The Graham Effect (Campus Diaries, #1)

I don’t care that we’re in the library, that our teammates are there, that Shane can hear us. All I know is this orgasm is coming and there’s no stopping it.

I almost fall over, but Ryder holds me upright. I’m gasping by the time the waves of bliss subside. He releases me, looking mighty pleased with himself as he slowly pulls my panties up my legs. Secures them around my waist. He does the same with my jeans. Zips them up for me. I try to button them, but my fingers are shaking too hard. He takes pity on me and does that too.

There’s a soft knock on the door. Then I hear, “Coast is clear,” and I’m not sure whether to be embarrassed or grateful that Shane was doing us a solid. To my relief, he’s not out there when I slip out. I don’t think I could have looked him in the eye.

My fingers tremble as I unlock my phone. I bring up my dad’s number because I need to show something for my disappearance.

Ryder lightly smacks my ass as he passes me in the stacks. It should be sleazy, but it only makes my thighs clench again. I stare at him in wonder until he disappears around the corner. How is he this good at making me forget my name, my surroundings?

Instead of calling my dad, I shoot him a text telling him we’re doing a charity auction and could he get us any cool hockey shit? Then I wind my way back to the table where Ryder’s already seated, ostensibly googling local businesses on his phone.

“Sorry, I couldn’t get in touch with him, so I sent him a text. I was on the phone with my mom,” I lie to the group.

Cami glances up at my approach, her dark eyes taking on that familiar gossipy gleam she always sports when discussing something particularly juicy.

“Holy shit, we were totally hearing sex noises coming from the European history stacks. Did you see anybody?”

“No. Oh my God.” I pretend to twist around in search of the sex culprit. “Who do you think it was?” I force myself not to look Ryder for fear of giving us away.

“I’m guessing Shane,” Cami replies, “’cause he’s been gone quite a while.”

As if on cue, Shane returns to the table with such nonchalance that I’d be questioning his absence if I didn’t know better.

“Dude, were you banging someone down there?” Demaine asks, looking kind of impressed.

“We heard sex noises,” Cami accuses.

“Oh. No.” Shane settles into his chair, avoiding everyone’s eyes. “I was, um, watching porn.”

“In the library?” Whitney sounds horrified.

“Yeah, but, uh, I wasn’t doing anything,” Shane says. He’s a terrible liar. And I feel guilty now because they have no idea what he’s really lying about. “Someone sent me a clip and I just… I was stupid. I opened it and there was this girl moaning on it. You know,” he finishes feebly, shrugging. “Porn stuff.”

“Porn stuff,” Whitney echoes in disbelief.

The meeting wraps up not long after, and everyone goes their separate ways. I walked to the library from the dorms, so I head outside prepared to make the trek back. As I button up my jean jacket, I hear my name. It’s Ryder. He appears on the path, hands in his pockets, Briar jacket unzipped.

I wait for him to reach me.

“This is unexpected. I assumed we would go back to ignoring each other for at least another week.”

Although he laughs, a flicker of guilt crosses his expression. “Yeah. About that, actually. I didn’t get a chance to give this to you before.” He reaches into his pocket. “I got distracted.”

I grin because I know exactly what the “distraction” was.

“Anyway. Here.”

An amazed laugh sputters out of my mouth when he holds out a crumpled daisy.

It must have been crammed in his jacket pocket this whole time. It’s not in great shape, this poor flower.

“Oh my God. You’re bringing me apology flowers again? Can’t you ever apologize without all the pageantry?”

He smirks at me. “It’s not an apology flower. It’s to celebrate National Dessert Day.”

“That is not a real day.”

“Yup. I looked it up.”

I think it over. “All right, I accept. I do love dessert.” I offer an overly lascivious grin. “Seems like you do too.”

“I mean, when the dessert is your pussy, I’ll eat it any day of the month.”

A hot jolt of lust tightens my core. Goddamn it. I know I started it, but he shouldn’t be allowed to say things like that. They do my head in.

His humor fades, replaced with a slight flush of sheepishness. “I shouldn’t have disappeared for a week.”

I sigh and take some responsibility. “I didn’t call either.”

“Yeah.” His lips curve mockingly. “What’s your excuse?”

“I was scared. That was really good sex. Like, scary good.”

He looks startled by my honesty.

“What about you? Why didn’t you call?”

He’s quiet for several beats. Then he bites his lip.

“Similar reasoning,” he finally says.

My pulse quickens. “So what’s next? Should we go back to being people who don’t do naked things together?”

“I just went down on you, Gisele.”

“I mean, starting now. Should we stop or keep going?”

Ryder searches my face. “Do you want to stop?”

“No,” I admit. “But I also don’t want to do this silent treatment thing again.”

“Neither do I.”

“And I don’t want you doing naked things with anyone else,” I find myself blurting out.

He startles again. “I’m not.”

“Oh. Okay. But let’s say you were wanting it to be an option, I don’t think I’m comfortable with it. I mean, there’s nothing wrong if you wanted that,” I add hurriedly. “Lots of people don’t want the exclusive label. They think it locks them into a relationship, which is not what I’m trying to do at all, I promise. I don’t want us to be in a relationship. But…” I realize I’m babbling and force myself to articulate. “What I’m saying is, I know some girls don’t care about not having exclusivity, and I don’t judge them. But it’s not for me.”

He looks amused. “Are you done?”

“Yes.”

“A lot of guys don’t want to be exclusive right away,” Ryder says roughly. “I’m not one of them.”

I blink in surprise. “Really?”

“I barely have time for one woman, let alone multiple ones.” Somewhat awkwardly, he moves closer and tucks a strand of hair behind my ear. “My dick belongs to you.”

There’s no way that could ever be considered a classically romantic line, but it makes my heart skip a beat nonetheless.

“Okay?” he prompts.

I nod slowly. “Okay.”

I’m still thinking about the exchange when I get ready later to meet Diana for dinner in Hastings. My resting heart rate is dangerously high as everything Ryder said to me this afternoon continues to run through my mind.

Eventually, I grab my phone, unable to stop my own feelings from spilling out.

ME:

I can’t stop thinking about you too.

ME:

And my pussy is yours.





HOCKEY KINGS TRANSCRIPT



ORIGINAL AIR DATE: 10/15

? THE SPORTS BROADCAST CORPORATION


JAKE CONNELLY: WE’LL CONTINUE TO KEEP AN EYE ON THE SITUATION over in New Jersey. Losing Novachuk will be a massive hit, but I will say, the Devils have always been able to bounce back from unlucky incidents. They had that nasty streak of injuries about five years ago—remember the season where their entire starting line was out with injury?

GARRETT GRAHAM: They’ll recover, no doubt.

CONNELLY: Moving over to the college world now. Obviously, it’s still early in the season, so all these games aren’t necessarily indicative of which D1 schools will be at the top of the pack come February. But UConn is looking so good.

GRAHAM: Phenomenal.

CONNELLY: Three consecutive wins and shutouts. They’re off to a great start. Your alma mater, not so much.

GRAHAM: Well, this is something we discussed in July. The so-called superteam and how they’d perform.

CONNELLY: Well, this superteam is off to a devastating start—lost their first three games. With that said, did you see the stickhandling from Luke Ryder against Boston College last night? Wow. You’ve got these other guys, the flashy stickhandlers, who are all pop and dazzle but not necessarily the most effective. Ryder, meanwhile, is effective as hell.