Nice Guys Don't Win (The Boys #2) - Micalea Smeltzer Page 0,10

bottles lined up, for a split second I thought I was dealing with an alcoholic college boy and what a nightmare it would be, but I had quite the laugh once I read the label and saw that it was root beer.

Cole gives me an amused smile when I sit down beside him, kicking my shoes off on the carpeted floor and tucking my feet under me and drink in hand. “Are we sharing drinks now?”

“I needed something stronger than water.”

He throws his head back and laughs, caramel brown eyes sparkling when they meet mine. “Sorry I only have root beer then.”

“It’s okay. We can go shopping for actual beer sometime this week.”

“We, huh?”

I roll my eyes. “At least if we grocery shop together, I won’t have to carry everything up the stairs by myself.”

He tsks. “Using me as a pack mule to carry your shit, Zoey? I see how it is. And here I thought you wanted to spend more time with me.”

For some reason my heart trips over itself. I better as hell not be developing a crush on my roommate. The last thing I need is to be lusting after a guy, even one as hot as Cole, after the disaster that was my last relationship.

“You wish, Anderson.” I bump his shoulder with mine, definitely not affected at all by how muscular his bicep feels against my arm.

He grins, eyes glimmering with amusement and holds his bottle out to mine. “Cheers, Zoey.”

“Cheers to what?”

“I don’t know. To school starting, to you surviving dinner with your family … to ‘grocery’ shopping.”

My heart skips a beat again, something about the way he says ‘grocery shopping’ feels illicit. Like limbs touching between sheets, nails scraping against skin, tongues dueling.

Somehow, I find my voice and tap my bottle against his. “Cheers.”

I down a swallow, disappointed there’s not a twinge of alcohol, because right now I think I need it.

5

Cole

It feels good to be back on campus. I stroll into the Aldridge Café where Teddy and I agreed to meet before classes start. I ate breakfast before I left the apartment, actually shared some eggs and bacon with Zoey, but I could go for some coffee.

Surprisingly, I’m not minding her company at all. It hasn’t been a full week yet, so that could change, but so far she’s way easier to deal with than I know Teddy would have been. Not that I don’t like Teddy, obviously I do since we’re friends, but he can be a lot to handle. Like a toddler that’s had too much sugar.

I order a black coffee with one creamer and find Teddy at a table already with one of those frozen coffee drinks with whipped cream on top.

“Top of the morning to you, hey.”

I furrow my brows as I pull out a chair and sink my body into it. “What kind of accent is that supposed to be?”

“No idea.” He sips on his drink, making eyes at a girl a few tables over. “How’s the new roomie working out?”

“Better than you.”

He feigns injury. “I’m hurt.”

“Mhmm, you look real torn up about it.” I indicate the girl he’s checking out with a nod of my head.

He grins, setting his drink down. “It’s going to be real boring without me.”

“Now that I can agree to. But Zoey’s great.”

“Nice to look at too. Great tits.” I reach across the table and smack the back of his head. “What was that for?”

“For talking about my roommate like that. Respect her.”

He puts his hands up, gesturing for me to calm down. “My bad, but even you have to admit they’re nice.” He gestures to his own chest like he’s holding a handful.

“Teddy,” I growl a warning.

“I forget you’re a nice guy,” he grumbles, stirring the whipped cream into his frozen coffee. “And with sisters too.”

“What’s that mean?”

He cracks a grin. “Just that you’re extra sensitive.”

“Don’t be an ass,” I warn him.

He looks over my shoulder and his smile grows bigger. “Yo, Mase! Come join us.”

Instantly, I stiffen and Teddy frowns when he notices giving me a sheepish look.

Mascen’s shadow falls upon the table. “Morning.” He lifts his coffee to his mouth, watching me over the rim. No doubt he’s trying to gauge my reaction to him.

“What class do you have first?” Teddy asks, filling the awkward silence.

Mascen rubs his jaw, facing Teddy, but his eyes move in my direction every few seconds. What does he expect? A surprise attack like I’m going to jump up and brawl in the middle of