Page 7 of Sofa King Safe

It’simpossible not to stare at Rhodes.In the space of a few hours, my crush on him has bloomed beyond control.Not only is he handsome, but he’s sweet and caring.The best part is that I see the way he thinks about others and not himself first.

“How are you single?”I blurt out before I can think better of it.“Crap, that was rude.”

“You can ask me anything you want, sweetness.”

That’s the third time he’s called me that.Yes, I’m counting.I’m not sure why, but I am.

“So?”I hedge, wanting to know.

“It’s a small town, and once upon a time, I was a runt.”

“A runt?”I laugh.“As in small?”I can’t picture Rhodes as anything other than gigantic.I would have guessed him to be a ten-pound baby.

“Shocking, I know.”He pats his stomach like he’s got a beer belly, which he doesn’t.I don’t think he has washboard abs, but he’s built.Rhodes is more barrel-chested and thick everywhere.“Didn’t really start filling out until around freshman year.By then I was jaded.”

“Jaded at fifteen?That’s rough,” I tease.

I’m not one to judge.I've felt that way about men practically my whole life.Both my mother and I have a way of attracting the wrong kind of men.Though I won’t end up like my mother did.I’m determined to break the cycle.

Too bad trouble is always chasing after me no matter how hard I run.That might be the problem.I need to face it head-on, but it’s really hard when I’m up against a man twice my size.Plus, no one wanted to listen, let alone believe anything I had to say.

"It stings when the girls don't give you the time of day.Then all of a sudden you grow a couple of feet, and now they want something to do with you."

"Ouch.That sucks, but I understand what you mean.It happens a lot to girls when they lose weight."

“Yeah, it’s really shitty,” he says and then shrugs.“By the time the girls came around, they’d already dated all of my friends.Which was something I wasn’t interested in.”

“Oh crap, I never thought about that.I was thinking more along the lines of having to see someone you used to date all the time.”

“That too, I suppose.”

I’d made sure I would never run into my ex.If anyone could really call him that.We’d gone on a handful of dates, but several were forced.He would show up and present it as if we just happened to cross paths.I began to quickly realize that it was complete bullshit.

"So we both haven't dated much?"

"You haven't?"he asks, and I shake my head.

"Not really."

Us being on the same level puts me at ease.I'm not sure what’s happening between Rhodes and me, but it's nice to know I don't have to be awkward and out of my comfort zone alone.However, there’s something about Rhodes that brings me comfort nonetheless.

The cabin of the truck falls silent, but there isn't a need to fill it.I relax more in my seat while giving Boss pets.Every now and then, Rhodes will reach over and give him a couple too.

I smile when Rhodes's house comes into view.I wasn’t surprised when he told me he built it.I bet the man can do anything with his hands.My mind goes to somewhere that it shouldn’t as I think about how rough his hands would feel with a few calluses.I’m willing to bet his touch would still be gentle.

“Stay put for a second.”

My eyes snap away from Rhodes's hands on the steering wheel.Did I really get lost in a haze over hands?

“What?”

“Stay in the truck.Got it?”he asks, and I nod.

Rhodes opens the truck door, and he hits the lock as he steps out.The door closes behind him, and all I can think is, what the hell?My eyes follow after him to see he’s headed toward my van.That’s when I notice all my tires are flat.

“Oh shit.”I reach for the door handle but stop myself from opening it.My heart pounds in my chest as Rhodes circles my van and then disappears for a couple of seconds.When he comes around the other side, he tries to open the van door, but it's locked.

Rhodes heads for the porch next and goes up the stairs.I’m holding my breath as he unlocks the front door and then once again disappears from my sight.This time he’s gone longer, and I hold Boss close.The seconds tick by, but eventually Rhodes comes back outside, and I'm flooded with relief.I hit the unlock button when he gets to the passenger door, and he’s there, opening it for me.

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