Read Online Kiss the Stars (Devon Slaughter Book 1) by Alice Bell - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Alice Bell
Ads: Link
beer sign
throbbed. Smoke and cold air drifted in through an open door.
I stared at him.
I could die right now, I thought, and I wouldn’t care.
“Come on,” he
pulled me through the crowd. Peanut shells crunched under my feet. I clutched
his hand.
I was high, like Alice in Wonderland . Bodies rubbed against me, sending out sparks. The
band started a new song. Devon held me close. I was at the prom, at last. I
pressed my cheek against his chest.
A swirl of red
caught my eye. I turned my head. Devon’s arms tightened around me. I clung to
him.
Once more, the
red dress came into my line of vision. I recognized the polka dots on the short
flirty skirt. She was so close, I could touch her. I stared at her slender
ankle, her strappy black shoe. Who was she dancing with? My gaze came up.
Henry Thorne
winked at me.
I tensed. Devon
loosened his hold. I thought of how he’d tilted my chin and asked if I was
okay. He’d been so concerned, so nice, like when he changed my tire. My chest
constricted. I needed air. “I have to go to the bathroom,” I said. The loud
music swallowed my voice.
I saw the
question again in his eyes. You okay?
I have never
been okay .
* * *
The bathroom was
dingy. Women were crowded inside, waiting for a stall. There were only two. I
pushed my way back out and stood by myself in the skinny hall. Overhead, a bare
bulb cast a yellow light.
Georgie and
Henry and their clique made me feel like an outcast.
“Ruby?” Wong’s
black hair hung loose. Her dress was skimpy and silver. Sparkly make-up
glittered on her eyes. I didn’t trust her. She was friends with Georgie. And I
thought Devon would go for someone like her, sooner or later. “Oh my God,” she
grabbed my arm. “Who is he?”
“What?”
“He’s so hot. I mean dangerous, right?”
“You saw him?
You saw me with him?”
Her expression
shifted. “He’s not bothering you, is he?”
Bothering me?
“I’d be happy to
take him off your hands,” she laughed in an airy way.
So that was it.
She was more worthy. Her voice followed me down the hall. I’d be happy to
take him off your hands. God, they were all so superior. Henry was probably
out there right now, telling Devon what a terrible kisser I was.
Music pulsed and
pounded. Someone grabbed my arm. I whirled around; hoping to find Devon but it
was Henry. “Hey,” he said. I pushed his hand away. I wanted to get back to
Devon before he disappeared.
Henry flashed
his movie star smile and leaned down to speak into my ear because the band was
so loud. “I never expected to see you here,” his breath tickled.
He didn’t expect
to see me? It was my favorite bar. I was the one who didn’t
expect to see him in his corduroys and pin-striped shirt. And yet, as I thought
these things, there was still something attractive about him, despite
everything. He reminded me of pine forests and clean flowing rivers, firelight
and roasted marshmallows. He was the exact opposite of me.
Suddenly, his
gaze lifted, to look past me. His eyes widened.
I felt Devon’s
presence before his arm came around my shoulders. He tucked me against his
side, where I felt safe, like I’d taken half a Valium.
“We haven’t met,”
Henry stuck out his hand, which Devon ignored.
When I glanced
up at him, I saw the firm set of his jaw, the haughty shape of his lips. I felt
proud, as if he belonged to me. He was rude and ruthless, like Heathcliff. When
Henry dropped his hand, Devon decided to offer his. A crooked smile crossed his
face. Henry pumped his hand too heartily.
Devon led me
away, and I realized he hadn’t told Henry his name. I’d been waiting to hear
his last name myself. You don’t know him, a voice inside me warned. I
didn’t care.
I was the dark
sky lit by stars.
11. Devon
WE HEADED down
the boardwalk.
Groups of people
passed by. There was a fire on the beach. Someone plucked a guitar. The
boardwalk smelled of wood baked by the sun, corroded by water. The heavy aroma
of fried
throbbed. Smoke and cold air drifted in through an open door.
I stared at him.
I could die right now, I thought, and I wouldn’t care.
“Come on,” he
pulled me through the crowd. Peanut shells crunched under my feet. I clutched
his hand.
I was high, like Alice in Wonderland . Bodies rubbed against me, sending out sparks. The
band started a new song. Devon held me close. I was at the prom, at last. I
pressed my cheek against his chest.
A swirl of red
caught my eye. I turned my head. Devon’s arms tightened around me. I clung to
him.
Once more, the
red dress came into my line of vision. I recognized the polka dots on the short
flirty skirt. She was so close, I could touch her. I stared at her slender
ankle, her strappy black shoe. Who was she dancing with? My gaze came up.
Henry Thorne
winked at me.
I tensed. Devon
loosened his hold. I thought of how he’d tilted my chin and asked if I was
okay. He’d been so concerned, so nice, like when he changed my tire. My chest
constricted. I needed air. “I have to go to the bathroom,” I said. The loud
music swallowed my voice.
I saw the
question again in his eyes. You okay?
I have never
been okay .
* * *
The bathroom was
dingy. Women were crowded inside, waiting for a stall. There were only two. I
pushed my way back out and stood by myself in the skinny hall. Overhead, a bare
bulb cast a yellow light.
Georgie and
Henry and their clique made me feel like an outcast.
“Ruby?” Wong’s
black hair hung loose. Her dress was skimpy and silver. Sparkly make-up
glittered on her eyes. I didn’t trust her. She was friends with Georgie. And I
thought Devon would go for someone like her, sooner or later. “Oh my God,” she
grabbed my arm. “Who is he?”
“What?”
“He’s so hot. I mean dangerous, right?”
“You saw him?
You saw me with him?”
Her expression
shifted. “He’s not bothering you, is he?”
Bothering me?
“I’d be happy to
take him off your hands,” she laughed in an airy way.
So that was it.
She was more worthy. Her voice followed me down the hall. I’d be happy to
take him off your hands. God, they were all so superior. Henry was probably
out there right now, telling Devon what a terrible kisser I was.
Music pulsed and
pounded. Someone grabbed my arm. I whirled around; hoping to find Devon but it
was Henry. “Hey,” he said. I pushed his hand away. I wanted to get back to
Devon before he disappeared.
Henry flashed
his movie star smile and leaned down to speak into my ear because the band was
so loud. “I never expected to see you here,” his breath tickled.
He didn’t expect
to see me? It was my favorite bar. I was the one who didn’t
expect to see him in his corduroys and pin-striped shirt. And yet, as I thought
these things, there was still something attractive about him, despite
everything. He reminded me of pine forests and clean flowing rivers, firelight
and roasted marshmallows. He was the exact opposite of me.
Suddenly, his
gaze lifted, to look past me. His eyes widened.
I felt Devon’s
presence before his arm came around my shoulders. He tucked me against his
side, where I felt safe, like I’d taken half a Valium.
“We haven’t met,”
Henry stuck out his hand, which Devon ignored.
When I glanced
up at him, I saw the firm set of his jaw, the haughty shape of his lips. I felt
proud, as if he belonged to me. He was rude and ruthless, like Heathcliff. When
Henry dropped his hand, Devon decided to offer his. A crooked smile crossed his
face. Henry pumped his hand too heartily.
Devon led me
away, and I realized he hadn’t told Henry his name. I’d been waiting to hear
his last name myself. You don’t know him, a voice inside me warned. I
didn’t care.
I was the dark
sky lit by stars.
11. Devon
WE HEADED down
the boardwalk.
Groups of people
passed by. There was a fire on the beach. Someone plucked a guitar. The
boardwalk smelled of wood baked by the sun, corroded by water. The heavy aroma
of fried
Similar Books
