finding that getting enough oxygen was becoming a problem, I was forced to breathe through my nose. I expected the worst but was surprised to find it was actually pleasant, like warm apple cider. The warmth of his touch and the oddity of his scent began to make me feel strange.
“Let go.” I demanded.
Jake let go of my arm, but I could tell he was poised to grab me if I were to run. He stared at me for a long moment, the stupid smirk on his face never fading. “Want to get out of here?”
I clenched my jaw, hopelessly unnerved. “Not with you.”
Jake laughed. “Relax. I’m not trying to freak you out. I mean you no harm.”
His thoughts once again combed over every curve of my body, but I no longer found it endearing. “Clearly you do,” I challenged.
The thoughts stopped. “Sorry. Can’t help it.” His apology lacked sincerity.
I snorted with disgust.
“You really can’t blame a guy for thinking it. But in all seriousness, I mean you no harm. Besides, Wes would kill me. Especially with being what he is.” He said it with an exasperated sigh.
I ground my teeth together until my gums hurt. “What do you know about Wes?”
He tilted his head. Enough. His mind replied for him.
I weighed my options, but what options did I really have? Library, or finding out more about what Jake knew, or rather, what he was. I wasn’t buying the fact that he was simply a mind reader. Then why the change in tone?
“Come on,” he urged. “You can trust me, I swear. I’m no Gregory Gordon.”
My eyes narrowed at the mention of that name. “Shut. Up,” I seethed. “Shut up!” My reaction came completely from the hip. It was a name I never wanted to hear again.
“Can’t believe you didn’t see that one coming,” he mocked.
I turned away from him, making up my mind to leave.
“Wait, wait, wait .” He ran behind me. “I was just kidding! Come on, Emily. Aren’t you curious about me? About Winter Wood?”
I froze at the mention of Winter Wood. “Winter Wood?” He’d pinned the tail on the donkey—forget that—he’d nailed the darn tail on.
“Yeah, Winter Wood.”
I licked my lips, drunken with the idea of this place that no one seemed to want to tell me about. I twisted on my heel, once again facing him.
His brows were raised. “I knew that would make you stop. Come with me and I’ll tell you all about it.”
Jake sounded like a text book kidnapper, but I reminded myself that this was Jake. I’d known him since kindergarten. I’d practically seen him in diapers. What was the harm? “Fine,” I agreed, but I still wasn’t sure that was the right answer.
Jake smiled, his thoughts wandering back to my body.
“Jake…” I lifted my finger in warning. “One more thought like that and I’m bailing.”
He laughed, his lips pressing against his braces. “Just because Wes would kill me for trying to steal you away, doesn’t mean I can’t mentally praise the company.”
I turned away, disgusted. “Gross,” I murmured under my breath.
He followed after me, hooking his arm with mine.
I flinched, but allowed it.
“Let’s go.” He swiftly led me down the hall and out the front doors.
A twinge of shame tickled my stomach, but I ignored it. Something about Jake made me curious, and I wanted to know what that thing was. Forget the tickle. This was the most interesting thing that had happened in days.
Wes:
I leaned my head against my hand as I propped it on my desk in English, peering out the window at the football field beyond. The book in my other hand lay open, the pages stationary for close to ten minutes now. I was afraid to admit that I was overwhelmed with grief, something that had festered over the past few days. It was a grief I’d already felt for the loss of my parents; a grief I didn’t want to feel again. I was trying to forget them.
Why had I let Max’s claims to their existence take root in my thoughts? It was wrong of him to lead me on the way he
“Let go.” I demanded.
Jake let go of my arm, but I could tell he was poised to grab me if I were to run. He stared at me for a long moment, the stupid smirk on his face never fading. “Want to get out of here?”
I clenched my jaw, hopelessly unnerved. “Not with you.”
Jake laughed. “Relax. I’m not trying to freak you out. I mean you no harm.”
His thoughts once again combed over every curve of my body, but I no longer found it endearing. “Clearly you do,” I challenged.
The thoughts stopped. “Sorry. Can’t help it.” His apology lacked sincerity.
I snorted with disgust.
“You really can’t blame a guy for thinking it. But in all seriousness, I mean you no harm. Besides, Wes would kill me. Especially with being what he is.” He said it with an exasperated sigh.
I ground my teeth together until my gums hurt. “What do you know about Wes?”
He tilted his head. Enough. His mind replied for him.
I weighed my options, but what options did I really have? Library, or finding out more about what Jake knew, or rather, what he was. I wasn’t buying the fact that he was simply a mind reader. Then why the change in tone?
“Come on,” he urged. “You can trust me, I swear. I’m no Gregory Gordon.”
My eyes narrowed at the mention of that name. “Shut. Up,” I seethed. “Shut up!” My reaction came completely from the hip. It was a name I never wanted to hear again.
“Can’t believe you didn’t see that one coming,” he mocked.
I turned away from him, making up my mind to leave.
“Wait, wait, wait .” He ran behind me. “I was just kidding! Come on, Emily. Aren’t you curious about me? About Winter Wood?”
I froze at the mention of Winter Wood. “Winter Wood?” He’d pinned the tail on the donkey—forget that—he’d nailed the darn tail on.
“Yeah, Winter Wood.”
I licked my lips, drunken with the idea of this place that no one seemed to want to tell me about. I twisted on my heel, once again facing him.
His brows were raised. “I knew that would make you stop. Come with me and I’ll tell you all about it.”
Jake sounded like a text book kidnapper, but I reminded myself that this was Jake. I’d known him since kindergarten. I’d practically seen him in diapers. What was the harm? “Fine,” I agreed, but I still wasn’t sure that was the right answer.
Jake smiled, his thoughts wandering back to my body.
“Jake…” I lifted my finger in warning. “One more thought like that and I’m bailing.”
He laughed, his lips pressing against his braces. “Just because Wes would kill me for trying to steal you away, doesn’t mean I can’t mentally praise the company.”
I turned away, disgusted. “Gross,” I murmured under my breath.
He followed after me, hooking his arm with mine.
I flinched, but allowed it.
“Let’s go.” He swiftly led me down the hall and out the front doors.
A twinge of shame tickled my stomach, but I ignored it. Something about Jake made me curious, and I wanted to know what that thing was. Forget the tickle. This was the most interesting thing that had happened in days.
Wes:
I leaned my head against my hand as I propped it on my desk in English, peering out the window at the football field beyond. The book in my other hand lay open, the pages stationary for close to ten minutes now. I was afraid to admit that I was overwhelmed with grief, something that had festered over the past few days. It was a grief I’d already felt for the loss of my parents; a grief I didn’t want to feel again. I was trying to forget them.
Why had I let Max’s claims to their existence take root in my thoughts? It was wrong of him to lead me on the way he
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