Maybe I had set my expectations too high. Maybe everything that was happening to me now was due to my own lack of judgment. I went into the relationship with my eyes wide open, knowing about his reputation, knowing that I was one of the many girls he had kissed. And yet, like a leaf caught in a tornado, I let myself twirl incessantly in his presence, unable to yank free of his grasp.
Maybe it was better that things worked out this way. Maybe years from now, I would look back at this moment and know what a valuable lesson I’d learned.
Maybe I needed to concentrate on making decisions with my head and not my heart.
“Dara, please say something.”
My arms crossed over my chest, and I wrapped my palms around my upper arms in a vain attempt to chase away the chill that overcame me. “I’m ready to go home.”
“Let me get my jacket,” he said, as he pushed away from the wall and walked past me.
I followed him into the main room and waited by the exit while he retrieved his jacket. When the valet pulled up to the front of the country club with his father’s sports car, he drove me home.
He pulled into the driveway and turned off the ignition. Out of habit, I waited while he walked to the passenger side and opened the door for me.
I took his outstretched hand and allowed him to walk me to the front door. My body responded to everything about him, the heat that seeped into my skin from his touch, his self-assured nature, his physical beauty, the faint scent of his cologne, the way he made me feel deliciously female.
He was dangerous.
And I’d known it from the start.
We came to a stop on the front porch, and he towered over me, his masculinity enveloping me like a hazy seduction, fogging my brain. It made what I was about to do much more difficult.
“I’m going to kiss you,” he whispered, leaning down, his lips hovering just above mine.
A lone thought of stopping him surfaced, but it was quickly squelched by my body’s response to him.
His lips were warm as they claimed mine. One hand pressed against the small of my back, crushing our bodies together, while the other hand cupped my cheek, his thumb rubbing rhythmically across my cheek bone. He deepened the kiss and swallowed the tiny gasp that escaped my lungs. His other hand rose to my face, his thumbs resting on my cheeks, his fingers splaying around the back of my neck. He devoured me, and when we were both breathless, he pulled away from my lips and planted tiny kisses along my jawline.
“You look so beautiful tonight,” he whispered in my ear.
My insides quaked, and I realized if I didn’t do it now, I’d lose my nerve.
“Stone.” I pulled away from his grasp, putting distance between us, so that I could think clearly.
“What’s wrong?” He shifted restlessly.
“I think it’s better if we don’t see each other.”
“Dara, you don’t mean that. You know I love you.” He reached for me, but I took a step back, the threat of tears burning my eyes.
“I need to focus on graduation and college.”
He reached for me again, only this time his palms caught my shoulders. “Tell me what I can do.”
“I wish there was something I could say, but there’s not. I needed you, Stone, and you let me down.” Just like my mother. Just like my father.
I thought of all the times when I was a tiny girl in pigtails that I watched out the window, waiting for my mother to pick me up, but she never did. I thought of all the times that I had written my father, and yet he had never answered my letters.
It was time for me to protect my heart because I had learned long ago that I was the only one who could. And it hurt. I loved him. I loved him more than I’d ever loved anyone, except for Granny. In less than a month, I would graduate from high school. I thought Stone would be the one person who would transition into a whole new phase of life with me, but after seeing him with Tiffany, I thought perhaps that he wasn’t ready for such a serious relationship. Maybe he wasn’t even capable. Either way, I had to protect myself.
“Dara, don’t do this. I love you. You know I do.”
“I thought you did, but now I’m not sure.”
“Damn it, you know I do.” He shook my shoulders for emphasis.
“I’m sorry, Stone. I hope you find whatever it is that makes you happy.”
“You make me happy, Dara.” His blue eyes ignited as they fixated on me, as if his penetrating stare could tattoo the meaning of his words in my brain.
“I wish I could believe that.” I wanted to, but I had wanted so many things in my life that never came to fruition. I kissed him on the cheek. “Bye, Stone.”
Reluctantly, he released me, and I walked into the house, never looking back. I couldn’t. I was afraid that if I did, I’d turn around and take it all back. And right now, more than anything else, I needed to protect myself from the horrible pain that came when those that I loved let me down.
After I closed and locked the front door, I collapsed against it, my forehead pressed against the cool metal as hot tears streamed down my face, and I whispered, “I love you, Stone.”
Chapter 8
Stone
Dara refused to answer my texts, and I cursed under my breath as I rolled out of bed and tossed the phone on my pillow. Walking to the window, I stared out of it, paying no heed to the view, and massaged the back of my neck. Dara was driving me insane. I rubbed my palm across my bare chest, knowing that I needed a plan to get her to talk to me. She may think it was better that we didn’t see each other, but I sure as hell didn’t.
Maybe she just needed some time. I knew it had been a shock for her to see me with Tiffany, but it had been a shock for me, too. I hadn’t expected that to happen, and I had no time to plan accordingly. Before Dara, I would’ve jumped at the chance to make out with a honey like Tiffany. But Dara had ruined me. Something about her had taken hold deep inside of me, and now she was the only girl who mattered. Too bad my overactive hormones and my lack of brain activity had screwed everything up.
“Dammit!” Even though I felt like ramming my fist through the pane of glass until it was nothing more than tiny shards, I opted to smack the window frame with the heel of my palm.
A dull ache penetrated my skull, and I pinched the bridge of my nose in an effort to make the pain subside. I exhaled loudly as despair shadowed the recesses of my mind. Was I destined to be a total freaking screw-up my entire life?
My phone rang, and I turned and stared as the screen lit up. Was she calling me back? I practically leapt to the bed in one, long stride and snatched the phone up to see who was calling. Irritation reared its ugly head when I realized it was Mike.
“What?” I grumbled, the mattress dipping with my weight as I sank down on the edge of the bed.
“Well, it’s pretty obvious you didn’t get any last night,” Mike said, sarcasm dripping from his voice.
“That’s quite an observation from the guy who breaks out in a rash every time a girl invades his personal space.” I paused, agitated. “Did you want something? Other than to annoy me?”
“I just thought I’d check to see how your night went, but I think I already know.”
I closed my eyes and tilted my head back, stretching my neck. “Then you’re good now? Because if you’re looking for a recap of prom night, you’ve called the wrong person.”
“You want me to talk to Crimson? Maybe she’ll have some insight on what’s going on in Dara’s head…like why she broke up with you.”
“I know why she broke up with me. Do you really think I need girl help from you?” I growled, my irritation rising with every reminder that I’d been a jackass.
“I guess not. I was just so shocked that she didn’t want to be with you anymore. You know…with your charming personality and all.”
I clamped my mouth shut and imagined riding my dirt bike, racing through the woods. Luke had taught me to do that, and it usually did help, although he was no longer here to point out to me the times th
at I needed to relax. Then I pictured my favorite mud hole, the one that Luke and I loved to race through, the one that I had taken Dara to, and just like that, she was on my mind again. I realized then that there was no escaping her. She had touched every part of my life. She was everywhere I looked. Over the last few months, our lives had been so integrated that it seemed impossible to separate them. It was no longer Stone, no longer Dara. It was Stone and Dara. And in one moment, I had allowed it all to slip away.
“Look, man, I’m sorry if I’m a little short today. I’ve got a lot to do, so I’ll see you at school tomorrow.”
“Yeah, see ya then.”
I showered and dressed, and then went to the kitchen to get a glass of water. My parents were sitting at the kitchen table, their hands wrapped around their steaming lattes.
“What’re your plans for today?” my father asked, his voice serious, as usual.
“I’m going to work at the bookstore.”
“Aren’t your final exams next week?”
“Yeah.”
His brow furrowed as he shifted in his seat to get a better look at me. “Shouldn’t you be studying then?”
I exhaled loudly. “I’m going to graduate, Dad.”
“And studying for your finals will make sure that you do.” His stern expression warned me that he would brook no argument.
I thought of Luke and decided I’d try to refrain from saying the things that were wavering on the tip of my tongue.
“I’ll study tonight,” I promised.
“See that you do.”
My mom changed the subject. “Dylan will be home for the summer in less than two weeks.”
“Great,” I grumbled. “That’s all I need.” My older brother, Dylan, had been away at college for most of the last two years. He hated me and with good reason, but I had no desire to listen to his bickering all summer long.
“Stone,” she said softly. “He’s your only brother.”
“Luke’s my brother,” I said forcefully.
“Luke’s gone,” she said in little more than a quivering whisper, her eyes filled with sadness. “Dylan’s still here. Whatever’s going on between the two of you needs to be resolved.”
“Why don’t you tell him that?”
I decided to skip the water and grabbed my keys and my helmet, instead. I was suffocating, and I had the urge to be outdoors.
With every twist of the throttle, I felt my tension dissipate. When I pulled the bike up into a wheelie and sped down our long driveway, the wind carried my troubles away. I knew it was only a temporary fix, but I welcomed the reprieve.
As I shot onto the highway, the hum of the engine soothed me. I would deal with everything else later. Right now, it was just me and my bike.
***
Two hours later, I pulled under the carport at the back of the bookstore. A sore butt was a small price to pay for my improved mood. I swung my leg over the glossy, black crotch rocket and stretched as I removed my helmet. I couldn’t stop the small smile that broke across my face as I remembered the time during last summer that I had caught Dara sitting on my bike. I missed having her at the bookstore.
I entered the back door and found Tom sitting at the small kitchen table in the break room.
“Hey, Stone,” he said, looking up from his sandwich as I entered the room.
“Tom,” I greeted, offering him a fist bump. “So how’re sales?”
He nodded his head as he wiped his mouth with a napkin. “They’re still up.”
“That’s good news. Dad’ll be glad to hear that.” Even though my overbearing father allowed me to run the bookstore, he still kept close tabs on it, always eager to teach me some kind of lesson in business. I guess I couldn’t blame him. It was his money, after all. As much as I hated to admit it, I had learned a lot from my old man. The older I got, the more I could see what he was trying to accomplish, although I had no plans at the moment to let him know that.
“Dara called,” Tom said.
“Today?”
“Yes.”
“What’d she say?” I asked, unable to keep from wondering if she was looking for me.
“She just wanted to remind us that the newsletter was due to go out in a few days. She said she was busy, and she didn’t think she’d be able to get to it. She emailed the newsletter to both of us, but she said it still needs a little tweaking before we send it out.”
I hadn’t forgotten. It was the first review that we were doing for Luke’s Book Club, hoping to entice readers to read Frankenstein. “Yeah, I’ve got it covered. Did we get the extra copies of Frankenstein in?”
“Yep,” Tom answered. “Brandy’s already shelved them.”
I nodded my head. “Good.”
I continued walking through the door that led to the front of the bookstore. Brandy stood behind the cash register, checking out a customer while a few other customers browsed the shelves.
I saw the endcap that was laden with copies of Frankenstein, and I approached it, picking up a copy and flipping through the pages. Luke’s copy was still in my room, and I decided that as much as I wasn’t a reader, I would pick his book up tonight and begin reading where Dara had left off. I needed to pick up the slack and deliver. For Luke. And for Dara. And maybe even a little bit for myself.
Once I had made that decision, oddly enough, I felt better. I meandered through the bookstore, helping customers. Then, I began shelving inventory, new releases and old favorites in movies, games, CDs, and books. If Luke were alive, he’d love this place.
And for that reason, I’d see to it that this store was a success, even if it meant I actually had to sit still long enough to read a book.
I grabbed a handful of CDs out of the box and placed them on the endcap. Brandy approached me from behind.
“Hey, Stone,” she said in her high-pitched voice, one that seemed so unnatural you’d think she was speaking that way intentionally.
“Hi, Brandy.”
“Did you have fun at the prom last night?”
Fun? I almost laughed out loud at the absurdity of it.
She continued, not waiting for me to answer. “I know that you and Dara aren’t together, but she must still love you.”
“Why do you say that?”
“Well, because why else would she tell Chance not to kiss her?”
My eyes shot to her face. Was he trying to move in on her already? “What’re you talking about?”
“At the prom. When they were crowned Prom King and Queen, she told him not to kiss her, so he kissed her hand. I thought you were there?”
“He didn’t kiss her last night?” I asked, confused by her story.
“No. Well, not on the lips, anyway. He bent over her hand and kissed the back of it. Kinda like a gallant gentleman, you know?”
My jaw clenched. She’d let me think that he had. I relaxed my jaw, amused. She’d given me just what I deserved.
“Are you sure?” I asked. “That he didn’t kiss her on the lips?”
“Of course I’m sure,” Brandy said, enunciating every word. “I was there. Chloe told me this morning that Dara told her that she’d asked Chance not to kiss her. And the only reason I can figure out why Dara wouldn’t want Chance to kiss her is if she’s still in love with you. I mean Chance is definitely hot.”
I didn’t usually pay much attention to girls’ gossip, but strangely enough, Brandy’s random bit of information did actually improve my mood.
I finished shelving the CDs and stood with the empty cardboard box in my hands. “Don’t ever use the words Chance and hot in the same sentence when you’re talking to me.”
Brandy giggled. “Jelly?”
I scoffed. “I have no reason to be jealous. Dara loves me, remember?”
“Well, as much as I’d love to chitchat about Chance a little more, I’ve got a customer.” She hurried toward the cash register.
I pulled my phone out of my pocket and checked my messages. Nothing from Dara. I had the urge to call her ag
ain, but I refused to blow her phone up. She knew I was trying to contact her. Maybe giving her some space was the best thing I could do for now. And so help me if Chance Murray tried to move in on her in the meantime, he’d regret the day he met me.
***
Dara
“What’s wrong, honey?” Granny asked as she set a plate down in front of me on the kitchen table. I usually loved Granny’s gooey, grilled cheese sandwiches, but my appetite was lacking.
“Nothing.”
“Dara Golding, don’t think I’m so old that I can’t tell that something’s wrong between you and Stone. I’ve had my share of man troubles during my life.” She reached across the table and set a glass of sweet tea within my reach, and then she pulled a chair out and sat down, waiting for me to spill my guts.
“Have you ever had a boyfriend who kissed another girl when he was supposed to be with you?” I asked, expecting her to gasp in shock.
“Well, I did have one who made out with my best friend. His name was Willie Mason. Of course, they were both drunker than Cooter Brown.”
I lifted my eyes to her face, and she chuckled softly.
“What did you do?” I asked.
“I snuck up behind them, dumped a whole pitcher of ice water on their heads, and never talked to either one of them again. Of course, I already knew he was no good.”
“How’d you know?”
“Well, Willie never passed the kissing test for one thing. You can usually tell when a guy really loves you and when he’s just passing time. I guess ol’ Willie was the one who really taught me that lesson. It made me appreciate your Papa all the more when he came along.”
I didn’t know whether I should trust my own judgment. I had thought Stone truly loved me.
“Stone’s nothing like him,” Granny said softly as if she were reading my mind. “Why don’t you tell me what happened?”
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