Page 62 of Tell Me When It's Over

o the pockets of his pants.

It’s not hard to answer. “Yes, I did.”

His smile is big. “I’m glad.” There’s a moment of silence when I’m trying to decide what to do or say, when he adds, “We should do it again sometime. Ever been bowling?”

My nose scrunches. “Bowling?” I haven’t been. I didn’t even know people still do that.

He chuckles. “It’s fun. We’d need more people though. It’s better to play it with at least four. Maybe we could invite Mia and Garrick.”

I’m not sure how Dylan would feel about an outing like that. He’s fine with Mia working with the eldest Matthews, but anything outside of a professional relationship makes him twitchy because he knows Garrick’s reputation with women. I’ve seen the way he scopes out guys when he’s out with Mia. He’s possessive and protective. It’s sort of nice. Romantic, even.

Sensing my thoughts, he grins. “Okay, so maybe not those two.” Another jaw scratch. “I guess Kyler could come with her. I’d say Garrick could bring someone, but it’d probably be one of his girls and…” He shudders. Actually, full-on shudders. “Well, nobody wants that. Trust me.”

I giggle, even though I’m curious why he wouldn’t mention Kyler to start with. He’s the likeliest choice for me to convince to come out. Then again, maybe Chase doesn’t want a guard dog glaring at him the whole time. I had to force myself to stop talking about my roommate after I realized how each story I brought up involved him. The books he’s subtly hid for me to find. The Kraft macaroni he’s kept in stock for me in the kitchen. All the TV we’ve watched together based on Chase’s recommendations. “Maybe I’ll ask Ky and see if he’s interested. He’s not big on going out and doing stuff.”

He looks considerate of that information before shrugging, seemingly leaving it up to me.

More silence. I’m staring at the front door, then down at my shoes.

“You sure you had a good time tonight?”

Why is he worried I didn’t? “Yes. The movie was good, and Patty’s had probably the best burgers I’ve ever eaten.”

He rubs his arm and looks over his shoulder at the car, then back down at me. When his gaze dips, it’s to my lips. Mine part as the panic creeps in, but all he does is give me another smile, the boyish one that reminds me he’s nothing like Garrick or Beckham. “Good. I’ll talk to you later?”

When I nod, he gives me a nod, stares at my lips for another few seconds before turning on his heels to his car.

No hand squeeze.

No kiss.

Part of me is relieved, and that relief eases the anvil that’s been third wheeling the date since I got into his car. The other part is worried that I did something wrong because he looked like he wanted to kiss me but didn’t. Did I want him to kiss me? To hold my hand? I’m not even sure I know in the web of thoughts swirling my head right now. I offer him a small wave before he drives off, fighting a frown that deepens when I hear a thunk—and see a curtain falling back over the window before I unlock the door and push it open.

Kyler is sitting on the couch with a magazine in his hand and his feet propped up on the coffee table when I walk in, and I know he was more than likely eavesdropping because there’s no way he’d read Cosmo otherwise.

“Hey,” he greets.

“Enjoying some light reading material?”

My lips waver when I see him glance down at whatever page he’s on and curse quietly under his breath. His “uh-huh” is barely audible as he drops it onto his lap.

“You really stayed up to wait for me,” I note, not sure if I’m really that surprised.

The look he gives me says the same thing. I sit on the edge of the coffee table and pick up the magazine, brows touching my hairline as I stifle a laugh. “Is there something you want to tell me?”

Confusion contorts his face until I show him the cover, tapping the article bolded on the side that reads “50 Ways to Please Your Man.” His cheeks pinken as he swipes the magazine and throws it onto the other side of the couch. I add, “I’m totally not judging. I’d love you no matter what, you know that.”

His dark eyes offer little amusement in return, and he changes the subject like I expect him to even though it makes it that much harder to fight off the laughter trying to bubble its way up my throat. “How was your date?”

I tell him what he wants to know, which also happens to be the truth. “He was a perfect gentleman, which I’m sure you know because you were spying on us out the window.”

Kyler doesn’t deny it, he just shrugs. “Did you have fun?”

This time, there’s no teasing in his tone and I nod. “I did. What did you do besides worry unnecessarily?”

“Worrying about you is necessary.”

“I can handle myself.”

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