Page 76 of Truck Me

“Honesty,” I whisper against her lips. A darkness passes over me. I’m breaking that before this even begins, but I push it out of my mind. “And just you and me. No one else.”

She pulls back, her eyes wide as if my request surprises her. “As in, exclusive?”

Putting that word to it makes me a little nervous, but it is what I mean. “Yes. Exclusive.”

She nods slowly. “Okay, but if either of us wants to stop, we say so.”

“I can agree to that.” I brush a strand of her hair behind her ear before I slide my hand around her neck. “You can handle that?”

She raises her brow and smirks. “I can if you can.”

I return her smile before I press my lips to hers. “In that case, let’s head over to my house and do this again.”

Her smile grows against mine. “I thought you’d never ask.”

Chapter 17

This isn’t an innocent crush on the hot guy next door anymore.

Charlotte

The house is quiet, and for the first time since moving back home, I feel all alone.

Rayne is at school. It’ll be at least an hour before she’s home for the day.

Mom took Dad to his check up without me. I wanted to go, but she insisted on going alone since he’s having such a good day. I think she wanted this time alone with him. Who knows how many more opportunities like this she’ll get.

In fact, he hasn’t had a bad day since the snowfall. I don’t know if it’s the disease giving us a reprieve or if the medication the doctor prescribed is finally working.

Regardless, they both insisted I stay home and rest.

Rest. Ha! That’s code for I look like shit.

Probably because I haven’t been sleeping much these past few days. Staying up late having sex with your sexy neighbor has consequences. Sex or sleep? I’ve chosen sex.

Until now, I’ve kept busy. As long as I’m always doing something, my mind doesn’t have time to wander its way over to my thoughts and feelings about Garret.

I don’t work today, so I can’t use that to keep myself occupied. With Rayne and my parents gone, the house is so quiet all I hear are my thoughts screaming at me. And they are definitely screaming.

I like Garret. Way more than I should.

He likes me too.

I cover my face with my hands and groan. I sound like the sixteen-year-old version of me who had a stupid crush on him in high school.

Only now, my feelings for Garret are so much deeper than a crush. And that’s not fair to him.

I’m still somewhat emotionally unavailable. It’s only been a few months since Brad and I broke up. That left a scar on my heart that hasn’t healed yet. I don’t know if it will ever heal.

I flip back through my journal, searching for the list of reasons I should not like Garret Mutter. It feels like it’s been ages since I made that list when, in reality, it’s only been a few weeks. Time goes so slow in this backwoods town and yet everything feels like it happened so long ago it’s a distant memory.

I stare at the list and draw a line through item number one and counter that with something so opposite it, even I’m surprised.

1. He’s not my type. His rugged demeanor and personality is a good balance for my more sophisticated tastes. He brings me down to earth. I like his rough and rugged ways. Who knew?

Writing that down invigorates me, and I tackle opposites for every item on the list.

2. He’s grumpy and angry all the time. I don’t like grumpy and angry. I love his grumpy attitude. It’s cute and such a turn on. His growly noises get me all worked up.