Campus God (Campus)

For a while, I was envious of their relationship.

I mean, how could I not be?

But that’s no longer the case. I don’t want to jinx it, but what I’ve found with Crosby feels like the real deal. I’m excited to see how life unfolds and where it takes us.

Sasha gives me a quick hug before waving to a couple of teammates, Demi Richards and Sydney Daniels. There’s another girl with them that I don’t immediately recognize.

Demi makes introductions before throwing an arm around her shoulders. “This is Lola. We went to high school together.” She smirks. “I had to bribe her into coming out with us tonight.”

The dark-haired girl smirks. “Don’t think I’m forgetting about the extra-large pizza I was promised. It’s the only reason I’m here.”

Demi snorts. “I know you won’t. Margarita. Extra buffalo mozzarella and basil.”

“You know me well,” Lola says with a grin before glancing around and taking in the drunken people making complete asses out of themselves. “This looks like it’s going to be painful. I probably should have insisted on two pizzas and a side order of garlic knots.”

Western is a well-known party school with an extensive Greek system, and most of the students who attend enjoy taking full advantage of that.

“Oh, come on. It’ll be fun.”

She gives Demi a mock glare. “We both know this isn’t my idea of a good time.”

As I continue to stare, recognition niggles at the back of my mind. There’s something familiar about her. Even though it’s a huge university, you tend to see the same people walking around campus, at the library, or at parties.

When her gaze lands on me, I give her a friendly smile. “Hi, I don’t think we’ve met. I’m Brooke.”

“Lola, like Demi said.”

I pat my newly minted boyfriend’s chest, unable to deny that I’ll shamelessly use any excuse to touch his rock-hard body. “And this is Crosby.”

The tension on her face eases as her shoulders loosen.

“Any chance you work at Taco Loco?” Crosby asks.

Just as the question leaves his lips, another lightbulb clicks on, and I realize that’s exactly where I’ve seen her.

“Yup. My uncle owns the place, so I fill in from time to time when they’re short staffed.”

“I thought you looked familiar.” A huge grin spreads across his face as his shoulders shake with silent laughter.

When Demi launches into a story about the two of them in high school, I whisper to Crosby, “What’s so funny? You love Taco Loco.”

“It’s nothing. Really.”

I narrow my eyes, and his expression morphs into one of innocence. He might have stopped chuckling, but the corners of his lips are still twitching. When he says nothing more, I shake my head.

Craning his neck, he glances around the packed space. “I wonder where Asher is. He really needs to get his ass back in here. He’s gonna love this.”

“What’s he going to love?”

A better question would be why Crosby is talking in riddles.

“You’ll see. It shouldn’t be long now.”

Just as I’m about to pump him for more information, Asher saunters back into the living room. I blink, realizing the blondes he took off with fifteen minutes ago aren’t the same ones now clinging to his brawny biceps. Although, in the world of Asher, that’s nothing new. He goes through girls like most people go through underwear. Whatever he’s packing in his pants must be pure magic, because there has never been a shortage of females throwing themselves at him.

With an arm slung around each girl, Asher rejoins us.

Crosby is all smiles as he clears his throat. “Hey, Ash, did you get a chance to meet Demi’s friend Lola?”

Asher glances around the group until his gaze lands on the one girl he doesn’t know. His lips lift into a lazy smile before it wavers, gradually dissolving into a frown. His eyebrows snap together as he stares at her with narrowed eyes.

I shift my gaze to Lola, only to find that she’s wearing a similar expression.

“Yeah, unfortunately we’ve met,” she says with a frown.

Asher’s blue eyes flare before he spits, “Who let you in, taco girl?”

Even with the dim party lighting, it would be impossible not to see the color that flares to life in her cheeks. “That’s not my name.”

He jerks his broad shoulders. “I don’t give a shit who you are. If you’re standing in my house, you better have brought tacos.”

She bares her teeth like a rabid dog before swinging toward Demi. “Sorry, I can’t do this. I’m out.” Before her friend can respond, she turns on her heel and stomps out the door.

“What the hell?” Demi stares at Asher with wide, disbelieving eyes before leaping into action and hurrying after her friend.

Sydney scrunches her face before eyeing up the blond football player. “What was that about? Why are you calling her taco girl?”

When Crosby’s shoulders continue to shake with silent laughter, I elbow him in the stomach. Not that it does much good.