She didn’t think she was pretty, didn’t think she was anyone of importance. He could see that in the way she held herself, in the way she bundled up. Where a lot of girls at school showed strips of skin here and there, their school uniform not hindering that fact, Keira kept herself covered, wore things that were modest.
She was shy, quiet. And God she was pretty. So damn pretty it made his heart beat faster every time he looked at her.
Despite her parents’ financial status being just as high as anyone else that went to the academy, she kept to herself. The only two people he’d seen her hang out with were her friends Molly and Ian.
“You care where I take you?”
She looked at him, and the smile she gave him, the way she shook her head, was purely genuine. “Nope.”
He felt his grin spread. “You trust me like that, huh?”
She lifted a brow. “You haven’t given me any reason to not trust you.”
And he wouldn’t.
She looked out the passenger window, and he glanced at her—again. He felt his heart do something funny. Her profile was delicate, feminine. She didn’t do herself up like half the school female population. No makeup, not fake nails, fake tits, or lip injections.
Did she not see what he saw, what damn near every fucking guy saw when they looked at her?
God, she was so pretty.
He wanted her in the worst kind of way, but it wasn’t just about his physical reaction to her. It was the way she made him feel by just being close.
It fucked with his head… and his heart.
But she was far too good for his ass. What could he give her? She had a bright, successful
future in front of her. Reese just hoped he graduated and got into a decent college so he could do something with his life.
But even knowing that, telling himself to stay away, he knew he wouldn’t.
He couldn’t.
And damn him, because it would probably end up ruining her.
10
Reese pulled into a small diner on the outskirts of town called Spark’s Curve. It was designed in a retro ’50s era, and during the evenings, bright neon lighting lit up the exterior.
Inside was even more of a blast from the past with red vinyl booths, black-and-white checkered flooring, and a jukebox in the corner belting out Frankie Valli and other old school songs to set the mood and feel.
“You been here before?” He looked at her and saw she smiled.
“Once with my brother. It was years ago, but I remember the food was really good. Especially the shakes.”
“Let’s go find out if that still stands.” He climbed out of the truck, and before he made it around the front, Keira was already climbing out.
They headed in, and he held the door open for her. There was a blast of chilled air when they entered, and the smell of food frying filled the interior. Oldies were playing overhead, the sound of dishes clanking came from the kitchen, and a second later, a waitress dressed in a green retro-style uniform was showing them to a table.
It was only a second before another waitress came over dressed in one of those poodle skirts, wearing a black, form-fitting shirt, and had a sheer pink scarf tied around her neck. Her hair was piled up in a high ponytail, and she grinned at them right before popping her gum.
“Morning, kids. I’m Judy, and I’ll be takin’ care of y’all today.” She turned her attention to Keira. “You want somethin’ to drink, sugar?” Despite the whole look Judy sported, she had to be in her fifties.
“Just water, please.”
When Keira looked at him, he lifted a brow and shook his head. “Nope. You’re gonna get one of those shakes to see if it’s still good.” Her cheeks turned this pretty shade of pink, and she glanced down a second before looking back at Judy.
“Okay,” Keira said and nodded. She perused the menu for only a second before saying, “I’ll take a strawberry one.”
Their waitress popped her gum and smiled down at her. “Smart cookie, although I wouldn’t have said no to a face like that either.” Judy hitched her thumb in Reese’s direction, and he saw the way her cheeks turned even pinker.
Fuck, she’s pretty, he thought for the millionth time.
He ordered a shake too then they both got a couple cheeseburgers and some fries. Once Judy was gone, the silence descended around them, and she ducked her head. She was nervous. A part of him liked that he made her feel like this, because it meant she was very aware of his presence.
“I make you nervous, don’t I?”
She cleared her throat and nodded, her cheeks still stained pink. “Yeah.”
“Why? I’m harmless.” He leaned back in the booth, throwing one arm over the red vinyl.
She laughed softly but shook her head. “I don’t think I’d use ‘harmless’ to describe you.” She leaned back as well, and they held each other’s gaze. “You come here a lot?”
He started laughing, and she lifted a brow.
“What?” She crossed her arms under her breasts, and he couldn't stop himself from letting his eyes drop down to that particular part of her body. He didn’t want to be an asshole and lewd, but every single part of her drew him in like no other.
Don’t get fucking hard right now, man.
“Nothing.” He chuckled a few more times than sobered.
“No, you have to tell me what’s so funny.” She tried to act serious, but he saw the way she smirked.
“Your question just sounded like a really bad pick-up line.”
For a moment, all she did was stare at him, and then she started laughing, like a full, real laugh that made this warm feeling consume him.
God, he loved her laugh.
After a long moment, she wiped a tear from the corner of her eye and sobered. “Thank you.”
“For what?”
“For making me laugh like I hadn’t done in a long time.”
Maybe that shouldn’t have made him feel as good as it did, but shit, he was fucking riding cloud nine right now. He cleared his throat, because what he felt right now was so amazing it was almost uncomfortable. “To answer your question, I’ve been here a lot of times. They have a special on burgers and fries after the dinner rush, so it’s cheap eats.”
She looked around. “I wish I’d come here more than I have. I like the feel of this place.”
Yeah, so did he. It wasn’t just because of the cheap food at night, but because the atmosphere was easygoing, unlike half the other shit going on in his life. It was like a whole other world, the different era making him able to pretend for a short time he didn’t have some fucked-up upbringing.
“You want to tell me why you seemed like something was wrong when I ran into you?”
She glanced at him sharply then, and he didn’t miss the way her pulse beat rapidly beneath her ear. “What do you mean? I was okay.”
He knew the look he wore as he stared at her showed that he didn’t believe those words.
“Was it because of what happened at Alistor’s party?” His voice had gotten harder at the fucking memory of that piece of shit putting his hands on her.
After a second, she shrugged. “Kind of, but not so much.”
“Then what is it?” He saw the way she started picking at the napkin, her focus on her hands.