The Chase by Elle Kennedy (Paperback)

Summer Di Laurentis never meant to fall for Colin Fitzgerald. He’s the last person she should want—quiet where she’s bold, introverted where she shines, and so convinced she’s shallow that he barely gives her a chance. Fitzy is a tattooed, hockey-playing gamer who keeps his heart locked down, and their differences should make attraction impossible. Yet every glance sparks, every moment simmers, and the tension only grows when Summer moves in with him and his teammates.

Life at Briar U throws challenges at her from every direction. A new campus, pressure to prove herself, and a professor who tests her patience at every turn keep her mind busy and her confidence shaky. Fitzy doesn’t make it easier. He sends mixed signals—distance one moment, heat the next—and Summer refuses to chase a man who won’t meet her halfway. Especially when she knows his best friend has feelings for her too.

Still, something keeps pulling them together. Beneath his cool exterior, Fitzy notices everything. He listens, he understands her in ways that surprise them both, and even when he tries to hold back, chemistry wins. Their connection builds through shared space, stolen looks, and late-night walls that come down when no one else is watching.

If Fitzy wakes up and wants more, he knows exactly where she’ll be. But she’s not waiting forever, even if he’s the only one she can’t stop thinking about.