Page 53 of The Bro-code

Topher narrows his eyes, probably aware of how much I’m enjoying this. “No, I had my own apartment before I got elected president sophomore year and I was allowed to move into the house. That suite has been my room for three years, I?—”

I slap him on the back—way harder than needed. “Let’s go, Bay just texted me that they’re on their way back to campus.”

When everyone else starts filing upstairs to help us move everything, Topher knows he’s lost this battle.

I made a promise to Bay that living here would be ok and I’ll do everything in my power to make good on that promise.

Getting her the best room in the house is an excellent start.

BAY

Moving night goes better than I expected.

I’m surprised when I’m moved into the presidential suite, rather than a regular room.

The guys order pizza for everyone and it’s… nice.

It’s almost like a movie night with my Zeta sisters, these men just eat a lot more and have different taste in movies. We’re watching an action flick full of car chases and explosions instead of a quirky rom-com and there’s beer rather than wine or a fruity cocktail, but I could definitely get used to a night in with the hockey team.

The only blemish on an otherwise nice night is the presence of Topher and Ryker.

“Hey,” I scowl at Ryker when we both reach for the last slice of pepperoni and spicy sausage. “I was here first.”

He has that permanent cocky smile on his annoyingly perfect face. “We grabbed it at the same time.” He argues. “Maybe we could share it?”

I narrow my eyes, ignoring the scatter of goosebumps that spreads up my entire arm when our fingers brush against each other’s. “The same way we shared that cinnamon roll at the airport? No, thank you. I was here first and last I checked, you don’t even live here.”

His smile widens, his ice blue eyes looking almost translucent under the neon lights of the kitchen. “All the more reason to be nice to a guest.”

Fat chance. “But are you really a guest? What’s your deal anyway? Aren’t you a Gamma brother? I thought all the upperclassmen lived in the house.”

“Are you asking me to move in together, Cinnamon?” he chuckles.

“Fuck no,” I snap, snatching the pizza while he’s distracted by the irresistible urge to provoke me. “I was just curious because you strike me as the frat boy type.”

He rears back as if I had slapped him. “You know nothing about me, Cinnamon, and you couldn’t be more wrong about me if you tried. I pledged Gamma Delta Tau because it was expected of me as a legacy. But it was obvious pretty quickly that this isn’t my scene. I became an inactive member after freshman year. Normally, I wouldn’t be seen dead at Greek fundraisers or in the frat house. But since the entire hockey team are brothers and I’m new here, I’m gonna accept their invitations to hang out. We’ll play better together if we get to know one another.”

That’s surprisingly sensible for a douche like Ryker. “Fine by me. Just stay away from my food and we’ll have no problem.” I say, biting into my delicious loot.

Rather than being annoyed by the way I’m obviously taunting him about having lost the last slice of pizza, Ryker smiles.

Another one of those cocky ones that seem to be his trademark. “What a shame,” he tuts, shaking his head. “You must have been an only child since you never learned how to share.”

“Ha,” I chide triumphantly. “You know nothing about me either, Ryker. Joke’s on you now. I have a twin sister.”

He tilts his head, letting those striking blue eyes roam over me, like he’s evaluating me. “A twin? It’s crazy that nature would take something so pretty and make a copy.”

The pizza slides off my hand onto the paper plate I’m holding. Did Ryker Moore just call me pretty?

“Besides,” he continues, taking a step forward and lowering his head to whisper into my ear. “I know enough about you. How you slightly move your lips when you’re asleep, as if you were about to whisper all your secrets. How wet you were for me in that toilet before you got cold feet because I play hockey.”

This fucking man.

How dare he talk to me like that? Heat rises to my face and not for the first time since we met, I’m unsure if I want to slap him across the face for being an asshole or drag him into the bathroom to finish what we started on the flight over to Star Cove.

“Stop being a douche,” I provoke him. “You don’t even like me.”

His fingers close around my wrist. “We aren’t all like your ex?—”

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