Page 3 of The Saint

And now that I knew, I wasn’t sure I ever wanted him to quit.

Rolly sucked at my bottom lip, teeth grazing the delicate flesh before he was moving, his mouth covering mine, his slick lips sliding across my own. And when the tip of his tongue teased at the seam, my own flicked out, tentatively touching his, tasting the mint that coated his tongue, my salty tears clinging to his lips.

He was gentle, tasting, teasing, flicking inside my mouth before nibbling at my lips, making me breathless as his mouth danced around mine the way I’d never allowed myself to imagine with anyone, let alone him. One of his strong hands left my back, slipping down my sweat-covered skin, until he was cupping my thigh just below my ass, tugging me free from the heavy weight of his leg. Lifting me up until I was wrapped around him.

There was no mistaking the feel of him, pressed into my belly as he pulled me close. And even though I wanted to die, I also didn’t want him to stop.

“Rolly?” a voice called out in the distance, penetrating the haze he had left me in. “Jael? Where are you?”

I dropped my head to the ground, gazing up at bright blue eyes shining down on me like the sun. The corner of Rolly’s lip tipped up, and he gave a shrug, gave my thigh a squeeze, before releasing me from his grip.

“Rolly? Jael?” It was my brother’s voice, and the panic laced through his words wove through my body and attacked my heart.

“Here!” Rolly hollered, and I pushed at his shoulders, trying to shove his big body off my own.

“Get off me,” I hissed, frantic at the thought of my brother catching us in such a compromising position. My mother would crucify me if she knew. She’d never let me see Rolly again, and I couldn’t let that happen. Not now. Not after that kiss. I pushed harder, pushed with all my might. “Get off!”

“I can’t,” Rolly said, that pain that was in his voice earlier making a comeback.

Through my panic, I couldn’t understand what he was saying. All I knew was, I had to get him off.

But it was too late. My brother came running into the woods with Mr. D’Angelo right on his tail.

“What happened?” Arik asked, and I wanted to shrivel up in a ball and die.

Rolly still wouldn’t get off me, and I squeezed my eyes shut as my heart clenched in my chest, sure this was the last time I’d ever see my friend again.

“Lightning strike.” The words were foreign, the pain in his voice a lance through my chest. “It hit the tree. I barely got to her in time.”

“Are you okay?” D’Angelo asked, and the closeness of his voice had my eyes flashing wide.

“I’m hurt,” Rolly confessed to his uncle. “And Jael got hit in the face, but I think she’s okay.”

At his words, I lifted my head, only to slam it back into the soft, wet dirt.

There was a tree.

Pinning Rolly to the ground.

And I was pinned under him.

“Maso,” D’Angelo called into his phone. “Yes, we found them. I need you to send Zee. Tell him to bring the cart, Rolly’s been hurt. Yes, send the Davids too.”

A groan ripped through my throat, and on my other side, my brother misinterpreted the noise. “Are you hurt?”

My eyes found his and I gave him a tight smile. “I’m okay,” I lied. “Just a little squished.”

Concern etched lines across my brother’s brow as he stared down at me, and I waited for the tongue lashing I knew had to be coming. But all I received was a squeeze at my side.

A squeeze of Rolly’s hand.

Gentle.

Reassuring.

Telling me the words he’d whispered into my ear as I shook with fear from the storm.

It’s okay. I’ve got you. I won’t let you go.