Copyright © 2021 by Michelle A. Valentine
Published by: Michelle A. Valentine Books, LLC
E-Book Edition
All rights reserved.
Visit my website at: www.michelleavalentine.com
Editors:
Jenny Sims, Editing4Indies
Holly Malgieri, Holly’s Red Hot Reviews
No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system without the written permission of the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
Contents
Disclaimer
Book Synopsis
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Chapter 35
Phenomenal X
Acknowledgments
About the Author
Also by Michelle A. Valentine
Disclaimer
This book is intended for an adult audience due to strong language and naughty sexual situations.
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Book Synopsis
He’s Rebellious in the ring and Reckless in Love.
Sky Cold knows exactly what she wants, and it's Luke Finnegan, the college campus star quarterback. The only problem is she's not even a blip on his radar. In order to get noticed by her crush, she's willing to exchange the extra bedroom in her apartment to Luke's tattooed, older brother to find a way into his social circle.
Baker Finnegan is determined to get out of his father's shadow and do things his way. When he falls on hard times, and the sexy, slightly nerdy co-ed Sky offers him a place to live in exchange for a fake friendship, he can't pass up the opportunity. But when Baker quickly realizes the only match he wants to make for Sky is one with himself, he has to convince her to look past his reckless ways.
To my faithful readers who have waited patiently for me to publish another book, thank you.
1
Sky
There they go again, in all their sweaty man glory. Shirtless football players running around campus, causing all the girls to drool. Myself included. My eyes pass over their glistening muscles before scoping out the faces, and I'm disappointed. The guy on the team I've been lusting over is nowhere to be seen. It would've been great to have had a little Luke eye candy to start my shift at the college library off right.
It's true, I've had a crush on Luke Finnegan since freshman year, and sadly, he doesn't know I exist. Yet it doesn't stop me from thinking about him like a crazy stalker and tripping over myself every time I see him.
I take a deep breath and step through the automatic doors.
"Good afternoon, Sky," Mrs. Makenzie, the librarian, greets me while shoving her dark purple glasses up the bridge of her nose, before smoothing back her graying brown hair. "I'm so glad you're here. Can you manage the desk for me? I have a new shipment of books I need to take care of back at the loading dock."
"Absolutely." I set my messenger bag under the counter.
"Thank you," she tells me before scurrying off toward the back of the building.
I go straight to work checking in books and answering any questions the students or facility may have. Columbus University is crazy busy like this during the fall semester because a lot of new students are still trying to get their feet wet.
My eyes scan the stack of book-holds requests, and I stuff my pen into the rubber band of my low-set ponytail, ready to get to work when a deep voice instantly catches my attention.
"Hi" was all he said before my eyes met his, and my jaw drops.
Standing before me is none other than Luke Finnegan, the star of every late-night fantasy I've had for the past year. I should say something, but no words will come. Instead, I stand there gawking at him like a freakin' idiot.
He knows he's hot, and by the smirk on his face, he knows I think so too.
The thick dark hair on the top of his head is styled to perfection while his dazzling white teeth appear even whiter against his tan complexion. All that paired with the navy polo he's wearing--he could've stepped right out of a magazine. He's perfect.
"Um, hello?" He repeats his greeting again, and I realize I have to pull myself together and speak to him.
"Hi, uh, yes, Luke...what can I, um, do for you?" I stumble over my words and instantly want to die.
The grin on his face stretches farther. "Football fan?"
Knowing his name would be a lot easier to explain if the real answer to that question was yes, but I only obsess over the team because Luke is the starting quarterback. So naturally, instead of outing my obsession, I lie. "Yes. Huge fan. Like major."
"Awesome," he answers coolly. "Can you point me in the direction of the tutoring sign-up terminal? I need some help in biochemistry."
I point to the far east corner of the building. "If you head that way, you'll see a sign that says tutoring. The terminal to sign up is right outside the tutoring room."
He pushes himself back away from the counter. "Thanks...?"
"Sky, my name is Sky." I divulge quickly as a little thrill shoots through me.
"Awesome. It's always nice to meet a fan," he says, wearing an easy smile before heading the way I pointed.
As soon as he's out of earshot, I release a huge breath and lean against the desk for support. The high alert my body was on comes down, and my knees wobble as I clutch my chest and try to catch my breath.
"You're wasting your time," the guy sitting at the table in front of me says. He doesn't bother to glance up from the textbook he's reading, which makes me think he wasn't speaking to me even though no one else is around.
I take another big breath and still find myself smiling.
"You must be a glutton for punishment," he says again, jerking my attention to him.
He doesn't look like the kind of guy you'd find reading in the library. The tops of his arms are tatted, and he has muscles for days. He's all rebel without a cause looking, and he screams trouble. Undeniably hot trouble.
And definitely way out of my league.
He glances up from his book, and our eyes meet. His brown eyes watch me intently as if he's waiting on a response while he rakes a hand through his brown hair. When I don't say anything, he lifts one eyebrow in challenge.
My eyes narrow as it hits me that both of those snide sentences he spoke earlier were meant for me. "Excuse me?"
He sighs and shuts his book before pushing himself out of the chair. "Look, you seem like a sweet girl. Save yourself the heartache and forget it. You don't have a snowball's chance in hell with him."
"Rude, much?" I fire back, hating his comment.
He shrugs his large shoulders and strand of hair falls across his forehead. "Just honest. Move on, Sky. You're not a blip on his radar."
"And how would you know?"
"Because I do." He grabs his book. "He's my brother, and I know him better than anyone else."
My eyes widen as Mr. Tattoo turns and stalks out of the building. Shock quickly wears off and morphs into full-on embarrassment at the thought of Luke finding out the library chick has a crush on him.
2
SKY
The campus cafeteria is a ghost town, which is exactly why my best friend, Mylie, and I always pick to have a late lunch. Mylie isn’t really a people person, as confirmed by her T-shirt of choice today, which reads, “I Hate Peopleing.” Most people say they don’t understand how we’re friends because we’re so different, but we clicked freshman year. I’m a total book nerd, painfully shy, and always worried about what people think about me, while Mylie is a little on the wild side with the pink streaks in her blond hair paired with the little diamond stud in her nose. She always seems so confident, and I envy that about her.
I slide into a seat across the table from her. “How was class? Did you decide what you want to do for your project?”
She nods as she takes a bite of her apple. “Gothic Steampunk era.”
“Oh, I bet that will be cool. Sounds like a young adult book cover. If I had half your graphic design talent, I would be designing book covers for a living.”
She rolls her eyes. “Everything to you is a book or movie. I swear you’d live in one of those books you read if you could.”
“I so would. Everything’s better in books…including boys.”
A wicked grin washes over her face as she gazes over my shoulder. “Speaking of boys. Luke Finnegan just walked in.”
I groan and drop my head, looking anywhere but in Luke’s direction. Normally, I would practically break my neck for a chance to gawk at my crush, but knowing I just made an idiot out of myself in front of Luke’s brother in the library makes me want to die of embarrassment.
Mylie reaches over and presses the back of her hand against my forehead. “Whoa. You sick or something? This isn’t like you to miss out on a drool session when it comes to the campus’s hottest quarterback.”
I grimace. “Something kind of happened between Luke and me today.”
Her green eyes dance with excitement. “What? And you let me sit here for five whole minutes and haven’t told me this juicy tidbit of information yet? This seriously makes me question our friendship. Spill.”
I launch into our brief encounter at the library, and how as I was basking in the post-conversation glow, his brother witnessed how love-sick I was when Luke walked away.
Mylie’s lips twist in confusion. “Wait. You’re telling me another hot Finnegan is walking around this campus somewhere. How did I not know about this?”
“I didn’t say he was hot.”
“You most certainly did. You said he was tall, muscled, tattooed. Hello. That’s bad-boy hot. I must track down this unicorn.”
Oh, Lord. I just sent her on a mission. She loves a good mystery, which is why I always tell her she should rethink her major from graphic design to criminal justice. While I don’t deny the other Finnegan brother was most deliciously sexy, he isn’t my type. I don’t go for the rebellious type. Those kinds of guys are fun to read and fantasize about, but they’re too much for me to handle in real life.
My back stiffens a bit when Luke sits at the table next to us. He digs into his lunch and checks his phone, completely oblivious Mylie and I are watching him intently, practically wiping drool from each other’s chins.
“I still can’t believe there’s another one of him floating around campus. Looks like there’s one for each of us now, so we can stop the argument of becoming sister wives and sharing Luke.”
I furrow my brow and shush her, afraid he’ll overhear us. I’ve been mortified over him enough for one day.
She laughs and then takes another bite of her apple.
We’re just about to clean up after finishing lunch when the distinct sound of high heels clicking against the tile floor heads in our direction. A statuesque blonde marches toward Luke. I’ve seen her around campus a few times. She’s the kind of girl who is beautiful and knows it.
Luke looks up from his phone as the girl approaches his table. “Oh, hey. What’s up, Veronica?”
Her lips pull into a tight line. “This is awkward, so I’m just going to say it.”
“Oh….kay.” The expression on his face is one of clear confusion.
“I can’t see you anymore.” She pauses for a moment and then shrugs. “Okay. Bye.”
Veronica turns, flipping her long blond curls in the process, and takes a step toward the exit.
My mouth drops open.
What in the hell? Is this girl insane? Who in their right mind would break up with Luke Finnegan?
“Veronica?” He leaps up from his chair. “Seriously? You can’t just waltz in here and dump me without an explanation.”
Her shoulders rise as she takes a visible deep breath before turning back to face him. “My ex, Roland, is back in town, and he wants to get back together, so we’re taking his family’s private jet to Belize to celebrate.”
“So he snaps his fingers, and you jump? Do the past couple of weeks we’ve shared together mean nothing?”
This is sad to watch, and it breaks my heart to see him hurting like this. I want to hug him and tell him he doesn’t need a shallow girl like her. He needs someone who will appreciate him. Someone like me.
Veronica’s bottom lip pokes out in a mock pout. “I’m sorry, Luke. We had fun, but we’re over.” She backpedals away from him. “I’ll see you around.”
As quickly as she entered, Veronica is gone, leaving Luke standing there staring after her. He seems lost. Luke Finnegan doesn’t seem like the type of guy who gets dumped too often. I’m not sure he even knows how to process what’s happened to him.
Luke drops his head and pinches the bridge of his nose. I itch to comfort him but know that would be entirely too creepy. So I sit silently, wondering what he’s going to do next.
When he lifts his head, he releases a big sigh, then glances over at Miley and me with a sad smile. “Well, that sucks.”
Without saying anything else, Luke grabs his tray and heads toward the exit.
“Oh, my God. Do you know what this means?” Mylie questions, grabbing my arm. “Luke Finnegan is officially single. Maybe it’s time you make your move.”
I tilt my head and give her my best are-you-kidding-me face. “That’s never going to happen.”
“Why wouldn’t it?”
“Look at me.”
“I don’t know why you always act like you aren’t beautiful.”
“Mylie—”
“No, Sky. You’re a knockout, and if you’d just stop wearing that book nerd hoodie that’s two sizes too big, keep your hair out of a ponytail every once in a while, and throw in a pair of contacts, you’d have every guy in the place killing to be with you. You could totally have Luke Finnegan if you put in some effort.”
What she’s saying is meant as a compliment, but it’s making me self-conscious. “Do I really look that bad?”
“No, I personally love how you represent your nerdism so proudly, but if you want to land a man, you have to put some of your goodies on display.” She laughs at
her own joke. “Hooking a man requires a little work, and you have to let your guard down a little.”
My friend’s words resonate with me. I’ve never really opened myself up to a guy before. The fear of getting hurt is always on my mind and has always held me back from going for things I really want. Maybe it’s time to get a plan together because it would be a dream come true for me to be on Luke’s arm.
3
SKY
It’s been a few days since my resolution to get Luke to notice me, and I haven’t come up with anything. Even if I give myself a makeover, I’ll never find enough courage to actually talk to Luke the way I truly want to.
I readjust my backpack as I walk to my apartment building. Living alone here has taken a little getting used to. During freshman year, I lived in the dorms, and Mylie was my roommate. This year, my father spoiled me a bit by getting me an apartment to get rid of distractions and focus on my studies and writing.
As I slide my key into the lock, the sound of two guys arguing catches my attention. My eyes flit up the wooden stairs that lead to the second level of the building in our common breezeway.
Rebellious and Reckless: College Sports Romance Stand-Alone (Campus Hotshots Book 1): Campus Hotshots Page 1