My Soul to Steal
Page 19
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Get in, I said, and he raised one brow.
He came with me, Sabine said, before he could make up his mind.
And Im taking him home. Get in the car, Nash. We need to talk.
Sabine looked impressed in spite of herself, until he glanced from her to me, then back to her. What did I miss?
This is about what I missed, I said, shifting into Drive while the engine idled. Get in the car.
Nash turned back to Sabine. What did you do? His voice held a single blended note of caution and curiosity, which made the hair stand up on the back of my neck. He wasnt even surprised to know shed done something.
She grinned, one hand propped on a half-exposed hip that evidently felt no cold. You dont really want the answer to that. Not yet.
What do I really want? Nash asked, humoring her, whereas I wanted to roll my car over her foot.
You want to know why Kaylees suddenly grown a pair.
He frowned. Enlighten me.
She twisted one mismatched earring and shrugged. I laid the cards out on the table. Its only fair that she knows the stakes, right?
Except shed left one of those cards out of her disclosure. They both had.
Damn it, Bina.
What? She rolled her eyes, like I was the one being unreasonable. I told her the truth. You cant get mad over the truth.
Oh, yes, we could. The truths between me and Nash hurt as badly as the lies.
Nash dropped his bag on my passengers side floorboard and turned back to Sabine. Ill see you later.
SabineBina? Really?scowled, then leaned in with one hand on the roof of my car, wearing an ironic, almost respectful smile. Well played, Kaylee.
Nash got in and closed the door, and I drove off, leaving her standing there alone.
Im not playing her game, no matter what it looks like, I said, as I turned left out of the parking lot.
Good. The only way to win is by refusing to play. Trust me. But he was smiling as he said it, like she was a toddler whose antics were still cute and harmless.
I did not find Sabine cute. Or harmless.
Advice from your days in Fort Worth?
Nash ran one hand through his thick brown hair, leaving it tussled in all the right places. Based on observation, not experience. She doesnt play games with me. She doesnt need to.
Shes been back in your life for one day, and you sound like she was never gone. I braked at a red light, and unease crawled up my spine. How deep must their connection have been, if they could pick up right where theyd left off more than two years before?
Heexhaled heavily. How am I supposed to answer that?
It wasnt a question.
Nash twisted in his seat to face me, and his expression made my stomach churn. We got caught up last night. And Im sure once she gets used to the fact that I want you in my life, shell
No, she wont. Id just met her, and I understood that much. My hand tightened on the wheel and I took a right at the next light. She threw down the gauntlet, Nash. Like Im gonna fight her for you.
I know. Im sorry, Kay. But its not a physical fight she wants.
What do you want? I demanded, taking the next curve a little too fast. You want us to fight over you? You get off on thistwo girls, no waiting?
He sighed and stared out his window. Days like this I wish I had a car.
I rolled my eyes, though he wasnt watching. Days like this I wish youd tell me the whole truth for once, instead of leaving little bits of it lying around for me to follow like a trail of bread crumbs.
A moment passed in silence, except for the growl of my engine. Then he exhaled slowly and turned to look at me. Im guessing Tod told you?
He shouldnt have had to.
I know. I tried to tell you, but Sabine
My pulse spiked in irritation. Youre going to be saying that a lot now, are you? But Sabine?
Do you want to talk, or are you just going to throw barbs at me?
I exhaled deeply as I turned the car into his driveway. I havent decided. Hows my aim?
Dead-on. He pushed his door open and hauled his backpack out of the car, and I slammed my own door, then followed him into the house. I hadnt been there in two weeks, but nothing had changed, except that someone had taken down the holiday decorations.
You want something to eat? Mom made blondies. Nash dropped his backpack on the worn couch, then pushed through the swinging door into the kitchen.
Just a Coke. I followed him into the kitchen, where Harmony Hudson glanced up from the breakfast table in surprise.
Kaylee! She crossed the small kitchen and wrapped her arms around me in a warm hug, her soft blond curls brushing my face. Im so glad youre back. Then she pulled away from me, frowning with her hands still on my shoulders. You are back, arent you?
Nash groaned with his head stuck inside the fridge, then emerged with two cans. Laissez faire parenting, Mom. We talked about this. He handed me a soda, and Harmony let me go to scowl at her son.
He came with me, Sabine said, before he could make up his mind.
And Im taking him home. Get in the car, Nash. We need to talk.
Sabine looked impressed in spite of herself, until he glanced from her to me, then back to her. What did I miss?
This is about what I missed, I said, shifting into Drive while the engine idled. Get in the car.
Nash turned back to Sabine. What did you do? His voice held a single blended note of caution and curiosity, which made the hair stand up on the back of my neck. He wasnt even surprised to know shed done something.
She grinned, one hand propped on a half-exposed hip that evidently felt no cold. You dont really want the answer to that. Not yet.
What do I really want? Nash asked, humoring her, whereas I wanted to roll my car over her foot.
You want to know why Kaylees suddenly grown a pair.
He frowned. Enlighten me.
She twisted one mismatched earring and shrugged. I laid the cards out on the table. Its only fair that she knows the stakes, right?
Except shed left one of those cards out of her disclosure. They both had.
Damn it, Bina.
What? She rolled her eyes, like I was the one being unreasonable. I told her the truth. You cant get mad over the truth.
Oh, yes, we could. The truths between me and Nash hurt as badly as the lies.
Nash dropped his bag on my passengers side floorboard and turned back to Sabine. Ill see you later.
SabineBina? Really?scowled, then leaned in with one hand on the roof of my car, wearing an ironic, almost respectful smile. Well played, Kaylee.
Nash got in and closed the door, and I drove off, leaving her standing there alone.
Im not playing her game, no matter what it looks like, I said, as I turned left out of the parking lot.
Good. The only way to win is by refusing to play. Trust me. But he was smiling as he said it, like she was a toddler whose antics were still cute and harmless.
I did not find Sabine cute. Or harmless.
Advice from your days in Fort Worth?
Nash ran one hand through his thick brown hair, leaving it tussled in all the right places. Based on observation, not experience. She doesnt play games with me. She doesnt need to.
Shes been back in your life for one day, and you sound like she was never gone. I braked at a red light, and unease crawled up my spine. How deep must their connection have been, if they could pick up right where theyd left off more than two years before?
Heexhaled heavily. How am I supposed to answer that?
It wasnt a question.
Nash twisted in his seat to face me, and his expression made my stomach churn. We got caught up last night. And Im sure once she gets used to the fact that I want you in my life, shell
No, she wont. Id just met her, and I understood that much. My hand tightened on the wheel and I took a right at the next light. She threw down the gauntlet, Nash. Like Im gonna fight her for you.
I know. Im sorry, Kay. But its not a physical fight she wants.
What do you want? I demanded, taking the next curve a little too fast. You want us to fight over you? You get off on thistwo girls, no waiting?
He sighed and stared out his window. Days like this I wish I had a car.
I rolled my eyes, though he wasnt watching. Days like this I wish youd tell me the whole truth for once, instead of leaving little bits of it lying around for me to follow like a trail of bread crumbs.
A moment passed in silence, except for the growl of my engine. Then he exhaled slowly and turned to look at me. Im guessing Tod told you?
He shouldnt have had to.
I know. I tried to tell you, but Sabine
My pulse spiked in irritation. Youre going to be saying that a lot now, are you? But Sabine?
Do you want to talk, or are you just going to throw barbs at me?
I exhaled deeply as I turned the car into his driveway. I havent decided. Hows my aim?
Dead-on. He pushed his door open and hauled his backpack out of the car, and I slammed my own door, then followed him into the house. I hadnt been there in two weeks, but nothing had changed, except that someone had taken down the holiday decorations.
You want something to eat? Mom made blondies. Nash dropped his backpack on the worn couch, then pushed through the swinging door into the kitchen.
Just a Coke. I followed him into the kitchen, where Harmony Hudson glanced up from the breakfast table in surprise.
Kaylee! She crossed the small kitchen and wrapped her arms around me in a warm hug, her soft blond curls brushing my face. Im so glad youre back. Then she pulled away from me, frowning with her hands still on my shoulders. You are back, arent you?
Nash groaned with his head stuck inside the fridge, then emerged with two cans. Laissez faire parenting, Mom. We talked about this. He handed me a soda, and Harmony let me go to scowl at her son.
