Page 57 of Just for Fun
His eyebrows go up, way above the frame of his glasses. “Ever?”
“Uh, well…” I lick my bottom lip nervously. “Obviously not. I did go out with you last night. But I don’t remember the last time I did for fun.”
Kyle’s face stretches into a grin. “How about you make an exception tonight?”
“I…” Looking away, I scratch at my forehead, unsure of how to respond. “Tomorrow is Thursday,” I explain. “And I already ate out this week when I met you for dinner. Then I had breakfast this morning. I also ate a donut at work. That’s a lot of eating out, and…”
“We’ll order something healthy. To go.”
I frown as I continue massaging at my forehead. “Healthy is good,” I agree. “But where would eat if it’s to go?”
“Well…” Kyle drags the word out. “Since I’m taking you home, how about we eat there?”
I start shaking my head before he even finishes his sentence.
“Oh no,” I tell him. “My brother left me a message. He said he might stop by after his shift is over.”
“So?” Kyle shrugs. “He seemed like a decent guy when I met him earlier. I wouldn’t mind talking to him again.”
“Well, I would,” I snap at him. “I don’t know how you managed to turn my life upside down in such a short period of time, but this is more than I can handle. This was not supposed to happen, Kyle!”
He leans against the door of the truck, a hand resting lazily on the steering wheel. The more he stares at me through those damn glasses, I feel like I am being hypnotized.
I jump when he brings his cell phone up and starts messing with something, his fingers flying over the screen.
“Okay.” He moves in his seat and turns the engine on. “We’re going to eat at my house. I ordered healthy food.”
“Your house?” I gasp, both hands pressed to my chest. “But…”
My eyes widen in shock when I realize that the truck is actually moving. I don’t know if I should try to jump out, or rollmy window down and scream for help, or, better yet, fish my cell phone from out of my bag and call nine-one-one.
“What about my car?” I realize with a start that it’s been sitting at the diner next to my brother’s fire station. “I need my car.”
Kyle waves my worries away. “I’ll bring you back to your car. No one will steal it from there.”
A ding comes out of nowhere, and I jump in my seat.
“Better put that seatbelt on, baby,” Kyle instructs. “We want to follow the law.”
I blindly follow his instructions and pull on the seatbelt, clicking it into place. The buildings fly by as Kyle picks up more speed. I want to pay attention and see where he’s taking me, but I am too wound up. After the third time he takes a left, I don’t recognize where we are.
“I really hope you’re not kidnapping me.” I stare at the side of his head, once again mesmerized by how different he looks with the glasses on since he didn’t wear them in the morning.
As if he can sense my attention on him, he takes his eyes off the road for long enough to wink at me, much in the same way that he did to Mitzi earlier. I understand why she hyperventilated when he gave her his attention.
“I will not kidnap you against your will.”
Laughter bubbles in my chest. “Then it wouldn’t be kidnapping, would it?”
“There ya go then.” He takes my hand and puts in on his leg. “No kidnapping involved.”
There’s this easy banter that I love. I’ve never had this with anyone. It’s a bit unsettling.
“Where’s the restaurant?” I finally think to ask.
“They’ll deliver to my house. We’re almost there.”
My chest hurts with the pressure I feel, but I can’t tell if it’s because I’m scared or just overly stimulated. Before long, Kylepulls into a driveway, and I can only assume we have reached our destination.
