Page 49 of Shiver
“That’s all you do,” he says, eyes narrowing.
“I’m on a fucking scholarship. Being good at hockey isn’t enough to keep it. I need at least a C average in all my classes. All of them. And these classes fucking suck. Sorry if I can’t party with you every night anymore. Life happens, man.”
I’m distracted when arms wrap around me. Instinctively, my body stiffens. Especially when lips press against my shoulder.
Based on the way the guys are looking at me, I know it’s not who I’d welcome this touch from. Not that I thought it was. I know Rake’s touch. This is too… soft.
I shift. If I come face to face with Temca, I’m going to lose my shit.
It isn’t Temca but Jules, another puck bunny. She’s wearing this tiny fucking dress that barely covers anything. Seriously, I can see her damn nipples through the thin material. She smiles up at me. I appreciate that at least she looks more natural than a lot of them, including Temca.
“Hey, Egon,” she says, circling me so she presses against my chest. My semi deflates instantly as I look at her, trying to contain the scowl and the way my skin is crawling.
Hell, I don’t fucking recognize myself at all. Since when does a hot girl pressing against medeflatemy cock?!
The guys catcall behind her, and I try like fucking hell to smile. Even as my arms are held away from her, not wanting to touch her or encourage this.
Jules blinks up at me, batting her lashes. “I’d love to help you study. I’m a science major, you know.”
“Are you?” I ask, more in surprise than interest. But my question is taken as interest as she rubs against me. Unfortunately for her, that only discourages my dick more and makes me force away the shudder that tries to escape.
Actually, that thought should have been unfortunatelyfor me!
“Yep.” She pops the p. “And I’m currently sixth in our class. So, I can definitely help.”
The thing to do would be take her up on it. I can see the guys behind her, grinning and catcalling. Encouraging me in the way teammates do when they want to see their bro get laid. But my skin is crawling.
“Sorry,” I say, gently peeling her arms from me. She’s confused at first as I step away from her. “I already have a tutor and I’m going to be late. But thanks for the offer.”
“Seriously?” Johnson asks. “Dude, she’s not just promising study time, man.”
Jules pouts.
Everyone freezes and falls silent, their eyes snapping over my shoulder. Before I turn to see what has them all staring with unease, I feel his presence. Rake.
I have no idea what he’s doing here, but I sigh in relief. A smile much too big crawling across my face as I relax. Throwing my teammates a grin and giving Jules another apologetic one that’s all for show, I wave them off. “Told you I was running late,” I call to them.
Without waiting for an answer, I turn and start walking away with Rake at my side. His hand goes to the small of my back and the smile that spreads across my face can’t be helped.
SEVENTEEN
RAKESH
I’m running late leavingmy office, having been forced into a conversation with my officemate. She prattled on and on about something stupid and no matter how much I hinted that I needed to go, she wouldn’t shut up.
Until I finally shot to my feet and walked out. To hell with her. I had places to be.
And thus why I was walking by the hockey arena when I spotted Egon with a girl hanging off him. The blinding fury that raced through me had me stopping in my tracks as I stared. It was only as I did that I realized his hands were not on her and he was stiffly leaning away.
That only enraged me more. What the fuck is wrong with people thinking it’s okay to touch someone without invitation?
I stalk over as Egon grasps her wrists and pries them off him, holding her at arm’s length as if she were made of acid. I don’t hear what he’s saying until I’m close and then it’s not his words, but one of his teammate’s that stands out.
“Seriously? Dude, she’s not just promising study time, man.”
And then everyone stops and falls silent, their eyes locking on me. I’m not an overly big man. Most of these guys are, in fact, bigger than me. But however I’m looking at them—probably like a possessive psychopath—has their eyes widening in wariness.
Even though Egon doesn’t turn around, he knows I’m there. His shoulders release the tension as he takes a subtle step backward, closer to me. He grins at them before waving.
