Brody stood in front of me, not moving. His gaze locked on mine, and all I could think of were sapphires. That was what his eyes reminded me of, brilliant, sparkling, sapphires. He leaned his face close to mine. “Let’s call it a draw. You won air hockey, and I won pool. I want you to myself tomorrow. What do you want?”
“I want to spend our date at your aunt’s property,” I whispered.
“Any reason why?” He leaned in closer. His breath fanned my lips.
“I want you all to myself.”
Brody put his hands on my hips and pulled me to him. Every part of our bodies were touching. I just had to tilt my face to the side and his lips would be on mine.
“Well, go on, boy. Kiss her,” an old man sitting on one of the barstools yelled. “You two’ve been dancing around each other all night. Jist do it an’ git ’er done.”
“You heard him, Ace. Kiss me,” I whispered. Brody watched my lips move. His hands tightened on my hips, pulling me even closer to him.
“I will,” he murmured, our breath mingling. “But not here and not yet.” He let go and took a step back, an odd expression on his face.
I cursed him silently. Then I wondered what was wrong with me. Why he didn’t want to kiss me.
“If you’re not into the whole kissing thing, that’s cool.” I tried to brush off my disappointment. “Let’s just finish our game because you were dreaming if you thought you were gonna beat me.” I didn’t look at him when I grabbed my pool cue and chalked the tip. “Whose turn is it? I can’t remember. I’ll just take a shot.” I sunk one ball before missing. I managed not to look at Brody while I took my turn, but when I looked up to tell him it was his shot, I saw him standing in the same place I’d left him, no pool cue in his hand. “You’re up, Ace.”
We finished our game and Brody drove me home, dropping me off without a kiss.
Something’s wrong with me. I’m un-kissable, and I have no idea why.
It’s Sunday!
I scrambled out of bed. My foot got tangled in my sheets, and I face planted on the floor with a grunt. Even that didn’t ruin my excitement. Another day with Brody, I was in Heaven. The best part of the day—other than being with Brody—was Sunday was Mom and Ralph’s day. They always spent it doing something together. What, I had no idea and couldn’t care less. The whole idea kind of creeped me out. The less they told me, the happier I was. Their time away left me free for the day. And I was spending it with Brody Victor. But first, I had to untangle my foot and get off the floor. I decided texting him was more important. I reached up, grabbed my cell off my bedside table, and typed in a text.
Me: Good morning, Ace.
I set my phone next to me, untangled my sheets, and stood up, scooping my phone with me. After I made my bed, I ran downstairs to get a bowl of cereal. When I got back to my room, I checked my phone. No text.
Huh.
My mom stuck her head in my room to tell me she and Ralph were leaving. They were spending the night in Shipshewana, Indiana and wouldn’t be home until the next morning. I had to restrain myself from doing my happy dance. Instead, I simply told them to have a nice time and I’d see them after school Monday.
Still no text from Brody.
Jenna called me and wanted every second of my date with Brody accounted for. I spent the next hour telling her everything that happened, twice.
Still no text.
“Should I text him again?” I asked Jenna.
“How long has it been?”
“Almost three hours.” I sighed.
“Yeah, text him. Maybe your first one didn’t go through.”
“What should I say?”
Jenna laughed. “I don’t know. He’s your hottie boyfriend.”
“Yeah.”
Me: Whatcha doin’?
I talked another half hour with Jenna before hanging up. Still no text. Brody had never gone this long without answering me. I didn’t expect him to answer the second I texted him, but he usually texted back within a few minutes, not hours.
I picked out my outfit. Jenna would be proud. It was something normal and a little sexy—at least I thought it was sexy, but what did I know? Guys baffled me, especially Brody. At least Jaden was an open book, and it was all about him. I couldn’t figure Brody out at all.
I laid the off-white sweater and navy leggings on my bed and waited. An hour later, I took a shower. And I waited. I rechecked my outfit, decided I didn’t like that one, and picked another. This time, it was a sweater that fell off one shoulder—that had to be sexy, I thought. And I waited.
I was just about to shove my clothes back in my closet and say screw it when my phone chimed. I forced myself not to snatch it up right away and click on the message. He made me wait all flippin’ day. He could wait five minutes. I sat on my bed, looking around my bedroom, mentally taking inventory of my things.
Black furniture to match the black stripes on my walls, check. White chandelier hanging from the ceiling to match the white in the white-and-black paisley wallpaper on the bottom half of my walls, check. A hot pink papasan chair to match the hot pink stripes, check. A hot pink lava lamp, check. Even my friggin’ phone is hot pink! Ugh!
I wanted to throw it across the room. Instead, I clicked on his message.
Brody: Hey, gorgeous. I’m so sorry. Running errands and forgot my phone.
And just like that, my stupid smile was back on my face.
Me: It’s okay. Home now?
Brody: Yes. Don’t want to be.
Me: ?
Brody: Want to be with you.
Me: I’m alone. Come over.
Brody: Be there in five.
Holy Shiznit! I gotta get dressed.
I jumped around my room, pulling on my pants—pretty undies, check—and squirming into my sweater—lacy bra, check—I was just putting a swipe of cherry-flavored lip gloss on my lips—just in case—when he rang the doorbell.
I adjusted the sweater so it fell over the shoulder that didn’t have any bruises and pulled the door open. My breath whooshed out of me.
It should be illegal for him to look that good.
And then I got a whiff of him, and I might have actually seen those stupid little cartoon hearts float around his head.
“Wow,” Brody said. “You look amazing.” He walked in and shut the door behind him, his gaze never leaving me.
“I was thinking the same about you, Ace.”
“Nope. I’m definitely getting the better deal. Where’re your mom and Ralph?”
“Oh, Sunday is marriage day.” I used my fingers to make little air quotes. “No kid allowed. They went to Shipshewana to do… whatever it is people do there.” I shrugged.
“You’ve never been?”
“Nope.”
“Me either. We should go together,” he said.
Together. Yeah. Together. That’s a beautiful word.
“We should. Maybe one day after graduation. You know, when the weather is nice and we’d have all day.”
“Sounds like a plan.” Brody smiled. “Are you ready?”
I grabbed my military jacket and pulled it on. “Mm-hmm.”
We drove to a small pizzeria, picking up a small pepperoni to take with us to Brody’s aunt’s property.
“Hey, isn’t this the pizzeria we stopped at the night…?” I let my words trail off. I didn’t want to bring up that particular memory. The part of the night I spent with Brody eating pizza and listening to the radio while we talked was great. The beginning of the night, before Brody, hadn’t been.