lacing his fingers behind his head.
Frannie’s eyes fall on me and narrow slightly with effort … and I discover I’m suddenly craving another piece of pizza, even though I just polished off most of a pie on my own.
She smiles when I pluck a slice from the box and bite off a hunk. I smile back once I’ve swallowed, even though I’m fairly certain I’m going to explode.
Faith and I suddenly feel the overwhelming urge to wash the dishes, so we do. And when we’ve finished, I find myself in the Jeep on the way to the ice cream shop.
When I return with a quart of mocha java lava, which I don’t even like, it’s dark. We scoop ice cream onto cones and head out to the beach, where we sit in silence and eat, watching the moonlight shimmer over the rolling waves.
Finally, Frannie stands. “I think I’m gonna crash. All this making Luc get ice cream has worn me out,” she adds with a playful jab of her toes into my side.
I pull myself out of the sand and head inside with her, leaving Faith and Gabriel on the beach talking strategy.
She heads to the bathroom, and I cross the room to the kitchen, where I pour myself the last half-cup of coffee from the pot.
When she emerges five minutes later, her face is shiny and pink and her thick, sandy blond waves fall around her shoulders and down her back. She pauses at her bedroom door, then slowly turns to look at me where I’m still leaning against the counter near the sink. “Night.”
I push away from the counter, wanting to go to her. I don’t know if the compulsion is her Sway or just my need, but, either way, I fight it. “Good night.”
She takes a step toward me and my insides flip, but then she hesitates. “Thanks for understanding.”
I nod once, afraid to open my mouth. I do understand. I understand everything—what’s at stake, why she can’t be with me—probably better than she does. But that doesn’t make it any easier. I root my feet to the floor to keep from going to her, but then Frannie moves slowly toward me and curls into my arms, sending my heart racing. She stretches onto her tiptoes, her face tipped up to mine, and I hold my breath as I lean down and kiss her.
There aren’t words to describe the sensations rushing through me with her kiss. Her lips move on mine, tentatively at first, but when she presses deeper into me, all my insides explode in a burst of bliss. She draws me closer and it’s everything I can do not to sweep her into my arms and love her properly. Finally, she pulls away. I close my eyes and we stand with our foreheads pressed together. Neither of us move for a long minute, but, finally, I hear her start to breathe again.
“When I get everything figured out…” she starts.
I want the end of that thought to be, “then we can be together,” but I know the reason she trailed off is because even she doesn’t know what the end of the thought is.
I loop my arms gently around her waist and pull her to my chest. I lean my face into her hair, living in this moment and hoping it won’t end. But then the front door opens and Gabriel steps through.
Frannie pulls away and her whole face changes. She squeezes my hand. “See you in the morning.”
“Good night,” I say again as she disappears behind her door.
Gabriel stares me down, but I’m way too tired for this. I spin and head to my room, away from his inquiring gaze. Because even if I wanted to, I wouldn’t know how to answer the question in his eyes.
8
The Evil Eye
FRANNIE
I’m gasping for air, but I can’t get a full breath. ’Cause his lips, so hot, are burning into mine. His hands are on me, but he’s being careful to stay away from the most sensitive spots.
Too careful.
I take his hand and guide it under my shirt. I feel him smile into my lips as his fingers inch toward their target, and a deep, throbbing ache explodes through me.
Delanie will never believe this!
Delanie?
The thought shakes me from my restless sleep. And, just for a
Frannie’s eyes fall on me and narrow slightly with effort … and I discover I’m suddenly craving another piece of pizza, even though I just polished off most of a pie on my own.
She smiles when I pluck a slice from the box and bite off a hunk. I smile back once I’ve swallowed, even though I’m fairly certain I’m going to explode.
Faith and I suddenly feel the overwhelming urge to wash the dishes, so we do. And when we’ve finished, I find myself in the Jeep on the way to the ice cream shop.
When I return with a quart of mocha java lava, which I don’t even like, it’s dark. We scoop ice cream onto cones and head out to the beach, where we sit in silence and eat, watching the moonlight shimmer over the rolling waves.
Finally, Frannie stands. “I think I’m gonna crash. All this making Luc get ice cream has worn me out,” she adds with a playful jab of her toes into my side.
I pull myself out of the sand and head inside with her, leaving Faith and Gabriel on the beach talking strategy.
She heads to the bathroom, and I cross the room to the kitchen, where I pour myself the last half-cup of coffee from the pot.
When she emerges five minutes later, her face is shiny and pink and her thick, sandy blond waves fall around her shoulders and down her back. She pauses at her bedroom door, then slowly turns to look at me where I’m still leaning against the counter near the sink. “Night.”
I push away from the counter, wanting to go to her. I don’t know if the compulsion is her Sway or just my need, but, either way, I fight it. “Good night.”
She takes a step toward me and my insides flip, but then she hesitates. “Thanks for understanding.”
I nod once, afraid to open my mouth. I do understand. I understand everything—what’s at stake, why she can’t be with me—probably better than she does. But that doesn’t make it any easier. I root my feet to the floor to keep from going to her, but then Frannie moves slowly toward me and curls into my arms, sending my heart racing. She stretches onto her tiptoes, her face tipped up to mine, and I hold my breath as I lean down and kiss her.
There aren’t words to describe the sensations rushing through me with her kiss. Her lips move on mine, tentatively at first, but when she presses deeper into me, all my insides explode in a burst of bliss. She draws me closer and it’s everything I can do not to sweep her into my arms and love her properly. Finally, she pulls away. I close my eyes and we stand with our foreheads pressed together. Neither of us move for a long minute, but, finally, I hear her start to breathe again.
“When I get everything figured out…” she starts.
I want the end of that thought to be, “then we can be together,” but I know the reason she trailed off is because even she doesn’t know what the end of the thought is.
I loop my arms gently around her waist and pull her to my chest. I lean my face into her hair, living in this moment and hoping it won’t end. But then the front door opens and Gabriel steps through.
Frannie pulls away and her whole face changes. She squeezes my hand. “See you in the morning.”
“Good night,” I say again as she disappears behind her door.
Gabriel stares me down, but I’m way too tired for this. I spin and head to my room, away from his inquiring gaze. Because even if I wanted to, I wouldn’t know how to answer the question in his eyes.
8
The Evil Eye
FRANNIE
I’m gasping for air, but I can’t get a full breath. ’Cause his lips, so hot, are burning into mine. His hands are on me, but he’s being careful to stay away from the most sensitive spots.
Too careful.
I take his hand and guide it under my shirt. I feel him smile into my lips as his fingers inch toward their target, and a deep, throbbing ache explodes through me.
Delanie will never believe this!
Delanie?
The thought shakes me from my restless sleep. And, just for a
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