Page 12 of Hate to Love You

I grin at his assessment of the situation because it’s pretty much spot-on. I keep telling myself that I should lay off because I’m in no way endearing myself to her. But then she’ll walk through the door, and I can’t resist pulling her attention to me. It’s just too damn easy. Anytime I have the opportunity to mess with her, I take it. And now that Luke is dating her roommate, I’ll be seeing a lot more of her, which works out perfectly for me.

I lean back against the bench and grin. “Life’s short, man. You gotta take your pleasure where you can find it.”

Luke shakes his head, although the smile is still there. “That’s so twisted.”

I shrug.

Most definitely.

Chapter Five

Natalie

“I can’t believe I let you talk me into this,” I shout at Zara as Megan, a friend who lives in the apartment next to ours, pushes open the front door of the hockey house. It’s only ten o’clock, but the place is already packed with people. Music blasts from the speakers, making the walls vibrate. It’s so loud and raucous that I can barely hear myself think.

The best thing I can say is that everyone appears to be wearing clothing. I’ve been here a few times when there were games of strip beer pong going on. But let’s be honest, most of these girls don’t need an excuse to shed their clothing.

As soon as I pause, Zara loops her arm through mine. My guess is that she’s making sure I don’t attempt a jailbreak. Which, I’m not going to lie, I was considering. I want to be here about as much as I want extensive dental surgery.

Given the choice, I’d opt for the surgery. It would be a far more pleasant way to spend the next couple of hours.

“You came because you’re one of my best friends and you’re always here when I need you.”

I hate when she plays dirty. There’s very little I wouldn’t do for Zara, and she knows it.

“I’m giving this two hours and then I’m out.” I level her with a hard stare so she knows I mean business. “Got it?”

Grinning, she kisses my cheek. “Yep.”

“Good.” I glance around, watching the chaos as it unfolds.

The hockey players at this school seem to live by one rule: Play hard on the ice and party even harder off of it. It’s not uncommon for the police to get called when they have a massive blowout, although the cops do nothing more than slap the guys on the wrist. The whole town kisses their proverbial asses. If one or more of the hockey players got busted, they’d end up getting benched. And who knows how that would affect the team.

Without winning seasons and National Championships, Whitmore wouldn’t be the sought-out hockey haven it is today. No one in their right mind is willing to mess with that. Not the president of the university or the town that prospers from all the hockey fans who descend and spend their money here.

“Hey, babe.”

Within minutes of our arrival, Luke wraps his arms around Zara and pulls her in for a hug before attacking her face for an intense game of tonsil hockey.

Megan glances at me, and I roll my eyes. These two are incorrigible. Now that their relationship is out in the open, they’re constantly mauling each other in front of whoever is around. It’s PDA all the way.

Trying to look anywhere but at them, I let my eyes wander until they collide with amber-colored ones.

Son of a monkey.

I came here with the intention of avoiding two guys tonight. And I just made eye contact with one of them. No matter where I go lately, I can’t seem to avoid Brody McKinnon. It’s like some cosmic joke is being played on me. He’s the last person I want to see and the first one I run into.

I give him my trademark scowl, and a huge grin lights up his handsome face. His dimples pop in tandem. It wouldn’t surprise me if it’s a calculated move.

There’s a girl tucked under each brawny arm and a red Solo cup in his hand. He looks in his element surrounded by his adoring public. Which suits me perfectly. I hope he stays on his side of the room, holding court. The last thing I need is to get into another verbal sparring match with him.

He crooks a finger at me.

Is he serious?

Lowering my brows, I send a look of disbelief in his direction. Then I shake my head just to make sure he understands that I’m not a horny puck bunny at his beck and call. He grins again and untangles himself from his groupies.

I just walked through the door and already this evening is nosediving like a plane shot down over enemy territory that’s now in a death spiral. I’m not sure how I’ll last—I glance at my phone—an hour and fifty minutes if this is what the first ten minutes have been like.