HEARTLESS SUMMER

JENNIFER SUCEVIC

Heartless Summer

Copyright© 2022 by Jennifer Sucevic

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, palaces, events, locales, and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

Cover Design by Mary Ruth Baloy at MR Creations

Editing by Evelyn Summers of Pinpoint Editing

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SKYE

“Can you believe this is the last time we’re going to walk through those doors as seniors?” my best friend, Lanie, asks as we step inside the three-story brick building.

I shake my head. “It’s still feels surreal.”

How are we old enough to graduate from high school and take that next step? There are times when it feels like we just started as freshmen. And now we’re done. Another chapter closed. Some of our classmates will relocate to different states for the next phase of their lives. Lanie and I were accepted at Claremont University, a local college in town, and will be rooming together in the dorms.

As we navigate our way through the crowded hallway, an air of excitement crackles in the atmosphere. Everyone is smiling and laughing as streamers and confetti litter the floor. The energy is infectious.

“We’re going to have so much fun at the bash tomorrow. Remember to bring plenty of sunscreen,” she tells me, anticipation bubbling up in her voice, “because we’re going to be there all day and late into the night. Tell Dean and Brandi not to wait up for you.”

It’s been a longstanding tradition for the seniors to spend the twenty-four hours before graduation at the beach to celebrate their newly minted status. Coolers of alcohol will be hauled onto the sand, burgers will be flipped on the grill, games of beach volleyball will be played, and everyone will enjoy the water. Even though it’s a party meant for the seniors, all the underclassmen from school show up.

As we stop at my locker, Lanie lounges against the one next to mine. I spin the dial before popping open the latch. The finality of something I’ve done thousands of times throughout the years hits me all over again. After today, there won’t be any need for lockers. No more hanging out with Lanie between classes and at lunch. No more Friday nights spent under the bright lights of the football stadium, watching the guy who owns my heart dominate on the field.

Even though life is changing, some things will stay the same. Like my relationship with Hunter. We’ve been together since the beginning of freshman year. Sometimes, I can’t believe he chose me out of all the girls vying for his attention.

Hunter Price is one of the most talented quarterbacks in the state and received a full ride to Claremont. There will still be football games in my future. Only now, they’ll be on Saturday afternoons and played at much larger venues.

“Ugh,” Lanie grunts. “Why can’t that girl take a hint? Does she really think he’s going to dump your ass after all this time to go out with her?”

As I blink back to the present, my gaze darts down the long stretch of hallway before landing on my boyfriend, who lingers at his locker. A dark-haired female, clutching her books to her chest, stares adoringly up at him. Even from here, I can see the besotted look in her eyes.

Hannah Belmont.

She’s a junior cheerleader. Her brother, Owen, has been friends with Hunter since elementary school. My guess is that she’s been crushing on him for nearly as long.

With a shrug, I try to pretend that her persistent chasing doesn’t bother me. Most of the time, I’m able to ignore Hannah’s cow-eyed infatuation and chalk it up to a harmless crush. I know he doesn’t see her as anything more than Owen’s kid sister.

It’s hard to blame her for trailing after him like a lovesick puppy. He’s hot with thick, dark hair and penetrating blue eyes. Over the years, he’s become even more muscular from lifting weights and two-a-day practices during the hot summer months. He no longer has the physique of a boy, but a man. Every so often, I even catch a few of the younger female teachers staring hungrily at him when they think no one is watching.

“Want me to stomp over there and say something?” There’s a beat of silence. “Because you know I’ll do it.”

There’s little doubt in my mind that my bestie will march over and set Hannah straight. Hell, Lanie would probably enjoy it.

“No, it’s all good. After today, Hannah Belmont won’t be a concern.”

“Right. Then you’ll just have all the girls at Claremont throwing themselves at your man.”

That’s something I try very hard not to think about. It’s a foregone conclusion that Hunter will continue to draw girls to him like bees to honey.

“I’m not concerned,” I lie. “Hunter loves me. He would never do anything to jeopardize our relationship.”

As soon as the words escape from my lips, he turns to meet my stare. A little zip of electricity sizzles through my veins as our gazes lock and hold. It doesn’t take long for the world around us to fall away, and then it’s like we’re the only two people in the hallway. Even though it’s been like this for as long as I can remember, I don’t think it’s a sensation I’ll ever get used to.

At least, I hope I don’t.

I love the way Hunter makes me feel.

Kind of like I’m the only girl in the entire world.

When a slow grin spreads across his handsome face, I can’t help but return the expression.

“You two are so barfy,” Lanie grumbles, breaking through the thick haze that has descended over me.

He continues to hold my attention captive as I happily agree with the sentiment. “Yup.”

“Come on, let’s get moving before we’re late. The sooner we get this over with, the quicker we can get the hell out of this place and start our summer.”

For the final time, I pull out my books for first hour before slamming the locker door shut and heading to class.

HUNTER

“Mmm, baby. I want you so damn much,” I growl between kisses. My hand slips beneath her T-shirt before drifting upward until it can cup her breast.

When I squeeze the softness, my cock stiffens until it feels like steel. Even though we’ve been together for years and having sex for a while, touching her—playing with her curvy little body—never gets old. I’m not sure if I’ll ever get enough of this girl. She’s like an addiction pumping through my veins.

I don’t think it’s possible to love anyone as much as I love Skye Sinclair. She’s all I think about. My fucking world revolves around her, and it’s difficult to imagine a time when that won’t be the case.

Her back bows as she arches into my palm. As soon as a throaty whimper escapes from her, I swallow down the sound. I want every single cry that leaves her mouth. No one will ever get to hear them but me.

There have been so many lazy summer afternoons spent lying on a blanket at the beach while dreaming of a future together. We do the same when she’s wrapped up in my arms at night after I’ve snuck through her bedroom window. Once I make love to her, we talk about attending Claremont where I’ll play football. Either junior or senior year, I’ll enter the draft and hopefully get picked up by a professional team. Then we can get hitched. A couple years down the road, we’ll have two or three kids and live happily ever after.

Maybe I’m too young to already have my life planned out, but when you find the right person, what’s the point of waiting?

Then my brother, Mason, can stop working at the garage. He can go back to school and finish up his degree.

I owe him.

Big time.

But I can’t think about that right now. Not when Skye is in my arms. Not when we’re making out on the couch in the living room and I’m five minutes away from tearing off the tiny shorts she’s wearing and driving deep inside her tight heat.

The fact that she’s going away next week fucking kills me. How am I going to make it through the next couple of months without seeing her gorgeous face every day? Or touching her?

I can’t think of a time when we’ve been separated for longer than a week.

“I wish you weren’t leaving,” I groan against her lips.

A breathy sigh escapes from her before she whispers, “I know. I shouldn’t have let my mom talk me into it.”

Skye’s mother lives in Wisconsin and found her a job working at a nearby camp so they can spend time together. It’s a long fucking way from North Carolina. I can’t just hop in a car and visit for the weekend.

The thought nearly cracks my heart in two.

“Tell her you changed your mind,” I ground out, squeezing her breast again before yanking the lacy cup down so I can touch her naked flesh.

She moans as I toy with her pebbled nipple.

“I can’t do that.”

“Sure, you can.” Am I being unfair, playing with her sweet body, all the while trying to talk her into doing what I want?

Probably.

At this point, I don’t give a damn. I want Skye here with me—where she belongs. That’s all that matters.

“Hunter…” Her voice turns thick with need before trailing off.

“I can’t stand the thought of us being apart for so long.”

“I know.” Some of the arousal fades from her bright green eyes as they fill with sorrow. “I’m sorry. I feel like I’ve ruined our summer.”

Fuck.

I suck in a deep breath before steadily releasing it as guilt slices through me. “You don’t have anything to apologize for,” I grumble, feeling like an asshole. As much as I want to keep this girl all to myself, that’s not possible.

Just as I crawl on top of her, the front door opens before being slammed shut. We jump apart like the guilty teenagers we still are as my brother stalks into the room before grinding to a halt. He stares at us with narrowed eyes before grunting out a barely discernable hello and continuing to the kitchen.

A dull red stain floods Skye’s cheeks as she hastily straightens her clothing and smooths her long blonde hair. I grab a pillow from the other side of the couch and strategically place it over my boner before lounging against the cushions.

“I didn’t think you’d be home until five,” I throw out casually.

“Unfortunately for you, I was able to finish up early and take off for the day.” He glances at me from the tiny kitchen at the back of the house as he grabs the handle of the fridge and yanks it open. There’s a rattle of bottles as he rummages around inside. “Didn’t realize I needed to give you a heads up before I walked in the door.”

“It would have been nice,” I holler back, giving Skye a wink to help lighten the thick tension now permeating the air.

My brother shoots me a glare before pulling out a beer and popping off the top. He lifts the glass container to his lips before taking a long swig.

Once he’s downed half the golden liquid, he says, “Maybe you should screw your girlfriend in your room from now on instead of the living room. How about that?”

“Jeez, Mase,” I mutter with a scowl. “What died and crawled up your ass?” When Skye shifts away from me, I wrap an arm around her shoulders before tugging her closer. It’s ridiculous that I feel the strange need to protect her from him.

He grunts before swinging away.

“Maybe I should take off,” Skye says in a small voice that only I can hear.

“No, it’s fine. He’s just in a bad mood from working all day.” My arm tightens around her, making escape impossible.

When her teeth scrape against her plump lower lip, my gaze drops to the movement, and even though my brother is stomping around in the next room, my dick turns rock hard. I’m so focused on her mouth that I barely hear the landline ring in the kitchen. A few seconds later, Mason fills the doorway.

“Coach wants to talk with you.”

Unable to resist, I drag Skye to me before pressing a kiss against her. “I’ll be right back. Don’t you dare go anywhere.”

“All right.”

“For fuck’s sake,” my brother mumbles. “Let’s go. He’s not gonna wait forever.”

I rise to my feet and shoot Mason another dark look before grabbing the phone from him. Instead of taking the call in the living room so he can hear what’s being said, I stalk into my bedroom and slam the door shut behind me.

Without my football scholarship, I wouldn’t have the money to attend college. We live on a shoestring budget and are barely scrimping by as it is. Even with Mason busting his ass, sometimes working sixty hours a week, there’s no way he could afford to pay for tuition on top of everything else. The money Claremont is giving me has been a blessing.

Trust me, I’m grateful for everything my brother has done so I can play ball. I can’t imagine where I’d be without him. I probably wouldn’t have gotten recruited by a top Division I school with almost a full ride and a real shot at making it to the pros.

So, yeah…I have a lot of love for my brother. But I fucking hate the way he treats Skye. The funny thing is that it wasn’t always this way. There used to be a time when Skye, Mason, whatever girl he was seeing, and I would go out on double dates. He’d joke around with her like she was a little sister, and we had fun together. All that changed a couple of years ago.

Mason changed.

He became bitter.

He’s dropped plenty of comments about me being too focused on her when I should be concentrating all my energies on football. Does he really think I don’t understand that making it to the NFL is what will finally give us our financial freedom?

I’m doing everything in my power to make it happen. I realize the sacrifices he’s made and I’m working as hard as I can to do my fair share around here. The guy needs to chill out. Skye hasn’t gotten in the way of anything. She makes me more determined to achieve everything I possibly can.

Once alone in my bedroom, I place the phone to my ear. “Hey, Coach. How you doing?”

A gravelly voice rumbles over the line. The guy sounds like he’s smoked Marb Reds his entire life. “I’m good. Looking forward to getting you boys here for training camp.”

I nod, torn between wanting to go and being away from Skye for so long. “Looking forward to getting there.”

“I think we’re going to have a competitive team this year. Should be a good season.”

“I hope so. I’d love to get a Championship ring my freshman year.”

“I think it’s possible with the talent on the roster and plenty of hard work.” There’s a pause. “I just wanted to let you know that I was able to scrounge up a little more money. It should be enough to cover your books for both semesters.”

Wow. Even though tuition along with room and board will be paid for by my scholarship, I was still concerned about how I would pay for the rest. Five or six hundred dollars a semester isn’t a big deal for most families, but it is for us. It’s one less expense to worry about.

“Thanks, Coach. I wasn’t expecting that.”

“I know how difficult everything’s been with your parents gone.” He clears his throat. “It was a real shame when Mason stopped playing ball. The guy had so much heart when it came to the game. I’ll do whatever I can to help lighten his load.”

It’s been two years since Mom and Dad died in a boating accident. Their deaths wreaked havoc throughout our lives, altering everything. There was a small insurance policy that helped bury them, but it wasn’t nearly enough to live off. Even though Mason was supposed to start his junior year at Claremont, he ended up dropping out and getting a job. He’s been busting his ass to keep our heads above water ever since.

Thick emotion swells inside my chest as I turn and stare out the small window that faces the tiny scrap of backyard. “Thanks, Coach. We both appreciate it.”

“No problem, son. See you in a week.”

“Yup. See you then.”

After disconnecting, I clench the phone tightly in my hand. If there’d been any lingering doubts filling my mind that I didn’t make the right choice for college, Coach Andrews has laid them all to rest. I haven’t even stepped foot on campus and he’s already taking care of me.

I know that has everything to do with Mason and the soft spot he has for him. Every so often, they get together to shoot the shit. Coach has been trying to convince him to sign on as part of his staff. Since Mason makes good money at the garage, he always declines the offer.

It's yet another sacrifice my brother has made for me. The guy loves football and would enjoy the opportunity to coach. Instead, he’s stuck in a garage, fixing cars ten hours a day. He doesn’t hate it, but it’s not how he saw his future unfolding.

It takes a few seconds to shake myself out of the thorny thoughts I’ve become tangled in. Even though I was pissed at Mason when I stalked into my bedroom, thinking about everything he’s given up is enough to have my anger draining away. He’ll be relieved to know that Coach has ponied up more money.

As I return to the main living area, I realize my brother has settled in the recliner across from Skye. He’s leaning forward with his elbows propped up on his knees and his hands clasped tightly in front of him. There’s a serious expression filling his face. Her gaze flickers to me before nervously darting away.

What the fuck?

That’s all it takes for my anger to roar back to life.

Why the hell can’t he just leave her alone?

This girl makes me happy, and for some reason, he’s set on ruining it.

Mason’s attention fastens on me as he shoots to his feet. “What did Coach want?”

Instead of telling him the good news, I snap, “Nothing.”

He narrows his eyes and cocks his head. “Are you telling me he didn’t have anything to say?”

“That’s right.” Dismissing him, I stare at my girlfriend. The way she refuses to meet my gaze pisses me off even more. “Come on, Skye. Let’s get out of here.”

She springs up from the couch before beelining to the front door without another glance in Mason’s direction. It’s like she can’t get away from him fast enough.

My hands clench at my sides. I swear to fucking god, if he said or did anything to upset her, I’ll rip him a new one.

See if I don’t.

SKYE

The hot summer sun scorches my back as I lounge on my belly with my chin propped on stacked hands and watch the guys play volleyball in the sand. Shirts have been stripped off while boardshorts hang low on lean hips. My gaze stays trained on Hunter. I couldn’t look away from his rippling muscles if I tried.

He puts all the other boys to shame.

There are several small groups of girls in tiny bikinis, trying to catch their attention. A couple of guys show off, flexing and posing as they jump or dive for the ball. Hannah sits a couple of feet away from Hunter. While his attention is focused on the game, hers is fixated on him. Even behind the sunglasses covering her face, the hope and longing that fills her expression is palpable.

Every time I bring up her obvious crush, Hunter waves it away as if I’m jealous and don’t know what I’m talking about. He doesn’t notice that she shadows his every move. Or, if he does, he’s oblivious to the fact that her feelings aren’t platonic. Part of me thinks his cluelessness is adorable. And then there’s the other part that wants to smack him upside the head for being obtuse.

What’s funny is that he keeps all other females at a firm distance.

Hannah has always been the exception.

And I think she realizes it.

“It’s such a gorgeous day. There’s not even a cloud in the sky,” Lanie sighs from her towel next to me before flipping over.

“It really is.”

We couldn’t have asked for better weather for the party and bonfire later this evening. Even though it’s only one o’clock in the afternoon, beer is already flowing freely. Everyone is laughing and having a good time. A few classmates toss around a football while others play volleyball or are in the water swimming. Some are using skim boards to fly across the shoreline.

It's the first lazy day of summer before everyone leaves for college in August. Unfortunately for me, I’ll be going away next week. Hunter’s right. I shouldn’t have agreed to this camp counselor position.

Even thinking about it has my mind tumbling back to yesterday and my conversation with Mason. Actually, referring to it as a conversation would be misleading. It was mostly him telling me—

“What’s the frown for?”

I blink out of those thoughts and swivel my head toward Lanie. “Huh?”

“You look upset. What’s wrong?”

My gaze flickers to my boyfriend. I haven’t told my bestie what Mason said when we were alone together.

I didn’t share it with Hunter, either.

I need time to think. As much as I hate to admit it, maybe going away for a while is what’s best for both of us. Being so far apart from him for two months will be difficult. The guy doesn’t just own a piece of my heart.

He is my heart.

Which is exactly why I need to do what’s best for him. It would be all too easy to be selfish and only think about my own happiness. Hunter deserves for all his dreams to come true. These past two years have been brutal on the Price brothers.

Even though it feels impossible, I paste a smile on my face and shake my head. “No reason.”

When a couple guys hoot and holler about their victory, rubbing it in the other teams’ faces, Lanie glances over at them. “Does this have anything to do with Hannah?” Before I can respond, she growls, “What’s she even doing here? She’s not a senior.”

“There are a lot of underclassmen who showed up to party,” I point out.

“Maybe so, but she shouldn’t have come. And could that bathing suit be any smaller? One wrong move and her boobs will pop right out,” she grumbles with narrowed eyes.

My gaze reluctantly settles on the younger girl who’s no more than six feet from Hunter. Lanie’s comment about her breasts busting loose at any given moment is spot-on. The string bikini looks more like dental floss and leaves very little to the imagination.

Clay, a senior football player, sidles up to her and attempts to strike up a conversation. She barely gives him the time of day. Instead, she rushes toward Hunter and throws her arms around his neck before congratulating him.

Ugh.

Unable to stomach the sight of her fawning, I roll onto my back. It’s tempting to stalk over and stake my claim once and for all. But I refuse to let jealousy get the better of me.

Ironically, if the scenario were reversed, Hunter would be at my side, telling the guy attempting to flirt with me to fuck off. It’s a scene that’s played out dozens of times throughout the years.

“Want to go for a dip and cool off?” I ask, needing a distraction.

“Yup. Sounds like a good idea.”

The ocean has always been a place of refuge for me. I can’t remember a time when I wasn’t drawn to the water. When I’m feeling down or just need to think, I come here and sit in the sand while watching the waves roll toward the coastline. It never fails to soothe my spirits.

We rise from our towels before heading down to the shore and running into the waves. The cool liquid swirls around our ankles, then our calves, before crashing into our thighs. The need to be one with the ocean thrums through me as I raise my arms over my head and dive beneath the surface until my bare belly can scrape along the bottom. My fingers trail through the sand, coming away with tiny shells. As I emerge from the water, strong arms wrap around me from behind before sharp teeth nip at my earlobe.

“Looks like I’ve caught myself a mermaid,” Hunter growls against my wet flesh. “One I’ll never let go of.”

As much as I hope that will be the case, a flutter of uncertainty fills my belly.

HUNTER

Now that the sun has disappeared beneath the horizon, velvety darkness surrounds us. The only illumination comes from the silvery moonlight that shines down and the bright orange flames that twist from the bonfire.

Skye is wrapped up in my arms as we stand around talking with a group of friends. Even though we’ve been drinking and partying all day, most of us have paced ourselves, knowing that we’ll be here until the wee hours of the morning. If I have my way, we’ll watch the sun rise in the eastern sky and dance across the ocean. I can’t think of a better way to end our time in high school than by holding my girl close.

“Happy, baby?” I whisper against the outer shell of her ear.

She turns her face just enough for me to stroke my lips over hers. “Yeah.”

“Good. I want to always make you happy.”

I don’t give a shit if my brother thinks I’m pussy whipped. After I dropped her off at home the other day, I had to listen to another rendition of you’re too wrapped up in that girl.

It really pisses me off when he refers to Skye as that girl.

She’s so much more than that, and he damn well knows it.

Maybe if Mason had someone in his life, he’d be less focused on me. Even as I think those words, I know they’re not true. My brother is obsessed with my career. He’s so afraid something will happen to derail my rise to the NFL.

And I get it.

The worst has happened. Our parents died and life has been hell without them. If I can claw my way into the pros, it’ll give us a little room to breathe.

That being said, I’m eighteen years old. I understand what needs to be accomplished. He can stop treating me like a fucking child and get off my ass every once in a while.

That declaration has her lips quirking into a soft smile before settling on mine.

I’m so hungry for her. I just want to scoop her up and carry her off to a place where we can be alone. There’s no better feeling than sinking into the welcoming heat of her body. The moment I pull out, the need to slide right back in again pounds through me.

Maybe my brother is right, and I am pussy whipped.

But guess what?

I don’t give a crap.

The two of us are meant to be, and there’s nothing that will ever tear us apart. I’ve never been more certain about anything in my life.

“Oh, for fuck’s sake,” Owen yells from across the bonfire. “Would you two get a room already?”

As we break apart, I give him the finger and call out, “I’d be happy to.”

I grunt when Skye hits me in the belly and rolls her green eyes.

“Really?” she mutters, embarrassed to have our PDA pointed out.

I can’t help but laugh before smacking another kiss against her lips. “What? It’s the truth.”

When she sends a mock glare in my direction, I say, “How about I get us a couple more drinks?”

“Just a water, please.”

Skye has never been a big drinker.

“I’ll have a beer,” her best friend adds.

Lanie, on the other hand, likes to party.

“I’ll be right back.”

With that, I take off, leaving the girls alone. As I pass by a few groups of friends, I stop to talk. Even though everyone has mellowed, there’s still an air of excitement hanging in the atmosphere. Life is changing, and everyone can feel it.

Just as I reach the keg, I spot Hannah with Clay, one of the guys from the football team. He’s got his hand wrapped around her upper arm as she shakes her head.

My brows snap together as I detour.

I’ve known Hannah for as long as I’ve been friends with Owen, and I always try to watch out for her. If I had a younger sister, I’d want people to do the same. Clay isn’t someone her brother would want her getting tangled up with. His MO is to bang as many girls as he can and then boast about it to his friends.

It’s juvenile shit.

Last year, he made the stupid decision to ask what it was like to fuck Skye. In answer, I blackened his eye and told him that if he so much as glanced in her direction, I’d do much worse.

He’s been careful to steer clear of her—and me—ever since.

“Hey,” I say, interrupting their conversation. “Is there a problem over here?”

Clay straightens to his full height, which is still a couple inches shorter than I am. If he thinks he can intimidate me, he’s wrong.

“Nothing for you to be concerned about, Price.”

“Is that so?” I jerk a brow and point to Hannah. “Because she’s my concern.”

“Exactly how many bitches do you need? Is Skye not enough for you? If that’s the case, I’d be more than happy to take that hot piece of ass off your hands.”

I take a menacing step toward him before sinking my fingers into the collar of his shirt. “You say one more word about Skye, and I’ll fucking beat the shit out of you. Got it?”

He growls but is smart enough to keep his damn yap shut.

When I release him with a hard shove, he stumbles back a few steps and rights himself. His gaze cuts to the dark-haired girl for a few seconds and then returns to me. Before I can say anything else, he swings around, pushing and shoving his way through the thick crowd of partiers.

Once he vanishes, I turn to Hannah and find wetness shining brightly in her eyes. If there’s one thing I can’t stand, it’s female tears. I never know quite how to make them go away. All right, that’s not true. I know exactly how to make Skye forget about her sadness. But this isn’t my girlfriend. So, I won’t be employing those kinds of tactics.

When I step closer, she hurls herself into my arms.

“Are you all right? Did he hurt you?” I hold her close, trying to offer comfort.

She shakes her head before pressing her cheek against my chest. “No. I told him I wasn’t interested, but he wouldn’t leave me alone.”

“The guy’s an asshole. If you want, I’ll talk to him again and make sure he keeps his distance.”

“That’s not necessary.” She pulls away just enough to meet my gaze. “I think he got the point.”

My lips quirk at the corners. She’s probably right about that. Although, even thinking about the conversation is enough to piss me off all over again. I’m tempted to find Clay just so I can beat the crap out of him. My guess is that Owen would be more than happy to join the fray.

“Let’s hope so. I don’t want to have to kick his ass.”

“Thanks, Hunter.” Her tongue darts out to moisten her lips.

Unlike with Skye, my gaze doesn’t drop to the movement, and nothing stirs in my boardshorts. I’m just glad nothing else happened. Ten or fifteen minutes later and it might have been a different scenario.

“Sure, no problem. You know that if I’m around, I’ll always keep an eye on you.”

“I do.” Her palms settle on my chest before stroking upward until her arms can twine around my neck and her body becomes flush with my own. “You’re such a good guy.” There’s a pause. “The absolute best.”

An odd moment passes between us. It’s one I’m not sure what to make of. It leaves me wondering if maybe I’ve given her the wrong impression.

Her expression softens as her eyelids lower. Before I can untangle her arms from around me, she stretches up onto the tips of her toes and crushes her lips against mine.

What the hell?

Unsure what to do, my muscles freeze.

It doesn’t seem possible that this girl—the one I’ve always considered a little sis—is kissing me, but that’s exactly what’s happening.

Now I have to figure out how to put a stop to it.

SKYE

When fifteen minutes trickle by and Hunter doesn’t return, I glance around, searching the darkness. Since Lanie is busy flirting with one of the football players, I decide to take off and look for him. I pass by groups of classmates, talking and laughing as they knock back drinks.

It’s only now as I weave my way through the thick crowd that I realize these people are really nothing more than acquaintances. Sure, we’ve gone to school together for the past twelve years, but I’ve spent all my time hanging out with either Lanie or Hunter. I never branched out and found a bigger friend group.

It’s not the same for Hunter. He’s always been popular. All the guys want to be his friend, hoping some of his talent and charisma will rub off on them, and the girls are desperate to catch his eye. Even though I haven’t come out of high school with a ton of friends, I wouldn’t change how I spent these last four years.

They’ve been the best of my life.

I search the sea of drunken faces for another ten minutes. Just as I’m about to give up and return to the bonfire, I catch sight of a couple in the darkness, standing away from the swell of people. My feet stumble to a halt as I recognize the broad set of his shoulders and dark head.

It’s Hunter.

And Hannah.

Air gets trapped in the middle of my throat, making it impossible to breathe. Not once have I ever thought Hunter would cheat on me. And if I weren’t witnessing it with my own eyes, I still wouldn’t believe it.

But there’s no denying the way her arms are tangled around his neck or the look of total adoration in her eyes. Even from this distance, with only bright moonlight to spill over them, the intensity of her expression would be hard to misinterpret.

My heart clenches, twisting beneath my chest, before beating harshly into overdrive as she reaches up and presses her lips to his.

A whimper escapes from me as I shake my head, trying to will away the image playing out in front of me. Instead of looking away, my wide gaze remains focused on them.

One gut-wrenching second passes.

Then another.

And still, he doesn’t push her away or tell her to stop. He stands there, allowing the intimacy to unfold between them. Nausea churns in my belly before rising in my throat until the acidic taste of bile fills my mouth as I swing away and stumble sightlessly through the crowd.

Hunter has always been my heart, and it now feels like it’s cracking in half.

It only takes a few minutes to find Lanie again. She’s making out with the guy she’d been flirting with all night. It’s tempting to leave without saying anything, but I don’t want her to worry when she realizes I’ve disappeared. As loathe as I am to interrupt, I tap her shoulder.

When they break apart, I say, “I’m going to head home.”

Her forehead furrows. “What? Are you serious? It’s not even ten o’clock.”

“I know.” I glance away, not wanting to tell her the reason for my sudden departure. “I’m really tired. It’s been a long week.”

“Where’s Hunter? Did he ever come back with our drinks?”

My teeth scrape across my lower lip as I lie. “I have no idea where he is.”

Moisture pricks the backs of my eyes as I swing away to gather up my straw beach bag before stuffing everything inside the tote.

“Wait a minute,” she says, voice rising. “I don’t understand what’s going on. You’re just going to leave?”

“I’m sorry,” I mumble. “We’ll talk about it tomorrow.” If she presses the issue, the tears I’m fighting back will fall, and I don’t want that to happen. Not here, in front of all these people.

Before she can investigate the situation any further, I rush up the beach toward the street where I parked my car earlier this afternoon. With a huff, I slide behind the wheel and start up the engine before driving home.

Not only does the image of Hunter and Hannah wrapped up in each other’s arms flicker through my head, but so does my conversation with Mason. As much as I’ve tried to push it aside, it’s there, eating away at me.

Ten minutes later, I pull into the driveway of my dad’s house. Since it’s early, the front door is still unlocked, and the knob turns easily in my hand. I quietly close the thick wood before sneaking to the staircase. All I want to do is take a hot shower and go to bed. Hopefully, everything won’t feel so dire in the morning.

“Hey, kid. Did you have fun at the beach?”

I nearly jump out of my skin before swinging around to find my father sitting in the living room with a book in his lap. Dad is old school and likes the feel of a hardcover in his hands. Preferably Stephen King or Lee Childs. I always make sure to stuff one in his stocking as a gift every Christmas.

“Um, yeah. It was good.” As close as we are, there’s no way I’m going to tell him about what happened with Hunter. We’ve been dating for so long that he practically considers him family. After his parents died, Dad offered to take him in so he could finish out high school.

Mason refused.

With a nod, he glances at his phone. “You’re home early. I wasn’t expecting to see you until breakfast.”

I shrug, wanting to downplay the question.

“I’m tired,” I say lightly. “It’s been a long day. I think I got too much sun.”

“I suppose it has been.” His eyes search mine, and I get the feeling he’s sifting through all the lies swirling within them. “Sure nothing’s bothering you?”

“Yup.” I shake my head, only wanting to escape. “It’s all good. No worries.”

“Brandi’s probably up if you’d rather talk to, you know, another woman.”

With a shake of my head, I point to the staircase. “Thanks, but I’m just gonna hit the sack.”

“All right, sweetie. I’ll see you in the morning.”

I nod and beeline for the steps. When I’m halfway up, I pause. “I love you, Dad.”

A smile quirks the corners of his lips. “Love you, too.”

With that, I hustle up to the second floor before closeting myself in my bedroom. Thankfully, I didn’t run into Brandi in the hallway. That woman is the absolute worst. She’s so concerned with driving the latest Mercedes and surrounding herself with all the luxuries she didn’t have before marrying my father.

Most of all, I hate the way she eye fucks Hunter whenever she’s around him. It’s so embarrassing. She loves to pat his muscles all the while cooing about how big and strong he is. I wish Dad would open his eyes and toss her out on her ass before she sucks him dry.

All I can say is that marriage, the second time around, was definitely not a charm for him.

HUNTER

It takes a few seconds to come to my senses and shove Hannah away. When she stumbles back with a gasp, my hands shoot out, locking around her upper arms to steady her so she doesn’t tumble to the sand. As soon as she regains her balance, I release her and take a quick step in retreat, wanting to put as much distance between us as possible.

“Hannah, what the hell are you doing?”

Her face falls as tears spring to her eyes again. “You were being so nice, I just thought…” Her voice trails off as I stare in shock.

“I was being that way because you’re Owen’s little sister.” There’s a pause before I tack on, “It doesn’t mean I have feelings for you.”

Her teeth sink into her lower lip as she glances away. A single tear treks down her cheek. “It’s just that I’ve always liked you. I was hoping that maybe you felt the same way about me.”

“You know I’m with Skye,” I grunt. “I love her.”

Misery fills her expression, making me feel like an asshole.

“I’m sorry,” she whispers.

I plow a hand through my hair as all the comments Skye has made about the younger girl crash through my head. Every time she brought up the topic, I brushed it off and told her she had it all wrong.

Well, guess what?

Looks like I’m the one who didn’t know what he was talking about.

Skye was right. The younger girl had a crush, and I was blind to it.

“Look, Hannah. It’s all good. It was nothing more than a misunderstanding, right?” I search her eyes, hoping she realizes that I’m trying to find a way out of this uncomfortable situation for both of us.

“Yeah.” With a nod, she drops her gaze. “Are you going to tell Owen about this?”

Is she kidding?

Hell no. He would totally lose his shit. I’m not mentioning this to anyone.

“I don’t plan to say a word. Let’s just forget it ever happened.”

A puff of air escapes from her. “Thank you.”

As I take another step in retreat, she says, “I’m really sorry, Hunter.”

Now that we’re both on the same page and she understands I have zero romantic interest in her, I wave away the apology. “No worries. Go have fun.” There’s a moment of silence. “And make sure you stay away from Clay.”

“Don’t worry,” she says with a snort. “I’m going to avoid him like a nasty case of crabs.”

The corners of my lips twitch as I head for the keg and cooler, which was my original destination before I got sidetracked. With two cups of beer and a bottle of water filling my hands, I make my way back to the girls.

I’m sure Skye is wondering what happened to me. Only now do I realize how long I’ve been gone. As I glance around the bonfire, I don’t see her blonde head anywhere. It takes a few minutes to spot Lanie in the crowd. She’s busy sucking face with one of my teammates.

Since it doesn’t look like they’ll be coming up for air anytime soon, I interrupt the little lovefest they’ve got going on by getting all up in their business. “Hey.”

They both jump apart before Lanie glares. “What the hell, Hunter!”

I grin before shoving one of the cups into her hand. “Where’s Skye?”

Her expression darkens even more. “She took off.”

“She left?” My brows pinch together. “Why the hell would she go without telling me?”

That doesn’t sound like Skye at all.

“I don’t know. She looked upset but refused to give me an explanation.”

Concern prickles at the bottom of my belly as my unease grows. None of this makes the least bit of sense. What the hell could have happened?

My feet shift in the cold sand. “And you didn’t see or hear anything?”

Is it possible one of these assholes said something to upset her?

Although…that’s unlikely. Everyone knows Skye belongs to me. No one would dare mess with her.

Lanie shakes her head. “No. I was kind of busy. And she wasn’t with me the entire time. When you didn’t come back, she went looking for you.”

She went…

Oh, fuck.

Nausea explodes in the pit of my belly as the blood running through my veins turns to ice.

SKYE

Once I’ve showered and changed into a tank top and panties, I grab my phone and curl up in bed. Even though I try to distract myself by scrolling through social media, people are posting tons of photos from the bonfire, and it only serves as a painful reminder of what I stumbled across.

Hunter has called at least a dozen times, but I refuse to pick up. He’s the last person I want to talk to. Instead, I open the app on my cell and try to lose myself in a good story. When that doesn’t do the trick, I decide to go to bed. As I set my phone on the nightstand, a tap on the window breaks the silence of the room. I bite back a yelp as I stare at the face that looms on the other side of the glass.

Hunter.

His expression darkens when I don’t immediately jump from the bed, and he raps his knuckles even louder. With a wince, I glance at the bedroom door and hope that Dad and Brandi didn’t hear the noise. He’s been sneaking into my room since freshman year, and they’ve never been the wiser. Now that I’m graduating from high school, I’d like to keep it that way.

I fold my arms across my chest and shake my head.

Hopefully, he’ll get the point and take off.

Instead, he lifts his hand, threatening to do it again. With no other choice, I climb from the bed and pad carefully across the room before sliding the window upward and scowling.

“What do you want?” I grumble.

“To talk. Now let me in.”

“I’m tired and want to go to sleep. We can talk in the morning.”

“No fucking way. We’re going to hash this out right now. If you think I’m going to waste one precious second of the time we have left together with you being pissed off at me, you’re crazy.”

My brows rise. “What’s there to talk about? It seems like you’re getting an early start on screwing around behind my back.” That’s not something I ever thought would come out of my mouth. Releasing those words hurts my heart. It’s tempting to lift my hand and rub at the flesh that covers the area.

Eyes widening, he stills. “How can you say that to me?” There’s a pause as his voice drops, sounding like it’s been scraped from the bottom of the ocean. “After everything we’ve been through, do you really think I’d fuck around on you?”

A flicker of doubt fills me as I suck the corner of my lower lip into my mouth before chewing on it. Not once have I ever considered the possibility that Hunter would cheat. And I wouldn’t think it now if I hadn’t caught the two of them together.

“I saw you,” I say in a small voice.

“Let me in so I can explain.” When I don’t budge from the spot, he growls, “Come on, Skye. You know me better than that.”

I always thought so, but now I’m not so sure. And I hate that. I hate that our time together is slowly slipping away and something that has me questioning our entire relationship has popped up between us.

An internal struggle is waged before I finally mutter, “Fine.” Then, after he’s given me his so-called explanation, he can get the hell out.

I remove the screen so he can climb through the window from the tree branch he’s crouched on. Hunter has done this so many times that I’ve lost count. He’s probably slept in my bed more in the last couple of years than his own.

He’s wearing the same T-shirt and boardshorts from earlier today. His dark hair is windswept as the smoky scent of the bonfire clings to him. My heart constricts and I have to fight the urge to step into his arms.

“I’m not sure what you saw, but nothing happened with Hannah.”

I arch a brow and tighten my arms beneath my breasts. The movement makes them swell and his attention drops to my chest. The moment his hot gaze lands on my tank top, my nipples tighten. It feels more like a physical caress than anything else. All he has to do is look at me and my body instinctively reacts.

Even when I’m angry.

“Fuck, baby,” he groans, taking a step toward me.

“Hunter,” I snap, throwing up a hand to ward him off. I know exactly what will happen if he touches me, and that’s crumble like a cheap house of cards. “You said you would explain, so do it.”

“All right,” he grumbles, jaw clenching. “When I took off to get our drinks, I noticed Hannah talking with Clay. I didn’t like the way he had his hand wrapped around her arm, so I stepped in and asked if there was a problem. After he opened his yap and spouted some bullshit, I threatened to give him a beat down. He did the right thing and walked away. Hannah, unfortunately, mistook the situation and kissed me. Once the shock wore off, I pushed her away and told her that I love my girlfriend.” He throws his arms wide. “End of story.”

Even though I try holding onto my anger, it melts away. “You really told her that you love me?”

“Of course I did, because it’s the truth. You know that, baby. I love you more than life itself and tell you all the time.”

That’s one of the things I adore about him. He’s always been so open with his affection. He’s never played games with me or with my heart.

When I remain silent, he continues. “You were right about Hannah.” Guilt flickers across his expression as he mutters, “I should have listened to you. Maybe if I had, this wouldn’t have happened and totally ruined our night. I’m really sorry.”

“You didn’t ruin anything.” I huff out a breath as my shoulders loosen. “Maybe I should have stuck around to talk to you instead of jumping to conclusions.”

He takes another step toward me as his eyes darken. “I get why you were upset. If I saw another guy kissing you, even touching you, I’d be pissed. So, yeah…I get it.”

Needing to change the way this night has ended, my fingers settle at the hem of my tank top, dragging it up my body and over my head before dropping it to the carpet at my feet.

A groan slips free as his gaze drops to my breasts. Ever since we’ve gotten together, Hunter has been obsessed with my boobs. I consider them a secret weapon as far as he’s concerned.

In the blink of an eye, he swallows up the distance between us before scooping me up into his arms and crossing the room until he can reach the bed. Gently, he sets me down before straightening to his full height.

“You’re so fucking beautiful. I don’t ever want to lose you.”

“You won’t,” I say automatically.

As soon as his lips crash onto mine, I open so his tongue can delve inside to tangle with my own. He toys with my mouth until I’m breathless and squirming, ready to come unraveled. There are times when Hunter kisses me and it feels like he’s trying to consume every single ounce of my being.

This is one of them.

“I can’t believe you would ever think I’d look at another girl,” he murmurs, licking and nipping a fiery trail over the curve of my chin and down the column of my throat until he arrives at my chest.

He’s right. I was being stupid and jealous. I know that he loves me. He tells me all the time. More than that, he shows me with everything he does and every decision he makes.

Hunter is always thinking about me.

About us.

And our future.

Every thought swirling through my head dissolves as his mouth settles over one breast before sucking the stiff peak into his mouth. His fingers rise to stroke the other little bud. The way he touches my body drives me crazy.

Even though we were each other’s firsts, he knows exactly what he’s doing. He understands how to elicit the most pleasure. I can’t imagine anyone else making me feel the way he does.

My fingers tunnel through his short, thick hair, attempting to pull him closer. Just when it feels like I’ll lose it, he releases me with a soft pop before sliding to the other one and giving it the same ardent attention until I’m twisting beneath him.

“Hunter, please,” I whimper.

He lifts his head to meet my heavy-lidded gaze. “What do you need, baby?”

“You. I need you.”

“Want me to take off the panties?”

“Yes.” The moment I agree, his hand trails along my ribcage and belly, sinking lower until he can stroke the seam of my lips through the thin cotton.

“You’re fucking soaked.”

Heat blooms in my cheeks as he points out my arousal. “Because of you.”

“Better only be because of me,” he growls.

“You know it is.” He’s the only guy I’ve ever looked at, thought of, or dreamed about.

He grunts before slipping his fingers inside the elastic band and lowering my underwear down my hips, then my thighs until I’m completely bared to him.

His gaze locks on mine. “I don’t know what I’d do if I ever lost you.”

The sentiment arrows through the very heart of me. We’ve been together for so long. He’s my everything. The reason I breathe.

The need to feel him deep inside, filling me up, pounds through me as I allow my legs to fall open. His gaze settles on my core and a groan rumbles up from within his chest. The mattress shifts as he maneuvers his way between my thighs, spreading them further apart. As his hands brush across me, his thumbs rest against the outer edges of my pussy. Seconds and then minutes trickle by, and he doesn’t move a muscle. He simply eats up my naked body with his hot gaze.

Unable to bear the thick tension radiating through me, my teeth sink into my lower lip, attempting to trap the groan that’s trying to break free.

It doesn’t work.

With a smirk, his gaze darts to my face. “Hungry for my touch?”

“Always.”

The heat that flares in his eyes makes me feel like I’m being singed alive. “Good answer.”

With that, his mouth descends. A thick shudder of anticipation slides through me as he takes a long, leisurely lap of my pussy before circling my clit with his tongue. That’s all it takes for sensation to explode inside me. It starts in my core before rippling outward until it reaches the tips of my fingers and toes.

When he does it for a second time, I can’t stop myself from twisting beneath him. His hands tighten around my thighs, pinning me to the mattress and rendering me powerless. It's both heaven and hell. It only intensifies the pleasure rushing through my veins.

“Hunter,” I gasp.

His tongue turns demanding, stroking over me before dipping inside. Seconds later, he circles my clit, sucking it gently into his mouth until I have no other choice but to come undone. I slap a hand over my mouth to stifle the sound from escaping as an orgasm streaks through me.

He doesn’t stop licking at my soaked flesh until he’s wrung every last drop. Only then does he press a kiss against me before rising to his feet and stripping off his clothing. The T-shirt and boardshorts get dropped to the floor before he crawls up my length and settles his weight between my spread thighs.

“I love you so much, Skye,” he says, gaze locked on mine.

“I love you, too.”

The head of his thick erection presses against my entrance and I shift my hips, encouraging him to slide deeper. I know how much he loves being inside my body, and I want to give him just as much pleasure as he showered upon me.

“Damn, baby. You feel so good.”

Once he’s buried to the hilt, his movements still. Instead of taking me hard and fast, he keeps the rhythm measured so it can build nice and slow. Even though I just came a handful of minutes ago, already I feel the stirrings of another orgasm as he carefully strokes me with his hard dick.

His gaze holds mine captive, never once relinquishing it.

“I want us to come together,” he whispers into the darkness. “I want to feel you clench my cock, strangling the life out of it.”

The growled-out words turn me on, pushing me closer to the edge as his hips drive into me. Every time he pulls out, I want to cry out and force him back inside where he belongs.

His teeth clench as the muscle in his shadowed jaw tics. The steady tempo of his thrusts continues to propel me to the precipice until I’m dancing on it.

“Please tell me you’re close,” he mutters, voice strung tight.

I nod, knowing I’m a few heartbeats away from shattering into a million jagged pieces.

“Thank fuck.” Relief flashes across his handsome face. “Come for me now, baby.”

With that, he thrusts inside me, hitting a spot deep within. That’s all it takes for me to explode. My pussy spasms, squeezing his hard length. A long, guttural groan escapes from him as he throws his head back until I can see the corded muscles of his throat. My name is chanted repeatedly, breaking the silence of the room. It’s the sweetest sound and only ratchets up the intensity of my own release. There’s nothing better than the feel of his cock jerking, painting my womb with his cum. It’s like he’s leaving a little piece of himself inside my body each time we have sex.

Once his muscles loosen, he huffs out an exhausted breath and collapses on top of me. He buries his face against the delicate hollow of my throat. When his warm breath feathers against my skin, I tighten my arms around him and hold him close.

“I love you so much, baby,” he whispers against my ear.

“I love you, too,” I echo.

I’ve never loved anyone more than Hunter. Not even my parents. It’s impossible to picture my life without him filling it. Nor can I imagine giving myself to another human being the way I do with him.

As our heart rates settle, Mason’s words from the other day claw their way back inside my brain. No matter how many times I try to dismiss them, I can’t. They continue to circle, making me question everything. My teeth sink into my lower lip as tears prick my eyes.

It’s only now, in the quiet aftermath of our lovemaking that I wonder if it’s possible to hold Hunter close forever, or if I’ll have to do the unthinkable and set him free.

* * *

Thank you for reading Heartless Summer! I hope you enjoyed reading Skye & Hunter’s prequel as much as I loved writing it! Their story continues in Heartless!

She broke my heart and took away the only thing that mattered.

Her love.

An angsty and dark, second chance college sports romance from USA Today bestselling author Jennifer Sucevic.

When I hightailed it out of town after high school graduation, I didn’t think there was anything that could bring me home again.

But I was wrong.

When the worst happens, it blows my world apart and sends me into free fall, forcing me to return to the one place—the one person—that holds all my heartache.

Hunter Price.

The guy I loved more than life itself.  He doesn’t understand that in order to save him, I had to do the unthinkable—open my hand and let him go.

With no other choice but to attend the same university, all I want is to lay low and stay off his radar.  We have one year left before graduation and he gets drafted to the pros.  My hope is that after all this time, he’s moved on and will leave our relationship where it belongs—in the past.

Why wouldn’t he?

He’s all but exploded at the college level, just like I knew he would.  When people talk Claremont football, they’re talking about Hunter Price.

And the girls?

Even when we were in high school, they trailed after him like lovesick puppies before falling at his feet.

Now there’s even more of them.

One disastrous run-in is all it takes to realize that he hasn’t forgiven or forgotten anything.  He’s still bitter about the breakup.

Only now do I realize that if Hunter has his way, he’ll bring me to my knees, inflicting as much damage as he can.

And there’s nothing I can do but steel my heart and hope I’m able to withstand it.

One-click Heartless now!

“I cried my eyes out reading this. There is so much angst and love, it almost broke my

heart for them” -Catherine, Amazon

“This book was everything I wanted to read in a NA book. I loved this book so much,

already re reading it. The Hunter and Skye chemistry was insane” -CB, Amazon

“This story was full of heart shattering moments. It was also full of heart bursting

moments as well” -Rey, Amazon

Turn the page for an excerpt from Heartless…

HEARTLESS

SKYE

“Yay! The bitches are back together again, and tonight we ride!” Lanie wraps her arms around me and squeezes tight. “It’s been too long, girl! Way too long!”

A reluctant smile curves my lips. “I know. It’s good to be back.” The circumstances surrounding my return are less than ideal, but I’m happy to see Lanie again. She’s been my best friend since middle school, and I’ve missed her. FaceTime and texting are nice, but it’s not the same as talking in person. She links her arm through mine as we walk across the open field.

I glance at the cute cowboy boots that adorn her feet. When she told me that we were going to a field in the middle of nowhere, I didn’t believe her.

That was my first mistake.

Second mistake?

Not going with sturdier footwear.

Instead, I’m wearing a pair of flimsy sandals. They’re cute as hell, but that’s not going to do me a whole lot of good across this terrain.

Lanie insisted we celebrate my return by dragging me to a bonfire in a farmer’s field. Already, the place is crawling with drunk-off-their-asses, barely legal adults. Shouting and raucous laughter fill the balmy night air.

Even though I know it won’t do me any good, my gaze coasts anxiously over the ever-swelling crowd. Nerves dance across my spine as I silently pray Hunter will be absent from the revelry. Or, if he is here, we’ll somehow be able to avoid one another.

If I know Lanie—and I do—she’ll be up my ass to cut loose and have fun. How can I do that when Hunter and I now attend the same college? At any given moment, I could turn a corner and smack right into him.

The thought of that happening makes me nauseous.

As much as I want to play it cool and act like my ex-boyfriend doesn’t matter, the words slip from my mouth before I can stop them. “You don’t think he’ll be here, do you?” I shoot her a look that’s rife with concern.

Lanie doesn’t bother to ask who I’m referring to. She doesn’t have to. She’s all too aware of my past. She had a front row seat to our relationship and its demise.

“I don’t know.” She pauses and pops her shoulders into a careless shrug. “Maybe.”

“What?” My feet grind to a halt as my mouth dries, turning cottony. I’m barely aware of the blades of straw poking my feet through the leather sandals. “But you said—”

Her expression hardens, transforming into one of impatience. “Even if he is here, the chances of you running into him are slim.” She waves an arm toward the massive group of students who have gathered to mourn the end of summer by drinking themselves into a stupor. “Look around. Half the university is here. There’s no way you’re going to see him, Skye, so stop worrying about it and live a little.”

My teeth sink into my lower lip before I suck the fullness into my mouth. No matter what Lanie says, I’m going to worry.

When I remain silent, my best friend plants her hands on her hips and glares. Here comes Lanie’s version of tough love.

“Would you rather sit home by yourself on a Saturday night because you’re too chickenshit to show your face? Afraid that you might run into Hunter Price?”

I’m sorry, is that really a question?

From the annoyed expression that flickers across Lanie’s face, I decide to keep those thoughts to myself.

“Skye Elizabeth Sinclair!”

I wince as my full name cracks through the air. It brings an unpleasant image of my mother to mind. This is what I get for living with someone who isn’t afraid to call me out on my bullshit. Maybe I should have taken Dad up on the offer to live with him.

I decide to go with something close to the truth. “I was hoping to avoid him for a while,” I mutter. “That’s all.”

And when I say a while, what I really mean is forever.

Is that really too much to ask?

Lanie sighs as her expression softens. Marginally. “I know, but you’re going to run into him on campus or at a party eventually. It’s inevitable. Accept it and move on.”

I snort.

Easy for her to say. Lanie doesn’t have any ghosts from her past that are ready to jump out and scare her.

I have a carefully constructed plan in place for the year. It involves lying low and flying under the radar, so Hunter doesn’t even know I’m here. “Yeah, I guess…”

Unwilling to let me backslide, Lanie loops her arm through mine and pulls me toward the growing group of partiers. “It’ll be fine. I promise.”

Unfortunately, my bestie isn’t in a position to guarantee me anything, and we both know it.

The closer we get to the party, the more my anxiety ratchets up. At least night has fallen. The only light emanates from the bonfire that flickers in the distance and the stars that twinkle across the dark velvety sky.

For the time being, I’ll remain vigilant. There’s really nothing more I can do.

I inhale a deep breath before carefully blowing it out.

Maybe Lanie’s right, and I’m making a big deal out of nothing. It’s been three years since we’ve seen each other, and a lot has happened since then. We’ve both moved on with our lives. I’m sure he’s forgotten all about me. As those thoughts circle through my head, my shoulders loosen from around my ears, and my heart stops thumping a painful beat.

The moment we reach the outer ring of people, Lanie is swept off her booted feet and spun around in a tight circle like a rag doll. Her short floral dress flies around her thighs. Laughter rings throughout the air as her arms slip around her boyfriend’s neck.

Jaxon Conway has a typical football player’s physique. He’s a mountain of a man—tall, broad in the shoulders, and muscular. He looks like he could easily bench press Lanie’s VW Bug. I would be intimidated by him, but he’s quick to laugh and has warm brown eyes. He’s like a teddy bear—big and gruff on the outside but tender and mushy on the inside.

“Missed you, babe,” he growls.

“It’s only been a couple of hours since we saw each other!”

“Doesn’t matter,” Jax complains. “I still missed the hell out of you.”

“Aww.” Lanie’s voice softens, becoming dreamy. “I love you so much.”

“I love you more,” he responds with enough heat to melt the panties off Lanie’s body.

Ugh.

Make it stop.

These two are so sickeningly sweet that I get a toothache every time I’m around them. Although, if anyone deserves a good guy, it’s Lanie. Like most girls in their early twenties, she’s dated her fair share of assholes. Jaxon is almost too good to be true. Kind of like a mythical unicorn that sprang to life. He’s an athlete who isn’t interested in screwing as many girls as he can get his hands on.

Ever since I rolled into town a few days ago, Jaxon and Lanie have been glued together at the hip. I get the feeling he’ll be our unofficial third roommate for the year.

Know what’s been getting a lot of use?

My noise-canceling headphones.

Most nights, those two sound like they’re auditioning for a porno. Let’s hope it calms down soon.

Jaxon and Lanie coo at each other before their mouths fuse, and they start going at it like a pair of cats in heat. I clear my throat and glance everywhere but at them. If we were hanging out at the townhouse, this would be my cue to exit stage left. But we’re not at home; we’re in the middle of a field a few miles from town. There’s nowhere for me to go, and no one for me to talk to.

Awkwardness descends as I flick a piece of straw from my shirt.

Maybe I should take this opportunity to grab a beer. There must be a keg around here somewhere. You can’t have this many college kids congregating in one spot and not have alcohol. That would be considered sacrilegious, right?

With any luck, by the time I return, Jaxon and Lanie will have stopped mauling each other long enough for us to move on with our evening. It’s not like he’s being shipped off to war tomorrow and they’ll never see each other again.

Sheesh.

My gaze meanders to them in hopes that they’ve gotten their fill of each other.

Nope. The face sucking has become even more intense. Any moment, clothing is going to spontaneously combust from their bodies.

I don’t really want to be around when that happens.

So…a beer it is.

Not that either of them is paying me the least bit of attention, but I point toward the mass of bodies that have multiplied in the fifteen minutes since we’ve arrived. “I’m going to grab a drink.” When my words are met with kissy noises, I say, “Try not to miss me too much while I’m gone.”

Lanie waves a hand absently in my direction as they continue to get it on.

“Okay then,” I mumble before reluctantly taking off on my own.

The number of people gathered here is a little overwhelming. Lanie’s right; half the university must have shown up. Everyone is talking, laughing, and drinking. In other words, they’re having a great time.

Me, not so much.

It takes a good ten minutes to find the keg. Or maybe I should say kegs since there are six of them next to the back end of a midnight black pickup truck blasting music from massive speakers. I can barely hear myself think over the thumping bass. Then again, maybe that’s for the best. It’s a relief to get out of my head, even for a few minutes.

I locate the line for the beer and take my place at the end of it. I’m not much of a drinker, but I need something to smooth out all of the rough edges so I can relax and enjoy myself.

My flesh prickles with awareness, and I run my hands over my arms to banish the disconcerting sensation. I glance around, scouring the crowd for one face in particular but don’t see him anywhere. That alone should alleviate my anxiety, but it doesn’t.

My parting with Hunter wasn’t what one would call amicable. I don’t blame him for being hurt and angry. Whether Hunter understands it or not, I did what needed to be done. As painful as it was, I’d do it all over again. I loved Hunter more than life itself.

A part of me still does.

Probably always will.

If everything I’ve read online is true, then my sacrifices have been well worth it. Hunter will get snapped up in the NFL draft before graduating this spring. Ever since I can remember, that’s been his goal. If one person deserves for all his dreams to come true, it’s Hunter Price. Unwilling to dwell on my ex, I shove him from my mind and take in the scene before me.

People are gathered together in groups, greeting one another as if they’re long-lost friends who haven’t seen each other in decades. It’s surreal to be surrounded by so many people yet feel so removed from it all. As if I’m more of an observer than a participant. Other than Lanie and Jaxon, I don’t know anyone else. I’m sure people from high school attend CU, but I lost touch with most of them after I moved away.

By the time I make it to the front of the line, I’m antsy and ready to head back to my friends. Even if they’re still going at it. Which is really saying something. I’d much rather stand around as a third wheel than be an island onto myself. I dig through my front pocket and hand over a couple of bucks in exchange for a blue plastic cup before it’s filled to the rim with golden liquid.

The cute guy manning the keg flashes me an easy grin as his eyes drift over my body. When he’s finished with his perusal, his gaze once again settles on my face. Kudos to this guy for not gawking at my boobs like he’s never seen a pair of D cups before.

“Here you go, beautiful,” he says, handing over the cup with a gallant flourish.

This little bit of silliness lightens my mood. “Thanks.”

Our fingers brush as I take the Solo cup from him.

“Next time, cut to the front of the line.” He gives me a flirty wink. “I got you covered.”

I flash him a grateful smile. Maybe tonight won’t be so bad after all.

With my drink in hand, I’m ready to make my way back to Jaxon and Lanie. Only now does it occur to me that they could have moved from the spot where I’d left them.

Who’s to say I’ll even be able to find my way back?

A knot of unease settles at the bottom of my belly. My fingers go to the purse slung across my chest. It’s big enough to hold my phone, but that’s about it. I could always shoot Lanie a text, but who knows if she’d hear it. And I have no idea how to navigate my way back to our apartment. The unsettled feeling that had taken up residence in my gut turns into full-on nausea.

Only now do I realize that walking away was a bad idea. I should have stuck to Lanie and Jax like glue. But standing around and watching them make out felt pervy.

And not in a good way.

With those thoughts swirling through my brain, I spin around and slam into a wall of impenetrable muscle. The impact knocks me off-balance, and I stumble back a step. Before I can fall, strong hands reach out and grab my shoulders, yanking me forward. My breath catches, and my heart pounds at the narrowly avoided tumble.

I shake my head to clear it as beer sloshes over the rim of my plastic cup and spills onto the ground at my feet. I’m lucky it didn’t end up down the front of my top or the shirt of the unsuspecting person I plowed into.

How humiliating would that have been?

Ugh…I don’t even want to think about it.

“I’m so—”

My voice falls off as I glance up, my gaze colliding with narrowed blue eyes. Hunter quickly sets me free as if his fingers have been burned. Neither of us breaks eye contact. All of the raucous noise of the bonfire dies away until it’s just the two of us standing alone in the middle of a dark field.

This is the moment I’ve been dreading.

My eyes roam over his face, cataloging the myriad of changes that time has wrought. When I walked away, Hunter had still been a boy, his lean muscles beginning to thicken. Now the transformation has been complete, and he’s a full-grown man. Hunter has always had size on his side, but somehow, he’s managed to grow both taller and broader. He must be somewhere in the vicinity of six three or four. I have to crane my neck to hold his gaze. The graphic T-shirt he’s wearing stretches tautly across the wide expanse of his chest and hugs the chiseled strength of his biceps. It’s enough to make my mouth dry and my knees soft.

If I have one weakness, it’s for thickly corded arms. All that tightly harnessed power waiting to break free…

A shiver of desire scampers down my spine before I stomp it out.

Unaware of the effect he’s having on me, Hunter’s deep voice cuts through my thoughts.

“What are you doing here, Skye?”

It’s the harshness of his tone that has my gaze snapping back to his as heat floods my cheeks. I can’t stop myself from staring. The little bit of cyberstalking I’ve done over the years has in no way prepared me for coming face-to-face with my ex-boyfriend. He’s grown into his dark looks, becoming even more of a heartbreaker than he was in high school.

My tongue darts out to smudge my parched lips as nerves dance along my skin. I search Hunter’s eyes, looking for any hint of softening, but there’s none to be found. His gaze is as frigid and detached as I imagined it would be. The tiny kernel of hope that our time apart would be enough to heal our past wounds shrivels and dies inside me.

There is no forgiveness in his heart.

But then again, did I really expect there would be?

Maybe. It would have made coexisting on campus for the next year so much easier.

It’s obvious from his terse behavior that Hunter would prefer to pretend I never existed in the first place. As much as I would love to give him that, I can’t. Unforeseen circumstances have forced me home.

I straighten my shoulders and attempt to keep my voice level. I don’t want him to hear the slight tremble that is working its way through my body. “I transferred to Claremont for my senior year.”

His shadowed jaw ticks as he clenches his teeth. “Why?”

The way he bites out that one word leaves me wincing.

I take a quick step back and lift my chin, not wanting him to see how much power he still holds over me. Time has done nothing to diminish it. “That’s none of your business.”

Whether Hunter realizes it or not, he still owns a piece of my heart. It’s better for both of us if he never suspects the depth of my feelings.

His hands tighten into fists as he closes the little bit of distance that I’ve managed to put between us. Instead of scrambling back the way every instinct is clamoring for me to do, I hold my ground until we’re standing toe-to-toe. My heart pounds a painful staccato against my breast as his harsh breath feathers across my parted lips.

There was a time when I couldn’t get close enough to Hunter.

Now I can’t get far enough away.

Sorrow floods through every fiber of my body that it has to be this way between us. Next to Lanie, Hunter was my best friend. He was my first everything.

Date.

Kiss.

Love.

Heartbreak.

Everything we once shared has been blown to pieces, and we’re nothing more than strangers. Actually, what we are is much worse. His animosity is palpable. It radiates from him in suffocating waves that threaten to choke the life out of me.

“You shouldn’t have come back,” he growls. “You don’t belong here anymore.”

That may be true, but there’s nothing I can do about it. I’m here. And I’m not going anywhere.

I shift my weight and force myself to say, “Claremont is big enough for the two of us.”

“No, it’s not. Stay the fuck out of my way, Skye.” His eyes flash with barely suppressed hostility. “You won’t like the consequences if you don’t.”

Before I can summon up a retort, he stalks away. Rooted in place, I track his movements until he fades into the crowd. Not once does he turn around and acknowledge my presence. I’ve been dismissed. Relegated to the black hole that is our past.

Once he disappears from sight, my knees weaken as the pent-up breath rushes from my aching lungs.

I haven’t been on campus for a full seventy-two hours, and in Hunter’s eyes, I’m public enemy number one.

HEARTLESS

HUNTER

This night has turned to total shit, and there’s no way to salvage it.

Not even the two gorgeous girls tucked under my arms are enough to pull my attention back to them. Although, they’re trying their damnedest. Their hands stroke over my chest as they press their firm titties close to my body. If this were any other night, I’d be kicking back and enjoying the female adoration that comes with being QB for the Claremont Cougars.

With Skye in the vicinity, that’s not possible. I’m ridiculously aware of her on every level. If she shifts a muscle or inhales a breath, I’m cognizant of it. Worse than that, I can’t stop myself from watching her. Every so often, our gazes will lock before she quickly jerks hers away.

If I’d thought I was mentally prepared to see my ex after all this time, I was mistaken. Catching my first glimpse of her was like getting tackled from my blindside. My chest tightened, and for a heartbeat, the time, distance, and hurt fell away, and I was staring at the girl I’d once loved beyond all reason. Even though it’s been more than an hour since she slammed into me, I still feel off-kilter. My world has tilted on its axis, and there’s no way to right it again.

Skye fucking Sinclair.

A million unbidden memories flood through my mind. It was Skye’s golden blond hair that first caught my attention freshman year of high school. Once she looked at me with those bright green eyes, I was a goner.

It’s disconcerting to realize that the attraction I’d always felt for her was just as powerful. If Skye had been pretty as a teenager, she’d grown into her looks, becoming drop-dead gorgeous. Her body had always shown signs of curves, her breasts more than a handful, but now her waist was nipped in and her hips lush.

And I wasn’t the only one noticing. All I had to do was glance around to see how many guys were checking her out. She was attracting way too much attention. It took every ounce of my tightly leashed control not to stalk over and chase every single asshole away from her.

Instead of staying as far from Skye as I could get, I’d positioned myself to watch her. Every time she shrank away, trying to melt into the crowd, I stalked closer. There were times when her anxiety would ease, and she would flash a smile at whoever she was talking to before her gaze would unexpectedly collide with mine. In the blink of an eye, her happiness would dissolve, and she’d attempt to slink farther away from me.

I haven’t allowed her to get far. It’s as if there’s an invisible string connecting us.

Where she goes, I follow.

Whether I want to or not.

With my attention locked on Skye, I don’t realize that one of my teammates has sidled up to me.

Uncaring of the girls pressed against me, Lucus points at Skye. “Who’s the chick with Jaxon?”

I bite off the frustrated growl that aches to slip free. I know who he’s talking about, but it pisses me off that he’s zeroing in on Skye. There are plenty of chicks at this party. Can’t he sniff around one of them instead?

“His girlfriend, Lanie.”

Lucas frowns before scoffing. “I know who Lanie is.” He jerks his head in Skye’s direction. “I’m talking about the blonde honey with the big titties. Haven’t seen her around before.” He smacks his lips together and leers. “Damn, but I love me some fresh meat.”

You know what I’d love?

To punch this joker in his fucking mouth. Instead, I flex my hands to keep them from curling into fists and doing exactly that.

“Skye,” I grunt.

“Huh?”

“Her name,” I reluctantly grumble, “is Skye.”

Lucas strokes his chin as a shit-eating grin slides across his face. “I don’t know about sky, but I’m willing to bet there’s a little piece of heaven between those gorgeous thighs.”

Motherfucker!

“Whoa!” Lucas’s voice turns panicky. “What the hell, dude?”

It takes a moment to realize that I’ve dropped my arms from around the girls and am advancing on Lucas until he throws up his hands to ward me off. My jaw is so tightly clenched that I wouldn’t be surprised if it cracked under the pressure.

“Sorry, dude. Didn’t know you had interest in that direction. I’m not trying to step on any toes.” When I don’t take the conversation any further, his muscles gradually relax, and he snorts while giving me a bit of side-eye. “Not like there isn’t enough pussy to go around.”

Fuck. I shouldn’t give a damn about him or any other guy who wants to get in her pants. Unfortunately, that knowledge doesn’t alleviate the anger pumping through my veins. “Stay away from her. Got it?”

“Loud and clear, Price.” Lucas claps me on the shoulder and takes off like his ass is on fire. I blink and realize that the two girls who had been groping me have also scattered. I plow a hand through my hair.

You know what’s not helping this situation one damn bit?

Standing around watching Skye like a love-sick teenager. I need to stay as far away from that girl as I can get. And even that wouldn’t be far enough.

Why the fuck did she have to return now?

I need to get out of here, but I’ll be damned if I leave this party alone. All I’ll end up doing is sitting around and stewing over the past. Much better to have a distraction for a few hours. Maybe then I’ll be worn out enough to fall into a dreamless sleep.

My gaze roves over the crowd until it lands on a couple of chicks who are watching me with hungry looks. I know exactly what these girls want, and luckily for them, I’m in the mood to give it. It takes effort to smooth out my features before forcing a smile to my lips. As soon as I do, they start in my direction.

I don’t have to lift a finger. It’s almost too easy.

When they’re close enough, they say in unison, “Hi, Hunter.”

“Hey.” I give them each a chin lift in acknowledgment.

One’s a brunette, and the other is a redhead.

Perfect.

Both are toned and athletic-looking.

Even better.

They look nothing like the girl I’ve spent three years trying to evict from my head.

“You ladies want to get out of here?”

Their eyes light up as they nod.

“Great.” I wrap an arm around each girl before tugging them close.

As I’m about to walk away, I glance in Skye’s direction. It pisses me off that I’m unable to resist the temptation. I already know that her presence on campus is going to be a problem.

It’s Skye fucking Sinclair.

How can it not be?

Sadness flickers in her eyes right before she rips her gaze away.

Once upon a time, I gave this girl my heart, and she stomped all over it. If she knows what’s good for her, she’ll stay the hell out of my way.

One-click Heartless now!

MORE BOOKS BY JENNIFER SUCEVIC

The Campus Series (football)

Campus Player

Campus Heartthrob

Campus Flirt

Campus Hottie

Campus God

Campus Legend

Western Wildcats Hockey

Hate You Always

Love You Never

Never Mine to Hold

The Barnett Bulldogs (football)

King of Campus

Friend Zoned

One Night Stand

If You Were Mine

The Claremont Cougars (football)

Heartless Summer

Heartless

Shameless

Hawthorne Prep Series (bully/football)

King of Hawthorne Prep

Queen of Hawthorne Prep

Prince of Hawthorne Prep

Princess of Hawthorne Prep

The Next Door Duet (football)

The Girl Next Door

The Boy Next Door

What’s Mine Duet (Suspense)

Protecting What’s Mine

Claiming What’s Mine

Stay Duet (hockey)

Stay

Don’t Leave

Stand-alone

Confessions of a Heartbreaker (football)

Hate to Love You (Hockey)

Just Friends (hockey)

Love to Hate You (football)

The Breakup Plan (hockey)

Collections

The Barnett Bulldogs

The Football Hotties Collection

The Hockey Hotties Collection

The Next Door Duet

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Jennifer Sucevic is a USA Today bestselling author who has published twenty-four new adult novels. Her work has been translated into German, Dutch, Italian, and French. She has a bachelor’s degree in History and a master’s in Educational Psychology from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Jen started out her career as a high school counselor before relocating with her family and focusing on her passion for writing. When she’s not tapping away on the keyboard and dreaming up swoonworthy heroes to fall in love with, you can find her bike riding or at the beach. She lives in the Michigan with her family.

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