MIA: Enjoy your date, hot stuff.
I huffed out a laugh and typed a reply.
Me: You know damn well this is not a dat
Anthony: Keep telling yourself that, Cupcake.
It was not a date because I didn’t do dates. It was a bet. One that I wanted him to win.
Wait? Did I want him to win? He wins, I got an A, and he got my number? Was that how that went? Well, shit. I guess I did want him to win. Not that I had high hopes, but at this point, I would have tried anything.
My day had been an absolute nightmare. I woke up late for class, my second one ran long, and work called asking if I could do a double shift on Saturday. I wanted to let the entire week drain away. Instead, I dragged myself to the library to study with Jax. For real, though, I needed to study.
I wore my softest leggings, a light gray sweater, and my favorite pair of chunky black leather boots. Comfortable was the name of the game tonight.
I opened the large oak library doors and smiled. This place had felt like home for the last three years. My schoolwork was all online, but there was something special about coming here. The college had renovated the library a few years back, adding an extension to the entire east side. It gave the space a duality of traditional on the left and modern on the right.
I spotted Jax standing a few feet into the building and swallowed hard. God, there was something irresistible about a guy in an oversized sweater, sweats, and a ball cap. He looked good, relaxed in his skin, and I had to fight hard to keep my eyes from drifting downward.
As soon as he spotted me, his face brightened, and the corner of his mouth kicked up. His gaze drifted down my body from head to toe and then ever so slowly back up again. Jax’s eyes darkened when they met mine, but they looked a little sheepish. Busted.
He shrugged his shoulders, giving me a boyish grin that showed off his dimple. That was when I noticed he was holding coffees. My heart nearly jumped out of my chest.
“That for me?” I clasped my hands together to stop myself from grabbing it.
“Yes, hello to you too.” He held out the cup, amusement clear in his voice.
“You don’t understand how much I needed this.” Seriously, though, if he kept up with the coffees, he might get himself another stalker.
“I thought you might. I grabbed us a table in the back,” he said, gesturing with his head as he led us deeper into the older part of the library. Our desk was tucked around a corner, providing as much privacy as possible in a public space. We sat, and I made quick work of mixing my drink with the sugar and creamer packages on the table.
I took a sip and moaned in the back of my throat. Perfect.
“That’s the best thank-you I’ve got in a while.” His voice was a low rasp.
I ignored my hot cheeks and took out my laptop, opening the OneNote document I’d created for this class. It was easier to keep firm boundaries in the professional setting of a lecture hall, but tucked away, even if it was in a library, made everything feel… different. I cleared my throat. “Thank you.”
“It’s my pleasure.” Jax cut into my thoughts and gave me a mischievous grin. God, no wonder women flocked to him.
He leaned on the table, a casualness settling over him. “Where are you from?”
“We’re going to do small talk now?”
His eyebrows rose. “Looks like it.”
I huffed out a laugh. “Here.”
That perked him up. “Oh yeah? What school did you go to?”
“St-Clair High.”
“Ha! I went to St. Xavier. We kicked your hockey team’s ass.”
“Try again. We won Provincials all four years I was there.”
He smiled, his cheeks indenting with perfect dimples. “Your team cheated.”
I barked out a laugh. “Did not—”
Jax held up a hand to stop me from what would have been an epic tirade about why it was not okay to accuse a team of cheating just because you lost. “So you do like hockey? Just not college hockey?”
“Oh, I like college hockey.”
“But you didn’t recognize me at the pub?” The color drained from his face, and he looked like he sucked on something sour. “Wait? Did you recognize me and this whole rules thing is just a way for you to turn me down?” He took his hat off, ran his hand through his already messy hair, and sighed, “Fuck.”
I had to bite back a laugh. “I just don’t watch your team’s hockey games. I still follow my favorite.”
Jax’s brows drew together, and his face turned serious. “What team, Sidney?”
He leaned in closer, the intensity of his gaze growing hot until I shifted in my chair. I suddenly didn’t want to admit who I cheered for. “It doesn’t matter.”
“Tell me who your favorite team is,” he commanded in a low tone.
Dammit. He wasn’t going to let it go. “Brick Bandits.”
“No way. No fucking way.” His voice came out in shock, and his eyes widened. “They beat us in the playoffs two years ago. They’re why we didn’t make it to finals.”
I sucked in an apologetic breath between my teeth. “Yeah, they beat you pretty bad that time. It was a good night.”
Jax’s gaze snapped to mine before he laughed loud enough that we were shushed from the table a few rows away. “Sidney King. That’s blasphemy. You don’t need to worry about passing this class. They might kick you out for that.”
“It’ll be our little secret.”
“Hell the fuck no. I’m telling everyone.”
My heart rate spiked, and I had to swallow it down. “No, no. Like it’s funny between us, but there’s a whole lot of people who wouldn’t think it was funny.”
“Why do you think I think it’s funny?”
Oh shit. “Don’t you?”
A muscle worked in his jaw. He didn’t look upset, but his eyes tracked mine. He was working something out in his head. “When I win this bet, I want your number, and you need to come to a game.”
Oh, that was a bad idea. Something told me seeing him play was the last thing I should do. “I’m busy that night.”
His brows tugged together. “Doing what?”
“Watching the Bandits kick your ass on live TV.”
“You’re evil.” He patted his hands over his chest and abdomen and looked at his palms. “I must be bleeding with how hard you’re trying to kill me.”
“Stop being dramatic,” I said, smiling.
He leaned forward. His gray eyes were overtaken by the black of his pupils. “I’ll just have to win you over as a fan.”
I swallowed a shallow breath. “Good luck with that.”
He shifted closer. “I don’t need luck.”
“Why’s that?”
He was so close I could almost feel his breath. “I’m good at winning.”
I bit down on my bottom lip and locked my legs to stop myself from closing the distance. “And if I don’t? Become your biggest fan.”
He smirked. “I’ll tell Alex, and he’ll harass you until you do.”
“I’ll keep that in mind.” I looked away and took a sip of my coffee, finally freed from whatever magnet pulled us together.
“You excited about your internship?” he asked, keeping things light after the intensity of the last moment. Thank god.
I chewed on the side of my lip before answering. “Yeah, I really am. I’ve been working hard for this, you know?”
He smiled at me. “Nah, I know nothing about working hard.”
“Whatever. I’m sure you’ve had to work hard your whole life.” I was rambling now but couldn’t seem to stop. “I’d ask what you’re doing after graduation, but the entire school knows you’re going on to Boston.”
“Technically, it’s training camp first, then I start with the Bruins for preseason training.” He shrugged like it was no big deal.
I asked another question, “What are you most excited about?”
“That’s a tough one. Probably the bigger arenas. I can’t explain the feeling of hearing the roar of the crowd.”
“I thought you were going to say the chicks.” Energy buzzed through me at his smirk.
“Oh, well, them too.”
“Thought so.” I ignored the slight twinge in my chest.
“How about you, Sid? Are you a secret volleyball star?”
I scrunched up my nose. “No. Sports were never my thing. My mom and I were always really into politics.”
“Is that what your mom does, then? Politician?”
A dark, painful fog threatened to overcome me, but the softness in Jax’s eyes made it almost bearable. “My mom passed away when I was thirteen. She never made it, but yeah, that’s what she wanted to be.”
“I’m sorry for your loss.” His lashes shadowed his eyes, and he stared at the table for several seconds. Nodding to himself, he took a deep breath. “My best friend passed away a few years ago.” He met my gaze, and I could see the grief hidden there. There was an understanding between us now. We both belonged to the same horrible club.
He didn’t ask, but I found myself saying it anyway. “It was a car accident. A truck lost control and came into our lane. I was in the back seat but don’t remember anything after the headlights. I woke up in the hospital, and she was already gone.” I tugged at the collar of my sweater and turned my head, exposing the scar that ran from the base of my neck to my shoulder. “It’s how I got this scar.”
Jax scanned the scar, and his eyes filled with understanding. “My friend died in a car accident too. He was there one day and gone the next. It took a while to wrap my head around it. My mom did her best to make sure I was alright, but there wasn’t much she could do.”
It was a strange feeling sharing this moment with Jax. It was somehow both sad and comforting that he knew how I felt without me having to explain. We sat for a long moment, neither of us saying anything. Just soaking in mutual acceptance. Finally, I swallowed hard, nodding, and then we both silently agreed to move on with the conversation.
“So do you have any siblings?” Jax kept the question safe and easy, lightening the mood.
“No, my parents didn’t stay together long enough to have more, and my mom never dated after.” He raised a brow, but I didn’t explain further. “How about you?”
“It’s just me and my parents. They’ve been together for almost thirty years now.”
It struck me how different our lives had been. He obviously grew up surrounded by love, whereas my life couldn’t be any more different.
Jax huffed. “So, Sidney. What’s with the rules?”
I laughed. “I’m surprised it took you so long to ask. Success takes discipline, and discipline requires rules. And mark my words, Jax, I will succeed.”
His brows lifted. “I don’t doubt you.”
“Good.”
“So… you don’t date? Like…at all?” he asked, settling in his chair.
I shrugged. “I dated a guy for three years in high school, but we broke up when we went our separate ways for college.”
“Not into long distance?” He tapped his pen on the table. I noticed he always fidgeted in one way or another.
“It works for some people, but it’s not for me. Too easy to get caught up in your own life and forget about the other,” I answered. It wasn’t exactly the entire reason, but close enough for this conversation.
“But that was high school. You’re in your fourth year of college. You’re telling me you just wrote off all guys?”
I gave him my best what the hell face. “No… I’m a grown-ass woman, Jax. I can prioritize my own life, and right now, guys are not high on the list.”
His head tilted at an angle, and his eyes searched over my face. “So, what is on the priority list?”
“That’s easy. My internship. I’ve spent the last three and a half years working toward it.” I leaned back, mirroring his position. “Sacrifices were made, but I’m so close it’s all worth it.”
He stretched his arms over his head, opening his chest, and his gaze landed on my mouth. “What sacrifices?”
I shrugged. “Big ones.”
“Like?” His tongue darted out, worrying at his top teeth.
“No parties,” I replied, and his mouth popped open.
“No parties?” His voice lifted at the end.
I smiled at his surprise and continued. “No boyfriends.”
“Brutal.” He shook his head even as he asked, “You hooked up, though?”
“Yeah, obviously, I’m not an idiot.” I laughed at the relief on his face, and I asked a question of my own. “You get it, though, right? You have a big dream.”
His shoulders lifted and fell, a sly grin pulling at his mouth. “Funny enough, being a future pro athlete comes with more perks than sacrifices.”
He held up his fingers to list them.
One finger raised. “Invited to all the best parties.”
Two fingers raised. “I almost never pay for beer.”
He looked up and to the right, searching for another one, and his face lit up with a smile. Three fingers raised. “And unlimited hookups.”
I choked out a laugh. “Eventually, we all have to make sacrifices, Jax. You just haven’t figured out what yours will be yet.”
“Nah, Sidney. I’ve already got everything I want. Well, almost.” Before another awkward silence could settle in, he looked at our stuff spread over the table and rubbed his hands together. “Time to work on winning that bet.”
An hour into studying, bouncing questions off each other, we’d gotten into a groove. We had been ticking through all the major components of our syllabus, our seats slowly moving closer until we were sharing the same book. Jax was freaking smart. It was way sexier than I wanted to admit. He was flying through his work and breaking everything down into easy bite-sized pieces. Maybe studying with him wouldn’t be so bad.
“You’re good at this.”
“Surprised?” He narrowed his gaze as he adjusted in his seat. A wall went up behind his eyes, making him closed off and defensive while his hands fiddled with his book.
“No, Jax. It’s seriously impressive.” I tried to infuse sincerity into my voice.
His shoulders visibly relaxed, and his eyes briefly caught mine. How many people had made the mistake of underestimating him? His arm grazed mine, drawing all my focus to where we were touching. I had been inching closer to him as the night went on, reading over his meticulous notes and listening as he explained. When I asked questions, he listened attentively, never getting distracted.
A zing of energy had been growing between us, like a magnetic pull forcing me closer. My gaze drifted down to his mouth, so close it would be easy to lean into him for a taste. These weren’t library-appropriate thoughts, but come on, who could blame me? And this was why I needed rules because, without them, I would be falling all over Jax Ryder.
His phone vibrated, but he didn’t look at it.
We were both breathing a little too hard, caught in this trance. All of his attention was on me, and it was intense. I was a moth to a flame. That thought gave me pause. The story didn’t end well for the moth.
I broke first, leaning back, and reached into my bag for my water. “Aren’t you going to get that?”
“Nope. Not important.”
He didn’t even check it. Did that mean he thought I was important? My cheeks heated, and I turned away, hoping he didn’t catch it.
“Hey, Jax. I didn’t expect to see you here.” A beautiful blonde perched her hip against our table. She came out of nowhere and positioned herself with her back toward me. My anger rose when Jax seemed to recognize her. Who was this girl acting like I wasn’t even here?
Jax was quick. “Sid, this is Stacey.” He gestured his hand toward me.
Was it? No one had ever called me “Sid” before. Jax was studying me. His eyes narrowed in a challenge to see if I would correct him on his little nickname.
Her smile fell as she reluctantly turned to face me. Her eyes took in my simple attire and basic makeup. “Nice to meet you… Cindy, is it?”
Ha. Funny…
“I’m pretty tired. Want to call it a night?” I asked Jax quietly.
“You sure?” Jax’s expression darkened. If I didn’t know better, I would’ve thought he was disappointed.
“All of that studying has my mind fried. I’m not going to be able to fit anything else in anyway.” My words came out awkward and stilted while I went through my phone, setting up my Uber. The car was nearby, so it wouldn’t be more than a few minutes.
“I hear you on that one.” Jax nodded, and he gathered all of his stuff. He was practically ignoring Stacey, who stood there, mouth agape.
Once I was ready, Jax looked over at her. “I’m going with her.”
She made a huffing sound, but I turned to leave, letting him deal with that. I walked straight out of the building into the crisp night air, and I scanned the parking lot. I didn’t realize how long we’d been there. It was nearly black outside.
“Come on, I’ll walk you to your car.”
“Actually, I walked here.”
His sharp gaze found mine. “In that case, I’ll drive you home.”
A car pulled up.
“That’s okay, my Uber’s here. Have a good night, Jax.” I got into the car, straining all my muscles not to look back. God, a girl could get caught up in him.
