He has me pressed against the wall and his hands are at the base of my neck now, tangled in my hair. He gives a quick tug and I lean back under his command, baring my neck to him.
“Good girl,” he murmurs as he presses a trail of kisses down my throat until he reaches my collarbone and I feel his teeth graze the skin there. “You are more lovely than the stars.”
“Charlie,” I say. It comes out a half-whisper, not because I want him to stop, but because I want to make sure we both want this. I want to make sure we won’t regret this in the morning.
He pauses and looks at me; his face illuminated by the pale moonlight streaming in through the window in the door. I search his eyes.
“Are you sure?” I ask through a trembling breath.
“I’ve never been so sure of anything in my entire life,” he replies. “Areyousure? This is a line we can’t uncross.”
“Yes.” It comes out louder and more forceful than I anticipated and he laughs.
“I don’t want you to regret this in the morning,” he adds, brushing hair out of my face.
“Can’t regret something you’ve waited this long for.”
His lips come crashing down on mine again. His hands are at my back, finding the zipper of my dress. Goosebumps spread across my skin like wildfire as he unzips me and begins to slide my dress sleeves off one shoulder at a time.
My phone starts ringing. I frown, distracted now. I start fumbling for my clutch to grab my phone.
“Leave it,” he says breathlessly in between kisses on my shoulder.
“I can’t, it’s Thea,” I say, pulling my phone out of my clutch. I blink a few times to get my eyes to focus. Charlie is fighting with my bra straps as I answer.
“Hello?”
Instead of Thea’s voice, I’m met with Raquel’s. “Hi!” she says.
“Raquel, what is going on?” I ask, eager to end this conversation and get back to kissing Charlie.
“Um, okay.” Her voice is higher than normal and I know instantly that something is wrong. “We came out with some of my friends to Ramona’s and I think someone spiked Thea’s drink.”
“What?” Everything around me stops and time stands still. Charlie freezes, staring at me intently.
“I know what you’re thinking,” Raquel says, “but she was being good and just drinking a soda, not alcohol. She’s acting really weird and I called an ambulance.”
“Oh my God, where are you?” I can hear sirens in the distance but can’t tell if they’re coming from outside the house or through the phone. It has Charlie’s attention now, too. Hastily, he slides my dress sleeves back onto my shoulders and spins me around, zipping me up.
“The ambulance is almost here, just meet us at the hospital,” Raquel says before she hangs up.
“Oh my God,” I repeat as I face Charlie again.
“What is it?” he asks. Concern laces his face.
“It’s Thea,” I say slowly. “Someone spiked her drink.”
Chapter Twelve
Raquel and I are having a sleepover tonight while Aunt Beth has a long overdue date night with Charlie. Her house is just a couple of blocks away from ours, so I make the short trek through the neighborhood. I sling my duffle bag over my shoulder and it swings into my side as I make my way to Raquel’s.
The warm air wraps around me as I walk. There’s a strong breeze tonight and my hair whips around my face. I repeat her directions over and over again as I walk.
Take a left at the blue mailbox, and then a right after two blocks.
I walk up to a small, olive green cottage. It shines like a beacon of eccentricity on a street lined with white and beige-toned houses. So, of course it belongs to Raquel.
There is barely enough room to climb the porch steps due to the overwhelming number of potted plants and succulents. I’m careful to avoid knocking any over as I cross the tiny porch. I knock on the door and hear her yell from inside.
