Shut Out (Bayard Hockey #1)(23)

Her smile softens and amusement dances in her amber eyes. “You’re serious, aren’t you?”

“As serious as a breakaway on an empty net.”

She laughs again. “So what do I get out of this deal?” Then she smacks my shoulder. “And you better not offer to pay me! That was so insulting.”

“Okay, okay. No money. Um…” My mind searches. “Okay, how about this. Pretend to be my girlfriend and I’ll get all the hockey guys to come to your big pizza fundraiser and sign those affirmative consent pledges.”

“Hmm.” Her eyes narrow at me. I know the fundraiser is important to her, from when she was talking about it before one of the training classes. “Really? You’d do that?”

“Sure.” I’m not actually sure if I can deliver on this, but I’ll definitely try. “I’ll even help with the fundraiser. What do you need me to do?”

She blinks. “Uh. We need prize donations for the silent auction. People to serve pizza and sell silent auction tickets, and help us set up.”

“I can do that.” Christ, I have enough on my plate, I don’t know why I’m saying this. Okay, I do know.

“All that and just for one night I have to pretend to be your girlfriend?”

“Hmm, you’re right. I think you should pretend to be my girlfriend for…” I get stuck on this. I have no idea how long I’ll need her. “The rest of the school year.”

She chokes again. “What?”

“Ah hell.” I frown. “If guys think you have a boyfriend, nobody’s going to ask you out.” My spirits plummet. This has to be a major con for her in this plan. “You probably don’t want that.”

She shakes her head. “I’m not interested in dating.”

“Why not?”

She drops her gaze to my chest and sighs. “Well, like you, I’m trying to do well this year. Last year, I, uh, failed two courses.”

“Shut the f*ck up. No way.”

“Way.” She nods, still not looking at me. “Something happened and I was kind of messed up. I told you how hard I have to work to just pass my courses, never mind get marks like my sister did. My parents were so disappointed in me. I can’t let that happen again. Plus, with my part-time job and my volunteer work…I don’t have time for a boyfriend.”

“Perfect! You have time for a fake boyfriend.”

She lifts her chin and our eyes meet. “I don’t know. How much time is this fake boyfriend going to require?”

“Ha. We just need to be seen together once in a while. You know…lunch. Studying together. Maybe the odd time we could go to a party together. The guys get on my ass if I spend too many weekends studying.”

“As do my friends.”

She appears to be actually considering this genius yet somewhat insane idea.





Chapter 9


Skylar


Am I actually thinking about agreeing to his ridiculous suggestion?

Getting all the hockey players involved in the fundraiser would be a major, major coup. And not only would Victoria be impressed with me, we really would be able to reach more people, because although it pains me to admit it, if the hockey guys are there, a lot of other people will want to come. It would be fantastic.

Yeah, guys won’t ask me out if they think I have a boyfriend. But they aren’t beating my door down for dates, anyway, so it’s not much of a loss, and I’m really not interested. Or, I thought I wasn’t interested, until Jacob somehow got my girl parts all revved up. Plus, maybe it would also keep Ella, Nat, and Brooklyn off my case about partying if I have study dates with a hot guy.

Me with a hot guy.

Faking it, mind you. Totally faking it.

I eye Jacob. My body is tingling everywhere, with him holding me against all his muscles. He’s strong and warm, and that face…He thinks girls are all over him because he’s a hockey player, but the truth is, they’d be all over him if he were the Zamboni driver. That cleft chin, the high cheekbones, that smile. I’m melting and this is all fake.

Okay, not all fake. There was a busload of chemistry between us that night, and we were exploring it. I was ready to throw good judgment under the wheels of that bus to go upstairs with him and…yeah, I probably would have had sex with him if we’d done that.

I swallow. I haven’t had sex since…well, quite a while. I’m nervous about it, honestly. But Jacob made me totally forget that. Now I’m supposed to hang out with him and pretend to be his girlfriend? I’m somewhat concerned about my ability to be that good an actor. Because that chemistry is still smoking between us.

The warm sincerity in his eyes now tugs at something inside me. He really wants to avoid girls so he can do well in school? My heart goes all wobbly. Holy duck f*ck, if he asked me to strip naked and get up on the coffee table and dance, I’d consider it right now.

“Fine.” I toss my hair back. “As long as it’s mutually agreeable. Either of us can end this at any time.”

“Deal.”

His smile makes my heart leap in my chest and my girl parts squeeze. And judging from the bulge behind his fly, he feels the same.

“Um, I’m just gonna say it…This deal doesn’t include sex, does it?”