Page 78 of Kiss and Make Love

They drove for several hours, and surprisingly, June didn’t touch her book once. Instead, they talked. Got to know each other. The car was cramped and uncomfortable after being in it for so long, but it gave him valuable time with June, so he was okay with it.

“Can I ask about your whole…situation?” he ventured, hoping not to offend her.

Her eyebrows furrowed. “My situation?”

Shit. Didn’t she know people viewed her habits as a bit irregular? “Yeah, you know. The whole two jobs, random shifts, going to school here and there, that kind of thing?”

To his amazement, she erupted in laughter. “Oh,thatsituation. You mean the wholeunconventional whirlwindthing I’ve got going on?”

Relieved, he pointed a finger at her. “Your words, not mine.”

“I work two jobs to pay for my ridiculously expensive rent and put myself through school. I only do what I can afford, so that means going one semester at a time, saving up for a while, then doing another semester when I can afford it.”

He frowned. “Why not take out a student loan? That’d make things easier, no?”

“Yeah, it would. But then I’d be in debt and have to pay the loan back. I don’t want to owe anyone anything. I do what I can do, even if that means taking things slower than most people. I’m making it work.”

“I always thought you were disorganized, but you have things planned out, don’t you? Only in a different way than most.”

She stuck out her tongue at him. “I’m choosing not to be offended at that statement,Gabriel.”

Well, he’d stepped in it. He winced, saying, “Oh, don’t call me Gabriel. I wasn’t trying to be a prick, I?—”

“I’m just teasing you. I know how I come off to most people. I do what works for me, and it allows me to do well in my classes and always pay my rent on time. Once I graduate and get a job in social work, everything will fall into place. I know it.”

“I have no doubt about that. You’ll make a great social worker.” He meant it. Being around her these past two days had shown him what a kind and caring soul she was.

What a mistake it was thinking June didn’t have her life together. He realized her tenacity to survive on her own and put herself through school with no help—not even from Matt—was impressive. Theno student loans thingseemed stubborn and impractical to him, but he kind of liked that about her. She was a determined little thing.

Would she accept help from him? If they became a couple? Money was never an issue for him, and he ached to support her. Her stubbornness had gotten her this far, but he could tell she was tired. She could move in with him and not have to worry about paying rent each month?—

Damn, where did that come from? He was getting way too far ahead of himself. They’d been together for one day. His thoughts were taking off in crazy directions. She was hot, yes, and got his stony heart to soften, but he still needed to keep his focus on his impending promotion. Come to think of it, his phone had been oddly quiet this morning.

“Hey, June, can you check my phone? It’s weird I haven’t had any calls.”

Plucking his phone out of the cupholder, she hit the unlock button and waited for the screen to come to life. He saw the phone wasn’t responding.

“Did you charge it last night?” she asked.

“No, but I plugged it in for an hour this morning. There’s no way it’s dead. Try the power.”

That did it. The screen came to life. It started vibrating incessantly with missed text messages and voicemails.

“Shit. I should’ve left my phone on.” He slammed his hand on the steering wheel.

June startled out of the corner of his eye. He mentally chastised himself for getting angry and for turning off his phone last night. It had seemed like a good idea. Clearly, he was thinking with his dick and not his head. But shouldn’t he be allowed to think with his dick once in a while? Why did work always have to come first?

He pulled the car over onto the shoulder of the highway and threw it into park. The phone was in June’s hands, so he grabbed it, thumbing his way through all the notifications. Multiple missed calls from clients, angry texts from his boss, Charles, and six new voicemails. He let his head fall back onto the headrest and closed his eyes. One distracted night and now he had to deal with a clusterfuck at work.Thiswas why he didn’t let himself get distracted.Thiswas why he didn’t entertain the idea of a relationship. He didn’t want to get burned again. Especially by his own hand. But it was all becoming too strenuous.

He dialed his boss’ number, bracing for the earful he was about to get. Before he hitcall, he said to June, “Listen, I need to deal with this mess. You should go stretch your legs.” The words came out blunter than intended, but he couldn’t help it.

Charles answered the call with a less-than-polite greeting, and Gabe diverted his attention from the gorgeous girl beside him to his boss’ livid ranting.

Time to do damage control.

JUNE

June grabbed her phone and rocketed out the passenger door. The air was warm with the summer sun, and she walked on the grass strip beside the highway, careful to stay on the shoulder. Cars whizzed by, assaulting her senses. She shook her head to clear it.

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