Sipping from my straw, I scanned the article for a moment after he finished reading. Thats it?
Theres a picture. He scrolled up to reveal a black-and-white yearbook photo of a pretty brunette with long, straight hair and dramatic features. What do you think?
I sighed and sank back onto the edge of the bed. Seeing the latest dead girl hadnt answered any of my questions, but it had given me a name and a face, and made her death infinitely, miserably more real. I dont know. She doesnt look much like Heidi Anderson. And shes four years younger.
And she wasnt drunk.
And I had no idea this one was going to happen. No longer hungry, I wrapped the rest of my burger and dropped it into the bag. The only thing they have in common is that they both died in public.
With no obvious cause of death. Nash glanced at the bag in my lap. Are you gonna finish that?
I handed him the burger, but his words still echoed in my mind. Hed hit the nail on the head with that oneand driven it straight into my heart. Heidi and Alyson had both literally dropped dead with no warnings, no illness and no wounds of any kind. And Id known Heidis death was coming.
If Id been there when Alyson Baker was ordering her popcorn, would I have known she was about to die?
And if I had, would telling her have done any good?
I scooted back on the bed and drew my knees up to my chest as my guilt over Heidis death swelled within me like a sponge soaking up water. Had I let her die?
Nash dropped the empty burger wrapper into the bag and swiveled in the desk chair to face me. He frowned as he looked at my expression and leaned forward to gently push my legs down, so he could see my face. Theres nothing you could have done.
Were my thoughts that obvious? I couldnt summon a smile, even with his dimples and late-night stubble only inches away. You dont know that.
His mouth formed a hard line for a moment, like he might argue, but then he smiled slyly, and his gaze locked onto mine. What I do know is that you need to relax. Think about something other than death. His voice was a gentle rumble as he moved from the chair to sit next to me on the bed, and the mattress sank beneath his weight.
My breath hitched in anticipation, and my pulse raced. What should I be thinking about? My own voice came out lower, my words so soft I could barely hear them.
Me, he whispered back, leaning forward so that his lips brushed my ear as he spoke. His scent enveloped me, and his cheek felt scratchy against mine. You should be thinking about me. His fingers intertwined with mine in my lap, and he pulled away from my ear slowly, his lips skimming my cheek, deliciously soft in contrast to the sharp stubble. He dropped a trail of small kisses along my jaw, and my heart beat harder with every single one.
When he reached my chin, the kisses trailed up until his mouth met mine, gently sucking my lower lip between his. Teasing without making full contact. My chest rose and fell quickly, my breaths shallow, my pulse racing.
More
He heard me. He must have. Nash pulled back just long enough to meet my gaze, heat blazing behind his eyes, and I realized that he was breathing hard too. His fingers tightened around mine and his free hand slid into the hair at the base of my skull.
Then he kissed me for real.
My mouth opened beneath his, and the kiss went deeper as I drew him in, suddenly ravenous for something Id never even tasted. My fingers tightened around his, and my free hand found his arm, exploring the hard planes, reveling in the potential of such restrained strength.
Then he kissed me for real.
My mouth opened beneath his, and the kiss went deeper as I drew him in, suddenly ravenous for something Id never even tasted. My fingers tightened around his, and my free hand found his arm, exploring the hard planes, reveling in the potential of such restrained strength.
Nash pulled back then and looked at me, deep need smoldering behind his eyes. The intensity of that needthe staggering depth of his longingslammed into me like a wave on the side of a ship, threatening to knock me overboard. To toss me into that turbulent sea, where the current would surely carry me away.
His finger traced my lower lip, his gaze locked onto mine, and my mouth opened, ready for his again.
His hesitance was a terrible mercy. I could barely breathe with him touching me, so overwhelmed was I byeverything. But he smelled so good, and felt so good, I didnt want him to stop, even if I never breathed again.
This time I kissed him, taking what I wanted, delighted and astonished by his willingness to let me. My head was so full of Nash I wasnt sure Id ever think about anything else again.
Until the bedroom door opened.
Nash jerked back so fast he left me gasping in surprise. I blinked, slowly struggling up from the wave of sensations I wanted to ride again. My cheeks flamed as I smoothed my ponytail.
Dinner, huh? Ms. Hudson stood in the doorway, arms crossed over her chest, a fresh smear of chocolate on the hem of her shirt. She frowned at us, but didnt look particularly angry or surprised.
Nash rubbed his face with both hands. I sat there, speechless, and more embarrassed than Id ever been in my life. But at least wed been caught by his mother, rather than my uncle. That, I would never have recovered from.
Lets leave the door open for real this time, huh? She turned to leave, but then her gaze caught on the computer screen, where Alyson Bakers picture still stared out at the room. Something dark flickered across her facefear, or concern? then her expression hardened as she leveled it at her son.
What are you two doing? she demanded softly, obviously no longer referring to our social interaction.
Nothing. Nashs expression carried just as much weight as his mothers had, but I couldnt read anything specific in his, though the tension in the room spiked noticeably.
I should go. I stood, already digging my keys from my pocket.
No. Nash took my hand.
Ms. Hudsons expression softened. You really dont have to, she said. Stay and have some cookies. Just leave the door open. She eyed Nash on that last part, and tension drained from the air as her frown melted.
Nash rolled his eyes but nodded. Then they both turned to me, waiting for my answer.
Thanks, but I have some homework to finish. And Nashs mother had just caught us making out on his bed, which felt very much like the end of the night to me.
Nash walked me to my car and kissed me again, his body pressing mine into the drivers side door, our hands intertwined. Then I drove home in a daze and floated straight to my room, ignoring every less-than-subtle hint for information Sophie tossed my way. And only later would I realize that I had, in fact, forgotten all about the dead girls and was still thinking about Nash when I fell asleep.
CHAPTER 5
Insider out? Nash set his tray on the nearest table and dug in his pocket. Coins jingled, barely audible over the clatter of silverware and the buzz of several dozen simultaneous conversation, and he pulled out a handful of change, already turning toward the soda machine.
The autumn morning had dawned clear and cool, but by third period, it was warm enough for my biology teacher to open the windows in the lab and vent the acrid scent of chemical preservatives. Out. Lunch in the quad sounded good to me, especially considering the swarm of student bodies in the cafeteria, and the dozen or so people who had already noticed his fingers curled around mine in the pizza line.
Including his latest ex, who now glared at me from within a cocoon of hostile cheerleader clones. I glanced over my shoulder at Emma, who nodded. Ill get a table. She turned and dodged a freshman carrying three ice-cream bars, who almost knocked her tray from her hands.
Sorry, he mumbled, then stopped to watch her, his expression a blend of blatant lust and longing. Emma didnt even notice.
Nas pulled two Cokes from the machine and set one on my tray, then we wove our way around two tables to the center aisle, headed straight for the exit. I could practically feel the eyes of my classmates trained on my back, and it was everything I could do not to squirm beneath their scrutiny. How could he stand people watching him all the time?
We were two feet from the double doors leading into the quad when they swung open, only inches from smacking into my tray. A gaggle of slim girls in matching letterman jackets brushed past u, several pausing to smile at Nash. One even ran her fingers down his sleeve, and I was startled by the sudden, irrational urge to slap her hand away. Which proved unnecessary when he walked past her with nothing but a distracted nod.
Sophie was the only one who even glanced my way, and her expression could hardly be considered friendly. Until it landed on Nash. She let her arm brush his as she passed, glancing up into his eyes, a carnal smile turning up one corner of her perfectly made-up mouth in blatant, unspoken invitation.
Seconds later, the dancers were gone, leaving behind a cloud of perfume strong enough to burn my eyes. I stomped through the still-open doors and down the steps. Nash jogged to catch up with me. He carried his tray in one hand, and his opposite arm snaked around my waist, fingers curling around my hip with an intimate familiarity that made my pulse spike. Shes just trying to piss you off.
She says shes been in your backseat. I couldnt keep suspicion from my tone. Yes, his hand on my hip made a very public statement, and thatalong with his silence on the matter of my mental healthfinally put to rest my stubborn fear that hed planned a quick hookup over the weekend, and would be done with me by Monday.
But Nash had never even tried to deny the rumors of his past exploits, and I couldnt stand the thought that Sophie had been one of them.
What? He stopped in the middle of the quad, frowning down at me in obvious confusion.
The back of your car. She says theres a rip in your backseat and wants me to think shes seen it up close.
Nash chuckled softly and started walking again as he spoke, so that I had no choice but to follow. Umyeah. She put it there. She was wrecked the night I took her home, and she threw up all over the front floorboard. I put her in the back, and she got some stupid buckle on her shoe caught in the stitching and ripped it loose.