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

a moment he was caught in those sweet eyes as she smiled athim, chewing her food slowly. “So, you’re that uncle, uh? The favoritefun uncle, that lets you eat junk food and stay up past your bedtime?”

“Shh.” He lifted a finger to his lips. “Pretty sure I’d get myass handed to me if my brothers knew just what a pushover I am when it comes totheir kids.”

“Brothers?” She tilted her head as her brows furrowed. “I thoughtyou only had the one.”

“I always refer to Orlando, and Nine as my brothers as well. Theirkids all call each other cousins and call me uncle.” He shrugged. “I figuredmine will do the same to them someday too. So, it feels like I have threeinstead of one.” He paused when his phone rang. “Speaking of, I gotta takethis. It’s Nine.”

“Go ahead,” she said taking a swig of her coffee.

Byron stood up as Vannah motioned to ask if he wanted moreenchiladas on his now empty plate. Nodding, Byron gave her a thumbs up. “What’sup? Anything good?”

Nine filled him in on what they’d found at the auction. Byron triedin vain to pay attention, but he kept getting distracted by Vannah. First, she’dtaken a swig of her coffee that dribbled down her neck and chest, and it’d beenall he could do to keep his eyes off her as she worked her ample cleavage witha napkin.

Then after she plated his enchiladas and was done with her wet cleavage,she’d started tapping her phone screen. At the moment, he was once again pulledaway from his thoughts on what Nine was saying when he noticed her cover hermouth stifling a laugh as she tapped away on her phone. He turned away so hecould try and keep up with everything Nine was telling him but then justseconds later, his eyes were back on her as she took a photo of the enchiladatray. She tapped away at the screen again, all the while she wore that big,beautiful smile he’d been so drawn to since day one.

“Did you get them?”

Nine’s question pulled him out of his stupor. “What?”

“The pictures. I just sent two more.”

“Uh, no ho-hold on. Let me check.”

Fumbling with his phone, Byron checked his texts. He scrolledthrough the pictures Nine sent him of the cars they narrowed it down to, butstill hadn’t decided which they’d be bidding the most on. Hearing Vannah laughsoftly under her breath had Byron glancing up at her again. She was reading somethingon her phone screen covering the huge smile with her hand.

“I don’t know, man.” Byron lied, because he’d barely paid anymind to the texts from Nine. “I like them all too, but the truck is pretty damnsweet.” Since clearly, it was going to be impossible to give Nine his undividedattention while Vannah sat in his kitchen, he cut the call short, lowering hisvoice. “Listen, I have customers asking to speak with me. I’ll give you a calla little later.”

Taking a deep breath before walking back to the kitchen table, Byronreminded himself not to say anything stupid. He was entitled to nothing whenit came to this girl. Not even an explanation of who was responsible for her sillysmile.

“I think they’re still warm enough.” Vannah motioned to theenchiladas on his plate with her phone. “But you might want to check and see ifyou need to nuke them.”

“Nah, they should still be good.” He took the seat next to heragain, breathing in that familiar scent of her skin and whatever fruity perfumeshe wore, and dug into the delicious enchilada.

“All good?” she asked motioning to his phone on the table now asshe put hers down too.

Glad she asked, he nodded as he finished chewing. “You?” hemotioned his chin at her phone. “I saw you taking pictures of my enchiladatray.”

He smirked making light of his comment as she smiled big again.“I tease my friends all the time with photos of my latest cooking creations.”

Caught in her eyes for a moment as he struggled from refrainingto ask what friends. He breathed in deeply instead as he continued tochew. Did she mean her girlfriends? Or any of the dudes he’d seen her with sofar. Did she cook for them too—did she also deliver her creations to them—orwas Byron special?

“What else do you know about me, Vannah?”

Just like all the times he’d been caught in her eyes from afar,that beautiful smile of hers flattened slowly as she stared at him looking abit bewildered. Swallowing hard, not even her suddenly flushed again face madehim smile this time. The question had slipped out without thought or consent. Butit was something he’d been wondering about all weekend. Seeing the way thosebright eyes gazed back at him with the same unease she made him feel, gavehim hope. As young and innocent as Vannah obviously was, was she really thatnaïve to believe she had any control when it came to matters of the heart?

“I know you’re Beast’s brother,” she said softly.

Nodding without comment, Byron waited for her to go on, but shedidn’t. “Is that it?”

“Yes,” she whispered but glanced down at her phone again.

Byron knew that couldn’t be true. The articles online about his andBeast’s mother’s death were endless. He still couldn’t bring himself to googlehis own name for fear of coming across one of them. But he wouldn’t push. It’sthe last thing he wanted to discuss at that moment anyway.

Biting into the enchilada again, he nearly groaned because it wasthat good. “So, does this mean we’re friends now? Because I know I’mgonna want more of these in my life.”

And you.

Despite the slight tinge of color in her cheeks, Vannah smiledplayfully. “You really wanna be my friend, Byron? Or will you just beusing me for my food?”

Searching her eyes for a moment, Byron bit down on his food alittle harder this time, trying desperately to keep his cool. What thefuck was it with this girl anyway? How could such a harmless and lightheartedcomment get him so worked up? If this were any other girl, he would’ve alreadybeen all over it, showing her all the ways he’d be using her.