Face Offs & Cheap Shots (CU Hockey #2) - Eden Finley Page 0,80

on me?”

Zach holds his hands up. “Shit, no. Well, I don’t know. I’m saying the probability is high—”

“Thanks for the help, but he’s not cheating.”

He couldn’t be. We’re still having mind-blowing sex. At least, I think it’s mind-blowing.

“Good, okay, fine.” Zach looks like he’s panicking. Like maybe he has offended me in some way. “I didn’t mean to accuse him—”

“Hey.” I set my hand on his shoulder. “It’s cool. Beck’s not cheating.”

“Can I ask how you know?”

“I don’t.” I shrug. “It’s called trust. But … he is hiding something. The thing is, I don’t know why.”

“Then … why don’t you find out?”

“Oh yeah, and how do I do that, genius?”

“Ask him.”

“He says nothing’s wrong. Or he’s vague and then changes the subject.”

“Then follow him?”

I look at Zach with new eyes, and he blinks back at me innocently. “Grant’s gotta keep an eye on you.”

“I don’t know what you mean.”

I laugh at his innocence, still unable to tell if it’s all an act or not. Either way, once breakfast is over, his words are stuck in my brain. Beck’s last class is in the building opposite mine. There’s no reason why I can’t duck out a couple of minutes early, just to see where he’s going.

So I do.

No one in the lecture theater looks up as I grab my shit and leave. The hall outside is already busy, and it’s lucky I leave early because I’ve barely made it outside when I see Beck and two girls, I’m assuming from his class, leave the building opposite.

The second I see him though, I know this isn’t right.

Even with this weird distance, seeing his face makes me smile. And for someone I couldn’t stand a few months back, it’s incredible how quickly he’s become my everything. I won’t do anything to fuck with that.

I also don’t want to be that guy who follows a partner instead of talking about it.

And I know we need to talk about it. I just don’t know what to say.

What if he doesn’t want to be with me anymore, and he’s stringing me along for the rest of the year?

So instead of following Beck, I watch my boyfriend walk away.

I don’t know what I was thinking in taking advice off Zach. No offense to the guy, but before Grant, he hadn’t even had a relationship.

I’m gonna do this my way. I send Beck a text to stop by my room tonight, no matter how late it is, and then I get to work.

I’m not used to keeping my mouth shut, and if Beck doesn’t wanna tell me what’s up, then fine, but he needs to at least tell me it has nothing to do with us.

I swing by Cohen’s room and borrow his lame as fuck twinkle lights, set up my music through a speaker, and check I still have some massage oil. It’s the furthest thing from a romantic atmosphere, but it’s the thought, right? Maybe he just needs to relax.

I stare at my room, hit with the urge to abort this messed-up idea, when there’s a knock at my door. It’s only six, but of course Beck would show up when I’m borderline freaking out. I huff a breath, thinking if it’s anyone else, they’re going to get an earful.

It isn’t.

Beck looks dead tired, but he’s smiling which automatically makes me smile. I grab the strap of his bag and pull him inside. As soon as I have the door closed, I dump his shit on the ground and pull him into a long hug.

“What’s going on?” he asks, wrapping his arms around my waist.

I answer by squeezing him tighter.

All the worry from the last few days melts away as he turns his face and kisses my neck. And then— “What the hell have you done to your room?”

I start to laugh. “I was trying to be romantic, but it looks stupid.”

“Because romance is stupid.”

“Your face is stupid.”

He nips my neck and steps away. “I need to lie down.”

“Wait a minute.” Before he can get away, I pull his shirt up over his head.

“Fine, but you’re doing all the work,” he grumbles.

“I am, but we’re not fucking.”

I get him to lie on his front, then straddle his waist and grab my massage oil. I pour a generous amount onto his smooth, warm back.

Beck lets out a long groan as I get to work. “This is exactly what I needed.”

“I know.” I lean down to kiss the back of his head. “You know, I’ve been worried the