Chapter 8: Anger

Ryder helped Brandy and I lug our bags into her car and then threw himself in the back seat. Brandy went off to get a bag she left in the café. I slipped into the passenger seat and turned around and smiled at him. He was splayed across the leather seat, his hands tucked under his head and a big yawn escaping his lips. He looked back up at me and smiled, "You still look cute, though."

"W-what?" I asked, feeling my face burst into flames.

"Earlier that I said you looked cuter before you had that whole get-up on, but I still think you look pretty in a skirt," he said, giving me a genuine smile. My heart thudded violently against my rib cage, causing me to be unable to make sentences that made any sense whatsoever.

"I- you- thank- you uh- my um- well I- thank you for the um," I stuttered. Before I could gather my thoughts, though, Ryder sat up and leaned forward with an odd grace. His eyes bore into mine, freezing me in place and causing a series of incoherent murmurs to escape the gapin