My Soul to Keep
Page 2
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Nash set the remaining case of beer on the counter as Scott slid the first one into the refrigerator. Kaylee Cavanaugh, Scott said when he stood, having apparently noticed me for the first time. He eyed me up and down while I resisted the urge to cross my arms over my chest. Lookin good. He glanced from me to Sophie, then back, while my cousin tried to fry me alive with the heat of her glare. Im starting to see the family resemblance.
All I see is you, Nash said, pulling me close when he realized Sophie and I werent happy with the comparison.
I smiled and kissed him impulsively, convinced by the slow churn of colors in his irises that he meant what he said.
Scott shoved the last case of beer into the fridge, then slapped a cold can into Nashs hand as I finally pulled away from him, my face flaming. See? Family resemblance. Then he headed off into the crowd with Sophie, popping the top on a can of his own. Three steps later they were grinding to the music, one of Scotts hands around his drink, the other splayed across my cousins lower back.
Wow, that wasunexpected, Nash said, drawing my gaze from the familiar faces talking, dancing, drinking, andotherwise engaged. And it took me a moment to realize he meant the kiss.
Good unexpected, or bad unexpected?
Very, very good. He set his can on the counter at my back, then pulled me closer for a repeat performance, one hand sliding up my side. That time I didnt pull away until someone poked my shoulder. I twisted in Nashs arms to find Emma Marshall, my best friend, watching us with an amused half smile.
Hey. Her grin grew as she glanced from me to Nash, then back. Youre blocking the fridge.
Theres a cooler in the other room. Nash nodded toward the main part of the house.
Emma shrugged. Yeah, but no ones making out in front of it. She pulled open the fridge, grabbed a beer, then popped the can open as she pushed the door shut with a toss of one shapely hip. It wasnt fair. Emma and her sisters inherited crazy curvesa genetic jackpotand all I got from my relatives was a really gnarled family tree.
There were times when I would gladly have traded all my bean sidhe giftsdid a glass-shattering screech and the ability to travel between the human world and the Netherworld even count as gifts?for a little more of what she had. But this was not one of those times. Not while Nashs hands were on my waist, his taste still on my lips, and the greens and browns in his eyes swirling languorously with blatant desire. For me.
Em drank from her can, and I grabbed the car keys dangling from her hand, then showed them to her before stuffing them into my hip pocket, along with my own. She could stay the night with me, and Id bring her back for her car in the morning. Emma smiled and nodded, already moving to themusic when someone called her name from the living-room doorway.
Hey, Em! a voice called over the music, and I turned to see Doug Fuller leaning with one bulging arm on the door frame. Come dance with me.
Emma smiled, drained her can, then danced into the living room with Dougs hands on her already swaying hips. Nash and I joined them, and he returned greeting after greeting from the glitter crowd writhing around us. But then he was mine. We moved with the music as if the room was empty but for the stereo and the heat we shared.
I had stolen Nash from a room full of his adoring devotees with nothing but the secret connection we shared. A connection no other girl could possibly compete with.
Wed combined our bean sidhe abilities to bring my best friend back from the dead and to reclaim a damned soul from the hellion whod bought it. Wed literally saved lives, fought evil, and almost died together. No mere pretty face could compete with that, no matter how much gloss and mascara she applied.
An hour later, Em tapped my shoulder and pointed toward the kitchen. I shook my headafter a month without him, I could have danced with Nash all nightbut after Emma left, Nash kept glancing at the kitchen door like it was going to suddenly slam closed and lock us out.
Need a break? I asked, and he smiled in relief.
Just for a minute. He tugged me through the crowd while my heart still raced to the beat, both of us damp with sweat.
In the kitchen, Emma drank from a fresh can of beer while Doug argued with Brant Williams about a bad call during some basketball game I hadnt seen.
Here. Nash handed me a cold soda. Ill be right back. Then he pushed his way through the crowd without a backward glance.
I looked at Emma with both brows raised, but she only shrugged.
I popped open my Coke and noticed that Doug and Brants argument had become a whispered conversation I couldnt follow, and Emma hadnt even noticed. For several minutes, she prattled about her sister refusing to lend her a blouse that made Cara look lumpy, anyway.
Before I could decide how to respond, someone called my name, and I looked up to find Brant watching me. Yeah? Obviously Id missed a question.
I said, Wheres your boyfriend?
Umbathroom, I said, unwilling to admit that I wasnt sure.
Brant shook his head slowly. Hudsons falling down on the job. You wanna dance till he gets back? I wont bite. He held out one large brown hand for mine, and I took it.
Brant Williams was tall, and dark, and always smiling. He was the football teams kicker, a senior, and the friendliest jock Id ever met, not counting Nash. He was also the only other person in the house I would dance with, other than Emma.
All I see is you, Nash said, pulling me close when he realized Sophie and I werent happy with the comparison.
I smiled and kissed him impulsively, convinced by the slow churn of colors in his irises that he meant what he said.
Scott shoved the last case of beer into the fridge, then slapped a cold can into Nashs hand as I finally pulled away from him, my face flaming. See? Family resemblance. Then he headed off into the crowd with Sophie, popping the top on a can of his own. Three steps later they were grinding to the music, one of Scotts hands around his drink, the other splayed across my cousins lower back.
Wow, that wasunexpected, Nash said, drawing my gaze from the familiar faces talking, dancing, drinking, andotherwise engaged. And it took me a moment to realize he meant the kiss.
Good unexpected, or bad unexpected?
Very, very good. He set his can on the counter at my back, then pulled me closer for a repeat performance, one hand sliding up my side. That time I didnt pull away until someone poked my shoulder. I twisted in Nashs arms to find Emma Marshall, my best friend, watching us with an amused half smile.
Hey. Her grin grew as she glanced from me to Nash, then back. Youre blocking the fridge.
Theres a cooler in the other room. Nash nodded toward the main part of the house.
Emma shrugged. Yeah, but no ones making out in front of it. She pulled open the fridge, grabbed a beer, then popped the can open as she pushed the door shut with a toss of one shapely hip. It wasnt fair. Emma and her sisters inherited crazy curvesa genetic jackpotand all I got from my relatives was a really gnarled family tree.
There were times when I would gladly have traded all my bean sidhe giftsdid a glass-shattering screech and the ability to travel between the human world and the Netherworld even count as gifts?for a little more of what she had. But this was not one of those times. Not while Nashs hands were on my waist, his taste still on my lips, and the greens and browns in his eyes swirling languorously with blatant desire. For me.
Em drank from her can, and I grabbed the car keys dangling from her hand, then showed them to her before stuffing them into my hip pocket, along with my own. She could stay the night with me, and Id bring her back for her car in the morning. Emma smiled and nodded, already moving to themusic when someone called her name from the living-room doorway.
Hey, Em! a voice called over the music, and I turned to see Doug Fuller leaning with one bulging arm on the door frame. Come dance with me.
Emma smiled, drained her can, then danced into the living room with Dougs hands on her already swaying hips. Nash and I joined them, and he returned greeting after greeting from the glitter crowd writhing around us. But then he was mine. We moved with the music as if the room was empty but for the stereo and the heat we shared.
I had stolen Nash from a room full of his adoring devotees with nothing but the secret connection we shared. A connection no other girl could possibly compete with.
Wed combined our bean sidhe abilities to bring my best friend back from the dead and to reclaim a damned soul from the hellion whod bought it. Wed literally saved lives, fought evil, and almost died together. No mere pretty face could compete with that, no matter how much gloss and mascara she applied.
An hour later, Em tapped my shoulder and pointed toward the kitchen. I shook my headafter a month without him, I could have danced with Nash all nightbut after Emma left, Nash kept glancing at the kitchen door like it was going to suddenly slam closed and lock us out.
Need a break? I asked, and he smiled in relief.
Just for a minute. He tugged me through the crowd while my heart still raced to the beat, both of us damp with sweat.
In the kitchen, Emma drank from a fresh can of beer while Doug argued with Brant Williams about a bad call during some basketball game I hadnt seen.
Here. Nash handed me a cold soda. Ill be right back. Then he pushed his way through the crowd without a backward glance.
I looked at Emma with both brows raised, but she only shrugged.
I popped open my Coke and noticed that Doug and Brants argument had become a whispered conversation I couldnt follow, and Emma hadnt even noticed. For several minutes, she prattled about her sister refusing to lend her a blouse that made Cara look lumpy, anyway.
Before I could decide how to respond, someone called my name, and I looked up to find Brant watching me. Yeah? Obviously Id missed a question.
I said, Wheres your boyfriend?
Umbathroom, I said, unwilling to admit that I wasnt sure.
Brant shook his head slowly. Hudsons falling down on the job. You wanna dance till he gets back? I wont bite. He held out one large brown hand for mine, and I took it.
Brant Williams was tall, and dark, and always smiling. He was the football teams kicker, a senior, and the friendliest jock Id ever met, not counting Nash. He was also the only other person in the house I would dance with, other than Emma.
