Wicked Love (Wicked White Series Book 3) by Michelle A. Valentine Page A

are his so I can start picking up. Tyler points out a couple hammers and a few other weird-looking metal objects, so I grab them and carry them toward his truck.
    I sling Tyler’s tools into the bed of his truck. I never pictured Tyler as being a handyman type when I met him a couple weeks ago, let alone a guy that owned a bunch of tools.
    “Jeez, if you wanted me to stay, all you had to do was ask. You don’t have to throw my tools around like that and try to break my truck. I mean, I know those hammers are no crowbar, but I still worry about the safety of my truck when you are near it with any kind of metal,” Tyler says in a mocking tone.
    “Ha, ha. Very funny,” I tell him.
    “Good thing these old tools are tough. They can take a beating from the likes of you, I think.” He smiles and those dang dimples come out again, making me a little weak in the knees. I expect another wisecrack from him any second while he continues to put away his tools, but every time he sees me glance at him, all I get is another smile.
    “Okay, look. I know that you’re obsessed with me, so if I ask you out—show you a little attention—will you stop staring at me all the time?” He chuckles.
    My mouth drops open. Someone’s awfully full of themselves. I’m not even sure how to answer that. I know he’s kidding around with me, but is it that obvious that I really am staring at him all the time?
    “Come out with me tonight?” he asks.
    “You want to go out with me?” I question while wearing a teasing smile.
    “Well, usually I think it’s only fitting we go out on a real date seeing as we’ve already been out to Walmart and all. I don’t take girls there until at least the second or third date . . . but you’re special, and since our little trip together today was sort of our date number three, we can just pretend tonight will be date number four.” He grins.
    “Date four, huh? What’s in store for girls on date number four?” I ask, playing along.
    “You’ll have to say yes first. Then you’ll find out.”
    I absolutely love the way Tyler is so playful. I can really see myself falling for him, so I need to remind myself to take things slow with him and figure out if he’s really the nice guy that he seems to be. All I ever seem to attract are jerks, but Tyler seems so different from all the other guys I dated back on campus. He’s nice and seems to genuinely care about more than just himself. He was there for me when my friends bailed, and he was the one who came out to check on me at the frat party, and both times he didn’t know me at all. Today when he took my hand, I felt a connection with him, and I really want to see where this will lead. It will crush me if he isn’t as genuine as he appears to be. But, I’ll never know unless I give him a real shot.
    “Why not?” I smile.
    “Yeah?” he says, sounding a little hopeful.
    “Yeah.”
    “Great. I’ll come back and pick you up about seven thirty.”
    “Sounds perfect.”
    I’m so excited to see what Tyler has in store for a real date, and I know it’s going to be hard to control myself around him tonight. I find him ridiculously attractive, and that could be a very dangerous thing because I’m not quite ready to go through heartbreak again so soon. If it turns out Tyler is only interested in me for sex, I might just give up on the entire male species.

AVERY
     
    T he sun is still perched in the sky when Tyler comes to pick me up. I glance down at the clock on my cell phone. It’s seven thirty on the dot. The guy is punctual, I’ll give him that.
    “So where are we off too?” I ask, while sliding on my trademark D&G shades as he fires up the truck.
    “Well, I figure since it’s date number four, I’d take you to get something to eat over at the local burger place, and then we could just hang out at a local spot I know,” Tyler answers.
    “I haven’t been out to eat in a while and I’ve been dying for a good salad.” God knows I need