AllFreeNovel
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“I’m never flying in a plane, driving on a highway, or riding a roller-coaster again. So thanks for that.” I cuddle into him, and out of nowhere I’m blindsided by the fact that in a few days I won’t be able to touch him.
The instant I tense, he asks, “What’s wrong?”
“When do you go back to North Carolina?”
His fingers flex on my legs. “Tuesday.”
The days we’ve spent together have been my best days, even with all the heavy stuff we’ve shared. I don’t want to go back life without him. Back to being alone. In a bold move, that probably surprises him as much as it does me, I twist enough to latch onto his neck, pull his head down, and use every trick he’s taught me over the last few days.
It’s a heavy kiss, bursting with emotions. Emotions like I’ll-never-get-tired-of-being-with-you, I-already-miss-you, I-like-you-so-much-it-hurts, even stay-with-me—when I know he can’t.
He returns them all. Then he nudges the strap of my tank top with his nose and kisses my shoulder, his hands sliding to my ribcage. “Will you do something for me?”
Pebbles drop into my stomach, and for a second I’m afraid he’s going to ask for what I can’t give. But then I remember it’s Gabe. And I’m safe with Gabe.
“What’s going on in that head of yours?” He leans back and fixes my strap.
I feel more than a little stupid. “Nothing.”
“You know you suck at lying, yeah?”
I groan into my palms. “I thought maybe you wanted to”—I mumble through my fingers—“you know.”
“Oh.” He pulls them away so he can see me. “I totally want toyou know.” His dimples come out. “But I doubt we’ll be having sex anytime soon, since you can’t even say the word.” Leaning over, he reaches into the nightstand and pulls out a black Sharpie and the book he stole from my signing. “How about you just sign my copy ofHauntedinstead?”
“Or we could just kill me now.” I’m already standing in the middle of a bonfire, burning alive. I scoot off his lap and let my hair fall over my face.
He pushes back my hair, his grin replaced with something more serious. “Maybe we should talk about this.”
“How about I sign your book, and we forget about this?” Scrambling off the bed, I grab my book and the marker. “To TV’s Hottest Hairball, right?”
“TV’s Sexiest Beast. Capital S.”
I rotate away from him. Making it out toTV’s Hottest Hairball, I scribble sentences I don’t want him to read until later about how he’s changed everything for me and sign itEscalator Girl. I close the cover, cap the marker, and toss the book onto the cushioned chair by the window.
Still sitting, he tugs me back to stand in front of him and plucks the Sharpie from my hand. “What am I gonna sign for you?” Cocking his head to the left, he studies me. “T-shirt? Hotel stationary? Pillowcase?” He sketches a line down my neck and across my collarbone with the capped end of the marker. “The possibilities are endless.” His voice drops low and lazy.
Goosebumps rise in places he hasn’t even reached. “You don’t sign skin. You have a rule.”
“You are the exception to all my rules.” He circles my wrist and holds up the marker. “Trust me?”
“Um—”
“Boy Scout, remember?” The splash of naughtiness in his eyes ruins the innocence clinging to his face.
“We decided TV roles don’t count. Now maybe if you were amoviestar.” I tease him.
“Not gonna happen.” And there’s that same streak of insecurity from the last time I mentioned him and movies. “Are you disappointed?”
“As much as you were when you found out my red heels were a one-time deal.”
“Truth? I was a tiny bit disappointed.”
“Then I am too, only because you’re wasting your talent. Seriously. I know I make fun of you for turning hairy on TV, but you could walk into any audition and own the part.”
“I’ve got other parts to own first.” He waves off my comment with the marker, then curls his fingers into the bottom of my tank and starts to push it up. His eyes lock with mine as if he’s waiting for permission.
I nod. His hands have been there on my bare skin before, but somehow as he drags his fingers along my side it’s miles more intimate tonight. Especially after the searing string of kisses I initiated.
