More than Friends

“Yeah, but you’re a brainiac like Kat,” Tucker says. “That’s why you two get along so well. She’s always like Dean is so smart, and Dean is so funny, and blah, blah, blah.”

I roll my eyes at Tucker. “You make it sound like Kat has a crush on me.”

Theo smirks at me. “She doesn’t talk about you the same way she talks about Becca.”

“Why would she?”

“Just saying.”

We wait a few minutes in silence, which is a welcome relief after another awkward conversation with the twins about Kat. Regardless of my friendship with her brothers, I can’t tell them we hooked up. That would be grounds for a fight, and I would deserve any ass kicking I got from them.

Not that they would win, but they would at least have the right to a few punches on me, considering I betrayed their trust. My relationship with the twins complicates everything. If they were my teammates and nothing more, it would be easier to open up to them. Instead, I have to keep all the pain and guilt I harbor over losing Kat inside.

In one swift motion, Tucker jumps up on the ledge and brings his fingers to his mouth to whistle. “Hey, Kit-Kat, over here.”

My gaze travels from Tucker to the other side of the street, where I find Kat with Becca and a few of her classmates. She pushes her blonde hair behind her ears and then holds her hand up to her forehead to block the sun from her eyes. All she gives us is a tiny wave that we return, the disappointment having a domino effect on all of us.

“What the fuck is her problem?” Theo slides off the ledge. Without another word, he crosses the street and runs over to Kat.

Of course, Tucker hops down and follows behind him, leaving me no choice but to join in. By the time I reach the group, Theo is already chatting up Kat and Becca.

“Come to the SAC with us,” Theo says, tugging on Kat’s arm. “We’re hanging out with some of the guys.”

“I have to study,” she mutters.

“Just for an hour or two, and then you can go back to nerding out,” Tucker says, hopeful that she will come for once.

Kat peeks up at me from beneath light brows, her blue eyes burning a hole through me. She’s gorgeous, without a single speck of makeup on her face, and her skin is naturally glowing. Why did I have to fuck things up? Why couldn’t I tell how I felt? That could have made the difference.

Our experiment backfired, serving as nothing more than proof that Kat will never like me as more than a friend. The feelings were always there, only now, they have multiplied. My chest aches from the sadness in her eyes. She regrets what we did. I already knew that when she started to distance herself from me. It’s not like we haven’t had sex a handful of times. What has changed?

I move Theo to the side and pull Kat away from the group. “Can we talk?”

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; She sucks in a deep breath and lets it out, looking away from me. A tiny smile touches her lips, one she reserves for her brothers. Once our eyes meet again, she says, “I have to get ready for the exam tomorrow.”

“Kitten, c’mon.” I tighten my grip on her hand because I am afraid that if I let go, I will lose her forever. “Please don’t do this.”

“I’m not doing anything, Dean. I have to pass my classes. Unlike you, I don’t have a professional hockey career waiting for me. I have to work for a living, and if I want this internship, I have to keep my grades up.”

“You’re in the top of our class. The chance of you failing a final exam is about as slim as the Flyers winning the Stanley Cup.”

She laughs at my comment. “You had to bring hockey into it.”

I shrug. “Why not? It seemed to fit.”

Tilting her head to the side, she has a sexy look on her beautiful face that reminds me of the night we were together. I miss her so much my stomach hurts from the knife digging into it. Living without Kat has been awful. She’s my entire world. I just didn’t realize it until she wasn’t part of it anymore.

“Please, Kitten,” I beg, squeezing her hand. “Come with us for one hour. I missed you. Your brothers have missed you, too.”

“Okay. One hour and then I have to get back to work.”

I want to kiss her so fucking bad. But I remind myself that Tucker and Theo are watching us, along with Becca, and I’m sure whoever is walking past us.

“I will personally walk you back to your dorm in one hour.”

One hour is all I need, but it will never be enough.