Valentine (A Standalone Novel) (Bad Boy Romance Book) (14 page)

Chapter 15

Val

I had no clue what to think about Tate and
try as I might to force my thoughts to stay away from him, they just wouldn't.
I lay in my bed forever that night, trying to figure out if I'd done something
wrong or if his denial was more about him and less about me. The same old part
of me that always felt inadequate and not good enough reared up throughout the
night, but I just couldn't fathom it being my fault this time.

His text had been more shocking than being
friend-zoned, but the man was just full of surprises.

I woke up earlier than usual the next
morning and changed into a pair of jogging pants and a sweater. I wanted to run
the indoor track and shoot some hoops before going up to the library. The
girl's locker room on campus had a killer shower area, anyway.

I stopped by the kitchen, a little
surprised to see some of the girls up so early on a Saturday morning.

They were laughing about something Carolyn
said, and I shouldn't have been eavesdropping, but I couldn't help myself. I
stepped back into the hall and crossed my arms over my chest.

"Yeah, I'm not sure why Kade is
interested in her. She's not going to date him. He's like a fucking replica of
Paul," Carolyn laughed loudly.

"He's incredibly hot. If Val's not
interested in him, then I am,” Mary, one of my least favorite girls in the
house, responded.

"She's interested in that biker guy
you were hitting on last night," Kathy spoke up. "They would be good
together. She needs a guy that doesn't care about her family and all their high
and mighty bullshit. She's nothing like them."

Carolyn snorted. "Exactly. That's why
her life will forever be miserable. She's going to have to marry someone like
Paul and shut up about it or leave her legacy. Poor little thing."

Kathy responded, "Carolyn, watch it.
You're just jealous."

"Yeah, you are," Mary laughed
softly.

I made some noise and walked into the kitchen
as if oblivious to the three of them being up.

"Oh, hey guys." I grabbed a
banana from the counter and fixed myself a mug of coffee as they stood in an
awkward silence. "Did I interrupt something?"

"Nope." Carolyn walked to the
table and sat down.

"Who was the guy last night? The one
with all the tats that you left with?" Kathy moved up beside me at the
kitchen counter as a smile spread across her freckled face.

"Tate? Just a guy I met the other
day. He's a good guy, from what I can tell. Martin helped him get onto the swim
team, so he should be around more at some of our parties." I shrugged,
trying hard to keep things casual.

"Good. He's fucking hot."
Carolyn's tone was less than pleasant, but what else was new.

"Yeah, he is." I picked up my
bag and walked to the door. "See you guys later."

"Wait," Mary called out to me.
"Are you and he dating?"

"Nope. Just friends." I waved
and walked out into the freezing weather. After taking a deep breath, I moved
languidly toward the gym. I couldn't wait for the next year to be over so that
I could start looking for an apartment and getting excited about life after
college.

Most of the girls in the house were rich
bitches, much like Carolyn. Where they all were against the idea of any of us
Gammas hurting the other, they were still greedy as hell and self-serving. All
of them except Katelyn.

She'd pledged with me just to not leave me
alone in the middle of the bullshit when we were freshman. I'd thanked her
enough times over the years that she was well aware she was damn-near the only
reason I'd survived so long in the Gamma house.

I picked up my walk to a jog and made it
to the gym a few minutes later. After putting my stuff up, I walked to the
indoor track and smiled as a familiar guy was running on the far side of the
track.

Kade waved as he jogged toward me.
"You're stalking me, aren't you? Just admit it."

"Yep." I moved up beside him,
easily keeping pace. "I figure sleeping with you is going to be the only
way I'm going to get an A in my business law class."

His eyes widened a little, but he was just
playing with me. "We should get this tutoring session on the calendar, for
sure."

"Naw, I'm going to hook you up with
my friend Amy. She seems to think you're something special." I tugged my
ponytail tighter as my heart fluttered in my chest. If I could set Amy up with
Kade, the girl would be ecstatic. The thought of making my friend’s day, or
more like her year, left me wanting to try anything to get it done.

"Oh, yeah? Amy's cute, for
sure." He started to run a little harder. "This is my fast round, so
pick it up or I'll catch you on the next round."

"You're on." I pushed hard and
took off, pulling in front of him easily. We raced around the track three times
before stopping near the front door and leaning against it.

"Damn...you're fast." He reached
toward me and tugged at a strand of my hair as the door opened from the boys’
locker room.

I swatted his hand away and laughed.
"You're just slow. Most quarterbacks are."

"This is true." He lifted his
hands to the air and stretched back and forth. "So Amy, huh? You're not
interested?"

"Nope. You told me that you were
worse than Paul. Give me a break." I glanced over to see Tate walking
toward the natatorium. He glanced back at me, and I waved, unable to help myself.

"I was teasing. I'm a great guy.
Always on the up and up." Kade followed my line of sight before touching
the side of my arm. "Come out with me sometime."

"No, but thanks for the offer. Think
about taking Amy out, seriously. She's your girl. I promise." I turned and
jogged toward Tate as my eyes moved across the strong muscles of his back. His
swim trunks fit him beautifully, and I couldn't help but admire how well his
tattoos encircled his arms and decorated his back.

"Hi." I moved up beside him and tried
to catch my breath.

The look on his handsome face said that he
wasn't too happy. "That your boyfriend?"

"What?" I glanced back to find
Kade watching us. "No. He's the TA for my business law class. I don't have
a boyfriend."

"Right. I'll see you at the library
after while." He gave me a tight smile and walked toward the pool, leaving
me standing there.

I waited until the door closed behind him
to let out a long breath. "Right. Remind me why I try again."

Kade was gone when I turned back around,
and it was probably for the best. I was honestly considering taking him up on
getting out of there. I'd spend the whole damn time talking about Amy, but at
least I would be with someone who wanted to be with me, too.

I ran around the track for twenty minutes before
walking to the basketball courts. The place was dark and empty, which was just
the way I liked it. After grabbing a couple of balls from the hallway closet, I
started to work different drills.

I lost track of time, and didn't realize
someone was watching me until one of the balls rolled over toward him. Tate was
standing against the wall with his hands behind his back and a smirk on his
face.

"You're good. I've heard that you're
a big shit on the courts, but I wasn't sure what to believe." He moved
toward me, his expression much more relaxed.

"I love the game, nothing else."
I hated that my defenses were up, but it was his damn fault that they were.

"Let's play, then." He lifted
his hands, and I chucked the ball at him, maybe a little harder than I should
have.

"I thought you were pissy over
something. The swim help your mood?" I moved into place as he dribbled
slowly, keeping his eyes locked on mine.

"I was pissy because of that guy you
were talking to, but it was just jealousy. I can't help it." He moved
toward the basket, and I turned just in time to steal the ball from underneath
him.

I spun on my heel and shot, making the
basket with little effort. "We're just friends, remember? No reason to be
jealous. Friends don't get to do that."

"And, what if I've rethought what I
want?" He caught the ball as I chucked it at him before he came at me
again, duping me this time and scoring.

"Good for you. I'm not one to be
rejected and then run toward those same people in hopes of a different outcome.
My whole life has been about rejection. Friends is far safer for us,
obviously." I took my turn with the ball, moving toward the basket until
he stepped up behind me and spread his arms wide. The firm press of his chest
against my back made my body ache and my nipples tighten.

"I'm not so sure I agree with
that." He reached around and tried to slap the ball from my hands.

"Street ball with no rules?" I
chuckled and bumped my butt into him as he groaned and clamped his hands down
on my hips.

"How about a working friendship with
no rules?" he whispered against my hair as I continued to press backward
toward the goal.

"Not interested in friends with
benefits." I turned and lifted to my toes, ignoring the hot stare he
pressed against me. "Yes!"

The shot landed perfectly, but he grabbed
me by the wrist before I could move away from him.

"I made a mistake last night, okay?
I've paid for it, I promise. I've been beating myself up all fucking night and
half the morning." He loosened his grip on me. "Come study with me,
and then let's get something to eat."

"Maybe." I tugged from his hold
and walked to get the ball. "Why are you beating yourself up? If you're
not interested in me, then you're not interested. I promise I'm more hassle
than I'm worth."

I shot again and made it. All of the
horrible emotions that plagued me when I was with my mother or around the
Gammas started to resurface, and I had a moment of wondering if I was ever
going to find anyone who simply accepted me for just being me.

"I doubt you're much trouble."
He stole the ball and moved to shoot – missing, but just barely.

"You've no clue what you're talking
about." I picked up the ball and moved to stand beside him. "You're
not finishing the follow through. Watch me shoot."

"Show me, master." He crossed
his arms over his chest and gave me a cheeky grin.

"I almost like that title coming from
you. Now, watch my wrist as I finish the shot." I continued to coach him
and make him try a few more times. Much to his surprise, and my pleasure, he
got it down.

"I gotta go take a shower." I
picked up the balls and walked with him back down the hall.

"Need someone to wash your back for
you?" He lifted his eyebrows playfully.

"No, playboy, but I'll meet you in
the library." I turned and slipped into the girl's locker room, ignoring
his grumbling about the unfairness of life.

I was obviously going to have to roll with
the punches with this guy, seeing that there was very little consistency with
his actions around me.

Good thing he was sexy as sin and had a
sweetheart side that would melt the hardest of hearts.

*

"You clean up well," Tate
commented when glanced up from a pile of books as I took the seat next to him.

"Thanks. I have a chemistry exam
coming up next week that's going to kick my ass. I need at least an hour and
then we can get something to eat, if you're still up for it." I pulled out
my books, trying to ignore how good he looked sitting there beside me.

"I love science and math. Let me know
if I can help at all." He pulled his book toward him, but continued to
watch me.

"Thanks." I popped in one of my
earbuds and flipped to the section I was supposed to have memorized already. It
was going to be impossible to study with him staring at me. I glanced over at
him and lifted my eyebrow. "What?"

"Nothing. Just admiring you. Is that
alright?" He reached over and tucked a strand of my hair behind my ears.

"Nope. Study and leave me be. We're
just friends, remember?" I winked before glancing back down at my book.

"About that..."

"Hey, it's okay. I'm good with
friends. I think I just thought something else was starting to happen, but it
was just me being stupid." I shrugged, but didn't look up at him.

"There is something else happening,
but I think taking it slow would be smart. You don't even know me, Val."

"Yeah, and you
think
you know me, but you haven't the slightest clue who I
am." I looked up at him, loving the intensity of his stare. "I'm not
my father."

"I know. I'm sorry I assumed
that." He leaned over and touched my face, pulling me closer as his lips
brushed by mine. "Forgive me."

I pushed into the kiss, not thinking about
anything other than memorizing the way my chest lit on fire with nothing more
than his touch. I'd been infatuated with a few guys in my time, but never had I
felt so overwhelmed with the desire to know someone.