Page 39 of Wild Card

“Talk about the game…for your notes.” I gestured back toward her class for emphasis she didn’t need.

I was an idiot.

She ducked her head, tucking a few strands of unruly hair behind her ears. “Um…okay, yeah. When are you leaving?” Those green irises popped back up, searching my face. God, this would have been so much easier if she didn’t look like she did. She had all these little things about her that I wanted to ask her about. Like, why three piercings on her left ear but only one on her right? Did she have a belly button piercing? What did the circular tattoo under her ear mean? It looked cool as hell, but there were all these little pieces to the circle that made me look every time I saw her. I was way too fucking curious about this chick, which wasn’t good.

“Uh…after a short shift this afternoon at Geno’s, I’ll head home, grab a shower, and then head out. I can pick you up.” I was officially late for class now; Juan was probably shaking his head, thinking I’d ditched again.

“I can meet you in your apartment complex parking lot…I have to head over there anyway to grab something from my friend’s house.”

“Okay, then I’ll see you later.” I smiled at her, withholding the itch to run my fingers across her collarbone. It was so rigid against her necklace, and the way her hair brushed against that indented space was fucking ridiculous. How could something so simple be so hot?

“Okay, see you then.” She returned the smile and sauntered toward her class. Did she always swing her hips like that? Her ass looked amazing in those jeans, and that tank top…it rode up just enough to show off the slightest hint of skin along her back. I nearly groaned once she was inside, but instead I turned on my heel and ran toward my class.

* * *

Work took forever to finish.Maybe it was because I’d opted to help Geno with his new remodel of the back-bar area, but I couldn’t seem to get out of there fast enough. Sweaty and covered in drywall, I drove straight home to shower, rushing through every swipe of soap and scrub of my hair.

I kept telling myself to slow the fuck down, it didn’t matter…but for whatever reason, my body knew it was going to be seeing Mallory Shaw and didn’t want to waste any time in getting to her. Logically, it was the absolute most idiotic thing I could do, especially since I was trying to seduce her stepsister…but I couldn’t quite get my mind and my dick to come to terms on that entire situation.

I dressed quickly, grabbed my bag and laptop, and headed down to my truck. Mallory was already resting against the back taillight, her arms crossed over her chest and a pair of sunglasses perched on her face. I glanced around, trying to figure out where she’d come from. She had said she had a friend who lived here, but was it a male or a female? Was it the same friend’s house she’d left at two in the morning the week before?

“Hey.” I winced. Fuck the sun was bright today. I needed my sunglasses.

“Hey.” She gave me a small wave, leaning away from the truck. Her demeanor was more reserved than it had seemed that morning in the hall, like she’d had time to reconsider this whole thing and now might back out. My stomach felt like it was filling with lead at the idea of her telling me she couldn’t go.

“You been waiting long?” I gripped the strap of my backpack and opened the back door to my truck.

She angled her body to the side and swung her arm toward the apartments at our backs. “No, my friend lives over there. I took a nap, ate some lunch, and even cleaned his fridge out…” She ducked her head, laughing. “Sorry, when I say it like that, it does sound like I was waiting. I don’t often get spaces to myself since I live with Taylor, so when my friend is gone and I can hang by myself, I go a little crazy.”

I smiled at her, wishing I knew who this friend was, because my mind had locked on to the termhisand now it wouldn’t let it go. I didn’t need to be territorial when it came to her. I didn’t need to do anything but let her set up more time between Taylor and me…

Still, I couldn’t help myself.

“Since you’re here…do you want to see my place, so if you ever have an issue and your friend isn’t home, you can knock on my door?”Real smooth, Duggar. Really fucking smooth.

I almost couldn’t face her from how mortified I felt, but thankfully she took mercy on me with a little smile and held her hand out. “Lead the way.”

So I did. I walked with her next to me, not really needing to show this girl my space but still wanting her to know where I lived in case she ever needed me.

We jogged up the stairs and stopped in front of the door.

“You’re in C block?” She laughed, the sound warm like a little ray of sunshine at my side. I wrinkled my eyebrows, bringing my key out.

“C block?”

“It’s an inside joke with my friend…” She shrugged then followed me inside. It was modest and humble, nothing fancy or very nice. Every dollar I earned, I shoved toward my mom’s house. I couldn’t even remember the last time I had purchased something for the apartment.

“My roommate Marcus is usually here too…but yeah, this is my place.” Why was this so fucking awkward? Why had I assumed she’d want to see where I lived?

She walked ahead of me, looking up and around, her pink lips drawing to the side in a sly smirk as she picked up a framed photo of me and my kid brother. “I like it.”

“It works for now.” I shrugged, feeling my neck grow hot. Having her eyes on my space was like opening my head and telling her she could stroll through.Don’t mind the secret doors all locked up; I’ll open those suckers right up for you.

“Yeah, I get that. I think about what it will be like when I have my own place, what it will look like…if it will feel different once I’m done with school and out there on my own.” Her wistful look made something in my chest ache.

I wanted to engage in this conversation with her, but it was hitting on far too many triggers for me. Once upon a time, I’d dreamt of a life like that, of what my future would hold…the excitement of the unknown. Now, I just worried about my mom and little brother making it.

“We should head out…it’s going to take a bit to get there.” I held the front door open for her.

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