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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.

-Becca Fitzpatrick

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You Possess Other People's...bodies."

Becca Fitzpatrick

...

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.

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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.

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.

I Wondered Why Life Had To Suck So Hard Sometimes.

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.

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.

"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".

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

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.

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.

Your Biggest Dream? - Nora Grey Kiss You. - Patch Cipriano

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

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?

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)

Patch's Eyes Were Slate Black, Darker Than A Million Secrets Stacked On Top Of Each Other. He Dropped His Gaze To The Ring In His Hand, Turning It Over Slowly. "swear You'll Never Stop Loving Me," I Whispered. Ever So Slightly, He Nodded.

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.

Boys Like Girls Who Look Like...girls.

Based On Past Experience, I Hope Not.

Past Experiences

Call Me Patch. I Mean It. Call Me.

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.

There's A Disconnect Between My Mind And My Heart, But I Feel The Truth. They Say When People Lose Their Vision, Their Hearing Comes Sharper. I've Lost Part Of My Memory But Maybe My Intuition Is Stronger.

I Study Her,” Patch Said. “i Figure Out What She’s Thinking And Feeling. She’s Not Going To Come Right Out And Tell Me, Which Is Why I Have To Pay Attention. Does She Turn Her Body Toward Mine? Does She Hold My Eyes, Then Look Away? Does She Bite Her Lip And Play With Her Hair, The Way Nora Is Doing Right Now?” Laughter Rose In The Room. I Dropped My Hands To My Lap. “she’s Game,” Said Patch, Bumping My Leg Again. Of All Things, I Blushed.

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.

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.

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

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.

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

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.

Try It On." "it's Probably A Little Snug. Marcie Tends To Buy Down When It Comes To Sizing." He Merely Smiled. "it Has A Slit Up The Thigh." His Smile Depened. "zip It Up?" Patch's Eyes Made A Slow Assessment Of Me, Sharpening To Vivid Black. "i'm Going To Have A Hard Time Sending You Off With Scott In That Dress. Just A Heads-up: If You Come Home And The Dress Looks Even Slightly Tampered With, I Will Track Scott Down, And When I Find Him, It Won't Be Pretty.

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

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

Arrogance Can Be Deadly.” The Corners Of His Mouth Crept Up. “but You Didn’t Hear Me Say That.

Vee Said," I'm Trying To Read The Title He's Holding…hang On…how To Be A Stalker." "he Is Not Checking Out A Book With That Title." But I Wasn't So Sure. "it's Either That Of How To Radiate Sexy Without Trying.

Patch Wasn't The Kind Of Guy Mothers Smiled On. He Was The Kind Of Guy They Changed The House Locks For.

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

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.

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.

You Can Call Me Patch. No Really. Call Me.

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

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.

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

We All Know You're Beautiful, Scott.

You Re Beautiful

Anyone Ever Tell You You're An Incredible Kisser?

Should Have Known

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

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.

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 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.

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 Loved You Long Before You Loved Me. It's The Only Thing I Have You Beat At, And I'll Bring It Up Every Chance I Get.

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.

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

Here It Comes," She Said With An Expression Of Pure Bliss. "drug Rush ... Any Moment Now ... The Surge Of Warmth ... Bye-bye, Mr. Pain..." "vee-" "knock, Knock." "this Is Really Important-" "knock, Knock." "it's About Elliot-" "knock, Knoooock," She Said In A Singsong Voice. I Sighed. "who's There?" "boo." "boo Who?" "boo-hoo, Somebody's Crying, And It's Not Me!" She Broke Into Hysterical Laughter.

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.

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.

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

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

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

Have You Finished Your Column For Tomorrow's Headline?" It Was Vee. She Came Up Beside Me, Jotting Notes On The Notepad She Carried Everywhere. "i'm Thinking Of Writing Mine On The Injustice Of Seating Charts. I Got Paired With A Girl Who Said She Just Finished Lice Treatment This Morning.

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

One More Thing. I Sold The Mustang. Too Conspicuous. Don't Get Too Excited, But I Bought You A Little Something With The Extra Cash. I Heard You've Had Your Eye On A Volkswagen. The Owner Is Dropping It By Tomorrow. I Paid For A Full Tank Of Gas, So Make Sure She Delivers.

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.

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 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.

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

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!

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

Unfinished Business

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

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.

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

Nice Costume," He Said. "ditto. I Can Tell You Put A Lot Of Thought Into Yours." Amusement Curled His Mouth. "if You Don't Like It, I Can Take It Off.

She Already Has A Car.” “a Ford. That’s Like Toyota’s Worst Enemy.

Try It On." "it's Probably A Little Snug," I Said, Suddenly Feeling Conspicuous. "marcie Tends To Buy Down When It Comes To Sizing." He Merely Smiled. "it Has A Slit Up The Thigh." His Smile Deepened.

Don't Make Me Regret This" I Said, Breathless. " You Haven't Regretted Me Once". He Kissed Me, And I Answered So Hungrily I Thought My Lips Would Bruise. Patch&nora ( P. 180)

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."

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

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.

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.

I Believe In Destiny Angel. I Believe Every Choice I've Made Has Brought Me Closer To You. I Looked For You For A Very Long Time. I May Have Fallen From Heaven, But I Fell For You.

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

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

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

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

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.

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

..but Maybe This Was A Defense Mechanism. Maybe My Mind Was Making Me See Things I Refused To Accept Were Gone Forever. It Was Filling The Void, Because That Was Easier Than Letting Go.

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?

I Was Tired Of Admiring Your Legs From A Distance.

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

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

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?

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?

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

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

What Is It With You And Girls’ Bathrooms?

You Don't Happen To Have A Thousand Dollars I Can Borrow?" "i Don't Have Five You Can Borrow. My Piggy Bank Is Officialy Anorexic.

I Shouldn't Have Been Looking At Lingerie. It Naturally Made Me Think About Sexy Things. Like Kissing. Like Patch.

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.

His Black Eyes Sliced Into Me, And The Corners Of His Mouth Tilted Up. My Heart Fumbled A Bit And In That Pause, A Feeling Of Gloomy Darkness Seemed To Slide Like A Shadow Over Me. It Vanished In An Instant But I Was Still Staring At Him. His Smile Wasn't Friendly. It Was A Smile That Spelled Trouble. With A Promise.

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.

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?

Arrogance Can Be Deadly.

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

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

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.

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.

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

Anthony Raised His Red Plastic Cup To Me And Shouted Something, But It Was Too Hard To Hear Over The Music. “what?” I Called Back. “you Look Great!” A Goofy Smile Was Plastered On His Face. “oh Boy,” Vee Said. “not Just A Pimp, But A Smashed Pimp.” “so Maybe He’s A Little Drunk.” “drunk And Hoping To Corner You Alone In A Bedroom Upstairs.” Ugh.

I'll Be Firm," I Promised Patch, Adopting A No-nonsense Expression. "no Backing Down." By Now Patch Was Full-on Grinning. He Kissed Me Again, And I Felt My Mouth Soften Its Resolve. "you Look Cute When You're Trying To Be Tough," He Said.

You Never Know What You're Going To Have To Face, So You'd Better Be Prepared.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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

Violence Doesn't Equal Strength.

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

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.

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.

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.

He Bowed Is Head Into My Throat, Groaning Softly. "i Loved You Long Before You Loved Me. Its The Only Thing I Have You Beat At, And Ill Bring It Up Every Chance I Get." His Mouth Pressed To My Skin, Took On A Devilish Curve. "lets Get Out Of Here. I'm Taking You Back To My Place, This Time For Good. We Have Unfinished Business, And I Think Its Time We Do Something About It.

Unfinished Business

Inwardly, I Gouged My Eyes Out.

Patch Backed Me Into A Tree And Kissed Me, Hard. I Regained My Breath. "boys Take Not Everywhere: That Was A Kiss.

Class Was Like Watered Down Porn Today. Vee Said

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

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.

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.

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

I Love You More Than I Think I Should.

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?

It Makes No Difference To Me Whether I Shoot You Or You Fall To Your Death.” “it Does Make A Difference,” I Said, My Voice Small But Confident. “you And I Share The Same Blood.” I Lifted My Hand Precariously, Showing Him My Birthmark. “i’m Your Descendant. If I Sacrifice My Blood, Patch Will Become Human And You’ll Die. It’s Written In The Book Of Enoch.

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

Rear View Mirror

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.

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!

Mr. Green Sweater Looks Normal, But His Wingman Looks Hard-core Bad Boy,” Said Vee. “emits A Certain Don’t-mess-with-me Signal. Tell Me He Doesn’t Look Like Dracula’s Spawn. Tell Me I’m Imagining Things.

Rollover Minutes Don’t Work With Curfews.

I Don't Go Out With Strangers," I Said. "good Thing I Do. I'll Pick You Up At Five.

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.

It Will Cost Me A Lot To Send You With Scott Wearing That Dress But, Just So You Know: If You Come With That Dress Slightly Wrinkled,i Will Trace Scott, And When I Find Him, It's Not Gonna Be Pretty

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

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.

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

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 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.

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.

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?

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

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.

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.

..."good, Because I Need Your Help." "help Is My Middle Name." I Was Pretty Sure She'd Already Told Me Bad Was Her Middle Name, But I Kept My Opinion To Myself.

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

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.

I Nibbled My Lower Lip. "if You Could See Into My Past Just By Touching My Back, You'd Have A Hard Time Resisting The Temptation Too." "i Have A Hard Time Keeping My Hands Off You Without That Added Bonus.

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.

Nora: This Is Crazy. Patch: I'm Crazy. About You.

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.

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

And Here I Thought They Were Called Peeping Toms." I Didn't Need To See Him To Know He Wore A Smile. "stop Laughing," I Said, My Cheeks Hot With Humiliation. "get Me Down." "jump." "what?" "i'll Catch You." "are You Crazy? Go Inside And Open The Window. Or Get A Ladder." "i Don't Need A Ladder. Jump. I'm Not Going To Drop You.

If You Can't Feel Then Why Did You Kiss Me? Because I Can Feel It Here, In My Heart.

I Needed Him Like I'd Never Needed Anyone.

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.

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. That Wanting Nearly Drove Me Mad.” Patch Paused, Inhaling Softly, As Though Breathing Me In. “and Now That I Have You, The Only Thing That Terrifies Me Is Having To Go Back To That Place. Having To Want You All Over Again, With No Hope Of My Desire Ever Being Fulfilled. You’re Mine, Angel. Every Last Piece Of You. I Won’t Let Anything Change That.

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

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

If I Lose You, I Lose Everything

Wouldn't Have Pegged You For A Dancer," He Spoke To My Mind "funny, I Would Have Pegged You For A Stalker," I Shot Back.

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

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

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

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.

We Need A Ride. We're Stranded." "we Still Have Two Legs, Leftie And Rightie. Mine Are In The Mood For Exercise. They Feel Like A Nice Long Walk--are You Crazy?" She Shrieked. I Was Standing With The Tip Of The Beach Umbrella Aimed At The Driver's-side Window. "what?" I Said. "we Have To Get In.

If You Need One More Reason, I Love You.

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

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

Ready?" Despite The Grim Mood, I Smiled And Cracked My Knuckles. "ready To Wrestle With My Gorgeous Boyfriend? Oh, I'd Say I'm Ready For That." Amusement Softened His Eyes. "i'll Try To Control Where I Put My Hands, But In The Heat Of Things, Who Knows What Could Happen?" I Added. Patch Grinned. "sounds Promising.

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

I Had Fun Last Night," I Told Patch, Flicking Off My Chin Strap And Handing Over My Helmet. "i'm Officially On Love With Your Sheets." "that The Only Thing You're In Love With?" "nope. Your Mattress, Too." Some Smile Crept Into Patch's Eyes. "my Bed's An Open Invitation.

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

The Trouble Was, My Feelings For Patch Weren't Harmless.

Being Nice? He’s Being Horny.

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

I Undress To Impress - Patch

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.

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.

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

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

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.

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.

If I Could Make This Go Away, I Would. If I Could Stand In Your Place, I Wouldn't Hesitate. But I'm Left With One Choice, And That's To Stand By Your Side Through The End. I Won't Waver, Angel, I Can Promise You That. -patch To Nora

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

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.

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.

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

I Fell In Love With You

I Didn’t Accept Your Sacrifice. I Turned It Down.” I Felt A Small Oh Form At My Mouth, But It Never Quite Made It Past My Lips. “are You Saying You Gave Up Getting A Human Body For Me?

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...

I Was Just About To Ask You The Same Thing. I Know You Followed Me. Don't Look So Suprised. It's Called A Rearview Mirror. Are You Stalking Me For A Specific Reason?

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

He Tasted Deeper, Holding Himself Over Me, And Suddenly He Was Everywhere; His Knee Trapping My Leg, His Lips Grazing Warm, Rough, Sensuous. He Splayed His Hand At The Small Of My Back, Holding Me Tightly, Driving Me To Sink My Fingers Deeper Into Him, Clinging To Him As If Letting Go Would Mean Losing Part Of Myself.

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.

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Elizabeth Gaskell

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