Read Online Heart Shaped Rock by Laura Roppe - Free Book Online Page B

catch my breath. If I were standing up, I’d have to sit down. He’s beautiful.
    He parts his lips as if to speak, but instead, licks his lower lip. Oh my God, his lips are exquisite. Get a hold of yourself, Shaynee. Seriously. This is ridiculous.
    He still isn’t speaking. He’s looking at my face, every square inch of my face. He’s not even trying to disguise his scrutiny of my features. Like right now. He’s unabashedly staring at my eyes, my nose... Oh my God, he’s noticing my freckles right now. And my mouth. My lips. He licks his lips again. A heat spreads throughout my body.
    I exhale. “What’s your challenge, Frodo?” I ask, breaking the spell. I chew on my lip in anticipation of his reply.
    He shakes his head, just slightly, as if being roused from a daydream.
    “What’s it gonna be?” I demand.
    “Well, I’ll tell you, if you’ll let me.”
    I nod. Yes. I will let you. I will let you.
    “Let’s see who can hold their breath the longest. The loser has to grant the winner a reasonable wish.”
    I clear my throat. “Well, I guess that depends on the wish. What will you wish for if you win?”
    “No, no, no, Walkie-Talkie Girl, it doesn’t work that way. Neither participant’s prospective wish shall be stated beforehand. Each of us has to take a leap of faith and trust that our faith won’t be abused.”
    Where did this boy come from? He’s otherworldly.
    “I’m willing to take a leap of faith and trust you, Shaynee—wait, what’s your last name?”
    “Sullivan.”
    “I’m willing to take a leap of faith and trust you, Shaynee Sullivan. Are you willing to trust me?”
    I’ve never met anyone like him before. “How old are you?” I ask.
    “Seventeen. So, are you in?”
    “Don’t you want to know how old I am?”
    “You’re sixteen.”
    I gasp. “How’d you know that?”
    “Lucky guess,” he says. “Are you in?”
    I think for a moment. If I win, he’ll have to grant me a “reasonable” wish. I could have a lot of fun with this. And there’s, like, zero risk I’ll lose this bet. Little does he know, I’ve been singing since I was three years old. Mom always marveled at how I can hold a note for days and days and days. Mom.
    He’s cute, Shaynee, her voice says in my ear.
    My breath catches. I haven’t imagined Mom’s voice even once before now. It’s jolting. It’s disturbing. Slightly panic inducing, even. I look into his blue eyes. They’re reassuring.
    He subtly nods at me.
    Do it, Shaynee. Take a leap.
    “What’s your last name?” I ask.
    “Masterson.”
    “Okay, I’m willing to take a leap of faith and trust you, Dean Masterson. I’m in.”
    He smiles broadly.
    “I wouldn’t be so quick to smile if I were you, Motorcycle Boy. You’re going down.”
    He laughs. “Oh, you are a badass, aren’t you? An adorable little badass.”
    I’m on fire.
    It takes me a second, but I find my voice again. “I’m sure that ‘adorable’ line usually works like gangbusters for you—probably on every girl you’ve met in your entire life... and, for that matter, it’ll probably keep on working on every girl you continue to meet on this planet forevermore”—I shake my head, struggling to regain my focus... What did I start out trying to say here?—“but, you see, Frodo, I’m not every other girl. I’m not falling for your lame-ass lines. I warned you, my heart isn’t normal.” I’m lying, of course. Not about the abnormality of my heart, but about his effect on me. The truth is I’m absolutely falling for his “adorable” line—and everything else he’s peddling—hook, line, and sinker.
    “Intriguing,” he replies, but his eyes aren’t smiling when he says this. “Okay, you’ve stalled long enough. Are you ready to rumble?”
    “Yep.”
    “On the count of three, then,” he says. He holds up his hand and wordlessly counts “one, two, three” with his fingers while we both inhale deeply.
    A minute passes, then almost two. I’m beginning