Zeke (The Powers That Be, Book 2) Read Online Free

Then my stomach clenched at
what I was about to agree to because I really needed that damned
book. “O-okay. Thank you. I promise to get it back to you next
class.”
    “Don’t worry
about it. C’mon,” he said, putting his hand at the small of my back
and leading me to the register. At his touch, I felt a shiver run
through my body but upon stopping to stand in line just feeling the
heat of him behind me made me want to lean back into him and absorb
it all. Oh, boy. Who was I and what happened to the me who was
focused on her future and who avoided distractions at all cost?
    “Well, hello,
Zeke! What’s the news on the pros?” a middle-aged woman who was
manning the cash register asked.
    Wow. This guy
knew everyone. Or everyone knew him, I guessed I should say.
    “Hey, Lilah,”
he said with a grin as he kept his hand to my back pushing me
forward. “Broncos, Cowboys and Colts might be in the mix.” He
shrugged. “Combine’s next month, so I’ll have a better idea what
round I’ll go then, hopefully.”
    Wait, what? I
looked up at him in awe not able to cover the shock on my face.
Holy shit. Holy shit! He was going pro in football? Wow! My
dad would bust a gasket if he knew a prospective Cowboy had given
me his number.
    When Zeke
looked down at me with a smirk, I closed my mouth and became very
interested in the bookmarks that were on the counter but inside I
was still amazed at him. I mean, that was pretty friggin’ cool!
    After Lilah
rang him up and bagged his book, he signed the necessary paperwork,
thanked her, picked up the bag then hand on my back led me
outside.
    “Where’re you
parked?” he asked, looking around at the cars in front of the
store.
    “Uh, that’s
me,” I said, pointing to Jezebel.
    “Nice. My
brother’s got a ’65. You ever need parts or anything worked on, let
me know. Dad’s a mechanic. I’ll get you an amazing discount.” He
waggled his eyebrows at me as we walked to my car. When we got to
it, he opened the driver’s door, tossing the bag into my passenger
seat.
    Seriously, who
was this guy? He’d not only given me a hefty tip then rescued me
from having to write a bad check for a textbook, now he was telling
me he could repair my car for cheap. And that was just today!
    I looked up at
him and shook my head truly dumbfounded. “I don’t know how to begin
to thank you.”
    And there was
the smirk again. “I’ll think of a way.”
    Oh, my. Heat
hit my face as I considered the possibilities. Damn. When I finally
got my wits about me, I said quietly, “No, really. Thank you. You
don’t know how much you’ve helped me.” I bit my lip in indecision
for a second then went for it, resting my hand on his chest, which
felt like solid rock and made me pause for a moment once again in
awe of him, and tiptoeing up, I kissed his cheek.
    Red-faced and
embarrassed at my boldness, I went flat-footed then turned and got
into my car, where, mistake of all mistakes, I ventured a small
glance up at him and holy crap-a-moly! The heated look he was
giving me, eyes narrowed and piercing mine, blatantly letting me
know exactly what he wanted, knocked all the air from my body and I
couldn’t look away. Whoa. Then keeping his eyes on mine, he stepped
back onto the sidewalk and nodded, jarring me out of my stupor. Oh,
yeah. Car. Drive. Go. I started Jezebel (somewhat roughly—stupid
carburetor), backed out and after giving him a small wave, drove
away. I’m pretty sure it took me three blocks before I was able to
breathe normally. And, dang it, how did I find myself suddenly
missing how good he’d smelled and how warm he’d been when I’d
pressed my lips to his cheek?
    “Stay
focused,” I muttered to myself.
    So shaking my
head to clear it some, I continued driving to the Dean’s office
where my work-study job helped pay for school when it hit me that
that’d been the third time I’d run into Zeke. Just today. If Grammy
was right, maybe he was meant to be in my life. Of