The Love Game (The Game, #1)

The Love Game (The Game, #1) by Emma Hart


Acknowledgements.


Darryl, my partner, for finally understanding and accepting my need to write like a crazy woman. Also, thank you for letting me buy the laptop. I'm not sure the work to play ratio is what you expected, but at least I do some work, and that's what matters.... Right? I love you.

Rachel Walter, my critique partner. I don't know if anyone loves caveman Braden quite as much as you do, and I love that you can't say his name without adding the caveman. He tells you to go to your room in that husky ol' voice of his. I'll leave that there this time. Loves ya.

Christina, Heather, Michele and Carey. Um, best betas ever. Thank you so, so much for going through and picking up all my British-isms. We had fun working some things out, that's for sure. I heart you, ladies.

Helen Boswell, my proofreader, for picking up all my grammar mistakes and silly things. Thank you for polishing it, tidying it, and making it publishable.

Jan Hart, for believing in me and running your very sharp eyes over the manuscript when all was said and done. The little things make a difference. I sure got lucky in the mother-in-law department, huh? :)

Kathalene Miller, my wonderful CP's mama. Your readers eyes looking the book over before publication make the world of difference to me. I appreciate every second you take from your days to read my work. Thank you, a thousand times.

I'm pretty sure I've missed someone out. Oh, wait. I have. * Skips to Dedication page *



Dedication.

Dani Morales.

I dedicate this book and everything in it to you. It's yours for every tweet, every post, and every word of encouragement you've ever given me. Also, for the Vegas info. I'm pretty sure I'd still be scouring Google without you....

Every girl needs a friend like you, every dreamer needs a believer like you, and every author needs a cheerleader like you. I count my lucky stars I met you and that I get to be the girl, the dreamer, and the author.

The Love Game (The Game #1)



Chapter One - Maddie

I hated him on sight.
I'm not a hateful person. In fact, I'm actually really friendly, but something about Braden Carter rubs me the wrong way, and has ever since I first saw him five weeks ago.
Maybe it's the arrogant, smug smile on his face when girls eye him admiringly, or maybe it's the undressing with his eyes thing he does to said girls. Maybe it's the bragging, the I-don't-give-a-crap attitude or the knowledge he can get any girl on campus. Or, rather, any girl in the state.
Maybe it's because I'm attracted to him when I most definitely do not want to be, combined with the fact he reminds me of everything I left at home in Brooklyn.
I shake those thoughts off and carry on looking around the room of the frat house as if he doesn't exist. It's hard to do - especially when he has three girls on his arm and other unmentionable body parts. Did I mention the guy is sinfully hot?
He has this messy, sun-kissed blonde hair with natural highlights that most girls would - and do - pay a fortune for. His eyes are so blue they're almost electric, and his skin is naturally tanned from the California sunshine. I'm sure I don't need to mention his perfectly lean, muscular body because, after all, this is California and surfing since you can walk is a requirement to life.
“Stop ogling him.” Kayleigh steps up next to me and nudges my shoulder.
“That's about as likely as me doing a striptease for the whole house,” I reply.
“Honey, I can name several guys that would not walk away from that.”
Kyle winks at me across the bar in the kitchen and I sigh. “They can keep dreaming. Never gonna happen, Kay.”
“Shame.” She grins at me. “I can't say I'd walk away either.”
I shake my head, but I'm smiling. Since the day Kay walked into our dorm room five weeks ago, she's been open about her sexuality. She's bisexual and doesn't care who knows. I respected her from the second we met. Her openness is refreshing to me.
“You're incorrigible,” I mock scold.
“Hey, if the shoe fits!” She winks and snaps her fingers towards Kyle. “Drinks, mofo!”
“Wait your turn, ya pain,” he replies, pouring two vodka shots and handing them to someone at the end of the bar.
“I bet he'd jump to it if it was you askin',” she whispers not so quietly.
“Now you're talkin', Kay!” Kyle turns and hits me with his thousand-watt smile. “Would you like a drink, gorgeous girl?”
“I'm fine, thank you.” I smile politely. “I'm sure Kay will take one, though.”
“Bull. Shit.” Kay leans forward and slaps a hand on the bar surface. “Four vodka shots, Kyle. Tonight I'm showing Miss Maddie how it's done.”
“Right on!” He turns and lines up four shot glasses.
“Kay,” I hiss. “You know I don't drink!”
“Didn't,” she corrects. “Didn't drink. You do now.”
“Kay.”
“Maddie,” she mimics my tone of voice and accepts the glasses Kyle slides to us. “One, two, bam. That's how we're doin' this, baby girl. No thinkin', no messin'. Down them both.”
“This is such a bad idea,” I mutter, picking up both glasses and peering at the strong smelling liquid. “If I vomit, you're cleaning it up.”
“Always.” She winks. “Ready? One, two, bam!”
Tip. Swallow. Tip. Swallow.
My throat burns as the alcohol slides down it, and I pat my chest as if that'll stop the red hot feeling. Kyle smirks at me.
“Thought you didn't drink?” he asks.
“I don't,” I reply, putting the glasses down.
“She's gonna be a hard one to crack.” Kay wipes her chin. “Sure you haven't ever drank before, Mads?”
I shrug one shoulder, the lie falling easily from my lips. “Obviously I've drunk alcohol, just not enough to get me drunk.”
“This changes tonight!” Kay bangs the counter again. “Kyle, six more shots.”
“Of?”
“Of whatever the f*ck you wanna put in the glasses.”
“Make it twelve,” Lila says, sliding in next to me. “Three for me, three for Megan when she gets here.”
“Twelve? How many glasses do you girls think I have?” Kyle jokes and opens another cupboard. There's a shelf of shot glasses neatly lined up.
“I'd hate to be whoever cleans those tomorrow,” I say.
“Braden.” Kyle laughs. “I just get to serve them to your beautiful faces. Unlucky for him, but definitely lucky for me.” He leans forward and places three glasses in front of me with a smile that would melt any other girls heart. I raise an eyebrow and wait patiently as he hands everyone else their shots.
“Did I miss anything?” Megan shuffles between me and Lila, her blonde hair bobbing as she bounces excitedly. “Ooh, so many shots? What's the occasion?”
“Maddie's getting drunk!” Kay announces, lifting up the first glass.
“No way!” Megan tilts her face towards me. “For real?”
“Apparently,” I reply dryly.
“Aw shucks, Mads. It's fun!” She wiggles her body and Kyle's eyes move to her chest. Megan's very well-endowed in the boob department and likes to let the world know.
“No more talkin'!” Lila huffs, picking up a glass. “One, two, three, bam?”
“Yah, duh!” Kay laughs and picks up the second glass.
I take a deep breath and pick up two glasses. What the hell is wrong with me tonight? I don't drink, at least, not like this. I can't be out of control.
“Bam!” Kay shouts.
One. Two. Three. Fire.
Whee.
I blink a few times and swallow. “Holy sh-crap.”
“It's working,” Lila giggles. “Maddie doesn't swear, ever!”
“I didn't swear,” I protest. “Crap is not a swear word.”
“Fine, you almost swore.” She rolls her dark, kohl-lined eyes. “I will have one naughty word out of those pretty pink lips before the night is up!”
I resist the urge to roll my eyes.
“I'd like a few things out of those pretty pink lips,” Kyle comments, winking at me.
“F*ckin' pig!” Kay punches his arm over the bar.
“Jesus, Kay. Your fist made of f*cking iron?” He rubs his arm.
“For you, Kyle honey, my fist can be whatever you want it to be.” She winks and stands up straight, grabbing my hand. “Come on, baby girl, we're goin' to shake our booties!”
I shoot Lila a 'help me!' look and tug on Megan's shirt.
“Woah, okay, I'm comin'!” She turns and drags Lila along too.
The front room is crowded. Music pumps from speakers and bodies grind in the middle of the floor. A couple is making out on the sofa and – oh my god. Nope, that's definitely gone past making out.
I look away and allow the girls to drag me into the writhing mass of people. The alcohol is spreading through my body, and I relax a little, knowing I'm done for the night on the alcohol side. No point pushing my luck.
Megan grabs one of my hands and urges me to dance, to let go. Crazy. That's what this is. Drinking and now dancing. These girls are ruining me.
“Lighten up, baby girl!” Kay shouts. “Mr Carter himself is watchin' your sexy little body!”
Fantastic. Just what I want – to be the next on his to-do list. The next on a very, very long list.
“He can keep looking,” I reply, seeing him watching from the corner of the room. “Looking is as close as he's gonna get.” I turn my back to him, and Lila shakes her dark hair out, moving towards me.
“Someone needs to take his ass down a peg or two,” she says. “Lord knows he hit every branch on the way down the beautiful tree, but he's sure perched at the top of the ego one.”
“Right,” Megan agrees. “But he's always been like that. That's just Braden.”
Megan and Braden both come from the same town and from what she's said, their parents are quite close so they grew up together. Besides us, she's about the only girl at the party that isn't falling at his feet.
“You know what?” Kay says. We glance over at him and another blonde is wrapped around him.
“What?” I say and turn away from him with a look of disgust on my face.
“That boy needs to know what it's like to do what he does. What it's like to be humped and dumped.”
All eyes turn to me. I shake my head, stepping back. “Oh, no. No, no, no way!” I turn and leave the room, pushing my way through the kitchen to the yard, all three girls on my heels.
“Mads, it'll be fun!” Lila takes my hands and bounces. “Come on!”
“Um.” Megan looks at the house then at me. “I guess it wouldn't hurt.”
“No.” I shake my head again.
“You only have to hump him once,” Kay reasons. “Besides, he's not exactly bad to look at, is he? I could imagine smacking that ass.”
“Then you do it!”
“Oh, no.” Megan sighs. “She can't. Kay might be bi but everyone knows she prefers girls, so he won't go there. Lila has a boyfriend who happens to be his friend, and I grew up with him. He's like my brother or something. You're the only one that can do it.”
“I don't understand what we'll get out of this.” I look at each of them.
“Satisfaction of knowing the guy finally wanted what he couldn't have,” Kay shrugs. “Come on, Mads. It'll take two weeks, three, tops.”
“A month maybe,” Megan adds. “After that, he'll get bored and give in or he'll be in love with you. He's always watching you, Mads. Even in class when you think he isn't. And he refuses to talk about you to me, so I know he's attracted to you. Usually he gives me a play-by-play over his weekend conquests.”
“Plus Megs knows how his mind works,” Lila says. “So we have that advantage.”
“You're not going to take no for an answer, are you?” I sigh and rake my fingers through my hair.
“Nope.” Kay shakes her head.
“Oh, hell. I have a feeling I'm gonna regret this.”
“Maddie Stevens. Your mission, should you choose to accept it.” She grins and puts her hand out. Lila and Megan put theirs on top of hers. “Is to play the player at his own game. Do you accept?”
I inhale deeply, every bit of my mind screaming at me to say no and run. Play the player. The guy I hate because he embodies everything I wanted to leave behind when I left Brooklyn.
Instead of running, I place my hand on the pile in front of me. “Accepted.”