Read Online Invisibility Cloak by Jill Elaine Prim - Free Book Online

need. Tilting her head up, she wanted to feel his mouth on her lips. He looked down at her with heated dark eyes and lowered his head. She held her breath in anticipation. Their lips almost touched.
    Almost . . .
    “ Mom?” Her son’s voice boomed down the basement stairs.
    Ahhh!
    “I hope that’s you, mom!” Nickel’s heavy footsteps stomped on each wooden step as he came down the stairs.
    Pushing away from Ryder, she peeked around the corner of the small room that housed the older refrigerator.
    “Hi, sweetie,” Amanda said to her son who looked so tired. His blond hair stuck straight up as if he ran his fingers through it in frustration numerous times. “Been upstairs studying?”
    “Yeah,” he angled his head around and stopped as soon as he saw the six foot muscled dark haired man behind her. “Who the hell is this?”
    “Nick!” Amanda scolded her fifteen-year-old. “Use your manners, young man.”
    “ R yder Stevenson.” Ryder held out his hand to the young man who reflexively pushed his glasses up on his nose. He had to respect the wiry, sandy haired teenager who was ready to meet him head on. After all, he was only protecting his mother and that was an admirable characteristic, especially when he looked so burnt-out.
    Nick’s plaid collared shirt was half-tucked into his beige pants and his sleeves were rolled up carelessly on his thin arms. But it was the shadows under this kid’s eyes that caught his attention. Amanda’s teenage son looked like most the high school students he’d known, but there was a wariness that was rare at so young an age.
    Nick didn’t move toward his extended hand. He stood still and looked suspiciously at his outstretched hand and asked belligerently, “Well, what are you doing here?”
    “Nickel Constantine Harris, I want to see some manners.” Amanda again reprimanded her son. “You know better than that.”
    His mother’s tone finally got to him.
    Nick ducked his head down and stuck out his right hand with reluctance. “Sorry. You just surprised me is all.”
    “No problem,” Ryder said as they shook hands. “School almost done?”
    “Yeah, I’ve been cramming for my finals. They’re next week.”
    “I’m sorry, honey I didn’t mean to disturb you, but if it’s any consolation, you’ll be all done until fall. And your grandparents are really looking forward to spending a week with you in a few days. Then you can really relax. You know how Grandma likes to baby you.” Smiling, she gestured to Ryder who was standing next to her. “I met Ryder at Sophia Edgington’s dinner party tonight.”
    “Oh yeah? Was it fun?” He tilted his head so his blond hair covered his forehead. “Was Zane around?”
    “No honey, it was just a get together for adults.”
    “Oh.” Nick pushed up his glasses again with his index finger. Ryder was pretty sure it was habitual reaction when the kid didn’t know what else to say. “So . . . are you both going to stay down here, Mom?” His brown eyes narrowed on Ryder.
    Damn, the kid definitely had a protective streak a mile wide for his mother, but that was a commendable quality. Ryder looked at Amanda when her son’s gaze shifted to her, too. It seemed they were both waiting for her to answer. Nick’s eyes darted back at him with a penetrating look. Ryder grinned, he couldn’t help it.
    “Yes Nickel, I thought maybe we could shoot some pool, watch some television.” She reasoned, “I don’t want to bother you or Sammie if you are doing homework and studying for your tests.”
    “Oh, okay.” Index finger pushed the glasses up once again. “I’ll just go back upstairs then.” Her son only made it to one stair before he jerked back around. “Mom, can I talk to you upstairs? Alone?”
    “Yeah, sure honey,” Amanda handed the two Budweiser cans to Ryder. “I’ll be right back. Go have a seat. Turn on the television if you want.”
    Ryder nodded and rounded the corner to the living area. It was nice, but