(Never) Again Read Online Free Page A

said, picking up the remote and turning off the television.
    Joe startled awake, then jumped up, giving me a once-over and smiling his approval. I grabbed my purse and slung it over my shoulder. Warm arms wrapped around my waist, and I settled against Joe’s chest.
    “We could stay here, and you know . . .” Joe whispered, raining a trail of sensuous kisses down my neck.
    “We could.” I turned, catching his bottom lip with my teeth. His mouth parted and just as I was about to deepen the kiss, Zach’s face popped into my head. You had got to be kidding me. Without thinking, I pushed my hands into Joe’s chest and shoved him away.
    “Whoa!” he called out, eyes narrowing in on me. “What was that?”
    Crap. I needed to think up something. Anything. I couldn’t tell him my ex popped into my mind the very minute I went to stick my tongue down his throat.
    “We shouldn’t start something we can’t finish.” It sounded good in my head, but as soon as the words came out, I knew what was running through Joe’s mind. We never finished.
    Ever.
    So I was eighteen and hanging on to my v-card. Big deal. Some people held on to it well into their twenties. I had time.
    Luckily, he didn’t bring it up. Instead he nodded and tossed me a smile. “You’re right. I told Scott I’d get there early to help the band set up.”
    Oh, great. He forgot to tell me that little tidbit of information. That was just how I wanted to spend my night, sitting on the sidelines while Joe pretended to be part of the band. But maybe Sadie would show up after her babysitting duties to see if Matt was hanging out. Poor girl was crushing hard.
    I made a mental note to text her in the car. Joe took my hand, kissed the side of my head, and I followed him out the door, leaving all thoughts of Zach behind me.

Chapter 4
    Trax was a dive bar close to campus where they didn’t ID and beers were sold by the bucketful. Permanent markers were placed in cups on the tables for your writing/drawing pleasure. The walls and tables were covered with song lyrics, love notes and some pretty impressive artwork.
    It still reeked of cigarettes from the days when it was legal to smoke inside and choke your nonsmoking friends into an unhealthy cough-fest.
    We didn’t even get two feet in before Joe ditched me for the band. Scott, the lead singer (who really screamed more than he sang), was setting up the microphone. Evan “E-Rock” Rochler, a somewhat dorky kid with glasses, thought jumping around the stage made up for his lack of talent. Then there was their bassist Charlie, who had more talent in her little finger than the boys combined, plugging into her amp.
    I found an open booth in the corner and slid in. Thank heavens. The last thing I wanted was to stand all night getting bumped by some jackasses who thought they were moshing.
    My phone buzzed and I looked down to see a text from my brother Josh.
    We still on this weekend?
    Josh was two hours away studying at his dream school, but we took turns visiting each other. Really, he visited me more since I was only an hour from home and he could see our parents in the same weekend.
    Yup. Can’t wait J
    I picked up a red Sharpie and started drawing. I drew a circle then looped another half circle on top.
    “Don’t tell me you still draw that silly dog?” My head shot up at the voice. Blood rushed to my cheeks, but I couldn’t tell if it was from embarrassment or anger. I looked down at the half-finished drawing then back up at Zach. His hand rested on the table and my brain betrayed me by taking a minute to remind me of how I used to draw it on his hand. And then the picture on my Zach box flashed in my head. I had to take the damn box out, didn’t I?
    “My dog is not silly,” I spat and continued drawing the eyes and nose, too aware of the boy I once loved sitting across from me, and how those hands used to feel on me. “What are you doing here anyway?”
    “Matt invited me.” He tossed his thumb over