"Nah. I've got studying to do, and I'm dying for a burger."
They look at me as though I'm not really Kade, but I can't help it. We went to dinner first, but it sucked ass. What happened to cooking things in grease? Why does everything have to have an itemized list of everything it doesn't contain? It should just state that it doesn't have any flavor.
There are a few burger joints open, and right now I can't wait to hit one up. I wave as I head out, turning my back on the dumbfounded table. Yeah, I'm just as confused.
It doesn't take long to grab two burgers and some fries, and I gas it to hurry up and get home. It shouldn't be normal to want to see someone like this. The most we can be is friends.
Apparently I left the garage door open, saving me the time of having to raise it. I park, get out, and hope she feels like eating with me. I'm not sure what's going on, but I really just want to hang out with her tonight.
There's no sense of obligation. I won't need her down the road, and there's really no reason to do this other than I just want to. I can't remember ever just wanting to be around someone outside of my family.
The second I walk through the door, I'm greeted by a sight I've been dreading and looking forward to. Raya is standing right in front of me—legs bare and ass encased by only a thin shred of fabric. My body reacts before my mind, and my pants tighten as I swallow hard.
I'm frozen in place, staring at her like I've never seen a woman in panties before. Christ, she's driving me mad. Shifting to accommodate the unruly appendage in my pants, my eyes come up to see the horror on her face, and that's enough to snap me out of it, making my lips twitch in amusement.
When her glass-shattering squeal rings out, my laughter breaks free before I can stop it, and I watch appreciatively as she runs up the stairs, giving me an even better show. Sadly, I'm wishing that damn tank top hadn't been covering the top half. Yeah, she's getting to me.
As the door slams, I continue laughing, knowing how incredibly mortified she is right now. Time to play. This will be weird if we don't make it funny, and it is pretty damn funny.
After dropping the burgers off in the kitchen, I take the stairs two at a time. I make my way toward her room, unable to wipe away the shit-eating grin on my face.
"Raya," I say while snickering, rapping on her door simultaneously. "Come on. Don't hide. It'll only make it more awkward... for you."
I can't stop grinning. In fact, this is the hardest I've laughed and smiled in so long.
"I'm not hiding... I'm... getting decent," she says unsurely, which makes her lie obvious, and I do all I can to quiet the riotous chuckles escaping me.
"Raya," I say again, my laughter returning against my will to restrain it. "Come on."
She goes silent, refusing to answer me, but that won't do. I'm not leaving here until she sees me. Besides, I have a burger for her.
"You know it was bound to happen sooner or later. Would it make it easier if I stripped down and let you see me in my underwear?"
She'd get an eyeful if my pants weren't restraining me right now, so she'd better say no, or she'll find out just how much she affects me.
"Raya?" I prompt, starting to worry.
"Do not strip," she says at last, and I can't help but start snickering again.
"Come out. I grabbed some burgers. It'll be better than the tuna you insist on eating. The house will stink less, too."
I hate that damn smell. I'm really glad she doesn't smell like that. Then again, maybe I wouldn't be driving home early on a Friday night to see her if she smelled like that.
"Promise you won't laugh at me?" she asks timidly, sounding so damn hopeful, but that just makes me laugh.
What can I say to make this more fun?
"I'm only laughing because I've been expecting it. You always ran around your house in your underwear. Not very smart for a girl trying to lay low."
"Please tell me you're joking," she whimpers immediately.
"You should have bought curtains or worn shorts if you didn't want anyone to notice."
"I never thought anyone was peering through my damn windows!"
It hurts. Damn, I've never laughed this hard. She's killing me.
It takes a lot, and I do mean a lot, of effort, but I manage to speak. "Seriously? Your room was almost directly across from mine, and your bed was pressed against the window. How was I supposed to never see you lounging around in your underwear? Don't make it a big deal."