All Chapters of The Rogue Next Door: Chapter 21 - Chapter 30

LoganI should have left when the study group ended.Instead, I stayed behind at the table, slowly putting my notebook back into my bag.Which is how I ended up seeing something I definitely wasn’t expecting.Cole Ryder kissing Maya.Not flirting.Not joking.Kissing her like he meant it.For a second I thought she’d shove him away.That would’ve been the predictable outcome.But she didn’t.She kissed him back.And that’s when I knew things just got complicated.Because I know Cole Ryder’s reputation.Every athlete on this campus does.The Rogue.Football captain.Campus legend.The guy who makes impossible plays on the field and collects women like trophies off it.But here’s the thing most people don’t realize.I know exactly how he operates.Because in a lot of ways…He and I are the same.Ryder is the Rogue.I’m the King.At least that’s what people around campus like to call me.King of the ice.King of the charm.King of getting exactly what I want.The hockey version of Ryder.

ColeI try to convince myself I’m over it.The kiss.The argument.The look on Maya’s face when she walked away.None of it should matter.It was just a kiss.I’ve kissed plenty of girls before.But none of those kisses are replaying in my head on an endless loop like this one.I’m sitting on the couch staring at the TV without actually watching it when Jake walks into the living room.He stops when he sees me.“You look like someone stole your truck.”“Shut up.”He grins.“So what happened at the study group?”“Nothing.”“Bullshit.”I run a hand through my hair.“I kissed her.”Jake freezes.“You what?”“I kissed Maya.”“And?”“She kissed me back.”Jake stares at me like he’s just witnessed a rare animal in the wild.“Well I’ll be damned.”“That’s not the reaction I expected.”“I told you this challenge was going to screw you up.”“This isn’t about the challenge.”Jake raises an eyebrow.“Oh?”I glare at him.“Drop it.”He studies me for a second.“You like her.”“I didn’t say that.”

ColeThe hockey arena is still buzzing when we finally get back to the house.Away games always leave you wired.Adrenaline still running through your system.Body sore from hits.Mind replaying every play from the game.Jake tosses his keys on the kitchen counter as we walk in.“Man, I hate sitting still after games,” he says, grabbing a beer from the fridge.Marcus drops onto the couch.“You ran thirty plays tonight. I think sitting is exactly what you should be doing.”I ignore them and grab a bottle of water.Football games always leave me dehydrated.Even the ones I’m just watching.Jake flips on the TV, immediately finding the sports highlights.The room settles into the usual post-game routine.Some guys watch film.Some drink.Some argue about plays.Marcus is halfway through his beer when he suddenly sits forward.“Yo.”Jake doesn’t look away from the TV.“What?”Marcus points toward the front window.“What the hell is going on over there?”Jake glances up.Headlights are pou

MayaThe morning after the chaos at the house feels strangely normal.Which is surprising considering the fact that my house turned into a combined football and hockey hangout last night.And somehow Cole Ryder and Logan Hayes nearly started a silent war in my kitchen.I shake the thought away as I hurry across campus.The air is colder today.Much colder than it was even a week ago.I pull my jacket tighter around me as I walk toward my English Literature building.If it gets much colder than this, I’m going to start hating this walk.My first class finishes quickly, and before I know it I’m heading across campus again toward Ethics.Logan mentioned last night that if our schedules lined up, he could give me rides since we’re housemates now.Unfortunately they don’t.So walking it is.By the time I reach the building, I’m moving fast just to warm up.I slip into the lecture hall and take my usual seat.Just as I sit down, someone drops into the chair beside me.I don’t even have to l

MayaWhen we get to Cole’s room, I drop my bag on the desk and sit down in the chair beside him.“Let’s just get the outline of ideas down,” I tell him, rubbing my eyes. “I really want to try and get home and get some sleep.”“Yeah,” Cole says, nodding. “That’s fair.”He grabs a notebook and flips it open between us.“Alright,” he says. “Freestyle brainstorming.”I smile slightly.“Okay. First thing that comes to your mind when you hear the word peace?”Cole leans back in his chair.“Quiet.”I write it down.“Stability,” I say.“Safety.”“Diplomacy.”“Compromise.”We go back and forth like that for a while, filling the page with words, ideas, and phrases.It’s surprisingly easy working with him.Cole actually listens.And when he does speak, he has thoughtful ideas that I wouldn’t have expected from the cocky football star everyone calls The Rogue.An hour passes before I finally stretch my arms above my head.“I think that’s enough for tonight,” I say with a tired laugh. “My brain is