Read Online Under the Orange Moon by Adrienne Frances - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Adrienne Frances
Ads: Link
that blocked her view. As he appeared, he blurred with an array of colors that she recognized instantly.
“Ben?” Dylan called, as he raced by her. “What are you doing?”
Ben slowed until his feet froze in place and he bent forward to catch his breath. He almost seemed annoyed that she stopped him. He stood, hunched over with his back moving up and down as he inhaled and exhaled slowly.
“Are you okay?” Dylan asked, concerned.
“I’m fine,” he lied. She could tell that, of course. “What are you doing up here?”
“Painting.” Dylan dropped her paintbrush on accident. She was a bumbling fool.
He knew this was her favorite spot to paint and it frustrated her that he pretended he didn’t. Of all the hills in Phoenix, this seemed to be the one that the tourists avoided. It was remote and peaceful. Ben knew this place as he knew her.
Ben pulled his wet shirt from his body and lifted his arms above his head. “That felt good,” he said as he breathed heavily. He stretched his muscular arms out above him and stared out over the scenery.
Dylan’s eyes widened and moved anywhere she could find that wasn’t Ben. She hated how absurd she felt around him. Why couldn’t she just act normal? Because he was too beautiful for words and now this handsome man, the man she dreaded even looking at, was sweating and shirtless as he panted heavily in the sun. Ugh .
Ben looked around and then stopped when he saw the painting she had just finished. “Who’s that supposed to be?” he asked, still breathless.
Dylan glanced over at her newest design and felt her face blush over to a color she herself couldn’t match in a jar. She never intended for him to see the picture of a night’s sky filled with stars, centered with a naked man and woman intertwined in a sitting position, their lips barely touching.
“No-no one,” she began to stammer. She gave herself a moment as she closed her eyes and drew in a long breath. Her face was still bashful and a smirk grazed her mouth. “Why does it have to be anyone?”
“It doesn’t.” Ben let out a small chuckle as he looked away and raised his arms above his head once again. His face relaxed in the rays and he sighed heavily.
“Help me carry this stuff back down to my car,” Dylan demanded, still trying not to look at him. “It took me two trips to get it up here.”
Ben groaned loudly and grabbed her bucket and easel. “Good thing I came up here for you.”
“Don’t be a jerk,” she said.
The two walked back down the long trail that lead to a dusty car lot below. Dylan chewed on her lip, wondering if he was going to say anything about the things he said in her bed the night before. She almost admired his ability to dismiss it the following day. He would never acknowledge it until they were back in the world that only they existed in and poof he was hers again. She only wished she had his talents.
He set her things down and stared at her painfully. His mind was in an obvious race inside his head and he seemed almost overwhelmed at the activity he held in there. He looked so badly as if he could have blurted something out at any moment just to release the words he couldn’t decipher so that maybe someone else could make sense of them for a change. He wouldn’t dare, Dylan knew. He was a locked vault of emotion.
“Is it your mom?” Dylan asked against her better judgment. “Did something happen?”
“Dylan, don’t do this like we’re friends.” He stopped his mouth too late and realized it with a long sigh. “It’s nothing.”
“We’re not friends, Ben?” Her heart ached. Why did he want to hurt her all the time? She made it too easy for him. He knew she would always forgive him, she would always come back for more, and she would most definitely accept him without an apology.
Ben’s face hardened. “No.”
“Then what are we?” She felt the stinging in her eyes and silently scolded herself for even allowing her eyes to water in front of
“Ben?” Dylan called, as he raced by her. “What are you doing?”
Ben slowed until his feet froze in place and he bent forward to catch his breath. He almost seemed annoyed that she stopped him. He stood, hunched over with his back moving up and down as he inhaled and exhaled slowly.
“Are you okay?” Dylan asked, concerned.
“I’m fine,” he lied. She could tell that, of course. “What are you doing up here?”
“Painting.” Dylan dropped her paintbrush on accident. She was a bumbling fool.
He knew this was her favorite spot to paint and it frustrated her that he pretended he didn’t. Of all the hills in Phoenix, this seemed to be the one that the tourists avoided. It was remote and peaceful. Ben knew this place as he knew her.
Ben pulled his wet shirt from his body and lifted his arms above his head. “That felt good,” he said as he breathed heavily. He stretched his muscular arms out above him and stared out over the scenery.
Dylan’s eyes widened and moved anywhere she could find that wasn’t Ben. She hated how absurd she felt around him. Why couldn’t she just act normal? Because he was too beautiful for words and now this handsome man, the man she dreaded even looking at, was sweating and shirtless as he panted heavily in the sun. Ugh .
Ben looked around and then stopped when he saw the painting she had just finished. “Who’s that supposed to be?” he asked, still breathless.
Dylan glanced over at her newest design and felt her face blush over to a color she herself couldn’t match in a jar. She never intended for him to see the picture of a night’s sky filled with stars, centered with a naked man and woman intertwined in a sitting position, their lips barely touching.
“No-no one,” she began to stammer. She gave herself a moment as she closed her eyes and drew in a long breath. Her face was still bashful and a smirk grazed her mouth. “Why does it have to be anyone?”
“It doesn’t.” Ben let out a small chuckle as he looked away and raised his arms above his head once again. His face relaxed in the rays and he sighed heavily.
“Help me carry this stuff back down to my car,” Dylan demanded, still trying not to look at him. “It took me two trips to get it up here.”
Ben groaned loudly and grabbed her bucket and easel. “Good thing I came up here for you.”
“Don’t be a jerk,” she said.
The two walked back down the long trail that lead to a dusty car lot below. Dylan chewed on her lip, wondering if he was going to say anything about the things he said in her bed the night before. She almost admired his ability to dismiss it the following day. He would never acknowledge it until they were back in the world that only they existed in and poof he was hers again. She only wished she had his talents.
He set her things down and stared at her painfully. His mind was in an obvious race inside his head and he seemed almost overwhelmed at the activity he held in there. He looked so badly as if he could have blurted something out at any moment just to release the words he couldn’t decipher so that maybe someone else could make sense of them for a change. He wouldn’t dare, Dylan knew. He was a locked vault of emotion.
“Is it your mom?” Dylan asked against her better judgment. “Did something happen?”
“Dylan, don’t do this like we’re friends.” He stopped his mouth too late and realized it with a long sigh. “It’s nothing.”
“We’re not friends, Ben?” Her heart ached. Why did he want to hurt her all the time? She made it too easy for him. He knew she would always forgive him, she would always come back for more, and she would most definitely accept him without an apology.
Ben’s face hardened. “No.”
“Then what are we?” She felt the stinging in her eyes and silently scolded herself for even allowing her eyes to water in front of
Similar Books
