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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.

-Becca Fitzpatrick

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If I Asked You

Becca Fitzpatrick

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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.

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

A Feeling Of Violation Swayed Inside Me, Making Me Feel As If Id Been Shoved Off A High Platform Without Warning. I Was Falling, And I Feared The Sensation Far More Than Hitting Bottom. There Was No End; Just A Constantsense Of Gravity Having Its Way With Me.

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.

All This Time I've Hated Myself For It. I Thought I'd Given It Up For Nothing. But If I Hadn't Fallen, I Wouldn't Have Met You.

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

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

Religion?" I Asked More Firmly. Patch Dragged A Hand Thoughtfully Along The Line Of His Jaw. "not Religion ... Cult." "you Belong To A Cult?" I Realized Too Late That While I Sounded Surprised, I Shouldn't Have. "as It Turns Out, I'm In Need Of A Healthy Female Sacrifice. I'd Planned On Luring Her Into Trusting Me First, But If You're Ready Now...

Are You Gloating Inside? That's What This Is About, Isn't It? Getting Me To Trust You So You Could Blow It Up In My Face!" [...] "i Get That You're Angry—," Said Patch. "i Am Ripped Apart!" I Shouted.

I Gave Up Something I Wanted For Something I Need. And I Need You, Angel. More Than I Think You'll Ever Know.

Nothing Makes Me Happy Quite Like A Boatload Of Freshly Fried Fast Food, Smothered In Good Old Msg.

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

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

...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.

A Girl Could Lather Up In Soap Like That.

Patch? Whatever Happens, I Love You." I Wanted To Say More, Those Three Words Painfully Inadequate For The Way I Felt About Him. And At The Same Time, So Simple And Accurate, Nothing Else Would Do.

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.

His Were The Kind Of Eyes That Held Secrets. The Kind That Lied Without Flinching. The Kind That Once You Looked Into Them, It Was Hard To Break Away.

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

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

You Dress To Impress," I Said Approvingly. "no, Angel." He Leaned In, His Teeth Softly Grazing My Ear. "i Undress To Impress.

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

You Belong To The Biblical Race Of Nephilim. Your Real Father Was An Angel Who Fell From Heaven. You're Half Mortal." The Boy's Dark Eyes Lifted, Meeting Chauncey's. "half Fallen Angel." Chauncey's Tutor's Voice Drifted Up From The Recesses Of His Mind, Reading Passages From The Bible, Telling Of A Deviant Race Created When Angels Cast From Heaven Mated With Mortal Women. A Fearsome And Powerful Race. A Chill That Wasn't Entirely Revulsion Crept Through Chauncey. "who Are You?

I Missed You, Angel. Not One Day Went By That I Didn't Feel You Missing From My Life.

Violence Doesn't Equal Strength.

You Find The Wrong Boy, You Ask For Trouble. You Find The Right Boy, You Find Love.

For Someone Who’s Made It Clear That Her Life Is Superior To Every Other Student’s At This School, You Sure Make It A Habit Of Pursuing Every Facet Of Our Boring, Worthless Lives.

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.

I'm Not Good," He Said, Piercing Me With Eyes That Absorbed All Light But Reflected None, "but I Was Worse.

Being Nice? He’s Being Horny.

Vee Is My Un-twin. She's Green-eyed, Milky Blond, And A Few Pounds Over Curvy. I'm A Smoky-eyed Brunette With Volumes Of Curly Hair That Holds Its Own Against Even The Best Flatiron. And I'm All Legs, Like A Bar Stool. But There Is An Invisible Thread The Ties Us Together; Both Of Us Swear That Tie Began Long Before Birth. Both Of Us Swear It Will Continue To Hold For The Rest Of Our Lives.

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.

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.

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.

Since We're Keeping It Primal, You Smell Good," He Observed. "it's Called A Shower...," I Began Automatically, Then Trailed Off. My Memory Snagged, Taken Aback By A Compelling And Forceful Sense Of Undue Familiarity. "soap, Shampoo, Hot Water," I Added, Almost As An Afterthought. "naked. I Know The Drill," Jev Said, Something Unreadeble Passing Over His Eyes.

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

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.

Killer Skirt, Deadly Legs.

Stay With Me Tonight. Let Me Hold You Even If That's All It Is. Let Me Keep You Safe.

Whoa, Who Peed In Your Cheerios?

What Little Light Was Left Inside Me Flickered Out.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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

He Inclined His Head At My Dress. "what's The Occasion?" "homecoming," I Said, Twirling. "like?" "last I Heard, Homecoming Requires A Date." "about That," I Hedged. "i'm Sort Of...going With Scott. We Both Figure A High-school Dance Is The Last Place Hank Will Be Patrolling." Patch Smiled, But It Was Tight. "i Take That Back. If Hank Wants To Shoot Scott, He Has My Blessing.

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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.

I'm Touched, Rixon. A Bomb. How Elaborate. Why Didn't You Keep Things Simple And Just March Inside My Bedroom One Night And Put A Bullet Between My Eyes?" Nora, Crescendo

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.

He Brushed My Curls Back Off My Face. “i Never Pictured My Life So Complete. I Never Thought I’d Have Everything I Want. You’re Everything To Me, Angel.

I Need An Endorphin Boost.” “and Making Out In An Abandoned Barn With Me Will Give You One?” “no, It Will Probably Put Me In An Endorphin Coma, And I’m More Than Happy To Test The Theory.

I Love You,nora. Whatever Happens, Promise Me You'll Remember That. I Don't Care Why You Came Into My Life,only That You Did. I Don't Remember All The Things I Did Wrong. I Remember What I Did Right, I Remember You. You Made My Life Meaningful. You Made My Life Special.

I'm A Private Contractor Now. I Choose My Clients, Not The Other Way Around.

"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".

My Legs Are Falling Asleep,” I Blurted. It Wasn’t A Total Lie. I Was Experiencing Tingling Sensations All Through My Body, Legs Included. “i Could Solve That.” Patch’s Hands Closed On My Hips.

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.

My First Job Entailed Spending A Summer Working In A Cornfield In Nebraska.

You've Got Food Stuck In Your Teeth," Vee Told Marcie. "in The Crack Between Your Two Front Teeth. Looks Like Chocolate Ex-lax.

Patch: “let’s Get Out Of Here.” – Nora: “where Are We Going?” – Patch: “you’ll See.

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

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.

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

You’re Crowding Me. I Need— Room.”... What I Needed Were Boundaries. I Needed Willpower. I Needed To Be Caged Up, Since Yet Again I Was Proving I Couldn’t Be Trusted In Patch’s Presence. I Should Have Been Bolting For The Door, And Yet … I Wasn’t.

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?

You're Going To Have To Drive Off The Road And Park Behind Thoses Bushes," I Instructed Vee. Vee Leaned Forward, Peering Into The Darkness. "is That A Ditch Between Me And The Bushes ?" "it's Not Very Deep. Trust Me, We'll Clear It." "looks Deep To Me. This Is A Neon We're Talking About, Not A Hummer.

Arrogance Can Be Deadly.

No, Hear Me Out. The Long Answer To That Question Is That Everything About Me Has Changed Since Meeting You. What I Wanted Five Months Ago Is Different From What I Want Today. Did I Want A Human Body? Yes, Very Much. Is It My Top Priority Now? No." He Looked At Me With Serious Eyes."i Gave Up Something I Wanted For Something I Need. And I Need You, Angel. More Than I Think You'll Ever Know. ~patch

I Could Get You To Smile Like That, And Without Sales Tax.

Girl, I'm Going To Show You The Bear In Hug.

I'd Fallen In Love With The Devil.

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

Hello,pepper. It´s Been A While," I Said. "the Last Time We Met Up, You Tried To Kidnap Me, Isn´t That Right?" Nora (p.303)

There's Nothing Special About Losing Your Virginity Over A Toilet.

My Arms Hurt From How Tightly Patch Held Me. “now That’s What I Call A Scream,” He Said, Grinning At Me.

You Killed My Dad." Any Trace Of Kindness Or Sympathy Vanished From Rixon's Eyes. "well This Is Awkward.

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

Patch Grinned Down At Me. “i’m Hard To Resist.

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.

I Didn’t Break His Jaw, But If He Lays A Hand On You, It Will Be The First Of Many Things To Break,” Patch Said.

The Sensible Part Of Me Wanted To Dissect My Emotions, Overthinking And Overcomplicating My Reaction To Jev.

He Tried To Pull Me Against Him, And I Bit Him On The Lip. He Licked His Lip With The Tip Of His Tongue. 'did You Just Bite Me?

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.

Science Is An Investigation," Coach Said, Sanding His Hands Together. "science Requires Us To Transform Into Spies." Put That Way, Science Almost Sounded Fun. But I'd Been In Coach's Class Long Enough Not To Get My Hopes Up.

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

Does Patch Have A Restraining Order Against Him?' He Read. 'is Patch A Felon?' 'give-me-that!' I Hissed Furiously. Patch Gave A Soft Laugh, And I Knew He'd Seen The Next Question. 'does Patch Have A Girlfriend?

I Was Tired Of Admiring Your Legs From A Distance.

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

For The First Time All Day I Felt Safe. Except That Patch Had Cornered Me In A Dark Tunnel And Was Possibly Stalking Me. Maybe Not So Safe.

His Eyes Made A Slow Scan Of My Closet Doors, Which Were Cracked. “i Thought I Heard Something.” “yeah, Well, Guess What? I’m A Living, Breathing Person, And Every Now And Then I Make Noise!

Human Reproduction Can Be A Sticky Subject—” “ewww!” Groaned A Chorus Of Students

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.

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

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.

Scott: Friends Don't Let Friends Drive Drunk. Nora: Are You Trying To Appeal To My Conscience? Scott: How Can You Turn Down A Once-in-a-lifetime Chance To Drive The 'stang? Nora: How About You Sell Me The 'stang For Thirty Dollars? I Can Even Pay Cash. Scott: Drunk, But Not That Drunk, Grey.

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?

I Already Know My Size. I Don't Need Reminding.

I Wondered Why Life Had To Suck So Hard Sometimes.

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

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

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

The More Time I Spent With Him, The More I Knew The Feelings Weren't Going Away.

You're A Psychopath." "i Prefer Creative.

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

And Just Like That, I Shut Off The Switch To My Brain.

Why Did Everyone Think I Needed A New Boyfriend? I Didn't Need A New Boyfriend. I'd Had Enough Of Boyfriends To Last A Lifetime. The Only Thing A Boyfriend Was Good For Was A Shattered Heart.

Is Everything A Joke To You?” I Asked. He Dabbed His Tongue To His Lip Again. “not Everything.” “like What?” “you.

Chase Him Down And Stall For Time. I Need Two More Minutes. ” “chase Him Down? How? The Neon Has A Flat.” “with Your Own Two Feet!” “you Mean Exercise?

Vee Scowled At Him. She Is Famous For That Scowl. It's A Look That Does Everything But Audibly Hiss.

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.

Actions Speak Louder Than Words

They Said The Moment I Fell In Love With You Was The Moment You'd Leave.

I Fell In Love With You

Keep In Mind That People Change, But The Past Doesn't.

Something Doesn't Look Right," Vee Said. "is The Tire Supposed To Look Like That?" I Banged My Head Against The Nearest Tree Trunk. "so We've Got A Flat," Vee Said. "what Now?

As In, I Wouldn't Know Normal If It Marched Up And Poked Me In The Eye.

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

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.

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

That’s An Unfortunate Place For A Birthmark,” I Said, More Than A Little Unnerved That It Was So Similarly Positioned To My Own Scar. Patch Casually But Noticeably Slid His Sleeve Down Over His Wrist. “you’d Prefer It Someplace More Private?” “i Wouldn’t Prefer It Anywhere.” I Wasn’t Sure How This Sounded And Tried Again. “i Wouldn’t Care If You Didn’t Have It At All.” I Tried A Third Time. “i Don’t Care About Your Birthmark, Period.

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

He Cracked A Slight Smile, But It Didn’t Look Amused. “i’m Not Letting You Out Of My Sight. You’re Looking A Little Deranged, Angel. We’ll Go Together.

Anyone Ever Tell You You're An Incredible Kisser?

Should Have Known

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.

Rollover Minutes Don’t Work With Curfews.

Jev Stroked His Chin. "do I Look Like A Summer Fling?

Hank Had Left Me His Doomed Army, And He’d Left Marcie His Inheritance. Unfair Didn’t Begin To Cover It.

It’s Brown.” So Maybe I Had The Teeniest, Tiniest, Most Infinitesimal Amount Of Auburn In My Hair. I Was Still A Brunette. “it’s The Lighting,” I Said. “yeah, Maybe It’s The Lightbulbs.” His Smile Brought Up Both Sides Of His Mouth, And A Dimple Surfaced.

Hang On, Did You Just Call Me Angel?" I Asked. "if I Did?" "i Don't Like It." He Grinned. "it Stays, Angel.

You're Crazy. You're Impossible.' 'i'm Crazy?' He Tipped My Chin Up And Planted A Quick, Rough Kiss On My Mouth. 'and I Must Be Crazy For Putting Up With It.

The Higher Up, The Harder The Fall.

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.

Hate To Disappoint, But No Feathers. I Came To Earth Stripped Naked.

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.

His Smile Was Sexy And Warned Of Trouble, But I'd Made Up My Mind That Not All Trouble Was Bad.

I Love You.” His Voice Was Straightforward, Affectionate. “you Make Me Remember Who I Used To Be. You Make Me Want To Be That Man Again. Right Now, Holding You, I Feel Like We Have A Shot At Beating All Odds And Making It Together. I’m Yours, If You’ll Have Me.

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

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

I Felt His Eyes Devour Me As I Moved Around The Room. He Assessed Me Head To Toe Without Blinking, And A Hot Ache Shivered Through Me. A Kiss Would've Been Less Intimate.

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

Shouldn’t You Be Working Instead Of Fraternizing With Customers?” I Choked. He Smiled. “what Are You Doing Sunday Night?” I Snorted. By Accident. “are You Asking Me Out?” “you’re Getting Cocky. I Like That, Angel.” “i Don’t Care What You Like. I’m Not Going Out With You. Not On A Date. Not Alone.

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

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.

She Looked Up, Her Face Pink As A Christmas Ham. “you Ever Try Chasing Down A Car?” She Gasped. “i’ll One-up You. I Gave Scott My Hot Dog And Asked If He’d Go To Summer Solstice With Me.” “what Does The Hot Dog Have To Do With Anything?” “i Said He’d Be A Wiener If He Didn’t Go With Me.” Vee Wheezed Laughter. “i’d Have Run Harder Had I Known I’d Get To See You Call Him A Wiener.

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

Unfinished Business

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.

Everything Had Come Into Sharp Focus : His Smooth Words, His Black, Glinting Eyes, His Broad Experience With Lies, Seduction, Women. I'd Fallen In Love With The Devil.

Cooking Isn’t Taught,” Patch Said. “it’s Inherent. Either You’ve Got It Or You Don’t. Like Chemistry. You Think You’re Ready For Chemistry?” I Pressed The Knife Down Through The Tomato; It Split In Two, Each Half Rocking Gently On The Cutting Board. “you Tell Me. Am I Ready For Chemistry?” Patch Made A Deep Sound I Couldn’t Decipher And Grinned.

Say 'provoking' Again. Your Mouth Looks Provocative When You Do.

Class Was Like Watered Down Porn Today. Vee Said

When I Watched Lifetime Original Movies, It Took Me A Day Or Two To Get Over The Idea That The Cute Boy Next Door Is Actually A Serial Killer.

How Warm I Feel. How Icredibly Alive And Vibrant And Heedless Every Last Inch Of Me Feels Next To You.

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.

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

I Need To Brush My Teeth. And I Need A Shower." He Grinned, Hopping Off The Bike. "now That Is An Invitation.

Do You Ever Think Of Moving Back?" "to Coldwater? Heck, No. England Suits Me Fine. These Brits Love My Accent. The First Time Gavin Asked Me Out It Was Just To Hear Me Talk. Lucky For Him, It's One Of The Things I Do Best." All Teasing Left Her Eyes. "too Many Memories Back Home. Can't Drive Down The Street Without Thinking I See Scott In The Crowd.

Heat Flushed Chauncey's Neck; It Took All His Energy To Curl His Hands Into Two Weak Fists. He Laughed At Himself, But There Was No Humor. He Had No Idea How, But The Boy Was Inflicting The Nausea And Weakness Inside Him. It Would Not Lift Until He Took The Oath. He Would Say What He Had To, But He Swore In His Heart He Would Destroy The Boy For This Humiliation.

Being With You Never Felt Wrong. It's The One Thing I Did Right. You're The One Thing I Did Right.

I Got A New Job.” Patch Locked Eyes With Me, And I Warmed In A Lot Of Places. In Fact, I Was Dangerously Close To Feverish.

Based On Past Experience, I Hope Not.

Past Experiences

If You Can't Feel, Why Did You Kiss Me?" Patch Traced A Finger Along My Collarbone, Then Headed South Stopping At My Heart. I Felt It Pounding Through My Skin. "because I Feel It Here, In My Heart," He Said Quietly.

I Couldn't Stand Here, Hanging On, When The Very Thing I Held Disappeared More With Each Passing Day.

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.

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.

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

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!

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 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.

Since The Dawn Of Time, Women Have Been Attracted To Mates With Strong Survival Skills—like Intelligence And Physical Prowess— Because Men With These Qualities Are More Likely To Bring Home Dinner At The End Of The Day.” He Stuck His Thumbs In The Air And Grinned. “dinner Equals Survival, Team

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

Stop Crying. You're Giving Archangels Everywhere A Bad Name." Patch To Pepper

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

We All Know You're Beautiful, Scott.

You Re Beautiful

You're Scared Of What You Can't Control

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

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.

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

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.

You're Mine, Angel, And Don't You Forget It. Your Fights Are My Fights. What If Something Bad Had Happened Today? It Was Bad Enough When I Thought Your Ghost Was Haunting Me; I Don't Think I Can Handle The Real Thing.

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.

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 Keep Life On A Short Leash.” “what’s That Supposed To Mean?” “you’re Scared Of What You Can’t Control.

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

Patch’s Eyes Were Black Orbs. Taking In Everything And Giving Away Nothing.

Pac-man? Or Is It Donkey Kong?” In Truth, It Looked A Little More Violent And Military. A Slow Grin Spread Over His Face. “baseball. Think Maybe You Could Stand Behind Me And Give Me A Few Pointers?

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.

What Is It With You And Girls’ Bathrooms?

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

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.

The Archangel." I Murmured. Looking Back Over My Shoulder At The Ride, Which Had Started Its Next Ascent. "it Means High-ranking Angel." There Was A Definite Smugness To His Voice. "the Higher Up, The Harder The Fall.

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.

This Was It. Together. Forever. As We Left It All Behind, The Sun Warmed My Back, Lighting The Way Before Us. I Knew Of No Better Omen.

Men Are Attracted To Beauty Because It Indicates Health And Youth—no Point Mating With A Sickly Woman Who Won’t Be Around To Raise The Children.

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.

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.

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.

They Say That When You're About To Die, Your Life Flashes Before Your Eyes. They Never Tell You That When You Watch Someone You Once Loved Dying, Hovering Between This Life And The Next, It's Twice As Painful, Because You're Reliving Two Lives That Traveled One Road Together.

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.

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