Matchplay A New Adult Romance - By Dakota Madison Page 0,45

work on my own.”

“Okay. But only because it has to do with our project, which I’m extremely nervous about since we haven’t had much of a chance to work on it lately.”

“You don’t have to worry about it. Trust me.”

That really was the crux of our problem, wasn’t it?

The Clubhouse was quiet. I assumed that was because it was still early and most of the guys were still in class or at the library studying. Aaron led me down a narrow hallway past several doors, which I

assumed were other guy’s rooms. We stopped at a door at the end of the hallway.

“This is it. My college home.”

Aaron took a key from his pocket and unlocked the door. “Put your hands over your eyes,” he said.

“And don’t peek.”

I rolled my eyes.

“Please play along,” he pleaded.

I obliged and placed my hands over my eyes. He opened the door and led me into the room. His room smelled of fresh laundry. It surprised me. He placed his hands on my shoulders and positioned me. “Okay, you can open your eyes.”

I blinked a few times to make sure my eyes were actually working. I could feel my jaw drop. “Oh, my God,” was all I could manage to say.

In front of me was a doll house-sized Mary Cassatt Museum. It was two stories high and had six rooms. Each room had two miniature Cassatt paintings and tiny people viewing the paintings. Each room also had benches and a few chairs and some small people were seated on them. The most impressive thing was that the miniature museum was fully lighted. Each painting was illuminated by a small pin light and every room had a working miniature chandelier.

“How did you do this?” I managed to say still in shock.

“I asked a dollhouse maker to help me design and build it. He’s been working on it with me for weeks. I hired an artist to paint the miniature replicas of Cassatt’s work. He could only do one or two a week, so there are only 12 paintings. But I think he did some of her best ones.”

I examined the miniature paintings more closely. “This is amazing. I can’t believe you spent so much time and energy on this.”

Aaron looked into my eyes. “I did it for you, Sunshine. Because I know how much the project means to you and I know how important the class is.”

I gave him a kiss on the cheek. “Thank you, Aaron.”

“Just seeing the smile on your face and the excitement in your eyes was worth it.” He stroked the side of my face with his thumb. He looked at me with such tenderness it melted my heart. “I’d better get you back to the dorm. The guys are going to start coming home for dinner soon and I don’t want them to make you feel uncomfortable.”

I nodded and Aaron led me out of his room. As he was loc king his door, I could see Evan walking down the hallway toward us. I immediately froze.

“What’s up, Evan,” Aaron asked, the tone of his voice strained.

Aaron put his arm around me and pulled me close to him in a protective gesture, all the while glaring at Evan.

“I just wanted to apologize to your girlfriend,” Evan sneered, his voice dripping with insincerity. “I

may have said a few things that were out of line.”

May have said? A few things? What a jerk. He had said several things that were definitely out of line.

Not much of an apology, in my opinion. But he did call me Aaron’s girlfriend, even though at this point, I

really wasn’t. Was I?

Evan continued. “Anyway, I hope to see you at our end-of-the-semester bash. I’m the head of the social committee, so I know it’ll be a good time.”

I didn’t know how to respond to Evan or if I was even supposed to. Aaron saved me. “I’ve got to get Rainy back to the dorm,” he said as he pulled me down the hallway away from Evan.

I could hear Evan’s voice echo down the hallway after us. “Catch you later, then, Bro.”

When we exited the social club, I eased myself from Aaron’s protective grasp.

“I noticed that Evan called me your girlfriend,” I said as I looked into Aaron’s eyes.

He held out his hand for me to take. “Well, are you?” he asked.

We both stared at his outstretched hand for a moment. It was a moment of truth. I knew if I took his hand, it would mean I was going to