and turned him away from her, “Don’t talk. Just work.”
His mouth snapped shut as he glared at me, obviously wanting to fight back; instead, for whatever reason, he seemed to know better and listened.
“Dayton, do you want to get Sunny to school, so she isn’t late?”
“Wait. What? You want me to just leave?” She looked at me, thoroughly confused, as she pulled her shirt away from her body and fanned her chest with the movements.
I touched her shoulder, and I swore she shivered even though it was already ninety degrees out. “Only so you aren’t late. I’ll handle your car.”
“But where are you going to take it after you’re done? To school somewhere or my apartment? How will I get the keys?”
She was rattled, and it was fucking adorable. Everything about this girl bordered on the sweetest damn thing I’d ever seen, even when she pretended to hate me.
“Let me do this for you.”
“You don’t have to,” she argued.
“I want to. Sunny, go with Dayton. Where’s your class at?”
She told me the building and class number, and I knew I’d figure out all the details later. Right now, I wanted to do this for her. Take care of her the way she’d taken care of me when I needed someone. Apologize to her without actually saying the words. At least, not yet.
“Go.”
“Are you sure?” She looked uncertain, her eyes all pulled together like it was a tough decision.
“I’m sure. I got this. I got you.”
She fidgeted with her hair, brushing it back from her shoulders and tucking it behind her ears. “Okay. Well, thank you. I really appreciate it.”
“Come on, sweetheart,” Colin said, and I lunged toward him to tear out his vocal cords before he started laughing. “He’s just jealous.”
I couldn’t hear Sunny’s response, but the tone of her voice told me she didn’t believe him for a second. That girl had no clue how twisted up I was inside because of her.
I waited until they drove away before I looked at Matt. “We can do this in twenty, right?”
“Pshh”—he waved me off—“more like ten.”
Arrogant ass.
“So, what’s up with the two of you? You have history or something?” he asked as he jacked the car up off the ground, and I started to work on loosening the bolts, sweat dripping down my head from where my hat was.
“Not history. A future.”
“So, I can’t shoot my shot with her then?” he asked with a shit-eating grin on his face, and I had no idea if he was busting my balls or if he was really asking.
“Not if you want to play this season,” I threatened, but what was I going to do, break his arm? And why was I acting that way? This wasn’t like me, all broody and intimidating.
He stood up as I pulled out the last remaining bolt and removed the janky tire. It was shredded. I laid it down on the ground next to me.
“I’m only joking. I’ll stay away from her. But what about that chick you made leave the party the other night? I was pretty drunk, but I think she might have been the hottest girl I’ve ever seen, and you were throwing her out of the house.” Matt was practically foaming at the mouth, just talking about Hayley.
I stood up and reached for the bad tire. “Get past her looks and remember that a fire-breathing devil lives inside that body. That’s why it’s so smoking hot.”
“Come on,” Matt complained as he rolled the good tire toward me and took the flat one. “Seriously? She can’t be that bad.”
“Stay away from her.”
“Jeez. You can’t forbid me from screwing all the girls on campus.” He maneuvered the good tire on and held it in place while I started with the bolts. “Can you?” he genuinely asked.
“That one’s for your own good. She will ruin your life. But Sunny’s mine—whether she knows it yet or not. And if you mess with her, I’ll ruin your life.”
Matt saluted me, and I rolled my eyes.
“I thought you were supposed to be the fun one,” he practically huffed, but he wasn’t wrong.
I used to be the happy-go-lucky guy without a care in the world, who hooked up with new girls every weekend if I wanted to. At least, that was what I always pretended to be before this year started.
“Done.” I spun the tire, and Matt double-checked it before lowering the jack.
We put everything in the back of Sunny’s car, and I hopped in the front seat, not fitting