Playing with Fire

"What?" Andrew stares at me as I’ve just lost my mind in front of him. "Did I hear you right?"

"Yeah, you heard me," I say, stepping closer to match his energy.

"You're asking me to play boyfriend?" He licks his lips, a sudden crack in his smooth composure.

"Yes."

He scoffs, shaking his head in disbelief. "Sorry to disappoint you, Peach, but dating isn't my thing. Anything but that."

A sharp sting of disappointment slices through my chest, but I force my voice to stay steady.

"Think about it, Andrew. Midterms are in four weeks, and sports management is a huge chunk of your final grade.

“You need my help, and that means a full month of intensive tutoring. This is a win-win deal."

"Uh-uh." He flicks his hand dismissively. "I'll pass. There has to be something else you want. I mean..." His infuriating smirk resurfaces. "I didn't take you for one of my fangirls."

I roll my eyes hard. "I am not interested in you. And I've never harbored some secret crush on you."

"Really?" His tone is edged with disbelief. "Then why? Aren't you still with Daniel?"

"You should've remembered I was with him before flirting with me!" I snap, my chest heaving. I force myself to calm down, taking a slow breath. "Daniel and I broke up."

Andrew’s face doesn't shift into empty sympathy. He doesn't offer a fake 'sorry to hear that.' Instead, he arches an eyebrow.

"So what? You're trying to use me as your rebound?"

The urge to scream burns in my throat, but I swallow my pride. "He cheated on me."

That gets him.

The teasing vanishes instantly.

His golden eyes darken, a flash of pure, territorial Alpha heat sparking in his gaze.

"That son of a bitch."

"It's fine," I choke out, even though every bone in my body hurts. "I just... I want to prove him wrong. He told me I could never find someone better than him." I force a casual shrug into my shoulders. "But I guess your no-dating rule is absolute. Forget it."

I turn, feigning surrender, taking slow steps toward the exit while my heart hammers against my ribs, begging him to bite.

"Wait!"

His voice rings out just as my hand grazes the door handle.

A small smile twitches on my lips before I quickly wipe it away, turning back to him with a neutral face.

Andrew drags a hand through his hair, his brow furrowed in deep thought. I know what he's weighing.

The moment the pack hears the star forward is parading his Alpha brother's ex-mate around, the drama will explode.

Tony will flip out, the hockey team will go wild, and the whole campus will be watching.

And Daniel will completely lose his mind.

"You'll really help me ace my courses?" Andrew asks, his intense gaze locking onto mine. "Not just pass?"

"Yeah," I nod firmly. "Every single one. But that depends on how convincing you are."

"What does that even mean?"

"It means people have to actually believe us," I say evenly.

A faint smirk tugs at his lips. "That's gonna be a hard sell considering my track record."

"Do you want to stay on the ice and graduate, or not?"

He shoots me a mock glare. "You are so annoying."

"Do we have a deal?" I press, refusing to back down.

Silence stretches between us, so heavy I start second-guessing the entire reckless plan.

Finally, Andrew lets out a long sigh.

"We've got a deal."

A surge of triumph rushes through me. He actually agreed.

I’m officially the first female Leighton College has ever seen on Andrew Shaw’s arm. A direct, public slap to Daniel's bloated ego.

"Thank you," I breathe, setting my books on the counter so he doesn't see my hands shaking.

"I hope you'll be a great girlfriend, Peach," he replies smoothly, that sharp, teasing tone creeping back into his voice. "Because I give this my all. Quick heads-up, though... I'm a handsy guy."

The room suddenly feels smaller, heavy and thick with an unexpected electric tension. My throat tightens, and I look away, scratching at my arm to break the spell.

"Ummm... let's talk about the rules," I manage to say.

"What rules?"

Before I can answer, Andrew steps into my space, his large hand resting on my shoulder and gently tugging me closer. Every nerve in my body fires off at once. I stiffen instantly.

His frown deepens. "You can't freeze up like a panicked pup when I touch you if we're going to sell this."

"And why would you even touch me?" A spark of alarm shoots through me.

He tilts his head, one brow arching. "Because, Peach, I'm supposed to be your boyfriend."

"Can't you convince people without touching me?" I counter, heat crawling up my neck. "We can just hold hands sometimes."

"Are you really that shy?" His lips twitch. "What, was your relationship with Daniel PG-13 or something?"

"No!" I snap defensively, lifting my chin. "We were together for over a year. There was plenty of physical stuff. The difference is, he was actually my mate."

Andrew steps even closer. With maddening slowness, his long fingers reach out, tucking a stray strand of hair behind my ear. His warm skin brushes mine, sending a jolt straight down my spine.

"We just made a deal, Peach," he murmurs, his golden eyes searching for mine. "And the way I see it, that makes you my girlfriend now. If we're gonna make Daniel choke on this, we don't get to half-ass it.

“Alpha wolves can smell bullshit from a mile away. We do what real couples do."

As much as I hate to admit it, he's right. If I want this fake bond to tear through Daniel's pride, it has to look seamless.

"Fine," I nod, forcing the words past my tight throat. "Maybe... maybe we should practice holding hands and physical stuff. Just to make it natural."

Andrew almost laughs, but reins it in, his eyes glinting with pure mischief.

"Practice, huh? Okay, Peach. Let's practice."

He guides my stiff frame over to the couch, taking a seat right beside me. He extends his broad palm.

My throat dries as I stare at it. Slowly, I reach out and place my hand in his.

The instant our skin connects, a sharp zap of raw electricity shoots up my arm. I yank my hand back with a gasp.

Andrew doesn't tease me. He felt it too; I can tell by the sudden darkening of his eyes and the way he licks his lower lip.

"Let's try again," he says softly. "Extend your hand."

I swallow hard and push my hand forward again. He takes it, his thick fingers slowly weaving through mine.

My heart slams against my ribs so loudly I'm terrified his wolf hearing will catch it.

Shivers ripple down my spine as his thumb gently traces the back of my hand.

"See?" he murmurs, his thumb making smooth, warm circles against my skin. "It's not that hard."

"Yeah," I nod quickly, desperately pretending my stomach isn't doing wild flips.

Andrew shifts closer, his broad shoulder brushing against mine as his dark, cedar-and-ice scent completely floods my senses.

"Now," he says, his voice dropping an octave, low and raspy right beside my ear. "Next on the list of physical contact... is kissing.”