Boyfriend Duties 

Luca

“Now be a good pretty girl and come to bed.” I pat the empty space beside me, enjoying the uncertain look on her face.

She stares at me like she’s still trying to decide whether I’m joking or completely insane.

The truth is, Emma isn’t my usual type. She has no idea how to fit into my world, and judging by the way she looks at me, she’d rather be anywhere else whenever I get too close.

But we’re stuck with each other. With my hockey career and her scholarship both at risk, neither of us can afford to mess this up.

Coach has found a solution that works for both of us. If we’re going to convince everyone we’re together, Emma needs to get comfortable around me.

“Are you going to stand there all night admiring my muscles?” I tease.

She rolls her eyes before finally climbing onto the bed. The moment she props herself up, she loses her balance and tumbles toward me.

“Careful.” I catch her around the waist.

She looks up, and suddenly our faces are only inches apart.

“I know I have attractive features,” I whisper, unable to resist teasing her. “That doesn’t mean you have to keep finding excuses to get closer to me.”

She shudders slightly when I pull her closer, and before she can steady herself, she ends up against my chest.

I wrap both arms around her, pulling her into a comfortable embrace.

“What are you doing? You’re going to suffocate me!”

I laugh quietly. “That’s for another time, pretty girl.”

She goes still for a moment, and I can feel how tense she is beneath my arms.

“Uh, Luca…”

“Yes, baby?” I say in a sleepy voice.

She asks me to loosen my grip so she can breathe properly.

Something about the nervousness in her voice makes my teasing fade, and I immediately ease my arms around her.

“Relax,” I murmur, loosening my hold. “I’m not going to do anything.”

She slowly settles against me.

Maybe this isn’t such a bad idea after all.

If we’re going to convince everyone we’re together, we might as well get comfortable being around each other first.

I close my eyes, keeping my arms loosely around her.

It’s only pretending.

At least, that’s what I tell myself as I fall asleep beside her.

I shift in my sleep, slowly opening my eyes to unfamiliar surroundings. For a moment, I have no idea where I am or why Emma is sleeping beside me.

Then it comes back to me. I slept in her room last night.

Carefully, I free my arm from beneath her head. She looks surprisingly peaceful asleep. I almost prefer her like this, when she isn’t arguing with me.

I slip out, get ready for school, and make two cups of coffee. By the time Emma steps out, she looks like she already regrets agreeing to this.

“Good morning, pretty girl.”

“Why are you here so early?”

“We have a reputation to build.”

She rolls her eyes. “It’s seven in the morning.”

“Exactly. A committed boyfriend would walk his girlfriend to class.” I wink.

“A committed boyfriend might also let his girlfriend have coffee first.”

I hand her the cup. “Why are you so grumpy this morning?”

“You, Luca. You didn’t let me sleep last night! My entire body is sore…”

I take a sip, hiding my grin. “Already? I haven’t even done anything.”

She shoots me a look over her coffee.

I lean back, amused, before bringing up our first day as a couple.

My Kawasaki Ninja is waiting outside, the black bodywork catching the morning light.

I swing onto the seat and reach for my helmet, then notice Emma hasn’t moved.

She’s standing a few feet away, staring at the bike.

“What?”

Her eyes move from the motorcycle to me.

“You’ve never been on a motorcycle, have you?”

She slowly shakes her head.

I grin. Of course she hasn’t.

“Well,” I say, handing her the spare helmet, “I guess you’re about to experience something new.”

“Is this actually safe?”

“I’m a hockey player, Emma. I spend most of my life getting hit by people trying to knock me into a wall. I know how to handle a bike.”

“That wasn’t exactly reassuring.”

I laugh and start the engine. The rumble makes her take a cautious step closer.

“Come on. Get on.”

She stops beside me, looking completely lost.

“I don’t know where I’m supposed to sit.”

I grin. “I’d prefer you on my lap, but unfortunately, that’s not possible right now.”

Her eyes widen.

I shift forward to give her more room. “Behind me, Emma.” 

The moment she settles, she leaves a noticeable gap between us.

“You might want to hold on.”

“I’ll be fine.”

I start the bike, and she immediately grabs the back of my jacket.

I bite back a laugh. “Thought so.”

The bike moves forward, and Emma lets out a startled scream.

“Luca!”

“Slow down!”

We’re barely moving fast enough to justify the panic in her voice. I accelerate slightly, earning another scream.

“You’re enjoying this!” she shouts.

“Maybe a little.”

She keeps demanding that I slow down, her voice rising above the engine.

Then her arms suddenly tighten around my waist, her hands clutching my stomach through my shirt.

“Luca, please!” Her voice is much smaller now. “Slow down.”

I immediately ease off the throttle.

“Okay, okay. I’m slowing down.”

“You nearly gave me a heart attack!”

I glance down at her hands wrapped securely around me before focusing on the road again.

When we reach campus, I park the bike and switch off the engine.

“Come on.”

Emma carefully shifts forward, but her feet barely reach the ground. When she loses her balance, I catch her around the waist and lift her off the bike, setting her gently on her feet.

Her cheeks turn pink.

“You could have let me do that myself.”

“I could have.” I remove her helmet with a grin. “But where’s the fun in that?”

She leans closer. “People are watching.”

I glance around. She’s right. A few students are already looking our way.

“That’s kind of the point, isn’t it?”

I set her helmet aside and meet her eyes.

“Kiss me.”

“What?” she blurts out, loud enough to earn a few curious looks.

I give her a pointed look, and she lowers her voice. “Now?”

“Now.”

She hesitates, then steps closer. Her gaze flickers to my lips before returning to my eyes.

I stay still and let her make the final move.

She closes the remaining distance, and the moment her lips touch mine, I lean in, my hands settling around her waist.

She stiffens for a second before relaxing against me.

Then whispers drift through the crowd.

Emma pulls back, her cheeks flushed as she glances around.

Judging by the look on her face, she’s finally realizing just how convincing we need to be.

I hold out my hand.

Emma stares at it for a moment before reluctantly placing hers in mine. The warmth of her palm catches me off guard, and when our fingers intertwine, she glances down before quickly looking away.

I almost smile.

“Why are you looking at me like that?” she asks.

“Can’t I look at my girlfriend?”

Her cheeks flush. “Fake girlfriend.”

“Still counts.”

She tries to pull her hand away, but I tighten my hold just enough to stop her.

“Luca.”

“Relax, pretty girl. You’re supposed to look like you actually like me.”

“And what if I don’t?”

I lean closer, lowering my voice. “Then be better at pretending.”

She looks up at me and for a moment, neither of us moves…then she looks away first.

I hide my grin and start walking, keeping her hand in mine.

Maybe this fake relationship is going to be a lot easier than I thought.

By the time my last class ends, I’m more than ready for hockey practice. I sling my bag over my shoulder and make my way toward the parking lot, already thinking about getting on the ice and forgetting about everything else for a while.

Then I remember Emma.

Since we’re supposed to be convincing everyone that this relationship is real, I decide to wait for her before heading to practice. I lean against my bike and check my phone, expecting a message telling me she’s on her way.

I’m just about to give up when I spot her coming across the courtyard but she isn’t alone.

A guy is walking beside her, and from the way they’re talking, neither of them seems to be in any hurry to leave. I don’t recognize him, but Emma clearly knows him. 

They’re deep in conversation, and every few seconds she looks up at him with a smile…then she laughs.

I stare at her for a moment longer than I should.

There’s something different about the way she laughs with him. It’s effortless, unguarded, and far too genuine for my liking.

I shift my weight against the bike and tell myself to stop being ridiculous. Emma can talk to whoever she wants. We’re not actually together, and I have no reason to care who she spends her time with.

Except I’m still standing there, watching them.

I wait for her to notice me, but she doesn’t even glance in my direction. The guy says something that makes her laugh again, and I find myself gripping the strap of my hockey bag a little tighter.

Then his hand lifts toward her face.

I watch as he hesitates before gently brushing a loose strand of hair away from her cheek.

My patience fucking disappears.

I push away from the bike and walk toward them, unable to ignore the irritation crawling under my skin.

“I wonder what’s so funny about your conversation that you didn’t seem to see me, Emma?” 

She turns at the sound of my voice, surprise crossing her face when she sees me.

The guy looks over too.

I stop beside Emma, giving him a hard look before turning my attention back to her. Without thinking much about it, I take her hand and pull her closer until she’s standing against my side.

“We’re supposed to be heading to practice,” I say, keeping my voice calm despite the irritation still running through me.

The guy shifts awkwardly. “Oh. Sorry. I didn’t realize you were waiting for her.”

“I was.”

Emma looks between us, clearly confused by my sudden appearance.

The guy gives her a small nod. “I’ll see you later, Emma.”

“Yeah. See you.”

He walks away, and I watch him go until he disappears into the crowd.

Only then do I realize I’m still holding Emma’s hand.

I release it and look down at her. She studies me for a moment, then raises an eyebrow.

“You know you don’t actually have to pretend to be jealous.”

Her words catch me completely off guard.

I open my mouth, ready with some smart response, but nothing comes.

Because she’s right.

I look back toward where the guy disappeared, and the truth settles uncomfortably in my mind. It wasn’t his conversation with Emma that bothered me because of our arrangement. 

It was the way he made her laugh, the way he looked at her and the way his hand touched her hair.

Was it really jealousy? 

And for the first time since this whole fake relationship started, I realize I might be the one who has forgotten where the pretending ends.