friends around. I mean, why aren’t you hanging out with other girls?”
She avoided my question completely and handed me my stopwatch.
“I’ve gotta go. My mom’s waiting.”
“Dallas, why—”
She turned on me with an eye roll. “Because they have motives, Dean, and it’s not to get to know me better, okay? I mean, it’s no big secret who my best friend is. I have you and the guys. I’m good.”
She was referring to my crew who had taken her in under strict guidelines to keep their fucking hands off. They all had a soft spot for her and looked out for her like I did.
“You want to do something for me, Martin?” she asked, turning to face me in front of her mother’s SUV her hands on her hips. “Teach me to drive.”
“Done.” I beamed at her as she lifted a brow, incredulous. “Seriously, I want to.”
“Sure you have time with your social calendar and all?”
“Think you can set down your beaker and escape your mad lab long enough?”
She gave me the smile that only Dallas could give that said everything in just a few precious seconds.
And in those seconds, I knew I was in love with her.
And for her I smoked Derek Watson.
It had all come to a head at my track meet finals. For the first time in a long time, I was looking forward to a date. There was a girl my age, newly eighteen, who seemed like the perfect candidate to get Dallas out of my head. My prospective date, Lindsey, was sitting in the stands. I waved to her, seeing Dallas a few rows over wave back at me. Lindsey was oblivious, but Dallas noticed her right away. And as usual, watching, Dallas’s face fall in recognition of my attention on another girl, I felt bad, as I should’ve for letting her get so close to me. Dallas had been to every single track meet, every single pep rally. She was by far the best friend I had ever had. I hadn’t made a mistake in making her my best friend. I had made a huge mistake in that I had fallen for her.
She was only fifteen!
It all came down to that. I couldn’t get past it and I wouldn’t. Most guys wouldn’t blink at the age difference, but I wasn’t most guys. She was untouched, that much I knew. It was settled. I caught Lindsey’s eyes and she smiled. I looked at Dallas, who was clearly hurt, and wiped my face with a towel.
What the fuck are you doing, Dean?
I’d noticed the subtle changes in Dallas’s dress, the skirts getting slightly shorter, she wore more makeup, more perfume. She was desperately trying to get my attention and God help me she had all of it. We had come a long way as friends in such little time and much more. I had dragged her on a few double dates to try to change the dynamic that was slowly building between us to keep things friendly and less intimate, but it wasn’t working. I missed her when she was not around, and I rarely paid much attention to my date, watching her date like a hawk, though I had handpicked and threatened every single one.
I had been to her home often and somehow became an integrated part of her family. I entertained Rose and had even become chummy with her older brother, Paul. She had met my parents on numerous occasions and had even lived through the scrutiny of my mother, who now adored her and threatened my life if I so much touched a hair on her head.
As hard as I had tried to keep our relationship a friendship, I had failed. She was now a part of me.
There was no going back, and that was becoming clear with each day. I had to do the right thing, even if it meant hurting her. Even if it hurt me.
I finished my meet and saw Dallas waiting at the bottom of the stands. I groaned when I took in her tiny shorts and snug shirt. I glanced at Lindsey, who had her hand up to her ear in a ‘call me’ gesture. I nodded and approached Dallas with caution.
“Hi.” She greeted me with a breathtaking smile.
God, you are beautiful.
“Hi,” I said back, hoping she couldn’t hear my inner musing.
“Good meet. I would congratulate you,
She avoided my question completely and handed me my stopwatch.
“I’ve gotta go. My mom’s waiting.”
“Dallas, why—”
She turned on me with an eye roll. “Because they have motives, Dean, and it’s not to get to know me better, okay? I mean, it’s no big secret who my best friend is. I have you and the guys. I’m good.”
She was referring to my crew who had taken her in under strict guidelines to keep their fucking hands off. They all had a soft spot for her and looked out for her like I did.
“You want to do something for me, Martin?” she asked, turning to face me in front of her mother’s SUV her hands on her hips. “Teach me to drive.”
“Done.” I beamed at her as she lifted a brow, incredulous. “Seriously, I want to.”
“Sure you have time with your social calendar and all?”
“Think you can set down your beaker and escape your mad lab long enough?”
She gave me the smile that only Dallas could give that said everything in just a few precious seconds.
And in those seconds, I knew I was in love with her.
And for her I smoked Derek Watson.
It had all come to a head at my track meet finals. For the first time in a long time, I was looking forward to a date. There was a girl my age, newly eighteen, who seemed like the perfect candidate to get Dallas out of my head. My prospective date, Lindsey, was sitting in the stands. I waved to her, seeing Dallas a few rows over wave back at me. Lindsey was oblivious, but Dallas noticed her right away. And as usual, watching, Dallas’s face fall in recognition of my attention on another girl, I felt bad, as I should’ve for letting her get so close to me. Dallas had been to every single track meet, every single pep rally. She was by far the best friend I had ever had. I hadn’t made a mistake in making her my best friend. I had made a huge mistake in that I had fallen for her.
She was only fifteen!
It all came down to that. I couldn’t get past it and I wouldn’t. Most guys wouldn’t blink at the age difference, but I wasn’t most guys. She was untouched, that much I knew. It was settled. I caught Lindsey’s eyes and she smiled. I looked at Dallas, who was clearly hurt, and wiped my face with a towel.
What the fuck are you doing, Dean?
I’d noticed the subtle changes in Dallas’s dress, the skirts getting slightly shorter, she wore more makeup, more perfume. She was desperately trying to get my attention and God help me she had all of it. We had come a long way as friends in such little time and much more. I had dragged her on a few double dates to try to change the dynamic that was slowly building between us to keep things friendly and less intimate, but it wasn’t working. I missed her when she was not around, and I rarely paid much attention to my date, watching her date like a hawk, though I had handpicked and threatened every single one.
I had been to her home often and somehow became an integrated part of her family. I entertained Rose and had even become chummy with her older brother, Paul. She had met my parents on numerous occasions and had even lived through the scrutiny of my mother, who now adored her and threatened my life if I so much touched a hair on her head.
As hard as I had tried to keep our relationship a friendship, I had failed. She was now a part of me.
There was no going back, and that was becoming clear with each day. I had to do the right thing, even if it meant hurting her. Even if it hurt me.
I finished my meet and saw Dallas waiting at the bottom of the stands. I groaned when I took in her tiny shorts and snug shirt. I glanced at Lindsey, who had her hand up to her ear in a ‘call me’ gesture. I nodded and approached Dallas with caution.
“Hi.” She greeted me with a breathtaking smile.
God, you are beautiful.
“Hi,” I said back, hoping she couldn’t hear my inner musing.
“Good meet. I would congratulate you,
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