Not Even Close (A New Generation) by Elizabeth Reyes (books to read in a lifetime txt) 📗

She was a young college girl, fresh out of her parents safeguardingclutches. Clearly, she was looking to run free and experiment all of life’sadventures. And as well she should be. It’s what young adults did once theywere out in the big world all on their own. So, what did Byron care? He had nobusiness getting any ideas about a girl like this, let alone getting all bentover the fact that she was at least being honest about it. This was a chickhe’d been hung up on solely on the basis of her looks and sweet laugh. Seeing whata spitfire she could be, despite the sweet innocence behind those huge browneyes was hot as fuck. If anything, he should be all for trying to get on her justfriends list. It’s all he had time for right now, anyway, right? He didkeep saying he needed to get laid.

But while the thought of having sweet, yet sexy as fuck Vannah underhim was one that already had his cock twitching, his gut was screamingotherwise. Already he was acting like an entitled prick who had the nerve toquestion anything about her personal life and choices when it was none ofhis business. Who the hell was he kidding? Even if he didn’t understand why,his gut already knew getting involved with her in any way would not endwell.

Only he was curious about something that did pertain tohim. So, he’d ask about that, and then drop the rest of his unjustified interrogationabout her personal life.

“How’d you know my name?”

She sat up a little straighter, glancing out the window andcleared her throat. “I saw you last week at Starbucks. Heard them call yourname when your order was ready.”

Byron turned to her as they came to another stop. Pulling astrand of hair behind her ear, it was clear she was avoiding facing him. Shestared straight ahead instead. Like she had more than once tonight, Byron couldsee she was blushing again. Even her neck and ears were red now.

As intense as this night had been for him so far, it’s the onlytimes all night he hadn’t been able to refrain from smirking. He was tempted toask why this embarrassed her, but his tightening gut knew why. Just like she’dturned beet red after saying his name, and again when he’d brought up thesubject of boyfriends earlier, Byron was reminded. He may never understand it,and he’d be an idiot to try and figure it out, but Vannah was also feelingsomething she shouldn’t be for someone she hardly knew. Those momentsthey’d had in the past several weeks, hadn’t been imagined. But having beendown this road before, with this type of young girl, he’d be damned ifhe’d get sucked into that again.

Without further comment and trying not to overthink the fact thatshe remembered the name she heard of some random guy over a week ago,Byron drove on silently as his heart sped up. Thankfully, the ride to her dormwasn’t much further so the awkward silence didn’t go on for too much longer. Thedorms weren’t like the ones he’d been expecting. While Byron didn’t stay in adorm during his time at ESU, he’d been privy to the inside of many. Back in hisday of partying in them. Most were no bigger than a small hotel room. He’ddriven by these before but assumed they were apartments because of the size ofthem.

It wasn’t until Byron pulled up as close as he could to theentrance of the dorms, that something dawned on him. “You’re not on the secondfloor, are you?”

Vannah shook her head but then frowned when she motioned to her left.“No but there are a few stairs we’ll have to scale to get to our dorm. It’sokay though,” she added quickly. “I’ll get her up one step at a time.”

“One step at a time?” Byron scoffed glancing back at hercompletely passed out friend in his backseat. “She ain’t doing any walkinganytime soon. I already knew I’d be carrying her in for you. I just hadn’t givenany thought to the possibility of stairs.”

“No, you’ve done enough, Byron.” Her face tinging again nearlyhad him smiling, but she went on quickly. “I’m sure I can round up a few of ourneighbors and friends to help me with her.”

Shaking his head without a word, he opened his door and got out.No way would this five-foot- nothing little thing be carrying someone whooutweighed her by at least thirty pounds. Even with help from her other likelyequally dainty neighbors.

Then he had another thought. A lot of these dorms were coed. Whatshe might mean by friends could be some of the guys he’d already seenher with. Some of whom might be more than willing to help her, then hang outand chat about the night she’d had. The utter irritation over just the thought,was confusing as fuck. But it was just another reminder why he should justhurry up, get this over with, and get away from the girl. The sooner thebetter. Pulling the backdoor open with a purpose now, Byron leaned in and gotto work.

He’d been right on the nose about her friend being in no shape towalk anywhere anytime soon. She was out cold and absolute dead weight. Eventually,he managed to throw her over his shoulder, and they were on their way. As expected,carrying her wasn’t nearly the chore he knew Vannah was thinking, given all thewincing, and apologizing she did.

With minimal heaving and puffing as they made it up the few stairs,they were finally at her dorm door. Vannah worked quickly to get the door openand within minutes they were in the largest dorm room he’d ever been in. It wasliterally about the size of his two-bedroom apartment. Full kitchen, front roomand all. After getting Sochee in bed in her own room, and Vannah assuring Byronshe was fine and that she could take it from there, they walked back out to thefront room.

The mounting temptation to delay his stay and possibly get toknow