Chapter 5 #3
After paying and getting our beer from the counter girl, we filled the empty pitcher she’d given us with lemonade and brought it all to the table. This beer would be heavenly after the hot day.
I dropped in across from Ryker and his brother and then poured a beer for him and one for me. “Wes is doing great. I think we’ve improved his footwork, and I gave him some new strategies for avoiding a sack.”
“Yeah?” Ryker sipped his beer and patted Wes on the back. “So, he’s listening to you and not being a little shit?”
“I’m not a little shit.” Scoffing a laugh, Wes drank some lemonade.
“No? You only save that for me?” He gave Wes a genuine smile, the first one I’d seen on him.
Wes rolled his eyes. “Yep.”
My heart warmed. It was good to see their dynamics. They were so close. What would having a brother be like? I’d never know. Mom was too old for more kids, and they’d stopped at one.
“Casey, do you have any siblings?” Wes’s gaze drew to mine.
Had he read my mind? “Nope. I’m an only child.” I drank some beer, letting it cool my insides.
“That doesn’t surprise me.” With a chuckle, Ryker sipped his beer.
“What do you mean by that?” Was it an insult? I chewed my lower lip. Maybe he didn’t like me as much as Wes had indicated?
With a shake of his head, Ryker said, “I don’t know. Nothing, I guess.” He darted his gaze toward the wall and then back. “Maybe I’ve got you all wrong, but you seem a little self-centered.”
“Ryker, he’s coaching me for free. Does that seem self-centered to you?” Wes shot him a glare.
With a sigh, Ryker squirmed. “No, guess not.” He fingered his beer glass. “Guess I don’t know what to think of you, Casey.” His gaze rose to mine. “When I first saw you out there with your broken-down Beamer, you looked like the typical—”
“Golden boy football star?” I tongued the corner of my mouth. With the knowledge of his past, I could understand him better.
“Yeah, guess so.” He drank some of his beer. “Maybe there’s more to you than your pretty-boy looks.”
“Pretty boy?” I lifted the edge of my mouth. It wasn’t the first time I’d been called that. “Do you go for pretty boys?”
With a shrug, he rubbed a finger across the tablecloth. “Maybe.”
Wes tutted. “Dang, why don’t you two just go on a date already.” He rose from his seat as the counter girl called the number for our pizza. “I’ll get it.”
I watched Wes stroll to the counter. “You said yes this morning. Didn’t you?” Or had I heard what I wanted to?
Ryker twisted his lips. “If we went on a date, where would you take me?” His dark eyes locked on mine.
“Wherever you want to go, babe.” I gave him my best smile. “It’s all about you. There are no limits.” And hopefully, we’d end the date in my bed…or his.
“I’m not your babe.” With a scoff, he drank his beer. “I like cars though. Take me to the car show at the Pavilions.” One of his brows lifted. “Or is that not your thing?”
I stared at him for a moment. I’d heard of the amateur car show but had never been. “So, when…tonight?”
“Yeah, tonight. The shop is closed tomorrow. Or do you have practice?” He eyed me.
“I don’t have practice until Monday. Should we get dinner first?” I spied Wes returning with our pizza. Would he want to make dinner at home for his brother?
“Let’s see how Wes feels about it.” He shifted as Wes sat beside him again, setting our pizza on the table with some plates.
“What did I miss?” Wes’s gaze snapped from his brother to me.
“How do you feel about eating dinner alone tonight?” Ryker bit the side of his lower lip.
A smile broke over Wes’s face. “If it’s so you can have a date with Casey, I’m cool with it. I can play video games with my buddies. We have some leftover lasagna, don’t we?”
“We do.” Ryker pulled a slice of pizza onto his plate and flinched. “Ow, damn, that’s hot.” He sucked his fingers.
As I fixated on his thick lips wrapping around his fingers, my dick stirred. Holy hell, I might have him in my bed tonight after all. Could I be so lucky? I’d never been this excited about a date before. What had he done to me? “Okay, pick you up at six?”
With a glance at his brother, Ryker said, “Sure, I’ll be hungry again by then.” He bit into his slice. “But I don’t want to eat anyplace too fancy.” He gave me a pointed look. “I have a feeling you’re used to nicer restaurants.”
“I…” Yeah, maybe, but I was a college guy too. “Do you have a place in mind?” I added pizza to my plate. I didn’t know what restaurants were near the car show.
“Jesus, how about you two go to someplace at Tempe Marketplace? It’s between here and there.” With a huff, Wes bit into his pizza.
The kid had a point. “We could go back to The Thirsty Lion?” Since I’d seen him there, I knew he liked the place.
“Okay. That works.” Ryker ate more pizza while peeking at me through his long bangs.
I bit into my slice. I shouldn’t dress too nicely, seeing as how Ryker was already hyper-aware of our difference in financial status. I had to show him I was just a guy like any other. Okay, a guy who was into him. Oh, Casey, you’re in for it.