Total pages in book: 97
Estimated words: 93270 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 466(@200wpm)___ 373(@250wpm)___ 311(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 93270 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 466(@200wpm)___ 373(@250wpm)___ 311(@300wpm)
He cupped her face and leaned in. At first, he kissed the side of her lips and got more of her cheek than anything.
Awkward!
He tried again, and this time their lips pressed together. Another try, and he held his lips to hers for longer.
“Can I try with tongue?” he asked.
“I’ve never done that,” she said.
“Me neither.”
“You won’t tell Colt?” she asked.
“Never.”
“Okay.”
Hayden kissed her again, but this time he had more confidence and slipped his tongue into her mouth. When his touched hers, an explosion of terror, anxiety, thrills, and happiness rushed through his body. Devorah tilted her head up slightly and pushed her tongue a bit deeper into Hayden’s mouth. He moved his head to the other side, just like he’d seen numerous times while watching soap operas with his mother, and then back.
“We should stop,” she said, pulling away and resting her forehead against his.
“I know, but I don’t want to. That was, wow!”
“Maybe we can do it again.”
“When?” He knew he sounded eager. He was, and he had no idea how to control what he felt. His heart raced, and his skin felt as if it were on fire.
“Are you spending the night?”
From that night until he left for college, they made out every chance they could, but he never had the courage to tell Colt he wanted to date his sister. He regretted never saying something.
Now, Hayden stared at Devorah as his mind fumbled for something to say. The first thing that came to his mind was to ask how she was doing, but he could see that, just by looking at her, she was not well. He took her in. The long dark hair he remembered from years ago was still as beautiful as ever. Her striking brown eyes, the ones that had kept him mesmerized for years, were bloodshot and sitting on top of bags that looked bruised.
“What’s wrong?” he asked before he could stop the words from coming out. He should’ve started with “hi” or a compliment. “What can I do to help?”
She blanched and looked away. He fought the urge to turn her chin toward him so he could wipe away the tears rolling over her cheeks. Someone had hurt her.
Who?
Her husband?
Rage boiled in his belly. The last he knew, she’d married Chad Campbell, the biggest piece of shit Oyster Bay had ever encountered. He was an outsider looking in. Not someone from OB, Rhode Island, or even New England. He thought he could come to town and rule the roost. Most of the guys in high school hated the kid, but the girls seemed to fawn over him. Probably because he was a shiny new toy.
Hayden reached for her hand and felt his own hand warm. “Devorah,” he said softly. Her name had always been one of his favorites. It was unique and often mispronounced. Anyone who didn’t know her and saw her name would say “De-vor-ah,” when it was pronounced “Dev-ra.” Her name matched her.
Devorah smiled sadly and took her hand from his. He refused to let the rejection sting. “Hi, Hayden. Fancy meeting you here.” She looked back at the school and sighed.
“Yeah, I could say the same. What are you doing here?”
She shrugged. “Oh, you know.”
He didn’t. He wanted to, though.
“Do you need a ride?” He motioned toward the parking lot.
“I think I’m okay,” she said as she leaned forward and looked toward the sky.
“It’s not supposed to stop for a couple of hours.” He could wait, and then it would be time to pick Conor up, which would probably ease the anxiety Hayden felt about his son starting at a new school today. “I’m going to run over to my truck. I’ll drive up. If you want a ride, you’ll get in. If not . . .” Hayden shrugged and took off sprinting toward his truck. He dodged puddles and kept his head down to avoid getting pelted in the face with rain. Inside his cab, he turned on the truck, blasted the heat, and turned the wipers on.
He did as he’d said and pulled up to where Devorah stood. Hayden leaned over the seat, opened the door, and waited. Between the sound of the truck and the rain, he didn’t even try to yell because she wouldn’t have been able to hear him.
It took her a handful of seconds before she darted for the truck, hopped in, and pulled the door shut. “Thank you.”
“It’s the least I could do,” he said as he put the truck into drive. “I wouldn’t want you to melt.” When he was one of those annoying prepubescent boys, he did what any normal tween did—cracked jokes about her to get her attention. When she finally gave him the attention he wanted, he was afraid her brother would never approve, which meant Hayden was never truly himself with Devy. By the time he graduated from high school, he was in love with her, and he was certain she loved him right back. When Hayden finally found the courage to come clean about his feelings, he was a bit too late. A trip home from college changed everything. In a way, Devorah had broken his heart, and he’d never truly gotten over it.