JOEL

Four Months Ago

I need caffeine.

Typically, I run just fine on four hours of sleep, a slight hangover, and aching muscles but last night's marathon fuck fest was unlike anything I've ever experienced. Or want to experience again. The chick wore a cat ear headband

in retrospect that should have been my first clue

and she actually meowed while I went down on her. Yeah, like a cat. My back and ass bear the marks from her long fingernails shaped like claws that completed the whole cat—like persona she had going on. And don't get me wrong, it was sort of hot and kinky, but what the actual fuck? It's like every girl is trying to outdo the last and sure I'm down for some kink, but what happened to good old—fashioned boning where the only thing that's crossing my mind is how good it feels to be buried inside a warm, wet pussy?

I push through University Hall to the small campus café. Blair is nowhere in sight. Bummer. I was hoping she'd throw in about twelve muffins. She's hooking up with my teammate and roommate Wes and the perks of my buddy banging a girl who works at the café include free coffee and pastries. I can afford it, but that's not the point.

When I reach the counter, I still don't see anyone.

"Hello," I call out.

A blonde head pops up and I step back as cups and sugar packets go flying. My eyes catch on her name tag first. Katrina. Kat—rina. I wince and shudder at the memory of the catastrophe from last night – pun, totally intended. But as my gaze moves up, all memories of the chick last night, and every other girl for that matter, disappear.

"Holy sh– crap." She straightens and looks up. Long dirty blonde strands of hair fall in her face and she brushes it back with a hand as she meets my eyes. "What can I get for you?"

Damn.

Brown and blue eyes assault me. The left iris is totally blue, and the right nearly all brown with just a hint of blue in the middle dancing around the pupil. I stare at each one individually, back and forth, trying to decide which I like better.

I don't know how long I stare at her multi—colored eyes, but when someone clears their throat behind me, I finally remember why I'm here.

"Yeah. Coffee. Large." I'm incapable of stringing together a sentence, which is definitely new for me. I can talk the panties off anyone. Damn, that chick last night must have really done a number on me.

"Want room for cream and sugar?"

I nod. "Blair working today?"

She sighs. "Not until this afternoon. Sorry, no quotes this morning."

Better to let her assume I just wanted a quote on my cup – something Blair is known for doing when she works at the café, then let her know I really wanted to wipe out the pastry counter on the house.

As she gets my coffee, I take in her slim frame, the leggings that fit snug against her giving me a preview of the terrific ass her apron tries to hide. She's not short, but I'm six foot six so there aren't many people I don't tower over.

When she turns back to me and sets the coffee down in front of me, I decide the best way to shrug off last night's weird sex is to move on to someone new. And this girl, name aside, is perfect.

"What time do you get off work? Can I buy you lunch or coffee?"

Her brows raise. Yeah, coffee was a fuck shit idea, but the only thing I plan on doing is her, so it's just semantics.

"No thanks." She presses a few buttons on the register. "One fifty—eight."

I pass over the money. "Well, how about we exchange numbers and we can make plans when you're not busy."

"I didn't say I was busy. I said no thanks."

The guy behind me clears his throat again.

Look there's no way to not sound like an asshole when I say that girls don't turn me down… like ever, but they don't. Ever.

"You got a boyfriend?"

"Seriously, man. I gotta get going or I'm going to be late for class," the guy behind me says to my back. I turn, prepared to death glare him, but he looks down and his face goes red.

"Coffee?" I hand out the cup I just bought in his direction.

Without lifting his head, he nods but makes no move to take the cup.

"Here." I practically shove the coffee in his hand. "Sorry, but I need more time so unless you want to be late for class, I suggest you take this one and go." I tilt my head in the direction of the door.

Swiping the coffee and running off, the guy hauls ass out of University Hall leaving me alone with Katrina. Shudder. That name. I can't call her that. Kat? Hell no. Trina? Nah, she doesn't seem the type. Rina? Eh.

She makes a little sound somewhere between a scoff and a laugh that sounds like the sweetest purr. I smile. She's not a Kat, she's a cute, playful Kitty.

"Where were we, Kitty?" I lean against the counter and she rolls her eyes and crosses both arms against her chest like she's annoyed by the nickname. Too bad the movement only draws more attention to her tits that push out from the contact. She's got a nice rack, bigger than average. When I meet her eyes, I don't miss the heat and a hint of amusement in them. She may not like the words that are coming out of my mouth, but she likes me.

"I was trying to blow you off and you weren't taking the hint."

"Just trying to save you from making a huge mistake." I lean in to see if she's bluffing. She is. Her breathing hitches and she stills as if she's holding her breath. I don't know why she's playing hard to get. "And it would be a huge mistake."

"You're wasting your time, Joel Moreno. I know all about the carnage you leave behind."

She first and last named me. She's as good as naked.

"Whatever you heard, forget it. The only thing I've left in my path is happy, satisfied women. What's wrong with a little fun? Only live once. Yolo, and all that. How about dinner tonight?"

"Sorry, I'm going to be washing my hair."

"What a coincidence I've got a shower and I'll even let you stay after to use it." My gaze rake over her again. "I think I might need one too after I'm through with you."

She snorts and uncrosses her arms. "No, thanks."

No clue why she's putting me off when I can tell the attraction is mutual. I shrug and push off the counter. Her loss. Although, as I take one last good look at her it feels a little like my loss.

JOEL

Nathan plops onto my unmade bed. "Party at Theta house tonight, you in?"

I toss my cell on the bed, ignoring the three text messages from Shelly aka cat girl. "I don't know. Might just stay in."

He raises both eyebrows. "Sick?"

"Nah, just not feeling it."

My roommate leans on one elbow waiting for an explanation. If it were any one of my other roommates, I'd get a pass. Wes is too caught up in Blair and Z operates like a full court press. Only the most aggressive and determined get past his intimidating front – which it totally is. Guy's a teddy bear underneath, just don't tell him I said so.

"You ever go into the café at University Hall?"

"Nah, I don't like coffee. This about Blair?" His face pales and he looks legit nervous. "Please don't tell me you slept with her. Wes will kill you – like actually kill you. Fuck, it'd be entertaining to see that guy get worked up over something besides basketball, but I'm pretty fond of our pad here. Beats dorm living."

I never had the privilege, and yes, I say that sarcastically, to live in the dorms. Parents live about twenty minutes from the university and when they were convinced I was capable of managing college and ball without flunking out they bought this place just off campus. I glance around my room which is about three times larger than the dorms I've seen. I got the master suite, but all the rooms are big. Everyone calls it The White House. Aside from the obvious, it's white and big, my dad is the university president. Could be worse. They could call it Moreno Hall or some shit.