"Thank you for the ride, Cole." I snatch up my heavy, mauve backpack. "Sorry for the trouble."

Jumping out the truck, my high tops land softly on the ground, cushioned by the plush green grass.

We made it to my new house after getting lost and having to call my mom. Luckily, we weren't that far off, but the problem was that I got the street name and directions wrong.

Cole didn't seem upset with me at all and truthfully, I was enjoying spending the extra time with him. That voice of his is sexy enough to make me want to jump his bones though, so I was careful. Not like I actually would, it's just when I become attracted to someone, I sometimes say way too much and end up making a fool out of myself. Turning them off in the process.

When I close the door behind me, I start to walk towards the moving truck parked in the driveway to the relatively modest two-story house we're moving into. Willow green panelling, brown bricks, a tan roof, windows with shutters, and a few columns here and there come together to create an irritatingly adorable, stereotypical southern abode.

"Now, hold your horses," I hear the driver side door slam shut and turn around to see Cole rounding the front of his truck. "Where ya goin'?"

Is it not obvious?

"To check the moving truck for the rest of my stuff, why? Did I leave something in your truck?" I pat my pockets for my phone and house key.

He laughs and reaches for both my hands. "When can I see you again?" he kisses the back of my hands one-by-one.

"But, Mr Cooley, we just met," I feign like a southern belle in old movies. "I'm not sure if you should be showering me with kisses so soon after introducing ourselves to one another."

"Oh, but I can't help myself, Ms Selvey," he plays along and pulls me into a hug. "When I see your pretty smile all my silly inhibitions wanna just fly right out there yonder window."

"Well, how about that," I know I'm blushing my head off. "What does that mean, Mr Cooley?"

"It means, Ms Selvey..." he brings his face close to mine. "That you have been successful in catchin my eye, and that I want to see you again. Sometime soon."

I gasp. "Uh, well..." I look back at the house. "Since you now know where I live..." my hands move to unwrap his arms from my waist. "Just stop by and come get me when you want to see me."

"You got it." a sexy even smile widens on his face as he winks.

Damn, you are so hot, Cole Cooley.

"Lucky you're so charming," I back away while maintaining eye contact. "It's usually not this easy to win my favour, Mr Cooley."

"'Lucky' may be the perfect word, Ms Selvey."

»»------(¯' ´¯)------»»

"But, I'm not hungry..." my stomach growls, waking me up.

The doorbell goes off.

My hair covers my eyes, keeping me from being able to really see the time on my bedside clock. The bell -- the very, very annoying doorbell -- goes off again... I growl into my pillow.

"Mom, can you get the door?" I raise up just enough to get that out.

But, only silence replies.

That's when I remember that I'm home alone.

Mom and Tom went to take the moving truck to the meeting place they came up with thanks to a friend who so nicely agreed to take it back to the place by the airport. Jeremiah, my brother, decided to take his car and tour the town starting early this morning.

Oh, how he enjoyed rubbing his perfectly functioning, burnt orange 2009 Jeep Wrangler in my face. Little son of a bitch wouldn't drop the fact that my Beetle broke down. Mom had to stop me from strangling him.

The doorbell rings again.

Fuck me!

"Coming!" I throw on some fur boots that were still stacked on top of other shoes in a big cardboard box.

My hair is crazy and flying all over the place, something that I noticed -- thank you, God -- while rushing past my body length mirror. Something that I just happened to hang up, because it was the first thing I pulled off the truck.

Coincidences seem to be extraordinary life savers for me lately. One might even say that I am one lucky bi...

The doorbell again.

That's it! Who the fuck is it here so early in the goddamned morning?!

Putting my hair up with a rubberband first, I stomp through my room, down the hall, down the stairs, and to the front door. With as much strength as my half-asleep brain can allow me to muster, I swing the front door open and scream.

"What?!" it actually makes my throat feel a bit sore.

It feels like my heart stops and drops out of my ass when I focus and realize who it is standing in my doorway.

Cole Cooley.

Holy shit on a stick.

Not wanting to say the first thing that came to my mind. I glance over at the clock hanging on the wall. Seeing that it's not even noon yet, my head starts to spin with questions.

"Mornin', Chris," his eyes roam and look me up and down, causing me to do the same.

I'm wearing black boy shorts, no bra, and an off one shoulder, purple and grey striped top. Not wanting to risk showing him the full outline of my boobs and such, I take my hair out of the tight band's hold. The thick, light brown hair falls back over my shoulders in a heavy heap.

"Morning, Cole," I try not to talk too openly. My tongue tastes weird and I fear the worst for my breath. I had sour cream potato chips before bed and didn't brush my teeth. "Um, what are you doing here?"

His eyes continue to survey. "You look more gorgeous than the mornin' sky," he finally settles on my face. "But, to answer your question, I will ask a question. Didn't you say that I had permission to come get you whenever I wanted to see you?"

"Oh, uh..." I literally have no words right now.

He crosses his arms and smiles. "Don't tell me you've changed your mind now, Ms Selvey."

"Um, no..." over his shoulder, I can see the little old lady that lives across the street. Never in the two days, we've been here, have I said a word to her, but she just oozes the aura of a town gossip starter. "You know what? Come in here."

"Woah." I yank him by his shirt into the house and slam the door behind him.

"I don't trust you being down here," I state, but realise if I don't elaborate that sounds really offensive. "I mean because my family isn't at home and I don't know the exact time they'll be back...so I can't have you down here, because they'll see you and my mom will question you endlessly."

He lifts a brow. "My truck is directly in front of your house." he points out.

I scratch my forehead unintentionally. "Um..." I put my hands together. "I see your point..." an idea pops up. "Would you mind parking down the street or something?"

He raises an eyebrow. "Down the street?"

Can you just fucking do it and not argue with me?

"I'm about to make breakfast for myself, I'll cook for you too," I take the opportunity to utilise my puppy dog look. "Would you please do me this favour, Mr Cooley?"

Never have I met a guy that turned down free food.

"I'll be right back," he smiles and opens the door. "Will you leave the door unlocked?"

"It almost always is," I tell him, fondly remembering how naive my mom and I were back in Burbank. Carelessness was a defining characteristic of the two of us and we frequently left the front door unlocked. To the annoyance of my brother.

It was totally okay though. We lived on a pretty busy suburban street. Burglaries were extremely rare. I'm talking one every couple of years, maybe.

Another smile and then he's out the door. Through the peephole -- that I rushed up to -- I can see him actually walk off the patio and down the steps. He stops briefly to wave and say something to the white haired woman across the street. What he says is muffled and I can't understand it from the inside of the house and through this thick wooden door, but it sounded pleasant.

When he gets into his gleaming truck, I wait until it starts up before I run up the staircase. Making a beeline for the bathroom I share with my filthy brother.

My faded purple, dollar store toothbrush rest in a shell shaped holder. Both last minute buys.

I snatch it and the multipurpose toothpaste up in my hands and brush my teeth and tongue furiously. The foamy suds build up until they tickle my uvula and attempt to inch down my throat. Making me almost vomit. Spitting out the suds, splashing water on my face, and brushing my hair at the speed of light, I finish in less than five minutes. Record time for me.

My outfit is way too skimpy and despite the fact that he has already seen it, I decide to change.

I haven't taken a shower yet...well, I did take one last night.

Walking to my room, I go straight for a box that I know is full of clothes that my mom folded up and put away for me. I wanted to spend my last day in California with my friends so she agreed to finish my packing.

Thinking back on it, that day wasn't even fun. Everyone just sniffled and cried the whole time and to top it off, we ate at one of the worst restaurants in the area. Patricia was the only one that was trying to help me have an actual good time. But, even she cried on my shoulder when it was time. I went home with mascara smudges on my turquoise chiffon blouse.

Grabbing a padded black bra, a large white t-shirt with the words TAKE A CHILL PILL on it in rainbow colours, and some black shorts I rush to get undressed.

The off the shoulder top comes off first so I can put on a bra.

"Chris, I parked under the tree down the way from your house..." I turn my head to see Cole standing behind me in my doorway. "Oops, I...am...my apologies."

Why the hell are you still standing there?!

"Could you leave?" my voice is trembling as I try to hold in a scream and intense embarrassment.

He blinks. "Huh?"

"Like now!?" I stomp my foot like a three-year-old.

"Oh, yeah, my bad." he pulls the knob and briskly walks out of the room. "I'll wait downstairs."

Oh, my God.

I grab the post of my bed and lean on it. My chest vibrates with the fast beating rhythm that started up the moment that idiot barged into my room. I mean, who the hell does that kinda thing. Next time I need to lock my room door, I guess. And, maybe keep a note that I should learn to put on a bra without taking off my shirt.

When I build up the courage and walk downstairs, the first thing I see is Cole standing in front of the open refrigerator.

"Do you always raid people's fridges?" I cross my arms and walk to the kitchen archway.

He closes the door. "I was curious." he smiles at me. "But, your kitchen here looked so empty. If I didn't see any food in here, I was going to go out and get you something. My mama made some mean chocolate chip muffins this morning."

Geez, how early do the people in this town wake up?

"Thank you for the concern," I smile, walking over to the pantry. "But, we have peaches and pecan scones."

Everything, including the fruit that my mom bought on the way here yesterday, is in the pantry. Peaches stay soft if you don't put them in the fridge.

"Can I have one, too?" he asks walking in behind me and pointing at the bag of peaches.

"Uh, yeah," I reply reaching to grab two of them and hand him one. He was standing way too close to me just now.

"It's a nice house you've got here." he bites into the juicy peach. His lips curve around the bite so smoothly it's ridiculous. My heart thumps and I chew on my lip as the urge to kiss him becomes overpowering.

My first kiss was memorable and with a guy who I had been friends with since kindergarten. We were at a movie and he just kissed me out of nowhere during the pitch black interval between previews. Kissing is not hard for me, and while I may not consider myself the best at it, I'm adequate enough. Or so a guy that I ended up making out with in a drunken stupor one regretful night told me. I'm just glad that it didn't go further than kissing.

"Do you want to come down to the lake with me and some of my buddies?" Cole asks me out of nowhere.

"There's a lake here?" I chew on the crumbly scone. I make my way to the corner cabinet so I can get a napkin. No way am I getting crumbs on the floor because then it would be my job to sweep the floor and I'm neither good at it nor in the mood to do it.

"Yep, right over the hill and pass the creek," he replies frankly. "Only 'bout a mile or two from here."

"I'm cool with going if you are." I shrug.

He pulls his keys out of his pocket. "Let's go then."