My Brother’s Keeper- 5

“Taddy, what are you doing?”

Tad cringed at Melodie’s nickname for him but knew it was useless to say anything about it. So he replied, “Studying for the exam, which you’d better start doing as well.”

“But we’re on a date,” she protested.

Gritting his teeth, he turned to stare at her. “This is not a date. We are at a coffee shop where the plan was that we’d study together. So get with the program.”

“Honestly, sometimes you are so…mean.” She slammed open her book, looking at Tad under lowered eyelashes as she pretended to read. “What does this mean?” she asked moments later, pushing the book across to him, pointing to a paragraph.

“Melodie,” he growled when he’d read it. “It’s as simple as ABC. Read it again and think, damn it.” He regretted his last words seconds later when a look of hurt crossed her face. “Sorry for swearing but honestly…” With a sigh he explained it to her.

“Oh. Now I get it.”

“Good.” He smiled at her. “Now, can we get back to what we were doing? This is important, at least to me.”

When she nodded and went back to reading, Tad sighed in relief. There were times when he seriously wondered why he was with her. Sure she was cute, and popular, but he should have been beyond needing the sort of ego-stroking being seen with her around campus engendered. It wasn’t as if they had done anything, although it was more than obvious she wanted to. He just couldn’t work up any enthusiasm for the idea of crawling into bed with her.

He pulled his mind back from those thoughts. Right now he had other things to worry about, like passing tomorrow’s exams.

Two hours, four cups of coffee, and numerous interruptions from Melodie later, Tad closed the book he was on and began to put everything back into his backpack.

“We’re leaving?” Melodie smiled happily as she followed suit.

Tad bit back a caustic reply. “Yes. It’s getting late and we both need our sleep.”

“Oh. Well, yes I suppose.” She pouted before she linked her arm with his when they stood.

“You know we do.” He impulsively kissed her cheek. “You have everything?” he asked as an afterthought since he knew how scatter-brained she could be.

“Umm hmm,” she replied without checking and tugged him towards the door.

When they reached his car she waited for him to open her door and then slid in. Once he was in the driver’s seat she slid across the bench seat to snuggle next to him as he started the car and pulled out of the parking lot. Not for the first time he considered the idea that he should get something newer with a console that would stop her from doing that.

He parked in front of her dorm a few minutes later. After several good-night kisses and a bit of groping on both their parts he pointedly got out of the car to go around and open her door. She slid out, making certain that the movement hiked her skirt up to reveal practically everything, wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him one more time. Then she grabbed her backpack, flounced away up the sidewalk and turned to wave at him.

He returned the wave because he knew he should before he got back into the car. As he drove away his thoughts, for whatever reason, went to the alley rooftop and the two young men he’d saved from a probable beating. He hoped they were safe, wherever they were now.