’m capable of loving anyone sweetie. Not after the life I’ve led.” Her voice shakes, and the tears I’ve been holding back drip

down my face. “But you love me, and Aliza…that’s a start.” “Come here.” Sam tugs me into her arms and squeezes me tightly. I do the same. “You guys are the exception to the rule,” she whispers lightly into the quiet air of the room. We don’t say anything more. Instead, we just lie next to each other and listen as our breathing starts to even out. Even after fighting it all day, my last thought before I slip under is of Luke Caldwell.

CHAPTER NINETEEN Natalia Ever since the kiss on the field, Luke has reverted to his old childish ways. His crude pickup lines he uses on me and any other girl on campus have gotten a hundred times worse. Not to mention the barf worthy PDA I’ve found him in. I try not to let it get to me, but it’s hard. I wish we could go back to being the friends we once were, but I know that won’t happen. Not now. Especially not after that kiss. How do you try to come back from something like that? To top things off, he always has an excuse as to why he can’t work on our psych project. The football season is well under way, but it’s like he

doesn’t even care anymore. With the semester coming to end, my anxiety levels are through the roof. I’m half-tempted to finish it myself, but that’s not fair. No way in hell am I doing the dirty work for him. Hell to the no. After class is over, I bump into Luke and a busty blonde. You know, before I met Aliza, I sort of despised blonde girls just because they’re always so sought after. It helps that Aliza isn’t your average blonde girl, she’s really changed my opinion on blondes…until now. Ever since the incident—that’s how I’m referring to it—we haven’t sat next to each other in class, nor have we talked much on the phone. He doesn’t even walk me to my classes anymore, and I think that’s what really hurts. It’s like he doesn’t want anything to do with me. Two can play that game buddy. The busty blonde is all over him, and he seems to be enjoying himself a little too much. Asshole. The scantily dressed girl runs her hand all over his chest and abdomen like we’re not in the center of a damn campus. He’s wearing faded blue jeans, with a simple white Henley. The bill of his black hat is twisted behind his head in a way that I used to think was cute, but now it just looks dumb. Luke stares down at her with unadulterated lust in his eyes, and it takes an abnormal amount of selfrestraint for me not to roll my eyes so hard they get stuck at the back of my head. He notices me and

blatantly trails his eyes up and down my body, like he wants to take me here and now. It’s not a flattering look. It’s a look he gives to the rest of his bimbos. It makes me feel cheap. And it makes me hate him a little more than I already do. “Care to join, Natalia, or do you plan on watching all day?” He waggles his brows suggestively, and my stomach churns painfully. Who is this guy? “You’re disgusting,” I sneer, striding away in anger. His cold laughter trails behind me all the way to my next class. For the next hour and a half, I’m unable to focus on anything my professor is saying. All because I’m too busy thinking about Luke and what a complete asshole he is. I mean, seriously, he was the one who kissed me on a field he takes all his groupies to— what the hell does he have to be angry about? Dropping my head into my hands, I curse the day I ever met Luke Caldwell. I haven’t wanted to admit it, but that one kiss has ruined me. Irrevocably and unequivocally. I just wish my kiss could’ve ruined him too. Shame. *** “I can’t believe him! He’s such a jackass! I hate him. I wish I would’ve never met him,” I continue ranting vehemently on my lunch break to Sam and

Aliza, but in all honesty, I don’t really think they’ve heard anything I’ve said for the last ten minutes. They’ve just been eating their food and letting me talk. I’ve been stewing on my anger all day. I couldn’t focus in any of my classes, and for that, I blame Luke. His little show with the blonde after class was disgustingly disturbing. Not to mention infuriating. Aliza sighs. “You don’t mean that, Natalia. You’re just angry.” I narrow my eyes at her. “No. I do mean it. More than you know. He’s a complete and total idiot. He’s a walking STD. I can’t believe I even let a disgusting guy like him kiss me.” Sam drops her soda can on the table with a thud. “Alright, seriously Nat? That’s enough. You’ve been whining and moping over this guy for the last two weeks. Get over it or talk to him! I told you to be careful. I told you to stay away, but nooo, you didn’t listen and now look at you. You’re a lovesick puppy because he left you in the dust. If you don’t get it together, I will. That’s a stallion I wouldn’t mind taking a ride on.” My hands curl into fists under the table and my anger starts bubbling to the surface like a volcano about to erupt. Ever since our talk in bed, Sam has been trying to get me to own up to my feelings for Luke, but I won’t do it. That night in bed, when I slipped and

told her how I might be feeling was just a lapse in my judgement. Nothing more. I feel nothing for Luke. Or at least that’s what I’ve been telling myself for the past few weeks. We were friends, not even real friends, but yet, Sam seems to have the impression that I’m in love with him, which is just impossible because I can never love anyone like him. I hate him. I loathe him, with a capital L. “I could say the same to you,” I snap, crossing my arms over my chest. “Oh, cut the crap already, Natalia. If you want me to be with Alex so much why don’t you date him?” “He doesn’t want anyone but you!” I shout, shooting to my feet. I stomp away from the table like a completely immature girl, but honestly, I don’t really care. I just need a minute to gather myself before I have to get back to work and fake a smile for all these customers. Out on the deck, I take in a deep breath, inhaling the cool salty ocean breeze. I probably look like a total weirdo, standing out on the deck with my eyes closed, head tilted toward the sky, while everyone around me is trying to finish their dinner—but I don’t care. I just need a small moment of peace and quiet. “Seriously, Natalia? Are we really going to have another fight over this, again?” Sam’s irritated voice rings out behind me, and I sigh. So much for

a small moment of peace and quiet. “Really not in the mood, Samantha.” Sam stops in front of me, prompting me to look at her. “Yeah, I’ve fucking noticed. You haven’t been in the mood for jack-shit since your QB dumped you. Either screw him or forget him all together. Quit dragging me into your fucking problems!” With that, she storms away, leaving me standing on the deck with customers staring at me with gaping mouths. Sorry, CJ. *** I angrily rake the comb through my damp hair, relishing the stinging of my scalp. The rest of my shift ended the same way as it started, with me being angry over the whole Luke situation. The ride home with Sam left me feeling just as bitter and angry. She knew me well enough not to say anything more and push the issue. When we got home, I went straight to the shower, hoping some warm water would help, but nope, obviously, nothing is going to work. “Still mad at me?” I eye Sam in the reflection of the bathroom mirror. She’s leaning against the frame of the door, pouting her lower lip. I blow out a defeated sigh, feeling like a total asshole.

“No. I’m just…I’m so mad at myself for thinking he was different.” I turn away from the mirror and face my best friend. Sam smiles sadly. “You’re angry at him because you’re hurt…you liked him, Natalia. You can try to deny it all you want, but I know you,” she stresses. “It’s not even that, Sam. I don’t think I ever really liked him.” Lie. “I started to see him as a friend. I thought we closer than that. I mean, I’ve told him countless stories about my fucked-up family and issues.” Sam uncrosses her arms and stands to her full height, completely towering over me. Reaching out to me, she pulls me into a hug, and I nuzzle into the warmth of my friend’s arms. “Want me to fix this? You know I can.” My chuckle is muffled against her. “Shut up, dork. I’m just glad this semester is coming to an end. The end of the era of Luke Caldwell.” “Are you sure that’s what you really want?” she asks quietly. “Yes.” Lie. The next few days go by without indecent, and thankfully, I don’t have any more run-ins with Luke. I’ve started working on the project again, without his help. Screw him. I don’t need him. Sam bangs on my bedroom door at ten in the morning on our day off. I burrow under the covers, and groan. Since when does Sam wake up early?

“Go away!” I shout from under the covers. “Get your ass up!” “I’m sleeping!” I say with a disgruntled shout. Thankfully, Sam’s banging ceases, and I finally settle back into the silence. “Nat?” My door creaks open, and Aliza’s voice prompts me to lower the sheets. “Oh, God. She really brought in the big guns, didn’t she?” Aliza laughs and shrugs. “You know Sam. If she wants something, it’s better to give it to her when she asks the first time.” “Ugh. You guys are double teaming me.” “God, I hope not. That sounds weird.” She says with a laugh, making me chuckle. “Now get up, sleeping beauty. We’re going to brunch.” “Fine.” An hour later, I’m strolling out of the bedroom ready to head out to brunch with the girls. We pile into my car, and within twenty minutes, we’re at one of our favorite cafés. The Living Room is a quaint spot we frequent for brunch, with the best espresso and desserts I’ve ever had. “We’re going out tonight. I don’t care what you both say, we’re going,” Sam says sternly in between bites of food. “And you can’t bring CJ, Aliza.” “Fine. Fine,” she grumbles. “And where are we going?” “We, my friends, are going to the Altitude Sky

Lounge. We’re gonna drink and dance until our feet hurt.” “I’m down for the dancing, just not the drinking,” Aliza says. “This is a horrible idea. Do you remember what happened the last time we went to the club? It was a complete disaster, Sam.” “No, it wasn’t.” Sam rolls her eyes dramatically. “Yeah, it was. Luke basically turned me into a drunk fool, and I ended up ruining Aliza and CJ’s night. I nearly destroyed a relationship!” “That’s a little dramatic.” “Natalia, what happened that night wasn’t your fault. Everything that happened after that night needed to happen for reason. You actually did us a favor,” Aliza says with a reassuring smile. Hearing that makes me feel a bit better, but not nearly enough to go out and party. “C’mon, Nat. Please,” Sam begs, giving me her puppy dog eyes. “Help me out here, Ohio,” Sam hisses under her breath. With a roll of her eyes, Aliza turns to me with puppy dog eyes, and I know there’s no way in hell I’ll get out of going out tonight. *** After practically being forced at the hands of Sam, we make our entrance into the club. I’m

hoping tonight will be a good distraction for me. A great way to keep my mind off Luke Caldwell. I swear that annoying little shit has burrowed his way deep into me, and now I can’t even imagine going a day without him by my side. Which is seriously unhealthy, if I might add. “Okay, soooo, I have some news, and you have to promise not to be angry.” Sam turns in front of Aliza and me, halting our movements. This can’t be good. Sam has on her timid face, which can only mean one thing. Disaster. “Déjà vu. Why do I feel like I’ve heard you say this exact same thing before in a club?” “Because technically I have said this same thing once before…except in a different club.” “Sam….” I raise my brows, cautiously waiting to hear what the hell she’s done now. “I invited Luke and his friends here. And surprisingly, he agreed to come.” My heart freezes midbeat and the room spins. I reach my arm out, gripping Aliza for support. “You did what?” My voice is abnormally calm. Not how I’m feeling at all right now. All my emotions are wreaking havoc within my body right now. “Think of this as closure. One last hoorah before you can really tell him to fuck off.” I narrow my eyes at her threateningly. My mind

concocts all the ways I can murder my best friend without getting into too much trouble. Do you get less time in prison for killing your best friend if they put you in an awkward position? I wonder if there’s some kind of clause. I can do this, I tell myself over and over. Who am I kidding? I can’t do this. The girls and I make our first stop at the bar where we instantly run into Luke and his bevy of whores. He looks devastatingly handsome under the dim lights of the club. He’s dressed in a white button up that hugs his impressive body beneath. My mind immediately pictures him shirtless. The image is burned into my mind forever. I know I shouldn’t go there, but sometimes I can’t help myself. Luke fresh out of the shower in nothing but a towel is something I’ll never forget, nor do I want to. His hazel eyes flick to mine, lingering a few seconds longer than they should. I can’t remember the last time I had the pleasure of seeing those eyes. I hate this. His eyes trail up and down my body. The warmth in his gaze heats me from head to toe. The already stifling air around us thickens. A perfectly manicured hand curls over his chest, effectively ruining the moment, and I nearly vomit in my mouth at the display of affection. “Well, look who it is. I see you brought your entourage with you,” I say, my voice laced with

contempt. So much for staying calm and collected. Luke chuckles, revealing that stupid pair of dimples, and I roll my eyes. “Jealous?” I smile snidely. “In your dreams, Butterfingers.” I cross my arms over my chest like a petulant child and turn to Sam and Aliza, who are staring at our debacle like it’s a damn soap opera. Might as well be. “Soooo,” Sam says with a loud clap of her hands. “Luke,” she says with a nod of her head. “I assume you remember our friend Aliza. Ohio, you remember the pretty boy who thinks he can walk on water, don’t you?” A smirk tilts the corners of my lips. God, I love my best friend. Luke and Aliza exchange pleasantries, and he gives me a knowing smile. I’ve told him enough about my friends that he didn’t even need a reintroduction. I swear, Luke Caldwell knows way more about me and everything else in my life than he should. “Well, I’m gonna meet up with the few of the guys then we’ll catch up with you guys,” he says as he curls his arm around the waist of busty blonde. Jesus Christ. Could she be any more different than me? My anger boils as I watch the two walk away.

I mean seriously, who the hell does he think he is? Spinning on my heels, I stride to the bar with purpose, only one thing on my mind. Alcohol. After ordering two shots, I drag the girls out on the dance floor and proceed to grind my ass on any guy near me on the dance floor. “Traicionera” by Sebastian Yatra blares loudly throughout the dance floor and I close my eyes, letting the Latin rhythm flow through me. I sway my hips, and really start to get into it when the chorus comes on. Warm hands slide around my waist and I force myself not to tense up. Strange hands on anyone’s body will have them tensing up, especially if you’re anything like me and not familiar with a man’s touch. The body hovering behind me is big, but not as big as Luke’s, so I know right away it’s not him. A tingle of awareness travels down my spine, and I turn my gaze to the left. I’m met with a pair of angry hazel eyes trained on the hands gripping my hips. Luke’s jaw clenches, and I smile in victory. Hook, line, sinker, baby. You’re going down. I amp up my slutty dance moves, grinding my backside into the hard bulge behind me, really trying to piss Luke off even more. I’m trying not to let on how repulsed I am by the guy’s hard on behind me, like seriously, how hard is it to keep it in your pants? No pun intended. “What’s your name?” The guy’s breath blows

behind my neck, and I shiver at the warmth. Our dancing slows to a stop. I turn around, surprised by how cute he actually is. Maybe this was beneficial after all. “I’m Natalia.” My smile is shy, and I thank the dark light of the club for covering my blush. He smiles, revealing a row of perfect teeth. “I’m Zach. It’s nice to meet you.” My eyes trail up and down his body appreciatively. He has short, cropped blond hair, and big chocolate brown eyes. He doesn’t hold a candle to Luke—he’s set the bar way too high for any other guy, but he’s still good-looking in his own right. “Can I buy you a drink?” Zach asks with a small smile. Just as I’m about to answer, a warm hand rests on my shoulder. I whip around and my eyes nearly bug out of my head as Luke positions himself between Zach and me. “She’s with me,” Luke says coldly, the muscles in his jaw clench in anger. I gape at the back of his head, completely stunned. What the hell? Zach pointedly looks at me over Luke’s shoulder with furrowed brows. He must notice the shocked expression on my face because the corner of his lip twitches into a small smile. He pointedly nods at me, and says, “I’ll see you around, Natalia,” before walking away. Luke turns around to face me, and I

shove him away by his shoulder. “What the hell was that for?” “Oh, c’mon, Natalia, that guy was a fucking loser. I did you a favor,” he says in exasperation, and I narrow my eyes at him. “I liked him!” I shout, feeling my temper rise. “You don’t get to decide who I talk to and who I don’t. ‘Friends’ don’t do that, Luke.” I air quote, putting emphasis on friends. His eyes widen in surprise at my outburst in the middle of the club. He takes a threatening step toward me. “Friends also look out for each other, and that’s what I was doing.” I laugh without humor. “Right, of course you were, Luke, because you’re such a great friend. You haven’t even talked to me in God knows how long, and all of a sudden you care? Fuck off.” I turn on my heels, stalking away from him and this pointless argument. I push my way through the sweaty people on the dancefloor. The bright strobe lights in the club make it hard to see. A heavy hand lands on my shoulder, twisting me around. “I’m here, aren’t I?” Luke says with a clear look of impatience on his face. “I didn’t even want you here!” I shout, angrily throwing my hands in the air. His impatience morphs into flat out anger. “I don’t give a fuck if you didn’t want me here

or not. I’m here, and I’m not going anywhere. So good luck trying to get rid of me.” My mouth plops open in…shock? Anger? Surprise? I don’t even know. Snapping my mouth shut, I fix him with a withering glare before whirling around. This time, as I push through the crowd of people, I’m able to get through without Luke stopping me. I catch up with Aliza and Sam, practically begging for us to leave but of course, nothing is ever that simple with Samantha. “Oh, c’mon, we’re having a great time! Don’t be such a party pooper, Natalia.” “You,” I say pointing to her, “may be having a good time, but I sure as hell am not!” “Natalia, don’t be such a—” “Such a what, Sam? I didn’t even want to be here. Especially not with Luke and the goddam playboy bunnies!” “She’s right, Sam. Maybe we should just call it a night,” Aliza says, shifting back and forth on her heels. “Leaving so early?” A deep voice says from somewhere behind me. I internally groan. I really don’t need this right now. A heavy arm is slung over my shoulder, and a fresh piney scent wafts around me. Luke. I shrug off his arm. “I don’t want to be here anymore,” I grumble snarkily. Luke grabs a hold of

my elbow and lifts a finger up to the girls. “Give us a moment?” He drags me away from the girls, and I protest the entire time. “What the hell are you doing?” “This has gone on long enough. We’re gonna have a talk, Natalia. Once and for all.” “And if I don’t want to talk?” I arch a brow at him. He grips my arm and drags me toward the exit. “Too fucking bad.” A few texts to Sam and Aliza later, I’m inside Luke’s car on the way to IHOP. It’s the only place around here that’s open all night where we can have an actual conversation without yelling over music. Once I started drinking, I had given my keys to Aliza, so I didn’t have to worry about them getting home. That’s good for the girls, not so much for me. “I’m sorry,” Luke says suddenly, in the silence of the car. I look at him out of the corner of my eye, refusing to give him my full attention. “For what, exactly?” “For being a dick. For not talking to you. For kissing you on that field where I took other girls. Mostly for being angry with you just because you said the kiss didn’t mean anything to you.” I whip my head toward him, giving myself a kink in my neck. “When I kissed you on the field, I couldn’t stop

myself. That wasn’t me just kissing some random girl, and when you said it meant nothing to you… I lost it. I was just so pissed off. So, I’m sorry. It’s taken me a while to get over it. To get over myself. You’re not like other girls. I don’t know why I thought the kiss would change things.” I open my mouth to say something. Anything. But nothing comes out. I’m rendered completely speechless. Luke Caldwell wanted to kiss me. I wasn’t just another girl to him. “So…so, you wanted to kiss me?” Luke chuckles, and runs a hand through his hair. “Natalia, I’ve wanted to kiss you since that first day at the party where I saw you running your smart mouth.” I sputter an incredulous laugh, still trying to process what he’s saying. This whole time, he’s wanted to kiss me? “Wow…I…I don’t even know what to say to that.” “You don’t have to say anything. I just wanted you to know I’m sorry, and I promise I won’t kiss you again.” I know I should correct him, tell him I want nothing more than to kiss him again, but I don’t. Instead, I force a smile and nod my head, accepting his truce, and apology. After parking his car in the IHOP parking lot, Luke pulls me into a tight hug before leading me

inside. His scent clings to my clothes and my skin, and I didn’t realize until now how much I’ve missed being close to him. As we eat our stacks of pancakes, I have to convince myself that friendship is all I can offer Luke, even if he does surprisingly want more. Who would’ve thought? This time around, I’m being smart. No more foolish slip-ups. I won’t be losing my heart to Luke Caldwell anytime soon.

CHAPTER TWENTY Natalia The professor dismisses us for the day, and I can’t help feeling overwhelmingly giddy. So far, I have straight A’s in all my classes. My friendship with Luke is back to normal—it’s better than ever actually. We’ve finally taken a rest on the football lessons with his season under wraps. The Aztecs are participating in this year’s Armed Forces Bowl, so the team has been training like mad. With scouts showing up at almost every game, Luke’s been training extra hard at the school’s gym. We both decided to take a break with his lessons to avoid overworking him. Can’t have the star quarterback throwing out his arm teaching some random girl the rules of the game.

Gina has been MIA, and my father hasn’t tried to get in touch with me, other than a simple text here and there. I’ve gotten pretty close with Luke’s roommates. After one of their games, I made them a batch of lasagna, and I swear, I think they love me more than they love Luke now. What’s there not to be happy about? “What could you possibly be smiling about? We’re at school for fucks sake.” “Don’t be such a Debbie-Downer, Mr. QB,” I joke, nudging Luke in his arm. “Life is good right now. Don’t blow this for me.” His eyes gleam as he smirks down at me. “Wouldn’t dream of it, Babygirl. You’re still coming over after practice, right?” “Yeah,” I affirm, heading toward my next class. “I can only stay for an hour and a half. I do have a job to get to, you know.” “I can work with that!” he crows to my retreating form. I head home after my last class of the day. Usually, on the days I go to Luke’s place before work, I first go home, make something to eat, and hang out with Sam for a while. Then I gather my textbook, work clothes, and head over to Luke’s place. It’s become somewhat routine as of late, and today is no different. On the way to Luke’s, I belt out the lyrics to the remix of “Finesse” by Bruno Mars and Cardi B in

the car, feeling carefree and surprisingly jubilant. It doesn’t bother me that I receive strange looks from other drivers on the road like it normally does. Instead, I just smile back, and next thing I know, I’m pulling up to the curb outside Luke’s place. I type out a quick text, letting him know I’m here, and bound up the steps eagerly, with a wide grin on my face. Today is such a good day. My grin falls when Luke opens his apartment door. Seriously? He has on a pair of low slung sweats, and nothing else. My stomach does a backflip of sorts. My eyes immediately gravitate toward his tan, perfectly sculpted chest and abdomen. Jesus, I wonder how many sit-ups he does to maintain those? I think to myself while staring at his abs. My gaze trails lower, following the deep muscles, shaped in a V, that run down into his sweats. His feet are bare, and I’m rendered completely speechless. I’ve seen Luke Caldwell in many forms before. But barefoot Luke? Up close? That’s a new one for me. “You…y…your feet,” I stammer, gaping at his pale feet. “What? You didn’t realize I had feet?” He laughs. “Yeah…well, no. I’ve just never seen your feet before. They’re so…white.” I cock my head to the

side, still staring. “There you go acting weird again, what’s up with you today? And please don’t tell me you have some sort of foot fetish. That would make this weird.” That prompts me to lift my head up and frown. “God, no,” I say, disgust making me cringe. The idea of anyone having a foot fetish is repulsing. Luke’s mouth curves into a smile, and the corners of his eyes crinkle. “Get in here, already. I’m showing all the neighbors my goods.” I snort and roll my eyes, brushing past him inside his place. “Please, I’m sure everyone and their mom has seen your goods by now.” “You won’t hear me deny it.” “God you’re gross.” We settle in Luke’s bedroom, sitting side by side on the bed. His room was a lot cleaner than I originally expected. But it’s obvious a male sleeps in here. The walls are bare, there’s only a SDSU football calendar pinned on the back of his bedroom door. His hamper is nestled in the corner of his room, just outside his closet. I’m half surprised the floor is clean and no clothes are strewn anywhere. Although, I’m sure he had enough time to clean up before I got here. “Well, this is unexpected. Where are all the suggestive posters?” I tease. Luke laughs, and scrubs the back of his neck almost bashfully. It’s

adorable. Hanging over his dresser is a small TV, and beside the dresser is a black desk where his laptop and textbooks rest. His room is the only one with a bathroom attached. The door is slightly ajar, and from what I can tell, it looks fairly clean inside. I can’t say anything for the toilet. His bed is covered with black sheets and a black comforter, and I secretively try to search for any white stains on the bed. “What are you looking for?” he asks. “I’m looking for sex stains. I don’t want to sit where all the action happens.” Luke chuckles. “Don’t worry, I don’t sleep with girls in my bed. It’s kind of my rule.” I look up at him, my brows knitted together. “Really? Where then?” He looks down and me and arches a single brow. “You really want to know?” A shiver runs down my body. “On second thought, no.” I point to his bare chest. “Can you put on a shirt now? I don’t know why you think it’s okay to walk around half naked.” He laughs down at me and pinches my cheek lightly. “Aww. Is my body distracting you, Natalia?” he goads. “No, you jackass. It just makes me uncomfortable.” “Fine.” He rises to his feet, opens the top drawer

on his dresser, and pulls out a gray shirt. He slips it over his head, effectively covering himself, and I’m finally able to breathe and think clearly. Much better. Luke and I work in silence as each of us finish assignments for our classes. His phone blares, jolting me out of my train of thought. My eyes drift over to his phone and I roll my eyes. The picture ID is of a girl doing duck lips toward the camera. Classy. Luke hits decline and turns his focus back to his work, but it’s not that simple for me. “How do you do it?” I blurt. He lifts his head and the crease between his brows deepens. “Do what?” “Get all these girls to fall all over you? How do you do it? I mean seriously. It’s like you don’t even try.” “I don’t.” “Then how?” I press. He cocks his head to the side, and stares at me. Like really stares at me, the look makes me shift uncomfortably next to him on the bed. “What can I say? I’ve got game. It all comes naturally,” he says with a careless shrug. “What a load of crap,” I scoff. “You don’t believe me? I’ll show you,” he says, getting off the bed and standing. He reaches behind his back and pulls his shirt over his head before I

have a chance to object. “What the hell, Luke!” I screech. Completely ignoring me, he sits down next to me on the bed again, only this time, he’s facing me and he’s closer. Much closer. Without warning he grips my hand and places it over the contours of his abs. I suck in a sharp breath at the warmth radiating underneath my hand. His body is firm and hard, not a shred of fat. I look up at him through my lashes and stop breathing. The way he’s looking down at me…it makes my insides coil tightly. His eyes blaze with a look of pure lust and need. It hits me right in my core, and the apex between my thighs dampens. His pupils flare, and my heart is beating so loud, I’m certain he can hear it in the quiet of his room. “Do you feel anything?” he asks in a low, husky voice. I rub my lips together, trying to control my breathing. I swallow thickly. “No.” The word sounds like a croak coming out of my mouth. The corner of his mouth quirks, and his eyes light up. I suck in a gasp of air when his finger lightly touches the base of my throat. He trails his finger up toward my jaw, then down to my chest, stopping just before my cleavage. His touch leaves a trail of fire in its wake as he drags it across my skin. My breasts heave with each intake of breath, and my nipples involuntarily harden into erect points.

Luke watches me and my reaction through hooded eyes, and I swear, I have never seen a look as sexy as the one he’s wearing right now. He inches closer, and his head cranes down toward my face like he’s going to kiss me. His cool breath wisps across the skin of my neck, and a tingle of arousal runs down my spine. Luke seductively licks his bottom lip, making it look enticing. Bringing his face near my ear, he whispers, “Feel anything, yet?” The words hit me down there, and my pussy clenches. His lips just barely graze the shell of my ear, and his breath tickles my neck with each softspoken word. My eyes flutter closed, and I let out an embarrassing pant of breath. I bite my bottom lip to keep from making any further noises. A pant was humiliating enough. “Natalia.” “Natalia.” He says a little louder this time. “Hmmm?” “It’s almost 4:30.” My eyes fling open, and I shoot away from him nearly falling off the bed. “Shit! I gotta go. I’m gonna be late!” “I know.” Luke chuckles. I hurriedly gather my books, stuffing everything in my bag, then fly out the door without saying goodbye. Luke’s laughter follows me till I’m outside. I floor it all the way to work, getting there with

only two minutes to spare before I have to clock in. I drop my head down onto the steering wheel and shakily blow out a deep breath. What the hell was that? How could I have let that happen? Luke’s seductive voice replays over and over in my head. I shake those thoughts away and hurry out of the car into work. The rest of my shift, my body tingles, still hyper-aware of Luke and his seductive touch. I try to focus, to think about anything else, but he’s made it impossible. I can’t stop thinking about him and the way my body throbs with the unfamiliar need of release. The next morning, I wake up to a handful of text messages, all from Luke. Luke Caldwell: Hope you didn’t get to work too late Luke Caldwell: How are you feeling? Worked up, I’m assuming. Luke Caldwell: I warned you not to doubt my abilities. Luke Caldwell: I guess I really haven’t lost it, after all. I roll my eyes at his messages. Cheeky bastard. I type out a quick response. Natalia: Quit tooting your own horn already. It’s unattractive. Luke Caldwell: Someone’s cranky this morning.

Natalia: Not sleeping will do that to you. Luke Caldwell: Oops. Should I apologize now, or later? Natalia: Don’t flatter yourself. I had to work late. Luke Caldwell: Suuuure. I ignore the rest of his messages as I get ready for work. I’ll never admit it to him, but last night I couldn’t sleep because I was so wound up. Even had to resort to something I never do. I touched myself. While thinking of Luke. Damn, I’m so disappointed in myself.

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE Natalia I haven’t seen Luke since the day he stripped me of all sense inside his bedroom. And it honestly isn’t because I’ve been avoiding him either. I’ve had nonstop shifts at the Bar and Grille, and last night, he had the big bowl game against one of the team’s major rivals, Fresno State. With today being my only day off, I decide to go to the bank and get other errands done that I’ve been putting on hold. Much to my surprise, when I get home from running around all day, I find Sam participating in acts that one should never see unwillingly. I was glad that when I called Luke, he picked up on the first ring and said it was okay to come over. I’m thankful he didn’t make anything awkward. He

actually didn’t even bring up our last encounter, which I couldn’t be happier about. “I’m so glad you weren’t doing anything tonight,” I say. “Sam’s having another one of her… group parties.” I shiver and swallow down the bile rising in my throat. Sam and her damn orgies. Luke chuckles and gestures to the box of pizza on the table. “Drew invited me to a frat party, but I’m just not feeling it tonight. I’m exhausted after yesterday’s game.” Luke drops down onto the couch and devours the slice of pizza in his hand. What I would do to be that slice of pizza—nope not going there, I warn myself. Luke and I settle on the couch, watching Netflix as I wait out Sam. When I start to nod off, I check my phone, realizing two hours have already passed. I continue texting Sam, wondering when the hell her little romp will be over, but I don’t get a reply. I groan. C’mon Sammy, seriously. Not tonight. “What’s up?” Luke asks, hearing my groan. I shift my eyes to him. He’s dressed in basketball shorts and a SDSU football t-shirt. “Sam’s not answering and it’s starting to get late. I’m tired,” I groan. “You can stay here,” Luke offers. I turn to him with a look of incredulity on my face. At the thought of sleeping over, my stomach does a

summersault, back bend, round hand spring— whatever, you get the point. “Hold up.” Luke walks toward his room with his phone in hand, and I’m left sitting here on the couch, completely speechless. Spend the night at Luke Caldwell’s place? Can I do that? I can barely manage spending time with him without wanting to jump his bones. Ugh. I’m so caught up in my head, and my own thoughts that when Luke strides back into the living room, it takes me a moment to get back on track. “So, Drew and Jared aren’t coming home tonight. I can take one of their beds and you can sleep in mine,” he offers like it’s no big deal. I scramble my brain for the right thing to say. I need to politely decline his invite. “Okay,” flies out of my mouth instead, and I internally slap myself. Jesus, I really need to work on my filter. Luke drags a hand through his tousled brown hair, and I watch in awe as his muscles flex. “Alright. Let me just fix the bed for you and pick up a bit. Did you want to take a shower? You can use the bathroom in my room if you need to,” he offers and I just nod, still unable to utter a word. That is, until one very import factor pops into my head. Crap. I have no clothes. Luke must see my expression because he raises a curious brow.

“What’s wrong?” he asks. I shift uncomfortably from foot to foot. “I don’t have any clothes,” I squeak and his mouth quirks. “You can borrow mine till the morning. You’re on your own after that, unless you plan on walking around in my baggy clothes all day. Up to you.” I narrow my eyes at the humor in his voice and relent. I can do this. What can possibly go wrong? Luke shows me how to work the shower in the bathroom. I clasp my hands together joyously when I see he uses actual shampoo and conditioner instead of using the 2-in-1 like most other guys do. I take my time in the shower, unable to stop myself from imaging Luke in here. This is where he showers every day. It’s kind of surreal. I pop open the lid on his body wash and inhale the intoxicating scent. Smells exactly like him. After drying off, I wrap the towel around my body, and look around for my clothes. I slip on my bra and underwear but come up short when I realize there’s nothing else in here. No, no, no, no. This can’t be happening. I look around the bathroom connected to Luke’s room and feel my anxiety rise. Shit. He forgot to leave out clothes! I look down at my body with only my cream lace demi bra and matching underwear. Which are both completely see through.

I run a hand through my damp hair and crack open the bathroom door. I peek around the room and note Luke isn’t in here. Why would he be? You were talking a shower smart ass. Deeming it safe, I walk farther into the room and fold my wet towel, placing it on the edge of his rolling chair and proceed to fold my dirty clothes for tomorrow morning. Maybe I should go through all his drawers until I find the right one? I look toward his dresser as I’m folding my shirt. The material slips from my grasp, falling onto the floor. Blowing out an irritated breath, I bend over to retrieve it and it’s at this exact moment Luke decides to pop into the room. “Hey, did you want to watch—” I squeak and my back snaps into place like a puppeteer yanking on a string. I whirl around facing Luke who is now looking at me like I’m a bottle of water in the Sahara Desert. Oh God. That look…it’s the same one from the other day. I swallow thickly. My heart pounds against my chest, trying to escape. This is bad. My first instinct would normally be to scream bloody murder and cover myself, but I can’t move. I’m immobile. Not a single muscle is cooperating with my brain that’s screaming to cover myself. I’m

literally frozen in place, staring at Luke as he stares right back at me, unabashedly. My chest rises and falls rapidly, and I watch as Luke’s eyes track up and down my body slowly. They momentarily stop on my breasts that are no doubt heaving from my ragged breathing. Luke’s eyes heat, burning me from head to toe, and his nostrils flare. His hands fist at his sides, like he’s physically trying to restrain himself. The fact that he finds me attractive enough to get a reaction out of him causes that throbbing ache between my legs to reignite like it usually does whenever he’s around. My mind suddenly drifts to the other day when Luke and I were in his bedroom. The way he looked at me, the way his voice trailed across my skin, and the way he touched me…God, the way he touched me. My nipples pebble against the lace of my bra and Luke’s jaw clenches tightly. I somehow summon enough courage to speak. “I couldn’t find the shirts.” My voice is barely audible, but I know he heard me. His eyes glint with something I’ve never seen before as he looks me up and down once more. “Top drawer of the second dresser.” He informs me in a gravelly voice that sends a ripple through my aroused body. Lord help me. His hazel eyes are on fire as we continue to stare at each other. The amber and gold flecks out-shine the rest of the colors belonging to his eyes. I dart

my gaze away and search for the second dresser to find a shirt before something happens that we’ll both regret. I slide open the drawer and pull out the first shirt I see. I inhale a deep breath and tentatively glance over my shoulder. Luke is no longer standing there, and I breathe a sigh of relief. Hurriedly pulling the shirt over my head, I try to get my head on straight. The material is soft against my freshly showered skin. The hem of the shirt hits midthigh and the materials rubs against my legs in a caressing manner, almost as if Luke is doing the caressing himself. My heart is pounding at an unhealthy rate as I make my way out of Luke’s room. I find him sitting on the couch with the remote control gripped firmly in his hand. I take cautious steps around the sofa and lower myself onto the other end, trying to put as much distance between us as possible. I clear my throat. “What’re we watching?” I try to keep the tremor out of my voice and stay as calm as possible so he doesn’t know I’m affected by him. But the fact that he’s just practically seen me naked doesn’t help. Not one bit. Luke blows out a deep breath and shifts toward me with a scowl on his face. “I’m sorry. I don’t want this to get weird, and I sure as fuck don’t want you to feel uncomfortable.” His eyes—that are a thousand shades of gray and blue and brown—flick across my face, gauging my

reaction. A small, relieved smile spreads across my face. “Don’t apologize. Everything’s all good. I’m just glad this doesn’t have to be awkward.” I close the distance between us on the couch and nestle myself beside him in my usual position while we finish watching the last remaining episodes of Narcos on Netflix in contented silence. His warm scent of fresh pine wafts around me as he lays his arm over my shoulder. Even though I used the same body wash, it still smells better on him. Significantly better. After our show is over, Luke shifts, looking down at me, and asks me something completely out of the blue. “Have you ever dated anyone, or has it always been about school for you?” I lift my eyes to his and frown in confusion. Where the hell is he going with this? “Uh, not really. I guess I never really gave anyone a chance to date me. I’ve been focused on school for as long as I can remember. It didn’t help that Gina always dug her claws into any guy I had a crush on. After a while, I just gave up. Guys only ever wanted one thing, and I was certainly never interested in that.” He shakes his head back and forth, a frown marring his handsome features. “I don’t how you did it.”

“What?” “Put up with Gina all your life the way you did. You’re a saint.” I sputter a laugh because most days, I don’t even know how I grew up with her around. She was like a dream crusher. Still is. “You know, sometimes I used to wish that I could’ve grown up in any other family. That’s how much I hated it at the time.” “I would’ve run away,” Luke says seriously, and I laugh, cocking my head at him. “Shut up. No, you wouldn’t have.” “I might’ve. Shit. I had it so easy compared to you.” “I wouldn’t doubt it. But the way I see it, if I didn’t go through all that when I was younger, maybe I wouldn’t be the person I am today. You know?” Luke stares down at me, then the corners of his mouth turn up into a smile. “That would be a shame. I love the person you are.” My heart flutters, and my eyes mist over a bit. “Aww. That was actually kind of sweet.” He chuckles, looks heavenward for a few seconds before turning back to me. His eyes are wide open. Figuratively speaking. I feel like I can see him, the real him. Not the football star, not the guy who screws any girl in sight, not the guy with the crude humor, and bad attitude, but the guy who

has a smile that can light up a whole room, the guy with a great personality, and an even better heart. I feel like I’m seeing all of him right now, and I don’t ever want to look away. “I love the person you are too.” I find myself saying. Something flickers behind his eyes. He reaches out, tucking a wayward strand of hair behind my ear. He doesn’t stop there, though. His hand softly caresses the skin just below my jaw, down to my neck. Every nerve ending roars to life, and my breath gets lodged in my throat. I look up at him through my lashes, about to say something, but I’m not given the chance. Luke’s mouth crashes down over mine, stealing my words and all my breath. His hands grip the sides of my face, and I feel my body melt into him. Skilled lips part my shaky ones, sending tremors throughout my body. I claw at him, needing to be closer, wanting to feel him everywhere. His tongue tangles with my own, and I moan helplessly into his mouth. Luke kisses me ravenously, his tongue and his hands caressing gently, sending my blood roaring through my veins. I can’t breathe. I can’t think. I can’t stop, and I don’t want to. He’s everywhere, yet not where I need him. His mouth trails across my neck, down my shoulders and arms, and suddenly, he’s kissing me harder, deeper, with a passion I’ve never felt. My arms wrap around his

neck, and suddenly, I’m lifted onto his lap where I feel his bulge digging into my center. My hips twist in a small circle of their own accord, chasing my impending release. Luke lets out a low, soft groan from the back of his throat, and my thighs clench at the erotic noise. “I thought you weren’t going to kiss me anymore?” I pant between kisses. “I lied,” he says, slamming his mouth over mine, effectively quieting me. Luke lifts me off the couch and easily carries me into his room, dropping me onto his bed, never once taking his lips off mine. His hands caress my body lightly, sending shivers down my spine. I don’t know how, but our shirts simultaneously fall to the floor. The only barriers between us now are my bra and underwear and his boxer briefs. I pant wildly beneath him as he trails his tongue over the swell of my breasts and down my stomach, swirling into my navel. His hand slips between my thighs, and his lithe fingers stroke my sensitive nub. Each stroke ignites something within me, like a match catching fire before it erupts into flames that lick the insides of my body. I can acutely feel every cell in my body thrumming with electricity. His mouth descends on mine, and I can’t help the mewl that escapes my throat—it’s guttural and raw. The taste of his tongue ignites my fuse, setting off colorful

fireworks behind my eyelids. My hands clench the blankets beneath me as I try to keep myself grounded, but it’s no use, the waves of pleasure continue crashing over me. He breaks our kiss and murmurs heatedly in my ear, “Fuck, Natalia. You’re so responsive. Keep coming, Babygirl.” He slides a long finger in and out of me, and my back arches into a painful position. His words elicit a deep, drawn out moan. The pleasure soaring through me is indescribable and white-hot. Gripping my thighs, he yanks my underwear down my legs, and tosses them onto the floor. I oblige willingly, needing every piece of him I can get. I try not to think too hard and let my mind wander. I want to live in this moment—relish in it. Luke flicks his tongue over my hip bone, lowering down my body until he’s at the apex of my thighs. I try to close my legs, unsure if I want him down there, but when his tongue licks straight up my center, I squeak. He laps gently, and skillfully at my clit, and I toss my head back, unable to handle the pleasure building in my body. My hips thrust toward Luke’s face without my permission, and he growls against my clit, taking that as indication to devour me. His groans of approval send delicious vibrations straight to my core. I fist a hand in his hair and pull as he flutters his tongue over the most sensitive part of my clit.

Within seconds, I’m coming apart, shattering into a million pieces. Pulling on his hair, and grinding my pussy over his face, I ride out my orgasm. I chant his name over and over again, until my body uncoils, and I can finally breathe again. Luke places gentle kisses up my stomach, to my chest. He slides up my body, his mouth glistening with my arousal. It’s completely erotic, and the throbbing between my legs starts all over again. He hovers over me, staring down at me with fire in his eyes. Propping himself up on his elbows he runs his hand through my tangled hair. “What the hell are you doing to me?” he whispers with a pained expression on his face. His hand continues stroking my hair gently, and I’m at a complete loss for words. I want to say the words— three words that will have any guy run for the hills —but I don’t. “I’m scared, Luke,” I say honestly. Despite the fear of what comes next, I can’t ignore the ball of heat twisting into a burning knot in my stomach. There’s no going back now. I need him. “Don’t be scared, Babygirl,” he rasps thickly. “I’m going to take care of you, Natalia. I promise.” His mouth descends on mine, and I can taste myself on him. It’s surprisingly sexy. He takes my lip in between his teeth and tugs. The sensation makes me gasp. A new heat explodes into an inferno inside me, burning me whole. His tongue

traces the contours of my jaw and neck, sending spasms of electricity through my body. My head is spinning. I’ve never felt anything like this before. Sitting up, I slip my bra off my shoulders and toss it onto the floor next to my underwear. Luke doesn’t even give me a chance to lie back down. His mouth attaches to my breast, and he sucks my nipple into his mouth. I toss my head back and moan, gripping onto his broad shoulders for support. His tongue swirls around my nipple, and my pussy throbs in pain. God, I need him. I brazenly wrap my hand around his erection and stroke. He rests his warm hand over mine and guides my unskilled movements. It doesn’t take long for Luke to start gasping, releasing his hold on me, and fisting his hands in the sheets. A sense of empowerment takes hold of me, and the need to pleasure Luke takes over as well. I nudge him onto his back, and I proceed to slide down his body. He must sense my game plan, because he reaches out for me, trying to stop me, but I shake my head, imploring with my eyes that I want this. I kneel over him, pulling his boxers down, revealing his thick erection. It springs free, and the searing hot ball of need in my core ignites. Wrapping my hand around his erection, I bring the tip of his cock into my mouth and marvel at the smoothness. I meet his heated gaze, and his already dilated pupils smolder with new-found heat. His

beautiful full lips part with each stroke of my hand and flick of my tongue. I earn a carnal growl from him as I take him deep into my mouth, plunging as far as I can before pulling back, and sucking long against his shaft. I repeat this process over and over, until he’s panting, his fingers digging into my long hair. I take him deep, pushing myself further each time he makes a sound of approval. It’s thrilling—bringing a man like Luke pleasure. Without warning, he pulls me up his body, and rolls me onto my back. His mouth slams over mine in a heated mess. Teeth clash and tongues collide. He pulls away from my mouth, producing a condom out of nowhere, sheathing it onto his length. He rests his weight over me, stares down at me. “We can stop whenever you want. Just say the words.” Hazel eyes pierce mine, and I know without a doubt, if I told him to stop, he would. I smile up at him nervously, shakily wrap my arms around his neck, and pull his mouth down to mine for a kiss. I lose myself in the kiss. When his cock prods at my entrance, my body locks up, and I kiss him harder. “Relax,” he whispers in between kisses. Blowing out a deep breath, I do as he says, and try to relax. His head pushes inside, and I feel overwhelmingly full. With small thrusts, he inches inside, until he hits the barrier, and I tense up at the pain that

shoots through my body. “Do you trust me?” he asks looking down at me. “Yes,” I breathe. He kisses me, flicking his tongue with mine. Without warning, Luke pushes inside me, and white-hot pain tears through me. Stilling his movements completely, he holds still until my grip on his shoulders loosens and I’m able to catch my breath. Slowly, he pulls out, and pushes back in, over and over again till the burning subsides, and a new sensation begins to slowly build. With the slight pain, comes pleasure, and within minutes, I’m begging him for more. Luke drops his hand between our bodies and rubs slow circles over my clit. An inferno of pleasure burns in my core, and I gasp. My hands are locked on his shoulders for support, and my breaths puff against his face with each pant. He plunges his hips deeply, to the hilt, and my pussy clenches down on his cock in a vice grip. My walls feel like they’re being stretched beyond capacity, and the burning heat in my core is building again with the force of another orgasm. His fingers pressed down on my clit harder, working in faster circles, sending my pulse pounding in my ears. My orgasm hits me like the force of a speeding train. It is all consuming and unforgiving. My body shudders uncontrollably as my pussy milks his cock. Luke groans, dropping his head to my chest, and plunges deep inside me,

chasing his release. Gripping his hair in my hands, I rest my head near his ear, whispering his name over and over, like a song, or a chant, or a prayer. Gripping my thigh, he rests it over his shoulder, deepening his thrust and I cry out at the sensation of his cock hitting something inside me. “Don’t stop, Luke,” I beg. Moving my hips in time with his. “Never,” he breathes, pumping into me skillfully. His fingers find their way to my clit again, and when he starts rubbing I start to lose it. “Oh my God,” I moan, clutching at him for support, needing him to ground me when my orgasm takes off. “That’s my girl,” he pants. “I feel you tightening around my cock again. You gonna come for me, Babygirl?” His words push me over the edge, and I nod. It’s the only thing I’m capable of doing right now. My eyes flutter closed, every muscle tenses, and my body twists, as taut as a bowstring—waves of pleasure swell inside me, building, and building, until I’m screaming out his name. “Fuck, Natalia,” he breathes out right before he comes. He empties himself inside me, and I milk his cock until we’re both lying in a tired heap of sweaty limbs. If I wasn’t sure before, but there’s no doubt in my mind now that I am in love with Luke Caldwell.

After we both manage to catch our breath, Luke goes to the kitchen to grab water, and I clean up in his bathroom, dressing in his shirt and my discarded underwear. Staring at myself in the mirror, I’m completely shocked at my appearance. My hair is a complete mess, it looks like a rat nest, and my lips are red and swollen from our kissing. A small contented smile tilts the corners of my lips. I just had sex with Luke Caldwell. I’m no longer a virgin. Holy crap. Luke knocks on the bathroom door, completely jolting me out of my thoughts. “You okay in there?” I open the door, giving him a reassuring smile, and sit next to him on the bed. Even though we’ve just had sex, and Luke has seen my naked body, I’m still thankful the shirt he gave me covers me up almost entirely. Setting the nearly empty water bottle down on his bedside table, I lie back, and watch as Luke does the same. We turn on our sides, facing each other. His hazel eyes rake across my face and search my eyes. I take the time to do the same. His lips are just as swollen and red as mine are, and his cheeks have a subtle pink tint to them. Reaching out, he softly runs his fingers down the plane of my face, then back up, running them through my hair. “God, you’re so beautiful, Natalia,” he says quietly, his eyes caressing every inch of my body. My skin heats, and I force myself not to look away

in embarrassment. “So are you,” I whisper. His brows pinch together, almost as if he’s in pain. “I really didn’t want to like you. I tried so hard not to.” He grimaces down at me, freezing his fingers in my hair. I reach up, wrapping my hand around his and squeeze. “Since the first day I met you, I’ve been telling myself that I don’t like you, but even then, I think I already did,” I say, chuckling to myself. He smirks down at me. “It was my charm, wasn’t it? You just couldn’t resist me.” I nudge him in the shoulder and snort. “You wish, buddy.” Letting go of his hand in my hair, I softly feather my fingers across his face, just like he did me. “It wasn’t your charm, Luke. It was the man you showed me you really are, deep down, underneath the layers of popularity, football, and vulgarity. I saw the real you.” A brief look of fear contorts his face, but it quickly morphs into a look of awe. Grasping my face in his hands, he places firm lips over mine, and kisses me. It is a kiss that ruins all other kisses. A kiss that makes me momentarily forget what planet we are on. It is also a kiss that ruins me for any other man, ever. When his hands trail across my skin, leaving a searing path in their wake, my pussy clenches, and

I am ready to go again, even if I am sore. “Are you sure?” he asks through clenched teeth as I stroke his hard cock. “Yes.” Ridding myself of my shirt and underwear, I climb on top of Luke. Within seconds he has a condom on and pulls my body forward. I gasp as his hard cock slips through my folds, straight to where I need him. Resting my hands on his pecs, I gyrate my hips, taking his length at the speed and depth that I need, reveling in the delicious ache. His hands massage my breasts, and pinch my nipples, prompting me toss my head back in pure ecstasy. The sounds of wet skin slapping, moans, and pants are all that can be heard throughout the quiet apartment. Sitting up, Luke sucks a nipple into his mouth, sending me hurtling over the edge into my orgasm. Soon after, he’s pounding his hips up, meeting me thrust for thrust, chasing his own release. Dropping onto the bed, Luke pants into my hair, and I rest on top of him, wishing we could stay like this forever. He’s changed me, and ruined me, all in the span of a few hours, but I wouldn’t have it any other way. We burrow under the sheets together, with Luke’s arms wrapped around me and my leg resting over his. I place my head on his chest, listening to his heartbeat, and I marvel at his warmth. He places soft kisses on the top of my head until I fall into a

deep, contented sleep. When morning comes, his alarm goes off, streams of sunlight escape through his blinds into his bedroom, and we wake. He rolls on top of me and kisses me senseless, until I beg him to get off me. “I gotta go practice…did you want to stay here or?” he asks while throwing on one of his practice t-shirts. Following suit, I get out of the bed and make an excuse to leave. “No, no. It’s fine. I’m sure it’s safe to go home now. Plus, I have a lot of stuff to do before I go to work. I’ll talk to you after your practice?” I wring my hands nervously behind my back, not sure what the normal protocol for this is. “Yeah,” he smiles. “I’ll talk to you after practice.” Bending down, he places a chaste kiss on my lips before going into the bathroom to brush his teeth.

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO Natalia After I get dressed in yesterday’s clothes, I say goodbye to Luke, and practically do the walk of shame back to my car. I mean, there isn’t necessarily anything shameful about what we did last night, but I still can’t believe that I, of all people, lost my virginity this way. Don’t get me wrong, I’m in love with Luke, but I’m not even sure if he loves me back. What if this was just sex to him? No, that can’t be true. We had sex in his bed. We cuddled all night…there’s no way. And the way he was looking at me, and talking to me, it has to mean something to him too, right? First thing I’ll do is have a discussion with Luke about what this means

for us, then, we’ll go from there. When I get home, I’m surprised to see Sam isn’t home, but I’m grateful nonetheless. One look at me and Samantha will know what I’ve been up to. Today’s her day off, so no doubt, she’s probably out doing something that shouldn’t be done. That reminds me, I really need to talk to her about establishing some rules for her sex parties. I shower quickly, doing my best to ignore the pang of sadness I get from washing Luke’s smell away. After changing for work, I grab a banana and muffin, then head out the door. I’m only scheduled to work four hours today, so I’ll be done at six tonight. That gives me more than enough time to go home, get ready to see Luke, and talk to him about what happens from here. Just the thought of seeing him brings back memories of last night in vivid technicolor. I bite my bottom lip, hiding the smile that’s dying to spread across my face. My blood roars to life, and my belly flutters wildly in anticipation.

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE Luke “Bro!” Drew shouts from above me as he spots me. “You’ve been out of it all fucking morning man, what the fuck is going on?” What’s going on? Someone tell me what the fuck isn’t going on right now. I slept with Natalia last night. I cuddled with her in bed. I held her all night. And. I. Fucking. Liked. It. That’s my goddam problem. “Just got a lot on my mind man.” I lift the bar and continue benching until my arms can’t press anymore. “This wouldn’t have anything to do with your new BFF, would it?” Drew asks with an air of

ridicule, and my hands curl into fists at my side. “Drop it,” I warn. “Fuuuuck me. It is!” He groans. “What the fuck are you thinking Luke? You can’t go there, man.” “Why the fuck not?” I ask, feeling my temper rise. His eyebrows shoot up and he walks around the bench-pressing equipment to face me. “This is fucking why, Luke. Look at you. We’re at practice talking about some fucking chick, man. Your head isn’t in the fucking game!” He slaps a hand to the side of his head for emphasis. “Not to fucking mention, she’s too good for you.” That immediately gets my back up. I scowl up at him from my perch on the bench. “Natalia is pure and sweet. Everything you’re not. She’s a solid fucking ten man. And no, I’m not talking about skank ten, but an all-around ten. That’s why you want her,” he says pointing to me. I bite down on my tongue and clench my fists in anger because he’s wrong. It’s so much more than that. “Look man, you know for a fact you’re not cut out to be that guy. The one that dates the girl all throughout college and marries her with the happily ever after. That’s not you Luke.” “You don’t get it,” I grumble. He crosses his arms over his chest and glares at me. “Explain it then, motherfucker.” “She’s different man. When I’m with her…it’s

like nothing else matters. And she sees me—the real me, Drew. Not that guy that fucks anything wearing a dress. She has such a good heart, and the way she views the people that wrong her—she’s just incredible. I don’t know man….” I rub a frustrated hand through my hair, not knowing what to do with all these feelings. God, I’m turning into a fucking chick. “I get it man, I do. But we both know she deserves better. What’s gonna happen if you date each other and you have to spend all that time apart? You think she’s gonna follow you wherever football takes you? The jealously will tear you two apart, and c’mon Luke, we both know you don’t know how to say no to pussy.” I scrub my hands over my face not knowing what to do. Fuck, fuck, fuck! “Besides the fucking obvious, what else is the problem?” Drew asks. “I don’t want to ruin her dreams just to make mine come true. She deserves everything man. She has aspirations for her career and leaving the fucked-up family she has. Who am I to take that shit away from her?” I ask, feeling my anger rise again at my stupidity. “Then don’t,” Drew says sternly. I rake a frustrated hand through my hair and tug. “And it’s always gonna be about football for me. I won’t stop until I make it, D. I’ve dreamed about

this since I was kid, I can’t lose sight of this now. Not when I’m this close.” “Good. That sounds like the Luke I know. Just keep your head in the game, man. The devil’s in the details.” Easier said than done. I drop my head into my hands, and immediately images from last night flood my head. Fuuuck, I’m hard as a fucking rock just thinking about it. This is so bad. “I fucked up last night man.” I lift my head up, and Drew’s brows furrow. He stares at me, waiting for me to go on, expecting to hear more. “I slept with Natalia last night…and she spent the night.” Drew’s silence prompts me to look at him. He’s still just staring at me like he’s waiting for the other shoe to drop. “So, what’s the big deal?” he finally asks, and it’s then that I realize what a big fucking mistake I made last night. Even if it was one of the best nights of my life, I should’ve never let things go too far. “She was a virgin, Drew.” “Jesuuus, Luke!” Drew groans, spins, and tosses his hands up in frustration. “You realize what this means, right? You’re fucked either way now. You either have to stay with her or you have to dump her before she gets

too clingy. Did you even use a condom? Or did you fucking forget to do that too?” I glare up at him, close to bashing my fist through my best friend’s face. “These distractions will get you dropped by a scout instantly, Luke. You and I both know it.” I look away from him, focusing on the other guys working out, unaware of what’s happening on this side of the gym. Drew blows out a deep breath, prompting me to look at him. “We only have one shot at this man. Are you willing to throw it all away for her?” With a pat on my back, he nods before heading toward the locker rooms to change for drills. After a long, drawn-out practice, I’m in the locker room with the guys, and Drew nudges me in my ribs. I scowl at him until I realize he’s pointing to the discussion Jared is having with a few of the other players. “Yeah man, she started to get too clingy, so I did the only thing I could. Fucked her cousin.” Jared cackles. “She was furious, but hey, she finally stopped calling. If you ever want to get rid of a girl, fuck her sister, her best friend, her cousin, whatever family you can, and she’ll hate you for life.” All the guys in locker room howl with laughter. Everyone except me. My gaze swings to Drew who’s giving me the look—like I know what needs to be done. Bile rises to my throat and I feel sick

just thinking about doing that to Natalia. Fuck my life, this is going to hurt.

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR Natalia I haven’t heard back from Luke since I left his place this morning. All day, throughout my shift, I keep hoping I will get something. Anything. But nope. I try not to be such a girl and let my mind wander, but who am I kidding? My hopeful heart concocts all these scenarios, defending Luke and why he hasn’t contacted me, all the while my brain screams at me, telling me to run now, before it gets worse. Before Aliza goes home sick, she asks me to cover her remaining hours for her. With her sunken eyes and running nose, how the hell can I say no? When I finally do clock out, it’s 8:30 and I still have zero messages from Luke. I don’t want to let

my emotions get the best of me, so I head to his place. I send a quick text, asking if I can swing by, and his immediate response makes me smile. Luke Caldwell: of course, beautiful. The uneasy feeling dwindles away at that message. See, everything is fine, I keep telling myself, even though I have this knot in my stomach. On the drive over to his place, I can’t help but frown. Why the hell didn’t he text me earlier? Is he waiting for me to text him first or something? God, men can be so dumb sometimes. I ignore the growing knot the closer I get to Luke’s place. I rap lightly on the door, and I’m surprised when Drew is the one to open it. Usually when Luke knows I’m on the way, he’s already waiting for me at the door. Drew’s eyes widen when he sees me and his face pales. What the hell? If I’m not mistaken, he looks shocked to see me, and it’s making me uneasy. “Hey Drew,” I say cautiously. “I’m here to see, Luke.” His grip on the door tightens, and his jaw clenches. He grumbles something like, “dumb mother fucker” under his breath, but I can’t be too sure.

“Did he, ah, know you were coming?” Drew asks hesitantly. I frown. “Yeah? I texted him when I was on my way.” Drew’s upper lip curls into a snarl, and I creep away at the furious look. “What’s going on, Drew?” I question. He scrubs a rough hand down his face. “You should come back. Luke’s…not in a good place right now just—” The door is ripped out of his grasp and swung open. Imagine my surprise when I see Gina on the other end. She brushes past Drew and grins when she sees me. “Oh hey, sis. Didn’t know you’d be here. Oh well.” Smiling sweetly, she shrugs. I open my mouth to ask what she’s doing here, but she beats me to it. “See ya,” she chirps, brushing past me with a smile and a wink. What in the hell is going on? I feel like I’m in the twilight zone. At that moment, Luke decides to stumble out of his room, shirtless and fumbling with the zipper on his jeans, looking completely disheveled. My stomach drops. No way. I shake my head trying to make sense of what I’m seeing. NO! The floor beneath me shifts and all the air is

extracted from my lungs. There’s this stabbing sensation in my heart that prompts tears to cloud my vision. I rapidly blink my eyes, trying to force back the tears. Out of the corner of my eye, I see Drew sigh and back out of the room. I walk farther into the apartment, and Luke’s gaze snaps to mine. Something flashes behind his eyes. Hurt…regret maybe? Whatever it is, he hides it quickly. “Luke.” My voice trembles. I stare into the hazel eyes that I’ve come to love and feel like I’m going to throw up. I can see the guilt of what he did in his eyes. It’s clear as day. “I did what I had to do,” he says nonchalantly. I suck in gasp of air and cover my mouth with a trembling hand. It’s like someone is jamming an ice pick into my heart over and over, and I can’t do anything to stop it. I don’t even need to ask because I know the answer. He just gave it to me loud and clear. “After everything….” I trail off as my voice wobbles. “How could you do this to me?” I whisper. Luke shrugs and darts his eyes away. A stab of pain hits me in the pit of my chest. It dissolves into an icy chill that spreads throughout my body, leaving me numb. “This is me, Babygirl. I’m Luke Caldwell, and this is what I do.” I shake my head back and forth, feeling my

temper rise. “You and I both know that’s bullshit. I’ve spent almost every day with you for the last few months Luke, and this,” I gesture to him, “isn’t you.” Luke scoffs. “You may think you know me, but you don’t. I got what I wanted, so now I’m ending this. I knew you’d be the clingy type, so I’m doing you a favor here.” My heart cracks open in my chest, making it impossible to breathe. “I’ve finally fucked you, so now we can end this fake ass friendship.” I feel like someone has stabbed me in the chest with a dagger and is dragging it through my internal organs. Everything hurts, and I can barely breathe. “But you said….” I trail off, remembering everything he said the night before. My face contorts in pain. “I trusted you,” I whisper. “I fucking lied, Natalia. I don’t care about you. I don’t even like you. You mean nothing—” Before I can stop myself, I stomp over to him and slap him across the face. He shuts up immediately and his nostrils flare, no doubt from the pain of the slap. My palm stings, and I shake it out. I get right up in his personal space and force him to look down at me. There’s pain in his eyes and I can’t tell if it’s from what he’s doing to me, or from the slap. Regardless, it makes my eyes sting, and I do my best to ignore it. “I hate you,” I whisper harshly. Squaring my

shoulders, I nudge him in his chest. “You are not the man I thought you were. You’re a fucking coward. You’re just like everyone else,” I say with disgust. His jaw clenches and he bends into my personal space. “I never pretended to be that guy, Natalia. He was a figment of your fucked-up imagination. I guess even the smartest people can be stupid.” My hand swings across his face again, making painful contact. I slap him in the same exact spot as last time. The red welt on his face begins to form, and instead of feeling satisfaction I feel…defeated. Mainly because all the people I’ve ever loved continue to break my heart. But Luke’s betrayal? It hurts more than anything I could’ve imagined. Tears cloud my vision and they spill over, splashing onto my cheeks. “Stop it,” he grinds out, and I slap him in the face again. “You don’t get to talk to me. Ever,” I say coldly. His jaw grinds back and forth and the lids of his eyes clench shut tightly. “You’ve officially broken not just my heart, but my trust, Luke Caldwell. I don’t want to see you ever again.” My voice cracks and the tears flow down my face. Luke’s eyes pop open and they’re red rimmed like he wants to cry, but I don’t wait for another reaction. I leave his apartment and never intend to come back again.

The tears fall faster the closer I get to my car, blocking my eyesight, it’s almost like they’re trying to keep me from leaving. A sob is vibrating in my chest, and I just want to be out of here when that happens. I shuffle toward my car, digging in my purse for car keys. I grasp them in my hand and lift my head up, spotting Gina leaning casually against my car. My steps falter and she notices. “What is ever the matter, Natalia?” she asks, faking sweetness. I slow to a stop a few feet in front of her and stare at the girl who is supposed to be my sister. The girl who shares half my blood. We share no resemblance, and her actions on a day to day basis are the exact opposite of who I am as a person. How did I end up with her as a sister? I find myself asking. “How could you?” Gina purses her lips in though then pushes off the car toward me. “Because I wanted to.” She shrugs. “Luke was always mine, and of course you had to come running along and take that away from me, again. Just like you always do.” I squint my eyes at her trying to make sense of what she just said. “What the hell are you talking about Gina? I’ve taken nothing from you. I’ve let you boss me around my whole life, just to freaking please you!” I yell in exasperation. Gina’s nostrils flare and her face scrunches up in anger. She stalks

toward me stabbing a finger in my chest. “You’ve taken everything from me. It was just supposed to be me, but then you came along and ruined everything. My happy family, my daddy’s attention, you got everything.” I sputter a disbelieving laugh. “You’re kidding right? You got everything, Gina! I was always the one who didn’t matter because Dad had to keep you happy!” Gina shakes her head at me in disgust. “You’ve taken everything from me, so it was only fair I did the same. Tonight with Luke solidified that,” she sneers with a malicious smile. “You’re just like your whore of a mother. Trying to take what isn’t rightfully yours! I wish you would just drop dead like your worthless mother,” she growls, and I take a menacing step toward her. “Don’t you ever speak about her ever again. I couldn’t care less about everything else, but you leave her out of it.” Gina takes a step away from me and smiles victoriously. “I’ll see you around, sister. Don’t be afraid to say hi to me and Luke every now and then. We won’t bite.” She winks and waltzes away with pep in her step. I stand frozen in the same spot, trying to rein in all the emotions so I can get home safely. I finish the walk to my car on autopilot and get behind the wheel to drive home. I pass the university on the

way, and it makes me think of Luke—and I lose it. Tears cloud my vision on the road and a crushing sob leaves my chest. It shakes my entire body like an earthquake. I pull the car off the freeway, onto the shoulder and rest my forehead on my steering wheel. My body wracks with sobs. Everything hurts. When the tears have minimally subsided after who knows how long, I continue driving home. Upon pulling into my designated parking spot, I inhale a shaky breath and force myself to get out of the car. I drag up the stairs of my apartment complex. Each step takes more effort and force than necessary. The first thing I hear is Sam’s loud boisterous voice when I walk over the threshold into the apartment. “Jesus where the hell have you been, man! You don’t come home the night before, and you don’t text me back all day? It’s almost eleven Nat. What the fuck—” Her voice cuts off mid-sentence when she gets a good look at me. My nose is raw from wiping it on the sleeve of my shirt, and my face is still wet from my tears. Sam eyes me up and down, worriedly eating up the space between us. “Talk to me, babe. You’re freaking me out.” She reaches beside me, prying my hand off the knob of the front door and closes it behind me. I stare into the emerald eyes of my best friend and, like a

house of cards, I fall apart. Like a dam breaking free, a soul crushing sob echoes throughout our apartment, and the tears flow down my face in steady streams. Sam wraps me in her arms and holds me tightly. My body sags against her, and it feels like I cry my heart out. “You were right,” I sob into the crook of her neck. “Luke Caldwell isn’t the guy I thought he was,” I gasp in between breaths, and cry harder at the use of his name. Sam leads me into my bedroom and lies in bed with me, wrapping her arms around me. “Shhh. It’s okay. I’m here now,” she coos in my ear, making me cry harder. My sobs rack my body, shaking the whole bed. “Why didn’t anyone tell me it would hurt this much?” I gasp in between words. “I don’t know, sweetie. I don’t know,” she whispers behind me. “I feel like I can’t breathe,” I cry. “I just want it to stop.” I feel like my chest is caving in. I grip onto her hand, and sob into the quiet air of my room. I hear Sam sniffle behind me. “Please stop crying, Natalia.” She sniffles again, squeezing her arms tighter around me. My heart constricts in my chest. I wish I could. I let the tears continue to fall until my sobs quiet, turning into shaky hiccups for breath.

“What happened?” Sam whispers. I clench my eyes shut and try to get it out without crying again. “I slept with him and…not even twenty-four hours later he fucks Gina.” Saying that sentence out loud shoots pain throughout my body, stabbing my heart over and over. Sam’s body stiffens. “Where is he?” she grinds out. I try to smile, because knowing Sam, she’s already formulating a plan against him. God, I love her. “He’s not worth it. Neither is she. I just want to move on, and forget he ever existed.” I snuggle into her body behind me and close my eyes, relishing the comfort of my best friend’s arms. I’d like to think that if my mom was still here, she’d be doing the same thing for me right now. Gently caressing my hair as she soothes the wounds of my first broken heart. What inspiring words or advice would she have given me? Would she have liked Luke? “I loved him,” I whisper, getting choked up again. “He doesn’t deserve you,” Sam says vehemently. I nod in agreement because she’s right. I let myself fall in love with the idea of who I wanted Luke Caldwell to be. He was right, I am stupid. Stupid enough to think we could actually be together

otherwise. My tears roll down onto my pillow, soaking into the cloth of my sheets. I close my eyes and pray that tomorrow this pain from the gaping hole in my chest won’t hurt as badly.

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE Luke “You stupid fuck!” Drew roars slamming my door open. My skull is pounding, and the effort to open my eyes causes me to flinch in pain. I’m still hungover from yesterday. I feel like the biggest dick on the planet after what went down. I threw up right after Natalia left last night unable to stomach what I did to her. Seeing the pain on her face…it broke me. I broke the heart of a girl who’s been nothing but sweet to me. I deserve whatever’s coming. “You called her here?” Drew shouts. “I did what you told me to do,” I rasp. His booming voice makes my head pound harder. Please, just shut the fuck up.

“No, you fucking didn’t! I never said to fuck her damn sister then bring her here to shove it in her face. She would’ve found out from Gina eventually. That bitch has the biggest mouth on this Earth.” I cover my eyes with my hands. “It was for her own good,” I say, trying to shrug it off. The movement sends searing pain to my skull, and I do my best to rub the pain away. “Jesus Christ man, I didn’t mean break her fucking heart like that! She’ll never recover after this. You know that right?” I clench my jaw tightly, momentarily forgetting the pain. “You don’t think I fucking know that!” I shout angrily, flinging upright. “I did what I had to do because she deserves better than me, God damn it. I had to make her see that. And now she does. She’ll forget about me, follow her dreams and marry some corny fuck who makes her happy.” My heart aches just thinking about another man with his hands on her. The thought makes my stomach churn, and I have the sudden urge to slam my fist into something. Repeatedly. Drew’s face falls as he looks at me. “You love her,” he states. It’s not a question, but a statement, because we both know it’s true. I love the fuck out of that girl which is why I did what I did. I refuse to hold her back any more than her father and sister already

have. I needed her to hate me enough to forget about me. It’ll hurt, yeah, but I’ll be a distant memory in her otherwise bright future. “Fuck man….” Drew sighs. “I’m sorry,” he says solemnly before leaving the room. I drop onto my bed and close my eyes, recalling the fucked-up events of yesterday. After listening to Jared’s spiel, I knew what I needed to do. It wasn’t hard to get Gina to agree to come over. She practically jumped at the opportunity to be with me. I drank myself numb, knowing I needed something to help me go through with this. I hated Gina’s guts, and that only made stomaching my decision that much more difficult. When she finally showed up at my place, she didn’t care that I was barely able to stand, she just wanted to fuck. Within seconds of stepping foot into my room, she was naked and ready to go. But just looking at her didn’t do it for me. My cock was flaccid, and all I wanted to do was puke. She looked nothing like Natalia. She didn’t have her perfectly tan skin, her delectable curves, and most of all, she didn’t have her smile. So instead of touching her, I sat in my rolling chair and watched as she touched herself. The whole time I imagined what Natalia would look like doing that. Would her face form that cute little “O” when she was coming? Would she make those sexy little whimpers like she did the night before? I was close

to passing out in my chair from all the alcohol when Gina dropped to her knees in front of me and pulled out my cock. Her warm wet mouth sucked in my limp dick and nothing happened. Eventually I hardened up enough to feel a small tingle of pleasure. I grasped the back of her hair tightly, ready to fuck her mouth aggressively, but when she moaned, I froze. She wasn’t Natalia, and I didn’t want this. Any of it. With her mouth still wrapped around me, I yanked away, not interested. I never came. I wouldn’t give Gina the satisfaction of holding that over Natalia’s head. Pretty fucked up logic, right? Don’t I know it. So, I went to my bathroom and finished myself off with the images of Natalia from last night. Her long mane of dark hair that covered her full breasts as she rode my cock. The way she bit her lower lip when I sucked her perfect little nipples into my mouth. The way her tight pussy gripped me every time I would thrust inside her. It was like her body didn’t want me to leave—I sure as shit didn’t want to leave. Her moans and breathless whimpers. All of it sent me over the edge instantly. I had every aspect of the night with Natalia committed to memory. I knew I’d never have her again, but those memories of her were enough. She was everything. She is everything. Coming down from the euphoria, I could faintly

hear voices outside my door and knew it would be Natalia. When she texted me asking if she could come over, I agreed because I needed her to see that I was indeed a piece of shit. I needed her to think I fucked her sister so she could move on and forget about me. And that’s exactly what happened. Hook, line, and motherfucking sinker. It hurt seeing the pain I caused her, but I did my best to ignore it because I’d never ruin her dreams. And most of all, I’d never let her give up anything because of me. I know I’ll never be the same after what happened last night. Natalia was everything I’ve ever wanted in a girl. It’s just too bad I couldn’t keep her. I’m not good enough for her— and I’ll sure as shit never be the man she needs. No matter how bad I want to be. I head across campus to the quad to hang out with the guys before my next class. I still feel a little hungover and sluggish from yesterday, but most of all I’m feeling the regret—in fucking spades—of what I did. It hits me in waves. I keep replaying Natalia’s hurt expression in my mind. It’s starting to fuck with my head. I can’t focus on anything but her. But that’s usually how it always is anyway. Even before that night happened. “Luke my man!” Jared shouts. “You ready for the Allstar game this weekend?” he asks, getting pumped. Friday is the start of NFLPA Collegiate

Bowl where the best draft-eligible college players come out to play a game and show off our skills for the recruiters. If the scouters and recruiters like what they see, you’re asked to stay for a week to show off your skills to potential coaches. This game is what I’ve been working my entire football career for. I should be more pumped. I should be ready to crush all my competition, but the only thing I’m able to focus on is Natalia. “Yeah man,” I say, lacking the normal enthusiasm I’d have for the game. I shift my eyes away before he can get a read on me. I internally berate myself for not being in the right headspace. This is the whole reason I put Natalia through what I did, I can’t lose sight of it now. I just need to impress the scouts and coaches, securing a deal— so long as I can focus long enough to keep my head in the game. I catch Drew looking at me out of the corner of his eye. I know he feels bad for the way everything went down. Somehow, he thinks he made me do it, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. It was something I had to do for Natalia’s sake, as fucked up as it sounds. A sharp nudge to my ribs rips me out of my thoughts. Shifting, I look at Jared who’s staring at something behind me with a frightened expression. “Does anyone know the angry redhead stalking toward us like she’s about to kill?” Jared asks the

group. “Fuck me and there’s a blonde one too. Angry chicks make me so horny man.” Jared groans, adjusting his junk. I whip around and my body tenses. Fuck me. Samantha. And Aliza. Who does not look too happy to see me either. I walk away from the guys to get a little privacy and close the distance between us. “You stupid mother fucker!” Sam snarls as she stalks up to me. Her knee makes contact with my balls and white hot pain shoots through my sack. I groan loudly in pain, falling to my knees with a loud thump. “What the fuck!” I hiss in pain on the ground, barely able to breathe. My breath wheezes in and out as Sam leers over me with a permanent scowl etched on her face. “I told you if you hurt her I’d fucking kill you. But you didn’t listen to me, did you? You’re lucky this is all you’re getting from me. If she didn’t beg that I leave you alone, I wouldn’t have a problem murdering you.” I can’t help the smile that turns up at the corners of my lips. The fact that Natalia has friends like Samantha and Aliza, willing to do anything on her behalf lets me know she’s in good hands. At least better than she was with me. The angry ball of fire stalks away and starts arguing with the blonde one about something. Aliza

cautiously walks up to me while I’m on the ground with my hands firmly wrapped around my junk. Sam is still fuming from a few feet away, looking like a ball of fire. Aliza offers her tiny hand for me to get up, but I don’t use it, afraid I’ll break her. “I’m sorry about that,” she says uncomfortably. “I told her maybe a good right hook was more than enough buuuut…you know how Sam is.” I inhale deeply, trying to ease the pain in my groin. When I look up, I’m met with an angry pair of blue eyes. For such a little thing, she sure does look like she holds a lot of anger. “I want to know why,” she says with her hands on her hips. “I’ve seen the way you look at her. So, I want to know why the hell you did that even though you love her.” My chest aches and I get a pang in my heart. I look everywhere but her. “I did it for her. I love her enough to show her that I’m not good enough for her. She deserves better than me. She can do better.” Aliza’s face falls and her eyes water. Fucking great. I made another girl cry in less than fortyeight hours. You’re on fire Caldwell. “Don’t you think she should be the judge of that?” she says quietly. My jaw clenches. “No,” I grind out. Aliza cocks her head to the side and stares at me. The intensity of her stare makes me uncomfortable. Jesus, feels like she’s

reading my damn mind or something. “You know, I think it’s really chivalrous that you want to protect her from yourself,” she says making my eyes widen. What the hell? “But I also think it’s really fucking stupid that you threw away the love of a lifetime because you were too afraid to take a chance,” she says sadly. I dart my eyes away from hers and the ache in my chest intensifies because I know she’s right. I had a lot of reasons for doing what I did, but that was the main one. I was a fucking coward. “I almost did the same thing once,” she says, prompting me to look back at her. “I nearly pushed away the best part of my existence. The only person who truly made me happy. All because I was afraid of what the future held. But you know what? He fought for me anyway because that’s how much he loved me.” Her eyes water and I’m not sure if I should hug her or keep my hands to myself. “Fight for her, Luke. Please,” she whispers pleadingly. Abruptly, she spins on her heel and stomps back toward Sam. A second later, she whips around facing me. “You remember what I said asshole, because if I have to repeat myself you won’t like it!” She shouts, feigning anger. My lip twitches in amusement when I see Sam give her a high five, seemingly impressed with her. Sam flips me the finger before she and Aliza stride across the

campus like they didn’t just both rip me a new asshole. “What was it? Threesome gone bad?” Jared asks, walking up behind me. “Fuck man, that looked crucial.” He laughs, pats me on the shoulder, not even offering me a hand up, and continues walking away chuckling. I shake my head and spend the rest of the day thinking about what Aliza said. Her situation was probably way different than ours, but I still have one question. Should I risk it all and fight?

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX Natalia I’m on my way to my car for work when a large shadow blocks my path. I look up from my phone and come face to face with Drew. It’s been a week since I last saw him. The day my heart was completely shattered into a million pieces. What could he possibly want? “Can we talk? It’ll be really fast, I promise.” I open my mouth to decline but decide to hear him out. I have almost two hours before work starts since I got out of class early. Time is on my side today. “Yeah, sure.” I cross my arms over my chest. It’s a defensive gesture, and I’ll do anything to protect my already shattered heart. Drew looks around the

parking lot then back to me. He’s fidgeting, like something is bothering him, and it’s starting to put me on edge. “Drew?” I say cautiously. He blows out a deep sigh. “It was my fault,” he says looking sheepish. I furrow my brows in confusion. “Everything that went down that night…it was my fault. I got in Luke’s head at practice. He was just so out of it, I’ve never seen him like that so, I didn’t know what to do. We only have one shot at going pro, Natalia, and every second there’s some other player somewhere out there trying to be the next best one.” I nod my head in understanding. Listening to Luke talk about going pro made me smile because football is the one thing he’s so passionate about, that and his family. He explained how much of a big deal this final year is for him and his future career. “I know.” “No, you don’t. He was a mess…not because he regretted what happened between you two, but he didn’t know how to handle his feelings because he wanted to do it again. And Luke’s never done twice before. Ever.” I flinch just thinking about what a man-whore he is. He fucked your sister. Of course he’s a man-

whore. “I told him he didn’t deserve you and that even if you guys tried to make it work, the distance would tear you apart. Then he got it stuck in his head that he’d ruin your whole life plan if he got involved with you.” My eyes widen, and my mouth drops open. “I know it was fucked up, but I needed him to understand that it would never work. I just needed my boy’s head in the game, and now…I’ve made it even worse. I’ve never seen him like this. He just studies, plays the game, and ignores everyone else around him.” I get a slight pang in my heart at hearing that. But then I remember watching him zip his fly after my sister left his room and I feel sick all over again. Tears sting my eyes. “That may all be true, but it doesn’t change the fact that he slept with my sister. Knowing how much she hates me. He intentionally hurt me, Drew.” My heart squeezes and my voice wavers with emotion. “And I don’t ever want to be associated with someone who does that to me.” I give him a sad smile and turn to walk away. “He never slept with her you know,” he says loudly, freezing me in place. My heartbeat kicks up and I whirl around to face him, feeling all the color drain from my face. “What?” I whisper. Hope now lines my chest. “He didn’t sleep with her. They just you know…

messed around.” He shrugs. My heart falls and my lip trembles. I was hoping that just the thought of touching her would make him sick to his stomach, but I guess that wasn’t the case. Wishful thinking on my behalf. “It doesn’t change anything,” I whisper. Drew clenches his jaw and grinds it back and forth. “He loves you, and I know you love him. Sometimes we do stupid shit and make mistakes. Can’t you just give him the benefit of the doubt? I know you’re hurting…but so is he, Natalia.” A tear rolls down my cheek and plops onto my chest. “Goodbye, Drew.” With that I turn around and make a bee line straight for my car. Once I’m out of sight, I let the rest of my tears fall. I cry because I’m in love with someone who purposely broke my heart. I’m crying because, even though my sister lied, they still did something behind those doors, not even twentyfour hours after he touched me. I’m crying because now I know he loves me too, but there’s not a damn thing I plan on doing about it. There’s no doubt that I’ll always love Luke Caldwell. He was my best friend and the one I gave my virginity to. But I’m not stupid enough to make the same mistakes twice. Luke Alexander Caldwell is now a piece of my past. Once I get to work, I sit in my car, and shed a

few tears before I have to clock in. Don’t want the girls to worry about me. Between Sam and Aliza, I swear they’re coddling me. When it’s five minutes till, I wipe under my eyes, and plaster a smile on my face. I work on staying focused, living in my own little bubble—refusing to let my emotions get the best of me here. I go through the motions while I serve the customers, smiling when it’s expected and making conversation only when it’s necessary. “How you holdin’ up babe?” Sam asks as she and Aliza slide into the seats across from me. We’re on the deck for our lunch break. I push the food on my plate around, not really having much of an appetite. “Better than I was yesterday, so that’s progress. Right?” Aliza smiles at me sadly before sharing a look with Sam. I hate that they’re so worried about me, but I really don’t have the strength to convince them otherwise. “It’ll take more than a few days Nat, but you’re a strong girl. You’ll get through this,” Aliza reassures me. I force a small smile for their benefit before I make an excuse to use the restroom. I use this alone time to shed a few tears before I head back for my shift. Once I get home from work, I eat, shower, and crawl into bed. I cry into the silence of my room, using the pillows to muffle my sobs. It still hurts just as bad as it did the day I walked in on them. It

feels like I left my heart with him in his apartment. I can hardly breathe. I’m so tired of crying. I just wish I could forget him. I wish we could go back to the night we slept together, and I wish I had the will to say no. What I really wish…I wish I never met Luke Caldwell. *** It’s been two weeks since everything happened, and I miss Luke more and more each day. Every text message I receive, I open in hopes it’s from him, but it never is. I specifically told him to never speak to me again, and now I have to live with that decision. Even if it’s the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do. It hurts. Not spending my free time with him. I’ve gotten so used to spending what felt like every minute with Luke that I don’t know how to live my life without him in it. Dramatic? Yes, I suppose it does sound a bit dramatic, but it’s the truth. I want to forgive him for everything, I really do. But for some unexplainable reason I can’t. Just when I’m on the verge of forgiveness, images of him and Gina taunt me, sending me backpedaling. The unknown is what’s killing me. If they didn’t have sex, what did they do instead? Did he enjoy it?

Did he come just as hard for her as he did for me? Do I even want to know? The questions plague me, and because I don’t have the answers, I just sit around and let my mind wander, concocting all these scenarios. Just my fucked-up imagination. Every time I walk into my psych class, I expect to see him, but I never do. Part of me wonders if he dropped the class on my behalf. And I feel bad for it. Knowing how much he enjoyed the class, and how much hard work he put into the class. I’ve just finished gathering my stuff from my Abnormal Psych class when someone takes the seat next to me. I’m half hoping its Luke, but I know it’s not. Why would he even be in this class? We only shared one class together, and he hasn’t even showed. There goes my assignment partner. When I look up, I’m not surprised by the wave of disappointment I get when it’s someone else entirely. A guy with a close shaved buzz cut is sitting there smiling at me. “Can I help you?” I ask warily. The guy chuckles and I guess he’s kind of handsome in his own right. Nice build, perfect features, sweet smile. He’s boynext-door cute. What’s not to like, right? I’ll tell you—he doesn’t have light brown tousled hair that’s the color of

copper when the sun hits it. He has hair that I can’t run my fingers through. He doesn’t have hazel eyes that change color depending on his mood. He doesn’t have the perfect set of dimples when he smiles. He doesn’t make my heart skip a beat. He’s just not Luke Caldwell. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to impose or anything. I’m Aaron Cox.” He extends his hand to me. “I’ve been wanting to come over and say hi to you this entire semester, but I guess I never had the guts.” He blushes a bit and it makes me smile. “I’m Natalia Baldoni,” I say with a small smile and shake his hand. There’s no spark when our skin touches. No warm or tingly feelings. And most importantly, no butterflies. My smile falters a bit with that realization. “I was wondering if maybe I could get your number so we could go out sometime? Or whatever you want,” he says hopefully. I smile again, liking the fact that he seems shy and unsure of himself, so unlike Luke. Stop thinking about him! “Sure.” I jot off my number to him and we part ways with a brief goodbye. Within seconds, I have a message from him. Aaron: Hope we can get together soon, beautiful ;)

The winky face at the end makes me laugh thinking back to a conversation I had with Luke a while back. “Seriously. Any guy who puts a winky face at the end of his message is a downright douchebag, or is trying way too fucking hard,” he says as he flips through the textbook. A laugh bubbles up my throat. “What? How do you figure that?” Luke looks at me with an expression that says, “Isn’t it obvious?” “Everyone knows this, Natalia. He’s either using the winky face to hide his douchery or he’s just a fucking weird loser who wants in your panties. It’s science babe.” He shrugs and grins, showcasing his dimples. I can’t help the huge smile that spreads across my face at his logic. I briefly find myself wondering what category Aaron would fit into. As much as I hate to admit it, Luke is usually disgustingly right about almost everything. Could Aaron be a douchebag? Or is he just trying too hard? I mean, he seemed pretty nervous even talking to me, so he’s probably just out of his comfort zone, trying too hard. I shake those thoughts away and head to my next class.

CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN Luke It’s been three weeks since I last saw or talked to Natalia, and I’m starting to fucking lose it. All I have left is her damn contact picture on my phone that I stare at way more than is deemed normal. I stopped showing up to class so she wouldn’t have to see my face anymore, and I’ve otherwise tried to keep my distance, but it’s starting to get impossible. I feel like a dick for ditching her with our assignment, but, fuck, what else was I supposed to do? Force her to look at my face every day? Yesterday, I showed up at her work hoping I’d run into her. Luckily, she wasn’t there. Aliza informed me that she took the day off, which is extremely out of character for her. Aliza seemed

like she wanted to say more but probably thought wisely. I haven’t forgotten about what she said, I just don’t know what to do about it. I was so sure what I did was the right thing, and now I’m not so sure anymore. I miss everything about her. The way her hips would sway as she walked. The way she smelled. Her laugh. That fucking gorgeous smile. I miss it all. The coach’s whistle signaling the end of practice cuts me out of my thoughts. I hustle into the locker room with the guys and strip myself of the sweaty clothes. I’m halfway done when Drew comes over with a solemn expression. “We need to talk bro,” he says seriously. I roll my eyes. Here we go again. It’s probably the same conversation he’s had with me every day this week. That I need to stop sulking and get my head in the game. What he doesn’t know is, I’ve tried. So fucking hard. “You know how Jared has connections with sorority row and a few other frat douches,” Drew starts off. “Yeah. What about it?” I ask, dragging a clean shirt over my head. “Well, I was hanging around with Jared before practice and I heard him saying something about Aaron Cox that might interest you.” I furrow my brows. Why the hell does that name sound familiar? “That’s the big slimey frat dude,

right?” Why would I need to know anything about him? “Look man, word on campus is, he’s been dating Natalia.” Every muscle in my body stiffens, and I swear I crack a tooth from clenching my teeth so hard. I narrow my eyes at Drew, searching for any indication he could be lying. I know I have no right to be angry. I should be happy she’s moving on. But not with a guy like Aaron. Fuck no. “What the fuck did you just say?” I grind out. “Look, it was one thing getting her away from you, but we both know what that piece of shit is like. What he’s capable of. He plays the good boy act well until he has them right where he wants them.” Drew has the decency to look worried. “Mother fucker!” I growl. “Aaron Cox is million times worse than I am. He’s a walking date rapist. There’s no way in hell I’m letting him near her.” “I know, Luke. I know. We’ll figure it out. Just be cool for now, man. I know there’s still bad blood between the two of you.” Damn fucking right there is. I nearly broke his neck at a party a few years ago when I caught him forcing himself on a drunk chick. I may not be the greatest guy around, but fuck me, even I have morals. Shit was wrong on so many levels, and that isn’t the first time I’ve heard of that happening either. The dude’s completely fucked in the head.

I’m not letting him anywhere near Natalia. Over my dead body. My heart freezes in my chest as a thought occurs to me. “Do you think he’s using her as his revenge against me?” Drew nods. “Can never be too sure with that sick fuck, but that was my guess. Everyone knew how close you two were getting. Gina’s been running her mouth, so pretty much everyone knows you and Natalia are no longer a thing.” Anger consumes me at the thought of his hands on my girl and I slam my fist into my locker, denting the whole fucking thing. Drew grips my shoulder. “Play it cool, Luke! We need a strategy. She needs to listen because if we go through him, he’ll only try harder.” I nod and breathe in and out, trying to calm my anger. Fuck, I hope she hears me out. *** Natalia I smile down at the text message Aaron just sent me as I walk across campus to my next class. He’s supposed to meet me there because that’s the class we share. He may not be Luke Caldwell, but he’s a good distraction from all the pain that comes with

Luke. We’ve only been on a few dates and hung out a few times, but overall, he seems like a nice guy. He makes me laugh, and I momentarily forget about the lingering pain in my chest. What I like the most about Aaron is the fact that between him and Luke—they are polar opposites, and for that, I couldn’t be happier. Pounding footsteps behind me get louder, catching my attention, prompting me to turn on my heel. My heart stutters in my chest at seeing Luke dressed in his practice gear. His tousled brown hair hangs haphazardly, the ends dripping near his eyes. His hair looks longer than it usually does, but it works for him. I can tell he’s been running his hands through it too. I haven’t seen Luke in three weeks—twentyfour days actually. And seeing him here, standing before me, I long to feel his warm body against mine, to just jump into his arms and forget any of this ever happened…but I can’t do that. No matter how badly I want to. Just seeing him here, within touching distance, makes my heart ache. His hazel eyes are greenish blue today and I find myself oddly transfixed by the mysterious colors. He’s dressed in a workout tank top with the Spartan logo that shows off his muscular body. I look him up and down briefly admiring his beauty before coming to my senses. Remember what he did to you.

And I do. I remember it all. How he treated me. How he broke my heart. And how he ruined everything good between us. A scowl forms on my face and I narrow my eyes at him as my anger rises. “What the hell do you want?” I spit out venomously. Luke runs a frustrated hand through his shaggy brown hair. I’m monetarily transfixed on that small movement and the bulging muscles in his arm. “What are you doing, Natalia? Aaron Cox? Seriously of all guys, you choose Aaron?” The anger is evident on his face and my fists clench. How dare he think he has a say in who I talk to? That’s just rich. “Are you fucking kidding me? After all this time, this is what you have to say to me,” I shout incredulously. “And I can talk to whoever the fuck I want, Luke. You made sure of that,” I remind him through narrowed slits. My breaths puff out in short bursts of air through my fuming. Oddly, it feels good to be angry. “He’s not good enough for you, Natalia!” he shouts getting in my face. I cower back at his tone, trying to escape his proximity. “Oh, but you are? Is that what this is, Luke?” I ask with raised brows. “You see me talking to another guy and now all of a sudden you’re interested and want to claim your property, right? Well, fuck you!” I summon all my strength and

shove his rock-solid chest. He doesn’t even budge. “You don’t get to tell me who’s good for me or who isn’t.” I stab my finger into his chest. “You don’t even get to talk to me. Ever!” I shout, close to tears. “Natalia….” His voice is pained. “He’s not who you think he is. He’s bad news, Babygirl.” “Don’t call me that!” “Please. I’m trying to protect you here,” he pleads his case. I might’ve once fallen for the puppy dog look he’s giving me right now, but not now, not after everything that has happened. I roll my eyes. “I don’t need your protection with him, Luke. I could’ve used it with you though. Nothing could’ve prepared me for the damage you’ve done.” I watch in satisfaction as he flinches at my words. “So, you think protecting me now makes it all better?” I ask, shoving at his chest again. “It doesn’t. Not by a long shot. You’re just like the rest, and that’s what hurts the most.” I shove against him some more. “You disgust me,” I spit, feeling the tears clog my throat. “I don’t ever want to see you again, Luke Caldwell, so stay the fuck away from me. And get out of my life.” That’s all I manage to say before my voice cracks. Luke’s eyes look pained as he reaches out for me, but I snatch my arm away before he can touch me. A warm hand wraps around my waist from

behind and I’m pulled into a hard body. I shift my gaze to Aaron who’s glaring daggers at Luke. The animosity between the two radiates off them in waves. This is not how I imagined my day going. Luke looks like he’s barely restraining himself. His fists clench and unclench repeatedly, the veins in his forearms bulging. “There a problem here?” Aaron asks Luke gruffly. Luke’s eyes narrow, and he gives Aaron what can only be described as a death glare. “This is how you want to do this then, Cox?” Luke’s voice is calm, but I know he’s anything but, he looks like he’s about to blow a gasket at any second. “Stay the fuck away from my girl, Caldwell. I’m sure there’s a long line of bitches elsewhere anyway.” My body tenses. His girl? When did that happen? My eyes dart to Aaron in surprise. I’ve never heard him speak to anyone that way. I feel like I’m missing a bigger piece of the picture here, I just can’t figure out what it is. Aaron and Luke continue glowering at each other, nose to nose, until a breathless Drew finally drags Luke away. My brows pinch together as Aaron walks with me to our class. I clear my throat, gaining Aaron’s attention, and

he looks at me with the same sweet expression that I’m used to seeing. Geez, this dude is mercurial. “So, umm, I just kinda wanted to make sure we’re clear on something.” Nervousness lines my voice. “You know we’re not together right, Aaron? I mean, I like you. I think you’re a really nice and cool guy, but I’m just not there yet. I just want to see where this friendship takes us.” Aarons face shutters and his jaw clenches for a brief second. He forces a small smile. “No worries, beautiful. I just said that to get him away from you. I saw you pushing him, so I figured you didn’t want him around you.” He shrugs like it’s the most obvious reason he did it. I mentally kick myself. Of course, that’s why he did it. I smile at him in relief. “Okay. Good. Are we still hanging after class?” I ask with raised brows. “Of course.” He smiles, lightly pinching my chin in between his fingers. I’m hit with a sudden sense of Deja vu, with my chin pinched lightly between his fingers—the gesture doesn’t sit well with me. I’m immediately taken back to the memory of me as a little girl walking home from school. I was easily seven, maybe eight years old when a car pulled up beside me. There was an older man inside wearing glasses and a hat so I couldn’t see his face very well. He asked me if I wanted to go for a ride

with him to pick out some candies for his daughter who was at home. I won’t lie and pretend I wasn’t interested. I stopped and considered the offer when I should’ve knew better. For as long as I can remember, stranger danger was drilled into my brain, but that didn’t matter when candy was involved. So, when the man got out of the car and kneeled beside me, lightly pinching my chin in between his fingers, I made up my mind. When he winked at me, I knew something about the man was off. The growing knot in my stomach was my first clue. When Aaron winked at me, I got that same uneasy feeling in my gut, and now with the other gesture, I just can’t help but feel like something’s… off. Shaking my head, I smile it off. Throughout the rest of the class, I sit next to Aaron, wondering why the hell that small gesture makes me feel like it did when I was kid. I chalk it up to my run-in with Luke and blame my strange feelings on him. I try to focus, I really do, but after everything that happened earlier, my brain feels like it is completely fried. Everything was going well before Luke barged into my life, sending my world upside down, again. Damn him. “So, what did you want to eat?” I ask Aaron as we exit the class together. He shrugs, looking down at me. “Whatever you want. Are you craving anything

right now?” His response makes me smile, settling some of the unease I’ve felt since earlier. His response is always the same, always making sure I’m the one who chooses the food so I’m satisfied. Very thoughtful. My phone buzzes in my hand, I swipe across the screen when I see it’s from Sam. Sam: Food before our shift? I type back a quick response. Natalia: I’m with Aaron, is that ok? Sam: Who? I stifle a laugh, internally rolling my eyes. Natalia: Want to just meet at the B&G? Sam: See ya “So?” Aaron’s impatient voice brings me back to the present, prompting me to put my phone away. “Sorry about that. How do you feel about having lunch at CJ’s Bar & Grille? I work there so it would be easier if I could eat then get ready for my shift. And is it okay that my friend tags along?” I ask as we head to my car. Aaron smiles tightly. “Yeah. Sure. I’ll meet you there.” He bends, popping a quick kiss on my cheek, and I freeze. I shouldn’t feel uncomfortable that a guy just kissed me. It was only on the cheek, but still. I’m starting

to worry that Aaron has the wrong idea about us. I mean, I just got my freaking heart broken, and I’m not interested in going for round two any time soon. Aaron turns around and heads toward his car like nothing happened, leaving me standing completely speechless. I shake myself out of it and head to the Bar and Grille, hoping I haven’t made a mistake befriending Aaron. *** “I don’t like him,” Sam says seriously once Aaron is out of ear shot. “The guy looks like a fucking villain out of a cheesy eighties movie.” I swing my eyes to hers and my face falls. “Why not? He’s a really nice guy, Sam.” I don’t have the slightest clue why she doesn’t like him. Aaron is such a sweetheart. He was awesome company throughout our meal before I started my shift. Sam’s eyes are still narrowed on the door Aaron just went out of. “I just didn’t get a good vibe from him. There’s something off about him, Natalia. Yeah, he’s cute, but I don’t know…I just don’t like him.” I scoff. “Well that really clears it up, Samantha. Such great reasoning.” “Hey,” she scolds. “You wanted my honest opinion on the guy so there you have it. I don’t like him, and that coming from your best friend who has

come across a dick load of shady guys, I think that’s really saying something. But if you honestly need a better reason, I’ll give you a few. For starters, he’s either really boring for a frat guy, or he’s lying. Two, I don’t like the way he looks at you. He doesn’t stare at you like a normal guy should. He was looking at you like you were the goddam prey. It was…unsettling.” She curls her lip in disdain. “Three whenever the topic was about him, he skipped to one of us which is fishy. It’s like he doesn’t want us to know much about him. Four, he stumbled over a few of the answers to my questions, which tells me he’s a fucking liar, which brings me back to number one—cue the lies.” She waves her hands in a voila gesture. I roll my eyes. “Okay so let me get this straight —just because he’s a frat guy who doesn’t party a lot, doesn’t like talking about himself, and doesn’t answer your questions correctly—that justifies you not liking him?” “Don’t forget the way he looks at you. That’s the major one right there. Should’ve said that first.” She snaps her fingers and ooh’s. “If you really want another opinion, ask Aliza. She met him for a few seconds between her stops,” Sam offers with a raised brow. “Whatever. Bring her here then,” I relent. Sam rubs her hands together with a diabolical smile. “Ohio!” Sam shouts loudly in the restaurant,

gaining everyone’s attention. I reach across the table and slap her in the arm. “Seriously!” I scold, through narrowed eyes. “Are you forgetting this is a restaurant?” Sam gets another slap in the opposite arm, this time from Aliza. “Would you shut up, Samantha! Now everyone’s staring!” Aliza hisses angrily. I can’t hold in my laugh because I love watching Aliza get angry. “Sorry, but this is serious business,” Sam says, gaining Aliza’s immediate attention. “Alright what’s up?” Aliza asks with a raised brow. “What did you think of Natalia’s new friend Aaron? And tell the fucking truth! Did you like him or not?” Aliza darts her gaze to me quickly and chews on her bottom lip. She lets out a long sigh. “Okay honestly, I didn’t really like him. There was just something about him that gave me the willies.” Aliza winces. “I’m sorry Natalia, I know he’s the first guy after Luke but…maybe you’re trying to replace Luke with Aaron without really paying attention to the details.” My face falls and I slouch in my seat. “So you guys really don’t like him then?” I ask. Sam and Aliza exchange a look and shake their heads no. I groan. Dammit, Luke Caldwell. “I gotta get back to work guys,” Aliza says.

“Oh, shut it Ohio. What’s CJ gonna do? Fire you? The most he’ll do is give you a spanking behind closed doors and deny you an orgasm.” Sam rolls her eyes and Aliza turns beet red. I burst out laughing because it’s a true story. “I told you guys that in confidence,” she hisses before spinning on her heel away from us. Sam and I continue howling like hyenas at the table. If the Bar and Grille was a quaint, quiet restaurant, our laughing would be a problem. But between the music in the background, shouting voices at the bar, the basketball games playing on the flat screens, and the buzzing of conversation over everything else, our laughter doesn’t really bother anyone. After we manage to calm ourselves down, Sam turns to me and gets serious. “You know I love you like a sister, Natalia, and I just want you to be happy. So just…be careful with Aaron, please. I know I’ve told you to be careful before, and you said you knew what you were doing, but I mean it this time.” I swallow past the lump that’s formed in my throat and nod. We briefly hug it out before getting to work. *** I’m just getting out of the shower, about to crawl into bed, when I notice the missed calls on my

phone. Two from Gina and one from my dad. What the hell? With the time stamp being well over an hour and a half ago, I decide that first thing tomorrow morning, I’ll call my dad to find out what’s going on. Burrowing under the blankets, I lie on my back, staring up at my ceiling. There’s not much to see. My room is bathed in darkness, but slowly my eyes begin to adjust. I try to stop myself from going there. Thinking about him, but I can’t help it. I just miss him so much. Every day that we’re apart, my heart hurts a little bit more. Why hasn’t he tried to apologize? Why hasn’t he tried to win me back? Now that one…that one hurts the most. I guess I really am one of those foolish, hopeless romantics who thinks she’ll win the guy in the end and have her happily ever after. Stupid girl. Don’t you know happily ever afters don’t exist for people like us? Rolling onto my side, I close my eyes, wipe away the stray tears, and sniffle into my pillow. It doesn’t take long for me to fall asleep. *** The next morning, I wake up to more missed calls from my dad, and even a voicemail. Seriously? Who even leaves voicemails anymore? After listening to his message, which asks me to swing by

the house, I know it immediately has to do with Gina. Anytime she’s miserable, everyone else is too. That’s sort of like her rule of law. I don’t understand why she’s miserable though. She got what she wanted, didn’t she? I’m just surprised this hasn’t happened sooner. I drive to my dad’s house. The house I once lived in too, but this place doesn’t feel like home. It never did. I knock on the front door, and my dad opens it with a reserved smile. “Hey, Dad,” I say cautiously as he opens the door for me to step inside. “Hey honey. Come on let’s sit down and have a little talk. Everyone should be gone for a while.” I take a seat across from my dad at the kitchen table and watch as he fidgets. The house hasn’t changed much since I was kid. Still beige colored walls, dark cabinets, and stainless steel appliances. “Okay, Dad, just spit out. What’s going on?” I ask impatiently, feeling my anxiety rise. My dad sighs and scrubs a hand down his face. Looking at him right now, he looks older than his fifty years. His face is sunken in, and his hair, once a salt and pepper gray, is more gray than anything now. “What’s going on with you and your sister, Natalia? She said you picked a fight with her and have been ignoring her calls ever since.” My body instantly stiffens and my lips thin into a grim line. That fucking bitch.

“It’s long story, Dad, but I’m sure whatever way she’s trying to spin it, that’s not how it happened,” I say with a defeated sigh. “What’s going on then, Natalia? Because your sister seems heartbroken that you won’t even speak to her.” I laugh humorlessly. “Dad, Georgina hates me. You and I both know this, so you can cut the act. She blames me for coming along and ruining her life.” I shrug. “She did the unthinkable and ruined my relationship with someone who made me happy, all for her own selfish reasons. And she never sent me any messages trying to get in touch.” “That is a complete lie, Natalia. I sat with her last night while she called you, and you never answered. She was crushed. I had to console her as we waited for you call back,” he argues, and I gaze heavenward for strength, because Lord help me, Gina is even more manipulative than I thought. “Well excuse me for not wanting to speak to her ever again after the things she’s done and said. She made it pretty clear how she feels when she said she wished I would just drop dead like my mother.” My dad’s face pales. “No.” He shakes his head. “Georgina would never say something like that to you, honey. She loves you.” Dad says it almost like he’s trying to convince himself. “Yes, she did, Dad. She also called my mother a

worthless whore and basically said the same thing about me.” My dad scrubs a hand down his face and takes a drink of his coffee. I narrow my eyes at his lack of reaction. Why isn’t he angry? Shouldn’t he be jumping to my deceased mother’s defense, or even his daughters defense? Then it hits me. “You believe me, right?” I question. My heart pounds in my chest awaiting his answer. I swear…if he says the wrong thing, I’ll be done. “Of course, sweetie. But you have to understand where your sister is coming from. It was hard for her and her mother to be open to another child being in the picture.” I close my eyes and let the weight of disappointment settle around me. Of course he would take her side. Why wouldn’t he? The little girl living inside me wants to shed a few tears, but I don’t. I won’t. “Are you kidding? That’s all you’re going to say on the matter?” I ask incredulously. “What do you want me to say, Natalia?” He sighs. “That you can’t believe that she could say something like that about me and my mother. How can you be okay with someone speaking that away about her? She can’t even defend herself!” My voice goes up as my temper rises. “I’m not okay with it, Natalia. But I’m also not

gonna punish my daughter for my past mistakes.” A pang shoots through my heart and my eyes burn with tears. So much for not crying. “So, my mother and I are mistakes?” I whisper. My dad’s eyes widen and swing back to mine. He looks like a deer caught in headlights. He shakes his head frantically. “No. That’s not it at all. I loved your mother very much, and you know how much I love you. I just can’t blame your sister for the choices I made that turned her world upside down. I’ve done everything I can to make it up to the both of you.” “Right, Dad,” I scoff. “Because every decision of my childhood was for my benefit.” My dad’s eyes narrow. “I did the best I could raising you both, and I won’t have you giving me lip about the decisions I made in raising you, Natalia.” “Do you even know what it was like for me as a kid?” I question. “Without a mother? With a dad who paid more attention to the older sister, and her mother who hated my guts? I don’t even know mom’s family—my family— for Christ’s sake! All I know is what you’ve shown me, you, and Gina’s mom.” Dad flies out of his chair. “I get that Natalia. I do. But you’re wrong, Gina’s mom was the bigger person. She put a roof over your head and put up with my infidelities. Having to see you every day

wasn’t easy for her, or me, or our marriage. And as for your mother’s family, they weren’t the kind of people I could trust with my daughter. That’s why your mother came to the States—for a better life!” “So you just kept me from her?” I shout angrily. “She was my mother and that was my family! You had no right. You robbed me of a happy, normal childhood.” “I am your father, Natalia, that gives me every right!” “Did you even love Mom?” I ask in a sad whisper. I’ve always wondered if they were really in love or if he was just looking for a quick screw. His face falls, and he looks pained, winded even. “Of course I loved her. How could I not?” The emotion in his voice is thick, spurring more tears from me. “Then why couldn’t we have been a family? You loved her, she loved you…things could’ve been so much more different, Dad.” He runs a frustrated hand through his hair. “It wasn’t that easy. I was still married and had a three-year-old daughter. What was I supposed to do? Just leave my wife for your mother? I know you don’t want to hear this, but I still loved Gina’s mother. It just wasn’t the same kind of love I had for your mother.” I groan. “See this is what I don’t understand! You stayed not because you wanted to, but because

you had to! Now look at how everything turned out. Do you even know, most days I can’t even remember what Mom’s voice sounds like?” I know I need to calm down, but I can’t. I was robbed of the family I should’ve had. I was robbed of a relationship with my mother. And I was robbed of a normal childhood. “I don’t expect you to understand. You’re a child. Yes, I made some mistakes, but I’ve tried to put everything in its rightful place since. Keeping my wife and Gina happy. Giving you a safe place and a family that cared for you. I did it all to fix things! I didn’t ask for your mother to fall in love with me. Hell, I didn’t even realize I fell in love with her until it was too late!” That gets my back up immediately. He never once said he wanted to, but that he had to, and that hurts. My anger bubbles over. “So you think by doing all that you fixed things?” Anger laces my voice. “Well you didn’t. It’s not even close. Not by a long shot.” My eyes burn with unshed tears. “If anything, you’ve royally fucked everything up for your own selfish reasons! You wanted the best of both worlds, but let me tell you something, Dad, it doesn’t work that way!” His fist slams onto the table, rattling it and the glass on top of it. “You don’t get to talk to me that way!”

The fury through my veins pumps menacingly. “Actually, Dad, I do. You let her fall in love with you, then you waited to tell her about your other family!” “Natalia. You don’t understand. I wasn’t happy and—” I quickly cut him off. “So using another woman made you feel better?” I shout incredulously. “You should’ve ended it if that was how you felt! Now Gina and I are the collateral damage! Don’t you get it? You could’ve changed the way these events happened.” “We had a child together, Natalia. I couldn’t do that to them!” he shouts, now equally flustered. I suck in a shocked breath. My lip trembles uncontrollably. “But you could do that to us, right?” I say shakily with tears pooling in my eyes. “Because we meant that little to you.” He shakes his head furiously denying me. “Natalia….” “You’ve ruined not only my life but the life I should’ve had. And for that, I’m not sure I can ever forgive you,” I whisper coldly before I gather my stuff. My father shouts something after my retreating form, but I’m no longer listening. I’m already out the door, running to my car. My chest wracks with sobs. There’s a pain in my ribs, like an ice pick being jabbed into me repeatedly. Again.

Just like with Luke. Everything is falling apart. I drive home and collapse in my room, deciding not to go to class. I can’t handle it today. Luckily, I have today off work, so I don’t have to worry about putting on a fake smile the rest of the day. My phone buzzes from my nightstand, and I silently hope it’s Luke. I swipe the screen and when Aaron’s name pops up, I feel nothing. He’s just not Luke. I was a fool to think I could replace him with a guy like Luke. He doesn’t even hold a candle to the man I love. With a sigh I swipe across the screen. Aaron: Hey beautiful ;) my frats throwing a keggr tnite. Want to come? I chew on the inside of my cheek as I think it over. Ever since Aliza and Sam brought to light all those things about Aaron, I haven’t been able to see him the same. I can’t believe that I’ve been so determined to forget about Luke that I settled for someone like Aaron, who is most definitely not my type. But then again, he’s been nothing but sweet to me from day one. How can I possibly turn down going to a party for his frat house? Plus, it’ll probably help get my mind off all the messed up shit going on right now. Screw it. I type out a quick response.

Natalia: Sure. What time? Aaron: I’ll be here at 9 if you want to come a little early. Natalia: K. Well, it looks like I’m going to a frat party tonight. I guess there really is a first for everything.

CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT Luke It’s nine at night on a Friday and I’m at home in bed. Fuck, I’m a pussy. How the hell did this become my life? I know how, Natalia fucking Baldoni. The gorgeous Latina with the dark hair, a beautiful mind, and a spitfire mouth that I love. Loud banging on my closed door jostles me up from my comfortable position. “What?” I bark. “We got a fucking problem!” Drew barks back. My lip curls up in frustration for being bothered. Goddam it, man. I just want to be left the fuck alone. I hop off my bed and swing my door open with a sour look permanently etched onto my face.

“What the fuck is it?” “Aaron’s frat is throwing a party tonight and Jared just saw Aaron. How close do you think they’ve gotten? Would she ever go to something like that?” Every part of my body stiffens, and my heart rate kicks up. The adrenaline rush I usually feel before a football game is kicking in right fucking now. Drew looks just as worried as I’m currently feeling. Mother fucker. “Not willingly. Fuck!” I seethe. “You go meet up with Jared. I’m going to Natalia’s place, maybe I can catch her.” We break quickly just like we do in football and get our heads in the game. I drive like a maniac to Natalia’s, hoping to catch her if she’s about to leave or catch her while she’s having a quiet night in with Sam. I’m praying for the latter. I throw my car in park and run up the stairs to their apartment. I bang on Natalia’s front door like a mad man and hope they’re home. C’mon, C’mon, answer the fucking door already! “Hold the fuck on!” Sam growls from the other side of the door. The sound of lock unclicking is all I hear before the door is swung open revealing a furious Sam. “What the fuck are you doing here, asshole!

How stupid are you?” “Where is she?” I try to push my way through the door, but she places a halting hand in the middle of my chest. “I don’t fucking think so, sister fucker. She’s not here, so leave!” My heart drops. Fuck. She’s gone! “I need you to tell me where she is, Sam,” I manage to say as calmly as I can. “Piss off, dick-brain.” Slamming my hands on the frame of their front door, my calm slips and I shout, “Please, Samantha!” She growls in irritation. “She went to that asswipe Aaron’s party.” “FUCK!” I roar. Aliza pushes Sam out of the way, looking worried. “What’s wrong, Luke?” I run a frustrated hand down my face. “Aaron isn’t who she thinks she is. I’ve tried talking to her, but she won’t listen. The dude is a fucking scumbag. Caught him a few years back forcing himself on some drunk girl at one his parties. That wasn’t the first rumor about him either.” Both of their faces drain of all color. “Oh no,” Aliza mumbles in horror. “Shit,” Sam hisses. Her features are still strung tightly. “She didn’t give me an address or anything. She just said she’d call me if she needed anything.

Dammit! I knew we should’ve gone with her.” “I know where his frat is. I’m going to find her.” I stalk off and race down the steps back to my car. As I’m opening my door Sam and Aliza come into view. “Oh, no you don’t. Not without us, shitbrick,” Sam says, glowering at me. We make it to the party in record time. I do my best to ignore all of Sam’s filthy looks meant for me. Yeah, I know I’m still on your shit list. I fucking get it already. We barge into the house and immediately start looking for tan skin, and a mane of dark hair. It’s only a little after ten, so it’s still relatively early in party speak. They could still be milling somewhere around here. I don’t bother with pleasantries when a few people try to strike up conversations with me. Don’t have time for that shit. I ask around the party if anyone’s seen Aaron, but I get nowhere. That is, until one of his frat brothers slips up. Sometimes, alcohol can be a wonderful thing—loose tongues and all. “Yeah man, he went upstairs a while ago with this super-hot chick.” I shove him out of the way, urging Aliza and Sam to follow. I fly up the stairs and throw every door open until I get to the last one—that’s locked, of course. The music blaring from the house is so loud, I can hardly hear anything. I can’t tell if there’s

anything unusual happening on the other side of the door. “What do we do?” Aliza asks from behind me. I don’t bother answering. Instead, I back away from the door giving myself a running start and shove my shoulder into it. Pain tears through my shoulder, and the door barely budges. Fuck! “Seriously? Who do you think you are? Fucking Superman or something—” Ignoring Sam, I back away again and charge toward the door. This time it flies open upon impact. A deafening crack tears through the air, and splinters of wood fly off in every direction. When my eyes lock on Aaron and Natalia, I. See. Fucking. Red. Natalia has her shirt off and Aaron is hovering over her practically devouring her mouth. They haven’t even stopped to come up for air. A feral growl erupts from my chest just thinking about him going any further with her. She’s mine, mother fucker. Something races up my spine as I take a minute to assess the scene before me. Aaron’s panting into Natalia’s mouth but she’s not reciprocating. She’s not doing anything, actually. She’s flat on her back with her hands on her sides. What the…? And it’s then that I realize she’s fucking unconscious. My whole body goes taut with corded anger, until it just snaps. I roar loudly and charge

Aaron. His head whips to the door that’s now hanging off the hinges, and his glossed-over eyes land on my enraged ones. I yank him by the collar of his shirt and toss him off Natalia like he weighs about a pound. His shoulder collides against the hardwood floor with a loud smack. “What the fuck man!” He howls in pain from the other side of the room. The gasps from the door let me know the girls have finally walked in. “Natalia!” they scream in unison. “One of you make sure she’s okay, and the other dial 9-1-1,” I bark. I swing my attention to Aaron who’s still groaning in pain. My upper lip curls in anger. I haul him up by his neck, fuming, and pin him against the wall. “What the fuck did you do?” I seethe. He doesn’t answer right away so I slam him against the wall again, forcing his head to thump against the plaster loudly. “Alright man, fuck! I only gave her a fuckin Rufie so she’d loosen up. She said she wanted to have fun.” “You drugged her?” I roar. Something splinters in my chest just thinking about what he could’ve done to her had we not gotten here when we did. My anger clouds my vision, and I’m no longer in control of what I’m doing. My fists slam into his face over and over, relishing in the crunching sound beneath my fists. I can’t feel a thing. The

adrenaline pumping through my veins has my body on autopilot. Flashes of red cover my fists every time one leaves his face. Aaron’s barely standing now, not even making an attempt to protect himself. I unwrap a hand from his throat and watch as he falls in a heap on the floor. But I don’t stop my assault there. I climb on top of him and proceed to slam my fists into every open space on him. I’m winded. I feel like a crazed animal, but I can’t stop. I won’t stop. “Luke stop!” The scream penetrates the fog and I freeze with my fist in mid-air. Aliza’s tear stained face comes into view. “Luke…,” she whispers, staring at my hands. “Please, stop now Luke.” I look down at Aaron and my stomach churns. Fuck, I think I’m going to be sick. I can’t even tell what his face looked like before today. Blood trickles from his already bruised and swollen face. I immediately know I’ve fucked up. “The police are on their way. Go Luke. I have Natalia’s phone. I’ll call you, and keep you up to date, I promise. Just make sure you’re gone before they get here,” Aliza says, gripping onto my bicep, trying to pull me to my feet, but it’s a futile attempt. I can’t. It’s almost like my body is paralyzed, unable to move. “Go! What are you still doing? Go!” Sam shouts by Natalia’s side.

I stand up on shaky legs and take one look at Natalia’s stiff body. They wrapped her upper-body with Aliza’s sweater, but she still looks helpless, and I can tell she was crying. Her face is blotchy, and her hair looks wild. She was probably so afraid. The ache in my chest intensifies with that thought. “No.” I find myself saying. Aliza and Sam whip their gazes to me. “I’m staying with her.” “Luke, if you don’t leave now, who knows what will happen to you! You’ve just beat a guy fucking unconscious. Think about your future!” Sam yells in a panicked voice. Her emerald eyes are wide begging me to listen, but I can’t. “No!” My voice booms. “None of it matters! I’m fucking staying.” Aliza says something to Sam, making her back off. I walk across the room, stepping over Aaron’s unconscious form toward Natalia. I lower myself next to her. I tuck stray pieces of soft brown hair behind her ears and lift her limp hand into mine. A sharp pang shoots through my heart. This is all my fault. I place a gentle kiss on the palm of her hand and hold it tightly. She’d never let me do that if she was awake, so I’m going to enjoy the feel of her touch while I still can. I know when she wakes up, things will be back to normal with her hating my guts, but I can live with that. So long as she’s okay.

“I’m so sorry,” I rasp out thickly. Someone places a hand on my shoulder and I look up into Sam’s watery eyes. The music downstairs is cut off and people downstairs start yelling. Hopefully it’s the fucking medics. Sam runs out of the room to show them where we are. The rest is a blur. The cops and ambulance show up, demanding us to move away from Natalia. They check her vitals and question us about what happened. What did she ingest? How much did she ingest? How long ago was it taken? And I didn’t have a fucking answer for not one of their questions. One of the officers gets a good look at Aaron still out from my beating on the floor. They check him over after Natalia. “He’s breathing, with a strong pulse. He’ll live. He just took one hell of a beating.” As much as I would’ve liked to kill Aaron, I’m glad he’s alive. There’s at least that one thing I didn’t fuck up. The youngest looking officer, Ruiz, turns to me, asking the question I’ve been waiting for. “I need you to go over the events of what happened here tonight. Did Aaron attack you at all, Mr. Caldwell?” Aliza’s voice cuts me off just as I’m about to speak. “It was self-defense. Luke shoved the door down, and Aaron came after him. So he fought him

off. Aaron admitted to giving her a date rape drug, then Luke and Aaron continued to fight each other.” She recounts. I stare at her completely dumbfounded. She’s not technically lying, but she’s also not telling the exact truth either. Aaron didn’t fight back or initiate anything, not once. It was all me. “And you’re certain Aaron was fighting back, Miss?” “Yes.” The officer looks between us warily, eyeing my bloody hands, then eyeing Aarons untouched fists. Eventually, he decides to give up. “Alright. They should be driving her to Alvarado Hospital soon.” *** The drive to the hospital is silent. Sam was the only one they allowed in the ambulance, so Aliza and I are driving there. It’s uncomfortably quiet, except for Aliza’s sniffle every now and then. “How’s your hand?” she asks quietly as I weave through the cars on the freeway. I look away from the road and down at my bloodied knuckles. I ignore the sharp pain shooting through my arm now that the adrenaline has worn off. My grip tightens on the wheel. “It’s fine,” I say curtly. I should’ve had the

EMT’s check it back at the frat house, but my top concern was Natalia, she needed their care more than I did. “You took a big risk doing what you did,” she states. I can feel her staring at me and my jaw clenches. “She’s worth it,” is all I say, leaving no room for discussion. Thankfully, Aliza doesn’t say anything else for the rest of the drive. We meet up with Sam in the emergency waiting room. She’s pacing the hall and freezes when she sees us. “What’s going on? How is she?” I ask impatiently. “They took her back for a screening. Said they’ll give us more information when she gets up,” Sam placates. “That’s it?” I hiss angrily. “Hey. Calm down, Luke. I know you’re angry, but she’s in good hands now, so let’s just calm down and wait it out,” Sam says. I bite my tongue from saying anything else and nod my head. I send a quick text to Drew, letting him know what’s happening. “Chase! Thank god!” Aliza says as she runs into the arms of some guy. His large body engulfs her small one and he kisses the top of her head lovingly. He holds her back at arm’s length and checks her over.

“Are you alright? How is she?” He cups her face gently in his hand, and she grasps his hand with her own. “Seriously? You’re asking about me right now? I’m just worried about her. They won’t let us see her until the drugs leave her system and she wakes up.” Chase sighs and kisses Aliza firmly on the lips. It’s no secret the two are madly in fucking love with each other. They look at each other like they need the other to take their next breath. It’s infuriating. I can’t help but feel bitter. Why the fuck couldn’t I do that with Natalia? God, I’ve fucked everything up so royally. Releasing each other they turn to us, and it’s then I notice the other guy at his side. “Luke, this is Alex, he’s a friend of ours,” Aliza says, gesturing to the other guy with buzzed cut hair. He nods in greeting. Aliza grasps the hand of the guy next to her. “Chase, this is Luke. He found Natalia. And Luke this is my boyfriend, Chase.” The guy is tall, about my height and build. He looks like a surfer through and through with the tan skin, blonde hair, and blue eyes. We shake hands briefly then take a seat. And then we wait. I have my head dropped into my hands when I hear her voice. It’s like nails on a fucking chalkboard.

Mother fucker. That’s one voice I shouldn’t be hearing, not here. I snap my head up, pinning Gina with my gaze. She’s standing next to an older graying man, who I’m guessing is her father—well, Natalia’s too. “Where is she? What happened?” he asks, striding up to Sam. “They have her in an exam room. They wouldn’t let us in because we aren’t family. She was at a party and someone slipped something into her drink. We don’t know anything more.” “She was at a party drinking?” he asks in contempt. I can basically feel him judging his own daughter. My hands curl into fists, and my nostrils flare. “Daddy…I told you—” Gina’s starts to say, but I shoot out of the chair, and cut her off. “Shut the fuck up!” Everyone’s head swings to mine, including the other families in the waiting area. “Get the fuck out of here, Gina. You aren’t wanted,” I growl. Gina’s face pales, and she steps closer to her father’s side like the coward she is. “Hey! Don’t speak to my daughter that way! She has a right to be here for her sister,” Natalia’s father yells, taking a step closer to me. “Who the hell are you, anyway?” “Luke saved Natalia,” Aliza says from her spot on her chair, coming to my defense. Natalia’s dad

cocks his head to the side and narrows his eyes at me. “So, you’re the little shit who has been causing my girls to fight?” I chuckle humorlessly. “You would think that, wouldn’t you? Maybe if you opened your fucking eyes, you’d see I’m not the only problem here.” I train my gaze on Gina, making sure she hears me loud and clear. “Your daughter, not the one resting in a hospital bed, but the one standing next to you, is a manipulative bitch. You’ve spent most of your life giving everything to her, when you should’ve been giving it to Natalia, the most selfless person I’ve ever fucking met.” Natalia’s father charges me, jabbing his finger in my chest. “You know nothing about my family. Shut your God damn mouth.” He shoves his hands against my chest, and I snap. I curl my fist, hurtling my arm back, and land a right hook onto his cheek. Everyone in the room gasps. He stumbles back, barely catching himself from falling onto the floor. “That’s for being such a shitty father to a girl who deserved more than second place,” I hiss. Thick, heavy arms land on my shoulders yanking me away from Natalia’s piece of shit father. “Take a minute to cool off, man. Think about Natalia,” Chase, Aliza’s boyfriend says calmly. Blowing out a breath, I shrug out of his hold, and storm out of the sliding glass doors leading outside.

I pace outside, trying to rein in my anger. Fuck me. I’ve just punched Natalia’s father in the face. Way to get back into her good graces again, Caldwell. Scrubbing a frustrated hand through my hair, I whip my phone out my pocket, and dial Drew. “Any news?” “Nothing yet,” I sigh down the line. “I need you to come here.” “What’s going on?” “I just punched Natalia’s father in the face,” I deadpan. The line is quiet, then I hear Drew blow out a sigh. “Fucking Christ. On my way.” When Drew finally gets here, he gives me a small lecture, and tells me to get my shit together and play it cool for Natalia’s sake. We walk back inside, steering clear of Gina and her father, just in case my temper makes me do something stupid—again. I need Drew here to keep me in line, in case something happens again. I can’t keep messing up like I am. At the rate I’m going, I’m sure to end up in a jail cell by the end of the fucking night. All of us wait like sitting ducks for who knows how long before a doctor finally comes out to see us. At the sight of the doc, we all stand almost immediately. “I’m Doctor Peter McNeill. I assume you’re all here for Ms. Baldoni?” We all nod our heads and

wait impatiently for whatever it is he has to say. “We have her on IV fluids to help flush out what she ingested. The drugs are leaving her system smoothly, she should start coming around. She’ll be a little out of it for the rest of the night coming and going, which is completely normal for the effects of a drug like Rohypnol, or better known as a date rape drug. Ms. Baldoni will heal accordingly. I’ll send a nurse out to bring a few of you in when she wakes.” With that he leaves, and I all but deflate into the chair. She’s going to be okay. She’s coming around. Everything is going to be okay. I blow out a breath I didn’t realize I was holding, and the crushing weight that had settled on my chest finally loosens, making it easier to breathe. We wait patiently, then, finally, a nurse comes out and says we can see her. We all hop to our feet, but the nurse quickly shuts that down. “I’m sorry, but only three people at most can be in the room with her.” My jaw tightens. Out of the corner of my eye, I see Gina and her father nod their heads. Of course the least deserving ones would get to see her first. If anything, it should be Aliza and Sam. Drew grips my arm and tugs me back down into the seat next to him. No more than twenty minutes pass, before Gina and her father leave the hospital. The nurse turns the corner behind them, heading straight to

us. “Normally, I would only let three of you back, but I know you guys have been waiting to see your friend.” She leads us down the sterile white hall and turns into a small room that likely won’t fit all of us at once. Alex, Samantha, Aliza, her boyfriend, Drew, and I all try to squeeze into the small room just to see how she’s doing. Natalia lays unmoving with the IV connected to her arm. Her eyes are closed, and I blow out a sigh of relief. If she saw me anywhere near her, it would surely be World War III. “She was awake not too long ago, but she’s still a little out of it. I just wanted you guys to see that she was okay,” the nurse says. I get one last good look at her before nudging Drew, letting him know it’s time to leave. He nods and leads the way out of the room. Just before leaving, I look back at my beautiful girl in that bed and grimace in pain at the dull ache in my chest. “You good to head home on your own?” Drew asks as we walk down the hall. “Yeah. I’m just gonna drive around for a bit. Clear my head.” Drew nods, patting me on the back, and leaves me standing in the middle of the hallway. I pull my phone out of my pocket and hover over my contact list. I want to text Natalia. For what? I don’t even know. I just need her to

know that I care. I don’t want her to wake up feeling alone. Or even scared. Shaking my head, I stuff my phone back into my pocket and continue walking down the hallway toward a side exit. “Luke, wait!” Sam calls down the quiet hallway after me. Blowing out a breath I steel myself, turning to face her. “Yeah?” My voice is tired, resigned. “Thanks for everything…things could’ve been real ugly if wasn’t for you, so thank you.” I nod my head in understanding. I would’ve done it with or without her and Aliza. There was no way in hell I was going to let that fucker hurt her. Just as I’m about to turn around, she shocks the living hell out of me with what she says next. “If it means anything…I really hope one day she can forgive you.” I clench my jaw and turn without another word because I want the same thing. More than I’ve ever wanted anything—including football. But I know that will never happen. Tonight is the closest I’ll ever be to Natalia. Just that thought alone makes me feel like a little boy on the verge of tears. Once I get home, I head straight to my room and shut my door. I pull out my phone and dial the one person I should’ve called a long time ago. “Luke? Honey, is everything alright? It’s late, you never call this late.” My mom’s concerned

voice travels down the line. “Not really…I just…needed to hear your voice.” “What’s going on, Luke?” she asks in full mom mode. I blow out a deep breath and rest my back on the mattress, staring up at the ceiling. “I messed up,” I say flatly. “The girl?” she asks, and my lip curls. Ah, mother’s intuition. “How’d you know?” “For starters, you never did bring her over for dinner,” she says with a hint of distaste in her voice. I know she really wanted to meet her. “Yeah, well, I kinda fucked up before I even got the chance to bring her over.” “What did you do?” she asks sternly. “I fell in love with her, then I broke her heart.” “I see,” she says quietly. “I…uh…I also think I might need a lawyer.” My mom breathes deeply down the line. “Luke Alexander Caldwell, you better start talking before I fly down to San Diego and embarrass you,” she threatens, eliciting a croaky laugh out of me. I recount everything that happened with Natalia, following up with everything that happened with Aaron. My father had to be woken up, and he is not happy about the turn of events, but I know he’ll eventually get over it. The same can’t be said for my mother. She is a whole other story. “I’m proud of you, Luke. Not for breaking the

poor girl’s heart, but for protecting her when she couldn’t protect herself. Now what I really want to know…did you kick his ass?” I chuckle down the line. “Yeah, pretty sure I broke one of my knuckles.” “That’s my boy,” she says with pride in her voice. “Now, what are you going to do?” “What do you mean?” “I mean, you love this girl, right?” I clear my throat, feeling uncomfortable admitting something like this to my mother. “Yes.” “Then you better fight for her forgiveness.” Blowing out a sigh, I tell my mother how useless fighting for her really is. “She hates me. Won’t even look at me. There’s no way in hell she’d ever forgive me, no matter what I did.” “When has a no ever stopped you from doing something before? Fight. For. Her. Don’t stop until she realizes how much she means to you.” My mother’s words stay with me long after our conversation. I suddenly know what I’ll be dedicating all my time to—and it’s not football. I’m winning my girl back. No matter what it takes.

CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE Natalia When I finally come to, my body feels heavy and groggy. Everything comes back to me in unclear flashes. I can hardly piece together what happened after Aaron gave me a drink. I just remember feeling sad, from the conversation with my dad to everything with Luke. I just wanted to have fun— one night where I didn’t have to be the responsible, well-put-together Natalia. But the more sips I took from the red cup Aaron gave me, the more loose my body became. The last thing I remember was fear clawing at my throat when I realized I couldn’t move, and Aaron’s distorted face hovering over me. To make matters worse, the first faces I see when

I wake are ones I don’t want to. I am consumed with anger that my dad would bring Gina. I feign sleepiness, not interested in talking to either of them. I just need my friends—who are more of my family than my real family is. Halfway into their visit, I must’ve fallen back asleep because when I wake up again, I see the faces I have been longing for. All except for one. Aliza and Sam slowly fill in the missing pieces of my memory, and I can’t help but gasp in horror. I can tell they’re leaving certain things out. Specifically, how they got through the locked door, and what ended up happening to Aaron after. I don’t dwell on it too much. I’m just glad they’re discharging me. I just need to curl up in a ball on my bed and berate myself for my decisions. If the girls hadn’t come looking for me, what would’ve happened? The question sends a shiver down my spine. *** I’m brushing out my hair after just getting out of the shower when Sam barges into my room without knocking. With my back to her, I roll my eyes. After I got discharged, the first thing I did when I came home was shower. I wanted every part of Aaron washed off my body. I scrubbed my skin raw under the water, wondering all the places he

could’ve touched without my knowledge while I was unconscious. Sam and Aliza have been fussing over me since I left the hospital. It’s been infuriating. I just really want to lie in bed and lick my wounds. Not hash out all the details. Is it really necessary that I know everything? Apparently fucking so. “We need to talk,” Sam says from the doorway. “Do we have to talk right now, Sam? I just want to lie in bed, maybe even watch a little TV. Forget everything for a while,” I say, turning to her. Sam stares at me with a look I’ve never seen before. I can’t even place it. “I want to talk about Luke.” My heart does a painful stutter in my chest, and my breathing turns irregular. I don’t want to hear about him. Not right now. Everything is still so raw. “Well, I don’t want to talk about him,” I retort. “Do you love him?” she asks suddenly. My breath catches, and my eyes prick with tears. “Despite what he did, can you see yourself living without him?” I bite my bottom lip until I taste blood. I know the answer to this. I’ve known it from the first day. “No,” I whisper. “Good. Because he fought for you in a way I’ve never seen Luke do anything before. He almost threw away his football career for you, and that’s saying a lot. So, I think it’s time I tell you what

really happened.” After Sam tells me the full story, I’m a mess of tears. I can’t believe Luke Caldwell did all that for me. He risked his college ball career, his NFL career, maybe even his life, depending if Aaron decides to press charges. “He was a mess…at the hospital. He even punched your dad.” Sam snickers and I snap my wide eyes to hers. “He punched my dad? But…why?” “Your dad brought Gina. That didn’t sit too well with Luke. God, I wish you would’ve seen it, he really told your dad off. Told him you were worth more than second place. I swear, he won me over right then and there.” She chuckles. My bottom lip trembles, and a fresh wave of tears spill over. “He really said that?” I whisper thickly. Sam nods, smiling at me sadly. “Yes, he did.” “Why wasn’t he at the hospital when you, Aliza, and Chase were?” She blows out a sigh and stares at the ceiling for beat before turning to me. “I think he was scared. Scared you wouldn’t want him there. He came in when you were asleep. Just stopped in with Drew to make sure you were okay.” I press a trembling hand to my lips, trying not to sob out loud like a baby. “I know what he did was wrong…” So wrong. “But sometimes, I think we all make mistakes that

we regret, Natalia. It’s the actions we take to fix those mistakes that really matter.” I stare up into emerald eyes swirling with emotion and give her a watery smile. “When did you get so smart?” Pursing her lips, she shrugs and nudges me in the arm. “It’s all up to you, Nat. What are you going to do?” she asks with a gleam in her eye. I smile up at my best friend and pull her into a close hug. Never wanting to let go.

CHAPTER THIRTY Luke I just got back home from talking to coach and getting my ass chewed out for what could’ve happened. I couldn’t really hide what happened. The whole goddam university knows the story by now. Doesn’t help matters that my throwing arm is shit, and my knuckles still feel like they’re permanently bruised. Fuck it. It was worth it. I’m just about to call my dad and let him know that everything is fine when suddenly, there’s knocking on the front door. With a pent-up sigh, I stalk toward the door, yanking it open, not even bothering to look through the peephole. My stomach bottoms out, and I stop breathing. “Hey,” Natalia says, shifting back and forth on

her feet. My grip tightens on the door, and I summon all my strength to breathe normally and not reach out and touch her. Fuck me. What the hell is she doing here? “Hey,” I rasp. “Can I come in?” she asks hesitantly, which makes me smile. I open the door and move out of her way so she can enter. Dressed in a pair of jeans and a white fitted t-shirt—she looks casual, yet gorgeous. She can make the simplest things look beautiful. That’s just Natalia. “Sam told me everything,” she blurts once the door closes. “About what you did for me.” I turn around to face her and shrug, playing off the seriousness of my decision that day. I could’ve thrown away everything for her, and I wouldn’t even mind. That’s really saying something. I’ve had a lot of time to think about it, and if I’m being honest, Natalia means so much more than football. She comes in first place. She always has. It just took me a while to realize it. “You punched my dad in the face for me.” I wince, tamping down the urge to scrub a frustrated hand down my face. Fuck, I knew that one would bite me in the ass sooner or later. “Yeah, I…I…fuck, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have done that.” She stares up at me, unblinking, with an odd expression on her face. I can’t place it. My brows

knit together as I try to gauge her next reaction. Fuck, I hope she doesn’t try to punch me or something. Although, I’m sure I’d deserve it. That would really throw my winning her over plans out the window. I’ve just about set everything up. I have this elaborate plan to get her to forgive me, but seeing her here, in my place? It’s throwing me for a fucking loop. “Why?” Her question catches me off guard and I frown in confusion. “Why did you do it? You could’ve lost everything. So, I want to know why?” She places firm hands on her hips and I stifle a chuckle. Still the same Natalia. “Because it was the right thing to do.” “Bullshit.” She narrows those brown eyes at me, and it feels like she’s looking right through me. “Tell me the truth for once, Luke,” she pleads with those big brown doe eyes encased among long, thick lashes—and I cave. “Because it was the right fucking thing to do! That’s what you do when you love someone. You give up everything for them. I needed to know you were okay. Nothing else mattered but you in that moment,” I grind out in frustration. There go my elaborate plans, out the goddam window. Her eyes

begin to water, and I sigh. Fuck me. “You love me?” I stare down at her, my jaw clenching. She takes a tentative step toward me, then another, slowly closing the distance between us. The air rushes out of my lungs when she cautiously lays her hand against my chest. “Please say it,” she whispers, looking up at me with tears dropping down from her lashes. I swallow thickly and close my eyes. “I….” I blow out a deep breath and clear my throat. “I love you.” When I open my eyes, I find her staring up at me, more tears rolling onto her cheeks. Then, suddenly, she does the unexpected and smiles, throwing herself into my arms. Feeling her body flush against mine, I almost choke on a sob like a little bitch. Wrapping my arms around her tightly, I dig my fingers into her back and I inhale her fruity scent, loving everything about her. “I love you, Luke Alexander Caldwell. Even if you are fucking idiot.” I chuckle, dropping my chin down and resting it on her head. She burrows her face into my chest, and I never want to let go. Nor do I ever plan on it. Pulling away, Natalia grips the back of my neck, bringing my lips down to hers. The second her lips touch mine, I feel whole, like suddenly, everything

is right in the world again. The warmth of her mouth makes me groan. I’ve thought about these lips ever since the last time we kissed. She’s all I’ve been able to think about. She tastes like honey and feels like a fucking dream beneath my hands. Fuck, I’ve missed her. Gripping her face in my hands, I kiss her roughly, like a man starved. I tangle my tongue with hers and relish in her soft mewls of approval. Resting our foreheads together, we both take a second and try to catch our breaths. “God, I’ve missed you,” I whisper hoarsely. Her hands tighten around my midsection. “I missed you too. So much.” She pulls away, looking up at me, and says the last thing I was expecting. “Take me to your room, Luke. I…I want to feel you.” I freeze, staring down at her with wide eyes. “Natalia…I don’t think—” “I want to be with you, Luke,” she says, cutting me off. I blow out frustrated sigh, hating myself for what I’m going to say next. “Let me just hold you first. We can get to that later, if you want. I just want to feel you next to me for a while.” She smiles up at me. Like really smiles up at me, with eyes shining and lips spread wide into a beautiful, bright grin.

“Okay,” she whispers, with a slight nod, never once taking her eyes off mine.

CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE Natalia “Well smack my ass and call me Judy, look what the cat dragged in,” Sam says with a smarmy smile as Luke and I walk hand in hand into the Bar and Grille. I roll my eyes, flipping her the finger, and continue ignoring her. “This makes me so happy,” Aliza says with a big smile on her face. I can’t help but smile back. Luke squeezes my hand, and I know he feels the same way. We decided to get lunch together before I start my shift. The last two weeks have been amazing. Things are almost back to normal, but better too. After I came to my senses and drove to Luke’s house two weeks ago, the confrontation went better

than expected. We cuddled in his bed and talked for hours. It all came so easily, almost like no time had passed at all. We talked about what happened that night with Gina, and why he felt he needed to tear us apart. Then we talked about where we were supposed to go from there. We both obviously love each other, but how would we build our trust back up? So, we took it slow. We’re still taking it slow, trying to get back to the friendship we once had and still be the couple we want to be. He even told me about his elaborate plan to win me over. I was almost sad that I came to my senses so soon. I would’ve loved to see him serenade me while on stage at the Bar and Grille. Apparently, he already had it all worked out with CJ—don’t know how they came to an agreement on that. On one of the nights I was working, he would take place, center stage, and proceed to pour his heart on the line, in front of a bunch of strangers, and beg for my forgiveness. I would’ve paid to see that happen. Luke and I sit at a table and order while talking to Aliza. CJ stops by at one point to give Aliza a kiss on the cheek before heading to his office. I’m so immersed in our conversation that I don’t hear the arguing a few feet away from our table until it gets unbelievably louder. Turning around, I internally groan when I see Sam arguing with Alex. Here we go again. “Oh yeah? Well you’re a stupid fucking asshole!

How about that?” Sam shouts to Alex, who’s leaning casually against an empty table, looking as cool as a cucumber with his arms crossed over his broad chest. “Samantha, I’ve told you, calling me names won’t change the way I feel,” he says in a sing-song voice, making me smile. Go Alex! “Don’t fucking call me, Samantha!” she yells, digging her hands into her hair, yelling like an insane person. “Do you think they’ll ever get their shit together?” Aliza asks from her seat across the table. Her eyes are trained on Sam and Alex’s fight too. I cock my head to the side and stare at the two of them thoughtfully. “To be honest, I don’t know. But for Alex’s sake, I hope they do.” “Don’t worry,” CJ says, sliding into the seat next to Aliza, his eyes also trained on the volatile couple. “Alex is close to sealing the deal. Or so he says.” I chuckle as I watch Sam and Alex’s angry hand gestures. “Yeah, looks like he’s real close to sealing that deal, CJ.” “So, what’s their story anyway? Seems interesting,” Luke says. CJ, Aliza, and I all share a look before we laugh. Luke frowns, and I pat his thigh in a placating manner. “Oh, baby, interesting doesn’t even begin to

uncover the story between those two,” I say with laughter.

CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO Two years later Natalia “So how is everything going with you guys?” Aliza asks from her end of the line, and I sigh contentedly. Lounging back on the bed, I cross my feet at the ankles and stare at the ceiling. “Everything’s so great…I met my family.” “I’m sorry, what was that?” she asks, sounding completely shocked, and I can’t help but laugh. “Luke talked me into it, but I’m so glad he did. I met my mom’s family…well my family, actually.” “Wow. That’s just…wow, Natalia. That’s so great. How did it go? Tell me everything!” I sigh into the receiver. “Well, Luke was away for football and I couldn’t fly out to see him, so he

surprised me by coming home. Before all the contracts and stuff, he wanted to get out and do something one last time without his agents telling him what to do, so we went to Mexico. I don’t know how he did it Aliza, but he found out where my mom’s family lived. I was so scared the day I called, I felt like a complete idiot when I couldn’t talk back to them in Spanish. But all I had to say was my mother’s name and the lady on the other line gasped. She turned out to be my grandma. Long story short, I met up with them, and they’re the sweetest people I’ve ever met. “At first, I was so angry at my father for keeping me away from them because we’ve missed out on so much time together, but they explained that he did what he thought was best. I was so emotional Aliza, looking at all the pictures of my mother… having them all tell me I look just like her resonated deeply. I don’t think I’ve ever felt more at peace.” Aliza sniffles on her end of the line. “That’s beautiful Natalia. I’m so happy for you. Your mom would be so proud of the woman you are today.” I can’t help the smile that tugs at the corners of my lips because I know she’s right. “Have you spoken to your dad at all?” I blow out a breath. “Yes. I actually did. After I met my family, I made some time and called him. It was awkward at first. So much time had passed since the last time we talked but…I’m glad I did it.

All family, no matter their mistakes is better than no family.” “Now that’s what I like to hear!” “Except Gina.” Aliza laughs. “I figured that much.” “How’s everything with you and CJ?” I ask, changing the subject. When she’s silent, I check my end to make sure the call hasn’t dropped. “Aliza?” I prod. “I’m scared,” she whispers, making my heart drop. “Of what, hon? What’s going on?” “What if I’m not enough for him?” she asks, and I sigh in relief. Aliza always thinks she isn’t good enough, which is utter bullshit. She’s the best thing that’s ever happened to CJ. “Aliza, stop it, you know—” She cuts me off. “Just listen to me Nat. I know Chase loves me, I really do, but not being able to give him a family…it’s just really starting to get to me. I see the way he looks at other families and it just….” A choked sob erupts on the other line, making my eyes sting with tears. “Aliza, you listen to me. That man loves you with or without a family, and you know that. Sometimes having kids isn’t in the cards for everyone. You can always consider adoption, but please, please don’t for a second think he doubts you or his decision to marry you, because I know

he doesn’t. CJ loves you, Aliza.” She sniffles into the line then blows out a breath. “I know he does. I’m just being stupid and insecure. What’s new?” I laugh at her response and hope my best friend can continue living through her happily ever after with no problems—she out of everyone deserves it the most. She’s lived through hell and still made it out unscathed. She’s an inspiration to everyone. “When are you guys coming to visit us? We miss you.” I can practically visualize Aliza’s pout. It makes me laugh. “Why don’t you guys ever visit us? We’re only in San Francisco. It’s not that far away.” “CJ and I have been thinking about it, but Sam would be pissed if we went without her. She’s been super busy lately.” “Yeah, I know,” I grumble into the phone. “Too busy to even return my phone calls.” “Oh, c’mon. You know she misses you like crazy. I’ll make sure she calls you soon.” “Okay.” I sigh. “I guess this is where we’re supposed to hang up now, right?” I laugh awkwardly. “I promise, we’ll talk again soon, maybe see you guys even sooner. I love you.” “I love you too. Give Sammy my love.” “I will.”

The line goes dead, and I slouch back onto the couch, closing my eyes. This is always the hardest part. Being five hundred miles away from my best friends—my family—my sisters. A little over two years ago, Luke was drafted, and picked up by his dream team. The San Francisco 49ers. Since he grew up in Frisco, Luke always dreamed of playing for their team, and I guess, dreams really do come true. We made the successful move from San Diego to San Francisco, with teary goodbyes, but also excitement for future opportunities. So far, Luke has become a shining star on the team. No more than a few months ago, he was considered a rookie, but after his winning catch in the last four seconds of one of his games, landing his team in the playoffs, he’s become somewhat of hero to his teammates, and everyone else in the NFL. He’s now referred to as Luke “The Catch” Caldwell. Warm hands slide up my thighs, prompting a smile to spread across my face and my eyes to open. Luke, dressed in basketball shorts, and nothing else, is leaning in front of me with his knees on the floor, and mischievous glint in his eye. “You look like you’re up to no good.” He chuckles and continues running his hands up and down my thighs in a seductive manner, clouding my brain. God, this man. “Who was that on the phone? The girls?”

“Yeah, well, no. It was Aliza, not Sam—we were just catching up. I’ve missed them.” Something flashes across Luke’s face, and he blows out a sigh. “I’m sorry, Babygirl. I know you never wanted any of this.” “Hey, hey, hey,” I say, cupping his handsome face in my hands. “I do want this Luke, more than you’ll ever know. If I didn’t want to be here, I wouldn’t, and you know that.” His full lips purse, like he’s thinking about objecting, so I place a finger over his plump lips, stopping him from saying anything else. “Moving here has been the best decision I’ve ever made. Yeah, it sucks that the girls live so far away now, but nothing beats being with you. I have my dream job here at the university counseling students who want great careers. All my dreams are coming true, babe, so don’t think I’m not happy here, because I am.” Whiskey eyes stare at me intently, sending heat shooting throughout my body. The corners of Luke’s mouth tip into a crooked smile. “Have I told you how much I love you lately?” I purse my lips, feigning a look like I’m deep in thought. “Hmmm, not entirely enough.” “I love you,” he says, trailing kisses up my jeanclad thighs. “Still need more,” I taunt playfully. He cocks an eyebrow and that playful glint is back in his eye.

“What if I did something else to show you I love you?” he asks a in a husky voice that hits me straight between the thighs. “That might work,” I breathe. Smiling up at me, Luke undoes the button of my jeans and slowly pulls them down my thighs. For the rest of the day, he proceeds to show me just how much he loves me.

EPILOGUE Seven Years later Natalia I lean onto the edge of the plush seat, squeezing the tiny hand in mine for support as I stare down at the action happening below the glass windows. “Mommy?” My daughter’s calm voice penetrates my nervous fog. “Hmmm?” I look away from my husband running across the football field down to my daughter. She pointedly looks down at her hand in my vice grip. I immediately let go and wince apologetically. “Sorry baby, Mommy’s just really nervous for Daddy.” “Don’t be nervous, Mommy. He’s gonna win. He

promised me,” Eliana, my youngest daughter says. I force a smile and try to calm my nerves. She’s right. He’s got this. I shift my gaze back to the game and squeal in elation as Luke catches an interception, taking off down the field. He dodges the other players with speed and agility on his side. “Go baby!” I yell shooting to my feet. Luke gets closer to the end zone. The win so close I can taste it. “Come on, come on,” I chant. He crosses the end zone and my heart explodes. I scream in pure elation. Holy shit. He did it. He fucking did it. Down from the field, my husband points to our viewing box and rests his hand on his chest, over his heart. Tears spring to my eyes in pure happiness. He did it. “We won right, Mom?” Junior asks from the seat beside me with a huge grin on his face. I nod my head, unable to find words. I’m so proud of my husband. “I told you, Mommy! Daddy’s first ring! He won the big bowl,” Eliana squeals happily. I look down at her and laugh. “You mean Super Bowl, baby.” We gather our stuff and head down to the field to congratulate Luke. The timer goes off and the crowd in the stadium goes wild. Confetti drops from the sky, and “We Are the Champions” blares

throughout the stadium. Our kids practically run across the field straight to their daddy. I take my time getting to him, taking everything in. I want to remember this moment for the rest of our lives. His first Super Bowl win. Grass and mud stains cover his San Francisco 49er’s uniform jersey. The sweat is still visible on his face and neck the closer I get. Despite the huge smile on his face, he looks fatigued. His eyes finally drift to mine and the dimples in his cheeks deepen into craters. I throw myself into his embrace and slam my mouth over his heatedly—in a victory kiss. “Congratulations my MVP. I’m so proud of you.” If possible, his hazel eyes brighten and the look he gives me heats my entire body from head to toe. “I can’t wait to get you home so you can properly congratulate me,” he purrs in my ear, and I bite my bottom lip in anticipation. “That’s just gross,” our eldest daughter, Katia, says with a look of pure disgust written on her face. Luke and I just laugh. Our daughter has gotten to the age where she hates seeing Luke and me share any kind of affection, even a small kiss makes her want to barf. Who knew seven-year-olds could be so dramatic? When all his interviews with sports newscasters and the press are done, we meet up with Luke’s parents and finally get to head back to our hotel as a family. Sam and Aliza will be stopping by our

suite tonight to have dinner with us and congratulate Luke. After dinner is over, I let the kids bother Luke for as long as they want. They ask him every question about football you can think of. It would be annoying to anyone else, but not to me. I sit back and smile as my husband recounts each minute of the game with a play-by-play, and our kids eat it all up. They were so excited when they found out Luke’s team made it into the playoffs, then the finals. We’ve been down this road before. It seemed like each time the 49ers made it to the playoffs, they couldn’t make it to the finals, but that finally changed. I can’t help but marvel at how far Luke and I have come as a couple, and parents. We started off as two college kids who couldn’t stand each other and were forced to work together. I never in a million years thought I would fall in love with the loud, man-whoring football player who made my heart skip a beat whenever he would flash those hazel eyes and those deep dimples. We may not have started out like we would have liked, but I’m so freaking happy we’re here, where we are right now. Luke has moved heaven and hell to make sure all my dreams have come true. I can’t help that I look at him like he’s just hung the moon because well…he pretty much has. He’s given me everything I could’ve asked for—a life filled with love, and three beautiful kids. I can’t stop loving

him even if I wanted to, and I don’t want to try. Luke Caldwell is the man who stole my soul and my heart. Even that first night, at a loud college party, I knew Luke Caldwell was going to stir up trouble in my life. It was the best kind of trouble. “You’re going to fuck his brains out tonight, aren’t you?” Sam says beside me with a knowing grin, making me chuckle. Oh, how I’ve missed her crass mouth. She knows me so well. I have plans for all of us tonight. Especially Luke and me. Sam and Aliza are supposed to take the kids out to see a movie then go for ice cream. They love spending time with their favorite aunts and their cousins. The kids will stay the night with them in their hotel room, giving Luke and me the night to ourselves. I smile to myself in anticipation. I can’t wait. After the kids leave with Sam and Aliza, I let Luke hop in the shower while I get ready. I pull out the shopping bag hidden under my luggage and pick up the lace negligee with the 49er emblem emblazed on the front. He’s going to love this. I slip into the lacey piece of lingerie and fluff my hair, staring at myself in the mirror. It looks great on me. Better than I expected after having three kids. Sometimes it’s hard to look in the mirror and feel sexy. But with this on? I feel like a damn Victoria Secret model, just with actual curves. It’s

makes me feel good about myself and my body— empowered even. The sound of the bathroom door prompts me to slip into the suite’s bathrobe and stand casually. Luke walks out—steam billowing behind him— with a small towel wrapped around his waist. He’s drying the top of his hair with another one. He’s still just as sexy now as he was nearly ten years ago, when I first saw him step out of the shower with only a towel on. Water droplets run down his firm pecs and onto his impressive abs. Heat immediately swirls in my core. “Baby? Have you seen my clothes? I thought I had them laid out on the bed,” Luke says as he searches around for his clothes. I put them away while he was in the shower, figuring he wouldn’t need to be dressed for what we were going to do. “I put them away.” Luke finally turns, looking at me. His brows knot together, and he eyes the plush hotel robe. “Why? And why didn’t you tell me you were planning on taking a shower. I would’ve waited for you.” I smile at him, undoing the belt of the robe. “I don’t want a shower, at least not yet.” I shrug off the robe, watching as it pools at my feet almost in slow motion. Luke stares at me with hooded eyes and a burning heat brewing behind them. It makes my

pussy drool in anticipation. “Fuck me,” he whispers in awe. “That’s the plan, Baby,” I say in a seductive voice as I close the distance between us. “When did you get this? Jesus, Natalia, your tits and ass look amazing. Fuck Baby, I can practically see your pussy through that material.” He groans. “The kids are gone.” He flicks his eyes up to mine, and a slow seductive smile spreads across his face, revealing his dimples. “I must say, Babygirl, you’ve planned this out very well. I can’t wait to fill you with my cock.” His hands roam over my lace-encased body and grip my breasts. I groan loudly and without abandon. His thumbs rub and pinch at my nipples, making my pussy clench. “Maybe while I’m at it, I can even fill you with another baby too,” he whispers against my skin as he trails his mouth and tongue along the column of my neck. “Fuck, Luke,” I moan into him. “What do you say, Baby?” He pulls the lace away from my breasts and swirls his tongue around my nipple, sucking the hardened nub into his mouth. A zing of pleasure shoots through the apex of my legs, straight to my core. “No. No more babies, Luke. Don’t you think we have enough?” I pant out. He slides his hand

between my legs and pushes the lace aside, running his fingers through my wetness. “Not nearly enough, Babygirl.” He slides a finger inside me, and all the breath rushes out of me. Luke slides down to his knees and yanks on the negligee until it tears, baring all my pussy to him. He hooks my knee over his shoulder, and dives in, devouring me whole. His tongue licks across my flesh, sucks on my clit, and fucks my pussy without restraint. Within seconds, I’m crumbling, grinding my pussy against his face with wild abandon. He comes up for air and looks up at me, his face glistening with my juices. “Is that a yes?” I shake my head no, unable to speak. I’m afraid if I open my mouth, I’ll say something I really don’t mean. Like, “Yes, I’ll have another one of your babies, but only if you keep fucking me with your mouth.” Not taking my answer well, Luke lifts me into his arms and carries me to the bed. He drops me down, then proceeds to rip the negligee to shreds. He undoes the knot on his towel, and his hard cock springs free, making my mouth water. Crawling across my body, he licks his way up my chest, from my throat to my mouth and tangles his tongue with mine. Settling in between my legs, he grinds his cock over my slick center and we both gasp at the feeling. My body writhes beneath him, needing to

feel him inside me. “Luke,” I plead breathlessly as he continues teasing me with the head of his cock. “I want to pump you so full of my come, it’ll still be dripping out of you tomorrow,” he growls into my ear before devouring my mouth. I groan into his mouth. “Baby, you know we can’t. I’m not on the shot or the pill right now.” “Give me another baby, then,” he chuckles, sucking on my neck. “Luke….” I trail off, unable to form a complete thought. Damn him. He dips the head of his cock into my hot center, then swirls it around the sensitive nub. I suck my bottom lip into my mouth and bite down, hard. “What do you say, Babygirl?” he asks in a taunting voice as he repeats the infuriatingly erotic process over and over. I know he won’t give me what I want until I agree. Another baby for incredible sex? I think I can work with that. “I guess we can have just one more baby,” I say breathlessly, just needing to feel him inside me. Without warning, Luke slams inside me, and I scream at all the nerve endings firing off in my body. “That’s my girl,” he whispers in my ear as he pumps his hips skillfully inside me. In no time at all, I’m chasing my orgasm with the only man I’ve ever loved.

“My heart is, and always will be, yours.” – Jane Austen THE END

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS First off, I want to thank the readers for all your kind words, and taking the time to fall in love with my characters. I can’t thank you all enough for the love and support you’ve shown me so far. Each email and message from you guys means the world to me. Every review and post lights up my entire day, and there’s nothing I look forward to more. I’m forever grateful. A huge thank you to the ladies at Give Me Books Promotions. Thank you for holding my hand each step of the way and making this process as stress free as possible. Shout out to all the bloggers that have reached out, and those who have shared your love for Scoring the Quarterback! To everyone at InkSpell Publishing, thank you, Especially Melissa Keir. I can’t even put into words how thankful I am that you took a chance on a young author like me. Vicki Burkholder, thank you

for your tireless editing and dealing with my constant switching from past tense to present tense. A massive thank you to my beta readers who have shown so much love for Natalia and Luke’s story: Zellie Holtzhausen, Elizabete Virvinska, Lauren Marie, Courtney Garrison, Debbie Duncalf, Wingze Seaman, Jennifer Moore, and Rosie Garwood. Thank you all for dealing with me and, at times, my annoying ass emails. You ladies are incredible! A great big thank you to everyone in my family who have shown so much support and faith in me during this entire process. It doesn’t go unnoticed. You all mean the world to me: Mom and Dad, Javy, Aunt Rocky, Monica, Bianca, Jess, Tania, Vanessa, and my sweet baby boy. I love you.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

S.M. Soto was born and raised in Northern California where she currently resides with her son. Her love for reading began when she was just a young girl, and has only continued to grow into adulthood. S.M. lives for reading books in the romance genre and writing novels with relatable characters. She refers to herself as a bit of a romance junkie with a dark, and at times, depraved mind. S.M. loves to connect with readers and eat copious of donuts that will surely lead to her

demise (carbs are life). Social links: Twitter.com/authorSMsoto Instagram.com/authorsmsoto Facebook.com/romanceauthorsmsoto www.authorsmsoto.com Join My Street https://goo.gl/forms/X562gP9NULYefpar2

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