Page 52

“I’ll have to tell you tomorrow,” I told her in a hushed voice, almost positive it was Jake outside my door, eavesdropping. “Want to go to the movies?”

“Want to make it a double date?” she countered, a note of mischief in her voice. “Then I can tell you my big news…or…show you.”

“You’re going to make me wait until tomorrow?” I asked, knowing patience was a virtue, but one that I never had.

“I sure am. Meet you at the movies at nine. We can catch that new rom-com. Tell lover boy. Love you!” And before I could protest any further, she hung up with a click.

IhadtextedNikto meet us at the movie theater, but he had insisted on picking me up instead, even though I hadn’t told my mom about him yet. I knew she would question my car being parked in the driveway all night, so I had told her Tess’ parents were picking me up.

I waited at the curb for Nik to drive up, hoping my mom wouldn’t peek out the window and see. If he kept insisting on coming to my house, I would eventually have to tell her about him. But what would I even say? He wasn’t my boyfriend, but he wasdefinitelymore than a friend. It was complicated.

My phone dinged as I saw the black BMW pull around the corner from Easton Street, the headlights washing over me. I pulled it out of my back pocket to quickly check the text.

Puck and I are inside. See you soon. XOXO Tess.

I wondered what the news was that she had to tell me. Were she and Puck making things official? The BMW pulled up to the curb, and I jumped into the passenger seat, hugging my jacket around me to fight off the chill in the night air.

“Hey there, firecracker,” Nik said from the driver’s seat. I couldn’t see his face clearly in the darkness, but I knew he was smiling.

“Hey,” I replied, suddenly nervous. The last time I had seen him, his hands had been all over me. And his mouth…it was all I could think about now, sitting here in the darkness with him. The car felt too small, as if the energy between us would explode at any moment and couldn’t be contained. He reached across the console and grabbed my hand, holding it in my lap against my thigh.

“You’re freezing,” he laughed, rubbing his thumb along my hand as he pulled back onto the road. His hand was warm and rough against mine. I could feel his eyes on me as he seamlessly navigated the roads towards the town center. My eyes met his in the dim light of the streetlamps we passed, and my tongue felt dry in my mouth.

All I could think about was the soft trail of kisses he had left on my neck. The feel of his soft lips, fervent against mine, wanting. How the hell was I going to make it through this entire movie? I had half a mind to ditch it, but I knew Tess would never forgive me for bailing on our first double date.

We pulled into the parking lot and parked next to what I assumed had to be Puck’s car, another sleek and expensive looking model I wasn’t familiar with. Where did these two get enough money to have such nice cars?

Nik and I walked into the theater hand in hand, instantly spotting Tess and Puck sitting on a bench near the entrance. Tess raised a brow at me, her eyes flashing to our conjoined hands as she got up to greet us.

“Who is ready to watch some sappy, romantic comedy goodness?” She turned to Puck, then me. “We need popcorn.”

Tess grabbed me by the arm, all but ripping my hand from Nik’s as she dragged me to the concessions stand.

“You need tospill,” she said, grabbing us a spot in line and looping her arm through mine.

“You said you had something to tell me,” I reminded her.

“I will, I will,” she assured me as the line started to move and we stepped forwards. “But first…details. You know I need details.”

“I already told you about the storm magic, and how we went to Siraleth. What more do you want to know?” I asked.

“Girl. I want to knoweverything. Was he a good kisser? Did it go further? Does his breath smell good?” She ticked each question off with a finger and I gave her arm a squeeze, glancing behind us to make sure Nik and Puck were out of ear shot.

“Shhh, he will hear you!” I hissed, turning back to her. “Of course, his breath smells good,” I replied with a smirk. It smelled faintly of cinnamon and coffee, and his mouth tasted like honey, but Tess didn’t need to know that much.

“He is averygood kisser…and it did not go further than that.”

“So, are you guys dating now?” she asked.

“I don’t think so…we haven’t talked about it. We just kissed. It’s not a big deal.” I shrugged. Even though we had walked into the movie theater hand in hand, knowing that there would be a ton of people from school here that would see us together. And knowing my feelings for Nik were growing stronger each day.

“Yeah…right…not a big deal. Says the girl who has never shown interest inanyguy before,” Tess pointed out.

“I just want to see where things go. We don’t know each other all that well yet. He’s helping me with my magic, and things got a little hot and heavy. Who knows, maybe it was only the energy of the magic making us feel something. I don’t know.” I sighed.

“Not with the way he’s looking at you,” Tess said with big eyes as we stepped up to the counter. I chanced a glance behind us, and Nik was standing with Puck by the window. His hands were stuffed into the pockets of his black leather jacket, his blue eyes burning as they met mine. I quickly turned back to the counter. He had said I was his yesterday when we were kissing, but it could have been the heat of the moment. Right? I remembered the possessiveness in his voice as he had bit my lip.

“Two large popcorns, and two large diet sodas,” Tess told the attendant as she handed him a wad of cash. “Extra butter.”