“Sure, sure.”I lean back on the couch, laughing.
Harper presses her lips together, her gaze tight as she stares at me.“I should just give you cash for the pizza.”She reaches for her backpack on the floor.
I grab her wrist, stopping her.“I’m not taking your money.”
“And why not?”she asks, tilting her head, staring at me with wide, doe-like eyes.
Her stare is invigorating.So is her tenacity.I release my grip on her wrist, and I swear I hear her whimper.
Fuck, this girl knows how to get to me.
Five
Harper
Luca is far more charming than I first anticipated.I shouldn’t be surprised since he gets all the girls he could want.He’s certainly had plenty of practice flirting his way into their beds.
That’s one of the perks of being an athlete.I’m not blind to it.There are tons of girls who stare at him in class or “accidentally” knock into him to win his attention.
And he always falls for it, bending down, helping the girl pick up her books that she dropped.
You’d think that half the freshman class at Evergreen are clumsy, based on how many times he runs into a girl on a weekly basis.
Or maybe Luca is clumsy.
Not a chance in hell is he the one bumping into them.He’s got finesse on and off the ice.
I’m pretty good at ignoring it.In the beginning, I honestly didn’t care, but the more time I spend with Luca, the more I want to chase the other ladies away before they even have time to make eye contact with him.
Do I feel the embers of jealousy tingle and burn my flesh?Maybe a little.
We’ve spent the past several nights studying together.Mostly, it’s Luca teaching me everything that I didn’t grasp in class, which feels like a lot.
The first night, we had the place entirely to ourselves.Tonight, Ashton is in the living room with a movie, and the girl who had been upstairs at the party with Luca is crashing on the couch.
“Do we have to watch another boring documentary?”she asks, although it’s more of a whine.
“Nova, you decided to hang out with us.And I enjoy watching this shit,” Ashton says.
Luca chuckles and shakes his head, smiling at me.We’re situated at the kitchen table, with him seated beside me, studying.He leans in, his breath caressing my cheek.“Ashton can’t stand documentaries.He’s just torturing Nova for showing up uninvited.”
I don’t quite get the relationship between all of them.“Is Nova his girlfriend?”I ask.It’s impossible to ignore them in the next room over, the open layout not offering much privacy.
“Definitely not.She’s seventeen.I’ll kill him if he lays a finger on her.”
I press my lips together, wanting to ask but not sure I should.“Why is she hanging out on campus?”
“Home life is complicated,” Luca says, not further elaborating.
I’ve always been close with my family, but I had friends growing up who preferred my parents to their own.I get the explanation, but it also feels like an excuse.
My mind is miles away from the book staring open at me on the table.“Do you want to take a break?”I suggest and nod toward the living room.
“And watch that garbage?”Luca asks, raising an eyebrow.“I’d rather study,” he says, making eye contact with me.
That’s what we’ve been doing, studying, for the past two or so hours.I refrain from glancing at my watch.I don’t want Luca to think that I’m ready to leave, because that’s the furthest thing on my mind.
He’s quiet for a moment, scoots his chair back and stands.“I get it.You need a brain break.”He heads for the fridge.
