The Enforcer (Lakeside University #1)

by Avery Keelan

“Yeah, I’m good.” But the rasp in my voice says otherwise. “Right,” he says, unconvinced. “Now that we’ve got that lie out of the way, how are you actually doing?”

“I’m gonna need black,” I call over. “Or blue. Red. Green. Maybe purple in a pinch. Anything but that.” While beggars can’t be choosers, I do have some degree of pride, and Barbie pink isn’t going to fly. “Seriously?” Violet gestures with the KT roll in exasperation. “It’s tape, you overgrown man-child.” “Do you know how much shit I’ll get if I show up in the dressing room with pink tape all over my shoulder?”

“I thought you said we couldn’t be friends,” I blurt, stepping off the curb to cross a utility road. His gaze slides over to me. “We can’t.” “Then why do you care what happens to me?” We slow to a stop under a yellow-tinted streetlamp. It casts half of his face in shadows, making him even more difficult to read than usual. “Same reason I can’t be your friend.”

“Trust me, I have zero interest in dating any of your teammates. But like I was saying, it isn’t your place to scare guys off. We’re ancient history.” “Hardly.” Taking another step, he comes to stand directly above me, the warmth of his skin heating mine. “We were too many things to ever be ancient history.”

Nash steps closer, giving me an appraising once-over. “What was that about?” “Nothing,” I tell him. “Don’t worry about it.” “Uh-huh.” His jaw works for a beat, and then he sighs as if deciding to let it go. He inclines his head to the dance floor. “If you danced with Mr. Rogers over there, you definitely have to dance with me.”

My body says, her. This is the one, right here. My brain says, you don’t deserve her. And something clicks. I know what’s been nagging at me lately. This is it. I’m in. I don’t know how I’m going to do it, but I’ll get her to give me another chance.

She’s exaggerating; my instructions were only two pages. In my defense, Biscuit is particular about the cleanliness of his water bowl and deviating from his bathroom schedule can have disastrous consequences. Plus, I needed to make sure Sav knew about his fear of the vacuum cleaner. We have to store it in the closet when it’s not being used, or he’ll sit and howl at it.

“I’m a mess over you,” he murmurs. “You don’t even seem to realize it.”

“You don’t need to worry about other girls, Vi. I want you so bad I can’t fucking see straight.”

Coach Ward’s dog, Moose, who was there with his wife. Pretty fucking random but hey, maybe our dogs being friends can score me brownie points. Wait. Not that Biscuit is my dog. My foster dog, I mean. Because like I told Violet, it’s temporary. Though I have to say, nearly all of the potential adoption candidates have been abysmal. I wouldn’t give those people a cactus, let alone a puppy.

Every single wall around my heart crumbles to dust. “Oh my gosh.” I step closer, admiring his handiwork. “You made us a pillow fort?”

“What’s wrong?” “Not a single thing.” The uncertainty across his face vanishes, replaced by determination. His dark brows knit together. “Give me another chance, Vi. A real chance. No more one foot in, one foot out.” My teeth sink into my bottom lip, and my eyes well up again. His words hit hard because that’s exactly what I’ve been doing—holding back to protect myself, although it hasn’t been working. There is no playing it safe when it comes to love; it’s a contact sport for your heart. Falling for him again is a foregone conclusion. I’m so head over heels that I think I might be permanently upside down.

“For the record, it has never been ‘just sex’ with you,” I tell her, gently angling her face back up to mine. “Sex makes me feel closer to you, sure. But you could remove it from the equation, and I would still want to be around you all the time.” “You would?”

He squeezes my hands, his green eyes filled with affection and a glimmer of what I almost want to call worry. “Vi, I don’t care if I have to fly out just so I can see you for an hour at a time. It would be fully worth it. Whatever I have to do to make it work, I will. If you will.”

In this moment, I know. He may not say those three little words, but I know how much he cares about me.

“And beautiful. So fucking beautiful it blows my mind.”

I love the way she feels pressed up against me. Fuck, I love her.

I lower onto my forearms above her, running my fingers through her silky hair. “You’re beautiful.” “So are you.” Her pale blue eyes trace my face, her bare lips pulled into a soft smile. “I love you. Even if you won’t say it back.”

Stay with me. Still restraining her, I bring my mouth to hers. She smiles against my lips as I slide my other arm beneath her body, holding her against me. This time, I kiss her like she might vanish at any moment. Like she’s the air I need to keep breathing. Because she is. I need you.

Our eyes lock. I love you. Her soft breaths mingle with mine in the silent room.

She’s the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen.

“How’s that for showing you?” I ask, pressing my lips to her cheek. She sighs. “Perfect.”

“You don’t have to earn being loved, Nash. I know hockey is a huge part of your identity, but it isn’t all of you. You could hang up your skates tomorrow and I’d still be just as crazy about you.”

“I’m so fucking lucky to have you. I think about that every day.”

He pulls back, studying me with a mixture of reverence and desire, awe and adoration. “I love you, Vi. I never stopped.”

“I love you, and I’m going to spend all night showing you just how much.”

I head into the living room, and Violet bumps me with her hip on her way to the coffee maker for a refill. She’s barefoot, in yoga pants and a tank top with her blonde hair piled on top of her head and no makeup. My gaze follows her, lingering for a beat. Sometimes I catch myself staring at her, wondering how she could possibly be real. Wondering how she’s with me. Wondering how the hell I got so lucky. Right now is one of those moments.

“I like to think of it as good practice.” I wink, and Violet practically swoons on the spot. If there’s a way into her heart—and her pants—it’s talking about having babies. But I mean it. I can’t wait to do those things with her. We agreed to wait a few more years, but it’s not too far off.

Instead of ambushing her, I lower onto my side next to her and drink in every inch of her face. Full lips, big eyes, perfect nose. She’s so fucking pretty; I’ll never get over it.

“I love that smile,” she says softly, her fingers skimming my mouth. “I feel like I’m the only one who gets it.”

Sliding back up her body, I place my palm on her chest. “And this heart is mine. At least, I hope it is, because you have my heart, and you always will.” Violet gives me a soft smile and covers my hand with hers. “You’ve had my heart all along.”