Page 54 of The Bro-code

Ryker’s warm breath fans over my ear and down my neck and I’m fighting the urge to shudder.

“Hey Bay, Cole wanted to know if you wanted—is everything ok, here?” Jagger stops a couple of feet away from us.

“Everything’s fine,” Ryker grins, letting go of my wrist and grabbing the paper plate from my hand in one fell swoop. “Bay was being nice by sharing the last slice of pepperoni and sausage with me.” He takes a gigantic bite, wolfing down half the slice of pizza in one go.

I look as he walks away with my pizza with my mouth agape.

I can’t with this guy, I swear. Where’s a hockey stick and a puck when I need one?

“Are you sure everything is fine?” Jagger asks, looking confused.

“Peachy,” I bite out still shooting daggers at Ryker’s back.

“Did you and Ryker know each other?” his tone isn’t prying, just genuinely curious.

“No,” I shake my head. “Why?”

Jagger’s smile is relaxed, easygoing as amusement dances in his hazel eyes. “I don’t know, I could have sworn you did. You were bickering like an old couple.”

“Ha,” I snicker. “He wishes. No, I don’t know Ryker Moore. I’m just glad he didn’t move into the Gamma house though because he just took the last slice of my favorite pizza.”

Jagger’s smile widens and I can’t help but notice how his eyes look more green rather than golden under the kitchen lights. “I never noticed what kind of pizza you liked, but now that I know, I’ll make sure we order more of that next time.”

My eyes track the way his lips curve into that attractive smile. I suppress a shudder at the memory of those same lips against mine a mere twenty-four hours ago.

It was the best kiss I’ve ever had.

The thought strikes me as I find myself smiling back at him but I force my gaze away from Jagger’s mouth.

It doesn’t matter how his kiss made my entire body come alive, how soft his lips were and how playful and yet dominant. It doesn’t matter how good he smelled and tasted, how strong and ripped his body felt against mine. It doesn’t matter that my clothes felt like an unwanted barrier between me and said perfect body.

I came back to Star Cove with one goal.

Finish my degree and get the hell out of dodge. No hesitation, no doubts, no distractions. And most of all, no hockey players.

Destiny might have a sick sense of humor by making me move into a house full of hockey players within a day of coming back to campus, but that’s just a small inconvenience.

It doesn’t matter that one of these hockey players broke my heart into tiny, sharp shards that seem to bleed all over again every time I see him.

It doesn’t matter that my ex was right all along during his numerous fits of jealousy and that I do have feelings for my best friend.

It doesn’t matter that a guy who I’ve only ever known superficially turned out to be the best kisser on the planet.

Or that I almost had sex with another sexy—yet unbearable—hockey player. I’m dying to know if Ryker is as good a kisser as Jagger, when I’m not thinking about killing him, that is.

None of that matters because last year turned out to be a dumpster fire and my heart is too delicate to be taking any risks.

It’s actually good that Cole sees me purely as a friend.

It’s good that Jagger kissed me on some kind of dare and he’ll be back to his puck bunnies in no time.

It’s good that most of the time, I want to kick Ryker’s ass.

This girl has no emotional bandwidth for relationships this year. My heavy course load, my influencer empire and rebuilding the Zeta house will be enough to keep me busy and to protect my heart.

“Bay?” Jagger calls out. “Did you hear what I said? Cole got your favorite ice cream. He wanted to know if you wanted it plain or if you wanted to make sundaes.”

“No, thanks. Do you mind telling Cole that I’m going to call it a night? The last twenty-four hours have been intense and I got no sleep last night. I think I’m gonna turn in early, my first class is quite early tomorrow morning.”

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