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And You Would Have Lost. We Were Surrounded. He Threatened Your Life, And He Would Have Made Good On That Threat. He Had You, And That Meant He Had Me, Too.

-Becca Fitzpatrick

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And You Would Have

Becca Fitzpatrick

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And You Would Have Lost. We Were Surrounded. He Threatened Your Life, And He Would Have Made Good On That Threat. He Had You, And That Meant He Had Me, Too.

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Shh!" The Guy Beside Me Hissed Again. "blame Him," I Told The Guy, Pointing At Patch. The Guy Craned His Neck Back. "listen," He Said, Facing Me Again. "if You Don't Quiet Down, I'll Get Security." "fine, Go Get Security. Tell Them To Take Him Away," I Said, Again Signaling Patch. "tell Them He Wants To Kill Me." "i Want To Kill You," Hissed The Guy's Girlfriend.

You Want Me To Come Clean, I Will. I'll Tell You Everything. Who I Am And What I've Done. Every Last Detail. I'll Dig It All Up, But You Have To Ask. You Have To Want It. You Can See Who I Was, Or You Can See Who I Am Now. I'm Not Good," He Said, Piercing Me With Eyes That Absorbed All Light But Reflected None, "but I Was Worse.

I Want To Wake Up With You Every Morning And Fall Asleep Beside You Each Night,” Patch Told Me Gravely. “i Want To Take Care Of You, Cherish You, And Love You In A Way No Other Man Ever Could. I Want To Spoil You — Every Kiss, Every Touch, Every Thought, They All Belong To You. I’ll Make You Happy. Every Day, I’ll Make You Happy.

Door’s Locked,” He Said. “and We Have Unfinished Business.

Unfinished Business

He Felt Warm And Familiar. He Felt Solid And Safe. I Wanted To Cling To His Shirt, Bury My Face Into The Warm Curve Of His Neck, And Never Let Go.

Let’s Be Honest, Nora. You’ve Got It Bad For Me." His Eyes Held A Lot Of Depth. "and I’ve Got It Bad For You.

I Need To Get Back To Work,” Patch Said. He Gave Me A Once-over That Lingered A Bit Below The Hips. “killer Skirt. Deadly Legs.

Citizen's Arrest," He Said. "well, That, And Patch Told Me To.

Who Wants To Kill You?” The Guy Asked. He Was Still Looking Over His Shoulder, But His Expression Was Puzzled. “there’s Nobody There,” The Girlfriend Told Me. “you’re Making Them Think They Can’t See You, Aren’t You?” I Said To Patch, Awed By His Power Even As I Despised His Use Of It.

You Should Go," I Breathed. "you Should Definitely Go." "go Here?" His Mouth Was On My Shoulder. "or Here?" It Moved Up My Neck.

Angel... I Don't Think You Understand The Lengths I Would Go To If It Means Keeping You Here With Me.' -patch (pg 262)

I Was Tired Of Admiring Your Legs From A Distance.

The Truth Is, Normal Might Take Years. Normal Might Never Happen. But It’s Definitely Not Going To Happen If I Lounge Around Here Watching Soaps And Avoiding Life. I’m Going To School Today, End Of Story.

I Can't Imagine Why You're So Interested." He Shook His Head. "interested? We're Talking About You. I'm Fascinated.

All I Can Think About Is Bed.” “we’re Sharing The Same Thought.” “you’re Thinking About Bed Too?” “i’m Thinking About You In My Bed.

Thinking About You

Patch Smiled. “you Come By Your Red Hair Naturally?” I Stared At Him. “i Don’t Have Red Hair.” “i Hate To Break It To You, But It’s Red. I Could Light It On Fire And It Wouldn’t Turn Any Redder.

Did They Look Like Anyone We Know? For Example… A Cross Between Pippi Longstocking And The Wicked Witch Of The West Would Obviously Give Us Marcie Millar

Patch Reached For My Hand And Pushed My Dad's Ring Off The Tip Of His Finger And Into My Palm, Curling My Fingers Around It. He Kissed My Knuckles. "i Was Going To Give This Back Earlier, But It Wasn't Finished." I Opened My Palm And Held The Ring Up. The Same Heart Was Engraved On The Underside, But Now There Were Two Names Carved On Either Side Of It: Nora And Jev. I Looked Up. "jev? That's Your Real Name?" "nobody's Called Me That In A Long Time.

My Mom's Coming Home Soon," I Said. "we Should Go To Your Place." Patch Ran A Hand Across The Shadow Of Stubble Along His Jaw. "i Have Rules About Who I Take There." I Was Getting Really Tired Of That Answer. "if You Showed Me, You'd Have To Kill Me?" I Guessed, Fighting The Urge To Feel Irritated. "once I'm Inside, I Can Never Leave?" Patch Studied Me A Moment. Then He Reached Into His Pocket, Twisted A Key Off His Key Chain, And Slipped It Into The Front Pocket Of My Pajama Top. "once You've Gone Inside, You Have To Keep Coming Back.

Arrogance Can Be Deadly.

I Turned My Face Up To His. I Could Hardly Look At Him The Same Way. I Was Crying Without Realizing I'd Started. "you Made A Deal With Hank. You Saved My Life. Why Would You Do That For Me?" "angel," He Murmured, Clasping My Face Between His Hands. "i Don't Think You Understand The Lengths I Would Go To If It Means Keeping You Here With Me.

It Didn't Escape Me That He Couldn't Seem To Stop Finding Reasons To Touch Me. Nor Did I Miss That I Didn't Want Him To Stop.

I Think I'm More Of A Guardian Angel Girl.

I Might Have Been Tempted To Hit Him Square In The Jaw Had He Not Taken Me By The Shoulders And Pinned Me Against The Wall. There Was Hardly Any Space Left Between Us, Just A Thin Boundary Of Air, But Patch Managed To Eliminate It. "let's Be Honest, Nora. You've Got It Bad For Me." His Eyes Held A Lot Of Depth. "and I've Got It Bad For You." He Leaned Into Me And Put His Mouth On Mine. A Lot Of Him Was On Me, Actually. We Touched Base At Several Strategetic Locations Down Our Bodies, And It Took All My Willpower To Break Away.

Are You Crazy?" I Said. "crazy About You." "patch!" "don't Worry, We've Got Time." "how Do You Know?" He Staggered Back A Step, With His Hand Over His Heart. "your Lack Of Faith Hurts.

Anyone Ever Tell You You're An Incredible Kisser?

Should Have Known

It’s So Real." "most Dreams Are. It Isn't Until You Wake Up That You See All The Plot Holes.

I Wanted To Imprint His Touch, His Taste, Even The Scent Of Him So Solidly Inside Me That No One Could Take Them Away From Me.

This Is Crazy," I Told Patch In An Undertone. "i'm Crazy." He Was On The Brink Of Smiling Again. "about You.

Biggest Dream?” I Was Proud Of This One Because I Knew It Would Stump Him. It Required Forethought. “kiss You.” “that’s Not Funny,” I Said, Holding His Eyes, Grateful I Didn’t Stutter. “no, But It Made You Blush.

Tell Me What's Going On Here. Why Can I Hear Your Voice Inside My Head And Why Did You Say You Came To School For Me?" "i Was Tired Of Admiring Your Legs From A Distance.

Walk Out,” He Repeated. “we Need To Talk.” “about How You Need To Sacrifice Me To Get A Human Body?” I Asked, My Tone Light, My Insides Feeling Leaden. “that Might Be Cute If You Thought It Was True.

Every Animal On The Planet Attracts Mates With The Goal Of Reproduction. Frogs Swell Their Bodies. Male Gorillas Beat Their Chests. Have You Ever Watched A Male Lobster Rise Up On The Tips Of His Legs And Snap His Claws, Demanding Female Attention? Attraction Is The First Element Of All Animal Reproduction, Humans Included

Nora: I Have Questions. Patch: I Should Have Known You've Only Been Keeping Me Around For Answers. Nora: Well, That And Your Kisses. Anyone Ever Tell You You're An Incredible Kisser?

Sometimes Bad Things Have To Happen Before Good Things Can.

What I Really Wanted Was The Impossible.

I Hung My Fingertips On His Waistband, Tugging Him Closer. Patch Buried His Face In The Curve Of My Shoulder, His Hands Flexing Over My Back. He Gave A Low Groan. "i Love You," He Murmured Into My Hair. "i'm Happier Right Now Than I Ever Remember Being.

Listen, Patch, I Don’t Want To Be Rude, But—” “sure You Do.” “well, You Started It!” Lovely. Very Mature.

You Smell Good." "it's Called A Shower. Soap, Shampoo, Water-" "naked. I Know The Drill.

My Life Sucks When I’m Only Half-aware Of It. If I Quit Drinking And Saw What It’s Really Like, I’d Probably Jump Off A Bridge.

I’m Really Starting To Like All This Spy Work,” Vee Said. “when My Normal Life Gets Boring, All I Have To Do Is Sidle Up Next To You.

Fine! I'll Throw On Some Clothes. Turn Around. I'm In My Pj's" "i'm A Guy. That's Like Asking A Kid Not To Glance At The Candy Counter.

The Patch I Knew Didn't Run From Anyone.

Reading A Good Book In Silence Is Like Eating Chocolate For The Rest Of Your Life And Never Getting Fat.

I Looked To The Window. Patch Was Gone, But A Single Black Feather Was Pressed To The Outer Pane, Held In Place By Last Night's Rain. Or Angel Magic

If I Had Known Things Would Turn Out This Way, I Would Have Trained Harder. I Would Have Learned To Take Care Of Myself. But I Guess That's The Point, Isn't It? You Never Know What You're Going To Have To Face, So You'd Better Be Prepared.

It Would Be Like A Cleansing Diet. The Problem Was, The Only Diet I'd Ever Been On Backfired. Once I Tried To Go An Entire Month Without Chocolate. Not One Bite. At The End Of Two Weeks, I Broke Down And Binged On More Chocolate That I Would Have Eaten In Three Months. I Hoped My Chocolate-free Diet Didn't Foreshadow What Would Happen If I Tried To Avoid Patch.

You Possess Other People's...bodies." He Accepted That Statement With A Nod. "do You Want To Possess My Body?" "i Want To Do A Lot Of Things To Your Body, But That's Not One Of Them.

He Grinned When I Didn't Protest, And Lowered His Mouth Toward Mine. The First Touch Was Just That - A Touch. A Teasing, Tempting Softness. I Licked My Lips And Patch's Grin Deepened. "more?" He Asked. I Curled My Hands Into His Hair, Pulling Him Closer. "more.

If You Keep Running From Me, You're Never Going To Figure Out What's Really Going On.

I Forced A Smile. It Was The One I'd Been Practicing All Morning. It Felt Tight At The Edges And Brittle Everywhere In Between.

Vee: And I'm Not Going To Let You Sit At Home All Afternoon With Your Sour Face On. Nora: I Don't Have A Sour Face. Vee: Yes, You Do. And You're Wearing It Right Now. Nora: This Is My Annoyed Face. You Woke Me Up At Six In The Morning!

Tacos." "tacos?" I Echoed. This Seemed To Amuse Him. "tomatoes, Lettuce, Cheese." "i Know What A Taco Is!

Your Past Wouldn’t Frighten Me,” I Said, Buckling My Seat Belt Across My Lap. “i’m Guessing I’d Be More Appalled Than Anything.

Killer Skirt, Deadly Legs.

His Muscles Flexed Under His Clothes, Holding Me, Leading Me. Never Letting Me Stray Far.

Just Because I've Gone And Snagged Myself A Hot Boyfriend Doesn't Mean I'm Going To Leave My Bestfriend High And Dry.

Don’t Start. I Saw Marcie Climb Inside Your Jeep.” “she Needed A Ride.” I Adopted A Hands-on-hips Pose. “what Kind Of Ride?” “not That Kind Of Ride,” He Said Slowly.

I’m Not Going Anywhere Near A Motel With You.

He Nuzzles My Neck Affectionately. "i Love You. I'm Happier Right Now Than I Ever Remember Being.

I Needed Him Like I'd Never Needed Anyone.

I Know You Followed Me. Don't Look So Surprised. It's Called A Rearview Mirror.

Rear View Mirror

After A Long Day, My Favorite Way To Unwind Is By Going Running. Not Exactly The Most Relaxing Activity, Granted, But I Always Imagine I'm Sweating Out All The Things Weighing On My Mind.

I Don't Have The Body For This," I Quipped, Lifting My Chin To A Voluptous Woman Nearby Who Shook Her Hips Zealously To The Beat. "no Curves." Jev's Eyes Held Mine. "are You Asking My Opinion?

What Do I Have To Do To Convince You That I'm Only Using Dabria For One Reason, One Only Reason: Destroy Hank, Bit By Bit If Is Necessary,and Make Him Pay For All The Things He Has Done To Harm The Girl I Love?

What Little Light Was Left Inside Me Flickered Out.

I'm Yours, If You'll Have Me.

I Swear To You, Nora Grey, On This Day, From Now And Forever, To Give Myself To You. I Am Yours. My Love, My Body, My Soul—i Place In Your Possession And Protection.” He Held Out The Ring, A Single Offering, A Binding Promise. ~ Patch + Nora

"this Isn't Over," I Said. "after Everything We've Been Through, You Don't Get The Right To Brush Me Off. I'm Not Letting You Off That Easily." I Wasn't Sure If It Was A Threat, My Last Stab At Defiance, Or Irrational Words Spoken Straight From My Splintered Heart. "i Want To Protect You," Patch Said Quietly. He Stood So Close. All Strength And Heat And Silent Power. I Couldn't Escape Him, Now Or Ever. He'd Always Be There, Consuming My Every Thought, My Heart Locked In His Hands. I Was Drawn To Him By Forces I Couldn't Control, Let Alone Escape. "but You Didn't".

I Wasn´t Expecting To Come Home To You, But Now That You´re Here, I Have No Intention Of Letting You Leave." Patch :d (p. 295)

If I Were Thinking Straight, I'd Take You Home Right Now.

What Was Up With Class Today? It Was Watered-down Porn. He Practically Had You And Patch On Top Of Your Lab Table, Horizontal, Minus Your Clothes, Doing The Big Deed.

A War Was Coming Either Way. Now All I Had To Do Was Choose My Opponent

Right Now, Holding You, I Feel Like We Have A Shot At Beating All Odds And Making It Together.

Guess Who Has Pe First Hour? This Is So Unfair. I Start The Day Off Perspiring Like An Elephant In Heat. Don't The People Who Make Up Our Schedule Understand Body Odor? Don't They Understand Frizzy Hair? ~vee

See, When You Lie To Me It Hurts," Rixon Said, Swiping An Imaginary Tear. "i Thought We Had Something Special. I Thought Our Joint Eternal Sentences Of Damnation Were Our Bond.

I Tilted My Chin Up A Fraction. "you Can't F-force Me To Stay Here." I'd Only Agreed To Come This Far Because I Didn't Want To Stand Out In The Downpour, For One, And I Had High Hopes Of Finding A Phone, For Two. "that Sounded More Like A Question Than A Statement," Said Patch. "then Ans-s-swer It." His Rogue Smile Crept Out. "it's Hard To Concentrate On Answers With You Looking Like That." I Glanced Down At Patch's Black Shirt, Wet And Clinging To My Body. I Brushed Past Him And Shut The Bathroom Door Between Us.

If You Need One More Reason, I Love You.

You Didn’t Tell Me She Was So Soft On The Eyes,” He Said To Patch, Wiping His Mouth With The Back Of His Hand. He Spoke With A Heavy Irish Accent. “i Didn’t Tell Her How Hard You Are On Them Either,” Patch Returned, His Mouth At The Relaxed Stage Just Before A Grin.

Right Then, I Wanted To Go Back In Time And Relive Every Moment With Him. One More Secret Smile, One More Shared Laugh. One More Electric Kiss. Finding Him Was Like Finding Someone I Didn't Know I Was Searching For. He’d Come Into My Life Too Late, And Now Was Leaving Too Soon. I Remembered Him Telling He’d Give Up Everything For Me. He Already Had.

If I Missed Out On Some Really Big Action, I’m Going To Be Royally Pissed Off!

I Couldn't Picture Myself With A Boyfriend, But If I Had To, I Envisioned A Nice Normal Guy Who Turned In His Math Homework On Time And Maybe Even Played Rec Baseball.

I Learned That I Was Either Crazy In Love With You, Or Putting On The Best Performance Of My Life.' -nora (pg 263)

I Should Probably Confess That Ice Cream Is My Favorite Food, And I Eat It Every Night. When I Go Grocery Shopping, I Try To Buy A New Flavor, Rather Than Reverting Back To A Favorite Flavor. I'm On A Mission To Taste Every Flavor Of Ice Cream Out There!

My Most Noticeable Physical Trait Is, Hands Down, My Hair. It's Big, Unruly And Curly, And You Can Spot It From A Mile Away... Literally.

I Couldn't Escape Him, Now Or Ever. He'd Always Be There, Consuming My Every Thought, My Heart Locked In His Hands. I Was Drawn To Him By Forces I Couldn't Control, Let Alone Escape.

Her Hair Was Strawberry Blond, And She Had The Shape Of A Popsicle Stick: Turn Her Sideways And She Practically Disappeared.

The Older Woman Waiting For Admittance Looked At Me, Then Over Her Shoulder At Patch, Who Was Vanishing Down The Hall. “honey,” She Told Me, “he Looks Slippery As Soap.

Don't Make Me Regret This", I Said Breathless. "you Haven't Regretted Me Once.

If I Lose You, I Lose Everything

I Don’t See Any Police Cars.” “they Probably Had To Park A Couple Blocks Over. Anyway, As I Was Saying, I Noticed Illegal Substances In The Hands Of A Few Guests.” “so?” She Snapped. “it’s A Party.” “alcohol Is Illegal Under The Age Of Twenty-one.” “great!” Marcie Shouted. “what Am I Going To Do?” She Paused, Then Raised Her Voice Again. “you Probably Called Them!” “who, Me?” Vee Said. “and Lose The Free Food? No Way.

I Held Out My Hot Dog, Which Had Grown Cold. “do You Want This?” “no Way. You’re Going To Need It. If Anything Bad Happens, Just Take A Bite. Ten Seconds Later, You’ll Feel All Warm And Happy Inside.

Your File Was Empty. Nothing. Not Even An Immunization Record.” He Didn’t Even Pretend To Look Surprised. He Eased Back In His Seat, Eyes Gleaming Obsidian. “and You’re Telling Me This Because You’re Afraid I Might Cause An Outbreak? Measles Or Mumps?” “i’m Telling You This Because I Want You To Know That I Know Something About You Isn’t Right. You Haven’t Fooled Everybody. I’m Going To Find Out What You’re Up To. I’m Going To Expose You.” “looking Forward To It.” I Flushed, Catching The Innuendo Too Late.

Quit Calling Me Grey. It Makes Me Sound Like I’m A Boy. Like Dorian Gray.” “dorian Who?” I Sighed. “just Think Up Something Else. Plain Old Nora Works Too, You Know.” “sure Thing, Gumdrop.” I Grimaced. “i Take That Back. Let’s Stick With Grey.

Patch Is The Last Person You Want To Antagoonize. He Doesn't Hold Grudges Because The People Who Cross Him Tend To Disappear Quickly.

You Laugh, But You Haven't Seen Me In A Tux. Or Maybe You Don't Like Broad-shouldered Guys With Muscular Chest And Washboard Abs?

There's Only One Thing I Know For Certain Anymore." He Turned, His Eyes A Clear Black. "that I Would Do Anything For You, Even If It Means Going Against Mu Instincts Or My Very Nature. I Would Lay Down Everything I Possess, Even My Soul, For You. If That Isn't Love, It's The Best I Have.

Don't Blame Me. Tell Your Mom To Move Closer. Tell Her There's This New Club Called Civilization And You Guys Should Join.

That's Really Eco-friendly Of You," Vee Told Marcie. "recycling Nora's Old Trash.

You're Mine, Angel. And I'm Yours. Nothing Can Change That.

When I'm Wasted, I Can Almost Forget Who I Am," He Said, His Smile Fading Slightly. "i Know I'm Still There, But Only Barely. It's A Good Place To Be." He Tipped Back The Thermos, Eyes On The Dark Sea Straight Ahead

In The End, The Only Thing Between Us Was Silence.

I Have A Free Couple Of Hours," I Told Him, Walking Toward My Car, Which Was Parked On The Next Block. "there's A Very Private, Very Secluded Barn In Lookout Hill Park Behind The Carousel. I Could Be There In Fifteen Minutes." I Heard The Smile In His Voice. "you Want Me Bad.

You Smell Good, Too,” Said Patch It’s Called A Shower.” I Was Staring Straight Ahead. When He Didn’t Answer, I Turned Sideways. “soap. Shampoo. Hot Water.” Naked. I Know The Drill.

There Was No Sign Of Jules. “bad News,” Said Elliot. “the Man Is Sick. You’re Going To Have To Settle For Me.” “sick?” Vee Demanded. “how Sick? What Kind Of Excuse Is Sick?” “sick As In It’s Coming Out Both Ends.” Vee Scrunched Her Nose. “too Much Information.

But If I Hadn't Fallen, I Wouldn't Have Met You.

We Don't Have An Address," I Said, "but We Do Know Where He Works." "are You Thinking What I'm Thinking?" Vee Asked, Eyes Brightening Briefly Through The Haze Of Chemical Sedation. "based On Past Experience, I Hope Not.

Hang On, Did You Just Call Me Angel?” I Asked. “if I Did?” “i Don’t Like It.” He Grinned. “it Stays. Angel.” He Leaned Across The Table, Raised His Hand To My Face, And Brushed His Thumb Along One Corner Of My Mouth. I Pulled Away, Too Late.

Right Now, Vee Was The Only Person I Could Count On. She Could Be Obnoxious,annoying, And Lazy, But She Never Lied To Me.

I’d Like To. Problem Is, I’m Not Stupid.” “you Act Stupid.” “right. Thanks For That. For Your Information, There’s A Difference Between Acting Stupid And Being Stupid.” “it’s A Fine Line, But Someone Has To Draw It.

I Trailed Off.patch Leaned Lazily Against The Counter. Dark Hair Flipped Out From Under His Ball Cap. A Smile Tugged At His Mouth. My Thoughts Dissolved And Just Like That, A New Thought Broke The Surface Of My Mind. I Wanted To Kiss Him. Right Now.

I Shook My Head. “i Don’t Think So. This Isn’t A Good Idea. This Isn’t Right.” “there’s All Kinds Of Right,” He Murmured. “on The Spectrum, We’re Still In The Safe Zone.” ... “definitely Right. Usually Right,” Patch Continued. “mostly Right. Maybe Right.

First,” He Said, Coming Behind Me And Placing His Hands On The Counter, Just Outside Of Mine, “choose Your Tomato.” He Dipped His Head So His Mouth Was At My Ear. His Breath Was Warm, Tickling My Skin. “good. Now Pick Up The Knife.” “does The Chef Always Stand This Close?” I Asked, Not Sure If I Liked Or Feared The Flutter His Closeness Caused Inside Me. “when He’s Revealing Culinary Secrets, Yes.

Because I Thought I Was In Love. And When You Think You're In Love, You Are Willing To Stick It Out And Make It Work Until It Is Love.

Light Had A Way Of Keeping The Monsters Of My Imagination At Bay.

Hang On, Did You Just Call Me Angel?" "if I Did?

Let Me Show You,” He Said In My Ear. “like This. Feel That? Relax. Now Pivot Your Hips—it’s All In The Hips.

She Shrieked. "nora! What Happened To The Banister!" Good Thing She Hadn't Seen Her Bedroom Yet.

I Swear To You, Patch, To Take Your Love And Cherish It. And In Return, To Give You My Body And My Heart—everything I Possess, I Give To You. I Am Yours. Wholly And Completely. Love Me. Protect Me. Fulfill Me. And I Promise To Do The Same.” ~ Nora + Patch

You Want A Blood Relative To Lead Your Army? Get Marcie. She Likes Ordering People Around. She'll Be A Natural.

Love The Hair. Love When It’s Out Of Control. It’s Like Seeing A Side Of You That Needs To Come Out More Often.

Kiss Me In A Way I'll Never Forget. Kiss Me In A Way That Will Stay With Me Until See You Again

...five Minutes From Now, When Everything Else Had Dropped Away And I Realized The Full Impact Of What I’d Done, I’d Feel My Heart Breaking.

Patch Stood Over Me, And A Drop Of Rain Slid From His Hair, Landing Like Ice On My Collarbone. I Felt It Slide Along My Skin, Disappearing Beneath The Neckline Of My Shirt. His Eyes Followed The Raindrop, And I Began To Quiver On The Inside.

Every Time You Strip My Sword, I Owe You A Kiss. How's That Sound?" I Bit My Lip To Keep From Giggling. "that Sounds Really Dirty." Patch Waggled His Brows. "look Whose Mind Just Rolled Into The Gutter.

It Was Bad Enough When I Thought Your Ghost Was Haunting Me; I Don't Think I Could Handle The Real Thing.

Guess Where I Am. Clue? She Texted Back Swear U Won't Tell A Soul? U Have 2 Ask? I Reluctantly Texted,@ Dinner W. Marcie's Dad. #?@#$?!& My Mom Is Dating Him. Traitor! If They Get Married, U & Marcie... Could Use A Little Consolation Here! Does He Know Ur Texting Me? Vee Asked. No. They R Inside. I'm In The Parking Lot ----coopersmiths. The Pimp. 2 Good 4 Applebee's, I See. I'm Going 2 Order The Most Expensive Thin On The Menu. If All Goes Well,him Going To Throw Hank's Drink In His Face 2. ~nora & Vee

You Should Shower," I Said. "right Now." "i Smell That Bad?" (patch) Actually, He Smelled That Good.

You're Mine, Angel," He Murmured, Brushing The Words Across My Jawbone As I Arched My Neck Higher, Inviting Him To Kiss Everywhere. "you Have Me Forever.

The Problem With Human Attraction Is Not Knowing If It Will Be Returned.

We Touched Base At Several Strategic Locations Down Our Bodies, And It Took All My Willpower To Break Away.

There´s My Date, I Said. "fashionably Late." Nora (p. 232)

And Anyway, The First Three Letters In The Word Diet Should Tell You What I Want It To Do.

I Saw You, And I Wanted To Be Close To You. I Wanted You To Let Me In. I Wanted To Know You In A Way No One Else Did. I Wanted You, All Of You.

Before I Could Stop Myself, I Punched His Arm. “careful,” He Said In A Low Voice. “they Might Think We’re Flirting.

The Guy I've Got My Eye On Happens To Be Hot. Off-the-charts Hot. Hotter-than-patch Hot.' She Paused. 'well Maybe Not That Hot. Nobody's That Hot.

I Couldn't Look At You And Breath At The Same Time.

I Tended To Be More A Romantic Than A Realist, And Chose Blind Faith Over Cold Logic.

Anything Was Better Than Nothing. Half-full Was Better Than Empty. Ignorance Was The Lowest Form Of Humiliation And Suffering.

If Anyone Were To Find Out—” I Began. Patch Kissed Me, Hard, But With An Amused Glint In His Eye. “if I Get Caught, It’ll Mean The End Of Kissing You. Do You Really Think I’d Risk That?” His Face Grew Serious. “i Know I Can’t Feel Your Touch, But I Feel Your Love, Nora. Inside Me. It Means Everything To Me. I Wish I Could Feel You The Same Way You Feel Me, But I Have Your Love. Nothing Will Ever Outweigh That. Some People Go Their Entire Lives Never Feeling The Emotions You’ve Given Me. There Is No Regret In That.

He Gave Marcie A Spare To The Jeep—i Should Park This Thing In The Ocean, Twenty Feet Under.

Busted. I'm A Monster. Jev Is My Deceptively Harmless-and Shockingly Handsome-alter Ego.

Or, If You Decide You Want To Sleep At My Place, On Opposite Sides Of My Bedroom With A Do Not Cross Line Drawn Down The Middle, I'll Do It. I Won't Like It, But I'll Do It.

Well Yoy Did It,"i Congratulated Patch. "i´m As Trained As I´ll Ever Be-a Lean, Mean Sword-fighting Machine. I Should Have Made You My Personal Trainer From Day One." A Rogue Smile Surfaced, Slow And Wicked. " No Match For Patch." Patch&nora (p.379)

You’ve Never Been To School, Ever? If That’s True— And You’re Right, I Don’t Think It Is—what Made You Decide To Come This Year?” “you....your Eyes, Nora. Those Cold, Pale Gray Eyes Are Surprisingly Irresistible.” He Tipped His Head Sideways, As If To Study Me From A New Angle. “and That Killer Curvy Mouth

Any Happiness, No Matter How Brief, Seemed Better Than The Long, Simmering Torture Of Waking Up Day After Day, Knowing I Could Never Have Him.

It Was A Smile That Spelled Trouble. With A Promise.

I Had To Lull Mom And Hank Into Believing I Was In The Right Frame Of Mind To Be Taken Into Public. If I Exited My Bedroom Foaming At The Mouth And Dressed In Black Love Sucks Tee, My Plan Would Never Get Off The Ground.

My History Is Long, And Not Much Of It Is Good. I Can't Erase It, But I'm Determined Not To Make Another Mistake. Not When The Stakes Are High, Not When It Comes To You.

You’re Impinging On My Private Space,” I Said, Inching Backward. Patch Gave A Barely-there Smile. "impinging? This Isn’t The Sat, Nora.

I Called Vee. "how Are You Doing?" I Asked. "good. How Are You?" "good." Silence. "okay," Vee Said In A Rush, "i Am Still Totally Freaked Out. You?" "totally.

You Think The Two Of Us And A Slummy Motel Make For A Dangerous Combination?

Why Is Anthony Amowitz Using His Pimp Smile On You?” “you’re Only Calling Him A Pimp Because He’s Here. At Marcie’s.” “yeah, So?” “he’s Being Nice.” I Elbowed Her. “smile Back.” “being Nice? He’s Being Horny.

Patch Was In My Life For A Reason. I Needed Him. We Were Two Halves Of The Same Whole.

Your Mine, Angel. And I Won't Let Anything Change That.

Whoa, Who Peed In Your Cheerios?

Are We Going To Have To Teach You To Fight, Angel?

Are You Keeping Anything Else From Me?” “i’m Keeping A Lot Of Things From You.” “like?” “like The Way I Feel About Being Locked Up In Here With You. You Have No Idea What You Do To Me.

If I'd Wanted You Dead Five Minutes Ago, You'd Have Died Five Minutes Ago.

Vee Lowered Her Lashes And Smiled Wickedly. "this Class Isn't Going To Teach Me Anything I Don't Already Know." "vee? As In Virgin?" "not So Loud." She Winked Just As The Bell Rang, Sending Us Both To Our Seats, Which Were Side By Side At Our Shared Table.

Don’t Panic, I Thought. But Already My Breathing Was Faster, Shallower. “you Mean You Can Feel Happy Or Sad Or—” “desire.” A Barely-there Smile.

I Missed You, Angel. Not One Day Went By That I Didn't Feel You Missing From My Life. You Haunted Me To The Point That I Began To Believe Hank Had Gone Back On His Oath And Killed You. I Couldn't Escape You And I Didn't Want To. You Tortured Me, But It Was Better Than Losing You.

Cheshvan Starts Tonight," Rixon Said, "what Are You Doing Arsing Around In A Graveyard?" "thinking." "thinking?" "a Process By Which I Use My Brain To Make A Rational Decision.

Wow. Nice Bike,” I Said. Which Was A Lie. It Looked Like A Glossy Black Death Trap.

Being Nice? He’s Being Horny.

If We Hooked Up, He Could Write Me Ballads And Stuff. You Gotta Admit, Nothing's Sexier Than A Guy Who Writes Music.

If We're Doing This For Ten Hours, I'm Going To Need A Little Incentive To Stay Motivated." Patch Hooked His Elbow Around My Neck And Dragged Me Into A Kiss. "every Time You Strip My Sword, I Owe You A Kiss. How's That Sound?" I Bit My Lip To Keep From Giggling. "that Sounds Really Dirty." Patch Waggled His Eyebrows. "look Whose Mind Just Rolled Into The Gutter. Two Kisses Per Strip. Any Objections?" I Pulled On An Innocent Face. "none Whatsoever.

Patch: "it's Hard To Concentrate On Answers With You Looking Like That.

Dante Said, “i Tried Talking Nora Into A Ride, But She Keeps Blowing Me Off.” “that’s Because She Has A Hard-a Boyfriend. He Must Have Been Homeschooled, Because He Missed All Those Valuable Lessons We Learned In Kindergarten, Like Sharing. He Finds Out You Took Nora For A Ride, He’ll Wrap This Shiny New Porsche Around The Nearest Tree.

I’m Not Stealing It. We’re Stranded. This Is Called Borrowing.” “this Is Called You’re Crazy.

You Picked The Seats You Did For A Reason, Right? Familiarity. Too Bad The Best Sleuths Avoid Familiarity. It Dulls The Investigative Instinct.

Are You Defending Marcie?” He Shook His Head. “i Don’t Need To. She Handled Herself. You, On The Other Hand…” I Pointed At The Door. “out.

How Did You Get In?" "i Move In Mysterious Ways." "god Moves In Mysterious Ways. You Move Like Lightening-here One Moment, Gone The Next.

This Ring Belongs To The Black Hand. He Killed Your Dad.

Bout Time," She Huffed, But Her Voice Sounded Thick And Emotional Too."i Was At The Hospital All Day Yesterday, But They Wouldn't Let Me See You. I Bolted Past Security But They Called Code Ninetynine And Chased Me Down, They Escorted Me Out In Handcuffs. The Way I See It, The Only Criminal Here Is Your Mom. No Visitors? I'm Your Best Friend, Or Did She Not Get The Memo Every Year For The Past Eleven? Next Time I'm Over, I'm Going To Lay Into That Woman." ~vee

If I Asked You To Do Something For Me, I Don't Suppose You'd Listen?" When He Had My Attention, He Continued, "i'm Going To Take You Home. Try To Forget Tonight Happened. Try To Act Normal, Especially Around Hank. Don't Mention My Name." By Way Of An Answer, I Shot Him A Black Look And Swung Out Of The Tahoe. He Followed Suit, Coming Around To My Side. "what Kind Of Answer Is That?" He Asked, But His Voice Wasn't Nearly So Gruff.

She Cleans A Toilet Inside And Out Under A Minute. More Like Terrifying

I Wrinkled My Nose, Trying To Figure Out What He Smelled Like. Not Cigarettes. Something Richer, Fouler. Cigars.

That Woman." Vee Hissed, "i'm Making The Sign Of The Cross Right Now.

Nope. That´s My Line. This Is My Boyfriend´s House, Which Makes That My Line,exclusively.where Is He?" Nora (p. 287)

I’m Going To Grab A Cheeseburger,” I Told Patch. “want Anything?” “nothing On The Menu.” I Smiled. “why, Patch, Are You Flirting With Me?

Nice Costume," He Said. "ditto. I Can Tell You Put Alot Of Though Into Yours." Amusement Curled His Mouth. "if You Don't Like It, I Can Take It Off." I Tapped My Chin Thoughtfully. "that Just Might Be The Best Proposal I've Had All Night." "my Offers Are Always The Best, Angel.

You’re A Guardian Angel Now.”.... I’m Your Guardian Angel,” He Said. “i Get My Very Own Guardian Angel? What, Exactly, Is Your Job Description?” “guard Your Body.” His Smile Tipped Higher. “i Take My Job Seriously, Which Means I’m Going To Need To Get Acquainted With The Subject Matter On A Personal Level.

I Could Get You To Smile Like That, And Without Sales Tax." I Whirled Around To Find The Real Patch Standing In The Fitting Room Behind Me. He Was Wearing Jeans And A Snug White Tee. His Arms Were Folded Loosely Over His Chest, And His Black Eyes Smiled Down At Me. Heat That Wasn't Entirely Uncomfortable Flushed Through My Body. "i Could Make All Kinds Of Pervert Jokes Right Now," I Quipped.

Your Name?” I Repeated, Hoping It Was My Imagination That My Voice Faltered. “call Me Patch. I Mean It. Call Me

I Would Lay Down Everything I Possess, Even My Soul, For You. If That Isn't Love, It's The Best I Have.

Too Bad. There's A Party On The Coast. I Thought We Could Go." He Actually Sounded Sincere. ( A Bit After) I Affected A Yawn. "well, Like I Said, It's A School Night." In Hopes Of Convincing Myself More Than Him, I Added, " If This Party Is Something You'd Be Interested In, I Can Almost Guarantee I Won't Be." There, I Though. Case Closed- Page 77

Vee Never Needed A Reason To Do Something Stupid. Sad Thing Was, Most Of The Time I Didn't Either.

Right Now, I Had Everything I Could Ask For. It Wasn't A Long List, But It Was A Very Satisfying One, Starting With The Love Of My Life Back In My Arms.

Love Of My Life

Is That A Yes?" He Asked, Pushing His Fingers Through My Hair, Fanning It Out Around My Shoulders And Searching My Face Intently. "please Let It Be Yes," He Said With A Gravelly Edge. "stay With Me Tonight. Let Me Hold You, Even If That's All It Is. Let Me Keep You Safe.

I Want Scott To Look At Me The Way Patch Looks At You.

Ready To Wrestle With My Gorgeous Boyfriend? Oh, I´d Say I´m Ready For That." Nora :d (p.375)

Class Was Like Watered Down Porn Today. Vee Said

I'm Telling You This Because I Want You To Know That I Know Something About You Isn't Right. You Haven't Fooled Everybody. I'm Going To Find Out What You're Up To. I'm Going To Expose You." "looking Forward To It.

Looking Forward

The Only Thing A Boyfriend Was Good For Was A Shattered Heart.

The Antique, Almost Primitive Band He Held Between His Fingers Caught The Sunlight, Glinting Silver. “i Found This Ring Shortly After I Was Banished From Heaven. I Kept It To Remind Myself Of How Endless My Sentence Was, How Eternal One Small Choice Can Be. I’ve Kept It A Long Time. I Want You To Have It. You Broke My Suffering. You’ve Given Me A New Eternity. Be My Girl, Nora. Be My Everything."

Patch Was Dressed In The Usual: Black Shirt, Black Jeans And A Thin Silver Necklace That Flashed Against His Dark Complexion. His Sleeves Were Pushed Up His Forearms, And I Could See His Muscles Working As He Punched Buttons. He Was Tall And Lean And Hard, And I Wouldn't Have Been Surprised If Under His Clothes He Bore Several Scars, Souvenirs From Street Fights And Other Reckless Behavior. Not That I Wanted A Look Under His Clothes.

You're Scared Of What You Can't Control

I Don't Have A Car." His Eyes Sliced Into Mine. "i Walked Here," I Explained. "i'm On Foot." "angel," He Said In A Way That Sounded Like He Sincerely Hoped I Was Joking.

Nora: What Are You Planning? Patch: I Wouldn't Call This Planning. I'd Call This Throwing A Hail Mary With Seconds Left On The Clock.

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