Chapter 11

CHAPTER ELEVEN

Y ou’re Playing with Fire

Charlotte

Ruby said to meet her for lunch in the student center, so I am on my way there. I keep checking over my shoulder to make sure Raph isn’t around. It’s been over a week now and he’s still texting me, although he didn’t chase me after our last social media class. Finn may or may not have been the deterrent since he was waiting outside for me.

I spot Ruby near the Taco Shack. She waves and I nod, acknowledging I see her. She’s with Hayden, which is surprising because I don’t usually meet up with Ruby when she’s meeting with her brother for lunch because they usually talk family stuff.

“Hey,” I say to Ruby and lean in and give her a hug.

“What about me?” Hayden asks jokingly.

“You deserve a hug for taking me in,” I tell him.

“Nah, it’s cool.” He waves me off.

We all decide to order lunch from the Taco Shack. Ruby and I order the taco salad with chicken on it, while Hayden orders himself five burritos.

We spot an empty table and Hayden makes a dash for it as Ruby and I catch up to him. I haven’t even placed my tray on the table when Ruby says, “Campbell isn’t ready. I think we need to stay with Hayden for the next few weeks, at least.”

I place my tray on the table and sigh.

“We really don’t mind having you guys, Charlie,” Hayden assures. “The guys like hanging with you. It’s really no trouble.”

“So is this an intervention?” I ask, looking between my friend and her brother.

Ruby’s lips press together. “Rubes was worried you’d move into Adler Hall after you saw this morning’s email,” Hayden explains.

“I haven’t seen the email,” I admit, opening the email on my phone. I scan through my incoming emails to see I received an email from the Student Housing Office. I read over the main points and the gist is Campbell Hall will not be livable this semester, and the university is providing students with a refund. It also says Adler Hall is available for those who need emergency housing. I look up to my friend and her brother. “I can live in Adler Hall. The weather will get cooler in a couple of weeks, it won’t be that bad, and I could use the refund on the housing. It’s really a win-win.”

“I told you she’d be stubborn,” Ruby mumbles dryly to Hayden as he shoves a burrito in his mouth.

Hayden swallows his food, his Adams apple bobbing from the big bites he is taking. “Ruby doesn’t want you guys splitting up. We are seriously happy to have you living with us. The guys are raving about how clean the bathrooms are. Is there anything I can say to convince you?”

I’ve been scrubbing all the bathrooms in the house as a thank you to the guys for having me stay with them. I also can’t handle seeing grime on tiles. It drives me batshit so I’m really doing it for myself.

I exhale. “I appreciate how hospitable all the guys have been, and I’m so grateful to you for letting me stay as long as you have. Maybe if I paid you rent, or something, I’d feel better about this offer.”

Hayden shakes his head. “It doesn’t make sense. We all get a living stipend from the university, and we divide the extra expenses evenly. I’d rather not get involved with rent money, but if it will make you feel better, maybe you can make dinner once a week or something.”

I nod. “Thanks, Hayden. I would feel better if I did something for the guys.”

“So, it’s settled then,” Ruby says. “You’re staying in the hockey house.”

“It’s settled,” I agree. Then something inside me softens and I reach my hand out to my friend. “Thanks for always worrying about me.” I give her hand a squeeze.

“Always.” She blinks.

“Okay, I’ll leave you girls to take care of your sappy shit. I’m going to the quad to play some football with the guys,” Hayden announces.

Ruby and I both laugh and Hayden walks away.

For the next two weeks I avoid Finn Heaton like the plague, except for when I am working with the team, but I’ve always ensured we are not alone. I also asked Ruby to get me his cell number, and I texted him I didn’t need a chaperone after my social media class because my friend, Mila, saw Raph harassing me and offered to walk me home. It wasn’t completely true. She couldn’t walk me all the way home because she lived two streets away from the hockey house, but it was close enough. Finn never responded to my text message, but I know he read it because he didn’t show up to my class today.

“Ready to head out?” Mila asks.

I waited for her after class while she discussed something about her internship with Ryan. It didn’t fly past me that Raph was still in the lecture hall when he could have left the moment class was over.

I nod to Mila and we head out.

We only make it through the doors when Raph calls out my name.

“Charlotte, wait,” he calls out.

Mila gives me a worried look.

“Let’s just keep on walking,” I say to her.

She nods but Raph catches up to us. He places his hand on my shoulder and pulls me back.

“Stop being such a bitch about this,” he declares.

Whoa. I shrug him off and spin around to face him. “Don’t touch me. I have nothing to say to you.”

“That isn’t true. I made a mistake. Have you never made a mistake?” he asks. Is he really asking that after calling me a bitch?

“Falling into bed with two girls isn’t a mistake. It’s intentional,” I inform him, in case he missed the obvious.

“No, Charlotte, I told you. . .”

“Raph, I don’t want to hear it,” I retort. Then I look at Mila. “Let’s go.”

We continue to walk but Raph follows us.

“Shit, Charlie. He isn’t leaving,” Mila whispers as we pick up the pace.

“I know,” I say to her.

“Where do you live? I want to walk you home,” Raph offers.

I look over at Mila. She shrugs. My heart is beating fast in my chest because I don’t understand Raph. He seemed like such a nice guy. We were together a long time. He may have liked to tell me what to wear. He may have given me his opinions on the fact that he thought I was too into basketball, or that I shouldn’t be hanging around the players. It pissed him off when I would hang around the team, but I explained I was making connections for my internship. Even though he didn’t like it, he accepted it. I don’t know why he isn’t letting well enough be. I told him we were over and yet he is still hounding me.

“You don’t need to know where I live,” I tell him, but I continue walking.

“I should know how to find you,” he says to my back and by the closeness of his voice, I know he is too close.

“Shit, Charlie,” Mila whispers, sounding worried.

I look at my cell and text Ruby.

Me: I’m walking home with Mila and Raph is following us. Is Cade or Hayden home? I could use some backup.

“Is that hockey guy your boyfriend?” Raph spits. He catches up to Mila and me, only he is walking beside Mila.

“You should go,” Mila advises him.

“I’m not going anywhere. She is being a fucking bitch. She is the one who has some secret affair. She should just admit it to everyone so I stop looking like the bad guy,” he accuses, keeping up pace with us.

“Umm, are you crazy? I’m not having a secret affair,” I shout angrily.

“Bullshit,” he says.

Shit. Why did I think it was a good idea to tell Finn that he shouldn’t meet me after class?

Right. Because we want to jump each other’s bones and my future is on the line. We have left campus and we are walking on one of the side streets. I don’t want Raph to know where I am living. I also know Mila needs to turn on her street soon. My heart beats at an irregular pace as fear spikes my veins.

When I see the old Honda, I hiss. I wanted it to be anyone but him.

Finn stops his car beside us and gets out. “What is going on here?” he demands, watching Raph.

“Nothing, I was walking the girls home,” Raph says, sounding so innocent.

“Actually, he wouldn’t stop following us after I told him to get lost,” I clarify.

“Is that so?” Finn says and his jaw pulses. “There’s nothing I hate more than an asshole who doesn’t listen to what a woman wants.”

He stalks over to Raph and pulls him by his black T-shirt. I realize Finn looks freshly showered; his dark hair slicked back. He’s wearing basketball shorts with a white wifebeater and a pair of slides.

“Holy cow, he is hot,” Mila whispers wide-eyed, watching the scene play out.

“Listen, you fucker. You’re not to look at Charlie, you’re not to talk to Charlie,” Finn snarls, holding Raph close to his face. Raph is shaking.

“You can’t tell me what to do,” Raph retorts, being stubborn.

“Bud, I’m not playing games with you here,” Finn warns. “Charlie has made it clear she doesn’t want to talk to you. Don’t follow her around. You understand me?”

Raph begins to nod at a fast pace.

“Charlie, get in the car,” Finn orders. I like his demanding tone. Or maybe I like this alpha side of him standing up for me.

“I’ll see you later,” Mila says, waving.

“If your friend needs a ride, she should get in the car too. I don’t want to leave anyone on the road with this stupid scumbag,” Finn says. He gives Raph a harsh shove, pushing him away, and Raph tumbles backward on his ass.

We all get into the car and I blow out a breath. “Thanks for coming to get us,” I say to Finn, feeling very awkward after I’ve clearly been avoiding him.

He doesn’t look at me but he nods.

“Where does your friend need to go?” he asks instead.

“I’m at 25 Rockhill Road,” Mila states.

Again, Finn nods but doesn’t say a word.

We drop Mila off at her house. I thank her for coming with me tonight, not that it did much good, but it was still nice of her to offer to walk me home.

The tension in the car builds as Mila leaves and we pull out of her driveway.

“Do you want to tell me why you’ve been ignoring me since the night of the party?” Finn asks, and I sense the anger bleeding from his tone.

Oh dear.

“You know why,” I answer, hoping it will be enough to appease him.

“No, I don’t think I do,” he replies, and I turn to look at him. He scrubs at the five o’clock shadow along his sculpted jawline.

“We almost kissed at the party. I didn’t think I needed to spell it out for you,” I explain like I am angry, even though I’m not. It’s more like frustration I am feeling. I don’t think I’ve ever been this attracted to someone before. The tension between us is too much, and there is nothing I can do to relieve the storm that brews inside me when I am near this guy.

Finn remains quiet.

I think he isn’t going to bring anything about us up when he says, “What if we hooked up one more time? We clearly want each other and if we hook up, we can get each other out of our systems.”

“I thought you couldn’t stand me,” I reply, feeling surprised.

“I don’t like you, but I want you,” he admits. “I’m still pissed about you leaving me to sleep on the beach, although I think the problem is I am not used to being ditched,” he responds and he’s serious.

An ironic laugh escapes me. “Are you fucking serious? You want to tell me that you want me because I’m not chasing you?”

This guy is making my head spin.

“I don’t know. Maybe.” It sounds kind of like a question, which leads me to believe he is as confused about our attraction as I am.

“Well, I don’t get it either,” I confess since he is being brutally honest. “I am not attracted to athletes.”

“But you want me. I can see it in your eyes. I watch your breathing pick up when I’m close,” he shares, and his eyes drop to my thighs, which I have now squeezed together. “You’re wet for me, aren’t you?”

I lick my lips, inhaling while I decide how honest I should be. This is one of the most fucked-up conversations I have ever had, but I believe in trading honesty with honesty.

I nod.

His hand lands on my thigh. His skin is calloused and warm as he slowly moves his hand up my thigh. My breathing picks up and I grow wetter.

“We can’t do this, Finn. We both have too much riding on the line. If any of the guys find out, we’re toast.”

“Does Ruby know?” he asks.

“Yes, but she would never tell anyone. I know the guys wouldn’t intentionally throw us under the bus, but there could be a slip,” I warn.

“You’re right,” he hisses as his hand moves higher on my thigh, to the point it has disappeared in my skirt. His finger grazes my panties. “You’re soaked.” He begins to rub my clit over my panties and I moan, needing so much more. I want to have sex with him. Maybe he is right. We need to have sex to get each other out of our systems. Just thinking of his perfect dick fucking me makes me clench.

“Damn, Charlie,” he groans.

“We need to stop.” I hold on to the side of the door, as if that will control my reactions to him.

“You don’t mean that,” he says, and his finger picks up pace.

“One of the guys could see us through the window. As much as I want to come right now, I need to think straight,” I pant. “Fuck yes.” I’m a hormonal mess.

Before I know what is happening, Finn inserts a finger inside me and begins to pump. My hips move at a rhythm I can’t control as I seek the finish line.

I’m a moaning mess, breathing hard, and fucking Finn’s fingers.

“Come, Charlie,” he orders, and I fall over the edge, gripping the door handle and the seat. My eyes fall closed as I am engulfed in ecstasy, and once again, Finn doesn’t stop until he has left me breathless and sated.

“Fuck, Finn, that was really bad,” I say when I get my bearings back.

“Sure didn’t sound like it,” he scoffs with a coy smile, his green eyes glistening.

“You know what I mean. Anyone could have seen me come apart. I was riding your hand like a crazy fool,” I chide myself.

“It was hot, Charlie.” He takes his fingers and puts them in his mouth and sucks them. “Just as sweet as I remember.”

His words cause my pussy to clench again. The impact this guy has on me is frightening.

“Okay, we have sex once and get each other out of our systems, and then we’re done,” I state.

“Score,” he cheers.

I narrow my eyes to slits when I look at him. “You play dirty.”

“That’s the only way to play.” He winks. “Now, get that cute ass of yours in the house. Ruby was worried about you.”

I nod and grab my backpack. “Wait. When are we going to have sex?”

“You just can’t get enough of me.” He smirks.

My gaze drops to his crotch, where his very large cock is tenting his basketball shorts.

“I’d say the same goes for you,” I tell him and I leave the car. “Thanks for saving me again, Finn.”

He mutters something I can’t hear.

“You’re coming for the away game this weekend, right?” he asks.

I nod.

“Good, we’ll hook up at the hotel,” he plans and then he smacks my ass hard, just as he opens the front door, which means I stop myself from yelping as Ruby charges toward me and wraps her arms around me.

“Are you okay?” she asks, squeezing me hard before she pulls away and looks me over to see I am in one piece.

“I’m fine, thanks to Finn,” I state dryly.

“She’s more than fine,” Finn says, walking past us toward the kitchen.

“What was that all about?” Ruby asks.

“Don’t ask,” I reply, rolling my eyes.

“I’m asking, Charlie.”

“That was me being seriously stupid,” I tell her.

“Come, we better go to our room to discuss this further.” She pulls me by the hand to our new shared bedroom. I allow her to tug me to the room and, with the door closed, she drops my hand. “Take a seat on the bed and spill.”

Since I don’t keep anything from Ruby, I tell her what happened in the car and my plan to sleep with Finn at the away game.

Her reply is, “You’re playing with fire, Charlie.”

“I know.”