Shy Kinda Love by Deanna Eshler Read Free Book Online Page A

and monitor that ass every day.”
    I cringe because I know he is not exaggerating. I tease him that his job title is super-stealth-superhero, but I’m pretty sure it’s close to what he really does. So I totally believe my ass could already have a tracking device. I reach down and rub one ass cheek before I can stop myself.
    Ryder laughs. “Relax, your ass is tracker-free… for now.” He says it with a wink, then he glances over my shoulder again. “Any idea why your housemate can’t find anything interesting in this bar to look at other than us?”
    I have to grip the bar to keep from turning to see who he’s referring to. “Which one?”
    “Which one do you want it to be?” he asks me with a knowing grin.
    I roll my eyes, trying to hide my lie. “I don’t care which one it is.”
    Ryder wraps one of his strong hands around the back of my neck and pulls my head against his lips, planting another small kiss on my temple. “It’s okay to be attracted to someone. You’re an attractive young woman who most men notice. I’ve never seen you notice any of them…until this one. I saw the way you looked at him the last time we were here, and I can see you’re trying not to look at him now.” He releases my neck as he stands. “Stop thinking about what you shouldn’t feel and allow yourself to explore what you do.”
    I turn to argue, but he’s already walking away. I’m about to leave, so I don’t have to think about feeling anything, when I hear some approach the bar next to me. I don’t move to see who is next to me until I hear his soft, strong voice speak to me.
    “No Patrón tonight?”
    I turn in the direction of his voice, and I’m instantly caught in those gray, knowing eyes again. I may need to ask him to start wearing sunglasses around me. That’s not weird, right? I blink a couple times then look away, trying to escape those eyes. “Not tonight. What about you?” I ask, noticing he’s not holding a drink.
    Shaking his head, Kade replies, “I don’t really drink.”
    Before I can challenge his statement, Kade asks, “I’m curious about something. Why is it that when you saw me today you cursed the tequila? It is a perfectly good tequila.”
    I snap my head back to him, looking as though he has just greatly offended me. “I was not cursing the tequila,” I scoff. “I was cursing you.”
    Kade’s expression goes from curious to amused. “You nicknamed me Patrón?”
    He has that adorable grin on again. I feel my cheeks warm. What the hell? Now I’m blushing? I don’t blush.
    “So you saw me that one night, and I was memorable enough to get a nickname?”
    I don’t look at him because there is no way I want him to see the embarrassment on my face. “Well, no… I mean… no.” That is my genius reply. Then I decide I can go with part of the truth. “You were memorable because you were drinking Patrón.”
    “Oh, okay,” he says with a lift of his chin. “Well, if I’m being honest, I was staring at you that night because I felt like I was looking at someone I’d know all my life.” He lifts one hand and tucks my hair behind my ear. “But I knew I’d never seen you before.”
    Once again, I’m confused by his words, and again he speaks before I gather my thoughts.
    “So I have to ask, is that your boyfriend?” He inclines his head in the direction Ryder had gone.
    “Ryder?” I shake my head. “No, he’s like my brother.”
    Kade’s smile gets bigger. “Okay, so Keegan said you don’t go to school here. Does that mean you grew up around here?”
    It takes me a moment to catch up to his change in direction. I take one last glance at those lips before I answer, “No. Ryder and I moved here, almost three years ago, from Arizona.” Of course the Arizona part is a lie, but a necessary one.
    “You moved to Ohio from Arizona, with a guy who is like your brother, when you were only eighteen,” Kade restates, looking confused. “Where are your parents?”
    “I