down on his lip before asking, “Are you hungry? I was on my way out to get dinner when I saw you. Want to grab something to eat with me?”
Blinking a few times, I cleared my throat and nodded. “Sure, just let me pack my stuff. I really need a break anyway.” Grabbing my books and notebook I stuffed them into my backpack. “Ready?’
Bray freely roamed my body with his eyes. “You have no idea.”
He made me nervous but I didn’t want him to know that. I had always been the annoying little sister with the witty comebacks, I wasn’t about to let him turn me into a mushy mess. I was Cobie fucking Nayler and no man, no matter who he was would break me.
Giving him a small smile, I winked and patted his hard stomach, “Let’s go dirty boy. I’m hungry and still have a shit ton of studying to do. Where you taking me to eat?”
Bray licked his lips as he turned to walk. “I was thinking take out and a movie. It’s been a long time since we’ve hung out and it sounds like we have a lot of catching up to do.”
Laughing I replied, “It has and yes, there has been a lot happen since I’ve seen you.”
Bray stopped and looked at me questioningly, “A lot happen with you and a guy?”
Tilting my head, I asked, “Are you asking if I have a boyfriend?”
Flicking his eyes down to the platinum ring with tiny diamonds forming intertwining
“Huh. Then maybe I do, maybe I don’t.” I said sarcastically. “But, the ring you were just eyeballing is from Larkin. He gave it to me when he moved to San Diego. It’s supposed to let me know that he’s always with me and always here to give me a hug when I need it.” Stopping, I held my hand up so Bray could see the intricate design of diamonds going around the band.
Bray rubbed his thumb over the ring and caught my eyes with his. “Maybe someday, some lucky guy will be good enough to sweep you off your feet and put his own ring on your finger.”
I was speechless. Bray was sarcastic. Bray was a dick. Bray was a smartass. Braylon Edwards. Was. Not. Sweet.
Bray winked at me before asking, “Did you drive?”
Shaking my head I said, “No, I live on campus in Ritter Hall.”
“Not too far from me. I have an apartment off of Elkwood Drive in Cambridge Heights Apartments. We can eat and hang out for a while then I can drop you off before I go to work.”
“Braylon, did you just ask me on a date and to stay the night with you?”
“No ma’am I did not. I don’t date and I work nightshift, ten at night until ten in the morning,” Bray answered.
“Oh.” I dropped my eyes from him to the floor.
Following him out the door I saw his jacked-up truck sitting in the parking lot. He still had the same silver Dodge Ram with giant tires and tinted windows. The average sized person couldn’t see into the windows it was so high. Even if you were tall enough to look in the window’s you couldn’t, they were tinted jet black.
I had always loved his truck. I had also heard stories about this truck and all the women who had experienced this truck.
“I get to ride in the infamous truck?” I asked, a little smartassy.
Bray stopped mid step and turned to look at me, raising an eyebrow. “Infamous?” He asked acidulously.
Slowly, I nodded. “Uhh huh. All the girls wanted a ride in this truck. Or maybe they wanted to ride the driver of this truck. Either way, the girls back home would drop their panties for a chance to be in there.”
Bray smirked. “What about you?”
Shit.
Feeling my cheeks heat, I worried my bottom lip with my teeth. “What would you do if I said yes?”
Taking a few steps so he was standing directly in front of me, he grabbed my hips and pulled me into his hard body. Looking up I saw his dark eyes sparkling.
“Your brother would kill me if he knew the thoughts that are running through my head right now.”
Sucking in a breath, I said, “My brother’s over two thousand miles away. He would never know. Besides, I’m not that fourteen year old little girl anymore.”
What the hell? My brother would never know? Why does this feel like I’m sneaking around with the bad boy I’m banned from seeing?
“Trust me, I know.” Bray released me and stepped back. “Let’s go eat. Maybe we should just go to Skyline and eat-in. Things could go very, very bad if we are alone in my place.”
Sighing, I nodded. “Skyline with extra onions, please.”
Bray shook his head and let a small smile play on his lips.
Opening my door, he held his hand out to help me climb in. Once I was inside he shut my door and jogged around to the driver’s side and got in. The drive to Skyline was short and silent.
Pulling into the parking lot he found a parking spot and shut his truck off. Without looking at me he opened his door and got out. Letting my head fall back onto the headrest I took a deep breath and slowly let it out.
I shouldn’t have come with him. I shouldn’t be here. I feel like a cat being teased with a treat. I want Bray, I have since I was little. Agreeing to go to dinner with him was just salt in the wound. Bray would never want me. Biggest reason being I was Larkin’s little sister.
Forcing my eyes open I grabbed the door handle and shoved it open. Bray was standing at the front of the truck, watching me closely.
“Everything ok?” Bray asked.
Giving my head a hard nod, I walked passed Bray. “Yep. Let’s go eat.”
Once we were sitting at a booth in the back Bray handed me a menu. Holding it up so he couldn’t see my face I pretended to look over the menu so I wouldn’t have to look at him. I had been getting the same thing from Skyline since I was five. One cheese coney, no mustard or onion and chili cheese fries.
“Hi, my name’s Staci. I’ll be your waitress tonight. Can I get you something to drink or are you ready to order?”
“We’re ready,” I blurted out, my voice a little high.
Bray looked from me to the waitress then back to me. “I guess we’re ready.”
Staci laughed then looked to me. “Ok, we will start with you.”
Forcing a smile I said, “I would like a cheese coney, no mustard or onion and a chili cheese fry with a sweet tea please.”
Bray asked, “No extra onions?”
Sticking my tongue out I said, “Nope, I hate onions.”
Smiling at me he said, “I want four cheese coneys with onions, no mustard and a four way. Mt. Dew to drink, please.”
Staci couldn’t keep her eyes off Bray, I couldn’t blame her. She repeated our order back to us before walking away.
“So are you going to ignore me all night now?” Bray asked.
“Huh? I’m not ignoring you.”
Bray gave a short laugh. “Yes you are. Cobie, believe me when I say I want you. Bad. You’re sexy, funny, and have a brain in your head. But you’re too good for me. I’m not the kinda guy you need. You need someone who can promise you a future, that’s not me. Fuck, I can barely promise one night, let alone one month or one year.”
Well hell. I might as well speak my mind too. “Bray, I have had a crush on you since I was little. Pretty sure you have known for a while that I have always liked you. I always wanted to be that girl in your truck. Even if it was for just one night.”
Bray went to say something but he saw Staci walking to our table with our food. “This isn’t over. Eat then we can talk in my truck.”
Rolling my eyes I looked at our waitress and smiled. “Thank you.”
We both ate without saying another word. Once Bray paid I slowly followed him back to his truck. He again, opened my door and helped me in, shutting the door behind me. But this time he didn’t jog around to the driver’s side, instead he drug his feet getting around the truck and climbing inside.
