Page 19 of Alpha Theo

She shakes her head again.

“Aw, c’mon,” I chuckle. “I’ll take it nice and slow for your first time.”

And I don’t just mean the motorcycle ride.

Another shake of her head.

Damn, this chick is stubborn.

I heave a sigh, reaching back to pull my jacket off of the chairback. “Fine, I’ll see if I can borrow Gray’s Jeep. Meet me out front at five?”

“Yeah, sounds good,” Brooke breathes, the corners of her mouth tipping up into a smile. “See ya then.”

I rise to my feet, slinging my jacket over my shoulder. Guess I’ve gotta go track Gray down to see about borrowing that Jeep.

I tip my head to Brooke before I head to the door, flashing her a smile. “Later, kid.”

CHAPTER NINE

Brooke

I head outside five minutes early to wait for Theo, and he’s ten minutes late. Figures.

The afternoon sun is beating down and beads of sweat are rolling down my back by the time he pulls up in Gray’s Jeep, honking the horn as if he doesn’t see me waiting here.

Why did I agree to catch a ride with him again?

I sling my backpack over a shoulder and shove my hands in my pockets, trudging around to the passenger side. When I pull open the door, I hear the familiar tune ofBoulevard of Broken Dreamsand I can’t help but crack a smile, throwing my backpack on the floor, sliding into the seat, and closing it behind me.

Theo doesn’t even give me time to fasten my seatbelt before he hits the gas, spinning the wheels on the dirt and peeling out toward the road.

“Will you slow down?!” I gasp, clutching at the seatbelt and shoving it down over my lap and into the buckle.

“Oh calm down,” Theo chuckles, whipping onto the road.

He drives like a frickin’ maniac. I’m already regretting getting in the car with him, even before he turns to look over at me and flashes one of those charming smiles that makes my belly do somersaults.

He takes a turn way too fast and my hands fly to the ceiling to brace myself. “Theo!”

“Screaming my name already?” He arches a brow, smirking.

I heave an exasperated sigh. “Please slow down.”

He does, marginally.

This guy must be one of those adrenaline junkies. I’msoglad I didn’t agree to ride on his motorcycle with him- I may not have made it out alive.

“Damn, I don’t think I’ve met anyone as tightly wound as you are, kid,” he chuckles.

“Am not,” I scowl. “I’d just prefer to live to see tomorrow.”

“Is it really living if you’re not taking chances, having some fun with it?” He flashes me another smile and my retort gets lost on my lips.

The song changes, the first few bars of ‘Caught Up In You’by38 Specialringing out through the speaker. I squeal in delight, doing a little shimmy.

“I love this song!” I exclaim, whipping my head back and forth to the beat, my long hair swishing in front of my face.

Theo laughs, watching me from the drivers’ seat as I sing along. Either he slows down, or I don’t notice his erratic driving while I’m listening to the song- I get lost in it.

---