Perfect Lie(44)

“Thank you,” I whispered, as he breathed over the back of my neck, sending a chill through my body.

“Thank me in the morning when you get out of here unscathed.” His voice was deep and rough, like gravel.

I closed my eyes, knowing damn well sleep wouldn’t come anytime soon. We lay in comfortable silence, and for once my heart raced due to something other than anxiety. It thumped as his heart drummed.

“Can I ask you something?” I held my breath as I waited for a response. I felt him nod, his head moving against my neck. “Why don’t you just go back?”

“Nothing to go back to.”

I nodded and curved my body into him more as his arms tightened a fraction. “Same here.” I breathed deeply, and his arms clasped me more tightly before he relaxed his hold.

His lips moved against the side of my neck, causing my head to swim. “We both know that isn’t true,” he said.

If I had breathed, I wouldn’t have heard him speak, but his words echoed in my chest, and guilt washed over me in heavy, drowning waves. I closed my eyes and hoped Brock didn’t show his face in my dreams tonight. I couldn’t look him in the eye. But I was never that lucky.

“Are you scared about leaving?” Brock’s lips pressed against my temple, and I froze, wanting this moment to last forever.

“I don’t know what to do without you.” I grabbed my shirts from my drawer and shoved them into a plastic bag on my bed. With his fingers he brushed the hair over my shoulder, exposing my neck. His hot lips pressed against my skin, and I sighed, loving how sweet he was to me.

“It’s not forever,” he told me. “I promise. My mom said I’ll be out of here in a few weeks if I stay out of trouble.”

I glanced at him, knowing it would take a miracle for him to stay out of trouble.

“I’ll be good, Bird. I promise. I won’t screw this up for us. You just have to get through a few weeks of school without me.”

“I know. I’ll be fine. I just can’t imagine not having you wake me up every morning.” I tried to sound optimistic, but it was hard when everything in my life had gone wrong. Brock’s hand went to my cheek, and he turned my head to face him.

“One day I’ll be there to wake you up again, Bird. I promise. We’ll have our forever.”




Strong hands held me tightly as I woke up to the first light of morning. I smiled as I stretched my aching muscles.

“I could wake up like this every day,” Abel grumbled against my shoulder, and I squeezed my eyes closed as he awoke fully and his fingers slowly loosened their hold on me. “Delilah…” He said my name as if he were just realizing who he had spent the night with, ruining the perfect dream from the night before. I wondered how many different women had awoken in the same position as me and wished I’d spared myself the humiliation.

“Hoping for someone else?” I knew it was rude, but I’d be lying if I said I hadn’t woken up expecting Brock.

“Definitely not.” He rolled onto his back behind me, and I turned over onto my other side to face him. He reached down to the front of his jeans and readjusted himself. He certainly wasn’t shy—not that he had any reason to be. His head turned toward me, and our noses nearly touched.

“Sleep well?” he asked with a devilish smirk, and I shrugged, completely drowning in the ocean of his eyes. “Sorry. It has a mind of its own.”

I giggled and buried my face in the pillow between us, my hand covering my eyes. His fingers wrapped around mine, and he pulled my hand from my face, lacing our fingers.

“Are you embarrassed, Kettle?” He was making fun of me, and I scowled as I tried to free my hand from his.

“Don’t be stupid. You’re the one who should be embarrassed,” I shot back.

He glanced his toward his crotch and back to me. “I haven’t had any complaints.”

“Doesn’t count if they’re too wasted to speak.” I rolled onto my back and draped my arm across my forehead.

Abel propped himself on his side, and his eyes traveled the length of my body. “Got you in my bed, didn’t I?”

“Dream on.” I sat up and slid off the end of the bed, my sober mind catching up with how stupid I’d acted the night before.

Abel fell onto his back and watched me as I moved around the bedroom, collecting my clothing. “Thank you for taking care of me last night. I know I screwed up your plans.”

“It’s no big deal. There’s always tonight.”

“Shit! I’m late for class. What time is it?” I ignored his comment about Trish; it was easier to block out things than dwell on them.