Page 94 of Play It Sinful

I freeze for a second, then laugh without humor. “Are you for real? You weren’t there when I needed you the most, Sean.”

He winces. “That was different.”

Tears fill my eyes again, but these are angry tears. “It isn’t, and the fact that you think it is tells me you’re still an asshole.” I walk around him and try the door. It’s locked. “Hell!”

“It won’t open from the outside,” he deadpans.

“Fucking great,” I mutter then stride away from him.

He follows me, but I pretend he’s not there, just like he pretended what we had could be tossed aside as if it were nothing. I can’t believe it took only one touch from him to bring back all those feelings.

I guess I was kidding myself. There’s no getting over him.

CHAPTER 42

ASHLEY

FOUR WEEKS LATER

Istep out of my room and find my roommates—Fiona, Lauren, and Kerrie—getting ready for their bi-weekly D&D game night. Fiona and Lauren are theater majors, and Kerrie is a film major like Gia. I met them during my second semester at Hannaford U—the lowest period of my life—and they were a breath of fresh air. None of them gave a crap about hockey, or jocks in general, so hanging out with them was a no-brainer.

That meant I spent less time with Kadence and Scarlett, and eventually, we stopped hanging out altogether. I don’t even know what they’re up to these days.

I met Gia through Kerrie, and even though Gia wound up working for the Warriors, she became one of my best friends. It’s funny how life works sometimes. And then there’s Blair, the only friend who survived the post-Sean-breakup aftermath.

My roommates turn, and Fiona whistles. “You look fancy.”

I run my hand over my dress’s full skirt. “I’m going to a fundraiser. Who’s coming tonight?”

“The usual suspects—Donnie, Patricia, and Jackson,” Kerrie replies.

The doorbell rings, but since the girls are expecting company, it could be either their D&D party or Brian.

“It’s open,” Lauren shouts.

Brian walks in, looking sharp in his suit. His tousled brown hair is styled back, and he’s not wearing his glasses tonight. I wait for the butterflies to awaken, but they remain quiet. I haven’t felt any significant reaction to him since my moment with Sean at The Heritage. My relationship with Brian was fine until Sean fucked it all up. I hate that man.

“Wow. You look breathtaking,” he says.

“Thanks. You look nice too.”

He gives me a quick peck on the lips, then he turns to my roommates. “Hello ladies.”

“Hi Brian,” they greet in unison.

“So, big campaign tonight?” He walks to the dining room table to inspect their game setup.

Our house is five blocks from campus, and even though it’d be more convenient to be closer, we opted for renting a bigger house. It has four bedrooms—two of those with ensuite bathrooms—plus a large living room and kitchen, and a decent-size backyard. We also have a laundry room, which means no more visits to the laundromat. My roommates have similar tastes to mine—cozy and cool—and they let me hang my art on the walls. I love living here.

“Just the usual, but it’ll probably run late,” Fiona replies.

“No worries. We’re staying at my place tonight.”

That’s news to me. “We are?”

He turns, looking guilty. “Yeah. My roommate won’t be home. We have the place all to ourselves.”

I force a smile. “Can’t wait.”

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