Page 8 of The 13th Daughter
"I...I have to wash my hair!" I blurted and then died of embarrassment. Wash my hair? That had to be the lamest excuse ever. Could I be any dorkier? What was wrong with me?
He laughed outright and the sound vibrated through me. "So washing your hair is more important than getting to know me?"
"Yes...NO!" Crap. He had me tongue-tied. Dammit! No one had ever managed to do that to me before.
"No?" He arched a brow suggestively. "Then come to the Hall with me."
I really, really, really wanted to, but I just couldn't. "No."
"Why not?" He looked genuinely confused. "It's who you are."
"No, it's not." I shook my head and tried again to pull away from him. His touching me was not helping me to resist the urge to give in and go. "I don't believe in any of that."
He frowned, puzzled. "Don't your parents..."
"Mom goes to Coven meetings religiously," I cut him off. "Dad hasn't gone since the day we got the news about Emily. I never wanted to go."
I saw him struggle with a question in his eyes, but he forced himself to ask it. "And your sister?"
"She was the Junior Coven leader and she loved it. I don't. End of story."
"You're serious, aren't you? You really don't believe in any of it?"
"No, I don't." Why did I have to live in a town where everyone believed in witchcraft? I hated having to try and explain to people why I didn't share their beliefs. There were days I wished I lived in a nice, normal, average town, a town where there wasn't a Coven.
He sighed. "Come on, I'll walk you home." He let go of one of my hands, grabbed my bookbag, and started down the hill.
Dad was probably good and drunk by now. I did not want him to see that. In my panic, my words came out harsher than I'd intended. "No, that's okay. You'll be late for the meeting. I can get home myself."
"You're mad at me again," he grinned ruefully. "But it makes you look cute as hell."
Mad? Hell no, I just didn't want him t see the drunken mess waiting for me at home.
He frowned. "What are you thinking?"
"Nothing."
"Did you know your bottom lip quivers when you lie?" His free hand came up and he traced the outline of my lips with a finger.
"It does not," I whispered, my senses on overload.
"Tell me what you're thinking, Cassie," he urged me.
"Honestly, I figured you were more interested in Kay." I moved the conversation to something safer than him walking me home. "You were asking a lot of questions about her last night."
"I don't particularly like stick thin drunken girls. I much prefer redheads with a little bit of a curve to them."
WOW. My mouth fell open. He saw his opportunity and took it.
His lips came down and I gasped at the softness as they brushed over mine. It was quick and left me breathless. The boy sure knew how to kiss. I wanted to kiss him again.
"Sure you won't change your mind and come tonight?" he asked, looking down at me out of his too bright eyes.
I started to nod yes and caught myself. "No, I'm sorry."
He sighed again. "Let's get you home."
"Really, I can take myself home. It's not even dark yet." I actually managed to pull my hand free. It protested the loss ofhis, but I ignored the need to touch him. "You really will be late. Kay gets pissed when people are late to her ceremonies."
