couple of days, I’ve started to wonder what kind of kisser he is. Soft and sweet or hard and dirty? If I had to guess, I bet he’s a combination of the two, and the need to know is stronger than ever.
He finally pushes his chair away from his desk and groans in frustration about two seconds before he spots me.
“When did you get here?”
I shrug. “A while ago.”
His eyes narrow. “Why didn’t you tell me you were here?”
“Because I was waiting until you were done. I have a surprise.”
His eyes darken. “A surprise?”
I can’t contain my laughter from his worried expression. “Yes, and I was patiently waiting for you to finish.” He can try to pretend he’s mad, but I can tell he’s fighting a smile. “Grab your stuff and let’s go.”
“Maybe you should tell me where we’re going.”
“Relax. I promise you won’t come back in a body bag.”
Tyler exhales a long breath while he shakes his head, but for a guy who doesn’t want to leave, he’s not putting a lot of effort in to fighting me.
***
“WHAT THE FUCK?” TYLER GROANS , shaking his head no. I grab his hand and start dragging him with me. “What the hell kind of place is this?” His face is grim as he looks around.
“It’s a hoverboard park.”
“I thought they outlawed these things.”
I laugh. “Nope. They just made rules about where you could ride them.” I walk up to the ticket counter and purchase two adult admissions. I walk back to Tyler and hand him a hoverboard.
“You actually want to ride these things around?”
“We should enjoy being here. Hoverboard parks are very rare.”
“For a good reason,” he fires back, shaking his head.
“You aren’t scared, are you?”
Tyler’s head rolls back as he laughs. “Oh, you’re good. You think calling me a chicken is going to get me to ride this death trap?”
“What will happen if you die?” His smile fades as he processes my question. “I’m being serious. More people will get away with corporate espionage but what else will happen?” Like normal, his face darkens when I push him out of his comfort zone. “Other than Chad, who I might add is working on a life of his own, who will miss you when you’re gone?”
Tyler looks away and swallows. “My parents. My...brothers.”
“How often do you see your family?”
“Why do you care?” he snaps.
“Because we’re friends.”
He huffs and rolls his eyes. “Really? If we’re friends then what’s my last name?”
I grin. “Aw, you’re being cheeky. I don’t know your last name because you’ve never told me.”
“You’ve never asked,” he scolds.
“Because I don’t need to know your last name to like you.” He almost looks shocked by my comment.
“Then tell me, Lennie, exactly why do you like me?”
I smile with the knowledge that he’s still avoiding my question, but I give in and answer him. “Because we’re a lot alike.” My voice unexpectedly shakes.
“Lennie, we couldn’t be more opposite if you tried.” I nod my head in silence. I can’t make him accept something he’s not ready for, but that doesn’t mean I can’t offer him a healthy dose of reality. “The way we express ourselves couldn’t be more different.” He swallows as he watches me closely. “But we’re both suffering right out in the open for anyone to see, but they...don’t.” He casts me a meaningful look. “With people like us, you have to dig below the surface to see what’s wrong.” A tear pools at the corner of my eye. “I can’t fix you, Tyler, because you’re not broken, but for a short period of time, I can offer you my friendship. And today’s offer comes with a hoverboard. Take it or leave it.”
I step up on my board and start down the trail without looking back to see if he’s following me. Outside of my father, I don’t think I’ve met anyone who’s as stubborn as Tyler Whatever-His-Last-Name-Is.
RIDING A HOVERBOARD IS A thousand times easier than I imagined. Catching up
He finally pushes his chair away from his desk and groans in frustration about two seconds before he spots me.
“When did you get here?”
I shrug. “A while ago.”
His eyes narrow. “Why didn’t you tell me you were here?”
“Because I was waiting until you were done. I have a surprise.”
His eyes darken. “A surprise?”
I can’t contain my laughter from his worried expression. “Yes, and I was patiently waiting for you to finish.” He can try to pretend he’s mad, but I can tell he’s fighting a smile. “Grab your stuff and let’s go.”
“Maybe you should tell me where we’re going.”
“Relax. I promise you won’t come back in a body bag.”
Tyler exhales a long breath while he shakes his head, but for a guy who doesn’t want to leave, he’s not putting a lot of effort in to fighting me.
***
“WHAT THE FUCK?” TYLER GROANS , shaking his head no. I grab his hand and start dragging him with me. “What the hell kind of place is this?” His face is grim as he looks around.
“It’s a hoverboard park.”
“I thought they outlawed these things.”
I laugh. “Nope. They just made rules about where you could ride them.” I walk up to the ticket counter and purchase two adult admissions. I walk back to Tyler and hand him a hoverboard.
“You actually want to ride these things around?”
“We should enjoy being here. Hoverboard parks are very rare.”
“For a good reason,” he fires back, shaking his head.
“You aren’t scared, are you?”
Tyler’s head rolls back as he laughs. “Oh, you’re good. You think calling me a chicken is going to get me to ride this death trap?”
“What will happen if you die?” His smile fades as he processes my question. “I’m being serious. More people will get away with corporate espionage but what else will happen?” Like normal, his face darkens when I push him out of his comfort zone. “Other than Chad, who I might add is working on a life of his own, who will miss you when you’re gone?”
Tyler looks away and swallows. “My parents. My...brothers.”
“How often do you see your family?”
“Why do you care?” he snaps.
“Because we’re friends.”
He huffs and rolls his eyes. “Really? If we’re friends then what’s my last name?”
I grin. “Aw, you’re being cheeky. I don’t know your last name because you’ve never told me.”
“You’ve never asked,” he scolds.
“Because I don’t need to know your last name to like you.” He almost looks shocked by my comment.
“Then tell me, Lennie, exactly why do you like me?”
I smile with the knowledge that he’s still avoiding my question, but I give in and answer him. “Because we’re a lot alike.” My voice unexpectedly shakes.
“Lennie, we couldn’t be more opposite if you tried.” I nod my head in silence. I can’t make him accept something he’s not ready for, but that doesn’t mean I can’t offer him a healthy dose of reality. “The way we express ourselves couldn’t be more different.” He swallows as he watches me closely. “But we’re both suffering right out in the open for anyone to see, but they...don’t.” He casts me a meaningful look. “With people like us, you have to dig below the surface to see what’s wrong.” A tear pools at the corner of my eye. “I can’t fix you, Tyler, because you’re not broken, but for a short period of time, I can offer you my friendship. And today’s offer comes with a hoverboard. Take it or leave it.”
I step up on my board and start down the trail without looking back to see if he’s following me. Outside of my father, I don’t think I’ve met anyone who’s as stubborn as Tyler Whatever-His-Last-Name-Is.
RIDING A HOVERBOARD IS A thousand times easier than I imagined. Catching up
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