Connected: Book 1 Connected Series

by Kat Stiles

  “Really? I didn’t know that.” The dog dismounted from him and jumped on me, nuzzling her head against my stomach.

  “Yoki, get down!”

  The dog ignored him and instead enveloped me with her front legs, resting her head against my stomach, like she was hugging me.

  Tommy tilted his head to the side. “I’m sorry. She’s not usually so friendly with other people.”

  “No, it’s okay. I like dogs.” I stroked her head and she moaned in appreciation. “She’s very affectionate.”

  “I’m starting to get jealous.”

  As if the dog could understand him, she released me but stayed near, rubbing her head on my legs. Tommy walked back to the rear corner of the shop to a small closet.

  He started to take off his jumpsuit. Underneath he wore a thin tank shirt so old it was nearly transparent. His chiseled biceps were in full view, along with most of his broad shoulders. I was embarrassed to stare so unabashedly, but I couldn’t look away. Of course he noticed.

  “You’re doing it again,” he said, grinning like the Cheshire cat.

  Turned towards me, his defined chest showed through the paper thin shirt. My face tingled with quick burst of heat.

  There was no point in denying it any longer. He’d only call me on it anyway, and how could I refute it in my current condition? “You are technically undressing in front of me,” I said. “What did you expect?”

  “Nothing less from you.” He put the jumpsuit away in the cabinet, and then grabbed hold of the bottom hem of his shirt. “Shall I continue?” he asked, threatening to remove his undershirt.

  I let out an exasperated sigh. “So you know how to fix cars?”

  He nodded.

  “That’s cool.” It explained the scent and strength of his hands.

  “I wanted to show you the trail by my house,” he said while he washed his hands at the sink.

  “Sounds good.”

  When he finished, he rejoined me, taking my hands into his. For a moment, he simply gazed into my eyes. “What is it about you?”

  “Still haven’t figured it out yet?”

  “I will. Only a matter of time.” He inhaled deeply. “God, you smell good.”

  “You, too,” I said, taking a deep breath myself.

  “Me?”

  “Yeah,” I said, positioning his hands on my jawline. “I love the smell of your hands.”

  My eyes closed, right when he pressed his lips to mine. Not even a second later he sighed as he pulled away.

  “To be continued.” He walked me back to the store area.

  The front door opened and in walked the older boy who sat with him at lunch on the first day. It didn’t click he was Tommy’s brother, though I should’ve seen the resemblance in his face. He was noticeably muscular, though only slightly taller, with a lighter shade of brown hair. His eyes were an odd shade of blue, not as striking as Tommy’s. The ball cap he wore was so worn, I was sure it was made to fit his head exactly.

  “Em, this is my brother Demetri,” Tommy said.

  “Funny, he doesn’t look Russian,” I said.

  “Damn it, Tommy, stop spreading lies about me.” Demetri went to grab him, but he moved out of reach. “If I ever catch you…”

  “Still too slow,” Tommy responded, gloating.

  Demetri turned to me. “So this is the Em I’ve been hearing about.”

  “All good things, I hope?”

  “Of course. I’ve never seen him happier,” Demetri said. “Oh, hey, who’s the girl in the parking lot? She’s kinda cute.”

  I glanced outside and Lauren was still there, sitting in her car. I hid my face in my hands. I had a feeling it would be like this.

  “You should ask her out,” Tommy joked.

  I glared at him.

  “You have to admit it was funny,” he said to me.

  “What’s funny?” Demetri asked.

  “That’s my psycho older sister in the parking lot. Date at your own risk.”

  “Too bad,” Demetri said. “What a waste.”

  I couldn’t help but smile to myself to hear that phrase, and it wasn’t directed at me. My happiness faded, as I approached the doorway to deal with my sister.

  “Go away,” I yelled across the parking lot, motioning for her to leave.

  She rolled down the window and pretended to act surprised. “I was only…uh, cleaning out my purse.”

  I narrowed my eyes at her. “You said you were going shopping.”

  “Fine.”

  I watched for her car to completely disappear before I returned back inside. “Sorry about that.”

  “No worries. She left, right?” Tommy said.

  “Yeah, finally. I hope.”

  Tommy turned to his brother. “Thanks for covering for me.”

  “No problem. Go have some fun.” He grinned.

  “Nice to meet you, Demetri.”

  “Same here,” he replied.

  “My parents are dying to meet you,” Tommy said. “You don’t mind stopping there first?”

  “Not at all. Lead the way.” I glanced around outside. The peaceful quiet of small towns always unsettled me. My horror movie training had me on alert, and there were dozens of places Lauren could be hiding: the surrounding forest, or an old abandoned building across the street. Even the cornfield down the road could be masking her old Taurus (or a bunch of religious cult serial killer children).

  “She’s really got you freaked out, doesn’t she?”

  “I’m afraid she’s pulled over somewhere. Or hiding behind a bush. Or flying on her broom…”

  “Don’t worry about it. I’ll let you know,” he said, brushing the hair from his eyes.

  “You don’t understand. She’s exceptionally good at spying on me.”

  “I know her scent. And I’ll be able to hear her, too. Not to mention I’d be able to spot her from down the road.”

  I recalled the other night with him. He did hear her coming before she even parked her car.

  “So, there’s nothing for you to worry about.” He grabbed hold of my hand. “I won’t let her get you.”

  “You say that like you aren’t serious. You were right the other night. She is decidedly worse than any scary movie.”

  He laughed. “It’ll be okay. You’re with me now.”

  I liked the sound of that. I rested my head on his shoulder, and he draped his arm around me. I’d never felt more at ease.

  His home was around the corner from the shop. I finally understood his comment about my house the other day. His home appeared to be modular, much older and smaller than mine. But it sat in the middle of a large, open lot—a sharp contrast from my subdivision, where the houses were practically on top of each other and the backyards were tiny.

  There was a warm feeling to his home inside, with lots of family photos and intricate tapestries adorning the walls. He introduced me to his parents. I could see where a lot of his features came from in his mother: her long hair was the same shade of chestnut brown, and her eyes were just as breathtaking, but a hazier shade of green—more of a jade color. His father was like an older, smaller version of Demetri, his hair the same lighter shade of brown, but his eyes were a beautiful baby blue. They both seemed so happy. Also a sharp contrast to my home life.

  “It’s nice to meet you,” his mother said and gave me a hug.

  His father smiled at me, then glanced knowingly at Tommy.

  “Thank you, it’s nice to meet you, too,” I said.

  “We’re going for a walk on the trail,” Tommy said. He retrieved two jackets from the closet and handed me one. “Put this on. It’s supposed to be cold tonight.”

  The jacket had his scent all over it. I didn’t mind it was far too large for me. I was more than happy to breathe in its wonderful smell.

  Outside the weather was ideally calm but temperate, as the sun began its descent from the sky. Birds chirped in the trees, the only sound in his enormous front yard.

  “So what was that
look your father gave you about?” I asked.

  “You caught that, huh? Remember what you said about being killed by embarrassment?”

  I nodded.

  “He approves,” he said and then took my hand in his.

  We walked in silence until we got to the trail in the woods. I checked one last time and didn’t see my sister. I think I’ll be safe now, I thought.

  “This is where the trail starts,” he said. “I guess we don’t have time to do the whole walk, but the best part is about halfway anyway. We’ll have time for that.”

  The setting sun cast a warm glow on the trees. The rocks and cacti along the trail were so evenly spaced it appeared it had been professionally landscaped.

  “This place is gorgeous.”

  “Definitely my favorite place to run.”

  I looked at him, confused. “Then why did you start running at Cannondale Park? You were there, like, every day.”

  “I only meant to check it out the first day I went, but then…”

  “What?” I asked.

  “You were there.” He said it so simply, like it should’ve been obvious. “I’ll probably switch back now.”

  We walked for a while more, until we came upon a gigantic tree, a huge oak with branches that spiraled in all directions. The trail continued on to the left, but it looked like an afterthought, like the tree wanted everyone to stop and admire its graceful determination.

  “Wow,” I exclaimed, at the expanse of the limbs. “This tree is extraordinary.”

  “I know this shouldn’t sound crazy considering how you are with ducks… I’ve talked to it a few times.”

  “Guess the tree doesn’t bite.”

  “Yes, much safer.”

  I walked around to the side of it, where a branch grew low to the ground. I sat between the trunk and limb, taking in the breathtaking scenery.

  “This spot is beautiful. No wonder you like it out here.”

  Tommy sat next to me. “It’s my personal haven. No matter how crazy life gets, I can always come here and sit. Then everything is better somehow. Easier.”

  He lay against the tree trunk and opened his arms to me. I leaned back into him, and he cradled me against his body. His strong arms around me felt so right, igniting the heat within me. I turned into him, eager to finally experience the pleasure of really kissing him.

  He slowly moved in closer to me, and then his lips touched mine. A heat so overwhelming and complete made my entire body shudder. The connection was there, too, like when I healed his ankle. My eyes closed involuntarily, and I had a brief moment of clarity. I understood all the love songs, all the poems—hell, even Romeo and Juliet made sense.

  He slid his hands around the back of my head, intertwining his fingers through my hair. He kissed me again, but this time with more pressure. It was perfect.

  Afterwards, he kept his hands in place and pulled only a few inches back from me. “Wow.”

  Still somewhat breathless, I managed to reply, “Yeah.”

  “Are you okay? You’re very hot,” he said.

  He took off his jacket, and then kissed me again, holding me closer to him. I rested my hands on his chest. The feel of his body against mine resulted in a wave of heat running through me, which then exited through my hands. The sensation was utterly divine. He abruptly withdrew from me, looking shocked.

  “Are you sure you’re all right?”

  “Yeah. At least I think so.” I took a deep breath, and then took off the jacket he lent me. “I’m a little hot.”

  “A little? Em, you’re burning up.”

  “Can’t take the heat, huh?” I stood, and though my legs were wobbly, I managed to move a couple of steps away from him.

  In a flash, he stood in front of me, a devilish grin on his face. “I like the heat.” He enveloped his arms around my waist, pulling me in close. “But I don’t want you to overheat.”

  “I’m getting used to it, actually. It’s not that bad.” I wrapped my arms around his neck and burrowed my fingers into his hair. His eyes closed while I massaged his scalp.

  “Exactly what I wanted to hear,” he whispered. He pressed his lips to mine a final time before hugging me tightly. I wondered if I was dreaming when he whispered into my hair, “I think I’m falling for you.”

  Did he really say that? He continued to hold me, rocking me in a slow, swaying motion. An unbelievable lightness arose within my heart, a joy I’d never experienced before. It was the happiest moment of my life.

  Then a twig snapped.

  I stumbled back from him and looked around anxiously. I didn’t see Lauren, but it was late and the darkness made it difficult to be certain we were alone.

  “What was that? Oh God, is she here?” In a split-second, I redressed in the jacket he lent me, ready to leave.

  “It’s a squirrel. Look.” He pointed to the tree. I sighed in relief at the sight of a bushy tail.

  He pulled me closer. “I told you I won’t let her get you. I’ll know she’s coming before she’s close enough to even see you.”

  I took a deep breath and exhaled. “Okay.”

  He walked me to the tree, where we both sat back down. I leaned my head against his chest and wrapped my arms around his waist. The steady pounding of his heart, along with the feel of his fingers stroking my hair finally relaxed me.

  We talked about anything and everything, discovering more about each other. Time passed by too fast. Before I knew it, Tommy was glancing down at his watch. “We should head back. I don’t want you to be late.”

  “I would prefer not to.”

  “Yeah, I wish we could stay, too.” He put his jacket on and we started the walk back.

  “What time is it?” I asked.

  “Nine thirty.”

  We approached the beginning of the trail, and he stopped short. “Her car’s up ahead. Didn’t we plan to meet at the shop?”

  “Oh no.” Once we made it out to the opening, Lauren got out of her car, slamming the door hard. Her face was a portrait of contempt: wild ice blue eyes and a perfectly scowling expression, all framed by hair that kinked out in all directions, as if it were afraid to lay flat on her head.

  “You were in the woods, alone with him?” she yelled. “What were you thinking?”

  I wanted to die. My cheeks must have turned a shade of deep crimson with the way they burned. The only consolation was that night had fallen, and the darkness concealed my humiliation.

  “We didn’t do anything—” Tommy started.

  “A likely story. I know what boys your age think about.”

  “I give up,” I said to Lauren, in an attempt to stop any further embarrassment. I turned to Tommy. “See you at school,” I said, before hurrying off to the car.

  “Let’s go,” I said to Lauren, in the most polite tone I could muster.

  “Well?”

  I so wanted to hurt her. Instead I simply breathed.

  “He could’ve killed you out in the woods. We would’ve had to search for your body.”

  This wasn’t the first time she reacted so ridiculously. I remained silent, and her lip began to quiver. She was like a kettle on the brink of boiling—I half-expected to see steam start pouring out of her ears. “Say something!”

  “Let’s go home.”

  “Not until you answer me.”

  I couldn’t decide whether to go all out or stay calm. I chose the latter, taking another deep breath to calm myself.

  “You have two choices,” I began. “You can take me home now, or I can leave this car and call a cab. Which is it?” If I got into it with her, we’d be stuck there all night.

  She ignored my ultimatum. “You know what trouble he got into here? I found out while you were making out with him in the woods.”

  My button was officially pushed. “At least I have someone to make out with.”

  “He spent time in juvie. Did you know that?”

  “It doesn’t matter. If we don’t leave right now, we’re going to be late gett
ing home. Then we’ll both be punished.”

  “Trust me, you’re better off alone.” She finally started the car. “I’m going to tell Mom.”

  Yeah. Big surprise there.

  Chapter Ten

  The following morning I met Roz at the bus stop. I let out a prolonged yawn.

  “Did you sleep okay?” Roz asked.

  “Yeah, I’m all right. Last night was wonderful and horrible.”

  The bus arrived and we boarded. As I followed Roz to our row, she was met with the standard reaction—eager smiles coupled with starry-eyed looks.

  “What happened?” Roz asked.

  “Tommy took me for a walk on the trail by his house,” I said. “We got to really kiss. It was the most incredible feeling.”

  She smiled. “Em, that’s so awesome.”

  “It was…until Lauren flipped out, right in front of him. I was totally embarrassed.”

  “What did she say?”

  “She went on about how he could’ve killed me in the woods. I mean, how stupid is that?”

  Roz rolled her eyes. “That girl has issues.”

  “Most of it she said in the car with me, but you know it doesn’t matter—I’m sure Tommy heard it all anyway. She told my mother about his past.”

  “His past?”

  “Yeah, Lauren talked to someone in Manchez, God knows who.” I shoved a lock of frizzy hair behind my ear. “My mother was acting all concerned. I can’t believe she took her side.”

  “Really? What did your mother do?”

  “She wants me to take it easy, whatever the hell that means.”

  Roz hugged me. “I’m sorry, sweetie. That so sucks. Tommy’s such a good guy.”

  “I know. It’s crazy right? It’s like we’re the only two people who see it.”

  “Did you hear about that guy?” a girl said to her friend in the row across from us. “The one who died?”

  “Who was it?” her friend responded.

  “Mr. Kenney, he lived down the street from me.”

  “Oh yeah, he volunteered for the fair, my mother worked with him on the fundraising committee. He had the most unusual eyes.”

  “He did? I don’t remember.”

  “One blue and one green.”

  The color drained from Roz’s complexion. I felt a sudden nervousness from her.