The Deal Off-Campus, Book #1

I agreed to help her not just because I’m her friend, but because I’m a man. And when a woman asks you to have sex with her and give her an orgasm, you don’t think about it. You say hell yes.

Well, she got the orgasm. She did. And I know I’m going to get the sex. I will.

But right now, all I want is for this girl to smile at me again.

I wrap my arms around him and hold him tight against me, and it's so familiar, so wonderfully perfect, that the love in my heart overflows and stings my eyes.

"I love you, Garrett," I choke out.

His husky voice tickles my lips.

"I love you, Hannah."

Then he kisses me, and everything in my world is right again.

"Then you would have said you care about me more than you care about his stupid money."

"Yup."

"And you would have let him cut you off."

"Right again."

My stomach lurches. "He said you aren't eligible for financial aid, and that you wouldn't be able to get a bank loan."

Garrett nods again. "Both true."

"You would have had to clean out your savings account to pay for next term's tuition, and...and then what? We both know you can't afford rent and expenses and car payments when you're not working, so that means you would need to get a job and—"

“Im gonna stop you there, baby." The smile he gives me is infinitely tender.

"So...let's back up. I let my father cut me off. Ask me what I would've said next."

I bite the inside of my cheek. A little too hard, so I soothe the sting with my tongue. "What?"

Garrett leans closer and sweeps his fingertips over my cheek. "I would've said, Don't worry, babe, I'm turning twenty-one in a few weeks, and my grandparents left ne a trust fund that I can access on January 2nd."

I suck in a shocked breath.

“Wait—-what?"

We stay this way for a while, with her fingers in my hair and my head in her lap. Eventually she coaxes me into bed and I slide between the sheets fully clothed. We're spooning now, except she's the one holding me and I'm too fucking tired and ashamed to move.

I fall asleep with her hand stroking my chest.

"You lost your temper," she agrees. "But that doesn't change the way I feel about you, or what I think about you. You said you'd never hurt me, and I still believe that."

Her voice shakes. "God, Garrett, if you knew how badly I wanted to rip his eyes out tonight... "

“But you didn't."

"Because I was in shock. I didn't expect to see him there." Her fingers slide over my scalp in a soft caress. "I don't want you to hate yourself for this,"

"I don't want you to hate mne for it."

She bends down and brushes her lips over the top of my head.

"I could never hate you."

"Hannah. Look at me."

I can't tear my eyes off Rob, who hasn't made it out the door yet. The group of friends he's with stop to talk to a few people, and he tosses a panicky glance over his shoulder, paling when he realizes I'm still staring at him.

"Hannah. Jesus. You're white as a sheet. What's wrong?" I guess Im pale, too. I guess I look like Rob. I we’ve both just seen a ghost.

The next thing I know, my head is wrenched to the side as Garrett's hands clutch my chin to force eye contact.

"Whar's going on? Who is that guy?" He's followed my gaze, and now he's watching Rob with visible mistrust.

"Nobody," I say weakly.

"Hannah."

"It's nobody, Garrett. Please."

I turn my back to the door, effectively eliminating any temptation to look Rob's way. Garrett pauses. Searches my face. Then he sucks in a breath.

"Oh fuck. Is it...” His horrified question hangs between us.

"No,"I say quickly. "It's not. I promise."

My lungs burn from lack of oxygen, so I force myself to take a deep breath. "He's just a guy."

"What guy? What's his name?"

"Rob."

Nausea circles my belly like a school of sharks. "Rob Delaney“

Garrett's gaze moves past my shoulder, which tells me that Rob is still here. Damn it, why can't he just leave already?

"Who is he, Hannah?"

Hard as I try, I can no longer pretend that my whole world hasn't been knocked off kilter.

My face collapses and I whisper, "It's Aaron's best friend. He's one of the guys who testified against me after the—“

Garrett is already stalking away.

When the mind-shattering pleasure finally abates, I register what song is playing in the car.

My eyes fly open. "Did you re-download One Direction?"

Her mouth twitches. "No..."

"Uh-huh. So why is 'Story of My Life' playing?" I demand.

She pauses, then lets out a big sigh. "Because I like One Direction. There. I said it."

“You're lucky I love you," I warn her. "Because I wouldnt stand for it otherwise."

Hannah grins. "Youre lucky I love you. Because you're a totalasshole and there aren't a lot of girls whod put up with it."

She's probably right about the asshole thing.

She's definitely right about the lucky part.

“…Because you're not like him. No matter how angry someone made you, you wouldn't hit them."

“That's not true. I've gotten into a brawl or two on the ice."

I admit. "And one time I punched a guy at Malone's, but that's cause he said some nasty shit about Logan's mom and I couldn't not throw down for my friend."

Which just goes to show that Hannah Wells is...amazing. She’s so fucking attuned to me, my moods, my pain. I've never been with anyone who can read me so well.