Total pages in book: 67
Estimated words: 64628 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 323(@200wpm)___ 259(@250wpm)___ 215(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 64628 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 323(@200wpm)___ 259(@250wpm)___ 215(@300wpm)
I want butterflies. With him.
Stiles is handsome, more so than most here. He has the perfect athletic body, his hair’s always in place and never a mess. He’s polite, and I can tell he likes me. He’s not playing with me. It’s genuine. His eyes hold a sparkle when he looks at me. It makes me feel good to look at him. To look at me through his eyes.
“I haven’t bored you, have I?”
I shake my head as we sit at the table. A few guys come and speak to him. Taking the initiative, I lean over to him, our faces inches away from each other and then I lean in further and kiss him. My lips touching his surprises him. He leans into me, his hand touching my thigh, not too high, just enough so I know he’s close. Our kiss doesn’t last long as I’m tapped on the shoulder. Turning, I notice Livia standing there smiling at me. Stiles’ hand doesn’t move from my thigh.
“Liv.” She smirks. “I just wanted to say hello.”
Looking to Stiles, I stand and he stands right along with me, sliding his hand into mine.
“But you seem to be very busy.” She stares at my dress then behind her. I see my auntie and uncle looking over. They offer me a wave then continue to drink. I’ve never been close to them as I have been with Liv. Stiles squeezes my hand, and I squeeze his back.
“We’re going to go, Liv, see you at school?”
She nods her head, smiling.
Turning to Stiles, I ask him, “Want to get out of here?”
The smile that touches his face somehow touches mine as well. “You don’t even have to ask.”
We leave and it's a comfortable silence as he drives, his hand on my thigh, then we come to a stop out front of large wrought iron gates. He leans out pressing some buttons and the gates begin to slide open. It’s his house. Well, his parents’ house. He drives around the back. And as we get out, he walks around to the pool house, taking me by the hand.
“This is my preferred room, my parents don’t come out here.”
I've seen houses like his. Livia’s house is just as beautiful.
“I want to ask you something.”
My eyes stop roaming the room. He’s at the fridge pulling out two bottles of water.
“Sure,” I reply, stepping forward.
He passes me a water as I sit at the table. He stays standing, watching me. “Do you have a thing for Ryken?”
His words shock me, and I almost reel backward, but I stop myself in time. Then I think I don’t want to lie to him like I did to Livia, so I simply say, “Yes.”
He nods his head. “Thank you for telling me the truth.”
I look down because I don’t want to look at him right now. Does he hate me?
“But you’re here. That means something’s in my favor. Right?”
I smile at his words, and when I look up at him, he’s standing near me and smiling as well. Standing, I touch his face and press my body against his.
“It does. Let’s work it out together.”
Stiles nods his head and leans down, capturing my face with his hands.
Kissing Stiles isn’t like kissing Ryken. It’s not all-consuming and everything I’ve ever dreamed about. But that’s not to say it’s not nice. Because it is. It’s just not the same.
But sometimes different can be unique. Maybe I don’t need that heated spark all the time. People go years, or sometimes lifetimes, without ever feeling that special link everyone talks about. Some people settle, and that’s even an okay thing to do.
I just have to work out if it’s tolerable for me.
Chapter 15
Ryken
“You wouldn’t believe how happy she was, I was so excited for her.” My nails dig into the chair I’m sitting on each time she mentions her, and they go a little bit deeper each time she says her name. Livia’s telling me things I don’t want to know. But I can’t move. She’s started to question me about Barbie. Questions I don’t want to answer or give any information about. If she figures it out, it will ruin everything.
“Look.”
We all turn, even if I don’t mean to. It’s then I see it. I notice her leaning up on her toes kissing his lips. The taste of her lips I can still remember today. She’s branded me, and I don’t think that mark will ever disappear.
“Ryken.” Cane’s hand touches my arm. His eyes look down, and mine follow.
Blood.
Lifting them, I place them in my lap. Looking back up, Livia’s now looking at me. Her forehead crinkled as she watches me.
“You okay, Ryken?”
Nodding my head, I’m saved by the school bell. We all get up to go to our classes. Pausing, I see her. I stay back while they all go inside. She’s by herself. There’s no Stiles near her. My feet move without my consent, and before I know what I’m doing, my hands are around her waist. She yelps, but my mouth touches her ear, whispering into it, “Don’t speak.”