My Soul to Take
Page 9

Hello? he repeated, sounding almost as annoyed as sleepy now.
Hey, its Kaylee, I finally blurted, fervently hoping he remembered methat I hadnt imagined dancing with him the night before. Because frankly, after the nights premonition and the mornings newscast, even I was starting to wonder if Sophie was right about me.
Nash cleared his throat, and when he spoke, his voice was husky with sleep. Hey. Youre not calling to cancel, are you?
I couldnt resist a smile, in spite of the reason for the call. No. IHave you seen the news this morning?
He chuckled hoarsely. I havent even seen the floor yet this morning. Nash yawned, and springs creaked over the line. He was still in bed.
I stamped down the scandalous images that knowledge brought to mind and forced myself to focus on the issue at hand. Turn on your TV.
Im not really into current events. More springs squealed as he rolled over, and something whispered against his phone.
My eyes closed and I leaned against my headboard, sucking in a deep breath. Shes dead, Nash.
What? He sounded marginally more awake this time. Whos dead?
I leaned forward, and my own bed creaked. The girl from the club. Emmas sister found her dead in the bathroom at Taboo last night.
Are you sure its her? He was definitely awake now, and I pictured him sitting straight up in bed. Hopefully shirtless.
See for yourself. I aimed my remote at the nineteen-inch set on my dresser and scrolled through the local channels until I found one still running the story. Channel nine.
Something clicked over the phone, and canned laughter rang out from his room. A moment later, the sounds from his television synched with mine. Oh, shit, Nash whispered. Then his voice went deeper. Serious. Kaylee, has this happened to you before? I mean, have you ever been right before?
I hesitated, unsure how much to tell him. My eyes closed again, but the backs of my eyelids offered me no advice. So I sighed and told him the truth. After all, he already knew the weirdest part. I dont know. I cant talk about it here. The last thing I needed was for my aunt and uncle to overhear. Theyd either ground me for the rest of my natural life or rush me back to the psych ward.
Ill come get you. Half an hour?
Ill be in my driveway.
3
I SHOWERED IN RECORD time, and twenty-four minutes after I hung up the phone, I was clean, dry, clothed, and wearing just enough makeup to hide the shock. But I was still straightening my hair when I heard a car pull into the driveway.
Crap. If I didnt getto him first, Uncle Brendon would make Nash come in and submit to questioning.
I pulled the plug on the flatiron, raced back to my room for my phone, keys and wallet then sprinted down the hall and out the front door, shouting good morning and goodbye to my astonished uncle all in the same breath.
Its early for lunch. How bout pancakes? Nash asked as I slid into the passenger seat of his mothers car and closed the door.
Umsure. Though with death on my conscience and Nash in my sight, food was pretty much the last thing on my mind.
The car smelled like coffee, and Nash smelled like soap, toothpaste, and something indescribably, tantalizingly yummy. I wanted to inhale him whole, and I couldnt stop staring at his chin, smooth this morning where it had been deliciously rough the night before. I remembered the texture of his cheek against mine, and had to close my eyes and concentrate to banish the dangerous memory.
Im not a conquest, no matter how good he smells. Or how good he tastes. And the sudden, overwhelming need to know what his lips would feel like made me shiver all over, and scramble for something safe to say. Something casual, that wouldnt hint at the dangerous direction my thoughts had taken.
I guess the car started, I said, pulling the seat belt across my torso. Then cursed myself silently for such a stupid opening line. Of course the car had started.
His brief gaze seemed to burn through me. I have unreasonably good luck.
I could only nod and clench the door grip while I forced my thoughts back to Heidi Anderson to keep them off Nash andthoughts I shouldnt have been thinking.
When he glanced my way again, his focus slid down my throat to the neckline of my tee before jerking back to the road as he clenched his jaw. I counted my exhalations to keep them even.
We wound up at a booth in Jimmys Omelet, a locally owned chain that served breakfast until three in the afternoon. Nash sat across from me, his arms resting on the table, his sleeves pushed up halfway to his elbows.
Once the waitress had taken our orders and moved on, Nash leaned forward and met my gaze boldly, intimately, as if wed shared much more than a rhyme in a dark alley and an almost-kiss. But the teasing and flirtation were gone; he looked more serious than Id ever seen him. Somber. Almost worried.
Okay He spoke softly, in concession to the crowd talking, chewing, and clanking silverware around us. So last night you predicted this girls death, and this morning she showed up on the news, dead.
I nodded, swallowing thickly. Hearing it like thatso matter-of-factmade it sound both crazy and terrifying. And I wasnt sure which was worse.