The Chase (Briar U, #1)

by Elle Kennedy

Hollis couldn’t shut up yesterday about their hookup, acting like he’d scored a winning lottery ticket. I guess that’s not far off the mark, since I’m fairly certain this is the first time Brenna’s hooked up with one of us.

Normally she avoids us like the plague, though I don’t know if that’s because she doesn’t like hockey players or because she’s smart enough to know what Coach would do if one of us ever touched his precious daughter.

Hollis, sadly, isn’t smart. Fearless, yes. But not smart. Because if Coach ever finds out what he did, he’ll tie him up naked and spread-eagle...

“Eeeeeeeeee!” I almost fall out of my chair as an ear-splitting scream pierces the quiet house. My blood runs cold and I’m on my feet...

My brain goes caveman on me. Summer scream. Summer da...

“No!” Summer shrieks. “You can’t just come in here when I’m in the shower! That is UNACCEPTABLE!” Oh boy.

Why didn't they just let her have the bedroom with the ensuite??

Meanwhile, Hollis looks dazed. “I was just taking a leak,” he protests. “I was in the shower!” she screeches. “And I locked the door!” “Lock’s broken.” “Now you tell me that!”

He rubs his eyes. “Don’t see the big deal here, babe.” “Don’t call me babe.”

“That’s not the point!” She points at the bathroom door. “See that room? It’s a sacred room! It’s a temple, Mike! It is meant for one person, and one person alone. Like solitary confinement.”

“So is it a prison or a temple?” the bonehead asks. “Shut up,” she snaps. “And listen to me, Hollis. Unlike you, I don’t have a penis.”

“I am a woman,” Summer continues. Her fingers tighten over the top of the towel to keep it in place. “I’m a woman living with three men, and I have a right to privacy. I have a right to take a fucking shower without you barging in and pulling your dick out!”

“You didn’t even see my dick,” he argues. “That’s not the point!” She throws her arms up in frustration. And just like that, the towel drops.

Oh sweet mother of Moses. I catch one glimpse of full, creamy tits with pale pink nipples. One incredible, tantalizing glimpse, before Summer slaps a hand and forearm across her chest. She manages to catch the towel before it...

Hollis looks stunned. Hunter’s eyes are on fire. Me, I’m doing everything in my p...

“This is the worst bathroom ever,” she moans miserably. “There’s no counter space. The lighting is so terrible I can’t do my makeup. And now I can’t even be alone when I’m taking a shower?”

“Summer,” I say softly. She looks like she’s going to cry, so I slowly walk toward her. Don’t touch her. Don’t touch her. Don’t touch her. I touch her.

Just my fingertips on her shoulder, but the contact sends a hot shiver up my spine. “I’ll fix the lock. I promise.” Her body ...

Hunter and I exchange a quick look before turning to frown at Hollis. “What?” he says defensively.

“Dude, you have two sisters,” Hunter accuses. “How do you not understand bathroom etiquette? Me and Fitz are only children and we know goddamn bathroom etiquette.”

I swear it’s like the planet goes into some fucked-up time loop every year to make January a hundred days long.

That's me with February

I’m sick to death of the dumb jock stereotype. It’s so archaic, not to mention completely false. Some of the most intelligent people I know happen to be athletes.

The moment we hang up, the pressure weighing on my chest eases slightly. Dealing with the folks takes an actual physical toll.

Poor guy

I try to remind myself that I’m all about girl power. We live in a society where too many women tear each other down instead of raising each other up. That’s absurd to me. We need to empower one another, teach future generations of girls that it’s important to stand together.

Once upon a time, we had a common goal and a common enemy. We were burning bras and fighting for the right to vote. Now we’re body shaming each other on social media and blaming the mistress if our man cheats.

I don’t consider myself a radical feminist. I don’t believe men are evil demons from hell and should be purged from society—I think men have lots of good things to offer...

But I know what’s stopping us: jealousy. We’re too frigging envious of each other, and envy is such a crippling feeling. It causes us to say things and behave in ways that we’re secretly ashamed of, or at least I am. I regret nearly all the things I’ve said and done out of jealousy.

I’ve also been on the receiving end of it from other girls. Some of them resented me for my looks. Others assumed I was going to be a bitch to them because of said looks, so they attacked first.

So yes, I’m pro girl power. Ladies doing it for themselves. I am woman, hear me roar.

She’s not a bitch. That’s your jealousy talking.

Our new professor doesn’t miss the female attention he’s garnering. He winks at two girls in the front row as he rests his forearms on the podium.

Ew

“And your name is?” “It’s Summer.” “No, sweetheart, it’s winter. Have you not looked outside?”

Ew

“That’s one of the reasons I love her. When her original plans fell through, she didn’t give up. She chose a different path, succeeded, and became an icon.

He winks at me, and his tone holds a flirtatious note, but I’m starting to think this is just him being friendly. I saw him winking at several other girls throughout the lecture.

Don't give him the benefit of the doubt!!

“I was impressed with you this morning. You’re a very eloquent speaker.” “And a very terrible writer.”

Maybe voice to text? It might be a workaround for her.

A tiny smile lifts the corners of his mouth at the word oral. I know he’s referring to an oral presentation, but the accompanying smile triggers my ick meter.

It definitely gives me the ick

The man might be a legend in the fashion world, and he did seem nice enough, but I got such a weird vibe from him. Ugh. I don’t know. Maybe I’m reading too much into it.

Trust your gut!!

ME: Be prepared to discuss MH or I won’t let you in my car! This time, there’s a delay in her response.

lol

ME: Arggghhh! Come on, please?? I can’t take it anymore. I must find out 1) his dick size and 2) WTF WERE YOU THINKING After another long pause, she responds with: Fine. You win.

I bite my lip to stop from laughing. “Are you fucking with me right now?” “Of course I am. Nobody is that dumb. Winking is flirting. Everyone knows that.”

Her loud snort echoes in the car. “Right. Because well-respected men can’t possibly be douchebags. Do we need to have a talk about the current climate in Hollywood?”

It’s a hoe-mance for the ages.

“Is he a good kisser? What’s our penis situation like? Did he go down on you? Did you sleep with him? Why did you do this? Is he annoying in bed? Do you regret it? Is he⁠—” “Omigod!” Brenna exclaims. “I am not answering any of that.”

“I don’t have a thing for him,” I object instantly. “Doth protest, et cetera et cetera.” I glare at her.

“Mmm-hmmm. So you’re saying if he called you up right now and said, Hey Summer, I’d like to take you on a date and possibly show you my penis at the end of it? You’re telling me you’d say no?”

“Right. I’m the child. Just admit you still like him.” “Sure, if you admit you enjoyed fooling around with Hollis,” I challenge. It’s a stalemate.

The latter meant that I didn’t just hang out with hot football players, but hot swimmers as well. The boys with the lean muscles and smooth, aerodynamic bodies.

Mm male swimmers

Hollis might be annoying, but he does have sex appeal, I’ll give him that.

Also, he and I—and this slightly horrifies me, as I’m not sure what it says about me—have a lot more in common than I ever could have imagined.

In the past hour, I’ve discovered that he prefers tea to coffee, isn’t ashamed to say he loves Harry Styles’ solo album, and is as obsessed with the movie Titanic as I am. It’s currently playin...

“And we can’t turn it off. The ending scenes are the best ones.” “Babe. Please. I’m not in the mood to cry tonight.”