Tortured Souls (The Orion Circle) by Kimber Leigh Wheaton Read Free Book Online Page B

call if I’ll be late. Two from Celia. My heart falls when she finishes her rant—it appears there may be trouble in Jake paradise. I really like Jake. He’s good for her. She thinks football is more important to him than she is. I guess I’ll need to find a way to prove to her she’s dead wrong. Jake worships at the altar that is Celia.
    The last message is from Dave who can’t drive me to school in the morning, but could I bring his coffee anyway? Since they have an early morning football practice, I’ll oblige. I wonder what happened at practice this afternoon to warrant a five a.m. practice tomorrow. The coach must be furious about something.
    I ignore the texts for now. Frankly, I’m getting sick of that form of communication. Too many of my friends developed the habit of endless texts. Anyone who knows me well is aware they should leave a voicemail if they actually want me to pay attention.
    “Can I give you a ride home?” Logan asks when I look up from my phone.
    He’s still seated on the sofa next to me, a solid rock at my side throughout the afternoon and evening. If possible I’m even more attracted to him now than before.
    “That would be great, thanks,” I reply, feeling shy and a touch nervous.
    He rises from the sofa and extends his hand to help me up. I take his hand and allow him to pull me from my seat. Logan pulls a bit harder than I was expecting, causing me to stumble and fall into his outstretched arms. My cheeks redden and I jump away as if burned, though I immediately regret my actions. Daniel, having witnessed the whole embarrassing incident, struts over.
    “Smooth moves, Romeo,” he says snickering.
    Logan runs a hand through his golden-brown curls and flashes a sheepish grin. My ire rises and I fail to keep my big mouth shut.
    “Bite me,” I growl at the pompous ass.
    “Thought you’d never ask, kitten,” Daniel purrs, wrapping an arm around my shoulder.
    “Oh, please,” I mutter as I shrug his arm off my shoulder and push him away.
    A smirk curls my lip at Daniel’s shocked expression. I guess he’s not used to being shot down. Logan snickers before he grabs my backpack and winds the strap over my shoulder.
    “We should head out while there’s a lull in the rain,” he says. His gaze drifts from the windows back to me.
    I nod my head and follow him without sparing a glance for Daniel. As we pass through the door, several people shout goodbyes which we both return before allowing the door to close behind us. After bounding down the three flights of stairs, I’m dismayed when the shower of water picks up again just as we open the door leading outside.
    We walk through the darkened campus, sticking close to the building to avoid the downpour. When we reach the side facing the parking lot, we pause for a moment and watch the rain fall. It’s almost empty, only a few cars remain. Fat raindrops are reflected in the lights illuminating the parking lot, creating a beautiful, glittery wonderland. Who knew a vast expanse of blacktop bathed in yellow-orange light could be so enchanting?
    “Do you want to wait and see if the rain slows or make a dash for the car?” Logan asks, gazing down at me in the dim light.
    “A little rain never hurt anyone. Lead on,” I say, a bit breathless. He gives me a bright grin that makes my heart flutter. “I am a Pisces after all. I believe that makes me one with the water,” I add, averting my gaze in a desperate attempt to stop the flush spreading across my cheeks.
    He takes my hand, making my heart race even faster, and we dash across the parking lot toward his car. The raindrops splattering against my face are cool but not cold, making me feel energized. I’ve always been partial to the rain. So many view the rain as a spoiler of, well, everything. But to me rain is fresh. It washes away the accumulation of grime, wiping the slate clean, renewing and giving life. Normally I watch the rain from the shelter of our covered deck, but every once