Kiss Read Online Free Page B

her head coyly, causing a curtain of shiny chestnut hair to fall forward over her shoulder. It reminded him of sex, which started that tingly feeling spreading through his body, which in turn made him feel guilty about what had happened the last time they had sex. And the first time they had sex.
    â€œLooking forward to my dad’s dry, stringy turkey? My mom’s sickly turnip-brown sugar thing?” she challenged. “Looking forward to Phoebe eating nothing and complaining about Binghamton? Lauren talking on her cell phone straight through dinner? Hmmm.” She appraised him with one lifted eyebrow. “Are you telling me the truth?”
    Sam laughed again, wishing his heart would listen to reason once in a while. “Well. You’ll be there.”
    Heather awarded him a little smile. She pointed to the spot on the bench next to him. “Is this seat taken? Do you mind if I sit?” Her tone was light, but he regis-tered that her eyes were serious.
    He scooted over fast, feeling ungentlemanly. “Of course. Definitely. Sit.”
    She sat and dropped her backpack on the other side of her. She wasn’t so close that any part of her was touching him, but neither was she so far that he couldn’t feel her warmth. “Listen. There’s something I need to talk to you about.” She turned to face him, nailing him with her odd-colored eyes.They weren’t blue, but they weren’t not blue, either.
    â€œSure, of course.” He was getting nervous now. He was saying “of course” too much. “Talk away.”
    â€œIt’s kind of serious. Just to give you fair warning. It’s something we’ve been needing to talk about for a while now.”
    â€œOf c —” He clamped his mouth shut. He felt like strangling himself. “Okay. I’m warned.”
    Heather took a deep breath. “I know that you have some kind of . . . relationship with Gaia Moore.”
    Sam could tell it was painful to her to say the name, and he felt awful.
    â€œI know that you know her somehow, and I need you to tell me what’s going on between you.”
    Sam swallowed. Jesus, Heather had a knack for getting right to the point. He hoped his face didn’t betray his dire discomfort. He needed to choose his words carefully. He cleared his throat. “There’s nothing going on.”
    Liar. You think about her every hour of every day.
    â€œI barely know her. I’ve hardly ever spoken with her. There’s never been anything . . . romantic between us.”
    But you wish there were. You dream about her at night.
    Sam glanced up, reminding himself that he was having a conversation with Heather and not with himself.
    â€œSo what is there between you?” Heather pressed. “Why was she there the night we . . .” She trailed off and then started again. “How did she know you’d been kidnapped? Why did you need to leave in such a hurry the last time we were together in your room?”
    All the saliva in Sam’s mouth had dried up, and from what he could tell, it was never coming back. He tried swallowing again. “Honestly, Heather, I don’t know. The last couple of months have been so strange. I really don’t know anything about her.” That last bit, finally, was a sincere answer.
    â€œHave you ever . . . been with her?” Heather stopped and tried again. Here was a girl who accepted no cowardice, particularly not in herself. “Have you kissed her? Hooked up with her? Had sex with her?”
    â€œNo,” Sam answered firmly. But God, how I’ve wanted to.
    Heather looked relieved but no less serious. “Okay, here’s the really important thing I need to say to you.” She pulled one sleeve of her sweater up over the palm of her hand. “I don’t like Gaia Moore. I hate her. I think she’s dangerous, and I wish she’d stay away from you.” Heather caught her breath for a second