“And what exactly is so funny, Mr. Sutton?”
He eyes me up and down, fully taking in my outfit as I face him. I’d decided to dress like a dork for Alphabet Day. I really did it up. High-waisted pants pulled up too high with my socks sticking out the bottom in a non-fashionable way, polo shirt tucked in, suspenders, pocket protector, the whole nine yards. I’ve even got a pair of non-prescription glasses with thick tape around the nose piece. I didn’t budge on my hair though, I styled it how I normally would. There’s such a thing as too far, ya know, and my hair is it. Ryne turns his head back toward his locker and swaps out one of his books.
“Did you decide not to dress up today then, Dacen?”
The laughter in his voice is audible though his tone is even. My eyes narrow. He slams his locker shut and props a shoulder against the closed door. It’s a losing battle of wills, trying to keep my eyes on his face and not let them slide down his body. It works for all three seconds before my gaze dips down. He’s got on black jeans with the knees ripped out, a fitted white t-shirt with a black and white plaid shirt open over it, and his Carhartt boots. Ryne is sex on a stick and it just so happens one of my favorite games growing up was pick-up sticks. I mentally crack my knuckles and flex and take a step toward him.
His eyes darken and he growls out, “What are you doing?” when I take yet another step forward. My hand slips between his two shirts and runs up and down the open edge of the plaid material. The backs of my fingers brush against his t-shirt and the warmth from his skin pulses against mine, even through the fabric. I’ve been doing more and more of this, touching Ryne. I haven’t explicitly stated it, but call it payback from this summer. Even though he gets all growly he seems to enjoy it as much as I do, so I’m not sure it qualifies as payback, but whatever.
I look him square in the face. “Are you dressed like a redneck for Alphabet Day, Ryne?”
He juts his chin out and smirks. “Those types of comments make it even more obvious you’re not from around here, just so you know.” My question must be written on my face because he continues. “There’s a substantial difference between a redneck, a hillbilly, and a southerner.” He eliminates the last few inches of distance between us and the movement causes my hand to flatten against his chest. I suck in a breath at the feel of his firm muscles beneath my palm, and a wave of heat pulses through my body when he flexes his chest and the muscles ripple against my skin. He leans down and lowers his voice. “I sure as fuck ain’t the first two, Dacen.” That wave of heat turns to red-hot lust and shoots straight to my dick when Ryne moves in closer, brushing his lips over my ear with each whispered word that follows. “I told you that mouth of yours is gonna get you in trouble, remember?” And I’m pretty sure my soul leaves my body when he draws my earlobe between his lips and sucks on it. Oh God, his tongue. It’s hot and—yeah, my soul has definitely vacated the premises. Who the hell is getting payback on whom here? “You’re walking a fine line.”
The bell rings and he takes a step back, picks his backpack up from the floor, and swings it over one shoulder. My heart pounds in my chest and his steel-blue magnetic eyes hold me captive. He smirks and starts to walk backward away from me. How he can do that without running into anyone is a mystery. It’s like the sea of students parts for him.
“And by the way, Dacen, you didn’t need to dress up like a dork. You’ve gotdickheaddown pat already.”
He grins at me with his tongue sticking out between his teeth. My mouth drops open, I don’t know if I intended for actual words to tumble out but I’m speechless. He pivots and walks away but I catch the cocky look he tosses over his shoulder before he enters his homeroom. All the breath whooshes from my lungs and I prop myself up against my locker.
Thoughts race through my mind, all of them centered around Ryne. Am I annoyed or turned on right now? He basically called me a dickhead but those lips… on my ear… I close my eyes and plop my head back.
Oh, who am I kidding? There’s only one answer to that question.
* * *
At the startof the lunch period, I pull out my phone and shoot Evie a text.
ME: Wanna hit up Opal’s for lunch?
I’m antsy. So this morning before homeroom definitely happened, and then for three periods in a row, I kept sneaking glances over at Ryne. During over half of those glances our eyes met. I’d blush, he’d give me a typical Ryne expression in return. A smirk, a frown. It’s maddening. The uncertainty of where we actually stand makes my baseline anxiety levels raise. When that happens I need to chill and pronto. Getting out of here for lunch should help.
EVIE: You got it! I’m like five feet behind you. Turn around, handsome.
An arm wraps around my waist. I lean down into her and smell her hair, inhaling deeply. Evie smells like sunshine and tranquility to me, and it’s always a balm for my frayed nerves. She claims it’s her mandarin orange creamsicle scented shampoo but I beg to differ. She smells like a dream no matter what she’s used in her hair. It always makes me feel better.
“You weirdo. There you go smelling me again,” she laughs. But because she’s against my chest it comes out somewhat muffled.
“What’s that? Sorry, can’t hear you,” I tease back. She lets out one of those laughs that always, always brings a smile to my face. It starts deep in her belly and vibrates through her small body. I latch onto that feeling, wanting to bottle up her joy so I can pull it out and take a hit whenever I need one, like today. But of course, I don’t say that. It would sound really weird. “Let’s head to Opal’s. I’m starving. They’re always crowded, we only have like fifty minutes left of the lunch period, and you know it’s going to take you a good fifteen minutes to figure out what you want to eat, Evie.”
She slaps me on the shoulder playfully. Thirty minutes later we’re seated across from each other slurping down shakes. Chocolate for me, and peanut butter for her. We’ve already annihilated the double bacon cheeseburger and massive order of fries we split.
Evie sits back against the booth and groans. “I’m so full. I’m gonna fall asleep in chem lab.”
Even so, she leans forward and grabs her glass, scooping up another bite of her shake. After swallowing it down she points her spoon at me. Her hazel eyes sparkle and her head tilts to the side like a dog sizing something up. I sit up a little straighter. She can be a scary thing when she’s on a mission. And right now, the look she’s giving me, I’m that mission. Her eyes narrow into small slits as she appraises me carefully.
I look left, up, and right, slowly, keeping my eyes off her.Don’t look at her, man. It’s like staring a leopard in the face. You just don’t do it. Then finally when it’s no longer socially acceptable to keep my eyes away, they settle back on her. She’s still piercing me with an appraising look.
“What?” I squeak out, my voice several octaves higher than usual. She calmly sets her spoon down and clasps her hands together on the table. I snort out an exasperated huff. “Just say it.”
“What?”
“Whatever it is you’re about to ask me, Evie.”
She clears her throat demurely and flutters her long lashes innocently. “Well, Dacen…” Her sweet, southern accent doesn’t fool me for even one moment. My eyebrows perk up, and I give her a pointed look, silently urging her on. “I want to know who or what has put those lines between your eyebrows, who’s responsible for the deep frown that keeps popping up on your face since we left school. I need to know if I need to go kick some horsemen butt or what the heck is going on.” With a flick of her ponytail over her shoulder, my soft and sweet yet totally fierce best friend cracks her knuckles like she’s preparing for a showdown.
I can’t help it, a bark of loud laughter slips out. “Easy now, tiger. Simmer down over there.” I give her a wink to let her know I’m kidding. “I appreciate your concern, but it’s nothing.”
“Oh no, Dacen.” She shakes her finger back and forth. “You don’t get to pretend nothing is bothering you. I can see it in your eyes.”
