Somethin' About That Boy

“And Symphony literally hates me. If you date me, she’s going to hate you by association,” I continued.

He ran his index finger down the bridge of my nose, looking at me softly.

“Yeah,” he said. “But I’ve had my fair share of hate the past few years. This is my last year of high school. I want to enjoy it… with you.”

I moved until I was pressing against him, my face resting against his chest.

“Okay,” I said. “Just… don’t break my heart, Banner Spurlock. I’m trusting you with it.”

The words that had just come out of my mouth made me want to pull them back inside the moment they were gone. To pretend that they didn’t really happen.

Because I had a feeling if anybody could hurt me, Banner could.

Not because he’d be trying to, but because he wouldn’t even realize he was doing it.

Banner Spurlock was dangerous, and he didn’t even know it.Chapter 11

Shit happens. I mean, look at your face.

-Perry to Banner

Perry

I groaned and rolled over, my eyes flickering open to stare at the morning sun streaming through my window.

I blinked once. Then twice. Then a third time before I realized that something was wrong.

I turned over in bed just as there was more pounding on the door.

I frowned and sat up, and then realized that it was half-past seven and I was supposed to be ready to go ten minutes ago.

“Shit!” I cried, jumping out of bed.

I ran down to the front door, yanked it open, then ran back upstairs.

“I overslept!” I cried out.

There was a deep, masculine chuckle and then Banner said, “Better hurry or we’ll both be late.”

I did hurry, going for jeans, a Kilgore Bulldogs t-shirt since we had a game today, and tennis shoes.

When I came back down after brushing my teeth and using the bathroom, it was to find Banner snacking on leftover pizza.

I halted in my tracks as I got my first good look at him this morning.

He was wearing jeans and a t-shirt with his black leather vest over the top of the t-shirt.

He had a backward black baseball cap on, and he was staring at me with a piece of cold pizza half in his mouth.

My brows rose when he did nothing but stare.

I looked down at myself and frowned. “What?”

He shook his head, gesturing to my hair.

“Your hair is down,” he said as he trailed a finger through it. “I like it. It’s beautiful.” He paused. “Why don’t you wear it down more often?”

I took the half-eaten pizza slice out of his hand and popped it into the microwave without a plate.

As I heated up a piece of pizza that was left over from dinner the night before, I contemplated how my night had gone.

My dad, mom, and Banner had gotten along famously.

A little too good if I was being honest.

And over those two hours he was at my house, Banner and I had really gotten to know each other.

Then he’d asked me to be his girlfriend.

I was Banner Spurlock’s girlfriend.

Holy shit.

I hadn’t allowed myself the time to think about it last night. I’d had my own homework to do, and then I’d practically fallen into bed. Which had been why I’d gotten up so late because I forgot to set my alarm.

All of it in an attempt to not think about how excited I was that Banner and I were now a ‘thing.’

Or, official in his words.

The microwave beeped, and I burned my tongue as I shoved the thing in my mouth and said, “Let’s go.”

He grinned and grabbed the last piece of cold pizza before catching my neck with one arm and dragging me into his body.

“What about our backpacks?” I said around a bite of crust.

“I figure I’ll just condense my shit into yours. And then start utilizing my locker,” he said.

I pointed to the backpack by the front door, and he picked it up before hitching it onto his shoulder.

“So… Perry Cat?” I asked on the way out to the bike.

He laughed. “I’ll tell it to you when we get to school. Riding isn’t really conducive with talking.”

I saw the helmet that was sitting on the seat. “Did you tell my dad I was riding with you?”

“Ummm, no.” He scrunched up his nose. “I thought you did.”

I snickered at his words and finished off the last couple of bites of my pizza before hopping onto the bike as he condensed our backpacks.

After he was ready, he handed it to me and I shouldered it before putting the helmet he handed me next onto my head.

He waited until I was comfortable before taking off his hat, stuffing it into his jacket, and then putting on his own helmet.

I licked my lips in anticipation as he started the bike and groaned into his back when he started to rumble away from the curb.