All Chapters of The Rogue Next Door: Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

Maya “Mmm… come here, you perfect, cheesy masterpiece,” I murmured as I flipped open the pizza box like I was unveiling buried treasure. Steam curled into the air immediately, carrying the scent of garlic, melted cheese, and pepperoni straight to my soul. After the day I’d had, this pizza wasn’t dinner. It was emotional support. I settled deeper into the couch, tucking my legs beneath me while my neglected laptop sat open on the coffee table. Technically, I was supposed to be working on my Moral Philosophy essay. Realistically, I was currently engaged in a much more important philosophical debate: whether it was acceptable to eat half a large pizza before starting an assignment. The answer was yes. Absolutely yes. I reached for my first slice. THUD. I froze. The sound echoed through the house again. THUD. My hand stopped halfway to my mouth. “What the hell?” For a second, I wondered if one of the neighbors had finally driven into the mailbox again. It wouldn’t even crack t

Maya This was not part of the plan. The plan had been simple. Embarrass Cole Ryder. Leave. Go home. Eat whatever pizza he hadn’t stolen. Pretend none of this ever happened. At no point had the plan included standing in the middle of a football party while the captain of the team stared at me like I’d somehow hijacked his evening. Yet here we were. And to make matters worse, Bree was enjoying every second of it. I could practically feel her excitement radiating beside me. The traitor. Cole hadn’t looked away. Not once. It wasn’t even the cocky, obvious kind of stare I’d expected from someone like him. If anything, he looked confused. Like he couldn’t quite figure out why I was standing here. Or maybe why he cared. Honestly, I wasn’t sure which possibility bothered me more. “You okay there, Ryder?” Bree asked sweetly. His eyes finally shifted toward her. Barely. “Fine.” “Uh-huh.” “I’m fine.” Bree nodded. “Interesting.” “What?” “I’ve never seen you this quiet.”

Cole I’ve taken hits from defensive linemen that felt like getting run over by a truck. I’ve had my helmet cracked so hard my ears rang for two days. I’ve played through a separated shoulder, a sprained ankle, and a concussion that probably should’ve kept me on the bench. None of those things prepared me for Maya. Specifically, Maya in that red dress. Standing three feet away from me. Looking nervous and annoyed and beautiful all at the same time. That combination should be illegal. Because every instinct I had was telling me to move closer. And for one terrifying second… I thought she wanted me to. Then Coach Daniels showed up. Which honestly felt personal. Now I was standing in the middle of my own living room while my entire football team looked at me like I was about to be publicly executed. Coach Daniels stood in front of us with his arms crossed. Beside him was his wife, Linda. And somehow she looked even more disappointed than he did. Coach looked angry. Linda

Maya The cold night air should have helped. It should have cooled my face down. Slowed my pulse. Given my brain a chance to reboot after whatever the hell had just happened inside that football house. Instead, it somehow made everything worse. Because the second Bree and I stepped outside, I became painfully aware of two things. One, my heart was still racing. And two, I had come dangerously close to kissing Cole Ryder. The realization hit me all over again as we crossed the lawn. Not almost shaking his hand. Not almost hugging him. Not almost exchanging phone numbers. Kissing. Actual kissing. With lips. Like an idiot. “Oh my God.” Bree’s voice broke through my panic. I immediately groaned. “No.” “Oh my God.” “Bree.” She doubled over laughing. Actually doubled over. Hands on her knees. Struggling to breathe. People were walking past us, and she didn’t even care. “Bree.” “I’m trying.” “No, you’re not.” She pointed at me. “I have never seen Rogue Ryder loo

Cole I was supposed to be studying. That had been the plan. A simple plan. Go to class. Come home. Knock out a few assignments before my next lecture. Maybe do something productive for once. Instead, I spent most of my walk back to the house thinking about a girl who lived twenty feet away. A girl who was rapidly becoming a problem. By the time I walked into the kitchen, I was already annoyed with myself. The house was surprisingly quiet. Most of the guys were in class. The few who weren’t were either sleeping off hangovers or regretting life choices. Jake fell firmly into the second category. He sat at the kitchen table with a bottle of water pressed against his forehead. The man looked like he’d survived a natural disaster. “Rough morning?” Jake slowly lifted his head. His eyes looked dead. Completely dead. “I have made mistakes.” I laughed. “A few?” “A lot.” He pointed toward the ceiling. “If anyone ever offers me tequila again, tell them I’m deceased.” “N