so you have to answer mine."
"Wait, but what will you do with the one of our feet?"
I smile. "Put it with all the others. I collect them now, since I'm older and I go all over. I take a picture of all the places I see, or if I'm doing something fun or cool. And then I put it somewhere special. My turn. Who was the first girl you kissed?"
It's a bad question, and it's none of my business, but I want to know.
"Susie Turner, fifth grade, spin the bottle, Mike Grippo's birthday party. My turn—"
"No, wait! I get a follow-up!"
"Says who?" he asks, grinning.
"Me! OK, follow-up to kissing Susie Turner. Was she the one you wanted to kiss, or did you just get stuck with her because of the game?"
"Stuck. My turn. What is the best place you've ever visited?"
He's sneaky. He can't ask me where I live or where I've been, so he asks for my favorite place. "This is skimming the edge, you know."
"Nope, this one is valid, it's a simple one, really. You answered the best day of your life one, so, best place you ever visited?"
"I have to think about this one. Give me a second." His fingertips play with the skin on my shoulder, twirling in little circles, driving me so crazy I can barely keep my mind on the task of choosing a favorite place. I look over at him and the words come out impulsively. "Please, kiss me."
I expect him to smile or laugh, but he doesn't. His fingers stop their tease and he sits up a little so he can lean over me. My chest starts rising a little quicker as my heart picks up the pace. I can look at nothing else but his face. His mouth as he licks his lips. His eyes as he stares into mine. His hand as it cups my cheek.
He traces the outline of my lips with his thumb and dips his mouth down to my ear. "I want to, Fiona. I really, really do. But I told you, when I kiss you it will be perfect. And while this day seems like perfection right now, I have a feeling it can only get better from here. So let's not jump the gun and cheat ourselves out of that perfect first kiss."
Holy crap, I wonder if people can die from swooning. He just made my whole body tingle with heat, my heart jump a few beats, and my mind spin from the blood rushing to my face. "OK," I reply weakly. I'm not about to argue with that reasoning.
"And I think it's time I go before I attack you right now and ruin everything." He smiles as he gets up and then kisses my hand. "Wanna meet me at my house for a Fruit Roll-Up lunch tomorrow? I gotta do some actual work, cars lined up in my shop that need to get finished, especially since I blew this whole day off. But I take a lunch from noon to one. Can you come over?"
"I'll be there," I say breathlessly. And then before I can say anything else, he's through the door and I can just faintly make out his footsteps as he crosses the terrace.
I think maybe I might like to be Fiona after all.
Chapter Nineteen - Francesca
The edge of the mattress dips down with his weight. I've been listening to the bustle of people outside my door for a few minutes and I was wondering if they'd make me get up and help today.
Well, I have my answer.
"I know you're awake, Fiona," Sean says, not unkindly.
"How come you're the only one who cares about me?" He actually laughs and I open my eyes and turn towards him to see what's so funny. "What?"
"We all care about you, we're just afraid of you."
"Why?"
"Because you come back refusing to speak English, you've been asked over and over if you're Fiona Sullivan and you either lie outright by making up really stupid stories that everyone knows are false, or you pretend not to understand the question." He stops and frowns down at me. "We think you hate us."
I turn away again to hide my shame. "I don't hate you guys, I don't even know you guys. I just want to go home. I have a family, my dad is probably going crazy with worry—"
"Your dad is downstairs, Fiona. This shit is what pisses me off. That guy who took you is not your dad."
I wait that one out to see if he'll get
"Wait, but what will you do with the one of our feet?"
I smile. "Put it with all the others. I collect them now, since I'm older and I go all over. I take a picture of all the places I see, or if I'm doing something fun or cool. And then I put it somewhere special. My turn. Who was the first girl you kissed?"
It's a bad question, and it's none of my business, but I want to know.
"Susie Turner, fifth grade, spin the bottle, Mike Grippo's birthday party. My turn—"
"No, wait! I get a follow-up!"
"Says who?" he asks, grinning.
"Me! OK, follow-up to kissing Susie Turner. Was she the one you wanted to kiss, or did you just get stuck with her because of the game?"
"Stuck. My turn. What is the best place you've ever visited?"
He's sneaky. He can't ask me where I live or where I've been, so he asks for my favorite place. "This is skimming the edge, you know."
"Nope, this one is valid, it's a simple one, really. You answered the best day of your life one, so, best place you ever visited?"
"I have to think about this one. Give me a second." His fingertips play with the skin on my shoulder, twirling in little circles, driving me so crazy I can barely keep my mind on the task of choosing a favorite place. I look over at him and the words come out impulsively. "Please, kiss me."
I expect him to smile or laugh, but he doesn't. His fingers stop their tease and he sits up a little so he can lean over me. My chest starts rising a little quicker as my heart picks up the pace. I can look at nothing else but his face. His mouth as he licks his lips. His eyes as he stares into mine. His hand as it cups my cheek.
He traces the outline of my lips with his thumb and dips his mouth down to my ear. "I want to, Fiona. I really, really do. But I told you, when I kiss you it will be perfect. And while this day seems like perfection right now, I have a feeling it can only get better from here. So let's not jump the gun and cheat ourselves out of that perfect first kiss."
Holy crap, I wonder if people can die from swooning. He just made my whole body tingle with heat, my heart jump a few beats, and my mind spin from the blood rushing to my face. "OK," I reply weakly. I'm not about to argue with that reasoning.
"And I think it's time I go before I attack you right now and ruin everything." He smiles as he gets up and then kisses my hand. "Wanna meet me at my house for a Fruit Roll-Up lunch tomorrow? I gotta do some actual work, cars lined up in my shop that need to get finished, especially since I blew this whole day off. But I take a lunch from noon to one. Can you come over?"
"I'll be there," I say breathlessly. And then before I can say anything else, he's through the door and I can just faintly make out his footsteps as he crosses the terrace.
I think maybe I might like to be Fiona after all.
Chapter Nineteen - Francesca
The edge of the mattress dips down with his weight. I've been listening to the bustle of people outside my door for a few minutes and I was wondering if they'd make me get up and help today.
Well, I have my answer.
"I know you're awake, Fiona," Sean says, not unkindly.
"How come you're the only one who cares about me?" He actually laughs and I open my eyes and turn towards him to see what's so funny. "What?"
"We all care about you, we're just afraid of you."
"Why?"
"Because you come back refusing to speak English, you've been asked over and over if you're Fiona Sullivan and you either lie outright by making up really stupid stories that everyone knows are false, or you pretend not to understand the question." He stops and frowns down at me. "We think you hate us."
I turn away again to hide my shame. "I don't hate you guys, I don't even know you guys. I just want to go home. I have a family, my dad is probably going crazy with worry—"
"Your dad is downstairs, Fiona. This shit is what pisses me off. That guy who took you is not your dad."
I wait that one out to see if he'll get
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