Evie's Knight Read Online Free PDF

the phone. “You better get back here. Sorry, we’re having a bit of a crisis.”
    Evie nodded, wishing she hadn’t called her at all. “Hmm. Well I was going to see if you could pick me up at the university. Kelly had to leave early.”
    Her sister let out another sigh and followed it up with an extended pause.
    Evie looked at Calvin once more. “I um, might be able to catch a ride from,” she had no idea what to call him, “a friend of mine.”
    He nodded encouragingly. “I’m happy to take you home, Evie.”
    A pool of warmth encircled her heart when he uttered her name.
    “Is that a guy ?” The pitch of Jessica’s voice had risen.
    “Yeah.”
    “Do you feel safe with him, Eve?” The question came through loudly; there was no doubt Calvin heard it as well.
    “Yeah. He’s actually like some campus cop or something. He had to escort me outside once for bad behavior.” Evie stifled a laugh. Calvin did the same.
    “Are you joking?” There wasn’t a hint of humor in Jessica’s voice.
    “Yeah. I’ll let you go, Jess. Bye.” 
    Calvin shook his head. “How much older is she than you?”
    “Four years.”
    “Campus cop, huh?”
    The grin remained on Evie’s face while she nodded.
    “Follow me onto the lot then, Miss.” He held his arm out for her. “I’ll make sure you get home safely.”
    Evie linked her arm through his, realizing that, to any onlooker, the two would look like a couple. She fought to keep the excitement off her face, unable to believe she was about to get a ride home with Calvin Knight.

Chapter Five
     
    “Thanks for doing this,” Evie said as they headed to the back corner of the lot. “Sounded like my sister was having some real trauma. She’s got two kids, so…” Probably no need to elaborate.
    “No problem.” As Calvin led her through the sea of cars, Evie spotted his black Jeep Wrangler along the far edge, close to the mountain’s base. The sleek, hardcover top was gone, exposing the rugged cage of the Jeep. Good thing it was such a warm day.
    He opened her door for her. The wheels weren’t too high, but high enough to make her glad she hadn’t worn a skirt. Evie stepped onto the running board and climbed in.
    “Thought you might need a step ladder,” he teased, closing the door behind her. He opened the driver’s side and settled into his seat.
    “With some trucks I might.” She pulled the buckle across her lap. “In fact, I had this one guy ask me out–the wheels on his truck were ridiculous. He seriously had to help me in and out of the cab each time. It was awful.”
    Calvin started up the engine. “Not for him, I bet. Sounds pretty sly to me.” He slid his arm behind her seat, easing the Jeep out of the stall, his hand just barely grazing the neck of her blouse.
    She cursed herself for enjoying the feel of it so entirely, and rambled on, “I remember spending the whole evening dreading the climb back into that truck.”
    “Was there ever a second date?”
    She shook her head. “Nope.”
    “All because of the truck?”
    She shook her head again. “Nope.”
    “This is getting good. What kind of guy gets a second date with you?” He eyed the busy intersection, back and forth before pulling onto the main road.
    Evie shrugged. “I’ll have to get back to you on that one.”
    Crisp hints of pine and sage danced in the breeze. Though the scents belonged to the winding canyons in the east, they reminded her of Calvin as well. Fresh, woodsy, and masculine.
    She tuned in to the city noise: pounding thuds of bass blaring from distant speakers, the rushing traffic speeding by, the hush of the wind as it blew across her face. Everything about it made her feel more alive, more part of the world around her.
    As they picked up speed, Evie’s hair tossed and flew in all directions. She chuckled, swooping the blond strands into one fist. She hadn’t worn a hairband on her wrist today, so she reached into her bag and pulled out a long, sharp pencil.
    “What