Page 3 of Collide
Her exasperated look tells me I’m in for a lecture. “Last semester you said you'd loosen up and enjoy your senior year. You said you would go out more, Summer. If I have to drag you along I will.”
I did say that. To be fair, it was after I cried over a particularly difficult assignment and Donny’s perfect score sent me over the edge. That’s when I vowed that I’d let loose because only focusing on school wasn’t making my grades better.
I shoot her a sheepish look. “But I have to start that proposal, and I have readings to do.”
She huffs out a breath. “Fine. I’ll go with Cassie, but you have to promise to take a few breaks.”
“Promise. I’ll even go for a run later.”
Amara’s head hangs in disapproval. “Not the type of break I was talking about, but I’ll take anything if it gets you out of here.”
2 | AIDEN
SHE’S WATCHING ME sleep.
Drawing away from the last remnants of my dream means I’m hyper-aware of my current surroundings. Either she’s enjoying the view, which I wouldn’t blame her for, or she’s planning on ripping off my skin and wearing it later.
The latter seems more likely because I fell asleep on her last night.
The welcome party at our house had gotten a little out of control. By a little I mean,extremelyout of control. When Dalton University's left winger and one of my best friends, Dylan Donovan, is in charge of a party, it’s meant to turn into a rager. Mostly because I decided not to be the one policing it. We had just come back from break, so it was the only time I’d let myself drink before the season starts up again, and I’m not sure how much I’ll regret that decision until I’ve seen the aftermath.
Opening my eyes means having to deal with the aftermath.
When Aleena, a smoking hot redhead, picked me out of the crowd to do body shots last night, it was only right that we found ourselves in my room, naked and all over each other. Though that didn’t last long because sleep debt is real, and I’m its latest victim.
I train every day and take a full course load, and when I’m not doing that, I’m keeping the guys out of trouble. So, as I laid her on my bed and kissed my way down her stomach, I fully knocked out. It would have been embarrassing if I was conscious enough to remember, but the sleep was so great I had no complaints.
“Morning.” I stretch my arms out and under my head, opening my eyes to see exactly what I expected.
Red hair pools on my chest and full pouty lips are trapped between white teeth. “Good sleep?” she asks. “I hope you’re not feeling too lazy this morning.”
Anyone else would have been emasculated by the comment, but I couldn’t be. Not when practically every girl on campus knows thatLazyandAiden Crawfordhave never been used in a sentence together. This was a one-off, and judging from her darkening blue eyes, she knew I’d make it up to her.
I chuckle. “Great sleep, actually.”
“Well, if you’re awake now.” She runs a red fingernail down my chest. “We can start the day off right.”
What kind of host would I be to turn down that offer? When her hand trails lower, I flip her under me and make up for last night.
By the time Aleena finishes up in the shower, I’m already downstairs making breakfast. Turns out women are big fans of steam showers, and I am the proud owner of the only one in the house. Rightfully so, because my grandparents had bought the house when I got accepted to Dalton. But that didn’t stop Kian Ishida, the team's right-winger and our roommate, from fighting me tooth and nail for it. The captain card never failed to win a disagreement, but now he’s across the hall with his loud music and constant pounding on my bedroom door.
I offer Aleena breakfast, but she only shakes her head in response before walking out the front door. I smile to myself. There is nothing better than a one-night stand that doesn’t try to be your girlfriend after.
Eli watches the exchange with raised brows. “That’s a first.”
“What is?”
“It’s past ten. You’ve never had a girl stay that long. Did you finally find the one?” His eyes widen with a grin that I’d like to punch off his face.
“I fell asleep last night before we got to do anything. It was only right.”
“How chivalrous,” he says dryly. “You’ve been exhausted lately. Think you need to cut back?”
Now, it’s my turn to laugh. Elias Westbrook, Eli as everyone knows him, and I have known each other since we were in diapers. His worry doesn’t irritate me like everyone else's because I know he says it with great caution, and I must really be cutting it close with practice and school if he’s saying something. “I’m fine. I’ve made it work for this long, what’s a few more months?”
He doesn’t seem to like that answer, though he only nods and plates his eggs.
“Sick party, guys.” An early morning straggler walks out of the house wearing just boxers, the rest of his clothes dangling from his arm. The pin on his jacket tells me he’s one of Dylan’s fraternity brothers.
