Filed to story: Katy and Brayden Cooper Novel
“Not bad,” I say as I pack up my notes.
He stretches, grinning. “So basically, I’m a genius now.”
“Sure,” I deadpan. “Real genius.”
He laughs as we head out and when we reach his car, I glance at him. “You’ll be coming with me, right?”
He looks up. “To?”
“The conference,” I say. “You didn’t just get me the tickets, right?”
He slides a look at me from the comer of his eye, a teasing glint there. “Are you that desperate to have me around you?”
I scoff. “Please. I just don’t want you to miss out on the fun.”
He gives me a disbelieving stare. “Fun? You call a conference fun? Peach, are you sure you’re okay?”
I roll my eyes at him, tugging his car door open. “So what do you even call fun then? Loud parties? Drugs?*
He slides into the driver’s seat, shooting me a look Eke I just insulted his religion. “Anything but a conference,” he says, pure disgust in his tone. “Seriously, you’re like an alien.*
My eyes widen. “For what? Being excited about the conference?” I throw my hands up. “God forbid a girl wants a career after college and maybe, I don’t know, network?”
He shakes his head slowly. “It’s not just that.”
“Then what?” I lift a brow, waiting.
Instead of answering, he leans toward me suddenly. The move is so fast I instinctively jerk back, pressing a finger to his forehead to push him away when he gets a little too close.
“Personal space, Braydon,” I warn.
He straightens, and exhales. “You see, you just proved my point.”
My brows knit together. “What point?”
He licks his lips, gesturing with his hands.
“First, you ask me to be your fake boyfriend,” he starts, counting on his fingers. “Then you to, you know, he with your… experience gap.”
Heat rust to my face, but I manage to keep a straight expression.
We kiss, we mess around, and for a second I think maybe you’re loosening up but fre back to being Katy Evans, looking at me like I’m a wall decoration.”
I stare at him with nothing but pure disbelief. Does he even hear himself sometimes? Does he not feel even a little embarrassed saying things like that? The arrogance is unreal.
I let out a long breath, click my seatbelt into place, and give him a flat look. “Please drive before I call campus cab.”
He studies me for a second, like he’s trying to read a language he doesn’t understand. Then he shakes his head, muttering mostly to himself, “I just can’t figure you out.”
BRAYDON’S POV
I’m actually losing my mind.
No really, there’s no other explanation because why can’t I stop thinking about last night with Katy?
And no, it’s not about the stupid pecks on the chin or anything like that. It’s her face…those big, bright eyes when she got all excited.
Fuck, I sound insane.
It’s not like I haven’t seen a girl excited before but something about Katy just sticks in my head like a bad song. Maybe it’s because she’s Justin’s sister. Yeah, that has to be it. I probably just see her as this tiny, fragile bird I need to protect. It’s definitely a brotherly thing….I think.
Damn it, Braydon, pull yourself together.
I’m leaning against the wall, running that same thought loop in my head for the twentieth time, when a voice yanks me back to reality. “What are you doing here?”
I lift my head and my target has finally stepped out of his room, looking worse than I imagined. There’s a bandage across his head, another on his arm, and his eyes are bloodshot like he hasn’t slept.
I straighten, slipping my hands into my hoodie pocket. “We need to talk about Katy.”
Bryan freezes mid-step, then lets out a low, bitter scoff. “Hell nah. I don’t want to talk about her.”
He tries to walk off, but I step into his path, giving him a look that says I’m not leaving until we talk about Katy. He gives me a hard glare but it’s not enough to faze me and if he thinks he can try anything, I’m not above giving him another reason to wrap a bandage around that ugly forehead.
He exhales. “Can’t you tell I’m trying to mind my business? I’ve got classes.”
“Cool,” I say. “Then this’ll be quick.” I fold my arms. “Delete the photos you have of Katy and promise you’ll never try to get them back or show them to anyone.”
When I finish, his lips part slightly and he stares at me, his eyes searching my face.
“Are you fucking with me?” he finally asks, disbelief dripping from his tone.
“No.” I shake my head. “What part of me looks like I’m joking?”
He lets out a humorless chuckle. “So you came all the way here to say this? Aren’t you embarrassed?”
I tilt my head, keeping my voice calm even though I can feel my pulse picking up. “Only one of us looks like shit right now because he was too much of a p***y to let his ex go. I think that person should be the one embarrassed.”
A muscle jumps in his jaw and his smirk fades.
He takes a slow step closer, eyes hardening. “It’s bad enough you’re fucking my ex, now you’re playing hero? Pathetic.”
I meet his glare head-on. “You sure you want to talk about pathetic, Bryan? You’re the one still keeping photos like a creep.”
“Careful,” he says, voice low. “You’re starting to sound jealous.”
I smirk. “Of what?”
“That I’d fuck her while she’s still with you. You know, I think she has a thing for red flags.”
Something in me snaps. I slam my shoulder into his and he staggers, his hand flying to the spot. He bites a curse as he glares up at me and I drop down a fraction to match his height, our faces close enough to feel his breath. “You hear me, Bro? I don’t mess around. You touch Katy and I’ll make sure you never play baseball again.”