“I dunno.” He gave her an incredulous look because he thought it was a given that they were supposed to be together. “It’s an instinct. I’m happier when I’m around you. Haven’t you ever looked at someone and just known they were made for you?”
Tabitha stared hard at him, the crease in her forehead telling him she was really considering the question before she finally nodded and whispered softly, “Yeah, I have.”
“That someone better be me,” he growled, unable to help the flare of jealousy. “’Cause I could take down Terry Dower.”
“You are so stupid.” Tabitha surprised him by laughing. “I don’t like Terry. Not like that. So don’t be thinking of putting him in the hospital. I don’t think his head is as hard as Clay’s.”
“No one’s head is as hard as Clay’s.” Wyatt crawled up and rested his head on Tabitha’s knee for comfort at the reminder. “Christ, he’s a stubborn bastard.”
Tabitha started stroking his sweaty hair, pushing it away from his forehead. His entire world clicked into place in that one moment, and he closed his eyes in lazy exhaustion.
“Go out with me,” he said when Tabitha’s touch lured him into a false sense of security.
“No.”
“Kiss me.”
“No.”
“At least admit you love me.”
“Definitely no. My mama’s been doing good. She’s got a job and everything, but she’s so dang paranoid ’bout the state grabbing us, especially since Brett’s been getting into trouble. If I started going out with a Conner, she’d turn back to the bottle for sure.”
Wyatt blinked up at Tabitha, seeing the crease was back in her forehead as she looked down at him. “I’ll be a famous boxer instead of a sheriff. How ’bout that?”
She gave him a sad smile and whispered, “No.”
“You’re worse than Clay.” He let his eyes drift close again because he was very happy where he was even if Tabitha was being difficult. “Your mama knows we’re friends. So what’s the difference?”
“No, she doesn’t.” Tabitha laughed in disbelief.
“She’s gotta know you’ve been hanging round me for years. What does she think you’re doing at the rec center every day after school?”
“My homework.”
“Well, I suppose that ain’t a lie.” He rolled on his side and pressed his lips against the curve of her knee that was exposed where her skirt had ridden up. “I can think of some homework you can work on.”
Tabitha shoved his head in response, and he landed on the mat with a grunt. He would have complained if it didn’t make Tabitha giggle. He started laughing with her.
“You’re bad on my delicate male ego.”
Tabitha laughed harder. “You got the biggest ego in this whole dang town.”
“Take that back, little girl.” Wyatt grabbed her foot when she moved to stand up. She screeched and shook her leg, but he wasn’t letting go. He jerked her toward him, forcing her skirt to ride up, and then used his weight to pin her to the mat. “Say sorry, or I’m gonna turn into the big, bad wolf.”
“As if.” Tabitha was still laughing hysterically and didn’t even fight his hold on her wrists as he held her down. “You’re not bad wolf material.”
“Who lied to you?” Wyatt snorted as he studied her cheeks, flushed pink with her mirth, and the way the strawberry lip gloss she always used made her lips look very kissable. “You make me feel very bad. Kiss me.”
“No.”
Wyatt leaned down despite the rejection, and Tabitha turned her head petulantly, still giggling.
He growled in genuine disappointment. “One of these days I’m gonna do it, and I ain’t even gonna give you the courtesy of asking first.”
“Let me up, Wy. You’re getting yourself into trouble again.” Tabitha pulled halfheartedly at his hold on her wrists. “I have to get home.”
Wyatt huffed and rolled off her because he was getting himself into trouble. Tabitha got to her feet and brushed out her skirt that was long and had little pink flowers on it. Her white blouse was conservative, but Wyatt could still see the outline of her bra under it as she worked on straightening it.
He laced his hands behind his head once more as he watched her. “You really are hard on my ego.”
“You’re okay.” Tabitha gave him a shy smile. “You can follow me halfway home if you want.”
“All right then.” Wyatt was pleased to hear it, because he hated the idea of her riding all that way alone in the dark. He rolled back and sprang to his feet. “That sounds like a fair deal.”
Tabitha laughed again.
Wyatt frowned. “What?”
She shook her head, still smiling in that warm way she did when something pleased her so much she couldn’t hide it. “Nothing.”
“No, tell me,” he prodded, because he loved those particular smiles from Tabitha, and he wanted to know what he did to cause it.
“It’s just—” she started, looking at him under her lashes when she lowered her eyes shyly. “You’re one of the good guys. I don’t see how you can deny it.”
“Great.” Wyatt rolled his shoulders that were sore from wrestling. “Girls only like the bad guys.”
“Not all girls.” Tabitha gave him another smile. “Thank God you won’t kiss me without permission. We’d both be in big trouble if you did.”
Wyatt could only gape at her.
Tabitha turned to leave without another word, sort of like Clay usually did.
“I need to get my stuff out of the locker room,” he said distantly.
“I’ll wait for you.”
Wyatt nodded as he followed her down the hallway. His mind was still on what Tabitha had admitted, probably without realizing she’d done it. Her cheeks were still flushed, and it was obvious their little wrestling session had left her as flustered as he felt.
He left her standing outside the men’s locker room and quickly went to his locker. Clay was getting dressed in front of the locker next to it, and he frowned when Wyatt tugged his shirt on despite being sweaty.
“You ain’t taking a shower first?”
“No, I’m riding back with Tabitha since it’s dark.” Wyatt sat on the bench and worked on putting on his socks and shoes. “I’ll take a shower at home.”
“I’ll ride with ya.”
Wyatt shook his head and lifted his head to give Clay a pointed look. “Nah, I got this. I’m gonna make it my year. Watch me.”
“Whatever, Conner.” Clay rolled his eyes and turned back to his locker. “I don’t see how you’re gonna manage that when she’s been shooting you down since seventh grade.”
“No, I got a plan,” Wyatt told him confidently.
“What’s that?”
He lifted his head and gave his best friend a dark smile. “I’m gonna be the big bad wolf.”
“Yeah, right.” Clay laughed at the notion, clearly unconcerned for Tabitha’s virtue. “Lemme know how that works out for you. Make sure to say please and thank you first.”
Tabitha would never tell him, but she liked when Wyatt followed her home. She enjoyed his company, and it never stopped being a novelty how safe he made her feel. Being with him was like a reprieve from real life, where she was forced to be on guard all the time.
Becoming a teenager made everything about her life so much more complicated. She wished she could go back to being hungry. It was preferable over the nervous feeling that settled in her stomach every time she was home. Brett’s friends said the most awful things to her, and her mother’s friends weren’t much better. There were always people at her house, drinking and partying. Her mother was doing better now that she had a job, but the weekends were always a weakness for her.