The Key (Heartfire) Read Online Free Page B

it. She wanted to make the cut last until I went home again for Thanksgiving break."
    He was just standing there, staring at her like a kid on Christmas morning. Then he held out his hand expectantly. She looked at it as if it were a snake that might bite her.
    "I'm Dylan."
    Dylan. The name suited him. It was unusual. Pretty almost. But strong.
    She sighed, ignoring his hand.  
    "Look, this isn't a good idea. We should just act like none of this ever happened. Otherwise we are basically admitting that we are insane."
    "Like I said, maybe we are. I'm okay with that."
    He was still grinning when he said it. She sighed again, feeling like she was speaking to a slow-witted child. Except he wasn't, was he? He was a big, beautiful looking young man. An Adonis really. How could he be here talking to her when she'd conjured him up out of loneliness all those years ago?
    He was supposed to just be her imaginary friend dammit.
    "Come on, just tell me your name. What's the big deal?"
    "The big deal-"
    She lowered her voice, whispering at him as she started walking around the outskirts of the game again.
    "The big deal is that stuff like this isn't supposed to happen."
    "Yeah, it's weird. But it's good weird, you know?"
    She stopped and stared at him. He was so handsome. So big. So actually there in the flesh that she had to resist the urge to reach out and poke him.
    "I guess."
    "So, what's your name? Otherwise I'm going to have to call you dream girl."
    She sighed again and stared at the hand he was once again holding out. Patiently waiting for her to accept it. She reached out and slid her small dark hand into his.
    "Kaylia. I'm Kaylia."
    He smiled at her and clasped her hand. A jolt shot through her. He jerked as if he felt it too. It was like an electrical current that seared her, straight to the soles of her feet. She let go abruptly, reaching up to touch the top of her head.
    Her hair was sticking straight up.
    Dylan's was too.
    He smiled sheepishly as if that were a totally normal reaction to a handshake.
    "So... Can I buy you a cup of coffee Kaylia?"

Chapter Five  
    Dylan
    ☿

    Dylan was trying to hide his grin. He stared stupidly at the ridiculously adorable girl sitting across the cafe table from him. The ridiculously adorable girl who shouldn't even exist. But she did exist. And God damn if he wasn't thrilled about it.
    He felt like he'd just won the jackpot.
    Kaylia, on the other hand, looked nervous. Conflicted. Miserable, even. As if she'd rather be anywhere but here.
    He didn't care at the moment though. He'd find a way to convince her that it was a good idea to get to know him. A very good idea. He could do it too. He would turn on the charm, be the perfect suitor. He'd done it a thousand times with teachers and parents. He could certainly convince this shy little girl that he was boyfriend material. Just as long as she didn't run off again.
    Boyfriend.
    Damn if he didn't want to be just that. He'd never chased a girl in his life but this was different. Kaylia was different. He knew he'd do just about anything to make this girl his. At least now he had a name to go with the beautiful face. That was a huge step in the right direction.
    Something occurred to him and he blurted out the words 'you don't have a boyfriend do you?' without even thinking. He was flooded with relief when she shook her head 'no.'
    "Where are you from? I never get to see your... house."
    He smirked at the blush that lit up her cheeks at the reminder of how intimate her nocturnal visits were. She visited him in his bedroom often, but it was never the other way around. He'd give anything to see the inside of her bedroom right about now.
    "Louisiana."
    "I'm from New Hampshire."
    "Yeah, I know."
    "How do you know?"
    She shrugged, her dainty shoulders rising apologetically.
    "I sort of can tell which way I'm going. Even if it's not deliberate."
    "Oh, so you don't come looking for me on purpose?"
    She blushed deeper and shook her head.
    "No- I just -