Falling for Autumn by Heather Topham Wood Read Free Book Online Page B

answered shortly. I didn’t want to badmouth Josh and I felt embarrassed for him all of a sudden. Blake would be able to tell the date was an obvious failure by the early hour and my attempts at seeking solace through copious amounts of junk food.
    Blake opened his mouth to reply, but quickly shut it. He scrutinized me for a long moment before asking, “What are you doing right now?”
    “Eating,” I answered and held up my shopping bag for emphasis.
    “Want to come over? You can eat at my place and watch me kick Darien’s ass in video games.”
    “As fun as that sounds, I’m going to pass,” I said and added, “I’ll see you Tuesday in class.”
    Blake was close on my heels as I made my way out of the store. He said to my back, “Autumn, you should come over, it’ll be fun. If you don’t feel like staying for long, it’s not a big deal. I’ll drive you back to campus in a couple of hours.”
    I turned to face him. Even with the subdued lighting outdoors, I could still make out the way his green eyes gleamed as he watched me. It was one of the few times in our acquaintance I felt Blake was sincere. He honestly seemed to want to spend some time together without an ulterior motive.
    “I probably won’t be the best company.” I inhaled deeply and then said in a rush, “The date with Josh was terrible. It was awkward and when he tried to kiss me I couldn’t go through with it. I’m upset about it and I thought eating chocolate while reading my book in the lounge would make me feel better.”
    Leaning back on his heels, Blake considered me for a long minute. He was perceptive and I could see the questions running through his head. Kisses were given away as freely as sticks of gum by most people at our college and were meaningless to most. Even if I was only mildly attracted to Josh, I shouldn’t be so worked up over a kiss.
    It all boiled down to my unwillingness to make amends with my past. I couldn’t get over what happened and I could never move forward in my life until I learned to accept it. Beneath the bitterness and pain, I was a romantic at heart. I wanted to be swept away by a kiss and not terrified over what would follow after the kiss.
    “You can eat your chocolate and read your book at my place. Maybe Darien and I could give you advice to help you out.”
    “I guess it’s better than moping on my own.” I squinted at him. “Plus it will give me a chance to own you at Call of Duty .”
    Blake laughed and I followed him out of the convenience store. Conversation was stilted as I trailed behind him through the parking lot. I wanted to spend time with Blake, but he made me uneasy. As much as I stressed over my date with Josh, I knew my heart was safe with him. With Blake, I could make no such guarantees.

Chapter Six
     
    Blake’s car was unexpected. His confidence and faint air of privilege gave me the impression he was wealthy and would drive a car flaunting his luxurious lifestyle. In fact, his car was a Chevy sedan at least ten years old with several large dings on the doors. It didn’t bother me that Blake had an old beater; in a sense it made him more appealing. It brought him down from the stratosphere back to earth.
    While Blake got rid of the clutter on the passenger seat, I took an inventory of the items. Involuntarily my eyebrows raised as I noted the pink sweatshirt draped over the seat. Blake cleared his throat and said, “Sorry about the mess. I was with my sister yesterday and she left all of her crap in my car.”
    I relaxed into the seat next to him. “Younger sister?”
    “Yes, she’s sixteen and horrible. She thinks because I live an hour away I’m still at her beck and call. I didn’t have classes yesterday afternoon and she connived me into driving her and her friends around shopping.” He stopped at a red light and turned to me. “Do you have any sisters or brothers?”
    “No, only child.” I shrugged. “Is it just you and your sister? That’s nice you’re