AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“I’ve been afraid of you since I laid eyes on you. Maybe since I heard about you,” he said. “That goes way back, Hal. I’m taking on more than a girl.”
His hand was still on my face. I reached up and pressed mine on top of it.
“Tell me something, and I need the truth. Do you see me? Or are you interested because I’m there?”
I heard the vulnerability in his voice, and I knew the answer because I’d asked myself the same question.
“I see you, Dune. And I … I know. I just … I love how … honest and … thoughtful you are.” I couldn’t make the words come out the way I wanted. I tangled our fingers together. “You always seem to consider all the angles. You never rush into anything.”
So much control.
He managed to frown and look happy at the same time. “If we take this where it seems naturally inclined to go, it’s going to make every step that much harder.”
“I think it could be worth it.”
“I know it could,” he said.
Where had he come from? How long would he stay? “Will you go back to the Hourglass when this is over?”
“I don’t know. What will you do?”
Hopefully be alive. Anxiety trickled between my shoulder blades like ice water.
“I want the same things I’ve always wanted. We’re talking about you. I don’t even know your life plan. What is it?”
“College. My professors let me take my finals early so I could come here.”
“Come here and help me?” I put my arm across his stomach and squeezed him. “How is any of this fair to you?”
“Everything I did was my choice. All I have under my belt are core classes. Pretty sure most of those will transfer. I can get into any school I want. Can probably get scholarships, too, at least for undergrad work.”
“You want to go to grad school?”
“I’m not counting it out. Loyola has a computer science program, and a newer one in digital humanities that’s fascinating.”
A spark of hope lit up my chest and shot out to my fingers and toes. “Did you know that before you met me?”
He grinned.
“No.”
Dune
Her smile made promises. At least I’d die happy.
“You gave me a list of places women like to be touched.” The light was in her eyes again. “Think you can conjure that up about now?”
I took her hand and flipped it over. “Palm.”
“Are you going to read it? Because there are palm readers all over Jackson Square. We can go down later and check with a professional.”
I drew my index finger down the middle of it and kept going. “Wrist. Inner elbow.” “Oh. That’ll work.”
Watching her eyes go wide gave me a boost. When I reached her collarbone, I traced it with two fingers. “Clavicle.”
“That sounds too scientific. And sharp.” A tremble worked its way into her voice.
“Hollow of the throat. Nape of the neck. Shoulder muscles.” I massaged some of her tension away, and then brought it all back when I put my hand on the small of her back and pulled her closer. She inhaled sharply when my lips grazed her earlobe.
