Stepping back, I glance away to see the tunnel has emptied out, except for a few hockey players joking around at the exit doors before they disappear outside into the cold.
“That was just me showing off as your fake girlfriend. You don’t mind, do you?” My head swims with the thoughts bouncing back and forth in my head. I almost want to run the hell out of here so I can sort through my emotion for the guy who seems to bring them all out.
I keep my expression blank as he stares down at me, his eyebrows pulling together, and he only shakes his head before bending down to grab the hockey bag he threw on the floor when I practically attacked him. A blush climbs into my cheeks as I replay what I just did in my head, and I want to smack myself. What if he didn’t really want to kiss me? Was it all for show as I pretended it was, when in reality, I just really wanted to kiss him?
“Right…fake girlfriend. Almost forgot there for a second, but don’t worry, it won’t happen again. Let’s get to class,” he says with his jaw ticking, and strides past me in angry steps through the doors leading outside.
Shit, maybe I read this all wrong? Does he want to kiss me just as much? My feet are moving before my brain catches up as I hurry after him. Damn him for his long legs, because by the time I’m gripping his shirt to stop him, my breath is coming in pants and I’m shivering from the Boston morning air.
“Just hold on a second, Granger! Are you mad? Why are you stomping around campus?” My fingers grip his bicep, which flexes under my touch, and my hand has a mind of its own as I start petting his hoodie sleeve, trying to soothe him.
He pointedly looks down at my petting, and a small smirk lifts the corner of his mouth just before he places his arm over my shoulders, heading towards the cafeteria hall. Pillows of snow cover the ground, but at least the sun is breaking through the clouds. All I need to make this day better is a cup of coffee. Granger buries his face into my hair, breathing in deeply and placing a light kiss against my temple. I stumble at the expected tender touch and feel his chest rumble at my side as he chuckles under his breath.
“I’m not mad, Kat.” He sighs and pulls away a little, but tucks me tightly under his arm. “I guess I don’t know what I want anymore. Hockey is all I live and breath, but it’s falling apart. My team is scared of me, and it’s my own damn fault. And then there's you, the feelings—” He cuts himself off when he stops walking, and out of the corner of my eye, I see a flash of red heading in our direction.
Turning my head, I stifle my groan as his ex-girlfriend bears down on us. I really wish I had that cup of coffee just about now, because I can’t be in this woman's presence again without opening my mouth. I don’t like her attitude and how she looks at everyone like they’re beneath her. She puts on a fake smile just as she reaches us, standing directly in front of us to block our path. She’s wearing a long expensive coat with high heels and flipping her red wavy hair over her shoulder in a flirtatious move, practically eating Granger alive with her gaze. She has it bad for him, and I wonder why she cheated on him in the first place if she wants him so badly. It couldn’t have been love.
“Granger! Listen, I want to apologize for my behavior at the party. I don’t know what overcame me!” She pops her hip out, puts her hand over her chest, and bats her fake lashes at Granger while taking a step closer to him. She doesn’t even look at me the whole time.
Granger shifts on his feet, quickly glancing down at me to see my reaction to her flirting, and his helpless look almost makes me smirk. Poor guy. Don’t worry, babe! Princess to the rescue! I mean, I am the fake girlfriend to keep the ladies away from him. I snuggle more into his warm body and place my hand firmly on his chest. Victoria’s gaze laser beams onto my hand with a glare as she snaps her brown eyes my way. A sneer comes over her face, giving away her reason for coming over here.
“Maybe it was all that booze, or maybe you want my boyfriend for yourself, but you lost that chance when you cheated on him.” I have no idea what just came over me and made me talk to her like that. Maybe Granger brings this side out of me, to stick up for myself and what’s mine.
I hold her widening gaze and watch in amusement when she literally stomps her foot and pouts at the stone-faced Granger at my side.
“Are you really going to let her talk to me like that?” she demands from him, but he doesn’t say anything. He holds her gaze as he moves his hand to stroke the side of my face in a loving way, and it’s almost as if he doesn’t realize he’s doing it.
When she notices this, she swings her hostile gaze right back to me and a slow smile creeps across her face. “Oh honey, if you think it was the cheating that makes him not come back to me, then you really need to open your eyes. Guess your boyfriend hasn’t told you everything. This isn’t over, Granger. You’ll be begging me to come back, it’s only a matter of time.” She blows him a kiss
