Page 41 of Caught Stealing

“Sure thing. Wanna take my car?” Koa asks.

I’m confused since Andrew said he’d take me home. He doesn’t have his truck?

Andrew grins and settles his hand on my middle back. “You want me to borrow Koa’s car or would you like to ride backpack on my bike? Full disclosure, I don’t have an extra helmet.”

“Oh, no.” I raise my hands to signal my complete displeasure with the idea of zipping around on a motorcycle at night without a helmet or other protection. “I’m good with the car, thanks. I don’t want to chance smashing my skull.”

“I’d never let you ride without a helmet. I meant, I’d have to go without,” Andrew says.

“I don’t want that either,” I say and scowl. Not a chance.

Andrew accepts Koa’s keys and nods to the black helmet sitting on the bench where Andrew had been. “Take care of her. Don’t go flying around town on my bike and get a speeding ticket like last time.”

“No promises.” Koa’s impish smile says a lot more than his words. I can’t help noticing how handsome all of the men are. In their own ways, they each have an alluring presentation—especially Koa’s blue-green eyes and dirty blonde hair—but when my gaze shifts back to Andrew again, there’s an undeniable attraction.

When we first met, he struck me as the model type but now that I look more closely, he also has a definite boy next door approachability paired with an unmistakable dominance that makes me feel…right. Safe. Protected. Wanted. Dare I say, prioritized?

Someone must have turned down the air conditioning because a wave of warmth brings sweat to my palms.

“Ready?”

I realize I’ve been staring and smile to cover my embarrassment. Rory never made me feel like this. Sure, I was attracted to him and thought he was gorgeous, but I didn’t have the same reaction to him that I do with Andrew. Flirting with Rory in the beginning was awkward and stilted, and I always felt self-conscious. As our relationship progressed, I got used to feeling unequally paired with him. At least, that’s what all of his fans thought in the beginning. There’s nothing like having people say that you’re not pretty enough for such a hot commodity.

But with Andrew, my unease stems from something else entirely.

And it isn’t actually self-conscious behavior at all. It’s pride. I’m ashamed that I haven’t truly let Andrew be himself around me without judgment. I’ve put my needs and worries ahead of the truth—that Andrew has not given me any reason to believe he’s anything like my ex-boyfriend. And worst of all? I’ve asked God to guide me and ignored Him because my fear has been greater than my trust. And the fact is, Andrew doesn’t deserve to suffer for the wrongs of another man. He deserves a fair shot without the shadow of another man’s mistakes hanging over him.

Out in the lot, Andrew leads me to a sleek little black sports car that is probably worth as much as my house. I can’t make out the insignia, which means it’s not a common brand. At least not among school teachers and my neighborhood folks. He waits for me to settle in before gently closing the door. I’m wrapped in buttery leather and surrounded by the masculine scents of pine and tobacco. It wafts toward me again when he sits behind the wheel and closes the door, but nothing prepares me for the gadgets that light up when he turns the ignition.

“You look nervous,” he says and adjusts the seat.

“I’m afraid to touch it.”

“You can’t hurt this car. I promise.”

“I’m not even sure I want to know how much it costs.”

He chuckles and bites his lower lip. “Probably not.”

When he pulls onto the main road, I settle deeper into the plush seat and wonder if they also make living room furniture. A girl could get used to such a cozy seat. It holds me like a newborn baby in swaddling and takes the curves tighter than a race car. A couple of miles pass before Andrew glances at me again.

“You’re quiet. Is this okay?” He shifts gears and the car whines in protest for a blink before growling back to life.

“Yeah, sure. I asked you, remember?”

“I know but you’re allowed to change your mind. This isn’t a hostage situation. If you’d rather go home, I’ll take you.”

I laugh a little too loudly. What he said wasn’t even that funny, but it has me wondering what a hostage situation with him might be like. Can’t say I’d complain. It’s hard to decide if I should tell him about my position with Rory or let it fade into the background. We’re not in a relationship, but some part of not telling Andrew feels like lying and a little shady. Now. I’ve got to start being truthful now.

“Um, I don’t know why I’m telling you this other than not telling you feels wrong, but Rory came to my house a few days ago. He popped in without calling and got his things, but he…” I should have thought this through more before diving in. I’m not sure how to phrase the next part without it sounding like I want to give Rory another chance. I don't, but I do want to forgive him.

“He wants you back obviously.” Andrew glances at me again to see if he hit the nail on the head. “He’d be a fool not to want you back, but I have to be honest, you can do better even if it’s not with me.”

“Yeah, he wants to try again, and I actually believed him when he said he made a mistake and regrets it. Still, it’s not enough to build a future. He destroyed my trust and while I can forgive him, I just can't forget. You know?”

Andrew works his jaw a little. I’ve put him in an awkward position. We’ve been on a handful of dates, so this is probably overkill in the information department.

“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t—”

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