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"A little jumpy today?"
His voice is smooth as silk, causing a shudder to run up my spine. I try to ignore it, especially considering my back is pressed against his front, but my body betrays me, vibrating against his. His musky scent is intoxicating—oil and grease mixed with sweat. Like he just finished working on his bike and came directly here without showering.
I should be repulsed, but instead I become a jumbled mess of feelings as he continues to hold me with one hand and the book with the other.
"Brady," I state, finally finding my voice as I force myself to step out of his embrace, taking the book from his hand. I immediately feel the loss of his body heat. Miss his scent. The feel of his body pressed against mine.
I'm turned on, my cheeks flush. The deep, burning desire I've held for him over the years is back in full force, overwhelming all rational thought. Every synapses in my body is rapid firing.
"Mya." I can hear the tease in his voice, mimicking my greeting.
I turn and find Brady's eyes appraising me. They snap to mine, and there's a hint of a smile in them.
"Long time no see."
Yes. Too long. I haven't caught a glimpse of him the entire summer. It's like he vanished off the face of the Earth. Not that I was looking for him. I mean, that would be crazy. Silly. Unlike me.
Who am I kidding? I visited our coffee shop twice a week every week. Different days. Different times of day. All in the hopes of running into him. Not that he goes there anymore. Why would he?
"How was your summer?" I ask, kneeling to collect my fallen stack of books.
He counters my move, helping me gather everything before responding.
"Quiet. Boring. Well, not entirely boring."
"Oh yeah? What was the highlight?" We're standing face to face again, eyes locked. My back is pressed against the shelves lined from floor to ceiling with textbooks. There are students crowding around us, attempting to gather the last of what they need before classes start next week. A guy grumbles as he reaches above my head, almost hitting me with the book he selects as he pulls it from the shelf.
Neither of us move. Neither of us look away.
"Lots of hookups. Lots of secrets exposed."
"Drama in your tight little group. That's surprising."
"Finn and Willow. Max was pissed. Declan and Kendall, but I'm sure you already heard about that." I had, but it wasn't my place to say anything. Kendall is a Zeta sister. Her business is her own. We don't share secrets outside the house. And it wasn't Kendall who told us. It was her twin sister, Kora. "Then baby Graham, Micah, hooked up with Alexis, the shy one."
"And who did you hook up with?"
I hear myself ask the question, the words leaving my mouth before I can stop them. He doesn't owe me an answer, it's none of my business, and honestly, I don't want to know who he's been screwing all summer. I have enough mystery women to be jealous of. I don't need to add another to my list.
Brady shakes his head, a smirk on his face, as he takes the stack of books from my hands and walks away. Following him like a lost puppy—what else could I really do? He has my books—I enjoy the view of his ass in the tight jeans he put on this morning. It's a short-lived sight.
Stacking my books on the counter, he steps aside, leaning his back against a near-by rack. Brady waits as the cashier scans my books, gives me the outrageous total, and runs my credit card.
"Didn't you need anything?" I ask as I wait for my receipt.
"No. I was checking to see if the last book I need was in stock yet. No such luck."
The handles of the plastic bag my books are in stretches as I lift it off the counter. There's no way they'll hold up all the way back to the house. It's only a seven minute walk, but these bags were not designed to accommodate this much weight.
Brady and I exit the bookstore in silence, him following behind me as I weave my way through the growing crowd of students. Once we're outside, I smile at Brady over my shoulder and thank him for his help. I turn away from the parking lot, adjusting the bag that's already threatening to give out, cradling it like a baby instead of carrying it at my side.
"Where are you going?" Brady asks, falling in step with me.
"Back to the house."
"And you're walking?"
"Yeah. My car was blocked in this morning."
