Dare You to Hate Me

of the slices of bread. When I look at DJ, he’s sputtering out, “What the fuck? No. Why would you even ask that?”
Her shoulders lift. “I thought we were just throwing out random questions that make no sense. Unless there is some truth to it.” This time, she looks behind her shoulder right at me. “You’ve seen him in the locker room. Is there?”
I snicker when I notice the way Number 81’s face turns red, all the way to his ears. “Unfortunately, I can confirm he’s all male. I’ve seen him whip it out one too many times to be uncertain. Including that one time he got so drunk he flashed—”
“That was one time!” he instantly cuts me off, standing up and glaring at me.
My grin grows over his agitation. Sophomore year, he hit Captain Morgan a little too hard and ended up not only flashing a male cop, but woke up spooning Number 14, who’s since graduated, in the living room. They’d both been hammered and vowed not to speak of it to anyone. But there are pictures.
Taken by yours truly.
Ivy clears her throat. “As fun as this spat is to watch—” Her tone says the exact opposite, which makes me shake my head in amusement as I go back to making dinner for myself. “—I have places to go after we’re done here, so can we please finish this?”
DJ drops back into his chair obediently. Can’t say I’m too surprised. Ivy has that touch, that edge to her that people usually listen to when she means business.
“Hot date?” I press, stacking some of the roast beef onto the bread and slapping a few slices of cheese on next. “I’m sure the guys are lining up at your door to experience that shining personality of yours.”
Through my lashes, I see her shoulders straighten. It’s an asshole thing to be sarcastic about, but I am curious. The guys say nobody sits by her in class because she scares them off with her expression. Even Number 81 looks slightly curious, which I’m not as enthused about.
Ivy ever so slowly turns around, resting an arm on the back of the chair. “Not that it’s any of your business, but I do have a hot date. Tangled sheets and all.”
My nostrils flare when we lock eyes, and she smiles innocently at me. “With whom?”
“None of your damn business,” she snaps back quickly.
I stop what I’m doing and lean my palms on the edge of the counter to hold myself up. “I’d say it is considering you had my cock in your hand only days ago.”
DJ quietly murmurs, oh shit under his breath, but otherwise stays silent as he looks over his notes.
“Well tonight is somebody else’s turn.” Again, she shrugs, unabashed over the simple statement. Her eyes show no mercy, no shame, and I don’t know what to think. Gone is the girl I used to know, and in her place is a total stranger with a fiery personality she only could have gotten by the shit she’s experienced in the last few years. “Don’t be greedy, Hot Shot.”
A slow smirk stretches across my face, and I won’t lie when I say the next words out of my mouth make me cringe a little. “Everybody gets a turn with you, huh?”
Even my teammate winces at that.
Ivy clicks her tongue and turns back around, closing her notebook, then the textbook in front of her. “I think it’s time I left. I have a busy night of fucking the entire campus, so I need to get an early start.”
DJ tries stopping her. “Iv—”
“Bye,” she says, cutting him off, collecting her things and walking out the door without a look in my direction. I hear Caleb tell her goodbye and a muffled response in return.
I drop my head forward between my shoulders and heft out a sigh. “Don’t,” I warn the only other person in the room when the front door slams shut.
“Dude,” he says anyway.
“She pissed me off.”
“So you say that?”
“She was egging me on!”
“And she won,” he points out matter-of-factly, eyebrows raised. “Damn, Griff. Never seen you like that with anyone before. That was…something else. Kinda hurt to watch.”
I shake my head again and angrily finish making my sandwich, even if I’m not hungry anymore. “You don’t know shit about her or me, 81. I suggest you stop butting into my business for once.”
He catches on quickly. “There’s a ‘her and me’ suddenly? Didn’t seem that way to me. It’d make sense why you’ve been in such a mood lately, I guess.” I cut him a look, causing him to raise his hands in surrender. “Fine. All I’m saying is that you owe her an apology. Might get you out of the doghouse if you ever want to act on that little proclamation.”
Do I? I put all the ingredients back into the fridge and pick up my sandwich. “And you’re an expert on pissing women off, I suppose.”
He grins at me. “Voted most likely to get divorced by the time I’m twenty-five. My mom was so proud.”
Sarcastic douche. “I’ll be downstairs. Tell everyone not to bother me.”
He chuckles as I start walking out of the room. “Going to jerk your frustrations out of you? Good luck with that!”
I flip him off and jog down the stairs.
He’s right about one thing.
I need to apologize to Chaos.
Matt Clearwater and DJ horse around in the athletic advisor’s office as she gathers paperwork for them. I smack them both upside the head as I pass by the chairs they occupy before dropping onto the small sofa off to the side. “Quit it. Rach doesn’t need your bullshit today.”
The woman in question is a twenty-something new addition to Lindon’s athletic department. Coach Pearce told HR he didn’t care who was hired as long as they could get the job done. And if for no other reason, the guys show up when Rachel Holloway sets a meeting because she’s petite, got big tits, and doesn’t take any of