“I’ve got a can of fuel in the back of my truck,” he offers.
“What is it, water so that you can ruin my car’s engine?” I snap back before I can stop myself. It was bitchy, but what can I say? For the majority of the hockey camp, he was an absolute dick.
“Only reason why I’d do that is to keep your car in front of my house so that I could bring you into my bedroom,” he teases me. “Hang tight,” he says before closing the door.
And once I know he’s gone, I dare to look in the mirror. And there he is, in the pouring rain, walking to the side of my car with a gas can.
Probably something in the fuel to make my car never run again.
The thought crosses my mind that he has ill intentions, but then again, it’s not like I actually know him. And in the weeks that we’ve been on campus, he hasn’t taunted me. Instead, he’s just always throwing flirty winks and comments my way.
A few minutes later, he’s opening my door again, and I’m back to turning away from him.
“All set, Nineteen,” he drawls. “Why do you keep looking the other way with your hood up like a weirdo?”
I swallow back my embarrassment. I know I look like hell right now, and even though he’s an ass, he’s an attractive ass, and I don’t want him to see me looking this way.
“I got a spray tan, okay?” I mumble. “And right now … before being washed off … it looks a little … streaky.”
“Come on, Nineteen. How bad can it be?” he prods. “Least you could do is show me that pretty face after I just got my ass soaked in the rain because you’d forgotten to fill your car up.”
I sigh, cringing because I know he’ll stand there as long as it takes. So, eventually, I turn toward him.
I wait for him to laugh or make some rude comment, but it never comes. Instead, he grins, lifting a brow.
“Did you go get yourself a spray tan just for me? Because if you want to take me to homecoming, you don’t need to do all that. I like you how you are, babe.”
“Do not flatter yourself,” I say, shaking my head. “I’m not asking you to homecoming.”
“Well then, I’ll ask you.” He shrugs. “Hey, Isla? How about you make my dreams come true and go to homecoming with me?” He winks. “Please?”
“No.”
“Why not?”
“Because I’m going with someone already,” I lie. I’m going with a bunch of the girls.
His eyes darken. “And who might that be?” He bends down, leaning into the car slightly. “And what I really mean by that is … whose ass am I kicking?”
“That’s … gross,” I say, shaking my head. “Don’t act like you care who I go with, Hunt. And for the love of God, keep your psychotic side tucked in. It’s creepy.”
“Oh, trust me, Nineteen,” he coos, “I care.” Straightening up, he steps back. “Have a nice day, beautiful. Next time that light comes on, don’t ignore it. You may run out of gas in a place with someone less friendly.”
With a wink, he closes the door and saunters away, completely soaked from the rain, yet he didn’t even seem to care.
But before I can think on it too much or stress on the fact that he asked me to homecoming, I quickly turn the key—thankful when it starts up—and drive to The Nest.
ELEVEN
HENDRIX
“Damn, son, you clean up nicely.”Jameson whistles, looking me up and down. “Not bad for a dude who only decided he was going to come to this shindig last night.”
“Not bad, Hunt,” Cash chimes in, standing next to his older brother, Cane.
We invited Cash and a few of the other freshmen who have to live in the dorms this year to our pre-homecoming party. Which is a just a bunch of us dudes having a few drinks. Cash and I may have not started off on the right foot, but I like the guy. His brother is cool too.
“Yeah, well, what can I say? Someone has to go with you homely fuckers so that the women will at least give you a second look,” I tease them, taking a swig from my beer. “Christ, big Hale, I don’t think I’ve ever seen you out of your NEU baseball attire. Didn’t know you had any other clothes.”
