Phantoms of Fall (The Haunting Ruby Series Book 2) by Joy Elbel Read Free Book Online Page B

summer is over. I’m nervous
about school tomorrow. I don’t want things to change.” Ever.
I wanted to stay there with him in our own little world
forever, just the two of us.
“I know. Walk with me. This is our last night before
school—I want it to be special.”
    Special.
Was he thinking the same thing I was? He
pulled the blanket out of the back seat of his car and my hopes
soared. I took his hand and we walked to the top of the hill.
    My curfew on school nights was ten o’clock but that
was more than enough time for us to do what I wanted to do.
My stomach did flip flops as he spread the blanket on the
ground and invited me to sit with him.
“So did you go talk to Rita?” he asked.
    I loved talking to him but I didn’t want to talk tonight.
Especially about that .
I wanted to lose myself in him.
I
wanted him
to lose himself in
me.
But I answered him
anyway.
    “Yeah,” I replied casually. Scooting closer to him, I
rested my hand on his leg. Maybe he would get the hint that I
wanted to do more than just talk.
Clueless, he took my hand in his. “So what did she
want anyway?”
    Panic. I didn’t consider the fact that he would ask me
point blank about our conversation. “Um, she just wanted
some details about what happened last week.”
    “Oh. That was it? She made it sound urgent—like it
was a matter of life and death or something.” He stared out
over the town as he talked which was just what I needed to
get through what I had to do next. I simply couldn’t look into
those gorgeous eyes and lie—not again.
    “That was it. I think she documents every case she
works on.” I swore months ago that I would never lie to him
again.
How did I end up back in this place, this world of
deception? I convinced myself that it was for his own good
and changed the subject. “So what do you want to do
tonight?” I said trying to use my best sexy voice. Then I
remembered that I didn’t have one. I sounded about as sexy
as Kermit the Frog.
“Honestly…I just want to be alone with you.” Zach, on
the other hand, definitely had a sexy voice and he was using it
to its fullest potential.
“I want to be alone with you, too.” And those were the
last words we spoke for hours.
    The sun set without us ever noticing.
Time moved
differently when we were together—like our chemistry threw
off even the laws of physics. When we kissed, I was light as
air and the only thing that kept me from drifting away was his
embrace. But I wanted more. I wanted to float right out of my
body
and
into his.
My
head was
swimming,
my
heart
pounding. And when he slid his hand up the back of my shirt,
I thought I was going to explode. The heat of his hand on the
small of my back was enough to ignite an inferno.
    I decided to follow his lead. I wanted him to know I
was right there with him—both mentally and physically.
My
right hand moved delicately down his back until I found the
bottom of his shirt. Without hesitation, I made my way under
the fabric. He was on fire and the increased pace of his kisses
proved it. I’d never known a more perfect moment. I was
ready and there was no way that he couldn’t be, too. But after
only moments of this intensity, he pulled away.
“Ruby,” he said through panting breaths, “It’s late. I
have to get home and so do you.”
    Ten o’clock so soon? It couldn’t be! And how did he
even have an opportunity to check his watch? Forget about
opportunity, where did he find the willpower? If it was up to
me, I would have stayed there with him until the first rays of
morning light.
    “Can’t we stay just a little while longer?” I leaned back
on the blanket, grabbed a fistful of his tee shirt and tried to
pull him down with me.
    For a second, a smoldering look consumed his eyes. It
was a look that said he wanted me just as much as I wanted
him. He followed me until he was almost on top of me and
then stopped so abruptly that I was startled.
“No, Ruby. We need to go. Now,” he said with an