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He rolled his shoulders and returned to staring out the windshield. “What else do you have going on besides sitting in that house with nothing but your thoughts for company? And after the way you left Pete’s, I’m going to assume those aren’t too good right now.”
There wasn’t any refutable remark for any of that. He was right on target. I debated the idea of going with him for a second longer before giving in to what I really wanted. “Let me grab my bag, k?”
“You’ve got five minutes.”
“Just for that you’ll be waiting ten.” I walked away feeling his eyes on me the entire way back to the garage.
Once inside, I grabbed my purse and in a petty act of rebellion made him wait twelve minutes before returning to his car. I knew Mrs. Richardson was devouring this whole scene, probably taking notes so she could relay everything down to the T.
When I got back to the car Rhett leaned over and pushed my door open for me. I barely had time to buckle my seatbelt before he hit the gas. My body smacked the leather seat, vibrations erupting beneath my ass as the car gained speed, rumbling through my neighborhood sounding like Satan’s pissed off feline.
He tore around a corner so fast I grabbed the door handle to brace myself. It hit me then that I knew nothing about this guy other than his first name, and now I was alone with him.
But, the more that realization sink in the more I relaxed. Everyone in Legacy Falls knew everyone. I’d spent the past few weeks ignoring whispers and standing in the face of judgement. I witnessed people who my parents had considered friends turn and go the other way on the extremely rare occasion we crossed paths, keeping their distance as if the tragedy bestowed upon me was contagious.
I’d been pretending with Rhett since I met him, but I didn’t have to. We were both blank slates. He had no idea who the real Nova was, and for some reason I didn’t feel compelled to hide her.
Not a word was spoken between us until we had gone a decent amount of distance from my housing community. I didn’t mind since I was enjoying the simplicity of the ride, watching the world slip around us. His sudden laughter is what broke the silence.
“What’s funny?” I asked, finally turning away from the window.
“You.”
“Me?”
“Anyone ever tell you that you’ve got an aversion to authority?”
“What makes you say that.” I crossed my arms and stared out the windshield. “Are you talking about me not getting in your car at the snap of your fingers? Because that wasn’t aversion, or whatever.”
“Definitely was.”
“No. That was me refusing to take orders from a giant strange man showing up in front of my house and telling me what to do.”
“I’m not a strange man. I’m your man.”
Now it was my turn to laugh. “I somehow missed that memo. And, you’re the one who drove all the way across town thinking I would just hop in your car.”
“There wasn’t much thinking involved. I knew you were getting in, even if I had to toss your ass inside myself.”
Another laugh spilled from my mouth. What a presumptuous dick. He took a sharp right turn, causing the tires to screech and a whiff of his cologne to smack me in the face. The scent was beginning to grow on me.
“Where are we going?”
“Is that you’re way of deflecting?”
“Um, no. There’s nothing to deflect. You’re not my man. You’re not even my friend. I don’t know anything about you.”
“Yet, you did get in my car.”
“I already text Emery and Annika that I was with you. So, if you planned on taking me in the middle of nowhere to end my life, you might want to reconsider.”
He shook his head and placed his hand on my knee. Wearing my yellow Lolita dress that exposed everything from mid-thigh down, we were skin to skin.
I could have easily shoved him off, but his touch wasn’t unwanted. Long past my safety zone and taunting danger, I had no idea what I was doing. For once, I wasn’t sure if that was a bad thing.
CHAPTER EIGHT
NOVA
He took me to the falls.
I heard the water crashing down, growing louder the closer we got to the top of the peak where a parking area waited. Birds sang their songs happily from somewhere above in the pines.
“Why here?” I asked once he’d parked.
He removed his sunglasses and cut the engine, popping open his door. “I didn’t want us to be interrupted. No one comes up this far, they all drive back through the tunnel.”
I sent a location text to Emery and Annika, and then followed him out of the car.
“You know this from experience?” That wouldn’t have surprised me. Rhett was way too good looking. He probably had pussy flying at him from every direction.
