Read Online The Cora Carmack New Adult Boxed Set: Losing It, Keeping Her, Faking It, and Finding It plus bonus material by Cora Carmack - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Cora Carmack
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watched as his eyes went from amused to concerned. “Everything okay?”
“Yeah, of course. I’m just tired. Can you take me home?”
“Sure, of course.” He pressed a hand to my cheek like he was my mother checking my temperature. He barely took his eyes off me as he said, “Thanks for letting us share your table, Mr. Taylor. See you Wednesday.”
“It’s Garrick, Cade, please. You two have a good night.”
Garrick looked only at Cade as he spoke, which was probably for the best. With an arm wrapped around my shoulder, I let my friend lead me out an archway on the side of the property that led to the parking lot.
I’d never been so glad to climb into a rusty car that smelled faintly of oil and cheese. Cade climbed in beside me. “You sure you’re okay?”
“Yeah, I promise, I’m just tired.”
“Okay.” He didn’t look convinced. “Let’s get you home then”
He turned the key, and nothing happened. No engine, no lights, nothing.
“Aww . . . shit.”
“What?” I asked. “What does that mean?”
“It means my car is a piece of crap.”
He turned the key again, and when nothing happened he slammed a palm into the steering wheel. I pulled my legs up into the seat and laid my head against my knees.
“Hold on a sec.” Cade climbed out of the car, and popped the hood. I stayed curled up in my seat trying to mentally erase the last 24 hours from my brain. Somewhere between analyzing every look Garrick had given me tonight and planning out what I would say and how I would act in our next class, I must have fallen asleep.
The next thing I knew, Cade was shaking me awake, and the car was definitely still not on.
I rubbed at my eyes, and climbed from the car.
“Sorry, I guess I was even more tired than I thought.”
“Listen, we can’t get the car started, and we’ve tried everything we can think of.”
My brain didn’t register the “we” until the hood started lowering, and Cade was still standing beside me.
And of course, there was Garrick again . Because the world just couldn’t make anything easier on me.
“We even tried jump-starting it using Mr. Taylor’s bike.”
“I told you, it’s Garrick, Cade.”
“Yeah, yeah, I know. So anyway, since I don’t live far away . . .”
Oh lord. No. Please no. Cade was an RA in one of the dorms, which meant he could walk home. I, on the other hand, lived a few miles from campus.
“I asked Mr. Taylor, and he said he could give you a ride home. Turns out you guys even live in the same apartment complex.”
“You don’t say.” I tried to turn my gritted teeth into a smile. “That’s nice of him, but I can just call Kelsey to come get me. It’s no big deal.”
“But y’all are going to the same place . . .” Cade’s confusion was endearing, but I sort of wanted to kick him in the shins.
“Yeah, but—“
“Bliss,” Garrick interrupted. God, I would never get tired of hearing him say my name is his delicious accent. “It’s fine. Really. I don’t mind, and I’ll have you home in no time. I promise.”
He was looking at me like this was the most casual thing in the world. Like having my arms wrapped around him as he drove would be totally okay. Like I didn’t still have a bandage on my leg from the last time I’d been on that bike.
Cade yawned. He looked as tired as I felt. I knew if I pushed the issue, and wanted to wait for Kelsey, he would wait with me.
I rubbed at my eyes, and took a deep breath.
It wasn’t deep enough.
“Okay, fine. Thanks . . . Mr. Taylor. And I’ll see you tomorrow, Cade.”
Cade smiled, oblivious to my torment, and said, “Great!”
He placed a quick kiss on my forehead, said goodnight to us both, and then jogged across the road and onto campus.
I didn’t even bother with the calming breath this time. I knew it wouldn’t help. I set my shoulders, and turned to face him.
He watched me for a second, frowning, and then said, “You cannot call me, Mr. Taylor.”
Despite
“Yeah, of course. I’m just tired. Can you take me home?”
“Sure, of course.” He pressed a hand to my cheek like he was my mother checking my temperature. He barely took his eyes off me as he said, “Thanks for letting us share your table, Mr. Taylor. See you Wednesday.”
“It’s Garrick, Cade, please. You two have a good night.”
Garrick looked only at Cade as he spoke, which was probably for the best. With an arm wrapped around my shoulder, I let my friend lead me out an archway on the side of the property that led to the parking lot.
I’d never been so glad to climb into a rusty car that smelled faintly of oil and cheese. Cade climbed in beside me. “You sure you’re okay?”
“Yeah, I promise, I’m just tired.”
“Okay.” He didn’t look convinced. “Let’s get you home then”
He turned the key, and nothing happened. No engine, no lights, nothing.
“Aww . . . shit.”
“What?” I asked. “What does that mean?”
“It means my car is a piece of crap.”
He turned the key again, and when nothing happened he slammed a palm into the steering wheel. I pulled my legs up into the seat and laid my head against my knees.
“Hold on a sec.” Cade climbed out of the car, and popped the hood. I stayed curled up in my seat trying to mentally erase the last 24 hours from my brain. Somewhere between analyzing every look Garrick had given me tonight and planning out what I would say and how I would act in our next class, I must have fallen asleep.
The next thing I knew, Cade was shaking me awake, and the car was definitely still not on.
I rubbed at my eyes, and climbed from the car.
“Sorry, I guess I was even more tired than I thought.”
“Listen, we can’t get the car started, and we’ve tried everything we can think of.”
My brain didn’t register the “we” until the hood started lowering, and Cade was still standing beside me.
And of course, there was Garrick again . Because the world just couldn’t make anything easier on me.
“We even tried jump-starting it using Mr. Taylor’s bike.”
“I told you, it’s Garrick, Cade.”
“Yeah, yeah, I know. So anyway, since I don’t live far away . . .”
Oh lord. No. Please no. Cade was an RA in one of the dorms, which meant he could walk home. I, on the other hand, lived a few miles from campus.
“I asked Mr. Taylor, and he said he could give you a ride home. Turns out you guys even live in the same apartment complex.”
“You don’t say.” I tried to turn my gritted teeth into a smile. “That’s nice of him, but I can just call Kelsey to come get me. It’s no big deal.”
“But y’all are going to the same place . . .” Cade’s confusion was endearing, but I sort of wanted to kick him in the shins.
“Yeah, but—“
“Bliss,” Garrick interrupted. God, I would never get tired of hearing him say my name is his delicious accent. “It’s fine. Really. I don’t mind, and I’ll have you home in no time. I promise.”
He was looking at me like this was the most casual thing in the world. Like having my arms wrapped around him as he drove would be totally okay. Like I didn’t still have a bandage on my leg from the last time I’d been on that bike.
Cade yawned. He looked as tired as I felt. I knew if I pushed the issue, and wanted to wait for Kelsey, he would wait with me.
I rubbed at my eyes, and took a deep breath.
It wasn’t deep enough.
“Okay, fine. Thanks . . . Mr. Taylor. And I’ll see you tomorrow, Cade.”
Cade smiled, oblivious to my torment, and said, “Great!”
He placed a quick kiss on my forehead, said goodnight to us both, and then jogged across the road and onto campus.
I didn’t even bother with the calming breath this time. I knew it wouldn’t help. I set my shoulders, and turned to face him.
He watched me for a second, frowning, and then said, “You cannot call me, Mr. Taylor.”
Despite
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