Текст книги "Fusion"

Автор книги: Tessa Teevan

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He had this argument every time we watched the movie. Not that I could blame him. It seemed cruel that Tod had been forced to be separated from the only family he’d ever known—and his best friend.

“I think Tod was okay in the end,” I told Jeremy, smiling up at him. “He and Copper will always have their memories, and even if they’re apart, in their hearts, they’ll always be the best of friends. No matter what.”

“It still sucks. I don’t want to call you Tod anymore,” he grumbled adorably.

I laughed. He did this every time. “Too late. I’m Tod. You’re Copper. We’ll just have to make sure we have a different outcome, okay?”

“Remind me why we keep watching this movie,” he said, shaking his head.

“Because we’re gluttons for punishment?”

His eyes clouded over into an unreadable expression. Before I could decipher it, he plopped down onto the bed next to me. Then he took my hand and started toying with my fingers.

“I really did miss you this summer,” he whispered, and I closed my eyes, squeezing them shut, wishing something more were behind those words.

I shut the television off, descending us into darkness. We’d never spent the night in my bedroom alone, but somehow, I knew Jeremy wasn’t leaving.

Placing my arm around his waist, I cuddled up to him. “I missed you, too.”

His chin rested on the top of my head, which rose and fell with his chest. “Promise me something, Sierra,” he said, sounding far too serious.

I blinked twice. “Anything,” I responded, knowing full well that, if he asked me to fly to the moon, I would do it in a heartbeat.

“Promise me you’ll never leave. I don’t know what I’d do without you.”

My eyes burned with hot tears. It was a promise I wanted to keep. It was a promise that would break my heart one day. But I didn’t care. It was a promise I would make over and over again.

I nodded against his chest. “Of course, Jeremy. I’ll never leave,” I promised.

It was also a promise I didn’t ask him to return.

When I woke up the next morning, Jeremy was already gone. Butterflies were swirling around in my stomach the whole time I was getting ready for school, and I wondered what my sophomore year was going to bring me.

“I’m so excited!” Lexi gushed as we got our lunches ready. “High school boys!”

Mom shook her head at my boy-crazy sister. I was definitely going to have to look out for her when it came to the upperclassmen. With stars in her eyes, she continued to gush to Jenna when we all met up outside for our carpool gang.

Jeremy made a show of rolling his eyes at Chris and Jenna, who were holding hands, then mimicked a gagging motion. I snickered even though I wasn’t feeling all that cheerful. This year, we only had two classes together. It was going to be weird not seeing him all day every day, but I told myself it was probably a good thing. I’d decided I needed to branch out and try to fight my feelings for him.

By the end of the first week of school, I felt like I’d barely seen Jeremy.

“Hey, Sierra, wait up!”

I turned to see Danny walking towards me. As I studied him, I could see what all the other girls did. His olive complexion was to die for, and a girl could get lost in his dark-brown eyes for days. His full lips had been, according to rumors, made for kissing. And they curved up into a warm smile as he placed a hand on my arm.

“I’m glad I caught you.”

I smiled at him. “I haven’t seen you all week. Must be exhausting being king of the school.”

He scoffed and rolled his eyes. “Please tell me you don’t buy into that shit.”

“I’m only teasing. What’s up?” I tucked a strand of hair behind my ear as I eagerly waited for him to respond.

“Well, since things didn’t work out last time, I was hoping you were free this weekend. I meant what I said at the beginning of the summer. I want to get to know you better.”

A blush crept onto my cheeks. His gaze was intimidating, and as he studied me, I found myself wanting to say yes. So I did.

“That’d be nice.”

His smile widened. Then we made plans for the following evening.

“Who was that?” Mom asked, raising an eyebrow at me when we were all buckled in. Usually, we’d walk to school together, but with the heat index in the low one hundreds, Mom had insisted on picking all of us up. With the way I was sweating, I was thankful for it.

“Danny Moyer! Only the hottest guy in school,” my sister gushed.

Jenna nodded in agreement. Chris scoffed, and Jenna leaned over, giving him a kiss on the cheek.

“He’s not that good-looking,” Jeremy grumbled beside me.

I frowned and elbowed him, trying to get him to look at me, but he wouldn’t. We rode the rest of the way in silence as Lexi went on about Danny this and Danny that. Once we’d pulled into the driveway, Jeremy jumped out of the car and sprinted across the lawn, slamming the screen door to his house shut as he ran into the house.

“What’s his problem?” Lexi asked.

Mom wrapped an arm around my shoulders. “My guess? Danny Moyer,” she said, glancing over at me, a knowing look on her face.

I shook my head, trying not to emit the sadness I was feeling. “No, that’s not it. Jeremy doesn’t care who I date.”

I just wished he did.

SOPHOMORE YEAR WAS TURNING out to be much different than freshman year. Instead of Sierra and me becoming closer, with each passing day, the chasm between us grew wider. I didn’t understand it. I was so close to spilling everything, to telling her that friendship wasn’t enough, but I was too slow. Too late. By the time I was ready to admit it all, she was already going on dates with Danny. I didn’t know how many they’d been on, and I didn’t care. All I knew was they were going to homecoming together, and I wasn’t going to be anywhere near the school that night.

As I walked into my living room, Chris and Jenna were cuddling on the couch. The last thing I wanted was to be around those two happy lovebirds, so I grabbed my keys of the counter and rode the few miles over the bridge to Navarre Beach. Thank God I’d turned sixteen at the beginning of the school year. Not having to rely on my parents or upperclassmen was amazing, especially for nights when I needed to get out. Nights like that one.

The slight chill in the air had goosebumps pebbling on my skin. The coolness of the evening had left the beach deserted, which I was grateful for. I wanted to be alone anyways.

That’s how I felt those days.

But could I really complain? After all, I’d done this to myself.

I spread my blanket out and lay down, staring up at the stars. My eyes instantly connected with my favorite constellation. The one on the cheek of my favorite person. As Sierra’s image started swimming in my mind, an aching hole burned in my chest, the unbearable loneliness spreading through my body like the cruelest of wildfires.

I missed her.

At that moment, I realized how much she meant to me and how miserable my life would be if I had to watch another man making her as happy as I wanted to. Sierra was my morning, noon, and night, and I wanted her to be everything in between. But she wasn’t that anymore. She was barely even my week, and I had no idea how to change that.

I’d had her. So close. And, instead of cherishing her, I’d let her slip through my fingertips when I hadn’t been looking. She was everything I’d ever wanted—everything I’d ever want—and I’d had to lose her to realize that.

I was such an idiot.

I’d never go after her while she was happy with someone else. But, if he fucked up, I’d be right there, ready to comfort her. And, when she was ready, I would be, too. No more cowardice. No more hesitation.

I just hoped that opening eventually came—even if wishing for it made me a bastard. So be it.

As Danny’s hand inched higher up my thigh, I squirmed in my seat. And not in a good way.

It’d been over a month since our first date, and even though we talked nearly every night on the phone and saw each other at school, this was only our third date. Between football and cheerleading, our weekends were often too busy for us to go out. He hadn’t yet asked me to be his girlfriend, and I didn’t even know if I wanted him to. I knew he was getting annoyed by my refusal to do anything. Hell, we hadn’t even kissed.

I wasn’t sure why, every time he closed in, I turned my cheek. I told him I wanted to take things slow. After all this, this was my first experience with any sort of romantic relationship, and I was hesitant to go too far too fast. I wasn’t scared. It’s just… I didn’t quite know how I felt about Danny, and I wanted my first kiss to be memorable. One I’d think of often, with fond memories, when I was older. I wasn’t sure Danny was that guy for me. With homecoming coming up, though, I was getting nervous that he was going to expect something that night.

I moved his hand back to his own thigh. He groaned and leaned his head against the wall.

“Sierra, you’re killing me here. It’s been over a month and you won’t even let me kiss you. I get it. You’re young, but I thought we’d be a little further than this by now.”

My nerves rose as he stared down at me. “I don’t… I’m not…” I stammered, sounding like an idiot. What did he expect? I mean, I knew his reputation, but he’d always been sweet and patient with me.

“What about homecoming, Sierra? There’s an after party, and I was thinking I could get us a hotel room. I can properly introduce you to everything physical. It can be romantic if that’s what you want,” he told me, running his fingers down my arm.

“A hotel room?” I gulped, my eyes widening as I shook my head. We’d never even kissed. What the hell was he expecting with a hotel room? I slid my chair back and grabbed my purse. “Excuse me. I need to use the restroom.”

I spent a couple of minutes trying to calm my nerves in the bathroom. When I finally settled my stomach, I splashed water on my face and then walked back towards our table.

What I saw stopped me in my tracks. Apparently, Danny’s patience had ended. Sitting in his lap was the loosest girl in school, Mallory Buchanan. He was kissing her neck, and his hand was sliding up her skirt. Oh God, what had I been thinking, going out with this guy?

Part of me knew that it was my fault for trying to date someone I wasn’t all that interested in, but that didn’t mean it didn’t hurt. Not to mention everyone in school would know about this by Monday. Danny could’ve at least waited until our date was over before moving on.

Mallory gave me a wicked grin when she looked up and saw me. Danny shrugged as if it were no big deal.

“Sorry, Sierra. I just don’t think we’re compatible,” he offered.

“Right.” It wasn’t a great comeback. “Have fun, assholes.”

As I turned to leave, Danny called my name. “Just so we’re clear, I don’t think we should go to homecoming together.”

I wasn’t sad because this thing with Danny was over, but I was embarrassed. Still, I held my head high and nodded.

“Thank goodness,” I answered, ready to turn on my heel and flee.

My initial reaction was relief. But a second one hit me square in the chest. I wanted Jeremy. Clearly, a month of barely spending any time together had done little to squelch my desire for him.

Mallory, however, had one last dig to get in. It was as if she read my mind.

“Oh, and, Sierra, if you plan on calling your knight in shining armor, I wouldn’t bother. I saw him earlier with a blanket on the beach. You wouldn’t want to interrupt, now would you?” Her taunting made me want to rip her over-bleached blonde hair out of her head. “Especially if he’s with Heather.”

That, more than anything, was what made me want to break down. The idea the Jeremy was off getting physical with someone when I couldn’t even kiss a boy I’d thought I’d liked. With the flick of my middle finger, I turned and ran, pushing the door to the restaurant open just as the tears began to fall. Not wanting anyone to see me, I rushed in the direction of the beach, blinded by my tears.

I ran as fast as I could, racing in the sand when, out of nowhere, I tripped over something and went flying, taking a face full of sand. My mouth sputtered as I tried to spit it out.

“Sierra?”

My heart stopped. I quickly rose to my feet and groaned when I saw that I’d tripped over Jeremy. Sure enough, he was sprawled out on a blanket, and I covered my eyes before I could see who he was with.

“Sorry! Sorry, I didn’t mean to interrupt. I’ll be fine. Just…just leave me alone, Jeremy. Enjoy your date.” I nearly choked on the words as I fled, running down the beach as fast as my feet would take me. I didn’t stop until I got to a dune I could hide behind and lick my wounds.

When I fell to my knees, a year’s worth of tears started to spill out. It was finally happening. Jeremy was dating. This was harder and so much more painful than I’d expected, if the sudden ache in my heart was any indication.

Moments later, the very object of both my affections and my current consternation showed up. I wiped my eyes, trying to mask my tears.

“I thought I told you to leave me alone,” I said curtly.

His eyes softened in the moonlight. “That’s not possible, Sierra. You know that. I’ll never leave you alone.”

I choked out a disbelieving laugh. “You can’t go running away from your dates whenever I need rescuing, Jeremy. It’s time I become a big girl and take care of myself.”

He folded his arms across his chest and stared at me. “That’s the second time you’ve mentioned my being on a date. I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“The beach. The blanket. Mallory said you were on a date. Sorry for interrupting.”

I wasn’t actually sorry. And I didn’t feel bad for it.

“I’m not on a date. I’m here by myself. Solo. Single. Just me. But what about you? Weren’t you supposed to be on a date?”

My heart was far too happy at his admission. Even so, I let out a wry laugh and shook my head. “You were out enjoying the peace and quiet. You don’t want to hear about my disastrous date. I’ll be fine. You can leave me alone.”

Instead of doing that, he reached his hand out. I stared at his silhouette in the moonlight. Suddenly, I wanted nothing more than to place my hand in his and embrace his warmth. So I did.

We walked to his blanket, and he didn’t drop my hand. He was silent until we sat down, and then he brought his hand to my cheek, wiping my tears away.

“Sierra. How many times do I have to say it? Where you go, I go. I’ll never leave you alone. Especially when you’re hurting. Now, tell me why you’re crying and whose ass I have to kick.”

At that, I laughed and felt better than I had in the last month. God, I’d missed him.

He listened as I told him about Danny and Mallory. The entire time, he ran soothing circles on my arm, calming every nerve that’d been swirling around my insides. When I got to the part about the hotel room, he tensed, his body so rigid it caught me off guard. He started to move, but I placed my hand on his arm.

“It’s okay, Jeremy. No need to defend my honor.”

He frowned, his forehead furrowed in anger, and I quickly continued.

“It’s not even that I really liked him. I mean, he’s cocky but so hot. And I don’t know. I guess I just wanted someone to like me.” I shrugged. “So much for going to homecoming.”

I’d never admitted it to anyone but Jenna, but I’d really been looking forward to the dance. I wanted to go with my girlfriends to pick out my perfect dress then spend the day getting ready together and the night dancing, laughing, and having a great time.

“Go with me,” Jeremy blurted out, sending a wave of shock throughout me.

I shoulder-checked him and laughed. It felt like the first time I’d done that in weeks. “You don’t mean that,” I said, secretly wishing he did.

“Yes, I do.”

I caught his gaze in the moonlight. “You’re serious, aren’t you?” I whispered.

When he nodded, my brows came together.

“You hate dancing, Jeremy. Why would you go?”

He shrugged, but his eyes were telling a story I couldn’t quite read. “Because you want to.”

“And?” I prompted.

He gave me that look.

“Where I go, you go?”

He nodded. “Precisely. Even if it means I’ll be spending the next two weeks brushing up on my MC Hammer and Vanilla Ice.”

“Jeremy, you do realize we’re in the back half of nineteen ninety-nine, right?”

“Sierra, Ice Ice Baby will stand the test of time. Just you watch. Our kids will still be listening to it even when they’re teenagers. You can take that to the bank.”

My stomach twisted at the idea of our kids. I knew he didn’t mean ours together, but the thought was already implanted in my mind. And, even though I wasn’t ready for sex, I could picture a little Jeremy-Sierra baby.

I smiled and leaned my head against his shoulder. “You’re the best, Jeremy,” I told him. “I don’t know what I’d do without you.”

“You’ll never get the chance to find out.” With that, he stood up, pulling me with him. “Now, come on. We have a dance I need to practice for.”

Just as I’d thought, by Monday, the whole school knew that Danny and I weren’t a thing anymore. And you know what? I didn’t even care. Jeremy was more pissed about the looks and the whispers in the hallways than I was, and he stayed closed to me whenever he could. He was being overprotective, and I didn’t mind one bit.

“I’m so sick of this,” he grumbled as we walked into the lunchroom together.

Across the room, Danny was sitting with the other football players, and Mallory, naturally, was practically in his lap. Jeremy scowled and clenched his fists at his sides.

I placed a hand on his arm. “Calm down, Rambo. I don’t mind. I promise. I’m over it,” I said, waving them off.

He peered down at me. Then his eyes lit up as an idea struck him. Instant worry swirled in my belly. I was used to Jeremy’s not-so-brilliant plans, and I had no idea what he was about to propose. Before I could ask what the hell he was thinking, he grasped my hand, entwining our fingers. Then he pulled me in close, and my heart started beating fast as his lips hovered just above my ear.

“We’ll show them you’re really over it,” he whispered.

I barely had time to catch my breath as he dragged me over to the table where they were selling tickets to the dance. In his loud, booming voice, he asked for two tickets and let everyone in the room know that he was going to have the prettiest date there. My face flushed with embarrassment until I saw Mallory’s mouth gaping. I decided to play along with Jeremy and slid my free hand into the back pocket of his jeans. I wasn’t prepared for the tight, toned cheek to feel so incredible beneath my fingertips, and he wasn’t prepared for my touch. He jerked as he nearly choked on his spit.

I looked up at him innocently. “Oops. I was just going for your wallet, sweetheart,” I teased. “Did I pick the wrong pocket?”

His jaw tightened as he gazed down at me, heat in his eyes. I hoped I wasn’t misinterpreting it.

“Be careful, Sierra. You know what happens when you go into places unannounced.”

My eyes widened as I realized just what was happening. Jeremy and I were flirting. And I loved every second of it.

Once the senior sitting at the table handed Jeremy the tickets, he surveyed the room. Danny was scowling in our direction, and Mallory was now looking at Jeremy if he were the new it-man she wanted a piece of.

Over my dead body.

Jeremy took us to an empty table on the other side of the room, where we sat down next to each other, our thighs brushing. We couldn’t have been sitting any closer to each other if we’d tried.

“And that, my sweet Sierra, is exactly how it’s done.” He brushed his hands off as if he’d finished some exhausting project.

Feeling bold, I leaned over and placed a kiss on his cheek. When I pulled back, I gave him a saucy wink. “Just so you know, that’s more than Danny ever got. If you play your cards right, you may get even luckier.”

“Don’t go teasing a man, Sierra, if you don’t plan on following through.”

I met his eyes. “Who says I won’t?”

Silence, along with rounded eyes, answered me—he hadn’t expected me to say that.

For the first time since I’d met him, I’d rendered Jeremy Banks speechless.

It was minor, but it gave me hope. Things were changing.

“Oh, Sierra,” Lexi breathed. Her eyes were shimmering with tears. Next to her, Mom was looking at me the same way. “Jeremy’s jaw is going to hit the floor.”

My sister was disappointed that she hadn’t been asked to the dance. She’d planned on going with some girlfriends, but when she couldn’t find a dress, she’d opted to just stay home. Still, a part of me felt bad. She’d told me she’d be fine. Some new book had come out and she said she’d rather stay home and read. The stars in her eyes, however, told me the truth. It was her first high school dance, and instead of dressing up with me, she was just watching from the sidelines. But that was Lexi. She didn’t do anything half-assed, and if she didn’t have a flock of butterflies in her stomach at hello, she wasn’t interested. After what had happened with Danny, I got it, and I didn’t blame her for it.

My cheeks flushed with heat. “Don’t be silly, Lexi. Jeremy doesn’t look at me that way.”

She laughed and shook her head in disbelief. “Are you freaking kidding me? That’s the only way Jeremy looks at you.”

Those same butterflies Lexi’s looking for attacked my stomach, making it clear that for me, Jeremy was the only one I wanted. Still, I willed myself to calm down. Lexi’s a romantic. She’d been hoping for a Jeremy-Sierra love connection since she’d discovered the L-word.

“And what way is that?” I asked, hoping she’d spell it out for me. That maybe I wasn’t the only one who had noticed Jeremy’s change towards me.

She sighed dreamily before her eyes rested on mine. “You know, I’ve always been a little bit jealous of your friendship with Jeremy.”

I raised my eyebrows in surprise and opened my mouth to protest, but she held a hand up, stopping me.

“From the moment the two of you met, you’ve been inseparable. This solid unit that nothing could ever come between. Sure, you guys included the rest of us, but that didn’t matter. It was always the two of you. And I don’t know when it happened, but sometime over the last year, things have changed.”

Lexi paused to gauge my reaction, causing me to squirm under her scrutiny. Those damn butterflies took flight again. I sat on the edge of my bed, suddenly feeling a little bit dizzy and overwhelmed. Was she right? Things had changed. But I’d thought it was just me. Lexi had apparently noticed it, too.

“What exactly do you mean, Lexi?” I asked, my voice a bit shaky.

Mom and Lexi exchanged knowing glances.

“Sierra,” Lexi said, “you walk into a room and Jeremy’s eyes light up. Then they track your every move. They narrow and his nostrils flare if another boy so much as checks you out. And, according to Jenna, he was a grumpy toad the whole summer until you got home. You know, kinda the same way you were in Ohio.”

Even though my heart was fluttering, I protested. “That doesn’t mean anything. We’d never spent the much time apart. That’s all,” I said, waving her off.

They exchanged another look.

Mom crossed the room and sat next to me, placing an arm around my shoulders. “Oh, honey, that’s where you’re wrong. Everything your sister just said is true, and it’s not nothing. It means everything. The question is, do you feel the same way?”

My eyes shimmered with tears. All of this time, I’d been keeping my feelings to myself, and it felt so good to finally let it out.

I nodded. “I do. I have for a long time. But he’s my best friend, Mom. What if he doesn’t like me like that?”

Mom wiped away a lone tear that had spilled over onto my cheek. Then she cupped my face and brought her forehead to mine. “Sweetheart, I don’t think that’s something you need to worry about. Jeremy Banks has always worn his heart on his sleeve, and I’m pretty sure you’re in that heart. He just needs to know you want to be.”

“So…you think I should tell him?” I asked, wondering if tonight could be the start of something so new, so beautiful, with Jeremy.

She pulled back and gave me a smile. “I can’t tell you what to do, Sierra. The best advice I can give is to follow your heart. I know how scary it can be, putting your heart on the line when you don’t know how it’s going to be received, but that’s what life and love are all about. Taking risks. You may get burned a time or two, but everything worth having is worth fighting for. And the way Jeremy looks at you? It’s the way every mother wishes her daughter would be looked at. It’s how your dad looks at me still to this day.”

Lexi’s sniffling had my own tears welling up. She bounded across the room and joined us on the bed.

“It’s true, Sierra. If a man ever looks at me that way, I’ll be the happiest girl alive,” she declared.

Little did she know, it wouldn’t be long until she had that. And just like me, she’d be too blind to see it. But that’s her story to tell.

This time, it was Mom’s turn to tear up. She put her arms around both me and Lexi, and the three of us looked at our reflections in the mirror.

“When did my girls grow up?” she asked. “I swear you were just two little blondes with pigtails. Now, you’ve blossomed into beautiful young women I’m very proud of.”

“Love you, Mom,” I whispered, and Lexi echoed my sentiment.

“I love you both, too. And so does your father. Although he’s going to have a cow when he sees how grown-up Sierra is in that dress. We’re not ready for the two of you to grow up, but I guess it’s inevitable.”

Before I could respond, the sound of the doorbell filled the room. Lexi clapped her hands, Mom beamed, and my stomach was suddenly twisting in knots.

“He’s here!” Lexi exclaimed as she jumped up and ran to the door. But then she stopped and looked back at me, her face softening. “I hope you two have the best time, Sierra. You deserve it. And, for the record, Jeremy’s ten times the guy that creep Danny Moyer would ever be.” With a parting smile, she left the room with me reeling from her words.

I smoothed my dress out and checked my makeup in the mirror. Mom was watching me intently, perceptive enough to know I was stalling.

“Do you really think…?” I trailed off.

She gave me a knowing smile. “Sweetheart, I can’t tell you how the boy feels. That’s something he has to do for himself. I only know what I see, and let me say, I like it. As a mom, there’s nothing I love more than seeing the way Jeremy looks at you. And don’t think I haven’t noticed those same looks coming from you, too.”

A blush formed on my cheeks.

“From the very beginning, I’ve known that the two of you had something special. It’s up to you to decide what happens next. Now, let’s not keep that boy waiting.”

“Thanks, Mom.”

After a few deep breaths, I steeled my nerves. Even though I didn’t feel ready for this, I was as ready as I’d ever be. Mom left the room, and I followed after her, taking each step slowly and deliberately. I heard his rumbling laughter before I saw him. The sound sent those butterflies into overdrive.

This was it.

If Jeremy ever saw me as anything more than just his best friend, this would be the time.

Mom rounded the corner into the living room, and I gathered up what courage I could find and then stepped in right behind her.

The moment my eyes locked with Jeremy’s, I knew Mom and Lexi had been right. Everything else around us faded into the background. His laughter ceased as he took in the sight of me. And I did the same to him. He was dressed in black slacks that appeared as if they had been made for him. Memories of the night I’d walked in on him flashed in my mind, and I took a glance at his groin.

Yep, those slacks had been made for him.

Aware that we weren’t alone, I tore my eyes away from his package and trailed them up over the rest of his body. A slim-fitting hunter-green dress shirt molded to his firm torso, just tight enough to give me a peek at his muscles. I made a vow never to complain about all the time he spent lifting weights in the field house anymore, because holy hell, the results were more than worth the effort. A light-green tie that adorned his muscular chest somehow accentuated the brown irises of his eyes, which were wide as his eyes raked over me.

His copper-colored hair was its usual messy self. I loved that he hadn’t given in to Jenna’s prompting and gotten it cut and styled. I wanted to run my fingers through his soft hair as we danced the night away in each other’s arms, and gel would’ve ruined the experience.

As he studied me, a slow, easygoing smile spread across his lips, showcasing those dimples.

Not gonna lie.

I swooned.

My heart melted.

And I went a little weak in the knees, which I later blamed on the heels. Stupid death traps.

Jeremy had never looked more handsome than he did right then, and I’d never wanted him more. Heck, I’d never wanted anything more in my life than for Jeremy to cross the room, take me into his arms, dip me back, and gaze longingly into my eyes before capturing my lips with his.

This wasn’t Copper anymore. This wasn’t Dawson. This wasn’t my Michelangelo-loving, ninja-warrior-fighting, scared-of-sharks best friend.

This was Jeremy Banks, star football player, object of ninety percent of the affections of the sophomore class female population—and probably the rest of the school’s, too—sexiest man I’d ever seen. I no longer wanted to swap spit shakes. I simply wanted to swap spit.

And by the look on his face? I was pretty sure he wanted the same thing.

“Wow,” he whispered as he took a step towards me. He paused briefly then continued across the room until he was standing directly in front of me. He lifted a hand then ran it through his hair as he repeated his sentiment. “Wow.”

I beamed. “Wow yourself,” I replied, suddenly feeling more confident than before. Actually, I was more confident than ever.

The hand that had raked through his hair came down and he placed it on my cheek. Jeremy’s earnest eyes bored into mine. “Sierra, I… You… I…” he stammered, and my heart started beating so wildly that I was scared it was going to break out of my chest, hop onto him, and pound against his own chest until he let it in.

“Yes?” I prompted after seconds had ticked by without him saying a word.

“You look… You are absolutely beautiful,” he breathed. “You’re… You take my breath away, Sierra.”