Chapter Sixteen
Permission - Wyatt
“Jacobs! Are you coming? I’m starving!”
Sebastian’s voice echoes down the hallway. I’m standing at the sink, deciding if I should shave or not. Does Grace like the scruff? Or clean-shaven?
I decide to shave. I apply the shaving cream on my face and pick up my razor, ignoring Sebastian, until he comes into the doorway and leans against it. “Bro, why are you shaving? We’re going to the cafeteria.”
I angle the razor along my jaw. “Grace is coming with me.”
His eyes meet mine in the mirror. “You’re taking her to dinner at the athlete cafeteria?” he asks, sounding horrified.
“I have my reasons,” I say, rinsing the blade under the running water.
“I can’t imagine a good one unless you want her to drop you,” Sebastian says. “Christ, I know you only did hookups prior to Grace, but dude, take her out to dinner, you cheap ass. Just because she’s an artistic swimmer and can eat there for free doesn’t mean she should.”
“Don’t you think I know that?” I snap, irritated.
“Apparently not.” Sebastian snorts.
“He’s marking his territory,” Austin calls out from his room across the hall.
“Shut up,” I yell back.
Austin cackles with laughter. Sebastian’s brow furrows.
I resume my shaving. “Asher Ryan specifically requested that Phi Mu Phi assign Grace to be his football buddy.”
“So? Grace is hot,” Sebastian says. “What guy wouldn’t want her as a buddy?”
I glare at him in the mirror. “He did it the second he saw us together on campus today. Walked away from us and put in the call to Kaitlyn, the Phi Mu Phi president. Demanded Grace as his buddy so he can make a move on her.”
Dickhead.
“Ooh,” Sebastian says, finally understanding.
“Yeah, ooh,” I say, moving my razor to my neck.
“That’s weird. Asher always seemed like a good dude.”
“A good dude who wants to steal my girlfriend,” I say, irritation lacing my voice.
My fake girlfriend, I remind myself.
My hand freezes. Am I really shaving for my fake girlfriend?
UGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH I am so screwed.
I clear my throat. “We’ll meet you there. If you don’t mind Grace joining us.”
“Nope. Not at all. I’m curious to interrogate the girl who made you break your hookup policy,” Sebastian teases.
Okay, this is becoming a horrible idea on my part. I shoot him daggers in the mirror and he laughs loudly. I hear him grab Austin, then Nolan, and the house falls silent as they head out the door.
I stare at myself. What am I doing?
I turn off the water, studying my half-shaven face. I couldn’t get Asher out of my head after we parted ways at the union this afternoon.
Or more like Asher and Grace out of my head.
My jaw tenses. Grace deserves better than a weasel who only makes his move when a girl is no longer available.
He was her freaking lab partner for a whole semester.
Asher had plenty of time to see how incredible Grace is and make his move.
The fact that he’s only making it after he thinks she’s taken is bullshit.
Grace deserves better than that.
I know the football team—just like the hockey team—eats in the athletes’ cafeteria all the time. I want to send the message loud and clear to our starting quarterback that Grace is my girlfriend.
I mean, I’m doing it to protect her. Hopefully this will put him off her, and once we go our separate ways, Ryan will no longer be interested.
You keep telling yourself that, a voice inside me whispers, and if you believe that’s your reason, you’re a bigger dickhead than Ryan is.
I turn the water back on and finish shaving. What am I doing? I was pissed when I found out Ryan was trying to make a move on Grace. I kept thinking about her and him and him touching her and it drove me insane. All I know is that I want Asher Ryan to know—in no uncertain terms—that Gracie is mine.
I clean out my razor and tap the excess water off before setting it aside, grabbing a towel, and patting my face dry.
I stare back at my reflection again and swallow hard.
Sebastian is right. This is not how you date a girl.
I wish I could take her somewhere nice, but how can I when I’m her fake boyfriend?
Everything we do is supposed to be for the benefit of others, a show.
So I’m taking her to the cafeteria because she’s my fake girlfriend and I think she deserves better than the quarterback of the football team pursuing her just because she’s taken.
At least that’s the lie I’m going to tell myself.
I pick up my phone, open Snapchat, and go back to the message thread I have with Grace to tell her I’m on my way.
She texts back an “OK” and I head on out.
Before long, I’m pulling up to Phi Mu Phi.
I walk up the long sidewalk to the sprawling mansion set on top of the hill, and I find my pulse quickening a bit when I think of spending more time with Grace.
I know we spent hours together today, but all I want is more time with her.
And tonight I’m taking it.
I ring the intercom at the sorority house, tell them I’m here for Grace Walsh, and soon the door is opened for me by a beautiful brunette. “Hi, Grace is coming right down,” she says.
“Thank you,” I say, stepping inside the foyer. Shit, this place is nice. I have never been in here before. It has marble floors, a huge chandelier hanging from overhead, and a big lounge area filled with sofas and chairs and vases and stuff.
It’s the complete opposite of the shitshow across the street that is my fraternity.
I flinch when I think of my fraternity and what some of my so-called brothers did to Grace. Yes, it’s a small faction, but it’s a faction that I share an affiliation with. And right now?
I can’t wait to be out of it. I’m thinking about this as I keep my eyes fixed on the huge, sprawling, winding staircase ahead of me.
And then she appears, sending all thoughts spilling right out of my head.
I stare up at Grace approaching the top of the staircase.
Holy fuck, she’s gorgeous. She’s changed into this cute little sporty dress, all black, that dips into a sexy V in the front, held up with spaghetti straps.
Her hair is long and wavy, hanging down over the back of her shoulders, and as soon as she sees me standing in the foyer, she flashes me a beautiful smile. “Wy!” she calls out.
I feel warmth spreading through me as she dashes down the stairs in her white sneakers. She’s so damn beautiful, I find it hard to breathe.
She might not be mine in the true sense of the word. But Grace is mine for now, and I feel like the luckiest guy on campus.
She reaches the bottom of the stairs, and I realize lots of people in the house are watching us. I swallow. I’m her boyfriend. I need to greet her like one.
She gazes up at me, all blue eyes and soft, pink-painted lips, and gives me a smile that knocks the air from my lungs. I reach for her hand, and in one smooth move, pull her into my body.
“Oh!” I hear her gasp.
I smile at the sound. I bend down so I’m close to her ear, smelling that sweet scent lingering on her skin. “Everyone is watching,” I murmur. “I need to sell the boyfriend angle. So I’m asking permission to touch you like one. Is that okay?”
She nods. I move one hand to span her back, and I can feel the heat of her body through the thin fabric of the dress.
I move the other hand behind her, so I’m giving her a hug, and now her body is flush with mine.
I feel her hands move around my upper back, and nothing feels as good as being held by Grace.
She tilts her head up. I stare down at her.
And then without thinking, I brush my lips against hers.