Page 181 of Hell Hath No Fury

Eden stares up at me, her golden brown eyes burning holes through mine. “This still doesn’t make us friends. This doesn’t mean I like you. If anything, I dislike you even more because of how goddamn annoying you are.”

The corners of my lips lift as I wink at her. “I prefer persistent rather than annoying.”

“Call it whatever you want,” she replies simply with a shrug. “Either way, things between us remain the same. If—and this is a big if—I decide I want to make a mistake with you again tonight, our arrangement stays the same.”

Jesus.

She makes it seem like I’m some kind of hazard—like toxic material that she doesn’t want to be exposed to for too long. I get it, she thinks little of me. She knows my reputation and views me as nothing more than a player. Not to mention the fact that she absolutely hates hockey players after having her heart broken by one.

She was the one who had suggested being enemies with benefits. I just went along with it at the time because I will literally take whatever I can get from this damn girl. She’s intoxicating and possibly even more addicting than this little game we play with one another.

“Your place or mine?” I question her, moving out of her way as she reaches for the handle of her car door. I don’t bother opening it for her because she would probably just smack my hand away anyway. Eden doesn’t want a gentleman. She wants her independence and for everyone to stay out of her way.

She pauses, staring at me for a moment. “Come to my place, that way I can kick you out before the night is over.”

A chuckle rumbles in my chest and I shake my head at this unbelievable girl. “It’s not my fault you seem to have a problem leaving me when you’re in my bed.”

“You wish, playboy,” she smirks, winking at me before she climbs into her car.

My cock is already hard as I walk back over to mine and watch her pull out of the parking lot. I can’t fight the grin that consumes my face as I put my car in gear. I know where Eden lives, so it’s not that big of a deal, but I’m honestly not surprised. Of course she wouldn’t bother waiting for me.

Eden Finley waits for no one.

But she always comes for me…

CHAPTER THREE

Eden

I shouldn’t have invited Hayden over to my place. I mean, in reality, I didn’t really invite him, he kind of just invited himself. He’s always the same way, though. He is relentless and there’s no giving up with him. Even if I would have turned him down tonight, he probably still would have followed me home.

I’ve been able to avoid him for this long, of course he would be the one to show up at my competition tonight. I never really expected to see him there, but that’s Hayden King for you. Your typical playboy who is used to always getting what he wants.

Our arrangement worked out in the beginning, but sometimes I wonder if I’m letting him get too close. Every now and then I can feel my walls beginning to lower and I don’t like that at all. He’s the type of guy I need to keep my guard up at all times around, even if he does know how to play me like a skilled musician.

Our prior arrangement was enemies with benefits. There are literally no strings attached because there aren’t any that could possibly be tethered to either of us. As much as I don’t like him, I’m fairly certain he has the same level of distaste for me, but he also sees me as a challenge. He loves the chase and I just so happen to like to run.

I don’t know why every now and then I like to run in his direction instead of running away. Call me an idiot, but I know exactly what I’m getting myself into. We have a mutual itch weboth like to have scratched occasionally. And he just so happens to be the one who knows how to scratch it the right way.

As I pull into the parking lot for my apartment building, I see Hayden wasn't right behind me. I didn’t bother waiting for him because he knows where I live. He knows exactly where to find me. And the last thing I was going to be doing was waiting around for him.

By the time I’m walking into the building, I hear his tires squealing as he whips his car into the parking lot. I don’t wait in the lobby; I don’t even chance a second glance back in his direction. Instead, I slip onto the elevator and let the doors close behind me as I ride it up to my floor.

Winter was going to go stay with some guy she’s been seeing, so I don’t have to worry about her being home. She’s found Hayden in my bed before and I don’t want to run into that with her again. I don’t want to feel like I owe her an explanation when I had already said I wasn’t going to make the same mistake with Hayden King again.

I reach my floor and make my way out of the elevator, knowing Hayden is probably in the building by now. Listening to the elevator doors slide closed, I hear it as it begins its descent back down to the lobby. As I reach my apartment, I slide the key in and unlock the door before stepping inside.

Leaving the door slightly ajar, it’s just open a small crack, letting Hayden know that he can come in. I head back to my bedroom, collecting my things before making my way to the bathroom to get a shower. I stink like sweat after skating my ass off earlier. Even though Hayden wanted to come over here, that doesn’t mean I’m going to let him get in the way of me doing what I want to do.

And right now, I want to get a shower.

Shutting the bathroom door behind me, I begin to strip out of my clothes and leave them on the floor for me to collect later.I let my hair down, feeling the long locks brushing against my back. It’s a distant sound, but I swear I hear my apartment door close as I’m turning on the shower and stepping into the hot shower.

The water streams down my back and I turn around, tilting my head as it soaks my long hair. My head hurts from having it pulled back in a tight bun. It’s easier having my hair that way when I skate and it’s basically a requirement when it comes to the competitions. Everyone pretty much wears their hair in the same style as it makes it easier and it looks much cleaner and neater.

Even though figure skating has a lot to do with technical skill, the way you look also plays a little bit into it. You can’t show up there looking like you just crawled out from beneath a rock you’ve been living under. You have to look presentable because you are representing yourself, along with the team you skate with.

Grabbing my shampoo, I squeeze some into my hand before I begin to massage it into my scalp. It feels soothing and I close my eyes, a soft moan escaping me as I begin to work the soap into a lather. There’s a rush of cold air as the bathroom door opens, just enough for someone to slip inside. It closes softly and I let out the breath that I didn’t realize I was holding.