Page 83 of Love Sick

“No one has ever not listened.” Her voice is a raspy whisper. “When I said no, I mean. And I pushed, and he—he wouldn’t stop—and—”

I touch her lower ribs tentatively, waiting to see if she’ll flinch before I slide my hands around her. She doesn’t protest, so my grip tightens to match hers. Her scent envelops me, threads through me, interlaced with heat and something a little painful. My attraction to her fragrance has grown thorns, prickly ones meant to grab on and never let go. Extracting that scent will leave scars, I’m sure of it.

Asher brushes past us, his face crumpled.

I wince. “Asher—”

He ignores me.

Grace hasn’t moved from my arms.

“Why were you apologizing to him?” I murmur in her ear.

She nuzzles closer. “I felt bad. You know…that I didn’t want him.”

“Grace. You never need to feel bad for not wanting to be kissed.”

Her grip loosens and she lifts her head to meet my eyes. “I didn’t say I didn’t want to be kissed. I said I didn’t wanthim.”

Wait.

Does—Does that mean—

Sparkling lights turn my blood incandescent and shimmer with heat. Each pulse spreads dazzling illumination like she’s crawling into my veins and lighting them on fire. Darkness keeps her expression hidden, but the glittering reflections in her eyes dance as she takes in my face.

Her voice softens, a whispered song in the shadows. “Julian.”

“Yeah?”

She smiles. Her hands retract to rest on my shoulders. “I was kinda hoping I’d end up in your arms tonight.”

Skrt.

What?

Did she admit that out loud? And how deep in my arms does she want to be? Because I’m dying to find out what she tastes like.

Her red lips are right there, waiting. Except—

“You’re drunk.”

“I’m not drunk.” She tips to the side. “I’m falling.”

“Whoa.” I steady her by the arms.

With a hand pressed to her head and a dramatic wince, Grace’s booted feet slip on the wet leaf-strewn ground. “I think I need to go home, Julian.”

“Yeah.” I rub her arms a few times. “Let’s say goodbye, okay? Can you walk?”

“No.” But she traipses away in a decently straight line.

I trail after her. “How much did you have to drink?”

“All of it, Julian. All the drinks.”

She celebrates with a clumsy little jig when she makes it up the stairs to the back porch, each step a loud thunk on the wooden planks. Most everyone is crowded around the firepit now.

“Where’d you two sneak off to?” Raven asks.

---