Read Taking Chances for Free Online Page B

longer.” Just then we heard Brandon
calling for me. “See you when you get back!”
    I took a deep
breath before leaving the room to meet up with him. Heat zinged across my
cheeks when he smiled at me. Did everyone here have to have an absolutely
perfect smile and teeth? Thankfully, I'd inherited my mom's teeth, they
naturally looked like I'd had braces for years.
    “You ready?”
    I nodded and
ducked my head in an attempt to hide my blush. Unfortunately, I'd also
inherited that from her. I followed him out and jumped into the passenger side
of his black Jeep that looked perfect for off-roading. There wasn't much of an
opportunity for talking, unless I wanted a mouthful of hair, so I sat quietly
until we pulled into a parking lot. I grabbed the door handle but stopped when
his hand touched mine.
    “Wait.” He said
with a smirk before jumping out and jogging to my side and opening my door.
    Dangerous-model-looking
god and a gentleman? I raised an eyebrow and smiled, “Well thank you.”
    “Of course.” He
tucked my hair behind my ear and a slow smile spread across his face as he took
it all in. “Maybe I should put the top back on.”
    My face fell
and my eyes grew wide.
    “Oh! No, I
didn't mean it in a bad way. Far from it, I swear.”
    I was suddenly
fascinated with the pavement.
    He put his hand
under my chin until I looked at him again. “Harper, I'm sorry for the way that
came out. You're already the most beautiful girl I've ever seen, but I swear
the way your hair looks right now…” he trailed and his eyes heated, “I'm gonna
be fighting guys off you for sure.”
    He said I was
beautiful. My smile grew wide and I put the rubber band I’d been digging out of
my purse back in, “I doubt that, but thanks.”
    Brandon just
shook his head and led me towards the doors with a hand behind me. I wanted him
to touch my back with his big hands, to feel their warmth on me. But he never
closed the distance, just guided me. We got our drinks and went back outside to
sit on the patio before we said anything else. It was nice that he didn't feel
the need to fill the silence, plus it gave me some time to calm my nerves.
    “So tell me
about yourself.” He began.
    “What do you
want to know?”
    “Everything.”
One corner of his mouth turned up, his dimple barely showing.
    I shrugged,
“There's not much to tell, my life has been incredibly boring.”
    He laughed
softly before continuing, “Okay fine, family?”
    “I grew up with
my dad, no siblings. Was home-schooled my whole life, I think just so he could
keep an eye on me.”
    “Wait, you were
home-schooled?”
    “Yes...?”
    “I'm sorry,
you're just not what I'd pictured a home-schooler to look like.”
    I laughed. I
wonder if he saw how I looked when I showed up a couple weeks ago, he would
still think that. “I guess I'll take that as a compliment?”
    His warm eyes
and smile confirmed that I should. “Where was your mom?”
    “She died
giving birth to me.” I was expecting him to get awkward and start apologizing
profusely, instead his eyes were soft and his mouth barely tipped up in a
smile.
    “My dad's gone
too. He was on one of the planes that crashed into the twin towers.”
    My heart sunk.
I never understood why people felt sorry for me. Yes it hurt knowing I'd never
meet my mom, but I hadn't had the chance to lose her. She was already gone. But
this? I would never understand Brandon's hurt, and I didn't know how to try,
but I wanted to take it away. What I did know, was that he didn't need my condolences
right now, so I reached my hand across the table and rested it on top of his.
He made slow circles on my thumb causing my entire hand to heat up.
    “Tell me about
him.”
    He glanced up
and my breath caught at his expression. If a masculine man could be described
as beautiful, then his expression was just that.
    “He was
amazing. Hard worker, but always home for dinner with us. Brought my mom
flowers every other weekend, never missed one of