Page 2 of One Pucking Secret
Wyatt bends down and picks up my bike like it’s nothing and gestures for me to sit on it. “You sit, and I’ll push.”
I hesitate, then carefully slide onto the seat. As he grips the handlebars, his arm brushes mine, and I can’t ignore the warmth radiating off him or how close we are.
Wyatt Banks is helping me. Talking to me. And now, he’s walking me home?
As we move slowly, my bike rolling steadily under his guidance, his deep voice breaks the silence. “You look pretty tonight, by the way.”
My stomach flips at his words. Pretty? I glance down at my oversized white tee and black skirt. Practical for riding, but maybe a little too casual. I glance down at my sneakers, wishing I had gone with something a bit more chic instead.
I laugh nervously, shrugging. “I don’t know about that. It’s not exactly runway material.”
“I think it suits you.”
My cheeks heat up, and I bite my lip, trying to shake off the flutter of nerves. This is Wyatt Banks, the guy every girl dreams of, and here I am, bruised and embarrassed, with him pushing my bike like it’s no big deal.
“I usually have Lainey to help me pick out outfits,” I admit sheepishly. “This was more of a ‘throw on whatever works’ situation. Since I was biking to the party.”
He chuckles softly as if finding humor in my admission.
“Are you meeting Lainey at the party? I can walk you there after we get you cleaned up.”
“No, Lainey is out of town.”
Wyatt glances sideways at me, eyebrows raised slightly in surprise. “Going solo?”
“Yeah,” I reply with a sigh. “I figured it wouldn’t be so bad.”
“Brave.” He chuckles.
He nudges my shoulder, a playful glint in his eye. “Hey, remember that time in Professor Grant’s class? You know, when you totally wiped out.”
I groan. “Please don’t remind me.”
He leans in, his voice teasing. “How could I forget? You were the cute girl who tripped over nothing and took out an entire row of textbooks. It was like watching a domino effect, only… more chaotic.”
My cheeks warm, and I roll my eyes. “Right, because you totally had it all together with your smooth save, huh?”
Wyatt grins, his gaze lingering on me. “Please, I swooped in like a hero. You were blushing so hard. I’m surprised you didn’t melt into the floor.”
I nudge him back, the tension easing as I manage a small grin. “If I remember right, you were the one who nearly dropped your laptop trying to rescue me. Some hero.”
He chuckles, shaking his head. “Hey, I had to make sure you survived the embarrassment.”
“Right. Thanks.”
“Alright, I’ll stop. But let’s be real. That fall was kinda legendary.”
I smile up at him. “It sure was.”
He gives me a grin, one of those easy, playful smiles that makes my heart do a little flip. It’s silly, really. Just a walk back to my dorm, but with him, even something as simple as this feels different, like there’s an unspoken energy between us, impossible to ignore.
As we reach the steps leading up to my dorm, I hop off the bike, but pain shoots through my knees, reminding me of my less-than-graceful fall. I wince, trying to hide the discomfort, but he notices immediately.
“Careful,” he says.
I groan inwardly. Why do I have to be so clumsy?
“Thanks for helping me,” I mumble, feeling a little self-conscious.
