Either way it’s sexy as hell. He’s so much more distinguished, masculine, and perfect than any man in town…and certainly the boys my age can’t compare.
He’s a real man…a man who knows what he wants. And I’m starting to feel a lot more confident that my assessment of what he wants might be accurate.
That what he wants is me.
But if I’m wrong, and I swing for the fences and miss, it could ruin everything between us. It could make things weird not just for me, but for the whole team this final season…my final year of high school.
I’m old for my class, almost a full year older, but he’s older and wiser in an experienced and worldly kind of way.
I can’t keep doing this to myself. I have to know if that world of his is ever going to include me.
Because a world without him in it, sure seems like not much of a world at all…to me.
CHAPTER 3
Myles
Later that day
I roll my wrist over and look at my watch, noticing the hairs on my arms are standing on end.
It’s almost seven in the evening, the time when Morgan usually comes into this coffee shop to study, from what I can gather from her Instagram page.
Almost as if her ear is to the ground, the door jingles and then opens and she enters.
I don’t look up from my book, not that I even know what book it is. I just grabbed the first thing I saw when I got here five minutes ago and slid into my seat.
The real reading was last night…her social media page to see who she’s hanging out with. I really am being a father figure for her. If I ever saw someone I thought looked fishy, or didn’t have her best interests in mind, I would let her know. Better yet, I wouldn’t bother her. I’d just tell them to stay away, or they’d have to deal with me…and who in their right mind wants to deal with an insane, feral beast who will protect what’s his at any cost?
Last night also consisted of studying a calculus book well past two in the morning. I was a wreck today at work, but I know she’s going to have questions sometime soon…and I’m going to have answers.
What I need to do, if I manage to get caught up on my sleep, is read some books on investing. I need to be ready when it’s time to have a family with her.
Damn. I grit my teeth at the thought…how perfect it sounds.
She moves through the coffee shop and picks a spot that’s not her usual one. My brows knit and I wonder what’s up. I’m sure she’s going to have questions about her homework and I’m ready to help her, but she doesn’t come this way, or even look at me.
I stare at her over the top of my book, my mind racing and trying to fill in the blanks. What’s going on?
A few seconds later the door jingles again and the captain of the high school football team walks right in and approaches her table…and sits down.
My eyes lock in on him as I shake my head and mutter more than a few profanities. The little shit’s got a reputation a mile long, and none of it’s good. The thing is he’s not just some little high school kid anymore. He’s six foot four and well over two hundred pounds, a quarterback who’s already committed to one of the best college programs in the state.
But he’s got nothing on me. I’m just as tall and just as big, and I’ve got years of real work in the weight room, and in life, behind these dense muscles.
I wring my hands, like I’m dry washing them before I press a fist against my mouth and puff out my cheeks, my other hand rubbing my opposite forearm.
I roll my shoulders, my clothing is suddenly uncomfortable and constricting, and a shirt unnecessary and a liability if I was to get in a fight.
My mouth tastes bitter and my throat burns as I keep my eyes locked in on him, watching the way he looks at her just a little too friendly.
I keep an eye on his hands, making sure he keeps them to himself, or else I might just have to snap off a few of his fingers.
The kid is not quite eighteen, so despite his size and his cocky attitude, I have to be careful if something does go down between us. I’d go to jail without a second thought if I knew of anyone trying to harm my Morgan, but if I’m in jail then there’s no one out here to protect her. That can’t happen.
The bottom of my book hits the table with a thud and a few people look, but Morgan and that jock just stay focused on their conversation.