Arranged by Sara Wolf Read Free Book Online

over her features. “Thanks.”
    When the door closes I fall back on the bed and let the wine haze consume me. These sorts of outings seem way more up my alley than the sort Selena goes to. Not all partying has to be crazy, and I learned that tonight. Maybe I just hadn’t been having fun before now because I hadn’t put myself in the right places with the right people. And Jen – how did I not see it before? Jen and Grace are dating. All of Grace’s excited faces at the club suddenly make sense. They’re really cute together, too. It makes my heart glow a little to know Jen is so happy with her.
    I get changed – Grace’s pajamas almost too small. I shuffle to the bathroom, trying to stay quiet so I don’t bug anyone. I reach for the door handle just as someone opens it. Steam pours out and Lee stands in the doorway, towel wrapped around his waist and bronze chest bare. His wet hair hangs in his surprised eyes.
    “Geez, what is this, the second time you’ve seen me naked? Do you have special sensing whiskers for this shit or something?” He asks.
    I glue my eyes to the ceiling. “Sorry. Um. I just wanted to brush my teeth.”
    “Apology not accepted.” He leans in, so close I can see the water droplets stuck on his chest. I’m suddenly hyper aware of the way Grace’s pajamas don’t cover all of my stomach and legs. I hadn’t noticed it the first time we ran into each other – literally – but his physique isn’t bulky at all. He has broad shoulders but a narrow waist tapering into his towel. His arm and stomach muscles have the barest definition. His skin is dusky and the skin hairs light, surprisingly light for how dark his head hair is. He has a small mole on his neck and for some reason that snaps me back to reality – he’s a real, breathing person and I’m standing here gawking and making a fool of myself.
    “I just, if you’re done, I need to –” I try to squeeze around him, but he blocks the door with his body.
    “Need to what?”
    “Please move!”
    He smiles and leans closer. “That’s more like it. Using your words and asking for what you want clearly is always a good thing.”
    His heat engulfs me, and I feel hesitant, feather-light touches on the back of my neck as his hand ghosts up it. I jerk away.
    “Don’t play me like this,” I snap.
    “Play you like what?”
    “Trying to get me in your bed won’t make me like you.”
    “I could probably change your mind about that once we’re in it.” He grins.
    “I won’t marry you, ever,” I hiss. “And I won’t let you toy with me just so you can get that money.”
    I dart into the steamy bathroom. When I hear him walk down the hall and go into his room I breathe a sigh of relief. That was too close. My hands and heart are trembling, and I feel like I’m running a fever. I brush my teeth and stare at my reflection. I’m nothing special. Nothing compared to the sorority girls he probably sleeps with. There’s no way he’s attracted to me. He doesn’t even know me that well. So he has to be playing me, toying with me for the money.
    I feel sick.
    ~~~
    I dream.
    At first it’s a nonsense dream about green dogs, but then it turns specific. There’s a small field of sunflowers. I know this place – Grandpa’s yard in the summer. I’m shorter, younger. The sound of cicadas and the heady scent of hot earth and pollen overwhelm me. I’m short and chasing someone through the sunflowers, scratchy stalks biting at my skin as I push through them to find who I’m looking for. I’m shouting a name, a name I can’t remember.
    I know he’s close.
    In the dream my heart thuds painfully with every breath and I only know one thing.
    I have to find him.
     

Chapter Four
    In Which Lee Montenegro Tries To Kiss Me While Sleepwalking
    It’s still dark out when Grace shakes me gently awake. The dream of sunflowers fades slowly, yellow smudging my eyelids and the burning desire to find ‘him’, whoever he is, lingering in my