Page 55 of Fear of Falling

Since when does Wyatt Boone get nervous about a girl?

I think the last time was back in high school when I asked a girl to prom.

As the phone rang, I realized there was a good chance she was already in bed, and I silently cursed myself for calling her so late. Just as I was about to hang up, she answered.

“Hi.” Her voice was soft, almost timid.

“Hi,” I replied lamely. Clearing my throat, I shifted on the edge of my bed. “I hope I didn’t wake you.”

“All good, I was just changing into my pajamas.”

Of course my perverted-ass mind started picturing her in some form of skimpy PJ’s that showcased her long, toned legs. I bit my tongue so that I wouldn’t ask her out aloud.

That would be a sure-fire way to get her to hang up on me.

I could hear her shuffling like she was getting into bed. Now that I had her on the phone, I wasn’t sure what to say. It was like my brain shut down, incapable of making simple conversation.

“You know, it’s been a week since we got stuck in the elevator,” I said after a moment.

“Oh, that’s right. This time last week we were arguing over the best cereal.”

“Still can’t believe you think Cinnamon Toast Crunch is the best.” I shook my head although she couldn’t see me.

“Um, that's because itis. At least we can both agree that Frosted Mini Wheats are the worst.”

“Who even eats those?” I agreed, moving back onto my bed. “It’s like eating cardboard.

At the sound of her laughing, I smiled.

There. That’s what I needed to hear.

I liked her laugh. A lot. Earlier when she’d confessed why she covered her mouth when she laughed, I’d wanted nothing more than to track her ex down and beat the shit out of him.

What man…no, what boy says something like that to a woman? Especially one like Josie.

I meant every word I’d said to her in the car. I don’t want her to hide her laugh or anything about herself from me. I wanted to see and learn everything there was to know about her—a fact that was scary as fuck.

“So, lil rebel. Are we going to talk about that drunk story you told us at the bar?” I questioned. Josie groaned and I could practically see her covering her face with her free hand.

“Let’s not.”

“No, let’s,” I grinned to myself. “Breaking and entering…that’s a serious crime, Ms. Scott.”

“Technically it wasn’t breaking and entering if the building wasn’t locked properly.”

“Wonder what they’d do if they got an anonymous call detailing who did it?” I teased. “Is there a reward?”

“You wouldn’t dare!” she gasped dramatically, and I had to clamp my hand over my mouth to hold back the laughter.

“Who’s to say it would come from me? There were others there tonight that heard it,” I pointed out.

“Trevor wouldn’t do that to me.”

I had a feeling letting Trevor and Josie become friends was going to bite me in the ass. I saw the smug look on his face earlier when we came out of the locker room, and he put his arm around her. He knew it would piss me off, which of course it did. I also knew he was going to tease me non-stop about it next time I saw him.

“Trevor can’t save you now.”

“You have no evidence Mr. Boone.”

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