Little Red by Trista Jaszczak Read Free Book Online

my eyes forward as he starts the Jeep.
    “You must be exhausted.” I can see his head turn to face me briefly from the corner
     of my eye
    “And, frozen,” he says, leaning forward and flicking a few switches to turn on the
     heat.
    “We left your jacket.”
    I look down at my now bare arms and my exposed scar, and then over at Ethan
    “We can go back for it,” he tells me with a quick smile
    I shake my head and see that he is now wiggling out of his own jacket while trying
     to drive.
    He succeeds and passes it to me.
    “Put this on.”
    I look at him, half confused.
    I feel a tickle in my stomach and smile as I take the jacket from him.
    It’s hard to believe someone acting like this can go completely nuts during the full
     moon
    I slide my arms into his jacket.
    It swallows me like a large blanket, but the leather and silk fabric has been heated
     by his skin so much that it now emits heat for me as I sink into the seat
    “Better?” he asks
    I give him a nod as I feel myself growing sleepy.
    I glance at the time on the dash clock.
    It’s reading just after 4 in the morning.
    The full moon would soon disappear.
    They must prepare themselves to stay up all night just for the full moon
    “Are you hungry?”
    I hadn’t given much thought to food.
    Not since… I shrug.
    “Just really tired.”
    “Maggie will get you anything you need,” he says.
    “We can stay there.
    Get your bike in the morning.”
    “Thank you,” I say.
    “For everything.”
    He smiles.
    I smile back, because that’s really all that I know to do
     
    * * * * * *
     
    I feel the Jeep pull to a slow stop as I open my eyes and look around.
    Ethan smiles down at me.
    “Sorry, I didn’t want to wake you.”
    My mouth opens and I find myself smiling sleepily.
    Somehow, some way, waking up and seeing his face feels right.
    I sit up slowly to see the beautiful white house that’s in front of me.
    Lines of pine trees, potted plants, and beautiful, blue lights line the walkway to
     the front door
    “This is Eli and his wife’s house.”
    I turn to look at Ethan, who is already hopping down from his Jeep.
    I reluctantly unbuckle myself from my seat to have Ethan open the door and offer his
     hand to me.
    As I take it, my body offers up a slight tremble, and I fight a sudden but strong
     urge to touch him.
    I slide myself down and see that his brothers have already arrived and are piling
     in the house one by one
    Ethan grins wide.
    “Come on.
    We won’t bite.”
    The phrase seems almost funny as I swallow and begin following him up the cobblestone
     walkway
    A young woman, who is about my height with a wider frame and button nose, greets us
     with a smile.
    “Eli was right,” she says, ushering us both inside.
    “This is a nice change of pace from you boys.” She looks around at each of them.
    “No offense.” They laugh and shake their heads
    “Maggie, this is Sam,” Ethan says, “She’s...”
    Ian laughs.
    “She’s Ethan brand new toy.”
    Maggie snaps her head around.
    “I won’t have any of you talking nasty in my house.
    You stop it.
    Just because Ethan isn’t a man-whore like yourself is no reason to talk like that,
     Ian!”
    Ian immediately shuts his mouth.
    “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to take our lady guest to get some food in her
     stomach and a nice hot shower.” She smiles brightly at me, pushing a bob of brown
     hair from her face
    I glance at Ethan, who nods approvingly.
    I trail behind her, up a flight of stairs
    “I know it’s a lot to take in,” she tells me.
    “Eli told me.”
    My mouth drops.
    It seems as if everyone in the town would know what Ethan and I did against that damn
     tree by sunrise
    She gives me a comforting smile.
    “I was there about five years ago.
    I thought Eli was insane.” She brings me into a large bedroom that is plastered in
     beautiful shades of green.
    She clicks on a few lights and leads me to yet another door.
    This one is a large bathroom.
    Beautiful, bright