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“I don’t need you to do that,” I directed at Constantine irritably. “Here, Wes.” I tried to hand him my card, but he wouldn’t take it.
“I was going to cover it, anyways. You’re good Rosie.”
“Are you sure?”
“Of course, enjoy your night.”
“Aw, thanks. You too. Text me tomorrow or whenever you’re free and we can pick a date to do something.”
Reminding me of a golden retriever, he perked up and readily agreed. I flashed him another quick smile as I grabbed my drink and cookies, perceptively aware of Constantine’s eyes on me as I exited the store.
I was halfway to the truck when he called out to me. Against my better judgment, I stopped and slowly turned around.
I was surprised to see that he was already almost to where I was standing. And alone. Both girls were getting into the car they drove here, a cute white Mercedes. Justin was carrying the beer they’d just bought and a store bag to the Hummer.
I waited until Constantine was well within hearing distance before I said anything.
“Did you just realize I actually exist or something?”
He stopped just out of arms reach and slipped his hands into the pockets of his leather bomber jacket. “Why would you say that?”
It might have been my overactive imagination, but it sounded like he was bothered by my question. “We’ve lived across the street from one another for a while now. I played softball with your sister. You’ve never spoken to me until tonight.”
“I think what I said to you inside proves I know you existed,” he replied like a smartass. “I’ve always noticed you, Roselynn. Who wouldn’t? You’re beautiful.”
I opened my mouth, closing it as what he just said sank in. “Uh, then—never mind. What do you want?”
The words came out harsher than I intended them to. I was flustered and doing my best not to let it show. I’d been called beautiful before but hearing it from him brought on an entirely different feeling.
“What are you doing out so late? Shouldn’t you be hanging out with your friends and doing girly shit?”
“It’s like ten? And I don’t have many friends here,” I replied with an irritated huff, “Also, this is as girly as I get.” I motioned up and down myself. I was in hot pink terry cloth shorts and a fitted Sailor Moon t-shirt that showed a small bit of midriff.
His eyes traveled over my body, pausing for a second on that exposed strip of skin before moving on. When he was done, he simply stared down at me. His dark eyes matched an unnervingly blank expression. It was predatory in a sense, and extremely attractive if I did say so myself.
For self-preservation’s sake, I swallowed and took a small step back. He tracked the movement and smiled for all of two seconds. His attention darted over my head, and when he looked at me again, I knew he wasn’t pleased by the setting of his jaw.
“Please tell me why you drove that ugly fucking death trap here.” He gestured in the direction Rusty was parked. His tone had turned somewhat cold as if I’d purposely affronted him.
I scoffed and refrained from rolling my eyes. “I’m going to pretend you didn’t call him ugly. And you may not know me, but you know there’s nothing wrong with that truck. My grandpa wouldn’t let me anywhere near em if there was. He’s a little older is all.”
Had he failed to notice me driving the damn thing around for the past month? Besides, I didn’t have much of a choice when Grandpa was gone.
I wasn’t going to make him drive Rusty so that I could have free access to his luxury sedan.
“Who said I didn’t know you?”
“What?” I narrowed my eyes at him. “I say so because you don’t.”
Constantine heavily exhaled and turned to look behind him. I followed his line of sight to where Justin was waiting for him by the Hummer. “I’m taking you home.”
“I don’t need you to.”
His rapt attention fell over me. “That wasn’t an offer or a question.”
I started to argue at his gall but one look at his face and something in my brain told me to just go with it. Not wanting to do a complete 180 in the span of a few seconds, I pulled my lower lip between my teeth and made a show of looking at Rusty.
“I can’t leave my grandpa’s truck,” I said quietly.
When I looked back at him his eyes were on my mouth and I had to hold back a pleased smile.
“My brother can drive it back.”
Not giving me a chance to object or argue, he reached down and wrapped his large hand around mine. There was a roughness to it that alluded he didn’t shy away from getting them dirty.
I allowed him to lead me toward the Hummer, sipping on my pop as we walked. I could have said no and refused more vehemently, told him to go screw himself, but a large part of me didn’t want to do that. The beautiful boy I’d spent countless hours stargazing at was finally speaking to me. Was that not divine progress?
