Wild Love (Campus Nights Book 4) Read online

  The Wildcats season is over, and camp isn’t until July. No rest for the wicked, though. If I want to keep myself from being sent down to the minor league team, I need to start contributing immediately.

  “It isn’t going to be the same without you,” my buddy says.

  “It wouldn’t be the same regardless.” I take a seat in the recliner next to him. “Rauthruss and Scott are both done, and there’ll be a new group of rookies…” My voice trails off, and I’m hit with the finality of my decision.

  I’ve signed, and there’s no going back now. I hope I made the right call. My dad, for all his faults, is a smart man, and he seems to think I made a good decision. And believe me, he doesn’t approve of many of my actions.

  “I know. I’ll miss playing with you, though.”

  “It isn’t too late. You can come with me. We can start our pro careers together.” I smile and pretend that I think there’s a real chance he might take me up on it. He won’t.

  He isn’t going anywhere until he has a degree. I respect that. Heath hasn’t had the easiest path getting to where he is. He doesn’t take any of it for granted. He wants a fallback plan. Me? Well, I guess the money in my bank account gives me the freedom to not worry about what happens if hockey doesn’t pan out. And they say money can’t buy happiness.

  He points at me and then waggles his finger. “Two years, and then I’m coming for you.”

  “Can’t wait,” I say, honestly. He’s already been drafted by the Coyotes, and I’m looking forward to meeting him on the ice. Who knows, maybe someday we’ll even be on the same team again.

  “The guys want to have some time, just the four of us, before everyone comes over. You ready?” His gaze drops to my bare chest with amusement.

  “You said it was a shirtless party.” I run a hand across my pecs. “I even put on some of that shimmery lotion Ginny’s always leaving around your apartment. It really does catch the light and accentuate my best assets.”

  He laughs, shaking his head, and smiling at me. “Fuck I’m going to miss you.”

  Upstairs at their apartment, we find Adam and Rhett outside on the deck. It’s hot today, but there’s a nice breeze. They stand and show off their shirtless torsos. I laugh, and Heath pulls off his T-shirt as well.

  “Aww, you’re all going shirtless for me? That’s the best going-away present ever. Maybe we should just make it a naked party. Let’s get weird.”

  “Keep your pants on,” Adam Scott comes forward and hugs me, slapping me on the back twice. “Congrats, man.”

  “Thank you.”

  Rhett Rauthruss is next. He embraces me quickly and then steps back and adjusts the Bruins hat on his head. “I might have to start cheering for my home state team now.”

  “Eh, I don’t care if you cheer for the team; just coming to watch me play will be enough.” He’s from a town not far from the Wildcats arena and moving back there after graduation to work with his family.

  He laughs quietly. “Definitely.”

  Heath brings out the Mad Dog, my favorite drink, and hands us each our own bottle.

  “Oh fuck, I don’t know if I can drink an entire one of these,” Scott says as he gets a whiff of the sweet liquor.

  “Party rules,” Heath tells him and holds up his bottle. He’s the only one staying. Technically, Adam will still be in Valley while he goes to medical school, but the team won’t be the same. “It’s been a wild ride playing with the three of you, living together, drinking, just hanging out. Congrats to all of you.”

  “Cheers.” Rauthruss is the first to clink his bottle against Heath’s, and Adam and I follow.

  “Cheers.” I take a long swig, swallowing down the emotion swirling with it. “Let’s get ridonkulous!”

  Their girlfriends are the next to arrive. Ginny, Reagan, and Sienna file out together and go straight to their boys. Dakota is with them, and when I get a good look at her, I bark out a laugh.

  “That for me, sweetheart?”

  “I heard shirts were optional,” she says, batting her lashes and doing a spin that sends her red hair whipping around her head. The shirt, or scrap of white material, barely covering her tits, is held up by two thin straps around her shoulders, leaving most of her back bare too. She’s lean, and tone from running, and her skin looks soft and tempting. She’s gorgeous on any given day, but when she’s trying to impress, she could kill a man.

  “I approve. Every day should be a no-shirt day.”

  “You can’t handle all this every day, Johnny Maverick,” she says with a teasing tone.

  “Man, but I’d love to give it the ole college try.” I scoop my arm around her back and pull her against my hip. Just like I thought, her skin is soft, and she molds perfectly to my side.

  She swats at my chest. “I think I might miss you.”

  “I’m definitely going to miss you.”

  Someone starts the music, and more people join us outside. Dakota starts to move away, but I tighten my grip.

  “Dance with me?”

  “Now?” She looks around. No one else is dancing, but I give zero fucks. I’ll take any excuse to keep her at my side.

  “Yeah. Now. Later. All night.” She has a slender but athletic build, and she’s a great dancer. I can’t think of a better way to spend my last party at Valley than dancing all night with the best chick I know.

  “Maverick!” a freshman teammate calls out to me as he approaches, holding up a bottle of Mad Dog.

  Kota opens her stance to acknowledge him, and I reluctantly let her go. I always let her go. She’s too beautiful. Too smart. Too rad. Too everything for me. Yeah, I’m definitely going to miss her.

  With one last look in my direction, she hits me with those sexy blue eyes. “Enjoy your party, Johnny.”

  3

  Dakota

  The guys’ apartment is packed tonight. People crowd out onto the deck and into the living room. It’s a real possibility we’re over capacity on this creaky deck. But at least we’re only on the second floor.

  “Okay, so I know we were mocking the optional shirt tagline for the night, but holy shit, why did we not think of this sooner?” Reagan looks around from where we sit on a couple of loungers on the right side of the deck, and I follow her gaze.

  She’s not wrong. Most of the guys took off their shirts in honor of Maverick and some girls too. When I pulled the smallest shirt I owned out of my closet, I had no idea I’d be one of the most dressed people at the party. I should have. Everyone loves Maverick. He’s easy to love. He’s fun and generous, and he has this way about him where he makes people feel included and important. When he’s talking to you, he gives all of him.

  He’s a shameless flirt, and I’m not sure how much of what comes out of his mouth is actually serious, but he makes people feel good, and that’s worth something.

  “First order of business next semester, throwing a shirtless party in our new apartment,” I say to Ginny and Reagan. The three of us are moving in together now that Ginny can move out of the dorms. We’re staying in the same complex, just moving into a three-bedroom place.

  They nod eagerly as if they don’t have hot boyfriends they see shirtless on the regular. I don’t call them on it. It’s a rare moment that my friends are by my side at a party and not with their boyfriends, and I’m enjoying it.

  Everyone is trying to soak up time with the people they won’t see, and my friends will see their boyfriends. Each one of them is not only coupled up, they’re deliriously in love. And I feel like I’m never going to get past the talking phase.

  Reagan says I’m too picky, but I really don’t think that’s it. I just want more than “Hey girl, what’s up?” texts that are followed by a string of get-to-know-you questions that tell me nothing about the guy I’m talking to. There has to be a better way.

  “Is that the same girl Maverick left with last night?” Ginny asks.

  I’m already aware of exactly where he is and who he’s with, but I watch with the rest of my fri
ends as Vanilla Fields places a hand on his forearm and leans forward.

  She’s beautiful. Curvy, big blonde hair that looks like she walked off the stage of a beauty pageant, and she skipped a shirt altogether and wears a black lacy bra that barely contains her boobs.

  “One of them,” I say and force myself to look away.

  I feel the girls’ questioning gazes on me, and I explain how I stumbled onto him walking two girls out of his apartment this morning.

  “He was looking for you last night,” Sienna says. “It could have been you in that Johnny sandwich.”

  My chest flutters. “No chance. I would have gladly taken Charli to my place, though. The things that poor dog has seen.”

  “Well…” Ginny stands. “My man is looking far too sexy to be left alone.”

  Reagan nods in agreement. “Yeah, I need to go intervene before that girl standing next to Adam touches him one more time. Does anyone have bail money just in case?”

  I snort-laugh. “No. Behave yourself. He loves you.”

  “He does. Doesn’t he?” Dimples dot her cheeks on either side. “You good?”

  “I’m good. Have fun.”

  Reagan and Ginny make a beeline for their men, but Sienna stays sitting beside me.

  “Go,” I say, aware she’s probably staying so I’m not alone. “I’m going to get another drink and then do a lap and scope out the ab situation. Did you see Liam? I did not expect all those muscles under his polo shirts.”

  “Are you okay?” she asks. Her brows pinch together, and she studies me closely.

  “Yeah.” I smile and shift uncomfortably. “Of course. Why?”

  “You and Mav… I thought maybe the two of you…” She doesn’t finish either sentence, and I hang on her words, wondering why she might possibly think the two of us would be a good fit.

  “Me and Maverick?” I ask, disbelief in my tone, but that fluttering thing happens in my chest again. “Why?”

  “Just a feeling when you two are together.” She shrugs and looks from me to him. “There’s more to him than he puts out for most people to see.”

  “There is?” I take in his muscles and tattoos.

  Vanilla Fields is still talking to him, and he laughs at something she says. His whole body shakes with it.

  Sienna angles her body and rests her knees against mine. “When I had my skating accident last year and was in the hospital for a month, Maverick sent me flowers every single day. Every day. It was always some bright, happy bouquet.”

  “Sounds like he was into you.” That wouldn’t surprise me. Sienna is sweet, beautiful, and a super talented figure skater.

  “No, that’s the thing. He never sent a note or said anything about it. He didn’t want me to know they were from him.”

  “I don’t understand.”

  “I got curious and called the florist. They wouldn’t give his name, but their description was enough for me to put the pieces together.”

  I try to picture Maverick walking into a flower shop and ordering a dozen bouquets. Surprisingly, I can see it. The thought makes me smile.

  “People don’t give him enough credit. He loves big and wild.”

  “And often,” I point out.

  “Jealous?” She smirks.

  “No. Definitely not. I could never be with someone like that. He doesn’t take anything seriously.”

  “All right.” She places both hands on her thighs. “If you’re not going to stop Mav from having a repeat with blondie over there, then do you want to dance with me?”

  “Dance? Where?” It’s packed out on the deck and in the living room.

  “Rhett’s room. He pushed everything to one side for us.” She grins. “One last dance party?” She holds out her hand, and I place mine in hers.

  “Absolutely.”

  It’s just the two of us at first, but the music calls to more people, and by the third song, Rhett’s room is packed with girls dancing and singing along.

  And where girls gather, boys are sure to follow. Smiling and feeling free and happy, I glance over and catch Maverick watching me from the doorway. His signature smirk is in place, but his eyes don’t light up with humor in the same way they usually do. My breath catches in my lungs, and I blame Sienna for the seconds that I hold his stare, wondering just for a moment if there could have been something more than friendship between us.

  He strides toward me, and I pause my dancing. “Having fun?”

  It’s rhetorical. Johnny always has fun. It’s his only mode. I’m sticky and breathless from dancing, and my throat is thick, making it hard to breathe. All the talk of lasts and people leaving has made me emotional. The alcohol probably isn’t helping.

  Johnny moves to the beat in front of me. We’ve danced before, but I’ve never felt this awkward about it. I’m so aware of every breath and the strum of my pulse, growing faster with every second.

  His chin dips, and he circles my waist with a strong arm, taking over and swaying us to the music. My body tingles everywhere his warm skin touches mine, which, thanks to the lack of shirts, is a lot of surface area.

  I stare anywhere but at him—down at our feet, at Sienna, who flashes me a smile as Rhett pulls her from the dance floor, probably to a secluded corner somewhere to make out. I look anywhere but up at Johnny’s face until I can’t take it any longer.

  The tips of my ears burn with that feeling of being watched, and I lift my head and lock my gaze on his. I wonder if he feels it too—this sadness that we won’t have chances like this again. Sure, we might see each other again someday, but it’ll never be like this. It’s a now or never moment, and you can’t be in that moment and not wonder what if. Right?

  I can’t read anything on his face. The smell of vanilla hits my nostrils, and I turn to see the blonde from last night dancing beside me. When I glance back, Mav’s gaze slides from her to me again, squashing whatever moment we were having.

  Vanilla falls in behind him, and he presses closer against me.

  I lean in so he can hear me over the music. “I’m going to get some air.”

  “Want some company?”

  A light laugh escapes my lips as Vanilla glides her fingers around his stomach. No Johnny sandwich for me tonight.

  “I’m good,” I say and step away, letting her have him. I blow out a shaky breath. It’s probably time to switch to water.

  When I reach the kitchen, Adam’s pulling on a T-shirt, and Reagan has her purse on her shoulder.

  “There you are,” she says. “Are you in for one last late-night game of sardines?”

  I nod. The fresh air should help the heat coursing through my veins.

  “Have you seen Mav?” she asks, looking around.

  “I don’t think he’s going anywhere except to his apartment for a repeat with the chick from last night, and I’m pretty sure Sienna and Rhett are off somewhere having sex.”

  “I’ll grab everyone,” Adam tells us and drops a kiss to Reagan’s lips. “Meet you outside.”

  I run into my apartment to grab my phone. I left it earlier tonight when I headed to the party because I don’t have any pockets and couldn’t wear a bra either to stick it in.

  I’m scrolling through notifications as I walk back outside. In the short time I was gone, Adam’s managed to gather everyone. Even Maverick.

  The eight of us walk toward campus in the dark. We’ve done it a hundred times before. It’s sort of our thing. Late-night parties often led to some combination of us and whoever we were talking to at the time playing sardines on campus. But tonight, as the school year is coming to a close, everyone is paired up except Mav and me.

  “I’m surprised you came,” I say as I fall in beside him. It’s a short walk, but we wander slowly. The happy couples in front of us spend as much time hugging and kissing as moving their legs forward.

  “Are you kidding? This was my idea. One last time.” He stares straight ahead, and his jaw flexes.

  “What about Vanilla?”

  He sh
rugs. “Maybe she’ll still be around later.”

  Of course she will. The party won’t stop without us, and when we get back, he’ll have a selection of girls to pick from.

  “Besides.” He moves closer, and his arm brushes mine. “You’re my favorite partner, and we get to hide tonight. I have the perfect spot. Been saving it up for this.”

  When we finally reach campus, Maverick leads me to his perfect hiding spot while the rest of the group gives us a head start. Over the years, we’ve set some boundaries to where we can hide, but we’ve never lacked creative ways to play the game. Inside fountains, under tables, behind trees and columns. It’s so much more than finding a good hiding spot. Staying quiet and still, things Maverick always struggles with, are what usually get people caught.

  Tonight, staying quiet isn’t a problem. I’m lost in my thoughts, wondering what next year will be like. Will those of us still at Valley come here? No, probably not. It won’t be the same. I can’t believe I’ve fallen into the same bout of melancholy my friends have. It isn’t sadness that they’re all leaving. I’m happy for them. They’re all going to do incredible things. The problem is, I’m not.

  “Everything okay?” Mav asks as we approach the library. They’re doing construction on one side. Heavy, translucent plastic hangs down, covering the work area.

  “Yeah.” I force some pep into my tone. “Yeah, I’m good.”

  “Not sad we’re all leaving?” He sticks out his bottom lip into a pout.

  “I am, but I’ll still talk to Sienna, and she’ll fill me in on Rhett, and Adam isn’t going anywhere.”

  “And me?”

  “I’ll miss Charli,” I say with a cheeky grin. “Will you send me pictures of her occasionally?”

  “Babe, if you want dick pics, then you just gotta ask.”

  I laugh despite myself, and he holds back the plastic to let me go ahead of him. A light hangs above me, casting a soft glow on the area, but otherwise, the space is open.