Page 39 of Chasing Xander
Her stomach fluttered. “Plenty of time for what?”
“Breakfast.” He said it like she should’ve known.
“Uh, we already had breakfast, remember?”
“So?” He shrugged. “That was hours ago. I’m hungry again.”
“You planning to take me back to the Dump?”
“It’s called the Dive. And no.” He stood and slung his backpack over his shoulder. “I’ve got something else in mind.”
She wanted nothing more than to get up and follow him, to go wherever he wanted, to do whatever he wanted, to be anything he wanted, but that was stupid and impulsive. She had a paper due and hadn’t even started it. She needed to keep her butt planted firmly in the chair and do the research she’d come there to do.
Instead, she stood and gathered the books. “Let me take care of these, then we can go.”
When she returned to the table, Xander had his head down, cell phone in his hand, and a scowl on his face. Her stomach knotted. She hoped everything was okay, but she had a bad feeling he was going to blow her off.
“Ready?” He forced a tight smile and shoved his phone into his back pocket, but not before she caught a glimpse of Lora’s name on his screen.
She narrowed her eyes. “Everything okay?”
He nodded. They walked silently out of the library, and he led her toward his car. She couldn’t help but wonder what was really going on between him and Lora. Sure, she’d gotten a version of the truth from him last night, but she had a gut feeling it wasn’t the whole story. If the two of them weren’t together and were nothing more than a casual hookup, then why was she still calling him? And why was he answering her?
The continued silence grated on her nerves. “Are you going to tell me where we’re going?”
Xander stopped at his car and opened the passenger door. A gorgeous smile lit up his face. “Nope. It’s a surprise.”
“That’s not fair.” She pouted.
He put his hand on the roof and towered over her, his eyes darkening. “No, that damn look isn’t fair.” He nearly growled the words as he reached up and tugged her lip from between her teeth.
Kylie’s breath hitched, and she pressed back against the car, her gaze never wavering from his. She licked her lips, prepared to say something, when Celeste’s cell phone vibrated in her pocket. “Shit,” she muttered and pulled the phone from her pocket. “I’m sorry. I have to take this.”
She stepped away from him and swiped her finger across the screen, disappointed to see a text message and not the nursing home’s phone number. Without thinking, she opened the message. She squinted at the image. “What the…?” Kylie tilted her head to one side as recognition hit her. “Oh my God!”
“What’s wrong?” He peered over her shoulder. “What the fuck?” He snatched the phone from her hand. “Are you seriously standing here looking at a cock shot?”
Kylie spun around to face him. “A what?” She laughed. She knew it was a picture of a guy’s dick, but she’d never heard anyone call it a cock shot before.
“A dick pic.” He waved the phone to emphasize his point. “You told me you didn’t have a boyfriend.”
“I don’t!”
“Well, this sure seems like you do.” He looked at the message, and his brows furrowed. “Whoa. Wait. Why the fuck isFinnsending you pictures of his dick?”
“That’s Finn’s dick?” She reached for the phone, but he pulled it back out of her reach, giving her an incredulous look. “How do you know that? Seriously, Xander. How do you know that’s Finn just by looking at the picture?” Kylie cupped her hand over her mouth and laughed so hard, tears pooled in her eyes.
“I recognized his phone number.” For some reason, that only made her laugh harder, and his mouth quirked up into a smile. He shook his head, but the look on his face told her he wasn’t angry. If anything, he looked upset, concerned even.
“Now that’s what I call junk mail.” She could barely get the words out without laughing again.
“Get your smart ass in the car.”
“Right. Breakfast. At a surprise place.” She walked back to the car. “Now that I think about it, I am rather hungry.”
“Good.” Xander nodded for her to get in the car, then closed her door. He went around to the driver’s side and got in. She noticed he still had the phone clutched in his hand. Was he planning to give it back?
She buckled her seat belt. “I could really go for some sausage.”
