Wreck Me (Nova #4)(3)
Author: Jessica Sorensen

I roll my eyes. The last thing I will ever do is date a guy from The Subs because I’m not going to end up here like my mother. I will do everything in my power never to let that happen.

Sucking in a deep breath, I rush back into my house and into the living room. This time I’m in such a hurry I almost step on a syringe, but thankfully, I’m able to dodge around it. I struggle to get the large speakers in my arms before I maneuver around the people passed out on the floor and make my way to the front door, bursting outside and into the cool night.

And right into a warm, solid figure.

There’s a loud smack as we collide. I trip back and into the screen door, banging my elbow against the metal and dropping one of the speakers onto the cement.

“Shit, are you okay?” Conner rushes to my aid, but all that does is make me snap back upright and target him with a warning look. “Sorry.” He backs up with his hands surrendered in front of him. “I was just seeing if you were okay.”

As the porch light shines down on him, I can now see his features clearly. In height, he’s got me by about five inches, putting him at about six two. He has broad shoulders, well-shaped arms, sandy brown hair, and bright green eyes. Dressed in a crisp polo shirt and tan cargo shorts, with skin lacking piercings and ink, the guy screams preppy boy and not from around here, but far, far away where I’ve never been before. I’ll admit it’s got me curious because he’s different from my norm.

Is he the stars answering my wish?

Take me away from here, please.

I blink, shaking the absurd thought from my mind. “I’m fine,” I tell Conner as I lean against the door, hugging the speaker to my chest.

A lopsided grin tugs at his lips as he lowers his hands to his sides. “Zack told me to stay over here and make sure you didn’t need any help bringing the speakers over.”

I look down at the speaker in my arms and then at the one on the ground beside my feet. “I’m good, but thanks.”

“I can carry one for you if you want,” he offers, reaching for the speaker in my arms.

I hesitate, but then hand it over anyway. “Thank you.”

He takes the speaker from me and then moves for the one I dropped. Once he gets both of them situated in his arms, he smiles at me again, this time in a much flirtier manner. “I take thank you payments in the form of walks to the next door neighbor’s house.”

The cautious girl in me frowns.

But the dreamer girl’s heart skips a beat.

Leaving me both nervous and confused.

“I don’t even know you.” I fold my arms across my chest, very aware that I’m not wearing a bra and that it’s super chilly outside. But Conner isn’t looking down at my breasts. No, his blue-eyed gaze is fixed on mine, which makes me warm up to him more.

“Of course you do.” He’s amused. “I’m Conner, remember? I introduced myself when you insinuated that I might be a creepy pervert.”

I smash my lips together so I won’t laugh at his joke. “How do you know Zack?”

His smile never falters. “We work at the same place together.”

“Which is?”

“Down at Wellings Electronics.”

“You work as a cashier with Zack?”

“More like a manager position.” He says it with a straight face, appearing to be telling the truth, but still…

“Give me one minute.” I open the screen door and run back inside, holding my breath before I barrel past the living room and up the stairs to my bedroom. I hurry and put on my jacket then grab my can of mace from my nightstand drawer. Then I slip on my flip-flops and tuck the mace into my pocket before dashing back outside.

Conner is waiting for me at the bottom of the steps when I get there, confidence written all over him.

“I can only be gone like fifteen minutes tops,” I tell him, trotting down the stairs.

“Got an early morning?” he asks as we cross the lawn and head down the sidewalk toward Zack’s house.

“No, I just don’t want to leave my younger brother home for too long.”

He stops just short of the border of Zack’s property and glances back at my house. “Oh shit. Is he there by himself?” He looks like he feels bad and it makes me like him that much more.

I keep walking, motioning for him to continue moving. “No, but I need to be around, you know?”

He nods, even though I’m not sure he gets the full meaning of what I’m saying. “All right, I’ll clock it.” He awkwardly shifts his arm so he can check the time on his watch. “We’ll make sure you’re back in fifteen.”

I smile a real smile for the first time tonight, and he grins back, making me feel all warm inside.

“You’ve got a cute smile,” he says with sincerity.

“And you’re cute, being my alarm clock,” I tease, a nervous habit of mine.

“You know I’d be flattered if it wasn’t for the fact that your voice was dripping with sarcasm.” He shoots me a playful grin as we make a right up Zack’s driveway, which is crawling with intoxicated people and reminds me so much of home that I almost back away.

Shoving back my need to flee, I say, “You should still be flattered.” I push my way through the crowd and to the side door of Zack’s house. “I usually don’t give people sarcasm.”

Conner laughs as he elbows a staggering drunk guy out of the way. “Good to know. I’ll have to think of some more lines to get you going.”

I roll my eyes, yet I’m smiling to myself as I open the screen door and hold it open for Conner to walk inside. When he steps in, his gaze swiftly scrolls up and down my body.

I’m flattered that he’s checking me out. But I’m unsure how to feel about my reaction. For most of my teenage years, I’ve never really spent too much time thinking about the opposite sex. Yes, I’ve made out with a few here and there at a couple of parties I’ve been to, but I’m still a virgin. Conner, he kind of looks like a datable guy, if I had time to date…

I have to wonder, though, if I’m just acting this way because he’s attractive, seems like a gentleman, and doesn’t look like he belongs in this neighborhood. I’ve never met anyone with all three of those characteristics, and I’ll admit it’s got me curious. Maybe this is what I’ve been waiting around for.

“Why are you staring at me like that?” Conner asks, cocking his brow at me.