Read Online Walking in the Shadows by Cassandra Giovanni - Free Book Online

smile . “I thought making pies would take my mind off of things.”
    “Well, they s ure do smell good. I hope you’ ll share them with me?” h e suggested.
    “Tad, what are you doing here?” I asked as I looked over his shoulder and pulled him inside before shut ting the door.
    “You shouldn’t be alone.”
    “What if someone sees your car and knows I live here? You kno w how teenagers gossip!” I chided him, my face feeling warmer by the second.
    “My friend Toby lives right across th e way. He’ ll cove r for me and say I was there…I’ m not worried. Everyone at the school is already gossipi ng about how head over heels I am for girl that broke my heart. I’ m sure Jaz told you all about it. ”
    “Did she really break your heart?”
    He stepped closer to me . “Not really, she’s just holding it se cretly as opposed to openly now . ”
    I closed my eyes a nd took a deep breath as I tried to make my brain keep working, but it was impossible with the heat of his body so close to mine and his cologne working like amnesia gas. His hand was on my cheek again and his arm sl owly pulled my waist to his own . “What I’ m wondering is , does she still want it?”
    I opened my eyes and searched his . “How could you even ask?”
    He was about to kiss me , and I was about to let him when his phone rang , making us both jump and separate. He pulled his phone out of his pocket clumsily ; h is brain ha d obviously stopped working too .
    “Hi Dad…Yeah, I know Aunt Cathy is going to drive you nuts, but you have Meg and Bri—I know I’m your only savior…I can’t Dad…I’ m already here though…Where? At a friend’s house…Yes, it’s a girl…yes, it’s the girl…I know I need to be careful… ”  He frowned and looked me, saying, “ Do you have a turkey? Wait … Dad why do you need to know if she has a turkey? My d ad wants to know what we’ re having for dinner . ”
    I couldn’ t help but laugh . “Sorry, I only made pie.”
    “She only made p ies….come on Dad, why do you need to know…fine— what kind of pies?” Tad asked .
    “Apple and pumpkin,” I answered and motioned to my flou r covered clothing, “ from scratch.”
    He repeated my answer . “What’s her address? She lives in the same com plex as Toby…wait? What? Dad!” H e hung up the phone . “My d ad’s bringing the t urkey and all the fixings from the grocery store. He’ll be here in half an hour after he convinces them to give him one that he didn’t order.”
    “Your Aunt Cathy must be a real ly scary person, ” I commented , unable to stop smiling.
    “Yeah, he can’t stand to be aro und her when I’ m not there. I’ m really sorry…we can always lock him out?”
    “I like turkey though and it’s not fair for you to give up your family to spend time with me. I’ d like to meet your d ad,” I replied , and I then look ed down at myself . “Crap, how long did he say?”
    “Half an hour,” h e answered with a smirk.
    “When the timer goes of f take the pies out of the oven, ” I ordered as I turned into the bathroom. I showered and threw on a light dusting of make up before walking out of the bathroom wrapped in a towel.
    Tad’ s eyes widened . “What I wouldn’ t give to have x-ray vision right now.”
    I don’t know what I was thinking as I let the towel fall before I turned into my bedroom.
    “ That’s not fair!” Tad yell ed from the living room , his voice semi-breathless. When I walked out clothed he looked up at me with his face red . “You can hurt a guy doing something like that.”
    “You don’t look hurt, ” I remarked as I bit my lip. He closed his eyes , and I picked up the towel and threw it at him . “Stop imagining it.”
    He opened his eyes just as the towel hit him in the face. He then leapt the short distance across the room towards me and pulled me into his arms . “ You’re a tease ! ”
    I wrapped my arms around his neck . “I have to look at you every day in