didn’t speak. Couldn’t speak. His dark eyes held her captive. He handed the backpack to her before offering his hand. “I’m Ryan Brenner.”
Tentatively, she reached out. His hand felt cold, contrasting with her clammy palm, and he held it tightly. Not shaking. Not moving. It made her heart beat faster. Lora never realized hand holding could be so incredibly enticing.
“Loralei,” she said, pulling her hand away. She took a deep breath to calm her rapid heartbeat. “But everyone calls me Lora. Sorry I almost knocked you down.”
“You didn’t.”
“Right,” she said with a nervous chuckle, “because you’re way bigger than me. I mean, not fat, just really tall.” What’s wrong with me? She had to stop the babbling . Lora’s mind screamed at her to be quiet, and she half expected him to give her a dirty look and storm away. Instead, he flashed another charming grin.
“Thanks,” he said, his voice as dark as his eyes. “Actually, I’m glad I ran into you.”
“You are?” she said, squirming as his eyes studied her without restraint, wandering over her face, down her body and back up again.
“I’m new,” he said, finally locking eyes with hers. “You aren’t headed to P.E., by any chance, are you? I’m a little lost.”
P.E. Damn . “No,” she replied. Lora frowned, unable to mask her disappointment. He might be a stranger, but his alluring body was dangerously attractive. “I’m going to Chorus.” The ocean finally broke through the mental barrier she had planted within her and called to her, beckoning Lora to the sea. She tried to push the voices out of her head and concentrate on the boy in front of her.
“You sing?”
“Yup,” she answered. “Pretty much what we do in Chorus.” She loved music, and it would forever remain a driving point in her life, but this boy would never be acquainted with her secret. Lora’s heart sank. Ryan was human, making it impossible for her to take this conversation further. He never looked away, gazing at her still with his dark, intense eyes, and she took a step backwards away from him in a vain attempt to stop her heart from pounding.
Ryan moved toward her. So much for calming her pounding heart. “Any chance you can point me in the right direction?” His voice had the slightest twinge of an accent she couldn’t place. From the East coast, perhaps?
“Sure,” Lora said, unable to hide a shy smile under his intense gaze. “Just go to the end of this hallway and turn left. You’ll run straight into it.” He certainly rivaled Will’s handsome features. Lora’s body felt warm. He created a new feeling deep within her, foreign and unfamiliar.
“Thanks. Maybe I’ll see you around?” he asked, turning his head to the side as he studied her.
“Yeah, maybe. Sorry I rammed into you.”
“Don’t be,” he answered. “I’m not. See you around, Loralei.”
The way he said her name, the way it rolled off his tongue, was soft and sensual. “Bye,” she said, not eager to leave him, or his engaging grin. Lora wanted more time to take him in, to study his face, to figure out why he made her squirm. Her body felt like it belonged to someone else.
Turning, Lora tried to push Ryan out of her mind while she hurried to class. She plopped down on the plastic choir chair, reminding herself to breath, because her heart beat even faster. As Lora closed her eyes and tried to control her breathing, she felt someone lean toward her.
“Who is the guy you were talking to in the hallway?” a voiced whispered from behind her. Lora turned to see Laurie Fisher, a short girl with red curly hair. Laurie didn’t usually go out of her way to talk to Lora, but apparently Ryan Brenner could make an exception in her book. She couldn’t blame Laurie, of course. Ryan had made quite an impression on her, as well. If Laurie could see through her, Lora’s irregular breathing and pounding heart would give her away immediately.
“I’m not sure,” Lora
Tentatively, she reached out. His hand felt cold, contrasting with her clammy palm, and he held it tightly. Not shaking. Not moving. It made her heart beat faster. Lora never realized hand holding could be so incredibly enticing.
“Loralei,” she said, pulling her hand away. She took a deep breath to calm her rapid heartbeat. “But everyone calls me Lora. Sorry I almost knocked you down.”
“You didn’t.”
“Right,” she said with a nervous chuckle, “because you’re way bigger than me. I mean, not fat, just really tall.” What’s wrong with me? She had to stop the babbling . Lora’s mind screamed at her to be quiet, and she half expected him to give her a dirty look and storm away. Instead, he flashed another charming grin.
“Thanks,” he said, his voice as dark as his eyes. “Actually, I’m glad I ran into you.”
“You are?” she said, squirming as his eyes studied her without restraint, wandering over her face, down her body and back up again.
“I’m new,” he said, finally locking eyes with hers. “You aren’t headed to P.E., by any chance, are you? I’m a little lost.”
P.E. Damn . “No,” she replied. Lora frowned, unable to mask her disappointment. He might be a stranger, but his alluring body was dangerously attractive. “I’m going to Chorus.” The ocean finally broke through the mental barrier she had planted within her and called to her, beckoning Lora to the sea. She tried to push the voices out of her head and concentrate on the boy in front of her.
“You sing?”
“Yup,” she answered. “Pretty much what we do in Chorus.” She loved music, and it would forever remain a driving point in her life, but this boy would never be acquainted with her secret. Lora’s heart sank. Ryan was human, making it impossible for her to take this conversation further. He never looked away, gazing at her still with his dark, intense eyes, and she took a step backwards away from him in a vain attempt to stop her heart from pounding.
Ryan moved toward her. So much for calming her pounding heart. “Any chance you can point me in the right direction?” His voice had the slightest twinge of an accent she couldn’t place. From the East coast, perhaps?
“Sure,” Lora said, unable to hide a shy smile under his intense gaze. “Just go to the end of this hallway and turn left. You’ll run straight into it.” He certainly rivaled Will’s handsome features. Lora’s body felt warm. He created a new feeling deep within her, foreign and unfamiliar.
“Thanks. Maybe I’ll see you around?” he asked, turning his head to the side as he studied her.
“Yeah, maybe. Sorry I rammed into you.”
“Don’t be,” he answered. “I’m not. See you around, Loralei.”
The way he said her name, the way it rolled off his tongue, was soft and sensual. “Bye,” she said, not eager to leave him, or his engaging grin. Lora wanted more time to take him in, to study his face, to figure out why he made her squirm. Her body felt like it belonged to someone else.
Turning, Lora tried to push Ryan out of her mind while she hurried to class. She plopped down on the plastic choir chair, reminding herself to breath, because her heart beat even faster. As Lora closed her eyes and tried to control her breathing, she felt someone lean toward her.
“Who is the guy you were talking to in the hallway?” a voiced whispered from behind her. Lora turned to see Laurie Fisher, a short girl with red curly hair. Laurie didn’t usually go out of her way to talk to Lora, but apparently Ryan Brenner could make an exception in her book. She couldn’t blame Laurie, of course. Ryan had made quite an impression on her, as well. If Laurie could see through her, Lora’s irregular breathing and pounding heart would give her away immediately.
“I’m not sure,” Lora
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