Falling Fast

“She knits,” I blurt out, and Tide stops with a weight lifted halfway up his chest and looks at me.

“What?”

“Gia, she knits,” I laugh, because it’s seriously ridiculous that I find it as hot as I do. “I asked her what she likes to do during her free time, and she told me she likes to knit.”

“So a shy girl who knits for fun? Now I really need to see her for myself.” He grins, pulling the weight fully up to under his chin.

“Just be cool.”

“Like I said earlier, I can only be me, man,” he mutters.

Knowing that’s the best I’m going to get from him, I don’t say anything more about it. I finish my workout then head to the locker room to shower. After I’m dressed, I get in my Suburban with Tide following behind me in his truck as we head to the bar. When we pull into the lot, I spot my dad and Gia standing outside by the open door of a bright yellow Jeep.

As I pull into a parking spot, Tide parks next to me and we both get out at the same time, heading toward my dad and Gia. Taking her in, I notice once again she’s traded in her slacks and sweater for a pair of tight worn jeans that mold to her ass and a long-sleeved red T-shirt that fits her like a second skin, accentuating the curve of her breasts and waist. Today, her long hair is half down, the top part pulled back away from her pretty face, making her eyes stand out. Eyes that stay glued on me as I approach her and my dad, but then pull away when I get close.

“What’s going on?” I ask, stopping a few feet away, even though I really want to get closer to Gia so I can smell her and see if she smells like vanilla, a scent that seems to cling to her.

“She was pulling into the lot and her door swung open. Said it hasn’t been latching correctly, so I told her I’d have a look so she doesn’t have to spend the money to take it to the dealer,” Dad explains.

“It swung open when you were driving?” I ask, and she looks up at me through her lashes as her cheeks turn a very pretty shade of pink.

“Yeah.”

“Has that happened before?” I demand, not realizing the question is actually growled at her. The thought of her getting swept out of her car is too much for me to handle.

“No,” she states, straightening her shoulders. “And I had on my seat belt, so it’s not like I’m an idiot.”

“Yeah, man, she had on her seat belt,” Tide taunts, and I look at him. “What? I’m just saying.” He holds up his hands.

“When was the last time you took the doors off?” Dad asks, cutting in.

“Doors off?” she repeats, looking puzzled. It’s a look I don’t want to find adorable right now, but I do.

“It’s a Jeep. You can take almost everything off of it,” he says, and she looks at the door before looking back at Dad once more.

“I lived in Chicago. If I took the doors off, it would get jacked. I mean… well, easier, I guess, since it got jacked when I had the doors on it,” she mutters the last part, and Tide, who thinks that’s hilarious, laughs. “It wasn’t funny,” she states, resting her hands on her hips narrowing her eyes on him.

“I bet not,” Dad grumbles, seeming as annoyed as I feel about the idea of her car getting stolen.

“How about you borrow my ride? I’ll drive this home tonight and see if I can’t get the door fixed,” I offer, and she looks up at me.

“Or I can just take it to the dealer.”

“Or you can wait to do that after I have a look at it, if I can’t get it fixed.”

“Are you sure?” she prompts.

“Positive. Give me your key.” I hold out my hand, and she looks at it for a second before digging in her pocket and coming out with a key hooked to a butterfly keychain.

Shoving her key in my pocket, I hold mine above her hand. “Do you think you can handle driving my Suburban?” I ask, and she looks past me to my SUV, which has three rows, the added length making it difficult for some people to drive.

“Probably.” She shrugs.

“Probably?” I repeat her answer while frowning.

“Yeah, probably.” She snatches the key out of my hand, shoving it in her pocket. “Anyways, what’s the worst that could happen? I wreck it and you get a new one with your insurance,” she says, smiling a smile that makes my chest feel heavy.

“Are you married?” Tide asks, breaking into our stare down, and Gia pulls her eyes off mine to look at him, making me want to beat the shit out of my best friend.