I’d hoped for a movie day so I could sleep through class. I was so tired from staying up late the night before, but unfortunately, the teacher droned on about our next dissection. I hoped Brody was listening because I sure wasn’t. My mind was wandering, mulling over the comment he’d made.
About halfway through class, I couldn’t stand it any longer. I reached over and pulled his notepad toward me. At the bottom of the page, I wrote, So, what’s the answer?
Twirling the notepad around so he could read it, I watched his face as his eyes skimmed across my note. A small smile touched his lips.
He leaned over, put his lips against my ear, and all but growled, “Just boxer briefs.”
“Mm, the torture,” I whispered. He pulled back and held my gaze a moment too long before returning his attention to the front of the class.
That’s it. I’m officially unable to concentrate on anything except the knowledge that I was talking to Brody while he was in just his boxer briefs while in bed! Why did I ask?
Brody and I teased and talked through our classes the rest of the morning. There weren’t any more little comments about what each other was wearing—or not wearing—the night before. I wasn’t sure if I was happy about that or not.
“What are you doing after school tonight?” Jenna asked at lunch that afternoon.
I shrugged. “Nothing, I guess.”
“Well, I know this afternoon is football practice, so you’ll be Jaden free for the day. We should do something.”
“Oh, I almost forgot, today’s chess club. I can’t do anything after school.” I twirled a fry in a puddle of ketchup on my plate.
“We could always do something after,” Jenna said, grabbing a fry off my tray.
“Maybe. I’ll have to see what time I get out of chess club. I’ll be right back. My bloodstream is severely depleted of caffeine.”
I jogged to my locker to get my afternoon dose of Red Bull. While I was walking back to the commons, I saw Brody talking to Jenna. She smiled and looked at me. Nodding her head, she said something to Brody. He went back to his seat and sat down, quickly glancing at me over his shoulder.
What the heck was that?
I found out during independent study when Brody sat down next to me at our normal table in the back of the library. We were working separately on our homework. For some reason, the air seemed filled with tension. At least, I felt it. He seemed unaffected, as always.
“So…” He continued writing in his notebook, not looking at me. I put my pencil down and watched him. The scratching of his pencil lead across the paper was the only sound, and it grated on my nerves as I waited for him to finish his sentence.
I let out an exasperated sigh when my nerves grew so taut I felt as though I’d fly around the room like a snapped rubber band. “What?”
He shrugged a shoulder. “I was wondering if it would be okay with you if I watched you at chess club today?”
I stared at him for a minute, trying to process what he was asking and why. “I guess. But why? It isn’t a tournament today.”
“I know. I just want to go and watch.” He put his pencil down and his gaze found mine.
“You can come, but you’ll be bored,” I said.
He grinned at me. “I don’t think I’ll be bored.”
When the bell rang, we gathered our things and he followed me to the classroom where chess club was held. I sat at a table in front of a chessboard. He pulled out a chair next to me and sat down, scooting it as close to my chair as possible. I hung my bag over the back of my seat and looked at him.
“Is this okay?” he asked me. “If you want me to sit somewhere else, I will.”
“No, this is fine.”
It’s totally not fine! I’m not gonna be able to play with him sitting so close to me, smelling his cologne, feeling his thigh brush against mine. I’m not going be able to concentrate on the game when I’m concentrating on him. I’m so going to lose and embarrass myself.
Tim walked over to me and said, “We have an uneven number of people. Too many people are out sick.”
“I don’t have to play today.” I started picking up my things to leave.
“I’ll play you,” Brody offered.
I glanced up from gathering the game pieces and placing them back in the box. “How long has it been since you’ve played?” I twirled a rook between my fingers.
Brody shrugged. “A while.”
Tim looked at me. “I don’t mind if you don’t mind.”
“I guess so.”
Brody walked around the table and sat down across from me. We set up the pieces on the board. “Your go,” he told me.
I made my first move, and he followed with his move. The game progressed quickly, and I was surprised at how well he played. I beat him the first game, and he beat me the second.
Brody rubbed his hands together and stared at me over the table. “All tied up. Third game’s the tiebreaker. Let’s make it interesting.”
“What did you have in mind?” I leaned forward and tilted my head to the side.
“If I win, you have to go get something to eat with me,” Brody said with a grin.
“And if I win?”
Brody shrugged a shoulder. “What do you want?”
Ohmigosh, if he only knew what I wanted. Things I shouldn’t be wanting. I’m with Jaden. I shouldn’t want kisses from Brody, but that’s exactly what I want.
“I’ll tell you after I win the game, Ace.”
Brody laughed. “Pretty sure of yourself, aren’t you?”
“Yup.”
“Okay, challenge accepted.”
I spent the whole game trying to figure out what it was I was going to ask for when I won. I was so distracted, I lost the game. Brody was not gracious winner. He laughed and said, “Looks like it’s burger time. I think I’m gonna have a cheeseburger with the works, and a chocolate milkshake. Maybe two. Oh, and onion rings. Can’t forget the onion rings.”
I rolled my eyes, but I couldn’t help but grin. Secretly, I was glad he’d won. I really wanted to spend time with him, but I wasn’t going to examine my reasons why too closely. I shouldn’t want to go get a burger with Brody, but I did. More than anything
“Just out of curiosity, what would you have asked for if you would’ve won?” Brody asked.
I smiled and winked at him. “I’ll never tell.”
“Ugh, you’re such a tease.”
“Let’s just say, you should have let me win.”
Brody groaned.
We gathered our things and walked out to the student parking lot. Brody unlocked the door of his Jeep and held it open for me to get in. I felt a little awkward. Jaden never held the door open for me and we were freakin’ dating—sort of.
“Thanks,” I said, climbing into the Jeep. I watched Brody in the side mirror as he walked around the back. He twirled his keys around his fingers on one hand, the other tucked in his jeans pocket. “So, where do you want to go? The Dive?” I asked when he got in the Jeep.
“No, I didn’t think you’d want to go to The Dive.” He put the keys in the ignition and angled his body toward me. “I know we’re going as friends, but your boyfriend doesn’t seem the type to allow you to have guy friends. The Dive is going to be full of people from school. Someone will tell Jaden we were together.”
I looked out the window and blew out a breath. “Um…”
“Hey, it’s okay. I know a little place not too far away. I doubt anyone from school would be caught dead there. At least, no one in your social circle.”
I swung my gaze back to his. “I don’t have a social circle.”
“No? Are you sure about that?”
“No. I mean, yes, I’m sure. I hate that people assume just because I date Jaden, I belong to a certain clique. Did you already forget I’m a member of the chess club? One of my best friends is the captain of the club? I fit in more with him than I do with any of Jaden’s friends.” I shoved my things to the floor of the Jeep with a frustrated breath. “I don’t know why I’m even bothering to explain myself to you. It’s not like it matters what you think. Let’s just go and get this over with.” I fell back against the seat and stared out the side window. Suddenly, the idea of going anywhere with him lost its appeal.