Page 58 of Tell No Lies

“If someone asked me to describe my perfect moment, do you know what I’d say?”

“Throwing a game-winning touchdown with college recruiters sitting front row?” I was teasing him, and it felt good.

“Well, that does sound pretty great, but no. This is it. If I could live in one moment forever, I would choose right now, being here with you.”

I stopped and turned to him. “That’s the most romantic thing you’ve ever said to me.”

His smile reached his eyes, which sparkled down at me. “Then I’m an awful boyfriend.” He moved the hair from in front of my face and held it to the side while cradling my cheek in his hand. “Any time I have with you is great, but this is perfect.”

He leaned down and kissed me lightly once before pulling back. His gaze seared into my soul.

In this moment, everything felt right, and I wasn’t ready for it to end. I slid my hands up around his neck and pulled him down to me. Kissing him was sweet. Not the same fireworks that came with Carter, but sweet and romantic. Something that, if cultivated, could become a deep, true love. I hoped.

Twenty

There were only a few upsides to being grounded. My grades had gone up, I was getting Brandon’s money’s worth from our Netflix subscription, and I had time to fit in extra barre workouts. The downsides were hard to ignore once I got burnt out of doing pliés while catching up on my shows.

I missed hanging out with my friends, not that I had much time for that outside of dance and school.

I missed Mike, although I had seen him just a few hours ago.

I missed going for runs outside.

I missed having the option of being free to do whatever I wanted.

What if I needed something from the store, right now? I would have to either call a chaperone or wait for Brandon to get off work and pick it up for me. What if there was an emergency of some sort, and I had to leave? There would be an angry mob of family and friends waiting for me when I got home. I missed the freedom I once had. Now, I might as well be back to living under my mother’s roof, following her list of approved actives and strict schedule.

I was on my back, staring at the ceiling, when there was a knock at the door. My legs had a mind of their own, propelling me through my doorway and into the kitchen. Evidently, they were just as bored as my brain.

Swinging the door open, I was met with a smiling face.

“Hi, Gage!”

He looked taken aback by my enthusiasm. “Uh, hi?”

I gestured for him to come in and shut the door behind him. “What’s up? I haven’t seen you in forever.”

“It’s hard to get past the defensive line around you lately.” He smiled shyly as he surveyed the kitchen. It was then that I realized he’d never been over before.

“How did you make it past security?” I slid onto a stool and watched him.

“I pulled a few strings.”

My eyebrow shot up, asking the question for me.

“I know a guy.” He didn’t even crack a grin. Was he joking?

“A guy? Are you in with the mob?”

He chuckled at my serious tone and looked at me as if I could genuinely be crazy. This was what isolation did to me. “No, I just had them call Brandon, and he gave his approval. Pretty trusting for a guy who’s never met me.”

“I’ve told him about you.”

That got him to stop looking around. He leaned toward me with his elbows on the counter. “What did you tell him?”

“That you’re my friend, and you understand what it’s like to have things happen to you that are out of your control.”

“You told him I’m a killer?”