“Hi,” he breathed, smiling.
“Hi,” she smiled back.
“Seriously guys, having to watch you two making out is not what I want to wake up to.”
Both Bri and Cole turned to find Matt leaning against the door to his room smirking at them. Bri blushed a tempting shade of pink, and Cole silently cursed his roommate. Matt had the worst timing in the history of the universe.
“Glad to see you made it back, Bri,” Matt strode over to the couch and plopped down next to them. “I thought for sure the beach and warm California weather would’ve been too much to leave behind again.”
“It was tempting,” she returned, looking at Cole. “But not as tempting as what was waiting for me here.”
Cole beamed and pulled her in for another kiss, not caring in the least that they had an audience. When Matt started making gagging sounds Cole pulled back and glared at him.
“Ready to go get some breakfast?” He held out a hand to Bri and helped her up off the couch.
“Definitely,” she smiled as he led her to the door.
“I’m ready for breakfast,” Matt pouted. “Don’t I get to come?”
“Not a chance in hell,” Cole smirked, and walked Bri outside.
“You know,” she began as they walked out to her car. “If you are breakfast, I’ll be the luckiest girl in the world.” She threw him a teasing smile.
“Don’t tempt me. It’s taking all my willpower not to take you back to my room, kick out the annoying jackass, and welcome you home properly.” He raked his eyes over her body.
Her cheeks flushed, but she returned saucily, “Who says we can’t do both?”
He groaned in frustration. This girl was going to be the death of him.
They spent the whole day together, running errands and hanging out. After dinner they ended up back at Cole’s place, and decided to watch a movie. Needing some time alone with her, Cole grabbed his laptop and pulled Bri into his room. They laid on his bed, spending more time kissing than actually watching the movie, but since Matt was in the next room, that was about as far as things could go. Matt kept popping in every so often, with some inane question or comment, and Cole had the sneaking suspicion that Matt was hoping to catch Bri topless again. And since there was no way Cole was ever letting that happen again, he held himself in check and didn’t let things get too heated. Instead, he relieved his frustration by throwing whatever he could reach at Matt every time he poked his head in. Cole had to admit, pegging Matt in the head with his playbook did make him feel a bit better.
Their movie ended, but he still wasn’t ready to let her go yet, so he convinced Bri to stay and watch one more movie with him. He pulled back his blankets and they snuggled under the covers while they watched one of Bri’s favorite chick flicks. As it got later, Bri’s eyes got heavier, until she fell asleep against his chest. And since he had no interest in the movie whatsoever, Cole quickly nodded off after her.
Sometime later, Bri turned in her sleep and woke Cole up. The laptop was dark, having shut off after too much inactivity, and Cole moved it to the nightstand. He glanced at the alarm clock and froze. It was almost two in the morning. Both he and Bri had class early the next day and he debated whether to wake her up and walk her home. But then she sighed and rolled back into him, and he knew there was no way she was leaving his bed tonight. He checked to make sure his alarm was set, it would wake them up in plenty of time for Bri to get home and get dressed before her first class, and laid back. Pulling Bri with him, he snuggled further down into the covers. Brushing the hair off her forehead, he gave himself a few minutes to enjoy the feel of her sleeping next to him, the smell of her hair under his chin, the slow rise and fall of her chest against his. He kissed her head, pulling her tighter against him, and drifted off to sleep, feeling more happy and content than he could ever remember being.
Chapter 9
Bri was certain she would like her second semester at Duke even better than her first. For one thing, she and Cole had two classes together this time, as they were finally able to coordinate their class schedules. Jillian, though still a royal pain in the butt, had been forced to tone down her criticisms and insults during practice, mainly because she couldn’t deny that Bri was the best dancer on the team and had to show her a little respect. But the best part of all was basketball season. The Duke student body were basketball fanatics, literally, and the whole campus buzzed with excited energy. Instead of just cheering, the dance team got to dance during some of the longer time-outs, and got to perform at most of the home game halftimes, which made Bri extremely happy. And as much as she loathed cheering, it wasn’t nearly so bad when she got to be down on the floor cheering Cole on. The dance team also cheered and danced for the women’s basketball games, which meant that Bri’s nights were very busy.
Unfortunately, Cole’s nights were even busier. Between practice, traveling for road games, and her own hectic schedule, there were very few nights they were able to spend together. Even on the weekends. The men’s basketball schedule was crazy, and the team traveled at least once a week. Bri was glad that there were a bunch of tutors who traveled with the team to help them keep up on their classes. Without them, she didn’t know how Cole would ever make it. Many of the few nights they did get together were spent studying for tests, or finishing papers that were due. Not the most romantic way to spend time together, but she wasn’t complaining. Anything was better than nothing.
Their busy schedules also put a hold on the whole sex thing. That was just her luck. When she’d finally decided she was ready, that decision had been taken right out of her hands. She seriously felt like the universe just loved to mess with her, dangling what she wanted in front of her and then yanking it back out of her reach. Stupid universe.
She’d convinced Cole to take a Latin Ballroom class with her, and so they got to hold, and fondle a little, each other while they danced. Not that all the hip swaying and tight bodily contact did anything to ease their sexual tension, but at least it was an outlet. Some days she thought she’d spontaneously combust due to all her pent up frustration. And Cole didn’t seem to be fairing much better. Luckily they had basketball and dance to keep them distracted.
They weren’t the only ones who were distracted. The whole school had gone basketball crazy, and everything else, including studying and homework, was secondary to supporting their team. Students would camp out in front of the box office, with tents and everything, to get tickets for the student section, which always sold out. It was the craziest thing Bri had ever seen, and she loved every minute of it.
The away games were always shown on the huge TV screens throughout the student union building. Bri sat with the huge crowd who had gathered there to watch the Blue Devils take on N.C. State. It was a Saturday afternoon at the end of January, and she swore half the campus was there. But the atmosphere this afternoon was more anger and frustration than excitement. The Blue Devils had built up a sizable lead in the first half, but that lead had dwindled dangerously as the second half wore on. Bri groaned as Jordan made a terrible pass and turned the ball over, again. Stacie, sitting next to her, let out a string of curses that left Bri’s ears burning, and Bri had to laugh. Yep, basketball was serious business here, and everyone took it seriously.
The camera panned over, and she caught sight of Cole on the bench, looking livid as he and Matt exchanged frustrated looks. She could tell he was doing everything he could to keep himself in check and not cause a scene. He hadn’t gotten much playing time the second half, only going in for a couple of minutes, and so he was forced to sit and watch helplessly as his team was in real danger of losing their first game.
The Wolfpack was within two points, with 24 seconds left to play. After inbounding the ball, Jordan ran some time off the clock and drove the ball in for a layup… and missed. N.C. State got the rebound, and raced down the court to get a shot off before time expired. The whole student union building held its breath. There was a huge sigh and cheer of relie
f as the shot bounced off the rim and the buzzer sounded. The Blue Devils had managed to survive. Bri was going to send Cole a text, congratulating him on the win, but as she caught his face on the screen, she thought she’d better let him cool off first. He did not look happy.
Their next home game was that Tuesday against North Carolina, and it was a big one. The whole school was pulsing with rivalry excitement. Posters and signs popped up all over campus proclaiming victory and praise for the Blue Devils, and all but promising death to the Tar Heels. Bri had never been part of anything this huge and intense before, and she couldn’t get enough. She’d even joined the whole campus in wearing nothing but blue and white until the game, for luck.
Tuesday night, Bri walked out onto the stadium floor, and immediately felt the excitement of the crowd and the buzzing energy in the building. This was the height of Duke basketball madness, and she couldn’t help but get swept up in it. When the team came out to warm up, the stadium erupted. Cole stopped by to give her a quick kiss, as he always did, before joining his team. Bri caught Jillian glaring at her and turned a smug smile on the despicable girl. She had noticed that Jillian had suddenly taken an interest in Cole, and she was fully ready to pummel the girl into the ground if need be.
After warm ups, Cole snuck over one more time.
“It’s a big game. Wish me luck,” he smiled at her. She could see his nerves and tension simmering just under his skin.
“Like you need it,” she smiled and smacked his butt as he headed back to the bench.
Although, as the game began, Bri thought that maybe Cole did need some luck after all. The Tar Heels came out hot, and the Blue Devils were barely able to contain them. By the end of the first half Duke was down by ten points, and Jordan and the other starters looked stunned. Unfortunately, after half time things just got worse. As the Tar Heels’ lead continued to increase, Jordan seemed to lose it. It was obvious that he didn’t know what to do, or how to stop the disaster that was unfolding around him, and Bri actually felt bad for him. He looked like a deer caught in headlights, unable to move or escape his impending doom. She looked over to the bench and saw Cole silently fuming. He turned to one of the assistant coaches, and Bri was close enough to hear him ask how long they were going to let Jordan drown out there. Cole looked her way and gave her a very frustrated, what-the-hell look, that she could only return with a grimace.
Finally, with only seven minutes left and down by twenty five points, Coach called a time out and pulled Jordan and two other starters, putting Cole, Matt, and another junior in to replace them. Cole rolled his shoulders as he stepped onto the floor, a look of determination, that promised retribution to his opponents, on his face. Bri couldn’t help but smile as she recognized the look that had terrorized the teams Cole had played against in high school. Cole was pissed and focused, and things were about to get very interesting.
For the next seven minutes, Cole was a man on a mission, and that mission was to win that game. Bri couldn’t help the swell of pride she felt as she watched him. This was what he was born to do, and he was on fire. He brought the Blue Devils back to within five points, reigniting some energy in the demoralized crowd. But as hard as he fought, in the end there just wasn’t enough time, and Duke lost their first game by four points. Despite the loss, Cole had played a hell of a game, and Bri was extremely proud of him. Smiling, she watched as his coach pulled him over after the game.
“Way to keep fighting, Marra.” Coach gave Cole a slap on the back and headed into the locker room. Cole threw her a quick smile, but she saw his disappointment and frustration return as he followed his team off the floor.
Bri went back to her own locker room and changed quickly. As she waited back in the stadium for Cole to come out, she wondered if there would still be a bunch of parties tonight. There were always victory celebrations around campus after the games. Sometimes she and Cole would stop by each party, “making the rounds” as he called it. But the team had never lost before, so she wondered what all of the victory celebrations would look like tonight.
Movement caught her eye, and Cole stepped out of the tunnel and into the stadium. Immediately, a few of the fans that had been waiting began shouting his name. Cole looked up, utterly surprised. This had never happened before. Usually the fans were clamoring for Jordan’s autograph, or one of the other big guys. So, with a slightly dazed smile Cole strode over and began signing balls and t-shirts. Bri followed him over, watching as he charmed his fans.
“Great job tonight,” one man said. “If you’d had a few more minutes you could have pulled it out.”
“Yeah,” his buddy agreed. “I can’t understand why they left Wright in there for so long. He was a disaster.” Cole just smiled as he continued to sign.
“Cole!” Two little girls, about ten years old, tried to get his attention. He moved over to them, smiling dashingly as they held out their programs for him to sign.
“You were awesome tonight,” one of the girls smiled shyly.
“Yeah, and you’re really cute,” her friend said, and both girls started giggling.
“Thank you,” he beamed back at them, unleashing all of his glorious Cole hotness on the poor girls.
“Will you marry me?” The second girl giggled uncontrollably as her whole face turned red.
“Anytime,” he winked at her, and Bri swore the poor girl was going to pass out. “Thanks for coming tonight, and thanks for sticking around. It was nice to meet you.” He gave the girls one last brilliant smile before he turned to Bri. “Hey Beautiful,” he smiled at her, but it didn’t reach his eyes. Even though she knew it had made his night to have fans waiting for him, she could still feel his simmering anger.
“That was new,” she smiled up at him as they walked out of the stadium. “How does it feel to have fans?”
“Yeah,” he shook his head, “my whole four fans.” He sounded self-deprecating, but there was a smile on his face.
“Four is better than none. Plus, you might even have earned yourself a ten year old stalker,” she nudged his shoulder playfully. “Don’t be surprised if she comes to collect on that marriage proposal.”
Cole chuckled. “Yep, it looks like you have some competition in that department.” He winked at her, and she shoved him.
Just then her phone dinged, and she pulled it out to see a text from Seb. Smiling, she sent off a reply.
“Who is that?” Cole glanced over at her.
“Oh, it’s Seb. He wants me to tell you that you played great, despite the loss. And that your coach is an idiot for not pulling Jordan earlier. If you’d had more time, you guys could’ve won.”
Cole stopped dead in his tracks and turned to her. “You and Seb are texting now?” He gave her a hard, penetrating gaze, and she could see his barely contained anger resurfacing. His whole body was rigid with tension, and his hands balled into fists.
Knowing his reaction was partly due to his residual anger and frustration from the game, Bri pushed down her own temper and tried not to bristle as she replied.
“Yeah, every once in a while. We are friends, after all. He was going to send that text to you, but he saw your face on TV and didn’t want to piss you off even more.”
“So he sent it to you instead,” Cole scoffed. “Like any friend would do.”
Bri paused, surprised at his reaction. “Do you have a problem with me and Seb being friends?” She crossed her arms and gave him a pointed look. “Because it hasn’t seemed to be an issue before.” Cole had known for a while now that she and Seb were friends, and he’d never said it upset him. Which was good, because she would’ve had to smack some sense into him. It looked like she still might have to.
“Maybe I just have a problem with you texting other guys,” he shot back, and Bri could see fear behind the anger in his eyes.
“Cole, are you really that insecure?” she sighed. “Just because I have guy friends doesn’t mean that I’m going to go running off with them. I’ve been friends with Daymon for
months now, and I’m still here.”
She saw Cole’s eyes darken, and she realized her mistake. She hadn’t exactly told Cole that she ran into his TA on campus every once in a while, and that they talked and occasionally had lunch together. Needing to gloss over that fact she hurriedly continued.
“And do you see me getting all jealous and worried about all of the girls drooling over you wherever you go?” She raised an eyebrow at him.
“No, because there aren’t any,” he retorted, crossing his own arms defiantly.
“Are you serious? You really haven’t noticed all of the girls on campus that follow you with their eyes, and sometimes their whole bodies, everywhere you go? And then there are the girls that “accidentally” bump into you, hoping to get your attention. Do you see me getting all pouty and huffy about them?” To be fair, these things really did bug her. They drove her crazy, in fact. But she knew that there wasn’t anything Cole could do to stop it, and so whining and complaining about it wouldn’t solve anything, and would only drive a wedge between them.
“That’s because you know you don’t have anything to worry about.” He refused to back down.
Bri sighed. This wasn’t working. Time to switch tactics.
“And you do? I’m not the one who got proposed to tonight,” she teased, and saw the corner of Cole’s mouth lift. “Right in front of your girlfriend, I might add. Now, I’m not naive enough to believe that that will be the last time another girl propositions you, but I’m not dumb enough to believe that you’d fall for it, either.”
Cole swallowed thickly before replying. “You’re right, I’m sorry. I’m being a total prick. Can we just forget I said anything?”
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