Bad Rep (Bad Rep, #1)(67)

“Then, we'll be alright,” I said confidently.  Jordan pulled my hand from his mouth and roughly kissed my lips.  His hands came up to tangle in my hair as he ravaged my mouth.  He always kissed this way.  Like he was trying to eat me alive.  Pulling away, he dropped his forehead to rest against mine.

“I mean it when I say I won't tolerate the kind of bullshit people are saying about you!” he said emphatically.  I held his face with my hands, touched that he wanted to defend me like that.  But also feeling sad that he had to in the first place.

I placed my lips to his and he softened immediately.  His arms came up to hold me and we stood like that for a while, not saying anything else.  I looked up at the clock on his wall.

“Well, I'd say breakfast is out of the question,” I said, indicating the time.  We had thirty minutes before our classes started.  Jordan grabbed his messenger bag and slung it over his shoulder and then he took my hand in his.

“I can't have my girl going to class hungry.  Let's at least stop and get a bagel.”  His earlier anger had dissipated and he smiled down at me in a tender way so at odds with his bad boy appearance.  With his facial piercings, buzzed head and tattoos he looked like the quintessential bad ass.  But I was beginning to see the soft heart underneath it all.  And it was safe to say I had already fallen more than a bit in love with him.

A few of the guys said goodbye as we left but Jordan ignored them.  After we got back into his truck, I felt the need to address the icy vibe between him and his fraternity brothers.  “I hate to see you so mad your friends,” I said, watching him as he concentrated on the road.  He glanced at me and frowned.

“If they were my friends, they wouldn't look at you the way they just did.  So f*ck 'em.” He said it with a conviction that I wished I felt.

But I didn't want to be the reason there was a rift between him and his Pi Sig brothers.  “I'm sure it's just weird seeing you with someone who isn't Olivia.”  I had to force her name out of my mouth.  I hated bringing her up at all.  Jordan snorted.

“It's not like any of them were particularly fond of Liv, sweetheart.”  I blinked in surprise.  Hmm, I had always thought Olivia got along well with the Pi Sig guys.  Maybe not.

“No, they're just being a bunch of bitches.  And I don't have time in my life for bitches,” he said shortly, making it clear he was done with that particular subject.  We stopped and got bagels from The Cup and Crumb before making our way to campus.  The ugliness from the morning, while not entirely forgotten, was at least pushed to the side.  And I was able to see what a relationship with Jordan would be like.

We got along so well, it was a little scary.  Despite the amazing sexual chemistry, I found we actually had a lot to talk about.  Jordan was smart and funny and damn near irresistible.  “We have a gig coming up this weekend at Dave's Tavern.  I'd love for you to come and see us play.”  Jordan commented, pulling into the parking lot in front of the freshman dorms.

I picked up my stuff from the floor of his truck.  “Yeah, I think that can be arranged,” I responded coyly as Jordan reached over to curl his hand around the back of my neck, pulling me toward him.

“Yes, please pencil me into your busy schedule,” he said with a grin before kissing me soundly.  I wanted to melt into a puddle on his leather seats.  This boy could kiss.  And kiss well.

“Now come on, can't have us late for class,” Jordan said, running his thumb along the curve of my bottom lip as I tried to get my bearings.

“Um, yeah.  Class,” I mumbled as he chuckled, opening his door.  I followed him up the path that led to Randolph Hall, where my class was held.  Jordan made a point to hold me close, rubbing his hand up and down my arm.  I couldn't ignore the looks we got as we made our way along campus.  I hated this feeling of being on show.  That everyone was a little too focused on the two of us together.

If it bothered Jordan, he didn't let on.  We stopped in front of Randolph Hall, toe to toe, holding each other's hands and grinning like the crazy fools we were.  “I'd like to take you out to dinner tonight.  What do you say?” he asked, swinging my hands back and forth.  I laughed, enjoying the lightness that unfurled in my chest.  Jordan lifted our joined hands and laced his fingers with mine.  Slowly and deliberately, he brought my knuckles to his lips, kissing them softly.

“It's a date,” I replied softly, watching him as he held my hand against his mouth.  I felt his smile as much as I saw it.  His face lit up and he reluctantly released me to head toward his own class.

“That's right babe.  It's a date. And tonight, you're all mine.” He promised with a devilish twinkle in his eye.  I giggled as I turned and walked inside.  I was on cloud 9.  Well, until I saw three of my sorority sisters giving me the evil eye.

“Hey, Maysie,” Milla said snidely, giving me a hateful smile.  I nodded in her direction but didn't say anything, moving passed her.  Milla fell into step behind me and I suppressed a groan.  “Saw you with Jordan.  So are you two...together?” she asked as though it were something lewd.  I turned and faced her.