Slowly, her fierce eyes peel away from it and toward me. She blinks once, the honey tone darkening, then drops her gaze toward the abandoned pizza. “I know what a TV is and how it works, ass. Just because I didn’t have one of my own for years doesn’t mean I forgot how one works.” I try to say something to ease her irritation over the bad joke but before I can, she adds, “And I’m not staying here.”
“The guys don’t care.”
“But I do,” she states, dropping her legs onto the floor. “Christ, don’t you listen? I don’t want your charity or pity. I don’t want your pizza, or your teammates opinions about me t—”
I bark out a laugh, realizing what this is really about. “Think with your head, not your pride. Who the fuck cares about what my teammates think?”
She stands and faces me, our height difference making it hard to find her as intimidating as she probably wants me to. I fight the smirk that wavers my lips, making her scowl harder. “I don’t need your friends thinking that we’re screwing. It’s bad enough I’ve had to hear about you and Sydney, I’d like to be shown some courtesy about who I do or don’t choose to hook up with and who knows it.”
My face twists. “Sydney?”
“My former housemate,” is her dumbfounded response.
When I was directed to her old housemate’s room, I honestly wasn’t sure who’d open the door. All I knew from Raine and Caleb in prior conversation is that Sydney rules the place with her catty commands and spiteful personality. The day she opened her door, I’d been surprised that it was the only girl at LU I’d messed around with to blow off some steam. “I know who she is. I’m wondering what the hell there is to talk about. Her and I aren’t anything.”
“Not according to her.”
Sydney has always been a clinger which is why I should have never agreed to hang with her to begin with. It was DJ who introduced us and Caleb who warned me away. I hadn’t spoken to her in months before knocking on her damn door that day. Whatever she’s been telling people is obviously an exaggeration. “Whatever you heard is bullshit. Don’t let people like her get to you.”
Her eye twitches.
“And,” I add, stepping toward her without breaking eye contact, “don’t let whatever shit my team gives you go to heart. They like to talk smack. It’s nothing. You deal with a few of them in class, so you know that already. Quit making excuses as to why you can’t stay. None of us are asking for rent, or for you to do chores or cook us shit. There are no strings, only a place to sleep. Which, in case you’ve forgotten, you need right now. It isn’t like you haven’t taken me up on the offer before. The pact, remember?”
This time, she says nothing. Her eyes don’t falter from locking with mine, the challenge to go as long as she can without blinking evident in her gaze. I succumb first, breaking contact and sighing.
“Being stubborn is going to get you nowhere, Chaos. I’m going to make that clear now before you try convincing me otherwise. Feel me?”
Bending forward, I hear the sharpest inhale of breath come from her as my face nears hers. The caress of her hot breath brushes my cheek as I reach around her and grab the food from the table, my lips grazing her jaw in the process. I wonder if she can hear how hard my heart is beating right now, all because of her. Her citrus scent, her hot breath, her warm body heat soaking into me. It drives me fucking crazy, and my cock hardens just being near her.
Returning to full height, I try to act like she doesn’t affect me. “Eat up.”
She stares at the food offering with a small frown on her face that I’d like to think is disappointment. Lips curling, I pick up one of her hands and place the pizza on her palm since she won’t accept it on her own.
After she meets my eyes again, there’s a glint in them that I can’t quite read until she blows out a breath and says, “You’re annoying as hell, you know that?”
I give her an easy shrug. “People who care will irritate you no matter if you like it or not. That’s how you know they’re legit.”
Her head tilts. “Are you? Legit?”
Chuckling lightly, I tip my chin toward the food in her hand and back up. “Eat. I’ll be in my room if you need anything. Let me know when you’re ready for bed.”
Another sigh. “Aiden—”
I wink and shut the door behind me knowing she won’t follow. Maybe I should be worried that she’ll up and leave, but her bags are currently sprawled on my bed. If she does bolt, she’ll have nothing but the clothes on her back and something tells me she won’t easily let go of what she’s collected over the years.
It’s hours later when I’m finishing up a few assignments and realize there’s utter silence coming from the room outside mine. When I glance at the clock and notice it’s past midnight, I grab a blanket from my tiny closet and check to see if she’s still there.
Ivy is curled up on the couch, her hands under her cheek like a pillow fast asleep when I approach. I watch her for a few moments, seeing how her full chest rises and falls to a slow, peaceful rhythm, before sighing to myself.
Instead of draping the blanket over her, I carefully put one arm under her knees and the other under her back and scoop her into my arms. She murmurs and squirms but settles against my chest as I walk us back to my room and gently place her on the bed.
It isn’t until I’m flicking the lights off, peeling off my shirt, and sliding down my jeans to crawl in beside her that her groggy voice penetrates the room. “What are you doing?”
I smack the pillow a few times before resting against it. “Go to sleep, Ivy.”
She shifts when I cover us with the comforter and says something unintelligible that I don’t bother trying to make out.
“Shh,” I say, turning on my side so my back is to her. If I face her, if I inch closer, she’ll feel how hard I am and the moment will be ruined. I’m not trying to fuck her, to give her mixed signals or expectations like her staying here has to mean something between us. I want her friendship. I want her.