The Deal (Off-Campus, #1)

by Elle Kennedy

As a strangled sob tears out of my mouth, I attempt a frantic scramble off Garrett’s lap, but his arms tighten around me, one hand tangling in my hair to bring my head closer. I bury my face in his neck, trembling wildly as tears slide down my cheeks in salty waves. “Hey, come on, don’t cry,” he begs. “It breaks my fucking heart to hear you cry.”

“Oh my God, are you kidding me?” He looks startled. “What’s wrong?” “Are you taking human growth hormones or something?” I snatch my hand back, fighting another rush of nervousness. “There’s no way that huge man monster is fitting inside me!” Garrett’s head abruptly drops in the crook of his arm as a shudder racks his body. At first I think he’s pissed off. Or maybe even crying. It takes several seconds before I realize what’s happening. He’s laughing. Scratch that—he’s in hysterics.

“I knew I should have tripled the recipe,” Hannah says ruefully, staring at the empty dishes in wonder. Then she tries to get up to clear the table, at which point Tucker all but bodychecks her out of the kitchen.

So why does the thought of not spending any more time with Hannah bring the oddest clench of regret to my gut?

I kiss her hard, losing myself in her taste and her heat and every damn thing about her. I never expected her. Sometimes people sneak up on you and suddenly you don’t know how you ever lived without them. How you went about your day and hung out with your friends and fucked other people without having this one important person in your life.

“For almost two months, Hannah. I went two months without knowing your name.” “Well, we didn’t know each other.” “You knew my name.” I sigh. “Everyone knows your name.” “How did I go so long without noticing you, damn it? Why did it take seeing a stupid A on your midterm to make me notice?”

“I’m sorry I ran off,” I concede. “But I’m not sorry that I want to be with you.”

Logan sighs. “G, why is your girl our nutritionist now?” I pick up my water glass and take a sip of defeat. “Do you want to argue with her?” Logan looks at Hannah, whose expression clearly conveys: you’ll get a soda over my dead body. Then he looks back at me. “No,” he says glumly.

“I’m sorry I can’t come over and kiss all your boo-boos, but I’m working on the song.” “It’s okay. There’s only one boo-boo I want you to kiss, and you sound too distracted for that.” He pauses. “I’m talking about my dick, by the way.” I choke down a laugh. “Yep. I got that. No need to clarify.”

“Feel free to hang up if you get bored.” “Baby, I could watch you watching paint dry, and I still wouldn’t be bored.” Garrett Graham, my own personal sweet-talker.

“What if I’m just like him?” She answers with absolute conviction. “You’re not.” Misery crawls up my spine. “I have his temper, I know I do. I wanted to strangle him tonight.” I press my lips together. “It took all my willpower not to throw him into a wall and beat him to death. But it wasn’t fucking worth it. He’s not worth it.” She reaches for my hand and laces her fingers through mine. “And that’s why you’re not like him. You have that willpower, and that means you don’t have his temper. Because he can’t control his. He lets the anger fuel him, drive him to hurt the people around him, people who are weaker than him.”

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