she worked to get me to come out of my shell. The only piece I leave out is Ryan. I don’t think the whole of my feelings for him will ever fit in that box. Still, there is no room for openness where I’m headed, so I do the only thing I know how to, survive. Rule number one in adapting—control the situation at hand before it has a chance to control you.
***
“Don’t forget me,” I whisper in Ryan’s ear. He squeezes my hand in his and smiles his lopsided grin. He’s trying so hard but his smile doesn’t reach his gaze. It hurts my heart to see sadness in his beautiful green eyes, so I close my own and lay my head on his shoulder.
“Like I could ever forget you.” The pad of Ryan’s thumb brushes my cheek. His words should fill me with warmth, but they break my heart for the chance we’ll never get. “Don’t cry, Beth. You’re killing me,” he pleads, running his hands through my hair.
I look up at his profile and memorize my favorite parts of his handsome face—the slope of his nose, the way his mouth always tips to the left when he smiles, the thick blond eyelashes that frame his gorgeous green eyes. Every moment left is precious and I don’t want to waste a single one.
“Come with me,” I grab Ryan’s hand and pull him toward the front steps. His brow crinkles as he tries to figure out my angle. “Come on.” I give him a watery smile and my heart pounds when he lets me tug him along. I scamper down the front steps, dragging a laughing Ryan behind as I round the corner of the house. When we reach the backyard, I turn and face him. Still holding onto his hand, I step back ward and give him a shy smile.
Once we are under the cherry tree, I wrap my arms around his neck and gently kiss his upturned lips. He hooks his thumbs in the belt loops of my cutoffs and pulls me closer, brushing my nose against his. The sweetness of his breath against my face sends chills along my arms and I bite my lip in anticipation. Ryan brings his thumb to my mouth and tugs, setting my lip free just before kissing it. He looks at me from half- closed eyes and says the word that I will never hear again without wishing for him.
“Pretty.”
Chapter 20
RYAN
Beth’s got that look in her eye, the one that sends my heart into my stomach every time. She’s got no clue the effect she has on me, which only makes her charm that much more lethal. Her big brown eyes are sparkling with mischief and that impish grin of hers turns my mouth dry. I let her drag me around to the back of the house, to the cherry tree. I know that’s where she’s headed, but I pretend to be clueless. It’s far more fun to watch her scheming to get me alone. Like I need to be talked into that.
The only thing I need any help with is keeping my thoughts PG when I’m near her. Beth is trouble with a capital “T.” She’s gorgeous and has no idea. Most of the beautiful girls at my school walk around like the world owes them a great big favor for gracing us with their presence. Stuck up, snobby, high maintenance girls who look down at everyone else with their high and mighty attitudes. Not Beth. First of all, she puts every single one of those girls to shame.
Her beauty is something else—she has these warm brown eyes that can strip me bare with one look. She’s beautiful anyway but when that girl smiles, it steals the air straight out of my lungs. As if I wasn’t already crazy about her, she’s the coolest girl I’ve ever met. She’s so easy to hang out with and she even loves to go out on the lake to ski and tube. Most of the girls I’ve known would rather sunbathe on the dock than play in the water. Being around her is effortless—she’s beautiful, she’s perfect. She’s also going back to Miami. It’s so damn unfair. The thought makes me want to punch something.
Beth turns to face me and the look on her face nearly brings me to my knees. Her cheeks are almost as red as the cherries in the tree, and she’s smiling
***
“Don’t forget me,” I whisper in Ryan’s ear. He squeezes my hand in his and smiles his lopsided grin. He’s trying so hard but his smile doesn’t reach his gaze. It hurts my heart to see sadness in his beautiful green eyes, so I close my own and lay my head on his shoulder.
“Like I could ever forget you.” The pad of Ryan’s thumb brushes my cheek. His words should fill me with warmth, but they break my heart for the chance we’ll never get. “Don’t cry, Beth. You’re killing me,” he pleads, running his hands through my hair.
I look up at his profile and memorize my favorite parts of his handsome face—the slope of his nose, the way his mouth always tips to the left when he smiles, the thick blond eyelashes that frame his gorgeous green eyes. Every moment left is precious and I don’t want to waste a single one.
“Come with me,” I grab Ryan’s hand and pull him toward the front steps. His brow crinkles as he tries to figure out my angle. “Come on.” I give him a watery smile and my heart pounds when he lets me tug him along. I scamper down the front steps, dragging a laughing Ryan behind as I round the corner of the house. When we reach the backyard, I turn and face him. Still holding onto his hand, I step back ward and give him a shy smile.
Once we are under the cherry tree, I wrap my arms around his neck and gently kiss his upturned lips. He hooks his thumbs in the belt loops of my cutoffs and pulls me closer, brushing my nose against his. The sweetness of his breath against my face sends chills along my arms and I bite my lip in anticipation. Ryan brings his thumb to my mouth and tugs, setting my lip free just before kissing it. He looks at me from half- closed eyes and says the word that I will never hear again without wishing for him.
“Pretty.”
Chapter 20
RYAN
Beth’s got that look in her eye, the one that sends my heart into my stomach every time. She’s got no clue the effect she has on me, which only makes her charm that much more lethal. Her big brown eyes are sparkling with mischief and that impish grin of hers turns my mouth dry. I let her drag me around to the back of the house, to the cherry tree. I know that’s where she’s headed, but I pretend to be clueless. It’s far more fun to watch her scheming to get me alone. Like I need to be talked into that.
The only thing I need any help with is keeping my thoughts PG when I’m near her. Beth is trouble with a capital “T.” She’s gorgeous and has no idea. Most of the beautiful girls at my school walk around like the world owes them a great big favor for gracing us with their presence. Stuck up, snobby, high maintenance girls who look down at everyone else with their high and mighty attitudes. Not Beth. First of all, she puts every single one of those girls to shame.
Her beauty is something else—she has these warm brown eyes that can strip me bare with one look. She’s beautiful anyway but when that girl smiles, it steals the air straight out of my lungs. As if I wasn’t already crazy about her, she’s the coolest girl I’ve ever met. She’s so easy to hang out with and she even loves to go out on the lake to ski and tube. Most of the girls I’ve known would rather sunbathe on the dock than play in the water. Being around her is effortless—she’s beautiful, she’s perfect. She’s also going back to Miami. It’s so damn unfair. The thought makes me want to punch something.
Beth turns to face me and the look on her face nearly brings me to my knees. Her cheeks are almost as red as the cherries in the tree, and she’s smiling
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