Hockey With Benefits(11)

“Stay,” her voice was low and guttural. “We can talk later when things are calmer.” She pushed through the guys, going down the hallway.

Zoe remained behind, looking from me to Allie, then to the kitchen before hurrying after Skylar.

There was a moment of quiet before Wade moved in. “Okay. Time for you to go.” He was talking to Allie, who looked ready for round two, but she clamped her mouth shut and went back to the dining room. A moment later, she reappeared with her backpack on and started toward me.

Hands touched me, moving me to the side. I was shuffled back as Miles and Gavin both stood between me and her. Just as both girls got to the front door, it opened. They fell back a step as a group of guys came in.

“Hey.” The first guy, AJ Atwater from the hockey team, had a wide smile. It fell as he took in the girls’ expressions and scanned the rest of the room. The music from the video game was still playing in the background, but everyone was either frozen or standing still. “Uh, what’s going on?”

He was followed by Marcus Keys.

Wes Barclay.

A fourth guy came last.

It was Cruz.





6





MARA





Pizza/study night turned into pizza/study/video game night.

After everyone settled down, I returned to the table and was studying with Gavin and Miles on either side of me. They’d not left my side the whole night, and the rest of the guys took notice. The girls too, because more girls had come. At this point, it was a free-for-all of who was connected to who. Then again, that’s how most parties were. We had football players, mostly still playing FIFA in the living room. Wade knew some guys who turned out to be from the wrestling team. The hockey guys were in the kitchen, eating, because they had their practice number three for the day. Those guys were ravenous.

Skylar and Zoe came back out. Zoe, to finish the pizzas, and Skylar, to have a good time. I heard her laughter from the dining room, but she’d not come in yet. I stayed put for the most part except to venture out a few times when I needed a refill. I’d started to get hungry, but I saw a girl hanging over Cruz and promptly lost my appetite. It shouldn’t bother me if he was flirting with another girl, but the rules were that while we had our agreement, if he was going to sleep with someone else, then he and I were not going to keep doing what we were doing.

It was close to midnight, and half the group had left. The guys seemed like they were getting a second wind, but the rum was working in me and I needed to either nap or eat. Either way, I was hitting a wall with the studying and closed my book.

Miles glanced over. “Finally.”

I grinned at him.

He held out a closed fist to me. “Gotta hand it to you. Studying and drinking as much as you did, you’re a college rockstar.”

An abrupt laugh left me as I met his fist with my own, before standing up. “I’m going to bed.”

Gavin leaned back in his chair. “That an invite, Little Daniels?”

I turned to him. “Stop talking to Zeke Allen about me.”

He only laughed. “We have a budding bromance. Kindred souls, him and me. Speaking of, some of the guys and I are thinking about doing a road trip to Cain. You want to go with us? See your buddy?”

I snorted. “Apparently, you’ve not talked enough about me to him. He and I do not have a visiting sort of friendship.”

“What kind of friendship do you have?”

“A reluctant one,” I threw over my shoulder before stepping into the kitchen.

The pizza had been moved to the table and island inside. The hockey guys were crammed around the table. The girls next to them. I could feel Cruz’s gaze but avoided it because I didn’t want any more attention. I’d had enough for the night.

“Your reputation precedes you, Daniels.”

Going past everyone to the door, I glanced back at Atwater. He was grinning widely at me, and he wiggled his eyebrows. “Everyone knows about Burford, but now you took down a junior?” He whistled under his breath. “No one’s going to sleep on you.”

I sent him a sharp look.

He startled, jerking up as if realizing what he just said. “I mean, you know what I mean. The girls won’t mess with you anymore.”

Allie was a junior. Lovely.

“Just getting my bearings here,” I murmured before scanning the room. Skylar and Zoe were there, leaning against the fridge. Martin was with them, a shoulder propped up against the wall, his arms crossed over his chest. There was a girl with them too. All were watching me.

A wave of shame rose in me because I could hear again Allie’s screech.

“I’m sorry,” I said it to Skylar, who seemed surprised by my words. “I shouldn’t have reacted that way. I should’ve used my words better.”

Her eyes grew wary.

I waited, but when she stayed quiet, I opened the door and went upstairs.





I’d just heated up some food when there was a knock at my door.

At this point, I had no clue who that could be, but I went over and opened it.

Cruz, with a hood pulled low over his head, his jawline half in shadow, but those eyes still piercing me. He raised his chin up toward me, and I stepped back. He came in after me, shutting the door and locking it. He jerked a thumb behind him. “You think you might have more visitors tonight?”