8. Girl On Fire
CHAPTER 8
GIRL ON FIRE
JAGGER
I flank Cole as we walk to the Zeta house.
The scowl on his face doesn’t promise anything good and I want to make sure he doesn’t do anything stupid.
“Dude, you ok?”
His jaw ticks as his brow lowers in a menacing scowl. “No, I’m not. I don’t fucking get what our president is playing at.”
Right. I should have known this is about Bay. “So are you and Bay finally together?” I ask.
He shakes his head. “I told you a million times that it isn’t like that between us. Bay and I are just friends.”
Yeah and I’m gonna score a hat trick every game this season. “Are you sure there isn’t more to your relationship with her? It would be ok if it was. She’s single now, right? She’s fair game if you were waiting to make your move.”
He slows down as the Zeta house comes into view. “She’s my best friend, this is all.”
I don’t know why I’m insisting, Cole seems adamant. “She might even be your best friend, but she’s smoking hot. If you wanted to bone her, that would be totally understandable. ”
What’s hard to understand is to not want to bone a perfect ten like Bay Woods.
I mean, fuck. Cole gets around as much as I do, so I understand if he doesn’t want to go there because he doesn’t want anything serious. Because this is the thing with women like Bay. She isn’t a one night stand kind of woman. With someone like her, you better go in for the long haul.
“I don’t want to bone her, Jugs.” He snaps. “I don’t see her that way, ok? But I care about her and she’s made it more than clear to Topher that unless it’s official Greek business, they’re done. Whether he’s gonna try to get a kiss from her with that token or from Bianca, the asshole is trying to mess with her. I’m not gonna stand around and let him hurt her more than he already did.”
That’s why Cole is my best friend.
He might not have the sunniest disposition in the world, but he’s loyal to a fault. On and off the ice.
“Whatever you do,” I warn him. “Just remember that you have a NHL team waiting for you with open arms after graduation and a scholarship that requires you to stay out of trouble. Don’t throw it all away for a girl you aren’t even trying to bone. Even if she’s your best friend.”
Cole shakes his head. “It’s the same thing Bay told me last night.”
I nod. “See? That means that she cares about you. Besides, Bay looks like someone more than capable of taking care of herself. I heard when she walked into Topher and Bianca, she threw last year’s Olympic trophy at his head.”
Cole laughs for the first time tonight. “She did. Too bad she was too pissed off and missed. The least that motherfucker deserved was a concussion.”
We’ve reached the front lawn of the Zeta house and I’m not surprised that it’s crowded.
The people claiming their kisses are mostly men and Bianca Williams seems to be in high demand .
The Dean’s daughter is in her element as she kisses guy after guy. I don’t know any of the guys who are paying to kiss Bianca and that shouldn’t surprise me. Bianca is a puck bunny and she’s been with practically every guy on the hockey team. However she’s surprisingly loyal to the Cove Knights and unless you’re on the team, you have no chance with her.
I’m one of the very few hockey players on campus who hasn’t fucked her. She just isn’t my type. Nothing wrong with how she looks, I think every woman is beautiful—even though I tend to prefer shorter and curvier bodies to Bianca’s tall, model thin frame. What puts me off her is her really high pitch voice and how much she kisses and tells.
I don’t particularly want the entire campus to know everything about what I do in bed and hearing her screams when she’s been hooking up with my teammates is enough to make me pass on the entire experience.
I also don’t think Cole has slept with her, but I might be wrong.
“Hello,” Bianca shrieks after kissing a guy I don’t know on the cheek. “Gamma Delta Tau, at last you guys are here. Any chips to claim?”
Corey has a blue chip.
“That’s a kiss on the cheek. Who do you want it from? Me or our lovely President Bay Woods?”
Corey picks Bay—excellent taste, buddy—who has been leaning against the wall with her arms crossed over her chest.
“Bay Woods? You are the Zeta president ?”
The shocked question comes from Ryker, who looks pale, as if he’d just seen a ghost.
Cole answers his question before Bay can say anything. “Yeah, Bay is the Zeta president. Do you guys know each other?”
They answer at the same time.
“Yes,” Ryker growls .
“No,” Bay rolls her eyes.
Interesting. I sense a story there, but before I can find out what’s up, Topher comes to the booth.
“I believe I have the right to a French kiss,” he smirks, holding his golden chip between his index and middle fingers.
“Ooh,” Bianca beams, leaning on the flat surface of the stand in a way that presses her fake tits together.
I have nothing against fake tits, by the way. Bianca just got a pair that doesn’t suit her slight frame, they look ridiculously big.
“Come here, sailor. I should have known you’d buy the biggest prize of the night.”
Topher eyes her up and down, like you’d check a prized horse at an auction—don’t ask, my family are into competitive horse riding.
Our president’s smirk widens. “Sorry B, not tonight. I’m here to kiss your President.”
If Bay didn’t look happy a second ago, when she saw Ryker, now she looks positively furious.
“I don’t think so,” she bites out, her pony tail swinging side to side as she shakes her head.
“I’m afraid you have no choice, sexy girl.” Topher chides her. “I have the golden chip and I have the right to that kiss.”
The Zeta President laughs. “Sure, and Bianca here is more than happy to oblige. I, on the other hand, would rather lick the floor of the Gamma house downstairs bathroom after a party, rather than kiss you. So go ahead, get your kiss from my sister , or move along.”
Topher looks affronted. He isn’t used to being denied when he wants something. “I want that kiss from my girlfriend.”
Bay laughs but it comes out more like a snort. “That ship has sailed and I’m not your girlfriend. You could have had all my kisses but you stuck your dick where it didn’t belong. So either kiss Bianca, or I’ll give you a refund.”
Topher doesn’t budge. “I don’t want a refund and I’ve already kissed Bianca. I miss you and I want to kiss you, Bay. I spent five hundred bucks for the privilege.”
I can see how these two were attracted to each other. They’re both incredibly stubborn.
“You could have spent five grand. It still isn’t happening.”
Topher won’t be defeated. “If you don’t kiss me, I’m going to drag you in front of the Greek Council. Failing to honor the commitment you made by selling this golden chip could result in a sanction for the Zetas. Is that the legacy you want to leave behind when you graduate?”
The argument between the presidents of the most prestigious Greek chapters on campus has attracted a small crowd.
“Guys,” Ward Crawford, captain of our college’s football team and president of the Greek Council, steps forward. “What’s going on? I’ve been told there’s a fight between Gammas and Zetas? I thought your two houses were affiliated.”
“They are,” Bay says. “He’s just salty because I refuse to kiss him.”
Ward nods, his eyes going between Bay and Topher.
Everyone at school knows what happened the night of the Frozen Four final. I hope Bay hasn’t seen any of the memes of her throwing stuff at a naked Topher.
I don’t condone cheating for the record. I think Topher is a sleaze bag for how he treated his girlfriend of two years.
I might love to sleep around, but my partners know what’s on offer is no strings attached fun. I would never hurt anyone by breaking their trust.
“I bought this fucking golden chip. It gives me the right to a French kiss with a Zeta and I want to kiss Bay.”
There’s more back and forth as Bay and Topher argue their points .
“Hmm,” Ward muses, rubbing his chin. “I must admit that Topher has a point, Bay. Giving him the money back doesn’t make any sense since the proceeds of the fair go to charity. But at the same time dude, consent is consent and your ex made it clear that she doesn’t want to kiss you. I’m pretty sure the Council would rule that the kiss should happen. Just not between the two of you.”
Bay’s face lights up with a triumphant smile. “I told him, he can kiss Bianca.”
Topher glares at his ex. “And I told you, I’m not interested in kissing Bianca.”
“Hey!” I fight the urge to cover my ears at Bianca’s shriek, but for once I don’t blame her for taking offense.
“I don’t mean it in a bad way, B,” Topher tries to appease her. “But you and I can kiss any time. This golden chip is supposed to buy something special. Something that wouldn’t happen without it.”
Shit.
I hate to say it, but Mumford has a point. He might really make a fine lawyer one day.
Ward nods along. “True. Let’s find a solution here and now. It wouldn’t be dignified to argue something like a kiss in front of the Greek Council. We’d be ridiculed by every college in the country. So, how are we going to settle this?”
Bay is the first to speak. “Since it’s for charity, he can kiss any Zeta sister who consents to do it.”
“Not fucking interested.” Topher bites out. “It’s a golden chip, you’re the Zetas golden girl, it has to be a kiss from you.”
Bay flips him off. “The joke’s on you, Toph. I’m not kissing you. It’s final.”
“I’m sorry Bay,” Ward smiles. “On this, I’m on Topher’s side. What about you kiss one Gamma brother? Anyone except Topher. Would that settle this issue?”
I don’t understand why Topher looks so pleased, since he’s not getting the kiss he wanted. But our frat president hurries to agree.
“That would work. As long as I get to choose the brother she kisses. After all, I bought the golden chip.”
Ward looks satisfied. “That sounds fair. What do you think Bay?”
“Sure.” Bay says to Ward, but her glare is aimed at Topher. “As long as it isn’t him, I’ll kiss any of the Gammas.”
Ward claps Topher on the shoulder. “We have a deal. Make your choice and let’s get this done. Who should Bay kiss?”
Topper’s smile doesn’t reach his eyes. “Yo Cole,” he throws the chip. “Catch. Go ahead. Since you’ve been begging for scraps of Bay’s attention while we were dating, I think it should be you. I feel charitable tonight.”
Holy shit. I thought Topher was going to choose Tucker or another one of the brothers who seem to have his back all the time.
I definitely wasn’t expecting this.
His motive however is crystal clear. Topher has always been jealous of Cole’s friendship with his ex. I’ve heard him accuse them of fucking behind his back a few times after hitting the kegs too hard. By calling this charity, he’s trying to humiliate Cole. Especially when everyone knows our team captain is here on a scholarship and wouldn’t be able to pay five hundred bucks for charity.
“I don’t think so,” Cole shakes his head, clearly furious. “I’ve told you many times that Bay and I are just friends. Not everyone acts the way you do, stabbing others in the back.”
Topher barks out an incredulous laugh. “Are you for real? If it’s true that you’ve never touched my girl, this would be your chance to find out what you’ve been missing for two years. Why not take it?”
Cole is holding that golden chip with white-knuckle force. “ I told you. Bay and I are just friends. We don’t see each other that way.”
BAY
I’ve been back on campus for barely twenty-four hours and I’m already regretting coming back.
Believe me, after Topher’s betrayal I’ve considered transferring schools. Bridgeport U sounded especially appealing, since Lake is in town, but in the end I didn’t act on my fantasies of watching Star Cove becoming smaller and smaller in my rear view mirror.
First off because why should I go? I’m not the one who did something wrong.
Why should I let Topher take away the Zetas from me? I was the first ever sophomore to be elected president of our chapter and while I could transfer to the Bridgeport chapter, it wouldn’t be the same. I would just be one of the sisters, not Bay Woods, Zeta Theta Beta president.
There’s also Cole.
He’s my best friend and the low key crush I’ve always had on him prevented me from moving.
Even though I never thought he felt the same way, a small part of me hoped that now that I’m single, things between me and Cole would turn romantic.
Well obviously not.
When Topher throws the golden chip at Cole, my BFF looks… horrified. Disgusted. Like the proverbial deer in front of headlights.
“I told you. Bay and I are just friends. We don’t see each other that way.”
I always suspected he felt that way, but boy does it hurt hearing it from the lion’s mouth. He isn’t even looking at me when he slashes my hopes with his deep, sexy voice. In his defense, he doesn’t know how I feel.
If we weren’t surrounded by half the campus student population right now, I would turn on my heels and run to my room.
But I can’t. That would give Topher and Bianca the satisfaction to see me cry.
Even when I found them in bed together, I managed to keep the tears under control.
I need to look away from Cole’s stunned dark blue eyes though, or I’ll lose my battle.
With my heart beating so hard that I fear everyone out here will hear it, my eyes finally move away and land on Ryker.
He’s been watching the drama unfolding on my front lawn with the same sardonic smile he had yesterday when he made me ruin my lipstick at the airport.
Another urge takes hold of me. I’m dying to slap that amused smirk off his handsome face and at the same time pull him by that tight black t-shirt and show Topher what he’ll never get to do again with me.
The air is crackling with tension as Topher snickers at Cole. “Pussy.” He then extends his hand, demanding to have his fucking golden chip back. “Let’s see, who shall get to kiss the Zeta president?”
“You gave the chip to me, so you’ve lost the right to call the shots.” Rather than relinquishing the chip, Cole hands it to Jagger Connelly.
Talking about deer caught in front of headlights, Jagger looks just as stunned as Cole did a second ago. “What the fuck am I supposed to do with this?” he asks.
“He wants you to kiss him,” Tucker howls, causing everyone else to laugh, myself included.
Cole rolls his eyes. “Let’s get this over with. Kiss Bay, so we can all go to the bar and get a drink. ”
Cole’s D-man linemate hesitates. He whispers something in Cole’s ear.
I’m not sure what he says exactly but I think he’s asking Cole permission to kiss me.
My best friend nods. “I’m sure.”
“I’m game, as long as it’s ok with Bay.”
Is it ok with me?
The truth is that I’ve never looked at Jagger that way. Jagger is usually the life of the party and we’ve hung out plenty of times because of Cole, but I can’t say I know him more than superficially.
He’s always been kind to me and as far as I can tell, he gets along with everyone in the Gamma house.
He’s also one of the most popular guys on campus. His skills on the ice are legendary and Jagger is always surrounded by women.
I always tease Cole that he and Jagger must have bonded over their love for hookups.
“Fine,” I bite out, looking at Cole and Topher. “Let’s do it. I need that drink too.”
Jagger looks around, as if expecting one of his frat brothers or someone in the crowd to object. “You know what?” he says to Topher. “Since I ended up with your golden chip, I’ll match your donation. It’s for a good cause.”
Ward Crawford looks pleased. “That’s the spirit of the Rush Fair. The Zetas’ chosen charity will be grateful. Come on, let’s do it.”
When Jagger advances toward me, I instinctively take a step back. The wood of the kissing booth stops my retreat and I have nowhere to go.
I lift my face to look at the man I’m about to kiss. I’ve ‘known’ Jagger for three years and I’ve always considered him generally handsome, but now that I really look at him?
My breath catches in my throat. His six foot four frame towers over me and I’ve never been close enough to him to notice how great he smells. It’s something bright and vaguely exotic, like one of those cocktails with the tiny umbrellas. His scent reminds me of sunny days at the beach.
“Bay,” his smile is hesitant, almost as if he wanted to make sure that I’m really ok with this.
I nod, not even thinking about it.
I’m too lost in Jagger’s eyes. I’ve never given any thought to what color they are and now I wonder how I’ve not noticed them before.
The best way I can describe their color is amber or liquid gold. There’s no brown in his bright irises but their warm, golden color is mixed with green specks and shadowed by long, thick lashes.
Like Cole, Jagger is a big guy and when his hand cups my jaw, it covers almost the entire side of my face, his fingers curling over the back of my neck.
The first contact with Jagger’s lips is tentative, almost as if he wanted to give me the chance to change my mind.
When I don’t move away, he presses his lips on mine and I don’t think I’ve ever felt a pair of softer lips before.
To my surprise, Jagger doesn’t immediately try to slip his tongue into my mouth. He takes his time, pressing his lips against mine over and over, testing different amounts of pressure.
I don’t even realize that I’m kissing him back until he takes my top lip between his lips, pulling gently and playing with it. He repeats the movement with my bottom lip and my body reacts to it like it never has before to a simple kiss.
My nipples tighten against the fabric of my bra and my knees feel weak, threatening to buckle under my weight.
I anchor myself to Jagger, grabbing one of his muscular, corded forearms for support.
His skin is warm and soft, covered by a light dusting of blond hair, a couple of tones lighter than the dirty blond of his head .
He releases my bottom lip, playing with my mouth in a confident, unhurried way.
When the tip of his tongue traces the seam of my lips, I’m more than ready to allow him in.
A full body shudder makes me tremble when his firm, sleek tongue touches mine. I melt against his mouth, drunk on his minty, sweet taste.
The way he explores my mouth makes me feel bold and I caress his tongue with mine, giving as good as I get.
A low, deep noise rumbles in Jagger’s throat when I lose control and scrape my teeth over his bottom lip.
It’s like that gave him permission to kick things up a notch. He tilts my head back with the hand that’s tangled in my hair, holding the back of my head and he deepens the kiss.
Jagger owns my mouth, takes control of the kiss, devouring me with hot lashings of his tongue and sensual, playful nips of his teeth.
His big hand is closed around the back of my neck, as the slightly rough pad of his thumb strokes the front of my throat.
I don’t know how long we’ve been kissing, I forgot that Jagger and I aren’t alone. That this wasn’t a spontaneous kiss but some kind of twisted dare.
It surprises me that I don’t care. I’ve never been kissed this way before and my entire body is humming with sensation, buzzing with need.
I’ve never felt this way before or maybe I have. Yesterday when Ryker’s lips were gliding up and down my neck and his fingers had moved my panties to the side in the airplane’s bathroom.
What the fuck is happening to me?
Maybe I’m just horny after an entire summer spent on Luca’s yacht, keeping everyone at a distance.
It doesn’t really matter .
All I know is that Topher has never made me feel this way, not even when we had sex. Let alone with just a kiss.
I tighten my grip on Jagger’s arm, fisting the soft cotton of his t-shirt with my other hand as I push on the tips of my toes to get closer.
God, he’s so much taller, more muscular than Topher.
My ex isn’t short or small by any means, but Jagger has at least four inches on him and he’s much more built.
Noises coming from the crowd around us seep into my lust induced daze, but I tune them out. I don’t care that people are watching. I don’t want this kiss to end.
My entire body feels alive, I’m burning with the need to take this further. I’m on fire…
“Fire! Fire!”
Yeah, everyone must have noticed how hot this kiss is. Just as hot as Jagger.
“Fire! Fire!”
Jesus, are people yelling fire to encourage us? Like when they shout “chug, chug,” during a party dare?
“Fire!”
Ok, someone needs to shut the fuck up. This is distracting me from the hottest kiss of my life now.
“Someone call 911!”
That’s what breaks the spell Jagger and I are under. I don’t know who breaks the kiss, but we part slowly and reluctantly.
For a second it’s hard even to stop looking at each other as my heart is slamming against my chest and there’s an intense throbbing between my thighs.
Then reality forces its way back in and I gawk at the smoke coming from my house. From the Zeta Theta Beta house.
Flames are visible from several windows upstairs and I open my mouth to ask what’s going on but nothing comes out. It just doesn’t look real .
“Bay.”
Cole’s voice brings me back to reality and I finally find my voice again. “I—we need a headcount. Where are my sisters?”
Tami, always practical, already has the answer. “We’re all accounted for. Thank fuck for the fair, we’ve all been outside since it started.”
It seems ages until we hear the sirens of the fire trucks and no one moves as I answer the questions of one of the firefighters as his team begins working to extinguish the fire.
I don’t even flinch when my bedroom window breaks with a loud crack . It’s like an out of body experience, almost as if I were watching myself watching the fire. I’m pretty sure it’s because of the shock. Isn’t it crazy how one can go from feeling all kinds of things to being totally numb in a matter of seconds?
Just like that we stand on the front lawn, watching our sorority house, the place many of us have called home since sophomore year, go up in flames with all our worldly possessions.