Page 15

Chapter

Twelve

JONAS

Evan: New Years’ celebration tonight at O’Bryan’s?

Cooper: Why not The Cactus?

Evan: Because it’s gross.

Hunter: I’m in.

Cooper: Fine, me too. You guys wouldn’t know quality bars if they bit you in the ass.

Evan: If The Cactus bit me, I’d need a tetanus shot. Jonas, you coming?

Jonas: Yep, I’ll be there.

“Happy New Year!” Evan yells, then drops his shot of whiskey into his beer and chugs. Despite the weird glances from the rest of the patrons in O’Bryan’s, Cooper, Hunter, and I follow suit, slamming our glasses onto our tall circle table. Natalie and Jasmine shake their heads.

We weren’t together for New Years, so Evan suggested we ring it in tonight, a few days late.

Our Christmas break got cut short because of hockey practice and games, so we’re back on campus before most students.

While we need to stay diligent during the season, it’s hard not to go out and party when classes haven’t started yet.

Natalie lives in Lafayette with her family, so it was easy to convince her to come, and Jasmine has a house in town she shares with some friends.

She brought them and their significant others, plus the dorms stay open during the break, so the bar is decently packed for a Wednesday night.

There’s no live band, but loud music pumps through the speakers and the stage area in the corner is filled with people dancing.

“Hey, guys, what did I miss?” Hadley elbows her way into our group, rolling her eyes and ducking when Hunter tries to mess up her hair.

My mouth waters at the sight of her. She looks amazing in jeans that hug her backside. Her black crop top reveals a strip of smooth skin and a hint of her belly button. What would it feel like to press my lips to that spot?

“Baby Sister! You made it!” Hunter grins at her and bats her hand away as she punches his shoulder.

And when he uses that nickname, I’m a creep for ogling his sister.

“Break it up, you two.” Natalie steps between them and hugs Hadley. “No sibling rivalries tonight.”

“Yeah, and no more baby sister.” Hadley glares at her brother, then perks up and gazes at everyone else, lingering on me. “Now, who wants to buy me a drink tonight?”

“Nuh-uh.” Hunter steps in the middle of our circle and points his finger. “No one will be doing that for the under-aged freshman.”

Evan throws up his hands. “Don’t look at me. This is my favorite bar. I don’t want them to lose their liquor license.”

Hadley pouts and crosses her arms over her chest. I swallow and force myself to glance away from her cleavage. “Like you guys never drank when you were underage.”

“Not here we didn’t.” Cooper boops her on the nose. “But maybe if you’re lucky, I’ll give you a beer the next time you come over for Movie Monday.”

“Oooh, a beer.” She feigns excitement, then sighs. “You really know how to party, Cooper.”

He tips his cowboy hat to her. “You know it.”

“You’re ridiculous.” Smiling, Jasmine grabs his hand and pulls him out to the dance floor. Natalie tries to do the same to Hunter, but he stays put and narrows his gaze as a guy approaches Hadley.

With gelled hair and a too-tight polo, he screams “frat boy.” But maybe that’s Hadley’s type. He gives her a smolder and says, “Hey.”

It makes me want to roll my eyes. I sip my drink, instead, and Hunter steps in front of her. “Nope. Go try with someone else’s sister.”

“Hunter,” she whines as Fratty turns around without another word. “You can’t be like this. I’m allowed to have sex, and drink, and dance with guys when we’re out at a bar.”

He makes a disgusted face. “Please don’t ever talk about having sex again.” He points to me. “Here. Dance with Joe.”

My mouth gapes open, probably making me resemble my sister’s goldfish. I glance at Evan to help, but the spot next to me is empty. He’s disappeared.

Hunter doesn’t wait to see what happens but lets Natalie have her way and tug him over to the group of dancers. His left foot is in a boot, but he left the crutches at home, and he’s moving around fine.

“Um.” Settling down my glass, I hold out my hand to Hadley. Her brow furrows. “We don’t have to dance if you don’t want to. Obviously, I?—”

“No, I will.” She puts her fingers in mine and a spark of warmth ignites in my chest. “I want to.”

“But. Your boyfriend.”

She shakes her head. “We broke up.”

“Oh.” I try to keep my expression neutral. It would be inappropriate for me to pump my fist in victory, right? “Do you want to talk about it?”

“Not really. I do want to dance, though, and for some reason my brother thinks you’re a safe choice.”

Little does he know.

It’s not like a movie—the song doesn’t immediately change to something slow and intimate. No, it’s worse. The thumping bass beat moves through my veins, and I feel it everywhere. All I can think about are the points where we touch—first our palms, then my hands on her waist.

I was right, that strip of skin between the hem of her shirt and her waistband is the silkiest thing I’ve ever touched. Closing my eyes, I take a deep breath to hold on to my control, but it only fills me with her sweet scent.

“Jonas, I’m not trying to torture you.” Leaning closer, she speaks into my ear. “If you don’t want to do this?—”

“No, I definitely do.”

“Then can you relax and try to have fun?”

Can I? This is a new level of suffering.

Turning so her backside is pressed to my front, she places my hands on her hips.

I sneak a glance at her brother, but he’s occupied with Natalie.

Maybe I will survive this moment after all.

Then Hadley snakes her arm around my neck and twines her fingers through my curls.

Shivers dance down my spine and coalesce in my groin. Nope, I’m a goner.

While I haven’t gone all the way, I’ve dated girls before.

There was that month freshman year I spent with Elle, and I saw quite a bit of Mackenzie from my Anatomy class.

I’ve had some pretty fun make out sessions in the back of my Jeep and one memorable encounter on the deserted third floor of the library.

I didn’t set out to be a monk or something.

But it wasn’t the right time or I wasn’t with the right girl to take the plunge.

Things fizzled out before it happened. Doesn’t mean I haven’t thought about sex—a lot—or that I don’t have the raging hormones of any other normal twenty-two year old guy.

And my hormones have a few things to say about dancing with Hadley. Namely, that it’s awesome and they want more, more, more. Every part of my body agrees. This exquisite torture is more sensual than anything else I’ve ever experienced. I would take Hadley to my bed right now if she’d have me.

But I catch Hunter’s gaze across the dance floor, and my stomach drops. Guilt swirls in my chest, and I clear my throat.

“Hey,” I say into her ear, loving she’s tall enough so I don’t have to bend down. “Let’s grab a drink.”

Hadley lets me lead her back to our table. Eyes dancing over the rim of my glass, she steals a swing of my drink. I don’t protest, and I snag a waitress to order us two virgin cocktails. She finishes off my drink, which is probably best for me. My head is muddled enough already.

“So. You came back to school early.” I raise my brow, an implied question in there somewhere.

“Yeah.” Hadley frowns. “I don’t know if Hunter told you, but we had a bit of a falling out with our dad.”

Hunter and I are friends, but he’s pretty closed-mouthed. I suspect Cooper is the only person he’s opened up to. And Natalie, now. But I’ve picked up on enough from living with him to know his dad is a dick.

Famous, former NHL player turned broadcaster, he lives in a mansion in Boston but cut Hunter off financially because of something that happened before Christmas.

As far as I know, it involved his future career choices and his relationship with Natalie.

His dad wanted to dictate both, and Hunter said no and severed ties.

He stayed in Lafayette with Natalie’s family during break.

He didn’t volunteer Hadley’s role in anything, and since it’s not any of my business, I didn’t ask.

But I’ve been concerned about her ever since it happened.

“I know a little bit from Hunter. How do you feel about it?” I ask her, and she bites her lip. I try not to be distracted by that move and focus on her words.

“My dad is controlling, and he uses money as a weapon. I told him I was done with him, same as Hunter. I didn’t care if that meant he wasn’t footing the bill anymore.

” She sips the club soda that arrives, and I’m mesmerized by the long column of her throat as she swallows.

“But my mom wouldn’t stand for it. She said if I’m willing to take his money, I have to spend time with him.

When she puts it that way, I see her point, but it was still awful.

He’s paying for my college education, and I had to stay with him over Christmas break. ”

“That sucks.” That hardly covers it. I know I’m blessed to have two parents who love each other—despite being sickeningly sweet about it.

My family’s not perfect, we’ve had plenty of ups and downs, but I can’t imagine being forced into a toxic relationship like that.

“How did it go? How long did you have to see him?”

“It was supposed to be a week, but I didn’t make it.

He acted like I wasn’t there. Didn’t speak to me, just ignored me the whole time.

” Hadley blinks a lot. Either she has something in her eye or she’s trying not to cry, but I hand her a napkin.

“You’d think that would be preferable, because talking to him is terrible, but I started to wonder if I was actually there. ”

She dabs at her eyes, and I reach out and rub her arm. “I’m so sorry, Hads.”

The nickname pops out of my mouth, but she doesn’t protest. Something about it feels right.

“My dad left for a road trip with the Bruins, so I bailed. If he can leave, why can’t I? My mom was pissed I was breaking our agreement and cramping her style, so I texted her I was coming back to school early. Got on a plane, and here I am.”

She spreads her arms wide, forcing a shaky smile, and I take my cues from her and move the conversation along.

“And we’re happy to have you.”

Her grin turns genuine, and my heart twists at how gorgeous she is.

“Thanks, Joe. I’m really glad we’re—friends.” Her voice breaks on the word, and my stomach sinks.

The Friend Zone again. Where romantic hopes and dreams go to die. Awesome.

But if a friend is what she wants, I’ll be the most amazing friend she’s ever had. It’s pathetic, but I’ll take anything I can get. I can’t help myself with her.