"Perfect," I reply, even though she wasn't talking to me.
Chapter Twelve
Just like when I brought her home the other night, my truck is quiet. It's a little after nine so we have a couple hours before either of us has to be home. I have no idea where we're going, so I'm just driving around, trying to figure out where to take her since I practically begged her to come with me. That's not the only thing I'm trying to figure out. I'm not sure what to say, either. I sort of want to talk to her about Mel. Let her know that if it looked like we were up to something, we definitely weren't. Mel was, but not me. But that makes it look like I think she cares, when I don't know if she does or not.
Will it make me look like a conceited jackass if I bring it up?
But if I don't, am I the jerk who kisses her and then has my ex's hands in my hair a week later?
I'm really not too thrilled to be either of those guys.
"Music?" I ask, reaching for the CD player, but she pushes my hand down and shakes her head.
"Nope. I like silence sometimes."
Oh-kay. There went that try. Next option—basketball. "So...you practiced anymore since the other night?"
"Let's do something crazy!" She says in reply, turning in her seat to face me.
"Huh?" I totally just missed something.
"You need to relax. I can see it. You're too tense. Let's do something fun! Let's be wild!"
This is what I love about spending time with this girl. She never says or does what I expect. It's so different being with her than anyone else, because even though I have no clue what she means by 'something wild,' I want to do it. With her. Actually, I'm pretty sure I need to.
"Okay. Like what?"
"I don't know. Let me think." She looks around, out the windows like something is going to jump right out at her. I have no doubt it will. Any time I can spare having my eyes off the road, they're on her. Taking in her hair. Seeing her in a jersey with my name. Wishing I could touch her the way the shirt does.
"Oh! Right there!" She points off to the side of the road. "Pull over."
I look, but all I see is a small senior apartment complex. "Where?"
"Coach!" She grabs the wheel like she's going to pull off the road for me. I slow down more, batting her hands away and pulling in.
"Okay, okay. I'm going. Don't make us wreck."
The place is totally dark, I'm assuming because old people live here, and they go to bed early, right? There are a couple big, brown buildings that I'm assuming are packed with...well, senior citizens. "I give up. Why are we here?"
"Do you have a pencil or a pen in here? Oh, and what do you have in your bag for clothes?" Kira opens my glove-box and pulls out a pen. I can't help but stare while she pulls her hair up. Does some crazy, twisty, turny, girl thing and suddenly her hair is held up in a ponytail with a pen. I'm man enough to admit I want to ask how she did it, but I don't.
"Clothes? Um, I have a pair of basketball shorts and t-shirt that I use for practice. There's also shorts in the cab that I keep there just in case." She looks at me funny and I shrug. "Never know when I might want to stop somewhere and play ball."
She smiles widely, and for the first time, I notice a slight gap between her two front teeth. Nothing big, obviously since it took me this long to notice it, but for some reason, it's so her. "Grab the clothes and be quiet. It's time for a little breaking and entering."
***
Yeah, definitely not what I expected her to say. I'm jumping out of my truck and behind her in about two seconds flat. "What? Where are we breaking and entering? Grandma's house?"
"Shh." She slips her arm through mine, hugging herself close to me as we walk. I can't believe it, but it almost makes me stumble. That little touch sends all sorts of firecrackers exploding through my body. I like touching her. I want to touch more of her. "Let's not announce to everyone we're here. Do you like hot tubs?" Kira whispers.
"Yeah, who doesn't?"
"Well, most of the time apartments have them. The gates usually close at night, but I bet we can sneak in and we'll have the whole thing to ourselves. You in?"
Hot tub. Gorgeous girl. Totally don't have to ask me twice. It's worth a B&E charge. "I'm in."
We sneak through the complex, on the hunt for the pool and Jacuzzi. Kira is still holding onto me as we follow the twists and turns of the sidewalk. When someone starts to open a door, I pull her with me, ducking behind a huge bush. She stumbles, her feet tying up in mine, and falls against me as I hit the side of the building.
"Come on, George. I'm not getting any younger!" a woman's voice says from around the corner.
"I'm coming. I'm coming. Keep your teeth in," a guy replies.
A laugh tries to jump out of my mouth, but then Kira's hand is covering it, her face buried in my chest as she laughs against me. When the old couple disappears and her shoulders stop shaking, Kira pulls away from my chest and looks up at me. We're close. Almost as close as we were that night at the court. Or maybe closer. I don't know. All I know is she's all I feel or know or smell. The explosions start going off in me again and there's a stirring of some action below the belt.
I take in her cheekbones of all things. They're high and cut like a model's. Not that I've ever noticed cheekbones before or knew they could be so perfect, but they are. I'm not sure if I'll ever look at a girl's cheekbones the same again. I have to bite my lip not to lean down and kiss her. God, I want to kiss her so bad, I'm dizzy, but instead I open my mouth and say, "I wasn't thinking of Mel. When we kissed, I mean. I was thinking of you. I wanted to kiss you."
The Ladies Man of the Year award is so not going to me because she has me all upside down and backward, but I can't find it in me to care.
"That's good to know, Coach." Her breath is warm against my face. Warm and minty and even though I've never been a mint person, I'm totally craving it right now.
"And earlier? She told me she wanted me back, but I don't want her. Just so you know."
This earns me another one of her smiles. "Good. Now come on, let's go."
This time I don't let her get away without being the one to grab her hand. As though she's been here before, she weaves her way through the place again, pulling me along. I'm worried she might have been wrong and there's not going to be a Jacuzzi here when we finally see a fence up ahead and to the left.
Okay, so I know I thought earlier that I had the worst luck, but now I'm thinking the opposite. It's totally secluded, with tall bushes around most of the fence and pretty far into the complex. Now, if we can just get in the gate, I just might start to think I'm the luckiest guy in the world.
"Over here," I tell her as I head toward the far back of the fence. It's brick back here. "Can you step in my hand and climb up if I lift you?"
"Absolutely. But what about you?"
"Don't worry. Nothing is keeping me on this side of that wall."
There's a lamp on the other side, but it gives me enough light to see her. Kira laughs and shakes her head, but I think for the first time, I see a hit of red in her light brown skin. Linking my hands together, I hold them out. Kira steps in, grabs the top of the wall, and pulls herself up. The ledge is wide enough that she's sitting on it.
"We totally scored. There's a table on this side."