Chapter six

Ithink I’m flirting with Lexi.

I honestly don’t know what the fuck has come over me. I was on my way to my favorite coffee cart when I saw Lexi and Tucker laughing and smiling at each other, and I couldn’t look away. I don’t know why I didn’t like it. I just didn’t.

Naturally, I told Lexi I needed his help so I could steal him away. Now, I need to figure out something he could help me with.

“Are you getting in or what, bro?” I ask, earning another eye roll. Lexi has never once called me bro. We will be old and gray, and I still won’t let him forget it.

“Yeah, it was a lapse in judgment. I don’t know why I said that.” He huffs and slides his lean body into the passenger seat.

I shut his door and make my way around to the driver’s side of my ‘67 Impala. Lexi has his backpack squashed between his legs, so I lean over, pull it free, and place it in the footwell behind him.

“There, that’s probably more comfortable.” Looking up, I see his face has gone splotchy like when we were at the tables. It reminds me of the first time I met him. He was sick on the couch watching Drop Dead Gorgeous. He was so out of it that he called me pretty. “Are you sure you’re okay?”

“I’m fine. I probably need to eat soon though,” he says, running his hand through his cropped chocolate-brown hair. I need to ask him what shampoo he uses because it always looks so soft. I wonder if it smells as good as it looks.

“Let’s hit up a drive-thru then. I could murder a chicken sandwich from that new place on Danver Street,” I say, pulling out of the space and heading in that direction.

“Won’t the owner of this car be pissed to have food in it?” Lexi asks warily. This is perfect. Now I have the best idea for this mythical favor.

“No, actually, that’s what I need your help with,” I say, pulling away from the curb and heading to the drive-thru. “Garrett has a buyer for this baby, but the buyer wants to know if it’s viable to use as an everyday car. So I have to spend the rest of the day driving it around.”

I am so fucking clever.

“And you need a passenger for this?”

“Yup, the buyer has a husband, so you get to be my honey for the rest of the day.” I glance at Lexi, expecting another eye roll, but he looks tense. Like he’d rather be anywhere but in the car with me right now.

Well, shit, this isn’t what I wanted. I’m still not entirely sure why I’m doing all this, but I know I don’t want to make Lex uncomfortable. I just had the urge to steal him away, and now I’m here with him, trying to make myself seem less ridiculous.

“Hey, it’s fine if you don’t want to do this. We can get food, and I’ll drop you at home.”

“I’m good,” he says. I risk another glance at him to see him still looking tense. “Ryder, eyes on the road. I’m sure totaling the car isn’t on your buyer’s everyday list.”

I turn back to the road with a smile. “True. Garrett would kill me if I ruined the paintwork on this beauty.”

“Please, you have Garrett wrapped around your little finger.” He laughs as I pull into the McDonald’s drive-thru.

“What? No, I don’t. The man is a hardass.” Before I can say anything else, a crackly voice interrupts me.

“Welcome to McDonald’s. May I take your order?”

“Shit, I forgot to look at what I want to order,” Lexi hisses. “Where’s the menu?”

“Right here under the intercom.”

He unclicks his seat belt before leaning over me to get a look at the menu. His scent invades my senses. He smells so fucking good, like cedarwood and lemon. Which is basically nose porn. And that light dusting of stubble he’s rocking is hotter than I ever thought stubble could be. I wonder what it would feel like between my cheeks. It’s been way too long since someone ate me out.

This whole celibacy thing is clearly affecting my brain because I’ve never had this reaction to Lexi before. He’s Kait’s brother, so he’s always just been an extension of her. Which is probably shitty because he’s his own person and whatever, but I’ve never allowed myself to think of him as anything other than Kait’s twin. Now I’m wondering why I’ve never allowed it?

“Can I get a chicken sandwich, medium fries, and a medium strawberry milkshake, please?” Lexi says to the intercom, pulling me from my thoughts.

“Okay, that’s great. Anything else?”

He turns to look at me, and he’s so fucking close, his lips nearly brushing against mine. “What do you want?”

“Same,” I choke out, my eyes lowering to his mouth. What the fuck is wrong with me? I can’t be thinking about making out with Lexi. Can I? His lips look so soft and plump. Maybe a small taste? I push it to the back of my mind as Lexi returns to his seat and puts his belt back on. We pay, and I grab the food and start driving.

“I think we should take this little baby for a joyride.”

Lexi looks at me nervously. “Right, but we’re not actually taking this for a joyride?”

“No, no, I just mean we should go on a trip. Not a trip trip. Let’s just drive down to the coast,” I rush to reassure him.

“That’s an hour-long drive.” He’s right. Maybe I should suggest somewhere farther away. “Our food isn’t gonna last that long.”

“No, yeah, you’re right. We’ll eat as we drive.”

“What if we spill something in the car?”

Has he always asked this many questions?

“Well, that’s all part of the experience, seeing what we can and can’t do in this car.”

“Okay,” he says. Lexi pulls out my sandwich and unwraps it carefully so I can eat it without making a mess. Such a cute, sweet gesture. But that’s Lexi all over.

“Thanks, man,” I say. He nods. “So, a whole hour. What do you want to do? We could talk about boys?” I need him to tell me exactly what’s going on with Tucker so I know how much to freak out.

“No,” he says harshly. I look over and see him wince. “I already know way more than I need to about your sex life, and mine is pretty much nonexistent.”

“Wha—”

“So, any other cars you’re working on that you’re obsessed with as much as this one?” Lexi cuts me off. Well, I guess we won’t be talking about boys then.

“Yeah, my Ford Thunderbird SC.”

We talk a little about cars, and after that, the topics change to music, cheer competitions, movies…Kait. We’ve never spent this kind of time together without her. It feels good but different.

“I love it here. I want to move closer to the beach after college,” Lexi says an hour later as we’re walking barefoot along the shoreline, our hands occasionally brushing.

“The same beach town your dads moved to?”

“Maybe, if the work is there. It would be cool.”

“What are you hoping to do after college?”

“What I really want to do is be a cheerleading coach like my dad, but I’ll need a lot of practice and experience. So I thought I might see if I could work at a cheerleading camp or coach some students because I’m gonna need a job.”

“You’ll be an amazing coach, Lexi,” I exclaim, making him blush. He always looks cute when he does it.

“Thanks, Ryder,” Lexi says. He bends, his pants pulling tight across his delicious ass, and picks up a shell from the sand, smiling as he puts it in his pocket. “So, what do you plan on doing after college? Working with Garrett?”

This is what I’ve always loved about Lexi. He’s never judged me for wanting to be a mechanic like other kids in high school. They couldn’t understand why anyone would choose it as a career. God, our school was snooty.

“Yeah, that’s the plan. Maybe someday I’ll own my own garage or take over Garrett’s. That’s why I’m getting a business degree.

“That makes sense. You’re smart.”

“It was Garrett’s idea.

“It was smart of you to listen to him.”

We both just look at each other, smiling. I don’t know what mine looks like, but it feels goofy.

“Maybe we should head back,” he says quickly, walking toward the car.

What?

“Hey, is everything okay?” I run to catch up with him. “Why are you running off? Do I have something between my teeth?” Fuck, please tell me I don’t have something between my teeth.

“Yeah, everything is great, and you have lovely teeth. This has been cool. Us spending time together. I just…I’ve got an early class in the morning and practice, so I shouldn’t be out too late.”

“Oh, sure. Let’s get you home.” I ignore the tug of disappointment that our time is nearly over. “How’s it going with the competition?”

“We’re getting there. It’s different from our usual competitions because it’s for charity. We don’t know what to expect, but at least everyone is in the same boat. We can repurpose the routine we’ll be doing for the championship semi-finals in February.” He stops to pick up another small shell. “It’s busy as fuck, but I love it.”

“I’m glad you’re having fun. You’re so passionate about cheerleading. You make me want to try it,” I say as we reach the car, earning me another shy smile. I wish I could read his mind. He smiles like he’s enjoying himself one moment but then acts like he can’t leave quick enough the next.

We get in the car and head home. It’s a nice, chill drive, talking about more of everything and nothing, and soon enough, I pull up outside Lexi’s house.

“Thanks for a great afternoon,” I tell him as he unbuckles.

“You too. And I hope your buyer is satisfied.” I frown, confused. “Garrett’s buyer for the car? The reason you asked me out today.”

Oh yeah. The buyer.

An idea hits me. A totally crazy one, but I can’t help but blurt it out. “There is one thing left. Remember, I said that the buyer has a husband? Well, what if they decide to fool around on their road trip to the beach?”

“Then I guess they go find a hotel,” he says, looking at me like an idiot. I can’t help but roll my eyes.

“Sometimes spontaneity takes over, and you need them now.”

“I’ve not experienced that,” he says, looking out the window and biting his lip.

“Okay, well, it looks something like this.” My last brain cell must leave me because I get out of my seat and straddle Lexi with my arms over his shoulders. His breath hitches.

“So what do you think?” I say, leaning in slightly. I wiggle my ass in his lap, trying to get more comfortable, and his hands fly to my hips, stilling me.

“Your jeans are really tight.” Not what I was expecting him to say, but I guess he’s not wrong.

I stare into his bright-blue eyes. They’re so pretty. Indigo rings encase the blue, along with little navy flecks, like the night sky just before it succumbs to darkness. I could look into his eyes all day long.

“Ryder,” he whispers. His voice breaking brings me out of the trance his eyes have me in.

“Yeah, Garrett’s buyer is going to love this car.” I lean in and kiss him on the cheek before sliding back into my seat.

“Thanks for everything, Lexi,” I say with a smirk at his dazed look. I did that. I don’t even know why I’m proud of myself, but I know I am. I want more days like this with Lexi. I need to see if I can make that happen.

“Bye, Ryder.” He gets out of the car, and I watch him make his way into his house.

There’s a little voice at the back of my mind wanting to think about why it was so important for me to get Lexi away from Tucker and spend time with him.

I hope it has snacks and a good book because the fucker is staying back there.