Page 21

21

LOGAN

“ I t’s not even fair that you get to tutor the hockey team.” Jordan sucked her iced coffee with a loud slurp. “They are pretty to look at and big and sexy and?—”

“You can look at me literally any time of the day,” Preston said, smirking at her. “So calm down.”

“Yeah, I’m used to your face.” Jordan rolled her eyes. “I like looking at the other ones. The more rugged, kind of scarred ones. Show they are tough. Mm, like Liam or Tyler or Wren. They are beefy and sexy.”

“I have a scar above my eyebrow, Dan. I’m tough as hell.”

“Okay, you idiots,” I said, laughing at my best friends. They literally never stopped bickering or bantering. I had never mentioned it to either of them, but they totally had a thing for each other. Jordan was a hellion, always saying guys gave her the ick after two dates, where Preston wanted to keep his options open.

They never dated people. They chose to hang out with each other over others.

They had a thing, but they just didn’t want to hear the truth. Not that I would tell them. It wouldn’t help anything, and what advice would I give? I was crushing on a guy who had a time limit with me. How much smarter was I with him than I was with Gage?

We sat in the library, our books around us, as I waited for the tutoring hours to start. I worked with Coach Daniels on the best times, and Mondays and Wednesdays from five until seven, I would get paid hourly to be available to help guys with organizing, literacy, and research. Nerves fluttered along my back as some of the hockey guys floated in. Gage never wanted me hanging around the football team. He’d rarely bring me to parties, and a part of me had always wondered if he was embarrassed by me.

Quentin was the opposite of that, and that notion filled me with a warm sense of longing.

“I’ve heard of tutors falling for the players before. What if this is your next love story?” Jordan leaned into me, winking. “Could be hot.”

“Nah, the guys all know Logan is with Quentin.” Preston met my gaze, questions swirling in his eyes. My stomach bottomed out with the hidden meaning there. He knows we’re sleeping together.

Panic clawed at my throat. It wasn’t that I wanted to keep the truth from them. It was more I didn’t want them to judge me or think I was silly. Quentin was way out of my league, and that was clear.

“But they aren’t for real. It’s a ploy.” Jordan tossed a handful of pretzels into her mouth. “Not that he’s not hot and a decent guy. He is, for sure.”

“Quentin never shared it was fake to the team. He very aggressively told all of us to leave Logan the hell alone. Only ask academic questions, and if anyone of us touched her, he’d come at us.”

“Whoa.” Jordan rose her brows, her face twisting in worry. “That sounds serious. Log, are you two… more?”

My face heated as the truth bubbled right beneath the surface. Jordan would totally support my choice in a fling, I had no doubt. She was the queen of flings. But she’d talk me out of getting my heart hurt again, and I wasn’t ready to walk away. “Uh, we’re not in a real relationship.”

“You’re bright red, oh my god. Are you fucking?”

“Jordan, we’re in a library!” Preston hissed at her. “But answer the question, Logan. Are you?”

“Yes, okay? Our chemistry is out of control, and we’re enjoying it while it lasts. It’s just temporary though. I promise.” I stared at the corner of my laptop, refusing to meet their gaze. “We are still fake-dating to get Gage off my back, but we both agreed to a fling until the season starts. Then we go back to friends who don’t hook up.”

“Girl, you don’t do casual.” Jordan sighed and rubbed her temples. “This is bad. This is really bad.”

“No, it’s not.” I swallowed the lump in my throat. She was one thousand percent correct. This was bad, but I couldn’t stop it. Quentin had worked his way into my heart, and I had major feelings for him. Not only was the sex insane and intimate, but he was so thoughtful and kind. He just went through a rough time and viewed himself like a bad guy. I wanted to prove to him that he was a good person, that his baggage didn’t define him, but he wouldn’t let me. After the weekend at my parents, we’d only grown closer in the last week, and I accepted my fate.

We’d walk away from each other at the end of the month without regrets. But I’d try to show him that he was worth investing in and that he did have a heart.

“Logan, I support this and you, but he’ll break your heart again. I’ve heard him say that he never gets involved with anyone and never will.” Jordan frowned. “Preston, tell her.”

“No, I agree with you. Log will probably get hurt here, but at the same time… Quentin has been different. He’s been lighter at practice, smiling more. He was a real grumpy ass the last year. Maybe this is good for both of them.”

“Good sex is good for everyone. Big fan of sex and chemistry, but honey, you already?—”

Quentin walked into the library, and my heart caught in my throat. He scanned the library and immediately stopped when he found me. And holy shit. His lips curved up, his eyes grew greener than normal, and his dimples popped out when he smiled.

My insides melted and turned to straight butter as he neared our table.

“Holy shit, you love him.”

“What? No I don’t!” I elbowed her side. “Be cool, Jordan.”

“I can read your face. Fuckkkk. You totally fell for him. Logan, we need to talk about this,” she whispered, her tone urgent. “I just got you back. I can’t lose you to a broken heart again.”

Ugh. Her words hit me right in the sternum, wedging themselves deep in there with warning. She was the best of friends, helping me through the fallout of Rebecca and Gage. She let me cry and repeat the same thing for weeks, never complaining or giving me hell. I felt so selfish knowing I’d probably put her through that again. “I’m fine, Jordan, really.”

I’d make sure to hide all my feelings when this ended. Pretend I was okay for her sake.

“Liar.” She ran a hand over her face as Quentin neared our table, and my stomach exploded into fireworks. He walked with such confidence, such purpose, that my mouth watered.

Since that night in my childhood room, I knew I had feelings for him. Even unrequited, they were there. I wasn’t ready for what that meant, and I knew my time with him was limited. My lips curved up even without trying, and my whole body warmed. I’d rather have a few weeks with him than none at all. “Hey, Hawthorne.”

“Logan.” He rubbed a hand over his jaw, his attention moving toward Jordan and Preston. “Roommates.”

“Are you here for the tutoring?” I asked.

He nodded. “We’re required to put in a few hours a week.”

“Ah, I see.” I couldn’t stop blushing at the way he stared at me. It was like he didn’t give a single care that Jordan and Preston watched and analyzed our every move. “Didn’t realize you’d be here too.”

He didn’t respond but motioned his arm out. “Are you staying at this table or moving closer toward the other guys?” Quentin asked.

“Subtle, Q.” Preston winked at me. “I have a 3.0, so I’m not required to be here. Jordan, wanna head back with me?”

“Fine.” Jordan sighed and leaned closer to me, her face set in a we’ll talk later expression. “Oh look, Rat Queen started her shift at the counter too.”

Rebecca.

The flutters from Quentin shifted to rocks of discomfort. I hated that Rebecca, and I had bonded over our love of library sciences. We had so much overlap, where Gage and I never saw each other so it was easier to move on. With her though, her interactions were mixed messages. She’d wanted to speak to me those first few weeks but then went hardcore with PDA with Gage at that dinner. Did she hope for me to forgive her or remain pissed at her?

“Should I spill on a bunch of books and blame her?” Jordan asked, glaring at Rebecca. Jordan lost her as a friend too, and another wave of guilt hit me. Jordan was loyal to me regardless of what it cost her.

“For the sake of all that is good, please do not do that. That just hurts books, not her.” I loved my friend, but she was an animal when you crossed her. I paused, a satisfied warmth in my stomach. “You know, I haven’t thought about her since that dinner.”

“Well, she’s slid into my DMs begging to talk. Might go see what she wants to say.” Jordan put her bag over her shoulder. “Preston, come with me?”

“Like I’d miss this drama.” He put an arm around Jordan’s shoulders, glancing back at me and Quentin. “Heard one of the guys talking about how hot Logan is. Just a heads-up.”

I glared at my friend, but Quentin’s entire body stiffened. “He’s joking, ignore him.”

Preston chuckled as he walked away, leaving Quentin standing at the head of my table with his gaze on me.

“He’s not serious. He’s getting you riled up.”

“Who said it?”

“Quentin, it’s a joke.” I fought a grin the longer I stared at him. “I’m here to tutor and help the guys. That’s it.”

“I’m sitting here.” He plopped down in the chair Jordan vacated, his thighs pressing up against mine as he spread his legs. “I told them all you’re with me, so they better keep it friendly.”

“Fake with you, you mean,” I clarified. The more reminders I gave myself, the less it would hurt at the end, right? That was how the saying went?

His jaw flexed. “Right.”

“Speaking of Rat Queen…. Have you heard anything from your mom?”

He reached into his bag, but his arm stilled. “No. She hasn’t once asked if everything was alright with your family.”

That hurt. I knew she didn’t like me, but that was insane. “Gage’s dad even reached out to me to make sure everything was fine. How could your mom not?”

“Because she’s selfish.” Quentin ran a finger over my forearm, stopping at a trio of moles near my wrist. “She’s made me hate so much about myself. I don’t like who I am around her. After that night…I don’t know if I can be around her.”

“Quentin…”

“No. I’m serious. I’m gonna call Audrey tonight and talk it through with her. I hate who I am around her, and hell, I was an ass to you because I couldn’t get a handle on my own shit.” He sighed, and his gaze dropped to my mouth. “You make me want to be a better human being, and the first part of that is removing the trash and negativity from my life.”

I wanted to kiss him then and there, but it wasn’t the time or place. I leaned my shoulder into his, grateful he’d opened up to me. “Happy to talk it through with you too if you want.”

“I’d love that, Log.”

Something soft hit the top of my head, but before I could ask him about it, he asked, “Speaking of trash, have you talked to Gage and given him back the shirt?”

“Oh my god, Quentin.” I shoved his arm. “I told him my sister was okay and that I’d wash the shirt and mail it to him.”

“We agreed you wouldn’t wash it.” His gaze heated as his teeth came down on his bottom lip. “You back out of our agreement?”

Before I could respond, a guy on the team approached me with a blush covering his face. He looked young and terrified. “Hey, are you Logan?”

“I am.” I stood and held out my hand. “The temporary tutor.”

“I, uh, need help with organizational skills and time management. Liam and J.D. told me to talk with you.” He scratched the back of his neck before meeting my eyes. “This is embarrassing.”

“Why?” I smiled and gestured for him to sit. “There is no harm in getting support and help from someone else when that is their strength. What position do you play?”

“Uh, forward.”

“Cool so that means you…”

“Skate fast, score, have good control.” He smiled.

“Ah, yes.” I nodded. “You wouldn’t be good preventing the goals, right?”

He blinked. “Yeah, I’d suck.”

“So you’re asking your teammate to take that on because his strength is different than yours. This is no different. You use your resources and find people who are different than you to help. That is life, my guy. Now what’s your name?”

“Graham Braun.”

“Well, sit down, Graham, and we can make a plan.”

I ignored Quentin the best I could, but I could feel his attention on me. It was like a caress, starting at my face and neck as I spoke with Graham. We made a plan for how to keep track of his schedule digitally and what was due when. We then used an old notebook to schedule his weeks and to set one goal each day.

It took an hour before another guy came over, and we went through the same thing. Time management and organizing were weaknesses of the younger players. It was hard adjusting to being a student and athlete, and I couldn’t imagine how challenging it was when you played a sport full time.

Graham and Harrison were kind and respectful, never once flirting or crossing any line that could’ve irritated Quentin. Yet when they said goodbye and I stretched my arms up in the air, Quentin grabbed my wrist.

“What—hey, what are you doing?”

He grabbed my bag with his free hand and hauled me away from the table.

“Quentin, what’s going on?”

My heart leapt in my throat as he guided us toward the back of the library, where aisles of older text sat. It smelled dusty, and I loved the welcoming scent of stacks. Years of dissertations sat here, blood, sweat, and tears of those before us, a storehouse of knowledge, and knowing all that honestly made my skin tingle.

He stopped once we got to the back, pushed my arms above my head, and kissed me so hard my back hit the shelves with a loud thud. “You,” he accused, moving one hand to cup my throat as he continued kissing me.

The worry transferred to lust as he sucked my tongue into his mouth, his emerald eyes ablaze. “Are. So. Fucking. Perfect.” His breath washed over my face, my knees trembling as he nipped my neck. “So fucking smart and patient. You can make anyone feel like a million bucks.”

I shuddered as he gripped my wrists tighter, teasing me with nips and sucks at the base of my neck. “Quentin,” I pleaded, overheated and turned on from his aggressive words and soft touches.

“You’re a queen, Logan,” he whispered, swallowing hard as he stared down at me. “Let me worship you.”

“H-here?”

“Why not?” He smirked as one hand trailed down the center of my chest and toward the buttons of my shorts. “We’re in your favorite place, and you’ve been such a good girl. Helping my teammates with your brilliance. I think you deserve an orgasm.”

“In the library?” I repeated, my clit already throbbing from his idea. “I’ve…never done that.”

His eyes lit up. “You’ll have to be quiet though. Can you follow directions?”

I gulped, my entire body trembling as he slid a hand into my shorts. I gasped when he ran his fingers over my pussy.

“You’re already wet for me, you fucking queen.” He grinned as he slid his thumb over my clit, a deep growl in his chest. “Were you wet all afternoon? Who made you this way?”

“Y-you,” I stuttered. It was hard remaining upright when his fingers were inside me. “You did.”

“Good girl.” He massaged my clit, thrusting two fingers in and out of me. “So tight and wet. I want you to feel how wet you are the rest of the night, knowing I made you feel this way.”

My eyes rolled back into my head as tingles spread from my head to my toes. The orgasm was right there. “Yes, Quentin, yes,” I urged. “You’re so hot, holy shit.”

He chuckled as he dipped down and bit my neck. “Marking you as mine now, baby.”

His teeth pierced the skin as he brought me to orgasm. I cried out, and he tsked me, bringing his mouth to mine to silence my cries. The orgasm pounded into me, like my stomach lit on fire, and it spread wildly. “Quentin,” I begged, pleaded, and gasped. “Holy fuck.”

“Love when I make you cuss.” He laughed against my mouth, slowly sliding his fingers out of my shorts. He buttoned them, adjusted my shirt with a warm smile, then sucked the fingers. “Fuck me, you taste sweet.”

My face burned from how dirty he was, but I loved it. I loved this side of me that I didn’t know was there, a free and wild side. I swallowed as he stared at me, the bulge in his jeans still there. “Do you want me to?—”

“No. This was about you. ” He kissed my forehead and smiled. “I know you’re a needy girl and want more, but that was enough to get you through the rest of the afternoon.”

“I’m so flustered right now.” I laughed and ran a hand over my face. “I’ve never done this. Gotten off in a library then had to work. I’m… can you tell?”

His eyes sparkled. “You look like mine, Logan. I like it a fucking lot.”

My stomach swooped with hope. Maybe… just maybe… we could agree to have this be more then temporary. I blushed, stood on my tiptoes, and kissed him. “You don’t look like mine though, so we should fix that.”

He sucked in a breath, but I patted his chest and walked away. “Next time then, okay? I have to work, and you should probably take care of your situation down there.”