Defending Donovan (Face-Off Legacy/Campus Kings 6)

I lock the door behind me and then sink to my knees in front of her, taking one of her hands in mine.

She peeks at me from beneath her lashes and blue eyes that are watery study my face. “I feel like shit. I thought I was going to throw up, but instead, the room keeps spinning and nothing happens. I didn’t eat before I came over here. Don’t ever let me drink on an empty stomach again.”

“Do you want me to take you somewhere to eat? Or I can order something online and have it delivered to the house.”

She nods. “Yeah, how about pizza? I need carbs when I drink, or I end up getting sick.” Searching the bathroom, her eyes land on the medicine cabinet. “Any chance you have some Pepto or something that will settle my stomach in the meantime?”

“Yeah, let me check.” I sift through the cabinet and then the drawers until I find an open box of Pepto-Bismol. Punching out a few pills from the pack, I hand them to her. “Hang on. I think we have cups in the closet. Jamie gets up in the middle of the night for water. He usually keeps some in here.”

She takes the small bathroom cup from my hand and gulps down the pills.

I sit on the floor with my back against the glass shower doors, knees bent into my chest, and remove my cell phone from my jeans pocket. “What kind of pizza do you want?”

She taps her index finger on her lips. “Hmmm… how about pepperoni?”

I nod and open the app to place an order for delivery.

Taylor leans forward to touch my knee. “Will you eat some of it?”

I laugh. “Yeah, I can always eat.”

“I’m sure you can,” she says with a smile touching her lips. “I still think of how you told me you would eat me.”

“I will… just not when you’re ready to puke. I’m not really into taking advantage of drunk girls.”

She smiles, blaring a set of white teeth. “I’m not drunk just a little buzzed. You know, I wouldn’t have drank so much if it weren’t for you.”

I cock an eyebrow at her. “And how is this my fault?”

“You looked like you were ready to fuck Stephanie when I walked into the kitchen.”

My laughter shakes through me. “Are you serious? I was only doing what you asked me to do. You wanted me to…” I say making air quotes to mimic her words, “… maintain my dirtball image.”

“Well, you couldn’t have picked a dirtier girl to do it with,” she snaps. Her top lip curls up into a snarl, nostrils flared.

“You can’t be mad at me,” I declare. “We had a deal. I held up my end of the bargain.” Reaching for her hand, I add, “The only woman I want to spend my time with tonight is you, Taylor. This, right here, is the best part of my night so far.”

She chuckles. “Because I’m so much fun.”

“You’re everything she’s not,” I admit. “So, don’t worry about girls like Stephanie. They have nothing on you. Never did.”

“Hiding sucks,” she hisses. “I wanted to kiss you the second I saw you tonight, and we both had to pretend like we don’t even know each other.”

“We don’t have to pretend, Taylor. At least, not right now.”

I scoot along the floor to get closer, my fingers thread between hers. Her skin is so soft against my calloused hands. Years of playing hockey have made my skin rougher. Somehow, the same isn’t true for Taylor with how long she’s played basketball.

Moving my hands up to her hips, I lift her off the toilet seat and onto my lap. She sits with her long legs across mine, resting her head on my shoulder.

When I dip my head down to press my lips against hers, she moans into my mouth.

“I should have done this when you walked into my house,” I breathe against her lips. “But I didn’t want to break your rules.”

“You don’t seem like the type to follow rules,” she says, laughing. “And you were busy with the skank parade.”

I ignore her last comment. There’s no point in rehashing what didn’t happen between Stephanie and me. What will never happen between us.

“I’m not much of a rule follower. I kinda do my own thing. But with you, I don’t want to fuck this up.”

“If I give this a real chance, you have to promise not to talk to other girls.” She shakes her head as she speaks. “No more dick pics or any other body parts of yours. I don’t want to end up in Dethroned because of you.”

“Me either. You think I want that blogger posting about my life online? I have a career to think about. Plus, my dad will kick my ass.”

She tilts her head back until it’s on my shoulder and smiles up at me. “I have a hard time believing anyone can kick your ass.”