the movie off her desk and popped it into the VCR. The first of the billion previews came on.
She sat down on the bed next to Michael. Then she grabbed a pillow and stretched out. If he wasgoing to be totally casual about lounging around on her bed, she wasnât going to act like it was a big thing. Even though being so close to him made her body feel like there was a big spring inside it, all tightly wound.
âSo are you packed and everything?â she asked.
âI will be. I know the drill. Itâs no biggie.â He stared at the TV as if the preview were the most interesting thing heâd ever seen.
No big deal. Right. I believe that, Maria thought. She couldnât imagine what it must be like moving from home to home, new âparentsâ at every stop. She was living in the house where she grew up. Her room and her brother were right there with her, same as always. Although it still felt horrible that her dad wasnât there with them. After the divorce heâd only moved across town, but it felt as if everything in her life changed.
âIt hasnât even started, and Iâm nervous already,â Maria said. âIf my mom isnât home when itâs over, do you think you could crash here? I have a sleeping bag in the closet.â
Maria knew for a fact her mother wouldnât be home when the movie ended. Which meant Michael wouldnât have to spend a night in a place where he obviously didnât want to be.
âSure. You donât have a thing to worry about, missy,â he answered. He gave a loud sniff. âDo you smell something funny? Like cough drops and flowers?â
âYeah,â she answered. âI think it smells good. Itâs a weird combinationâbut it works.â
Isabel tightened her arms around Nikolas and pressed her cheek against his back. She had no idea where he was taking her, and she didnât care. She knew she
should
care, but she just didnât. She closed her eyes and lost herself in the sensationsâthe smell of Nikolasâs leather jacket, the heat of his body soaking into hers, the warm desert air blowing her hair away from her face.
Max would have a fit if he knew she was out riding around in the desert with some guy she barely knew. Michael would, too. Actually, so would Alex, but for a whole different reason.
But there was no way she could have let Nikolas just walk away from her. From the second sheâd gazed up into his golden eyes, she felt drawn to him. As if sheâd been looking for him her whole life, even though she hadnât realized sheâd been looking for anything at all.
Isabel couldnât believe she was having all these gooey, mushy thoughts. She was starting to sound like Tish, the girl who thought that Certs commercials were romantic. She reminded herself that Nikolas was just a guy and that all guys were basically alike. Totally predictable. Totally easy to manipulate. Fun to play with, yeah. But nothing to get all in knots about.
There was only one little problem with the speech she had just given herself. Isabel had gone out with a lot of guys and flirted with a lot more, but none of them had made her feel the way Nikolas did. None of them made her knees go all soft just by looking at her. And that meant Nikolas was different from any guy sheâd ever met.
But that didnât mean she had to let
him
know that. She opened her eyes and sat up a little straighter. She left her arms wrapped around Nikolasâs waist. That was okay. That was necessary. She didnât want to go tumbling off the motorcycle or anything.
Isabel tried to focus on the scenery flying by. She wanted to get her mind off Nikolas for a while. The cave! she thought, realizing where they were. Nikolas is heading right toward the cave.
Suddenly Isabel remembered Max and Michael saying that someone on a motorcycle had been following them a few nights ago when they were doing one of their searches for
She sat down on the bed next to Michael. Then she grabbed a pillow and stretched out. If he wasgoing to be totally casual about lounging around on her bed, she wasnât going to act like it was a big thing. Even though being so close to him made her body feel like there was a big spring inside it, all tightly wound.
âSo are you packed and everything?â she asked.
âI will be. I know the drill. Itâs no biggie.â He stared at the TV as if the preview were the most interesting thing heâd ever seen.
No big deal. Right. I believe that, Maria thought. She couldnât imagine what it must be like moving from home to home, new âparentsâ at every stop. She was living in the house where she grew up. Her room and her brother were right there with her, same as always. Although it still felt horrible that her dad wasnât there with them. After the divorce heâd only moved across town, but it felt as if everything in her life changed.
âIt hasnât even started, and Iâm nervous already,â Maria said. âIf my mom isnât home when itâs over, do you think you could crash here? I have a sleeping bag in the closet.â
Maria knew for a fact her mother wouldnât be home when the movie ended. Which meant Michael wouldnât have to spend a night in a place where he obviously didnât want to be.
âSure. You donât have a thing to worry about, missy,â he answered. He gave a loud sniff. âDo you smell something funny? Like cough drops and flowers?â
âYeah,â she answered. âI think it smells good. Itâs a weird combinationâbut it works.â
Isabel tightened her arms around Nikolas and pressed her cheek against his back. She had no idea where he was taking her, and she didnât care. She knew she
should
care, but she just didnât. She closed her eyes and lost herself in the sensationsâthe smell of Nikolasâs leather jacket, the heat of his body soaking into hers, the warm desert air blowing her hair away from her face.
Max would have a fit if he knew she was out riding around in the desert with some guy she barely knew. Michael would, too. Actually, so would Alex, but for a whole different reason.
But there was no way she could have let Nikolas just walk away from her. From the second sheâd gazed up into his golden eyes, she felt drawn to him. As if sheâd been looking for him her whole life, even though she hadnât realized sheâd been looking for anything at all.
Isabel couldnât believe she was having all these gooey, mushy thoughts. She was starting to sound like Tish, the girl who thought that Certs commercials were romantic. She reminded herself that Nikolas was just a guy and that all guys were basically alike. Totally predictable. Totally easy to manipulate. Fun to play with, yeah. But nothing to get all in knots about.
There was only one little problem with the speech she had just given herself. Isabel had gone out with a lot of guys and flirted with a lot more, but none of them had made her feel the way Nikolas did. None of them made her knees go all soft just by looking at her. And that meant Nikolas was different from any guy sheâd ever met.
But that didnât mean she had to let
him
know that. She opened her eyes and sat up a little straighter. She left her arms wrapped around Nikolasâs waist. That was okay. That was necessary. She didnât want to go tumbling off the motorcycle or anything.
Isabel tried to focus on the scenery flying by. She wanted to get her mind off Nikolas for a while. The cave! she thought, realizing where they were. Nikolas is heading right toward the cave.
Suddenly Isabel remembered Max and Michael saying that someone on a motorcycle had been following them a few nights ago when they were doing one of their searches for
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