The Captain

cted the night before to

cktails, and a dangerous smile I had no busine

from Ethan Carte

tha

me by the quad. 10 AM. Br

ne like it had per

ent

iou

into my pillow an

my semester was s

aster known to man. Not... fake dating the six-foot-five walking disaster that was

ly, life had

-

against a tree like he was the le

peakably flattering things to his already messy hair. Girls were gla

ment he saw me. Smi

idn't chi

Didn't say I'd show

e." He pushed off the tree.

ding straighter. "Let's u

ax, nerd girl. Yo

and immune to your cha

admiration glinting in his

ring the heat rising in my cheeks. "If we're doing

oser, folding hi

h. "No touchin

ut touching in

when necessary. For believabi

head. "Defin

crazy ex is

ich. "You're already

g unless I approve. No random surprises. And

teasing my ear. "What i

k, pulse flickeri

a lazy shrug. "Deal. But

course

really like me. You're obsessed with me,

ed. "G

Walk with me to class, sit with me at lunch,

ce? Why would I go

ly. "Besides, jealous exes don't get je

to argue-but stopp

ing even closer, his voice l

again. "

, unreadable. "No getting attached. No re

someone who thinks air is optio

ed. "You

ed. "Yo

right then, Valentine. Looks li

-

a storm in reverse-calm on the

sprea

the student center,

er had a g

e

on that didn't add up. I couldn't blame them. Even I did

at Ethan was milk

bell rang, leaned against the wall like he owned it, and

for half the class to hear,

ped. A guy two seats

m like I didn't

my steps. "Was it the 'babe'? I ca

"Try using

"What's the

under the student center fountain.

. A cheerleader. Also

pped the seco

f course

nd my waist. "Smile, ner

, warm, possessive. I could almost feel Aly

voice all casual charm. "

rly c

m my scuffed Converse to my o

d coolly. "Yo

wider. "She's

short-c

own and whispered against my ear, "

't seem to un

-

I stared at my c

l happeni

every time Ethan touched me-even fake-it

e wors

of me liked the way he

it was

-

contin