I’D RATHER STAB Cupid with one of his pink arrows than go through this holiday again. Except saying that out loud would paint me as a bitter single loser, so I’m stewing safely in my thoughts. The pink heart cutouts decorating the table, which I’ve been ripping in half, leave a mess in my lap. This is not a good look.
“Did Cassie do something to her hair?”
My head swivels to Kian, who might as well have hearts for eyes as he watches Cassie perform.
Starlight karaoke lounge has been a regular place for Cassie when she has the urge to sing. Mostly, it’s a form of therapy after a messy breakup. I think she’s finally over her last situation, but all the Valentine’s lore thrown in our faces isn’t helping anyone.
That is why I was set on bingeing my comfort show with a heart-shaped pizza from Uncle Frank’s tonight. Except Kian Ishida showed up at my dorm and forced me to go out with him. Not to mention he made me change twice. He thinks wearing a sweat suit in public is a cardinal sin. I agreed only because his clean button-up and trousers made me look like a troll in comparison.
He’s using me as a buffer to not seem like a stalker, but I’m pretty sure Cassie knows about his infatuation. I’m not sure what happened between them, but I heard they snuck up to his room during Aiden’s birthday party.
“It looks lighter. Did she dye it?”
“I think she just curled it,” I say.
He rests his chin on his hands, staring dreamily. “She can pull off anything.”
I have to check the air for the flying baby. If Cupid has Kian obsessed with Cassie, he’ll have me doing something just as stupid. And I do not have time for stupid.
As I’m stabbing the ice in my Shirley Temple with the disintegrating paper straw, Kian raises his arm. I look where he gestures, and that’s when I see him.
Tall, confident, and looking too good for me to even deny it, Aiden Crawford.
The energy in the room seems to shift, and I realize I’m not the only one looking at Dalton’s star hockey player. The entire lounge watches him enter with Eli and Cole behind him. Green eyes search the lounge, and when he spots us, my cheeks burn.
“Why is he here?” I whisper, dusting the paper hearts off my lap.
“I invited him,” Kian gives me a weird look. “Should I not have?”
I groan instead of answering, assessing the area for an escape route.
“Did something happen between you two?”
My stomach dips with the memory. A lot happened between us, mostly between his mouth and that sensitive place between my legs. “No. Why would you ask that?”
“Because you’re acting like a crazy person.”
A loud voice interrupts my eye roll. “Hey, guys!” Cole says, pulling out a chair.
When Eli sits beside me, I sigh in relief. “No date tonight, Sunny?” he asks.
“Nope. This one fawning over Cassie is the only action I’m getting. You?”
He chuckles. “Same, though your company soothes a lonely soul.”
I fight the blush his smooth words elicit. “Are you asking me to be your Valentine, Brooksy?” I bat my lashes.
The grin that takes over his face is wide enough to show his perfect teeth, but it’s replaced with an amused smirk when his gaze slips away from mine. “It would be my pleasure, but I don’t wanna step on any toes.”
Following his line of sight, I catch on green, and the weight of Aiden’s stare makes my throat dry. I know what he’s thinking about because I’m thinking the same damn thing. Darkened eyes slide down my outfit in a thorough assessment. I fidget with the thin straps of the dress and hear the quickening thuds of my heart. When Aiden’s hungry gaze meets mine again, he smirks. The same smirk he gave me when his hand gripped my thighs, and his fingers sank into me.
It wasn’t clear how I found myself surrounded by four hockey players on Valentine’s Day, but this would get a great laugh out of Amara. Unlike me, she had a date set weeks in advance from a long list of potential guys from her computer science classes.
“All right, let’s give a round of applause to our amazing talent, Cassidy Carter,” the host says, and the lounge erupts in applause and howls from our table.
“On to a fan favorite segment. The annual Valentine’s Day matchmaker!” I’m stealing one of Kian’s fries when he perks up, fidgeting with his tie and running a nervous hand over his pants. “We have our performers joining our game. Let us welcome Amelia, Shawn and Cassie on stage once again.”
Cassie hates blind dates. Judging by the look on her face, she was talked into this by the lounge. “Now, we’ll take a few hands from our audience. We’ll need three lucky volunteers.”
Cassie’s tortured expression is comical, but before I can bask in the hilarity and enjoy more of Kian’s fries, his hand grasps my wrist.
I look in horror at our raised hands. For some reason, that I’m sure is orchestrated by the flying baby, the host points right at us. He says something into the mic, but my blood bubbles so furiously I don’t hear it.
“What the hell are you doing?” I hiss.
Kian’s showy smile goes nowhere as he mutters, “Just trust me?”
“Kian, I swear I will stab you with my heel if you don’t let me go.”
“I’ll owe you. Anything you want, I promise.” When he sees my glare, his smile falters. “Please?”
There is a split second when his earnest eyes and desperate plea almost sway me into playing this dumb game. But then I catch all the eyes on us, and I snap out of it.
Trying to pry my hand away without making a scene is impossible with his steel grip. Kian pulls me through the crowd and up the wooden steps. The idiot knew about this game, and it’s the reason he dragged me down here. It’s his only chance to get a date with Cassie, and I’m not just his buffer; I’m his excuse.
While I plan how I’m going to hurt him once I’m off this stage, Kian happily introduces us. Our linked arms make us appear as a friendly pair, but it’s more for his safety.
I barely hear the host’s stupid joke about joining the game himself to get my number. My expression quickly shuts the laughter down, and he turns back to the crowd to scour for one final victim.
Under the bright lights of the stage, I discreetly elbow Kian, forcing him to duck his head so he can hear me. “You owe me. Big time.”
He nods happily, not at all thrown by my deadly glare.
The crowd is livelier this time. It doesn’t surprise me because Amelia is a catch. Her curly blonde hair is pushed back with a brown bandana, and the innocent tutor look is racking up interest. I recognize a few people from campus raising their hands, but only one catches my eye.
“No fucking way,” Kian whispers in disbelief, voicing my exact thoughts.
Just like that our third contestant walks on stage and parks himself beside me. I do my best not to gawk at Aiden as he converses with the host.
He’s easygoing and personable on stage, a complete contrast to the raging bitch I’m channeling. He puts an arm around Amelia who smiles sweetly. His type isn’t clear to me, but I didn’t expect it to be one of the contestants of a Valentine’s blind date game.
The host explains the game called Paper Dancer, where each couple has to dance on a square of paper that’s folded into a smaller square every round. The objective is to dance without stepping off the paper.
It’s a ridiculous game, but I can’t exactly run off the stage. And Aiden Crawford volunteered, so the competitive girl in me wants to make him lose.
My blind date introduces himself. “I’m Shawn.”
“Summer,” I take the hand of the tall, curly-haired singer.
“You know, our stage manager forces us into these, but I would’ve volunteered after seeing you.”
I laugh. “Thanks. Though, I would do anything not to be here right now. Nothing to do with you.”
He chuckles. “I assumed so from the way Ishida dragged you up here.”
When the lights turn pink, the papers are placed on the floor by each pair. A deep voice pulls my attention to couple number three.
“You play guitar? I’ve always wanted to learn,” Aiden says, smiling at Amelia.
Since when? Not once has he mentioned wanting to be musically inclined. Though I’m certain he’d be good at that, too.
“I can teach you. It’s not that hard once you practice a few chords.”
“You would? If it helps, I’ve been told I have pretty good hand-eye coordination.” The smile he gives her is as innocent as a boy sitting on a church pew. It causes a sweet laugh to bubble out of her.
I snort, bringing their attention to me.
“You okay?” Shawn asks. I look away from a smirking Aiden and allow Shawn to take my hand. I fix my feet between his on the small paper.
Round one is simple enough that we all pass, which is unfortunate because the sooner this ends, the sooner I can strangle the idiot I call my friend.
Round two means another fold. Shawn lifts me in his arms to tiptoe onto the paper. I look over at Kian, who has Cassie step onto his shoes as they dance, completely lost in each other. I don’t have much time to dwell on the sweet moment because Shawn tries to sway, missteps, and loses his hold on me. A chorus of gasps from the audience hits me just as I plop onto the wooden floor with a screech.
If I just lie on the floor maybe an angel will carry me away. Or a gremlin under the stage might pull me into his embrace. Anything would be less mortifying than facing the audience.
A large hand is the only thing I see through the bright stage lights. When I don’t take it, because I feel so disoriented I’m not sure I can figure out how to grab it, the hand slips around my waist and lifts me in one swift move. From the utter strength of my savior, I know who it is.
“Are you hurt?” Aiden asks. The bright lights illuminate the green in his eyes and the golden brown of his hair. He looks angelic. Maybe I hit my head too.
The hand on my waist tightens. “Summer,” he urges.
I snap out of it. “I’m okay.”
Aiden doesn’t look away and neither do I. His muscular arm sears my waist, and his gaze warms my face. Shawn lets out a frantic apology, and I detangle myself from Aiden.
“I lost my balance, and I couldn’t hold on. I’m so sorry, Summer.’
Aiden’s jaw tenses as he lands a scathing glare at Shawn.
“It’s okay, it was an accident.” This is a stupid game anyway, and the only one I’m mad at right now is the guy unaware of anything but Cassie in his arms.
The host makes sure I’m not going to sue the place for injuries before he thanks us for playing. “We have our winners! Everyone gives a round of applause to Kian and Cassie!”
I realize Aiden must have left Amelia, so I made them lose too. The partial victory doesn’t feel good, but only because of the bruise forming on my back. When the crowd cheers, I’m off the stage and barreling through the lounge before Kian can rope me into something else. Metal doors screech when I exit through the back, and the February air cools my hot skin.
I’m calling an Uber when the door screeches again, and Aiden steps out. “You really wanted that date, huh?”
***
Aiden
BROWN EYES SHOOT me a glare that tells me I’m not on her good side tonight. Not that I ever am, but I thought helping her off her ass might have given me a few brownie points.
“No?” I smother a laugh. “It looked like you were falling for him.”
Her glare doesn’t go anywhere. “Funny.”
“No comeback? Are you feeling all right?” I bring the back of my hand to touch her forehead, but she bats it away. “If it helps, he feels pretty bad about dropping you.”
“I don’t blame him. I’m probably heavier than he expected,” she says. “But dropping me in front of all those people? Great for a girl’s ego.”
“That says more about his lifting capabilities than your weight. We both know how easily I can lift you.”
The reminder of how I held her body in my palms dances in the air between us.
Her gaze flickers before she drops it. “You left your date?”
“Amelia’s a beautiful girl, but it’s better if we part ways,” I say dramatically.
“Why? You were flirting with her the entire time.”
Summer’s magnetic pull brings me an unconscious step closer. “Focused on me, were you?”
“Hard to ignore that blinding douchebag smirk.”
“You’re really feeding my ego here.”
“My life’s purpose.”
“Aren’t you supposed to be nice? You’re giving a bad rep to Canadians.” With another step, I’m treading on thin ice.
Her back hits the wall this time. “Right, we have to be the nice ones so you can have free rein to be assholes.”
“I’m not an asshole.”
“I specifically recall ‘Fine, I was an asshole’ coming out of your mouth,” she says pointedly.
“That was to get on your good side.”
“You’re not on my good side.”
“Really? Because I think eating you out for so long my jaw was sore should bump me up on your list.”
I bask in the way her breath hitches. “You’re…vulgar.”
I assess the conflicting reactions she gives me. “You know, I don’t think you hate hockey players as much as you say you do.”
She raises a brow, cheeks pink with heat. “And why’s that?”
I still haven’t touched her, and it’s beginning to feel impossible to keep my hands off her. She only has to appear in front of me for my fingertips to inevitably find her skin. What puzzles me is that she’s always accepting my touch, and leaning into it as if she wants this as bad as I do, but she does everything not to come to me, not to let herself touch me like she did that night in her dorm. I allow my hand to hover over the material by her thigh. “Because I have a feeling if I slipped my hand under this tiny dress, I’d find you wet. For me.”
“What makes you think your hand will get the privilege of going there?” Her voice shakes, the confident words not acting as the facade she hoped.
“The last time I touched you, you begged me not to stop. I’d say I have a pretty solid chance.”
“That was you? Huh, I totally forgot about that.”
Yeah, right. There’s no way she forgot. I’ve been going mad thinking about how she moaned my name.
“Is that right? So, I wouldn’t find anything that says otherwise?” Everything in me needs an agreeable answer. I’m not sure how much clearer I can be about wanting her.
“You’d find me dryer than this conversation.”
My knuckles beg me to skim the soft skin of her thigh, but I only allow myself to hover over the warm center that’s calling my name. Despite her nonchalance, I know what I would find. I’ve tasted what I would find, and there is no denying that she’s attracted to me, no matter how she spins it.
The pounding of the pulse point on her neck becomes prominent as a shiver dances along her skin. “Cold?” I tease.
Blazing eyes pierce mine, but no words leave her mouth.
“Ask me to touch you, Summer.”
I hope to God the next thing that pushes past those beautiful lips is a moan, and not an insult. Though it turns out anything this girl says turns me on.
“T—”
An annoying screech breaks through the lavender haze, and Summer instinctively pushes me away. Kian finds us standing there like culprits in a major crime. “What are you two doing out here?” He shakes his head when he doesn’t get an answer. “Second and third place get a prize too. Come on, we’re waiting for you.”
“I wouldn’t step foot on that stage again even if they were giving away college degrees,” snaps Summer. “Besides, my Uber’s here.”
“You’re leaving? We came together. I would have taken you.”
“You also tricked me into playing that stupid game. Forgive me if I’m not your biggest fan right now.”
“Sunny,” he says, defeated.
“Keep that I owe you ready, Ishida. You’re going to be working overtime to make it up to me.”
Kian runs a frustrated hand through his hair and looks at me for assistance. I shrug. I’m annoyed that he interrupted us, so watching him struggle is pure entertainment.
“Let me at least take you home,” he tries again.
She rips her focus away from her phone. “It’s in your best interest not to be alone in a car with me right now.”
Not being the subject of Summer’s rage for once is a welcome change. A white Tesla lights up the road.
“I’m sorry, okay?” Kian says. “But even you know this was my only shot at a date with her.”
The gravel crunches under her heels when she pivots. “I never said I didn’t get it, Kian, and I’m happy you won. But you could have just told me the truth.”
“You wouldn’t have come.”
“And I wouldn’t have wanted to strangle you either. You decide what’s worse.” She ducks into the Uber, leaving us in the dark alley.
Kian runs a frustrated hand over his face. “How forgiving is she?”
My pointed look must convey my answer.
“I guess I have my work cut out for me then.”
