Page 34 of Game Changer (Hidden Attractions #2)

Ethan

Afternoon sunlight filters through the window behind my bed, streaks of golden hues passing across Maya’s face.

She’s lying between my legs with her chin propped on my chest, her hair mussed and lipstick smeared after a couple’s yoga position got a little too personal and led us back to my dorm.

Leo was in biology class, and my door came before hers, so . . .

“Your bed is more comfortable than mine.” She rolls onto her side, tucked beneath my arm now. “It’s not fair.”

“You’re welcome to sleep with me anytime, you know.”

She scoffs. “And listen to Leo’s snoring all night? He sounds like a bear.”

Good point .

Her soft breasts press against my abdomen, and when she rubs her fingers along my small line of chest hair, I grab her wrist and inspect a tiny heart tattoo. “What’s this for?” My thumb brushes against the black ink, causing a shiver to run through her body.

“I got it on my eighteenth birthday just because I could do something for myself for once without my parent’s permission.” She shrugs, inspecting the design. “I guess because I wear my heart on my sleeve?”

I bend down to kiss it and inspect her other tattoo—a tiny cross on the other arm. “And this one?”

We just got finished having sex, but my lips on her skin have already made her breathless again. I shouldn’t find it such a turn on, but I do. “My family is Catholic. It’s a tribute to my faith.”

I kiss that one, too, before I roll on top of her.

“Why do you want to know?” she asks.

“Why wouldn’t I?” I counter. My lips connect with her collarbone, and I trail kisses down her chest, stopping to suck on one of her nipples before I add, “I want to know everything about you, Maya Garcia. Every square inch of you. Even the parts you hate.”

Down, down, down I go until I’m met with the slickness between her thighs. She’s soft and wet when my tongue hits her center, and I smile at the moan my action elicits. I’m certain the entire hall is tired of our shenanigans, but I can’t find it in me to give a damn when she sounds like that .

I’m about to add my fingers when the door suddenly swings open. Thankfully, I’m underneath my comforter, but with the way my body is hunched over, it’s obvious what we’re in here doing.

“What the hell?” Leo groans. “Maya doesn’t have a roommate! Why are you fucking in here?”

I pop my head above the comforter, ensuring Maya’s still covered. “I don’t recall you giving me the same respect with Casey while we were all in the same room together.”

“You were sleeping!”

“And you were supposed to be in class.”

He huff s a defeated sigh and throws his book bag onto his bed.

“I left early because I have an English paper due in two days and I need to finish it. Text messages exist for a reason, you know. Next time you want the room to yourself, tell me . I would have walked the long way back or stopped for something to eat.”

“Didn’t think I needed to when you were supposed to be in class .”

Maya, who’s been silent until now, pulls the comforter around her body as she rises to her feet.

Thankfully, I changed back into briefs after our last round.

“As fun as this is watching you two hash it out, I have to get ready for my shift at Happy Endings. I just . . .” She scans the floor for her articles of clothing, bending down with the comforter clutched in her hand to scoop them off the floor.

“Forgot something.” Leo grins wickedly as he points to her bright-red thong. “Cute color.”

“Stop looking at my girlfriend’s underwear,” I shoot back.

Maya laughs, utterly unbothered by Leo walking in on us.

She doesn’t even seem embarrassed, but that’s one of the qualities I find most attractive about her.

Confidence exudes from every pore. Not an ounce of shyness.

And where I used to think I’d be mortified if I ever found myself in this situation, I’m not.

Staring at her flushed cheeks, sweaty skin, and rumpled hair? I did that to her, and it has my inner caveman beating his chest with a club. It feels like I’ve marked my territory, so, no, I’m not embarrassed.

She scoops up her thong, dangling it on one of her fingertips. “I’ll return your comforter before I leave for work. Thanks for the orgasms.” With a wink, she hurries out the door, leaving me on my sheets in awe while Leo falls back onto his bed.

“Multiple orgasms, huh? Wow. I’m impressed.”

“We are not discussing this,” I mutter.

“Fine.” Snatching his laptop from his side table, he sprawls on his comforter and starts it up. “I’m thrilled for you, though. You guys seem happy.”

“Thanks, man. We are.” I scroll through my phone for a few minutes before I ask, “Are you sure you don’t want a girlfriend?”

Leo, the usually laid-back, easygoing AV nerd, grows as still as a statue.

It’s as if he’s debating whether or not to tell me, but after a few seconds, he sighs and says, “I did have one in high school. We dated for about two years. I lost my virginity to her, and then I found out she was only in it for the money.” A dark expression passes across his face.

“I should have known. I had a face full of braces and chunkier glasses than I wear now, and she was a cheerleader and way out of my league. It was obvious to everyone around me but me .”

“Damn.” I set my phone beside me at the serious turn this conversation took. “I’m sorry, Leo. That’s shitty.”

He shrugs like it doesn’t bother him, but his eyes tell a different story.

“A lot of people don’t realize that being a trust fund kid isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.

Sure, it has its highs, but it has its downfalls too.

” Then he shakes himself out of his stupor and adds, “It was a long time ago, but trusting another girl enough to let her in? To tell her about my money? I’ll pass on that. I’m good playing the field for now.”

There’s not much I can say to try and persuade him otherwise. I will never understand that kind of betrayal, so who am I to tell him his reluctance about relationships isn’t valid?

Leo shifts uncomfortably. Clearly, he doesn’t enjoy talking about his feelings, so I help him out and get us back on familiar ground. “So, asking you for Super Bowl tickets now would be bad timing, right?”

I erupt into laughter when he chucks a pillow at me from across the room. “You’re a fucking dick,” he says, but he’s laughing too. “I hate you.”

My smile grows wider because this is how our friendship is, and I wouldn’t change it for the world. He’s quickly becoming one of my best friends. “Love you, too, man.”

And with him returning to finishing his paper and me scrolling on my phone, we fall into a comfortable silence.