Page 13

Chapter 13

All Eyes On Us

Jamie

I f a week ago anyone had told me that I would have a girlfriend, I would have called them crazy. Even more so, if they had told me I would have been excited about monogamy for my entire senior year, I would’ve found the whole idea hysterical and a little surreal.

But here I am, looking forward to showing off Bex in public, as I park my car in the lot closest to the row of shops that serve our campus like a mini mall.

I know this is all fake, and Bex was a little more than hesitant to agree to it. But there’s something about my team captain’s twin sister that draws me in and refuses to let me go.

It isn’t just the fact that she’s hot as fuck, even though that’s something I’m not mad at. There’s this fire in her eyes that she obviously fights to keep contained. I wonder what would happen if she gave in to what she wants rather than trying to be always in control.

I’m the expert on acting on my desires, so I think Bex and I will get along like a house on fire.

She unbuckles her seatbelt, but I stop her from opening the car door.

“Wait. Let me.”

I run around to the passenger side to open the door for her and offer her my hand to help her out of the car.

“I’m capable of opening a car door, Jamie.” She frowns.

I look down at her, running the pad of my thumb over her silky eyebrows to smooth out that annoyed grimace. “I know that. I might be new at this boyfriend gig, but this is what I would do for my girlfriend, so humor me, please.”

The tension in her shoulders eases just a fraction. “Ok. Thank you, Jamie.”

Fuck.

I really like the sound of my name coming out of her lips. I wonder how it would sound if she was panting it, moaning it, or screaming it in the throes of pleasure; if I had my face between her legs and—Jesus, fuck.

The way she flinched away from my touch the night we met comes to mind. I need to slow my roll, or she’s going to back out of this deal before we even started.

I have to remember what Luke told me about why she practically left her fiancé at the altar. I mean, fuck. She was about to marry Kurt Priestly, so I shouldn’t be surprised, he is a violent psycho. Violence exudes from that guy in spades when we face off on the ice. He’s always given me major creepy vibes.

If this fake relationship is going to work, and last the distance until summer break, I’ll have to show Bex that I’m nothing like her ex.

Violence is something I don’t shy away from if it’s for a worthy cause. To protect someone from a bully, or my teammates on the ice. But I would never lift my hand against someone smaller than me, or against a woman. I want Bex to know that she’s safe when she’s with me. That I know the meaning of the word no, and I would never take advantage of my size to force myself on her.

“Let’s go get a coffee first,” I suggest. “Coach texted me early, and I didn’t even have time for some much needed caffeine. Let’s get that into our systems, and then we can go check out the clothes stores.”

She stares at my hand as if it could bite her when I offer it to her.

“Boyfriend and girlfriend, remember?” I whisper. “Come on, let’s get out there and be seen.”

I lace my fingers through hers, suppressing a shudder at the sensation that courses through me when my skin touches hers. Her hand is so small, it’s completely engulfed by mine. But it’s how soft her skin is that just makes me want to never let it go.

I’ve never held hands with a woman. The last time I had a girlfriend was probably in elementary school. I have to admit that I don’t hate it one bit.

“Wait,” I murmur, pulling her closer to my side, as I motion to open the door of the coffee shop for her. “Let me.”

I can feel the eye roll she suppresses and chuckles.

“This will take some getting used to.” She says, as we enter the crowded coffee shop.

Bex is right about that. But we’ll figure this out.

Coming here was a great idea because the second we set foot inside the shop, all eyes are on us.

We advance to stand at the end of the line, and I notice several people turning to look at us from the tables dotted around the cafe.

Bex put on my jersey, like I asked. The whispers start within seconds as soon as someone notices the number six on her back.

I focus my attention on my girl and our coffee order. “What would you like, baby?”

“Baby?” she begins to argue, but my smile must convey the message to just go along with it. “Coffee, black. Please.”

“What?” I gasp, genuinely shocked. “That’s your coffee order?”

She shrugs. “Yes, why?”

“I don’t know. I guess I just didn’t peg you for a black coffee drinker, that’s all. Wanna get something to eat? They have this toasted everything bagel with smashed avocado and crispy bacon. That’s delicious.”

Bex hesitates. “Hmm, I don’t eat much in the morning.”

“It’s closer to brunch time,” I argue. “I’ll tell you what. Let’s order one and you can try it. If you like it, we’ll split it. If not, that fucker’s too good to go wasted.”

Her giggle is music to my ears.

“Jamie Hart,” the barista, a girl who looks vaguely familiar, smiles. “What can I get you this morning?”

She’s clearly flirting with me. It dawns on me that we hooked up at a party a while back.

I pull Bex closer to me and tell her my order. I begin by asking for the bagel, then add our drinks. “A large black coffee for my girlfriend Bex, and a large mocha cookie crumble cappuccino with extra whipped cream, please.”

“Are you eating in or taking out?” the barista asks.

“We’re eating in, but could you please put the drink in to go cups? So we can take them with us once we’re done eating.”

Despite the cafe being crowded, we’re lucky to find a table for two smack in the middle of the room.

I move the chair for Bex, and then take her hand back into mine the second she’s settled in her chair.

“I think that barista was flirting with you.” She observes.

I ignore her words and bring her knuckles to my lips. I’ve wanted to do that since we got out of the car. Actually, scratch that. I wanted to take her hand and kiss it while I was driving.

“Jamie?” Bex whispers. “Everyone is looking at us.”

I scoot closer to her, dragging the chair until our knees touch under the table. “That’s the whole point, right?”

She never gets a chance to answer my question, because our order is served by the same barista who took it a few minutes ago.

Usually, I’d be all over the girl’s flirting.

Today, I thank her politely, but my attention is elsewhere. Specifically on the gorgeous creature whose hand I’m gonna have to let go of if we’re to eat our breakfast.

When I take a sip of my drink, her eyes are on me. “What?” I ask, when her lips curl up in an amused smile.

“Nothing.” She mouths, hiding her giggle behind her hand.

“No, it’s something.” I smile. “Come on, what’s so funny?”

Her smile widens. “I don’t know, it’s just—you said you didn’t peg me for a black coffee kind of person. I’m just as surprised by your coffee order.”

Ok. This should be interesting. “Why is that?”

“Oh, I don’t know.” She says with another shrug, her smile still firmly in place. “I guess it’s a little bit of a girly order?”

I laugh. “Why? Only girls can order a drink with whipped cream and crumbled cookies?”

She thinks about it for a few seconds. “I guess not. But also, that thing must have a million calories.”

“Probably.” I agree. “I’m not too worried about the calories. It’s a treat, not something I drink every morning. In which case, Coach would probably have something to say about it. But it’s delicious, you should try it.”

She shakes her head. “No, thank you. Probably a sip of that would take an hour on the treadmill to burn.”

I roll my eyes, chuckling at her exaggeration. “Live a little, Bex. One sip won’t ruin your perfect figure.”

It’s clear she’s tempted by the way she looks at the tall glass mug in front of me. “Maybe just one tiny sip.”

“Come on,” I tempt her. “You know you want to.”

A little moan escapes her lips when she takes a sip.

We’re in the middle of a crowded cafe, but I thank my lucky stars that we’re sitting down. Because that little moan goes straight to my cock. “That good, huh?” I chuckle. “Have another sip, I promise it won’t kill you.”

This time, she doesn’t let me ask twice.

“What?” it’s her turn to ask when she spots the smile on my face.

“Nothing, you have some whipped cream just there.” I point at my own top lip.

“Oh.” She gasps, grabbing a paper tissue from the dispenser on the table.

My fingers shoot out, grabbing her wrist before she can wipe the cream off her lips. “Let me.” I say, taking the tissue off of her.

“What are you doing?” she gasps, her shoulders suddenly rigid, as I lean forward.

“That whipped cream is too good to let it go to waste,” I inform her. “May I?” I lean even closer, indicating clearly my intention to lick the cream off her lips.

She offers me a small nod, and I don’t hesitate.

Fuck. Her lips are as soft as I’ve been imagining from the moment we met. I take her top lip between mine, licking once, twice, three times.

At this point, the whipped cream is totally gone, but I want more. “Bex,” I murmur. “I’m gonna kiss you. Is it ok?”

Her eyes widen, as if that surprised her. But she nods.

I have no hesitation. I trap her chin between my fingers and cover her lips with mine.

Hmm, they feel so fucking good. I apply more pressure and she parts for me, just like I was hoping she would.

My tongue strokes hers as I massage her lips with mine and she begins kissing me back.

Holy fuck.

It’s like our mouths were made to do this. This kiss is so perfect that I feel it with my whole body.

Bex is the perfect mix between sweet and daring, exploring my mouth just as I do with hers.

She might be my fake girlfriend, but my physical reaction to kissing her is one hundred percent real. So real, in fact, that I forget where we are.

I reluctantly break the kiss, but don’t take my eyes off of Bex. Her lips are red and a little swollen, and I wish we were somewhere a little more private. Maybe it’s for the best, though. I really want Bex to feel safe with me, comfortable. So I need to pump on the brakes.

Another reason why I interrupt our kiss is that I realize that the noisy cafe, full of animated chatter, has descended into silence.

Everyone has stopped eating, drinking, and talking. All eyes are on us.

Bex

When Jamie kisses me, I can think of only two things.

The first one is holy shit.

This guy is an amazing kisser.

It starts sweet and tentative as he laps up the whipped cream on my upper lip.

When he pulls back and looks at me, his eyes are an intense royal blue. I’ve always considered blue eyes to be cold. But Jamie’s are deep pools of scorching heat as he whispers that now I’m all clean.

The second thought that comes to my mind is that Jamie isn’t the man behind mask number six.

That should make me feel disappointed, but it doesn’t. While I’m still dying to know who kissed me last night at the Zeta party, Jamie’s kiss is just as hot and exciting as the one my mystery man gave me.

It’s just different.

My masked kisser was sweet, almost reverent. Jamie is all tease and exploration. He knows exactly what he’s doing when he retreats and lets me chase him a little. He doesn’t overpower me. He uses his lips to massage mine, as his tongue brushes against mine over and over. It isn’t too much, it’s just right. Enough to make me want more as my entire body reacts to the sensation of our mouths fused together.

I feel my pulse quicken and my bra become tighter under his jersey. My nipples are straining against it, begging for Jamie’s touch.

When he pulls away, I almost groan with frustration. But I like the way he’s looking at me, silently checking if I’m ok.

Luke says that Jamie is a good man, someone he trusts with his life. When Kurt kissed me, it wasn’t only a little gross.

Even though he hadn’t done anything wrong yet, I sensed an undercurrent of danger; like a prey confronted by its predator. Jamie doesn’t give me this vibe. At least not right now. He scared me at the pier the night I arrived. But right now he’s looking at me like he cared. Maybe this is more dangerous than the explosive violence I saw him unleash against the men who groped me on Friday night. I know to watch out for violence.

I have no idea what to do with the look he’s giving me now.

The important thing is to remember that none of this is real. I shouldn’t be surprised that he kissed me. He did it because we have to sell our fake relationship to the entire campus. Jamie’s career and my chance at a fresh start both depend on how convincing we can be.

When Jamie pulls away from me, he doesn’t stop touching me. He tucks a strand of my hair behind my ear and then traces the edge of my jaw with gentle fingers.

That’s when I realize that you could hear a pin drop in the previously noisy coffee shop.

Everyone has stopped talking, eating, drinking, and nursing their hangovers to look at us.

A pretty blonde in the tightest jeans I’ve ever seen rises from her chair a few tables away from ours and walks over to our table. She isn’t alone and I recognize her from last night’s party.

Two girls are with her. Connor’s ex, Fiona, and her friend Hillary.

“Hey Jamie,” the brunette smiles. I can’t remember her name. “Rebecca, right?”

“It’s Bex.” I bite out. I hate that name. Just my father, Kurt, and the people I lived with for the last few years called me that. To everyone who’s ever mattered to me, I’ve always been Bex. It was my mom’s pet name for me, and even Dad used it while Mom was alive. He started calling me Rebecca when he was left alone to raise me and Luke.

“Hey Carissa,” Jamie greets her, as his posture stiffens ever so slightly. “What’s up?”

Despite the obvious tension in his broad shoulders, Jamie’s voice is friendly and relaxed.

Carissa’s gaze bounces between me and Jamie. “Nothing much,” she laughs nervously. “That was quite a scene you guys offered everyone.”

Jamie’s hand slips away from my face, taking my hand on the table. He laces our fingers together. “Is that so?” he asks, the corners of his lips lifted in amusement. “I’ve seen worse PDA around campus. Can’t a guy kiss his girlfriend at brunch without everyone paying attention?”

Carissa’s eyes widen and her mouth pops open before she twists her lips with displeasure. Her voice, however, doesn’t give it away. “Girlfriend? I didn’t know you were dating someone. It sure didn’t seem that way on Saturday at the Gamma house party.”

I look at the girl and then at ‘my boyfriend.’ Is it possible that they hooked up recently? Maybe even on Saturday night?

“Yeah, well, it’s new.” Jamie says. “But I fell in love with Bex at first sight.”

“Oh.” Surprise is written all over Carissa’s face, her mouth gaping open. She assesses me openly. “I’ll be damned. I thought you didn’t do relationships.”

Jamie doesn’t even look at her. His blue eyes are intent on me. “I thought so too. It turns out I just hadn’t met the right woman.”

If I didn’t know that our relationship was one hundred percent fake, Jamie could convince me that he’s head over heels in love with me. I guess if for some reason his NHL career doesn’t pan out, he has a future as an actor.

“So are you and Bex exclusive?” she asks.

Again, my boyfriend’s voice is sure when he nods. “I have eyes just for her. She’s my person.”

Disappointment is written all over Carissa’s face. It might be odd, but I feel it too.

All I know about Jamie is that he’s impossibly handsome, charming and funny, and has a violent streak he keeps well hidden. He’s an amazing kisser, and he can be kind and thoughtful. I can only imagine how it would feel to really be his person. How I would feel if the way he’s looking at me—as if I was the only woman in the room—wasn’t just a ruse.

Carissa hesitates for one beat, her eyes settling on Jamie holding my hand on the table. He’s stroking the space between my thumb and my index finger with a slow, hypnotic rhythm.

“Ok. Congratulations, I guess.” She finally says. “Parties on campus won’t be the same with you off the market. Not to sound mean, but there will be a lot of women waiting for when this thing between you two finally fizzles out.”

I have no doubt Carissa is one of those women.

“They’re going to be waiting forever, then.” Jamie says, still without looking at Carissa. “Bex and I are end game. I’ve never felt like this before.”

We aren’t the only ones who watch Carissa walking back to the table where her Zeta sisters have been following our entire exchange.

The noise levels in the cafe return to normal. But it isn’t the casual chatter of a few moments ago. Everyone is talking about us, and I even notice a few people pointing their phones at us without even trying to hide it.

“You ok, baby?” Jamie asks, oblivious to all the whispers around us.

His tone is caring, attentive.

I like it way too much.

Jamie’s tone isn’t different from how it was the night I arrived, after he beat up the guy who had grabbed me. This is what makes this situation so confusing. If I let myself believe in Jamie’s act, I could get seriously hurt. It’s imperative to remember that this is fake.

It doesn’t matter if Jamie likes me enough to kiss me and to pretend that we’re together. I have to remember that he isn’t smitten with me.

If I can do that, Luke is right that this whole thing could be fun. And after what I’ve been through with my dad and my ex, God knows this is what I need. I need to feel like a normal, carefree twenty-one-year-old woman. So I smile at my boyfriend and accept the bite of bagel he’s offering me.