Pretending Hearts Page 4

  “No. Not anymore,” I said. “I tried a few different sports when I was younger, but the only one I did for more than a season was flag football in middle school.”

  Wyatt laughed. “I can’t picture you playing football.”

  The assessment was familiar. My mother hated the bumps and bruises I’d return home with after a particularly brutal game. At thirteen, I was pulled from the league and lectured by my mother over how the world was supposed to work. Pretty girls were the cheerleaders on the sidelines, not the players on the field.

  “My family lives and breathes the sport, so….” I trailed off and chided myself for opening up more than I wanted to. I didn’t want to unintentionally create a breadcrumb trail leading Wyatt to discover who I was.

  “Football is obviously a big deal here, but our soccer team fucking rocks it. We haven’t lost a game yet,” he boasted.

  “What position do you play?”

  “Forward,” he said. “This is the second year I’m captain too. We were so close last year to being state champions. I really want us to win for my final year here.”

  “I honestly don’t know much about soccer, but I’d like to learn more. Maybe I’ll come to some of the home games.” I was being sincere. Talking about sports came natural to me. Football was in my blood, but with my dad’s coaching career in the toilet, the sport had become tainted.

  “I’d love for you to come,” Wyatt said. His fingers wiped away the dew building on the outside of his beer glass. “We have a home game on Wednesday at five if you’re free.”

  I nodded and I inwardly preened. Maybe he saw something more between us than a one-night stand. I liked him and wondered if I’d been too hasty over my insistence on not looking for a boyfriend. Men had a habit of disappointing me and I had gone into the date with that same mindset.

  “I’ll see if Georgie will come,” I suggested.

  Wyatt pulled a face. “Sure you could ask her,” he said although his words and tone didn’t match. “How is Georgia as a roommate? I wasn’t happy when I heard she was coming to Cook. When Georgia and my sister are together, they become two shit-stirrers you don’t want to cross.”

  “She’s great,” I replied honestly. “I haven’t seen her invite the drama.”

  His lips twisted in a wry smile. “Just you wait. Last year, Georgia’s boyfriend dumped her for a junior flutist. Someone anonymously sent the girl’s parents a link to an online sex video that had been making the rounds. From the looks of the clip, the flutist didn’t even know she was being recorded.”

  I skewered up my face in distaste. “Are you saying Georgie sent the link to the parents?”

  “And likely made the video. The video was shot from her ex’s laptop. Georgia had access to the computer before he broke things off.”

  My skin crawled over the thought. I hoped Wyatt was just passing along idle gossip and I didn’t have to worry about having a psychotic roommate. I didn’t plan on crossing Georgie, but knowing what she was capable of made me paranoid.

  Wyatt placed his hand on top of mine. “Forget about Georgia. I want to hear all about you instead.”

  His palm was warm and soft and I enjoyed the skin-to-skin contact. Our hands remained touching as I gave him the bare minimum about my background. I told him how I lived an hour away and I was the daughter of a secretary and a teacher. I didn’t elaborate and he didn’t probe for extra details. Maybe I would normally be bothered by how casual our conversation was, but I was relieved he was only skimming the surface.

  The band announced they were starting in five minutes and Wyatt excused himself to the bathroom. With a rock band blaring in the background, any questions about my upbringing would hopefully be curbed.

  I looked around the bar and noticed a girl with her eyes trained on my every move. She had curly blonde hair with several streaks of fluorescent pink interspersed. I didn’t recognize her, but when we made eye contact, she set down her drink at the bar and made her way to where I was standing.

  I gave her a questioning look at her approach. “Hello,” I said awkwardly as she took over Wyatt’s seat.

  Her blue eyes regarded me shrewdly. “Hi. How do I know you?”

  I shrugged. “I have no idea. I don’t think we met before.”

  “I saw you over here with Wyatt and I’ve been thinking the whole time that you look so freaking familiar,” she said while shaking her head. She tapped her fingernails against the table. “It’s driving me crazy not being able to place you.”

  “Maybe I’m in one of your classes?” I suggested and shifted in my seat. “I’m a freshman and only started last week.”

  “No, that’s not it. What’s your name?”

  “Delia,” I answered curtly. “And you are?”

  Her jaw dropped and she sat back against the chair. She didn’t answer and instead stared open-mouthed in my direction. “Oh fuck.”

  “Your name is Oh Fuck? Your parents must have really hated you on sight.” I was panicking and trying not to show my discomfort over the reaction she had to my name. Was she involved with Wyatt? She obviously knew him.

  “My name is Casey,” she said. Her finger stabbed in my direction. “And you’re Blake’s sister.”

  I sighed. “So you know my brother?”

  “Yes. Autumn is one of my best friends—”

  I didn’t let her finish. “Listen, it was nice meeting you and all, but I’m on a date. And to be honest, I’d appreciate you not mentioning my brother to Wyatt.”

  “I knew I recognized you,” she said, undeterred that I’d bluntly attempted to dismiss her. “I’d hung out at Blake’s apartment a bunch of times with Autumn and he has pictures of the two of you hanging up. I completely forgot you were coming to Cook.” Casey continued to ramble on as if I hadn’t spoken. I didn’t understand why I was so leery about Wyatt knowing about Blake, but I had a sinking feeling the revelation would be the start of a domino effect with my biggest secret eventually coming to light.

  Casey took a sip of Wyatt’s beer and made a revolted face. “For a senator’s son, Wyatt has atrocious taste in beverages. What is this, Natural Ice?”

  I looked behind her toward the bar. “Is Autumn here with you?” If she were at the bar, I’d have to come up with an excuse to leave. I’d been lucky enough to not run into her around campus thus far, but seeing her face-to-face was inevitable.

  “No, she’s not here. And if she was, I’d tell her to get your brother on the phone and tell him you’re on a date with Cook’s biggest douche.” Casey pushed away Wyatt’s beer glass and challenged me with her stare.

  “Really?” I asked with sarcasm. “And why should I be interested at all in what you have to say about Wyatt?”

  “Because Wyatt is known to go after freshman,” she stated flatly. “They make an easy target. Freshman girls haven’t heard yet about his—”

  “Casey.” Wyatt acknowledged the blonde as he returned to the table. I started at his voice while Casey rolled her eyes. He added, “I don’t remember asking you to tag along. But you’re more than welcome to join us for the rest of the night.”

  “You wish, buddy,” she huffed. “I’ve stopped taking part in threesomes about the same time I stopped dating assholes like you.” She slid off the chair and turned her back on Wyatt. She patted my hand. “It was nice meeting you, Delia.”

  I watched her head back to the bar while her words spun around in my head. I shook off what she had said. After all, she did label herself as one of Autumn’s best friends. That fact was enough to tell me she probably wasn’t trustworthy.

  Wyatt didn’t bother to address Casey’s interruption. Instead he moved his chair closer to mine and said in a deep whisper, “So where were we?”

  I felt the heat from his body and I forgot all about Autumn, Casey and how close I’d just come to having my mask ripped off and my identity revealed. I had earned a break from the drama. Cook was my new beginning and I’d be the one to decide who would have a place in my future. />
  Chapter Five

  Wyatt and I left the restaurant after the band’s first set. Casey had been keeping a close eye on us since moving back to the bar and I could feel her unwavering stare on us. Each time I smiled at Wyatt or laughed at one of his jokes, I sensed her judgment from across the room. When we left early, Wyatt claimed the singer of the band was tone deaf, but I was certain he'd also felt like we were under the microscope.

  As I unlocked my dorm room, I turned to Wyatt expectedly. The room was blissfully silent. “Would you like to come in?”

  Wyatt nodded and as he strode by me, he did a quick cursory glance around the room. I followed him inside and shut the door behind me. My fingers were still lingering on the handle when Wyatt took a step closer. He cupped my cheeks in his hands and before I knew what was happening, his lips crushed against my own. There was no hesitation, no fumbling. Wyatt kissed me in a determined way that made me feel like he’d been planning to explore my mouth since the date started.

  His tongue grazed my lower lip and I opened my mouth to accommodate him. He kissed me harder while lacing his hand around my neck. I kissed him back just as greedily. We kissed to a point where I lost all other senses and I was only aware of him. I was out of breath when I tore my mouth away.

  His smile was slow and lazy. “When is Georgia getting back?”

  I shrugged. “Not sure. I didn’t plan on having company.”

  He lifted his eyebrows. “You didn’t?” Wyatt asked and leaned closer. His fingers reached out and tucked a strand of my hair behind my ear. “Because I’ve been thinking about being alone with you since we met.”

  I flushed at the compliment. His fingertips slid down the side of my face until they ghosted along my silhouette. Once he reached my hip, he circled his fingers around my side and left his hand in place. I was overly sensitive to the feel of his large hand pushing against the thin fabric of my tank top.

  “I had a very nice time tonight,” I whispered.

  “So did I,” he said softly. He kissed me again and I allowed his hands to wander. He cupped my breasts, applying just the right amount of pressure to make me moan inside of his mouth. His thumbs grazed my nipples and I could feel them harden as his fingers moved away. I melted against him.

  I was over the point of playing things cool. Wyatt could see my physical reaction to him—making it obvious how much I wanted him. I was the type to go after what I wanted, so I didn’t see any sense in waiting. I put my hand on the buckle of his pants and mentally decided to give him a very nice sendoff.

  However, voices in the hallway snapped me out of my lust-filled daze. I couldn’t take things further with Wyatt when Georgie could walk into the room any second. Wyatt lived in a condo off-campus and if we were going to become intimate, his place would be ideal.

  “I don’t know when Georgie will be back, so maybe we should stop….” I coughed and my face burned as I sensed Wyatt watching me. “Do you want to watch a movie or something?” I asked, moving my arms back to my sides.

  Wyatt chuckled. “I don’t think I could possibly sit next to you in the dark for the next two hours without wanting to feel your hands on me.”

  I didn’t argue because at the moment, I was overwhelmed with how much I wanted him. After one brief date, I was ready to rip off his clothes and explore every glorious inch of his body. Wyatt was an amazing kisser and I hoped that hinted at his sexual prowess.

  Wyatt kissed my cheek and after a hasty goodbye, he was gone. He promised to call me in the next day or two and I hoped his promise wasn’t empty. The first part of the date had been awkward and uncomfortable, but first dates were often weird. Wyatt may have a few quirks that would take some getting used to, but I wasn’t the type to cast the first stone.

  With a huge grin erupting on my face, I fell back onto my bed. My first week at college was a success in more ways than one. I liked my classes, had an incredible roommate, and went on a date with a gorgeous guy. Despite my reservations about going to Cook, I loved being plain old Delia. No superstar brother or scandalized father around to steal my light. Finally, my turn had come.

  ***

  Heat. So much heat existed when Wyatt and I were together. Fingers tangled in my hair. Deep kisses never seeming to end. I never felt as connected to a man in the way I felt with Wyatt Johnston. And I was hoping he felt the same way.

  The week following our date, he had come over to my dorm twice to hang out. I made sure Georgie was scarce when he was around—especially since we couldn’t seem to control our hands and mouths in one another’s presence. I had yet to decide if our physical connection was a good or bad thing. If we couldn’t stop devouring each other’s mouths long enough to speak would our relationship gain any substance?

  I had been certain a sex-only relationship would be ideal for me. Love never seemed to be on the horizon and that impression hadn’t changed since spending time with Wyatt. I liked him a lot, but besides my physical needs being met, I wasn’t sure we were on the same page emotionally. I didn’t know much about relationships, but I think they were supposed to consist of more than just wanting to get naked and get laid.

  I saw possibilities with Wyatt, but I hadn’t gotten the sense yet whether he felt the same way. There was no need to hide my past because Wyatt didn’t ask me much about myself. Purposely, he seemed to be keeping me at a distance. Although he had a condo, he never invited me over. Instead, came to my place. Also, despite his promise to date the first night we met, we hadn’t gone anywhere besides The Cellar. If he wasn’t putting in an effort, was I selling myself short by continuing to hook up with him?

  Then again, I couldn’t help but think I’d regret not giving Wyatt a fair chance. If the physical chemistry was strong, I reasoned the rest could come later. Deliberately, I hadn’t told my mother about him. I had phantom conversations where she would get in my ear about how I had to ensnare him and never let him go. My mom didn’t have much faith in my ability to secure my own future and would tell me to hold on tight to a man who would prevent me from ever wanting for anything again.

  The second week of classes saw my course workload doubling. I was struggling, but trying not to freak out. I wanted to prove not only to my family, but also to myself, that I could succeed. I had passed up plans several times with Georgie and Wyatt to hit the books and I was proud of myself for practicing such a high level of self-control.

  Wednesdays would likely be the day I did the most studying since I didn’t have any classes. I planned to play catch-up and finish the reading I had due on Thursday and Friday. Unfortunately, Georgie either had cake classes or she had set up a bankroll to pay someone to do all of her homework. Her lack of academic pursuits left her with way too much time to party. I didn’t mind going out, but after two weeks of her consistent go, go, go attitude, I was feeling exhausted.

  After muting the TV, she turned to face me. “Studying again?” she groaned and pointed to the pile of books spread out on my bed.

  I nodded. “Can I get the names of your professors so I can register for their classes next semester? How did you end up with classes that don’t require a ton of homework?”

  Georgie shrugged. “I checked out the website 'Rate a Prof' first before registering. Saved me from taking professors who have God complexes.”

  “Thanks for the tip. I’ll take a look before picking my classes next semester.”

  Georgie opened her mouth to reply, but stopped when a soft knock sounded on our door. She looked to me and I shrugged in response. I wasn’t expecting anyone. If Wyatt had plans to come by, I certainly wouldn’t be caught wearing a frayed gray t-shirt and sweat pants.

  Georgie jumped up from her perch and headed to the door. She peeked through the keyhole and from the puzzled look on her features I guessed she didn’t recognize the visitor. She swung open the door, but from my vantage point, I couldn’t make out who was there.

  “Hi,” a soft voice said from the hallway. “Is Delia here?”

  My body seized
up at the sound of the feminine voice. Her lilting cadence was a feature player in some of my worst memories. After only two weeks, my luck had run out. I’d have to see the one person that turned back the clocks and brought me back in time to a place I never wanted to revisit.

  “Yeah, she’s here,” Georgie said and gave a short wave. “I’m Georgie, Delia’s roommate.”

  Georgie was studying our visitor with a perplexed look on her face. I had no idea what could be running through her head. As I set aside my books and climbed to my feet, I heard the guest reply, “Nice to meet you. My name is Autumn, I’m—"

  Before she could continue, I rushed over to the door and blurted out, “Did we have plans? Because I don’t remember inviting you over.”

  Autumn came into view and I could see my words took her aback. I’d been the picture of civility in the presence of my brother. However, my brother was miles away and I was fairly certain the distance would mean the demise of his relationship with Autumn. The longer he was away, the more the odds increased of the couple breaking apart.

  “I talked to Blake and he said you were in your room studying. I was taking a walk to the bookstore and I thought I’d pop over to say hi,” Autumn said carefully, and I could hear her cautious tone.

  I didn’t reply at first. Instead, I took a minute to check what version of Autumn I was getting today. I’d seen many: slutty Autumn, sanctimonious Autumn and clingy Autumn. She was dressed casually in shorts and a tank top. Her dark blonde hair was pulled back in a severe ponytail and the only makeup she seemed to wear was pink lip-gloss. Autumn was pretty, but not extraordinarily beautiful. The way men responded to her, I always wondered if she had beer-scented skin. Her brown eyes looked me cautiously.

  Georgie was still standing by the door and looked back and forth between Autumn and me. I could see her trying to figure out our link. Finally, she turned to Autumn. “Do you mean Blake Preston?” Georgie’s mouth hung open as she continued to gape at Autumn. “I heard his girlfriend still went to Cook. You’re Autumn Dorey, right?”