Read Online How to Date a Nerd by Cassie Mae - Free Book Online Page A

have?”
    I shrug. I don’t think my voice can function right now.
     “Okay, let’s put the car in reverse.” He looks down at the shifter and laughs. “You’ve got a funky one.”
    “What?”
    “You see the ‘R’?”
    I look down, squinting at the tiny letter in the upper left corner next to the number ‘1’. “Yeah.”
    “Well, that means you have to push the shifter down before going in gear. Watch me, and keep your foot on the clutch.”
    He shifts so fast I blink a couple times before saying, “Wait. Show me again.”
    He chuckles as he pulls it out of gear, then back in. “Did you see that time?”
    I throw him a look. “Yes.”
    “Okay, now feather the clutch.”
    “I wanna what now?”
    He shakes his head, stifling his laughter again. “Do you remember on Star Wars —”
    “You’re seriously going to go there?” Now I’m stifling some major giggles.
    “Let me finish. Millennium Falcon. Does Han Solo whip the lever down when he puts it in hyper drive?”
    I totally know the answer. I still watch it every other week. But am I ready to be one-hundred percent Geek Zoe? Well, maybe right now. I mean, we’re not in school. And I know Zak won’t make fun of me or anything.
    “No. He does it kinda slow.”
    “That’s feathering. Ease your foot off the clutch.”
    Okay, so the Star Wars reference works. Darn boy knows me better than I know myself. I “feather” the clutch, my foot shaking either from nerves or the vibrating engine, and the car rolls back.
    I pull my foot off the clutch, startled from the sudden movement and the car lurches to a stop.
    “It moved!”
    Zak bends over, cackling between his legs. “It’s supposed to move, Zo.” He wipes tears from his eyes. My defenses pop in, but I can’t help but laugh with him, so I know he’s not going to take me seriously.
    “Well, I’m sorry. I got scared. There are too many things to concentrate on. Shifting and the clutch, not to mention all the other stuff like the speed limit and you know, people in the road.” I shake my head, trying to get the smile off my face. “I can’t do this.”
    “Relax, Zo. This is your first attempt. Everyone stalls. I still do sometimes.”
    “There’s too much crap going on,” I say, folding my arms across my waist, my smile finally disappearing. I don’t feel like embarrassing myself anymore today. Especially in front of him.
    “Tell you what. Put your hand on the shifter.”
    I glare at him.
    “Just do it. Trust me.”
    I huff, but I slam my hand down on the stupid thing.
    “Okay,” he says before setting his hand on mine. He weaves his fingers in between my own, and I swear I swallowed a drummer with the way my heart pounds in my throat. I steal a glance at him, and he looks like he’s about to sweat a rainstorm. “I-I’ll shift, you worry about the clutch.” He gulps and his grip tightens on my hand.
    If he thinks this is less distracting, he’s dead wrong.
    He goes to start the car for me again, leaning so close his breath tickles my neck. My head goes fuzzy as I picture him closing the distance between our bodies, forgetting I’m supposed to be doing something. His lips form words, but I don’t hear them. His scent is intoxicating, pulling me under. Holy crap! I’m going to pass out!
    “Zo?”
    “Huh?”
    He chuckles. “Did you hear me?”
    “Um, sorry what?”
    “I need your foot on the clutch to start the car.”
    I shake my head, wishing the fuzziness would wear off, but he smiles, and it makes everything blurry.
    Somehow I concentrate enough to press my foot down. He starts the engine and leans back, taking the mouthwatering air with him. He moves my hand on the shifter.
    “All right, take the Millennium Falcon into hyper drive.”
    I chuckle and ease out the clutch. When the car moves this time, I don’t jump.
    “What do I do when I get to the road?” I ask as I near the end of my driveway.
    “Push down on the clutch, put your foot on the brake, and wait for me