King of Campus (18 page)

The corners of his mouth curl up just a bit.  “Well, I was kind of thinking we were.”

Narrowing my eyes I finally ask, “Do you even have girls who are
just
friends?”

Now he gives me a wolfish grin and I know whatever he’s about to say will have me rolling my eyes.  “Nope, but that doesn’t mean we couldn’t engage in a little friends-with-benefits action.  I’d be totally onboard with that.”

He doesn’t disappoint.

I shake my head before replying drily, “We’re not going to be
that
kind of friends.”

His gaze falls to my lips.  Then it lowers even further to my bare legs before slowly rising back up to my eyes.  His voice deepens as if it’s dropped a few octaves.  It does something funny to my insides.  Something I don’t necessarily like or want.  “You sure about that, Ivy?”

My gaze flattens.  “Positive.  I think we need to keep things strictly platonic.”

He leans a little closer and my suddenly pounding heart skips a beat.  “You have to admit, that was one hell of a kiss.”

My mouth dries because that damn kiss keeps nudging its way back into my consciousness at the most inopportune of times.  Instead of admitting just how good it was, I clear my throat. “What kiss?”

The smile gracing his lips turns decidedly predatory.  My eyes widen as I realize I’ve made a tactical error.  “Maybe I need to remind you just how good it was.”

In the blink of an eye, I’m off the bed and practically out the door.  His smile only grows wider.  As if he knows exactly what’s going on inside my head.  I really hate that he’s able to tie my insides up into teeny tiny knots.  I’ve never had that happen before.  And I’m not quite sure how to handle it or make it go away.

How do you neutralize attraction like this?

“I’m… ah… going to get a bottle of water.”  I throw the words over my shoulder because I don’t want to look him in the eyes again.  Maybe I’m afraid he’ll see the lie within mine.  “You want one?”

I’m already halfway down the short hall when I hear him chuckling. “Sure.”

As I walk through the small living room, I see Lexie and Dylan snuggled up together on the couch.  “Thanks for letting him in,” I mutter on my way to the kitchen.

Lexie shrugs her shoulders before shooting me a look that says it all.  “I figured you guys had stuff to talk about.”

Grumbling at her answer, I grab two bottles of water from the fridge.  While I’m there, I close my eyes before inhaling and exhaling a deep breath.  And then another.  And then one more for good measure. 

Do I want to kiss Roan again?

Ummmm, yeah.  Of course I do.

That kiss the other day was completely spectacular.  But I know getting tangled up with him would be a
huge
mistake.  He’d eat me alive and spit me out without thinking twice about it.

Once my libido is firmly under control, I reluctantly head back towards the bedroom.  I’m a few feet away from the door when I hear Roan’s deep voice.  Like he’s talking on the phone or something.  I’m almost wondering if I should give him a little bit of privacy. Maybe go sit with Lexie and Dylan when I hear what sounds suspiciously like my dad’s voice.

Brows snapping together, my feet quicken because I have to be mistaken.  There is no way in hell that Roan is somehow conversing with my dad.

As I burst through the doorway, I see Roan sprawled out on my bed with a phone-
my phone
- held in his large hand.  He’s staring at the screen, a wide smile on his face as he discusses the season…
with my dad.

“No, I’ve been watching lots of film and I think we’re going to be able to take them.”

I actually wince when my dad responds enthusiastically.  “I hope so. Everyone is talking about how strong the offense and defensive lines are this year.  And your quarter back has one hell of an arm on him.  It’s very exciting.  Did Ivy happen to mention that I played football my freshman and sophomore year at Barnett?”

His amused eyes slide to mine.  “No, she didn’t mention it.  Anytime you’d like to attend a game, Mr. Kaster, you just let me know and I’ll get you some sweet tickets on the fifty yard line.”

“That would be great! I might just take you up on that offer, Roan.  I think my wife would really enjoy seeing a Barnett football game.  Especially this year.”

At the thought of Leah and my dad here at Barnett as guests of Roan, I’m suddenly spurred into action.

Oh.

Hell.

No.

Those are the only words careening through my head as I race over to the bed.  Our eyes continue to hold as I barrel towards him like a freight train.

“Oh, I think Iv-”

That’s all he’s able to get out before I’m ripping the phone right out of his fingers.  If I’m lucky, I managed to leave a few claw marks.  God damn it!  I seriously can’t believe this is happening right now!  Then I remember to smooth out my features before looking at the small screen.  “Ahh, hi, dad.  What are you calling for?  You never call on a Monday night.  Is something wrong?”

Normally we speak every Sunday afternoon.  Except for yesterday because I was busy.  If he has any inkling I’m angry about everything that went down after my mom died, it’s not something we discuss.  Or even acknowledge.  It’s all been swept neatly under the rug where it can fester.

At least for me, it does.

“Well, I was hoping that maybe you could come home next weekend and spend the day with us.”

Without even thinking about what I have going on, I immediately start shaking my head.  “That sounds great, but I don’t think I can make it, dad.  I don’t have a way to get home.”

Sure… I could probably borrow Lexie’s little silver Jetta but I’m not going to ask.  Because I don’t want to go.

“Oh.”

That’s all he says as his face falls.  The difference in his lighthearted banter with Roan only a few moments ago and mine is like a stark reminder that the past still sits heavily between us.  As difficult as it is, I press my lips together, not saying a word.

After a long uncomfortable silence, he finally says, “It’s just that we haven’t seen you since you left for Paris and that was almost sixteen months ago.  You’ve been so busy since you came back and we wanted to give you a little bit of time to settle in.”

We
.

Him and Leah.

Always him and Leah.

Hearing him say that is like fingernails slowly scratching their way down a chalk board.  I almost flinch in response.

“You haven’t seen your family in sixteen months?”

I almost shoot Roan a dirty look before remembering that the camera is focused on me and my dad is watching.  Instead I ground out, “I was in Paris for fifteen of those months and I’ve been really busy with school and work.  I’ve only been back here for a few weeks.  I’m still getting acclimated.”  It takes all my self-control not to snarl at him like some junkyard dog on a choke chain.

Silently Roan cocks his head to the side as he continues watching me.  It’s almost like he’s trying to sift through all the lies shuttered within my eyes.  I would dearly love to rip him a new one right now for picking up the phone, but I can’t.  After I disconnect, Roan is going to get an ass chewing of epic proportions.

“Can you at least try to make it home this weekend, Ivy?  The kids would love to see their big sister.”

I grit my teeth because their children are
not
my siblings.  They probably don’t even know who the hell I am.  I haven’t seen them since… I rack my brain.  Although it’s not difficult to figure out because I just marked the fifth year since my mom died which means the twins just turned four.  So, when I left, they were around two or so.

It’s doubtful they even know I exist.

“Yeah, I’ll try, dad.”  My heart feels as if it’s going to pound right out of my chest with the uncomfortableness that has settled over us like a heavy blanket.  It’s one that will end up suffocating the hell right out of me one day.

My fingers twitch wanting to hit the red disconnect button and pull the plug on this horrifically awkward conversation.  Then, in a day or two, I’ll send him a quick text letting him know that it’s just not going to work out this weekend.

Oh well…

“Hey, I can drive Ivy home on Sunday.”

My mouth tumbles open right before my wide eyes swing to Roan’s.  I want to yell-
noooooooo
but I can’t.  Absolutely no sound comes out at all.  Not even a little squeak of protest.

My dad’s face on the screen I’m holding in the palm of my hand breaks into a huge delighted smile.  “That would be fantastic, Roan!  Ivy’s stepmother and I would really appreciate it.”  He takes a breath before continuing, “Are you sure it’s not a problem?”

Yes
, I want to scream
, it’s a huge freaking problem
!

This can’t be happening.  I literally want to kill Roan right now!  As soon as this call is finished, that’s exactly what I’m going to do.  And then Roan-fucking-King will be no more.

My eyes narrow as I fume.  Just look at him over there… he’s totally oblivious to my seething anger because in the very next moment, he squeezes his face in next to mine so that it fills half the tiny screen.

“No problem at all, Mr. Kaster.  I look forward to meeting you in person.  I can’t believe you used to play for Barnett!  That’s so awesome.”

Grrrr.

It feels as if I’m clenching my jaw so tightly that all my teeth are going to shatter.

“Yeah, it’ll be a fun afternoon.  I’ll have to dust off some of the old newspaper clippings I still have.”  His ecstatic eyes slide back to mine.  “I can’t wait to see you, sweetheart.  It’s been much too long.”

Unable to do anything else, I smile weakly in response until I’m finally able to disconnect.  Then I throw my phone onto the bed before using both hands to shove at Roan’s strapping chest with all my might.

I can’t believe he just did that to me!

Unprepared for my violent assault, he falls back against my pillows in surprise.  His eyes are like huge saucers.  The look of cluelessness would be comical… if there were anything remotely amusing about this situation.  Almost immediately he props himself up on his elbows so that he’s facing me.  Albeit from a prone position on my bed as I tower over him in fury.

“Ah, you’re welcome,” he drawls as his brows slide together.

Oh that is it!

Throwing my hands up in the air, I screech like some kind of pterodactyl, “
What the hell did you do that for?
”

His brows pull even further together until they’re nothing more than a tight line across his forehead, as if he’s truly confused by how this is playing out.  “Do
what
?  What did I do?”  His eyes search mine for a long silent moment before he finally asks, sounding just a little bit unsure, “You didn’t want to go home and see your family?  I thought I was doing you a
favor
.”

“Well, you didn’t!  The last place I want to go is home!”  Feeling absurdly frustrated, I hop off the bed before starting to pace.  After a few silent minutes, I say, “I’ll just tell him you had to cancel at the last minute.  It’s not a big deal.”  I’m talking to myself now.  Trying to fix the mess he’s gotten me into.

This is what he’s driven me to… actually holding conversations with myself.

Pulling himself up into a sitting position, Roan watches me as I frantically walk the small space between the door and the bed.  “Why don’t you want to see your family?”  His words are quietly spoken as if he’s just realizing what a colossal mistake he’s made.

Stopping midstride, I turn to scowl at him.  “It’s a long story,” I finally mutter under my breath because I don’t really want to share the details of my life with Roan.  We’re not friends.  Even though he said we were, we’re not.

Aside from Lexie, I don’t do that with anyone.

He continues looking at me expectantly as if silently trying to prod me into proceeding. Which isn’t going to happen.  Instead I snap, “Why the hell would you answer my phone?”

He glances at my black encased phone that has a pair of tattered pink ballet shoes on the back.  “No passcode.”

Ceasing my restless pacing, I fold my arms tightly across my chest before searing him with the heat of my glare.  “Not having a passcode isn’t an invitation for you to answer the damn thing.”

His mouth quirks up.  “Yeah, apparently it is.  If it had been passcode protected, I couldn’t have answered your phone when you decided to turn tail and run instead of simply answering my question about that kiss.  If you actually think about it, none of this would be happening right now if you had just answered the question.”  He points to me before saying, “So, you see, this is really your fault.”

I gasp.

“Should’ve had a passcode and shouldn’t have run away when we were discussing that kiss.”

I look at him in stupefied amazement.  “Not only are you demented, you’re totally delusional as well.”

He chuckles before springing forward and nabbing my hand.  Then he pulls me to him until I’m tumbling onto his lap.  Not a moment later, his big strong arms wrap around me, pinning me tightly against him.  My breath hitches as I stare into those gorgeous eyes of his.