Chapter 3
Three
Harper
I kissed Luca Ricci; what the hell was I thinking?
Okay, I wasn’t thinking. I let myself experience the moment a little too much, and I’m regretting it.
Not the kiss.
I definitely do not regret kissing Luca.
What I regret is the fact that he had just hooked up with another girl—she definitely looked like a freshman—and then he chased after me.
Who does that?
The most eligible bachelor, who happens to play hockey for Evergreen University. It doesn’t hurt that he’s easy on the eyes. I’m pretty sure he has a fan club who chases after him at hockey games, screaming his name and cheering him on.
She’s probably part of that stupid club.
At least that’s what I imagine happens after games.
I’ve never been to any of Evergreen’s hockey games, and I don’t plan on attending one in the future, either.
I’m not into sports. I’d rather stay in the dorm reading a book until the early hours of the morning.
After what happened this evening, I am never going to a hockey game, ever.
And then there is Ashton Rinaldi, who I ran into on my way to class and again at the party. He kept chatting me up when I wanted to find Luca.
I hate parties. I only showed up tonight because Kensley insisted that I attend.
And then there was a small part of me wanting to show up for Luca.
Which is asinine. Why did I think the invitation meant anything?
He probably invites every girl he’s friendly with, and I’m sure there is a long list since he’s an athlete.
Showing up and getting stopped in the foyer to talk to Ashton wasn’t bad, it just wasn’t what I wanted. I didn’t show up tonight to party.
Stupid of me, I know. I showed up at a party, not to party. Don’t ask. I didn’t say my decisions made sense.
I showed up to see Luca.
The party was at his apartment, and I was a little more than curious to see his place. Not that I expected the grand tour or anything, but I was hoping to spend a few minutes with him.
Ever since he showed up at lunch, I can’t get him out of my head.
Stupid hormones.
I’m probably reading too much into his friendliness. I tend to do that, think that a guy who is being approachable actually likes me.
I just have to keep reminding myself that he’s friendly with all the girls at school. I’m nothing special.
Besides, I’m not even looking for a relationship right now.
My studies take priority, it’s why I’m here; I’m on a scholarship and need to keep my grades up. I cannot fuck this up.
Ashton steals my attention, keeps me from wandering off as he keeps talking to me, making jokes; clearly, he’s interested.
He’s nice enough, but I don’t date athletes, and I’m pretty sure he’d be more interested in a one-night stand than anything long term.
Not that it matters, because I don’t have those feelings toward him, the ones that give me butterflies or make me feel like I’m floating on air.
That’s how I’m beginning to feel around Luca.
I’m not sure when it happened. Sometime between us grabbing a bite together and seeing him walk downstairs with another girl, my stomach tangled into a knot and all I felt was devastation, hurt, anger, and so I ran.
I didn’t expect him to chase after me or kiss me into silence.
Staring up at the ceiling of my dorm room, I lie on my mattress, contemplating everything I could have done differently, and I grab my phone, cursing under my breath.
Kensley.
I left her at the party and didn’t even say goodbye. I shoot her a quick text, letting her know I went back to the dorm.
Ten seconds later, my phone rings.
“You bailed on me?” Kensley asks, and I can hear the pulse pounding beat through the phone. She’s still at the party, but it’s more muted than one might expect, like she’s locked herself in a closet or bedroom to chat with me.
“Long story,” I say with a sigh, not wanting to elaborate.
“You should come back out. Luca seems pretty down, and I'll bet you might be able to cheer him up.”
I scoff at her suggestion. “Plenty of other girls for that, like the one he hooked up with earlier.”
Silence fills the space, although it’s more like muffled music blaring through the phone. “I’ll come over,” Kensley says.
“Don’t.” I hesitate but know it’s better if she stays out and has fun. “It’s late. Enjoy the party. I’m just going to get some sleep.”
“I’m sorry.”
“What?” I ask. Why is she apologizing? It isn’t her fault in what happened tonight. “It’s fine.”
There’s commotion in the background, and then I hear his voice, the one that sends tingles right into my stomach. “Can we talk?” Luca asks, his voice soft, warm, inviting.
“There’s nothing to talk about,” I snap hastily. “I’m hanging up now.”
“Wait!”
Luca manages to grab my attention, and I pause, letting silence envelop us.
“Are you still there?” he asks when I haven’t spoken a word for several long, drawn-out seconds.
“Regrettably, I haven’t hung up yet.”
“Can you let me explain? The girl who you saw me with earlier—”
“You don’t owe me an explanation. You’re free to hook up with whomever you want,” I say.
Just because he invited me to the party doesn’t mean he was asking me on a date. He was just being friendly, suggesting that I come to the event.
“She’s practically a sister to me. We grew up in the same house. Nothing happened between us upstairs. I gave her a sweatshirt because I didn’t like what she was wearing.”
“Wow,” I say. “Judgmental much?”
“She’s seventeen! I don’t need the guys drooling over her. She’s like my little sister.”
I sit up in bed, pulling my legs to my chest. “Seventeen? What’s she doing at the party?”
“Long story,” Luca says, and this time, I do feel like he’s avoiding telling me everything.
The jealousy that courses through my veins seems to dissipate. He doesn’t owe me an explanation. “Okay, I’ll see you in class. Bye, Luca.” I end the call and toss my phone onto the mattress. I’m not in the least bit tired, but continuing that phone call seemed like a bad idea.
We’re just friends. Barely even that, and we kissed. It’s no big deal. It’s not as though I haven’t kissed other guys before. But with Luca, it feels different.
I head outside, down the stairs of the dorm, and feel his eyes on me. Luca.
I walk past him, not wanting to assume anything. He could be standing here, waiting for anyone.
“I wanted to walk you to class,” Luca says.
“You came all the way down here to walk me to class?” I ask.
“How do you know I wasn’t already at the dorms?”
I bite my tongue. I don’t know what he was doing or who he was doing it with. “Were you?” I raise an inquisitive eyebrow as I head toward the sidewalk. I’m not sure I even want to hear his answer.
He follows beside me. “No,” he says and laughs.
He almost sounds nervous, confessing the truth to me.
I glance at him as we walk before returning my attention to the sidewalk in front of me. It’s chilly outside, but at least the snow has mostly melted by Monday.
“Do anything fun over the weekend? Aside from attending the party?” he asks, his attention completely on me.
His stare is overwhelming, and my breath catches in my throat. “Yeah, I had a date last night.”
It’s a lie. I spent the afternoon hanging out with Kensley, and then we watched movies until I left for bed.
His jaw twitches, and he forces a smile.
“Anyone from the party?” There’s an obvious sense of discomfort in his question, like he’s curious but not sure he can handle the answer.
“I don’t kiss and tell,” I say with a smirk. We stand at the corner of the street, waiting for the light to change.
He shifts on his feet and shoves his hands into his coat pockets. “Please tell me it’s not Ashton.”
I clear my throat and turn to face him. “Excuse me?”
“Listen, I know I can’t tell who you can and can’t date, but Ashton—”
“You’re right. You can’t,” I say, hurrying across the street.
I head into the building, but instead of wandering into the classroom, I slip into the bathroom, giving myself a few minutes to chill out.
Besides, if Luca gets to class first, he’ll be forced to take a seat, and then I can sit somewhere else, far away from him.
Otherwise, he’ll sit next to me, like he always does.
At least that’s my plan, but when I head out of the bathroom, he’s standing by the door, leaning against the wall, and hasn’t gone into the auditorium yet.
“Stalking me?” I ask.
A sly smile crosses his face. “Would I do that?”
I may not know Luca very well, but it’s obvious to me that he’s trouble. The jealous vibe about Ashton is a major red flag, and I should stay far away from him.
But he pushes himself off the wall and strolls right toward me. He fears nothing, least of all rejection.
Me?
I fear him. Not in the aggressive, he’ll hurt me type way. No, I fear that I’ll fall for him, and he’ll break my heart. It’s not like it hasn’t happened before. I’ve been in love once, and picking up the pieces of my shattered heart was one of the hardest lessons I’ve had to deal with in my past.
“Yeah, you definitely seem the stalkerish type,” I chide and brush past him for the classroom.
He grabs my arm, spinning me back around to face him. Our bodies brush against one another as he’s stepped closer, invading my personal space.
My breath catches in my throat as I stare up into his heated gaze, the butterflies returning all at once, making my lips dry.
“Not a stalker,” he says and shakes his head, his gaze unwavering. “I just happen to know what I want. Who I want.”
And my breath hitches as I swear the air is stolen from my lungs. He’s mesmerizing to stare at, the faint smile playing at the corner of his lips, the dimple on his right cheek as he studies me.
“We have to get to class,” I whisper, and he gives a brief nod before releasing me from his grasp.
A slight whimper escapes the back of my throat, a moan that I’m not even sure where it came from, and I swear I hope that he didn’t hear it.
But he did.
He raises an eyebrow, and I just want to disappear into oblivion. There’s no ignoring the emotion that he elicits, and he’s grinning at me like the Cheshire Cat.
When the hell did I start crushing on Luca Ricci?