Boys Like You

I was left with this dark, mean kind of feeling, and it made me hate myself more than I already did.

“You and Rachel…you guys broke up?” Monroe’s soft voice brought me back from before, and it took a moment for me to focus.

I saw her clear eyes watching me warily. “Yeah.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be. It was a long time coming.” Longer even than the accident. The more I thought about it, I realized that Rachel and I hadn’t been on the same page for a long, long time.

“Okay,” she said.

I grabbed my bag and slung it over my shoulders before bending over and scooping up the paint can and brushes I’d used.

“Okay, what?”

“Okay, I’ll give you a lift.”

“A lift?” I took a few steps until I was close enough to smell that fresh scent that clung to her skin.

“Well, someone’s gotta be your taxi, and since I don’t have anything better to do, it may as well be me.”

“So you’re offering to drive me to Baker’s Landing out of boredom.”

A smile lifted the corners of her mouth, and I thought that her lips must feel incredibly soft. I thought that maybe it would be cool to find out just how soft they really were.

“Yes, Nathan. Only because I’m bored.”

“Nate.”

“What?”

“Call me Nate.”

“Okay, Nate. But just so you know, I’m only giving you a ride. Nothing more.”

“We’re living in a freaking oven and you’re not coming in?”

“I don’t think I packed a bathing suit.”

She started walking toward the house and I fell in beside her, liking the way she jumped when I leaned close and whispered, “Who says anything about wearing a bathing suit?”

She stopped so fast that I nearly ran her over. “I am not skinny-dipping with you.”

Her cheeks were pink and hair stuck to the side of her neck. It was crazy that she could make me forget how shitty I felt about everything. Trevor. The accident. But I’d take it.

I’d play with it.

“Could be fun,” I said with a laugh.

“For you maybe.”

“What?” I said, watching her back as she walked away. “I know a lot of girls who’d love to get naked with me.”

“I’m not one of them,” she retorted.

I followed her, the grin still on my face.

She didn’t say anything else until we hopped up the steps onto her Gram’s porch. Here the shade was a bit cooler, but it was still nearing 100 degrees. I bet we could have tossed a few eggs onto the bottom step and the sun would have fried them in less than a minute.