Shut Out (Bayard Hockey #1)(48)

He’s an athlete and I guess it makes sense that he’s a good dancer—he’s fit and coordinated—so I don’t know why this surprises me. I like it.

We dance to “She Wolf” by Shakira, and then the music changes, slowing down, to “You and Me” by Lifehouse. Jacob pulls me up against him and sets both his hands on my hips. I drape my arms over his shoulders, my eyes fastened on his, like the song says, and our bodies move together. He smiles into my eyes. “You like dancing?”

I nod.

After the slow, sexy dance, we take a break, both of us breathing quicker and a little flushed. Jacob spots some of his hockey buddies and we join them. Them, and the puck bunnies surrounding them.

Ack, did I actually just think that? I lectured Ella on how the term “puck bunny” is demeaning and slut shaming, and then I think something like that. These could be perfectly nice girls interested in the Bears for reasons other than the fact that they’re hockey players.

Giant spiders and cobwebs hang from the ceiling above us, and a skeleton sits on a chair in the corner. These sorority gals have gone all out for this party.

“Jacob!” A girl turns to him and eyes his chest. “Hi! Love the costume.”

And she actually slides her hand over his bare chest.

A yellow witch hat perches on her head, a tiny black-and-yellow bikini top reveals a lot of cleavage, and her black-and-yellow skirt barely covers her ass cheeks. I hear Hunter murmur, “Whoa. Cooch alert.”

I bug my eyes out at him and he laughs.

I turn my gaze back to this…er, witch, and give her an icy glare.

She ignores me and continues to caress Jacob. “Wow, your abs are amazing.”

“Thanks.”

He’s not moving away, just grinning at her.

“How’d you do on that STURB test?” Blink, blink. Rub.

“Uh…good. Hey, Julie, have you met my girlfriend, Skylar?”

Julie flicks a glance my way. Her lips twist up.

I insert myself between her and Jacob and wrap my arms around his waist. “Hi, Julie. Nice to meet you.” I give her a big phony smile.

She rolls her eyes, but shrugs and leaves.

“She’s in one of your engineering classes?”

Jacob lets out a breath and hugs me. “Yeah.”

I give him a wry smile. “You’re welcome. Every girl on campus is going to hate me by the end of this year.”

“Oh, come on. Not every girl.”

I make a choking noise. “I can’t believe you’re admitting that.”

He laughs.

Skimpy costumes abound at this party, and I guess I can’t talk since I’m wearing a grass skirt and bikini top. But these girls keep coming on to Jacob and it’s pissing me off. I’m not in my comfort zone having to be a badass bitch. I’d rather be making friends with them. Well, some of them.

“I’m hungry. Let’s find some food.”

There’s a big table in the dining room loaded with food, some of it disgusting-looking. We pick up mini pizzas, the cheese and two olives making them resemble mummy faces, but I pass on something that looks like intestines and move to chips and dip in a small, hollowed-out pumpkin.

I run into a few people I know from classes and introduce Jacob. The guys get into a hockey discussion. It should be boring, because I don’t really know much about hockey, except I’m fascinated listening to Jacob talk about it. He’s so knowledgeable and well-spoken, and these guys are hanging on his every word.

“I have to say the DeWitt Center is pretty awesome.” He smiles. “I mean, it’s the fans. They’re great. Really makes it a crazy, noisy environment. That gives us a huge boost and I think it’s intimidating for other teams to play here.”

Jacob leaves to use the bathroom, and I talk to Portia about one of our profs.

“I didn’t even want to take this course,” Portia says. “But I had him last year, and omigod, he makes everything so much more interesting. He’s so brilliant and funny. I felt crazy signing up for his class just because it was him teaching it, but I’m so glad I did.”

Jeez, she sounds like she’s in love with him. “He is good,” I admit. But nothing is going to make me love quantum mechanics.

“One of my mentors told me that you take a course for who’s teaching it, because the prof is what makes or breaks a class.”

“But you can’t pick every course because of who teaches it. I mean, you have to meet certain requirements, right?”

“Well, yeah, but if there’s a choice…go for the good prof.”

Good teachers are important. Could I really do that?

I ponder this for a moment, then…uh-oh. Jacob has been gone awhile…I hope he hasn’t been waylaid by some girls. Although he wasn’t trying all that hard to get away from Julie earlier.

Oh my God, now I’m thinking like he is, that every girl is after him.

“Hey, Skylar.”

I turn to see Justin from my psych class. I smile at him. We’ve sat next to each other a few times and he’s really funny. “Hi, Justin. How are you?”

“Great.”

“I like the costume.”

He looks down at his police uniform. “Not very original, but it works.” He moves closer. “Your costume’s awesome.” His gaze moves down over my boobs and then he touches one of the leis. “Should I make a bad joke about wanting to get laid?”