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

wasn’t someone who justresembled her. This was her. Feeling like an idiot for having beencaught staring, yet again, Byron sucked in a breath waiting for theinevitable. For her smile to flatten and for that wide-eyed stare. For thethird time he’d been caught and now on the same day in two different places. Hewouldn’t even blame her if she saw fit to call security on someone, she no doubtthought was stalking her now.

To his utter surprise her smile didn’t wane this time like it hadall the other times. Instead, it remained, and her teeth sunk into her bottomlip. It was subtle and not quite as blatant as some girls, but she fluttered herlashes at Byron. He actually turned around to check if she might be doing allthis on someone else’s account. Glancing back at her again Byron could notbelieve the reaction his entire body had to this girl. His insides were doingthe thing he hadn’t felt since way back when he’d first discovered girls andflirting.

It wasn’t until the guy said something and she turned to himlaughing again that it all abruptly came together for him. She’d been havingcoffee and laughing it up with some dude that morning, flirting with this meatheadnow, while at the same time fluttering her lashes at Byron

Doesn’t matter what kind of reputation they get because oncethey’re done with school, they go back to mommy and daddy with a clean slate,and never look back.

As disappointing, as the awakening slap of reality was, Byronwelcomed it. What this girl’s laugh, those eyes, and a fucking smile had begunto do to him without him knowing anything about her—not even hername—was ridiculous. He refused to even glance at her now, especially ashe continued to hear her laugh but in that different way. That he couldbe so aware of the minor difference in a laugh from a person he knew nothingabout, was beyond exasperating.

Only thing Byron could think now was that he had been way toowound up lately. He needed a release and maybe Nine was right. It’d been awhile. With no desire to stick around and continue to listen to that laugh heknew would be impossible to ignore now, he grabbed his towel and keysand started out.

Like an idiot he was once again incapable of walking by herwithout giving into the temptation of looking at her one last time. Even as shecontinued to carry on with the other dude she still turned to Byron and not socasually took him in from top to bottom, smiling sweetly the whole time. Thenjust like that, she turned back to the other guy and indulged him with thatsame sweet smile. As if she were used to throwing that smile and lashfluttering gazes around like nothing.

It wasn’t until he was in his car that he realized how tensed uphe’d gotten. What the hell? Rolling his neck, as he turned on his car, heglanced into the rearview mirror at his still disgusted expression. He justcouldn’t make up his mind what he was more disgusted with. Her behavior inthere or his unreasonable reaction to it. Why the hell did he even care?

As he drove back to his place in complete silence because hewasn’t even in the mood for the radio, something else dawned on him. Not sinceLizzette, had he ever felt anything remotely close to the unreasonable yet seethingirritation he was feeling now. Not even when he’d ripped into the guy makingout with Barbara. In hindsight, he knew now without a doubt his reaction thatday had everything to do with his ego than anything else.

Easing up the grip-of-death he had on the steering wheel, he wasdoused with a sudden and unwelcome realization. One that had him choking upsuddenly. What he was feeling right that second had nothing to do with therandom girl he’d become so fixated with for no other reason than her sweet laugh.Lizzette young sweet and completely innocent, despite their being each other’sfirst everything. He’d been just as innocent as she was back then. Theentire experience with her had taken him by storm. It’s what this girl sweetlaugh was bringing back to him now.

Sure, he’d felt the similar gut tightening irritation he felttoday since Lizette because of Barbara. But not that other emotion the sweetlaughter brought on. He hadn’t allowed himself to think of Lizette in so longhe’d completely suppressed all the memories he’d had of her. Her sweet innocentlaugh and those wide-eyed stares she so often wore. More importantly what theydid to him.

When he’d fallen into that deep depression after his mother died,he’d pushed all and any memories of both his mother and Lizette even furtherinto his subconscious. With reminder after reminder lately Byron had becomesuch a miserable bastard Beast had even proposed he seek therapy again. He’ddone so when his mother had first passed. Though at the time Beast said it’dbeen at his wife’s suggestion. But his brother had agreed with Byron then that psychiatristswere all quacks. This time he seemed to be agreeing with his wife, that maybeit would do him some good. That had to be it. It’s the only thingthat could explain this. Even women he’d actually been in somewhat of a relationshipwith since Lizette had never had this effect on him. How in the hell couldone he’d yet to even formally meet—one he didn’t know the slightest thingabout—be doing this to him?

The visual of those fucking beautiful eyes going so quickly fromhis to that other guys assaulted him suddenly. His fist slammed against thesteering wheel with such force he heard it crack. Breathing deeply, he felt hisheart thud against his chest, as the shock of what he’d just done sunk in.

“Well shit,” he muttered under his breath. “Maybe it istime your psycho ass considers seeing a shrink.”

Four

Practicing an Approach

Vannah

Inevitably, thoughts of possibly seeing her mystery guyagain were on Vannah’s mind as she and Xochitl walked into 5th Street. Xochitl had been witness to thefirst time Vannah had been taken by him here at 5th Street at the signing, then again at Starbucks a weeklater. Her irritable roommate had