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The craving to feel him against me again is a physical ache, and I clench my hands into fists as I try to push the longing away. I need to get over it. Over him.No. I don’t need to get over him because I was never under him. Or on him, for that matter. It was a few hot weeks of handsy fun. Which is why I shouldn’t be feeling this cut up about it.

Maybe it’s because I’ve never been dumped. Or at least, not that I can remember. I mean, I’ve never been in a relationship, so it’s hard to tell.

“Are you even listening to me?”

I look up at Drew in surprise. “Sorry. What?”

He shakes his head. “I don’t know what’s going on with you, but you need to pull yourself together. Don’t be an asshole to Lane. I hear he’s a nice guy.”

“Lane.” I snort. “What kind of name is that?

“This.” Drew points at me. “This is exactly what I’m talking about. Don’t do it.”

I roll my eyes feeling every bit the petulant child I’m being. “Whatever. I’ll be nice toLame.”

Drew swears under his breath and retreats back behind his desk. “Go sort yourself out and I’ll see you at eleven.”

“Fine.” I push to my feet, the anger I’d been burning with now fizzled to bitter resentment. “You’re driving, though.”

Drew fixes me with a look. “Donotgo and get drunk right now.”

I hold my hands up in mock surrender. “I won’t get drunk.”

He narrows his eyes, but I turn and leave, waving over my shoulder. I won’t get drunk, but that doesn’t mean I’m not going to have a drink.Lamebetter have vacated the fucking pool because I am not in the mood to deal with that blond-haired wanker any time soon.

Fucking Lane. He’d better stay in his, that’s for sure. Or there’s going to be trouble.

ALDO

I’m a glutton for punishment. Or an idiot. Maybe they’re the same thing. Standing outside Franklin West Hall, leaning against the cold stone, I wait for Doug to reappear. After practice, I hadn’t bothered showering, just getting dressed and out of there as soon as possible. I was too late to see where he’d stormed off to, but his car is still in the gymnasium parking lot, so I know he’s still on campus. It’s highly unlikely he’s gone to Grinds in the mood he was in, so I can only assume he’s gone to his friend.

The fact that he’s friends with the dean is one of the thousand reasons we should never have crossed the line between coach and student. If Dean Mason found out, Doug would lose his job and if I didn’t lose my place at Franklin West, I’d certainly lose the captaincy. My heart squeezes imagining the look of disappointment on my parents’ faces. I couldn’t do that to them. To Doug.

The door at the top of the stairs flies open and Doug saunters down the steps looking far more attractive in his white tee and black sweats than he has any right to after what he did to me at the pool this morning. His t-shirt stretches over his biceps, tight across his toned chest, his nipples clear as day thanks to the icy cold. He must have left his jacket in his office. If I’d known, I’d have brought it for him.

“Hey,” I say as he reaches the bottom of the steps.

He looks up in surprise. His light brown hair is a mess, and his beard is a little scruffier than usual. I clench my fingers in my pockets to stop myself from trying to pull him into a hug. After all, a hug is what pushed us off the tracks in the first place.

“What are you doing here?” he asks, looking around as though there might be someone with me.

I shrug. “I was worried about you.”

Something flickers across his face, but then he frowns, and it’s gone. “You shouldn’t.”

He turns to walk away from me, but I follow. “What did the dean say?”

Doug groans. “Aldo.”

“Just talk to me.”

He stops in his tracks, turning to face me. “Why? I’ve treated you like crap since the start of school. Are you some sort of masochist? What’s wrong with you?”

“I care about you,” I say, keeping my voice quiet. “Just because things didn’t work out between us doesn’t mean I stopped.”

Doug’s eyes narrow and he shakes his head. “Things didn’t ‘not work out’. You ended it. And you should never have cared in the first place. I’m your coach.”

I know what he’s doing—this pushing—so I ignore it completely. “I’ve seen you almost every day for three years. I’d have to be some sort of robot to not care a little bit.”

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