This Love of Mine (Raine Series #1) (23 page)

I blush,
realising she’s probably caught me thinking about Grayson. She grins.
Shit
, now I know she’s caught me.
“Sorry, it’s been a long day and I’m tired. My mind kinda drifted off.” It’s
partly true since I am tired but I hope she doesn’t question it.

“Ok fine, we
won’t talk about him anymore but promise me you won’t be too quick to jump to
conclusions. Too many people have made their minds up about him before they
really know him. Not everything is what you see on the outside, he’s good at
hiding what he doesn’t want people to see,” Demi shuts her mouth like she’s
said something she shouldn’t have. What does she mean he’s good at hiding what
he doesn’t want people to see? Does he have some deep dark secrets? The thought
weighs heavy on my mind. I know all about dark secrets. They’re the reason I
left so much behind.

“I promise,” I
whisper, wondering if I’ll be able to stop myself from
wanting
to know the real story behind the infamous Grayson Carter.

Demi’s mood
changes from serious to whimsical in a flash and I’m grateful to escape the
melancholy I was about to succumb to. “Um, there’s something I kind of need to
tell you,” Demi says next to me. I look at her and see that she’s nervous.

“Okay,” I say,
although it’s more of a question. I have a bad feeling about this.

“Well I might
have given your number to a guy in my Sociology class,” she bites her lip but
doesn’t look at me. She knows how I feel about dating. I decided I wouldn’t, at
least not until
after
I graduate.

“What?” I
screech, “why would you do that?”

“He’s a really
nice guy and you need to loosen up a little and have fun! You’ve been here a
while already and you still rarely go out, even with me.”

I close my eyes
and lay my head on the headrest, taking a calming breath. I know she means well
but she doesn’t know enough to understand why dating is so far off my radar.
“What did you say?” I ask, leaving my eyes closed.

“I told him to
call you. He wants to take you to dinner next weekend,” she replies. “And his
name is Luke.”

This is a lost
cause. When Demi sets her mind to something not even the force of a hurricane
can stop her. I guess one date wouldn’t hurt.

“Ok fine,” I
breathe, “But one date and that’s it.” I turn to look at her in time to see her
grin.

Before I know it
we’re pulling up to the property that surrounds Lake Dixon. It’s a warm August
evening and the sun set a little while ago. Sun sets are my favourite but I
missed it, a little too preoccupied with my chat with Demi on the drive over
here. It doesn’t take long before we hear the loud music blaring from several
pick-up trucks that come into view. They’re all parked backwards in a circle,
surrounding a huge bonfire made of wood. We pull over and park next to a blue
Ford F150.
What is it with these boys and
their trucks
I wonder. It must be a Country thing.

The boys are all
standing around the fire with plastic red cups in their hands, laughing and
singing along to a song I’ve never heard before now. Tommy spots us walking up
to them and yells “Well if isn’t my woman!”
 
drawing everyone’s attention to Demi and
I. I stifle a laugh when Demi narrows her eyes at her drunken boyfriend.
“Thomas Elliot McKinley, how many times have I told you not to call me that!”
she yells back, putting her hands on her hips. Demi is only 5 ft 4 but her size
is deceiving. This tiny girl can make grown ass men cower. It’s scary watching
such a small thing in action.

“Ah come here
baby, you know I’m just teasing,” Tommy coos, stumbling towards us until he
envelops Demi in his big arms. They make an odd couple but only because Tommy
is just over 6 feet tall with short black hair. He has the typical build for a
college ball player – broad shoulders, muscular arms, a trim waist and
leg muscles big enough to kick start a small plane. He’s good looking but so
not my type.

Demi kisses him a
little too intimately and I have to look away from their public display of
affection. I’ve always wanted to know what it feels like to be
that
loved by another human being. I
thought I felt it once but as luck would have it I was wrong.

A few of the
other guys start
whooping
and
shouting cat calls, forcing Demi and Tommy to break apart. Demi blushes and
tucks her face into Tommy’s chest, hiding her embarrassment. Tommy looks back
at his friends and gives them a death glare, forcing all teasing and
sound-making to stop. He turns to me and smiles, “Hi Huntley, thanks for coming
with my girl.”

I smile back and
nod, “Sure. Looks like we came just in time too.”

He laughs and
simply shakes his head, pulling Demi to where the rest of guys are standing. My
eyes start scanning the faces, taking note of the one’s I recognise and the
ones I don’t. I spot Brody as he hops off the tailgate of a truck and come to a
standstill when Grayson wonders out from
somewhere
zipping up his pants. I immediately think the worst and wait breathlessly
for a girl to prance behind him.
 
If
it was socially acceptable to kick yourself in public then I would. I’ve met
Grayson once and I shouldn’t care whether or not a girl will come out from
where ever he was. Demi’s words from earlier pop into my head
‘Not everything is what you see on the
outside, he’s good at hiding what he doesn’t want people to see’
. The
timing couldn’t be worse because as he makes his way around to where Brody was
sitting I finally get a good look at him.

Oh.My.God

The True Religion
jeans he has on hug his lean waist and his grey fitted shirt does nothing to
hide his well-defined chest. If I had to guess, he’s at least 6 feet tall. That
only draws my attention to his broad shoulders and I see now that he’s a whole
lotta muscle. Add all of this to a square jaw and full lips and you’ve found
the perfect recipe for one thing…
Sex On
Legs.

His mouth pulls
up in a sexy smirk when he catches me staring and I blush before turning my
gaze away. Some people would say I just eye-fucked him and unfortunately, I’m
inclined to agree. I may have sworn off all guys but I’m still human and can’t
help my physical reaction to such a gorgeous piece of
man.
The fact that he’s obviously half past drunk should’ve stopped
me but
nooo
I still undressed him
with my eyes.
Good Lord, what the hell is
wrong with my brain right now?

 
Demi clears her throat and the blush in
my cheeks turns a shade darker.
Great
now she also knows I was checking him out.