|
01d8593
|
"I don't want to be without you. I like who I am with you, and I don't want to go back to who I was before." "I love you, Rachel. So this will work. No matter what or who stands in our way."
|
|
love
isaiah-walker
rachel-young
|
Katie McGarry |
|
dcfe828
|
I laugh and it's the same bitter laugh I remember him giving when we met so many weeks ago. Isaiah says it so simply that my heart soars and sinks at the same time. I whisper. Isaiah shakes his head and stares out the window. I ask. Because I don't know how the two of us can continue forward. Isaiah refuses to let me in. It's sort of cruel. He's brought me close with his stories of his childhood and with his words of love, but he can't relinquish control. I refuse to be with someone who won't treat me as an equal.
|
|
love
let-in
rachel-young
isaiah
happen
control
hurt
refuse
help
|
Katie McGarry |
|
e68bd81
|
Isaiah runs his hand through my hair, and every cell in my body vibrates with the gentle pull. It's hard to breathe. Isaiah doesn't wait for my answer. Instead his lips meet mine and his arms wrap around my body. All the hesitancy I felt the first night we kissed evaporates like mist on the heels of a summer storm. Within seconds, our mouths open, and Isaiah slips his tongue against mine. I get lost, liking the way my body curves around his, liking the way my hands explore as if they have a mind of their own, and loving how Isaiah grips my hair while tracing my spine. Tingles and shock waves and earthquakes and hurricanes. All of it takes place at the same time as our mouths move not nearly fast enough. Nothing seems fast enough. The closer I become, the closer Isaiah presses, and the more he presses, the more I want to crawl inside and live in this delicious world of warmth and fantastic hunger. Isaiah hooks an arm around my waist, and I suck in a breath when he turns us and shifts me up against the door to his Mustang. My eyes widen and I stare up at him as he stares down at me. Our chests move in unison, as do our breaths. My fingers curl into the muscles of his arms, and I briefly close my eyes, loving how his body fits into mine.
|
|
kiss
rachel-young
isaiah
|
Katie McGarry |
|
ed61a59
|
I swallow as I stare at the number. And the small amount of hurt in her voice stabs my heart. I envelop Rachel in my arms and cup her head to my chest. She smells good. Like the ocean. Like her jacket. I try to memorize the feel of her body against mine: all soft and warm and curves. The paper in her hand crinkles as she links one arm, then another around my waist. Leaning into me, she lets out a contented sigh and I close my eyes with the sound. Ten seconds. I'll keep her for ten more seconds. I want to keep her. Two. I shouldn't. Four. Maybe she can see past what I am. We don't have to be more. We can be friends. Seven. I can fix this. Nine. I can make anything work. Ten.
|
|
rachel-young
isaiah
seconds
smell
number
hold
|
Katie McGarry |
|
962a0fc
|
She kisses my shoulder, and a shudder runs through my body, igniting every cell.
|
|
rachel-young
isaiah
intimate
know
|
Katie McGarry |
|
37f18f0
|
Isaiah says. As I move to rest next to him, he stops me. He motions to the spot between his legs. Awkwardly, I settle in front of him. Isaiah, the king of secure, waves off any distance between us as he gathers me into the safe shelter of his body. The blood pulses faster in my veins. I like being this close to him. Maybe a little too much. His breath tickles the skin behind my ear, and the small hairs stand on end with the joyous sensation. He glides his fingers against my skin causing an addictive tingling. I cut him off. The panic attacks confirm that. Unable to be near him anymore, I attempt to untangle myself from him, but Isaiah becomes a solid wall around me and I jerk in his arms in protest. His tender hold tightens, and the words feel like poetry because of the deep, soothing way he speaks.
|
|
wrong
love-touch
see-you
sit
rachel-young
isaiah
here
compliments
strong
|
Katie McGarry |
|
d4437c5
|
There's a pulse in my body, vibrating every pressure point.
|
|
kissing
just-kissing
rachel-young
isaiah
fine
intimate
shirt
jeans
touching
|
Katie McGarry |
|
2764ff6
|
My fingers draw up her back and tangle into her hair. she repeats. Our lips crush together, our bodies pressed tight. An inferno of lips and hands and movements that continues to grow in heat. The blanket falls away as Rachel slides her legs so that she straddles me. On the verge of burning up completely, I groan and cling to her small frame. Her hands drift under my shirt, leaving a singeing trail. We've become a wildfire. Almost unstoppable. I kiss her neck and the beautiful sounds escaping her mouth encourage me further. My hands skim under her shirt, up her back, linger for seconds near her bra, and I gently nip her ear when I feel lace. Images pour into my mind of what she'd look like with her shirt off, then her jeans. My fist traps strands of her hair. And because I do, I kiss her fully on the mouth--nothing left to the imagination. Every fantasy becomes a reality with that one embrace.
|
|
want
kiss
undress
rachel-young
isaiah
intimate
never
separate
touch
|
Katie McGarry |
|
347da29
|
He raises his hand to my face again and I allow the touch. His fingers slide along my jawline and the warmth of his caresses radiates past my skin and into my bloodstream. Pleasing goose bumps rise on my neck. he asks. My ears ring with the staccato thrum, thrum, thrum of my heart. Holy crap, I can't believe this is happening to me. The words tumble out of my mouth without thought. That's not true. Actually, they tumble out with a lot of thought of how my parents won't approve, of how my brothers will kill Isaiah, then possibly kill me. But in this moment, I don't care what any of them think.
|
|
don-t-care
rachel-young
isaiah
intimate
swear
|
Katie McGarry |
|
00f8089
|
The entire room turns and stares. There's no doubt what they see--ripped jeans, a black T-shirt, tattoos and earrings. I don't care what they see. All I care about is what she sees: a person unwelcomed or the guy she loves. A tear flows down her face, and the hand wrapped at her waist tells me she's paralyzed. In a long gold ball gown that's more skirt than dress, Rachel is truly the angel I believe her to be. A man in a tuxedo stands. I stride between the tables, keeping my eyes locked with hers. The closer I get, the more she straightens. Her hand falls from her stomach, and the tear clears from her face. Rachel gazes at me as if I'm a dream. I extend my hand, palm out. Her blue eyes lose their glaze, and the hue of violet I love so much returns.
|
|
love
rachel-young
stare
isaiah
appearance
help
unwelcome
tears
|
Katie McGarry |
|
cf9d9a3
|
Zach finally acknowledges me when my elbow smacks against his side as I shove my way between him and Rachel. He straightens and mumbles so only I can hear, I mutter. Zach smirks. Rachel asks. I say. She blinks as if she just woke up. I step aside so Rachel can exit the driver's seat. Because Rachel is every guy's fantasy, Zach begs her to stay: she should see the engine, she can ride in his car, she can drive his car. Each of his attempts to lure her to stay causes me to think of one more way to hide the body parts after I kill him.
|
|
lure
rachel-young
back-off
isaiah
hard-on
stay
zach
beg
cars
kill
|
Katie McGarry |
|
711d4e6
|
I lick my lips as his teeth nibble on my earlobe. Between my muscles melting under his touch, my blood tingling with the teasing of my ear and the way my foot rubs against his calf, my thoughts become hazy. My shirt rides up and Isaiah rubs his thumb in small circles on the bare skin of my stomach. The sensation causes me to arch my back and Isaiah groans as I kiss his neck. I like these feelings. Actually, I more than like them. They're addicting, and I love how every little thing I do causes Isaiah to kiss and touch me more. He rolls and I move with him. Our tangled legs become unraveled as my thighs fall open, accepting his weight. Isaiah's body over mine is heavier than I would have imagined, but it's a weight I craved without knowing it. Isaiah kisses up my neck and when his lips meet mine again, he rocks his hips. Suddenly very aware parts of him are touching very aware parts of me, and my head falls to the side as a new sensation spikes through my body.
|
|
rachel-young
isaiah
touch
|
Katie McGarry |
|
507be83
|
Isaiah pushes off his car and invades my personal space. His dark scent envelops me and my heart literally trips several times as it tries to continue to beat. Even though he doesn't touch me, it's like Isaiah is everywhere. Only centimeters separate us, but his warmth surrounds me like a bubble. I have to force myself to lift my chin to look at him. His gray eyes soften, and there's this playful aura to him, accompanied by a devious tilt of his mouth.
|
|
rachel-young
playful
isaiah
intimate
|
Katie McGarry |
|
e4ce4c2
|
Isaiah lazily yet deliberately tilts his head as he stares into my eyes. My entire body hums and a fuzzy sensation fills my head, making it hard to focus. My mouth opens then closes. And as he slowly bends down, my tongue quickly licks my dry lips. I hope I'm doing this right. I want to do this right. Isaiah slips his hand from my chin to cradle my head. His fingers tunnel through my hair, making the back of my neck tingle with anticipation as the pad of his thumb whispers gently against my cheek. His lips hover right next to mine and his warm breath heats my face. The blood pounds so wildly in my veins that he has to sense the vibration. There's a magnetic pull taking over the small distance between our lips. An energy I can't resist. My head inclines opposite his and the moment I close my eyes, his mouth brushes mine. Soft. Warm. Gentle. His lips move slowly, exerting pressure. And I feel like I can't breathe, yet like I'm flying. The pressure ends, but his mouth stays near mine. His hand grips my waist and my spine gives at the shockingly right pleasure of his touch. Isaiah senses my weakness and his hand snakes its way around my waist, his strong arm holds me up. And he explores again. A little pressure on my lower lip. A little pressure on the top. And then I remember that I'm supposed to kiss him back. Nerves send small shock waves through my chest, and my hand trembles as I raise it to his shoulders. I press both my lips into his lower one right as my fingers caress the side of his neck. Isaiah shivers. In a good way, I think. I open my mouth to ask when his lips move fast against mine, sucking in my lower one, causing warmth and excitement to explode in my body, the aftermath of that divine encounter melting every piece of me. I moan, and Isaiah's arm tightens, bringing my body closer to his. My lips maneuver against his in response. A yes to his pulling me closer. A yes to his lips taking in mine. A yes to the fact that he allows me to perform the same succulent kiss on him. I can't help it. I permit the tip of my tongue to barely brush his lower lip. Isaiah curls my hair into his fist and I love how my touch affects him, affects me. Wrapping my other arm around his neck, I lose all sense of independence with his sweet taste. I like this. I like this a lot.
|
|
kissing
rachel-young
isaiah
|
Katie McGarry |
|
e9fa481
|
I smell it again, his scent. The calming aroma. The one that's become my new favorite. I take a deeper breath.
|
|
rachel-young
isaiah
smell
scent
favorite
|
Katie McGarry |
|
743ed84
|
The kiss comes hotter and faster than before. Our lips move quickly, a hunger grows between us that can't seem to be quenched. There's a rhythm, a dance, and somehow, I know the steps. An instinct tells me to follow his lead, to explore even further, to touch. My hands drift down his back and when I feel scorching skin near the hem of his shirt, I gasp for air. Isaiah moans, and his lips leave mine to travel along my throat. My heart picks up speed as my entire body becomes one live electrical current. His tongue swirls against the sensitive skin right where my jaw meets my neck. I shiver and press my body closer to his. When he meets my lips again, Isaiah loops his arm around my waist and pulls me farther onto the bed. On our sides, his body heat penetrates past my clothes, past my skin, creating an inferno in my blood. A sudden coldness causes my eyes to flash open. Kneeling beside me, Isaiah's hands go behind his head and he yanks off his shirt, tossing it to the floor. A flutter of excitement and nerves trembles in my stomach.
|
|
kissing
rachel-young
isaiah
|
Katie McGarry |
|
530a63e
|
A heat wave crashes into my body and I tug at the collar of my winter coat. I could take this thing off and probably still sweat. The memories of his mouth moving against mine and how his hands pressed into my body flood my brain. I lick my lips in anticipation. I crave for him to kiss me again, but... A small grin plays on his lips. It's like he's begging me to tease him, and without thought, I slide back to the braver girl at the bar. He shakes his head.
|
|
kiss
problem
rachel-young
isaiah
tease
|
Katie McGarry |
|
5070b43
|
Craving a physical connection, I slide my finger along the back of Rachel's hand. She's asleep. Has been for a while. Curled in the fetal position in the middle of my bed, Rachel wears the mask of a ravaged person. Somehow, I missed the signs: dark circles under her eyes, the clothes that once fit perfectly now hang, her skin so pale it's translucent.
|
|
rachel-young
isaiah
ravaged
sick
touch
|
Katie McGarry |
|
d31ec3f
|
I touch the double row of silver hoop earrings hanging from his left ear, trail along his jawline, his neck, down his shoulder, to the flaming tail of the dragon on his arm. He leans into the caress, and my own body feels on fire with the continued way his eyes gaze upon me. The first moment I saw him, the night people clamored over each other to step out of his way, I was frightened. The guy with earrings and tattoos and an energy radiating danger. Now--inside and out--all I see is beauty.
|
|
rachel-young
isaiah
tattoos
earrings
danger
touch
|
Katie McGarry |
|
63ba493
|
Isaiah opens my car door and his warm silver eyes smile at me. I sweep my bangs from my eyes. He offers his hand and I accept. His fingers wrap around mine and heat surges up my arm, flushes my neck and settles into a blush on my face. He tugs gently and I slip out. I'm not sure if my body vibrates from the rumbling of the garage door closing or from the blood pounding in my veins. Our fingers lace together, and his other hand smoothly cups my hip. I suck in a breath, surprised that someone touches me so easily and with such care. he says. White button-down blouse, maroon-and-black plaid skirt, and a pair of white Keds. Nothing spectacular. The seductive slide in his voice causes the back of my neck to tickle.
|
|
rachel-young
school-uniform
isaiah
|
Katie McGarry |
|
004b33d
|
Isaiah lets go of my hand and in a blur, pushes my back against a cold brick wall. His body becomes a hot, thick blanket over mine. The fine hair on my neck stands on end and my eyes close at the sensation of his warm breath on the skin behind my ear. I'm absolutely terrified, but at the same time my body tingles with a weird anticipation.
|
|
rachel-young
isaiah
intimate
wall
|
Katie McGarry |
|
2ce1bba
|
Cupping her face, I reclaim her lips and gently guide her body next to mine on the bed. Rachel's tank rides up and my fingers explore the satin skin of her belly. There are so many places I long to go, so many places I crave to take her. she whispers. When I skim the waistband of her pants, her breathing hitches. Further. Damn, my entire body responds. I don't miss the way her hand fidgets with the hem of her shirt. Scared I'll spook her, I don't push her too far, but I'm all for reading body language. I place my hand over hers and her smile appears. I ask. I kiss each and every centimeter of her exposed skin as I move up her tank. I linger over the material of her bra and Rachel fists the sheet with both hands. She's so damn hot I'm about to forget slow and go for fast. But I ignore those urges and guide the material up and over her head. I don't know what the hell I did to have such a beautiful creature in my bed, but she's here and I'm going to spend tonight worshipping this gift in front of me.
|
|
kiss
worship
further
rachel-young
isaiah
touching
scare
|
Katie McGarry |
|
963184f
|
I bite the inside of my lip to conceal the smile forming. All right, so this is cool. Very cool. I'm well aware that I'm barely seventeen and in a bar because I'm hiding from the police, and the guy across from me is my opposite in more ways than I can calculate, but I can't help but feel like a princess who has a knight pledging his loyalty.
|
|
rachel-young
isaiah
opposite
knight
princess
|
Katie McGarry |
|
a7d40f9
|
I whisper and immediately stare at my shoes. Of all the things I could have said, that shouldn't have been it. I. Am. An. Idiot. A gentle tug on my hair sends goose bumps raining down my arms. I close my eyes and relish the sweet brush of his knuckles against my neck as he flips my hair over my shoulder. I say so softly he may not have heard me. His hand caresses the sensitive spot right below my chin, and with a gentle pressure, Isaiah raises my head until I look into those warm silver eyes. The right side of my mouth quirks and a spring of hope bubbles up inside me. He likes me. A really hot, really awesome guy likes me.
|
|
rachel-young
touching
like
|
Katie McGarry |
|
09c4a70
|
She's so beautiful it hurts. Golden blond hair flows past her shoulders. Those gorgeous violet eyes shouldn't be so wide with fear. I've dreamed of being this close to her again. I ache to gather her in my arms and keep her safe from the world...to be her protector, but I can't be that man.
|
|
cannot
protector
rachel-young
isaiah
|
Katie McGarry |
|
c9ab5a2
|
"I'm never going to be kissed." I open my eyes to see my brothers gaping at me like I've lost my mind. "You don't kiss boys," says West. "Boys shouldn't be anywhere near you. Guys only want one thing, Rach, and it ain't conversation. I should know." He waves off the subject in frustration, then shakes his head as he speaks again. "Why are we even talking about this? You aren't seeing anyone." "Ah, hell," mumbles Jack. "We're having the sex talk with my baby sister." "Is she dating?" Gavin demands of West and Ethan. "She can't be dating. Now we have to beat the snot out of some horny teenager. You should have told me this was going on." "Make them stop," I whisper to Ethan. Along with the dread of speeches and vomiting, I'm also dying of embarrassment. "She's not dating!" West shudders as if spiders cover him. "That's just sick, Rach. Don't talk like that. Ever. Again." Gavin sends me a glare clearly meant to warn me off from kissing and dating boys before he heads for the main ballroom."
|
|
kiss
gavin
rachel-young
warn
west
dating
jack
|
Katie McGarry |
|
2ae0406
|
"Who are you?" "Abby," she says. "And you are?" "Ethan," I answer. "He's my twin." Her eyes dart between us. "You don't look anything alike." "I'm a boy. She's a girl. I sure as hell hope we don't," says Ethan."
|
|
hope
rachel-young
look-alike
twin
ethan
|
Katie McGarry |
|
5a88407
|
In two easy strides, I reach her, weave my arms around her waist and lift her feet off the ground. My angel is so light she practically floats. I answer. She rests her forehead against mine and braids her hands tightly on my neck. I love the sensation of her body against mine. Tonight, I'm going to kiss her again and, if she'll let me, I'll explore a little further. She smiles when she notices the lightness in my voice.
|
|
doubt
rachel-young
isaiah
never
insane
|
Katie McGarry |
|
2fbf74c
|
"Rachel wiggles in my hold. "You're strong." My lips twitch. "Pure steel." "
|
|
rachel-young
isaiah
steel
protect
strong
|
Katie McGarry |
|
9b562ba
|
Soft fingers grip my wrist and forearm. My eyes shoot to hers, but she's too busy fussing over the noncut to notice how her caress is turning me inside out. In a good way. In a strange way. In a way I haven't felt since...Beth.
|
|
caress
rachel-young
cut
isaiah
touching
way
|
Katie McGarry |
|
a50b1c6
|
I should run, but I'm paralyzed by the sight of him. Even moving slowly, Isaiah possesses the prowess of a panther. His muscles pronounced in the easy way he strides. The set, determined gaze on me as his prey. This only proves how weak I am. Like the animal on the verge of being devoured in the wild, I stand here stunned by his dangerous beauty.
|
|
dangerous-beauty
rachel-young
isaiah
panther
run
prey
|
Katie McGarry |