My Soul to Take
Page 2
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Need a refill? Nash asked, and that time I made my mouth open. After all, if I was dreamingor in the Twilight ZoneI had nothing to lose by speaking. Right?
Im good. Thanks. I ventured a hesitant smile, and my heart nearly exploded when I saw my grin reflected on his upturned, perfectly formed lips.
Howd you get in here? He arched one brow, more in amusement than in real curiosity. Crawl through the window?
Back door, I whispered, feeling my face flush. Of course he knew I was a juniortoo young even for an eighteen-and-over club, like Taboo.
What? He grinned and leaned closer to hear me above the music. His breath brushed my neck, and my pulse pounded so hard I felt light-headed. He smelled sooo good.
Back door, I repeated into his ear. Emmas sister works here.
Emmas here?
I pointed her out on the dance floornow swaying with three guys at onceand assumed that would be the last I saw of Nash Hudson. But to my near-fatal shock, he dismissed Em at a glance and turned back to me with a mischievous gleam in those amazing eyes.
Arent you gonna dance?
My hand was suddenly sweaty around my empty glass. Did that mean he wanted to dance with me? Or that he wanted the bar stool for his girlfriend?
No, wait. Hed dumped his latest girlfriend the week before, and the sharks were already circling the fresh meat. Though theyre not circling him now I saw no one from Nashs usual crowd, either clustered around him or on the dance floor.
Yeah, Im gonna dance, I said, and again, his eyes were swirling green melting into brown and back, flashing blue occasionally in the neon glow. I could have stared at his eyes for hours. But he probably would have thought that was weird.
Lets go! He took my hand and stood as I slid off the bar stool, and I followed him onto the dance floor. A fresh smile bloomed on my face, and my chest seemed to tighten around my heart in anticipation. Id known him for a whileEmma had gone out with a few of his friendsbut had never been the sole object of his attention. Had never even considered the possibility.
If Eastlake High School were the universe, I would be one of the moons circling Planet Emma, constantly hidden by her shadow, and glad to be there. Nash Hudson would be one of the stars: too bright to look at, too hot to touch and at the center of his own solar system.
But on the dance floor, I forgot all that. His light was shining directly on me, and it was sooo warm.
We wound up only feet from Emma, but with Nashs hands on me, his body pressed into mine, I barely noticed. That first song ended, and we were moving to the next one before I even fully realized the beat had changed.
Several minutes later, I glimpsed Emma over Nashs shoulder. She stood at the bar with oneof the guys shed been grinding with, and as I watched, Traci set a drink in front of each of them. When her sister turned around, Emma grabbed her partners drinksomething dark with a wedge of lime on the rimand drained it in three gulps. Frat boy smiled, then pulled her back into the crowd.
I made a mental note not to let Emma drive my careverthen let my eyes wander back to Nash, where they wanted to be in the first place. But on the way, my gaze was snagged by an unfamiliar sheet of strawberry-blond hair, crowning the head of the only girl in the building to rival Emma in beauty. This girl, too, had her choice of dance partners, and though she couldnt have been more than eighteen, shed obviously had much more to drink than Emma.
But despite how pretty and obviously charismatic she was, watching her dance twisted something deep inside my gut and made my chest tighten, as if I couldnt quite get enough air. Something was wrong with her. I wasnt sure how I knew, but I was absolutely certain that something was not right with that girl.
You okay? Nash shouted, laying one hand on my shoulder, and suddenly I realized Id gone still, while everyone around me was still writhing to the beat.
Yeah! I shook off my discomfort and was relieved to find that looking into Nashs eyes chased away that feeling of wrongness, leaving in its place a new calm, eerie in its depth and reach. We danced for several more songs, growing more comfortable with each other with every moment that passed. By the time we stopped for a drink, sweat was gathering on the back of my neck and my arms were damp.
I lifted the bulk of my hair to cool myself and waved to Emma with my free hand as I turned to follow Nash off the dance floorand nearly collided with that same strawberry blonde. Not that she noticed. But the minute my eyes found her, that feeling was back in spadesthat strong discomfort, like a bad taste in my mouth, only all over my body. And this time it was accompanied by an odd sadness. A general melancholy that felt specifically connected to this one person. Whom Id never met.
Kaylee? Nash yelled over the music. He stood at the bar, holding two tall glasses of soda, slick with condensation. I closed the space between us and took the glass he offered, a little frightened to notice that this time, even staring straight into his eyes couldnt completely relax me. Couldnt quite loosen my throat, which threatened to close against the cold drink I so desperately craved.
Whats wrong? We stood inches apart, thanks to the throng pressing ever closer to the bar, but he still had to lean into me to be heard.
I dont know. Something about that girl, that redhead over there I nodded toward the dancer in question bothers me. Well, crap. I hadnt meant to admit that. It sounded so pathetic aloud.
Im good. Thanks. I ventured a hesitant smile, and my heart nearly exploded when I saw my grin reflected on his upturned, perfectly formed lips.
Howd you get in here? He arched one brow, more in amusement than in real curiosity. Crawl through the window?
Back door, I whispered, feeling my face flush. Of course he knew I was a juniortoo young even for an eighteen-and-over club, like Taboo.
What? He grinned and leaned closer to hear me above the music. His breath brushed my neck, and my pulse pounded so hard I felt light-headed. He smelled sooo good.
Back door, I repeated into his ear. Emmas sister works here.
Emmas here?
I pointed her out on the dance floornow swaying with three guys at onceand assumed that would be the last I saw of Nash Hudson. But to my near-fatal shock, he dismissed Em at a glance and turned back to me with a mischievous gleam in those amazing eyes.
Arent you gonna dance?
My hand was suddenly sweaty around my empty glass. Did that mean he wanted to dance with me? Or that he wanted the bar stool for his girlfriend?
No, wait. Hed dumped his latest girlfriend the week before, and the sharks were already circling the fresh meat. Though theyre not circling him now I saw no one from Nashs usual crowd, either clustered around him or on the dance floor.
Yeah, Im gonna dance, I said, and again, his eyes were swirling green melting into brown and back, flashing blue occasionally in the neon glow. I could have stared at his eyes for hours. But he probably would have thought that was weird.
Lets go! He took my hand and stood as I slid off the bar stool, and I followed him onto the dance floor. A fresh smile bloomed on my face, and my chest seemed to tighten around my heart in anticipation. Id known him for a whileEmma had gone out with a few of his friendsbut had never been the sole object of his attention. Had never even considered the possibility.
If Eastlake High School were the universe, I would be one of the moons circling Planet Emma, constantly hidden by her shadow, and glad to be there. Nash Hudson would be one of the stars: too bright to look at, too hot to touch and at the center of his own solar system.
But on the dance floor, I forgot all that. His light was shining directly on me, and it was sooo warm.
We wound up only feet from Emma, but with Nashs hands on me, his body pressed into mine, I barely noticed. That first song ended, and we were moving to the next one before I even fully realized the beat had changed.
Several minutes later, I glimpsed Emma over Nashs shoulder. She stood at the bar with oneof the guys shed been grinding with, and as I watched, Traci set a drink in front of each of them. When her sister turned around, Emma grabbed her partners drinksomething dark with a wedge of lime on the rimand drained it in three gulps. Frat boy smiled, then pulled her back into the crowd.
I made a mental note not to let Emma drive my careverthen let my eyes wander back to Nash, where they wanted to be in the first place. But on the way, my gaze was snagged by an unfamiliar sheet of strawberry-blond hair, crowning the head of the only girl in the building to rival Emma in beauty. This girl, too, had her choice of dance partners, and though she couldnt have been more than eighteen, shed obviously had much more to drink than Emma.
But despite how pretty and obviously charismatic she was, watching her dance twisted something deep inside my gut and made my chest tighten, as if I couldnt quite get enough air. Something was wrong with her. I wasnt sure how I knew, but I was absolutely certain that something was not right with that girl.
You okay? Nash shouted, laying one hand on my shoulder, and suddenly I realized Id gone still, while everyone around me was still writhing to the beat.
Yeah! I shook off my discomfort and was relieved to find that looking into Nashs eyes chased away that feeling of wrongness, leaving in its place a new calm, eerie in its depth and reach. We danced for several more songs, growing more comfortable with each other with every moment that passed. By the time we stopped for a drink, sweat was gathering on the back of my neck and my arms were damp.
I lifted the bulk of my hair to cool myself and waved to Emma with my free hand as I turned to follow Nash off the dance floorand nearly collided with that same strawberry blonde. Not that she noticed. But the minute my eyes found her, that feeling was back in spadesthat strong discomfort, like a bad taste in my mouth, only all over my body. And this time it was accompanied by an odd sadness. A general melancholy that felt specifically connected to this one person. Whom Id never met.
Kaylee? Nash yelled over the music. He stood at the bar, holding two tall glasses of soda, slick with condensation. I closed the space between us and took the glass he offered, a little frightened to notice that this time, even staring straight into his eyes couldnt completely relax me. Couldnt quite loosen my throat, which threatened to close against the cold drink I so desperately craved.
Whats wrong? We stood inches apart, thanks to the throng pressing ever closer to the bar, but he still had to lean into me to be heard.
I dont know. Something about that girl, that redhead over there I nodded toward the dancer in question bothers me. Well, crap. I hadnt meant to admit that. It sounded so pathetic aloud.
