Is kissing really supposed to be like that? Granted I don’t have much to compare it to. I got a nice lip-glossed smooch a few nights ago and a soft and sweet little-bit-more-than-a-peck a few weekends before that. I wonder what it would be like to kiss someone so hard you’re in danger of drawing blood. Is that supposed to be sexy?
A knock on the window jolts me from the werewolf lip-lock, and I didn’t realize how flushed my neck and face were.
Brown fur presses against the library floor-to-ceiling glass as Adam in full-out squirrel uniform rubs his costume covered butt around just for me. I smack the window so he turns to face me, then I shake my head at the sign he has to carry around today.
Come taste our nuts!
He holds up a furry finger and jogs backward to his street corner. I settle my knees into the cushion of the chair I’m sitting in, resting my arms on the back. Adam’s been sign twirling for over a year now, and it’s pretty cool once he gets going. He waits for a car to buzz by, then he tosses the nut sign in the air and catches it behind his back. It swings around his big furry body, and it’s back in the air a second after that on a giant twirl.
I kind of want him to teach me how to do that. Not that I’ll ever need to know how to toss a big piece of cardboard in the air and catch it, but it’d be fun to learn.
Abandoning my books on a nearby shelf, I leave the library empty-handed and make my way to Adam’s corner. His sign is tilted against the light post, and he pulls the big squirrel head off his shoulders.
“You missed my big finale,” he breathes, glasses a little foggy and red hair matted in sweat on his forehead.
“You were so good I had to come out here and taste your nuts.”
He shakes his head and laughs, and I dig through my bag for my water bottle. I toss it to him, and he drops the squirrel head to catch it.
“Ah, thanks,” he says before taking a swig. He downs more than half then takes the bottle from his mouth, wiping the mix of sweat and water from his top lip. Nodding toward the library he asks, “What were you reading? You seemed really into it.”
I wave my hand before shoving it in my pocket. “Nothing. Just some werewolf love story.”
“Was it good?”
I shrug and he laughs.
“When I get off work, we’re heading back here. I’ll show you the best werewolf books.”
That actually sounds fun, but… “I need to study. I’ve got a chapter test next week in history, and I just bombed the practice quiz.”
His eyebrow goes up. “Wasn’t I supposed to help you with that?”
“Yeah… but I don’t want to bug you—”
“Brea, you’re not bugging me.” He puts a furry hand on my shoulder and shakes. “I’m a senior with almost nothing to do for the rest of the year.”
“Really?”
“Yep. College apps are in, and my credits are done. I could graduate tomorrow if I wanted to.”
“Then why don’t you?” I’d kill to be in his position. I’d take early graduation in a second.
“Because I’m a nerd who loves school.” He tosses the water back to me. “So after my shift, I’ll help you with that practice quiz.”
Part of me wants to wave off his offer, but I really do need help. It’s Adam. I can trust him with this.
Stuffing the water back in my bag, I mumble, “Thank you.”
His eyes widen slightly under his glasses. “No argument?”
I wrinkle my nose at him. “Not this time.”
Chapter 8
I think he knows me better than I know myself.
The text jingle on my cell goes off, and I pull it out to silence it.
“Do you need to go?” Adam whispers across the library desk. I shake my head when I see Jay’s name on the screen. I can text him later. Or wait till tomorrow to save my phone minutes.
“We’re good.” I tuck my cell away. “Just help me get through this before I’m eighty years old.”
Adam slides his glasses off, then rubs his eyes. He doesn’t seem annoyed, just really tired. I don’t blame him. We’ve been staring at the stupid computer screen for two hours. I’ve yet to pass any of the practice tests.
“I think we need to try something else.”
“Like what?”
He reaches over me to the mouse, the skin on his arm grazing my stomach. It sends little currents through my body, but probably because I wasn’t expecting it. His elbow continues to bump against me as he clicks the Internet browser and moves his hands to the keyboard.
lotsoftrivia.com
“All right,” he says as the page loads, “let’s narrow down your interests.”
I look at him, his face surprisingly close. He smells like roasted almonds.
“Huh?”
“What sort of stuff are you into?”
“How will this help me pass History?”
He ignores me, tapping his fingers lightly over the keyboard. “Hmm… you’re into books—which is good, because we probably wouldn’t be friends if you weren’t.” He turns to wink at me, then looks at the screen again. “But you really like movies, so we’ll start with that.”
“I don’t get it.” I lean back in my seat because he’s real close, and I think they turned the thermostat up.
“Let’s see here…” he says to the computer. “Parodies. That’s a no. Family-friendly. Definite no. Romantic comedies. Yes, even though you won’t admit to it.”
I pinch his shoulder, and he chuckles. “Ah… here we go. Horror films.”
He clicks on the category and a few hundred quizzes pop up. They’re labeled from easy to extremely difficult. Adam doesn’t ask as he scrolls right down to A Nightmare on Elm Street.
A tiny flutter goes through my chest as he clicks on an “average” quiz titled All About Freddy. I can’t decide if I’m nervous because it’s basically a test, or if I’m just happy he knew that movie is one of my favorites without me saying anything.
His fingers slide off the keyboard, and he wraps his arm around the back of my chair. He’s not touching me, but it sure feels like it.
“Before you start this, I’m going to take you down memory lane.”
I snort, tearing my eyes from the computer screen to his glasses.
“You remember when you made me watch this?” he asks with a grimace.
“It was the original, Adam. It was more funny than scary.”
“Bull. You knew I was gonna scream like a girl.”
“And scream you did.”
“I was afraid to fall asleep for a week.”
“Were you scared you’d get sucked into the bed like Glen?”
“That was Johnny Depp, right?” His face pales, and he shivers. “I forgot about that part. I think I blocked it from my memory.”
I pop out a laugh so loud I get a shhh from the librarian. Whoops.
“Okay,” Adam says, “I want you to take this quiz. It’s just for fun, and it’s all about that freaky movie.”
Rolling my eyes to the computer screen, I blow a breath from my mouth, vibrating my lips.
Question One: What character was sucked into his/her bed after he/she fell asleep?
Glen
Rod
Tina
Kia
I stare at the screen. I seriously just talked about this scene. Adam didn’t even bring it up. I did. I even said the character’s name. I said it. Out loud.
Glen. It’s Glen. But when I go to click the box next to the “A” I stop. My vision blurs. My heart pumps so fast I think it wants to run from my chest. Did I really say Glen? Or did I say Rod? Maybe I remembered wrong when I told Adam it was Glen.
I slam my head down on the desk and press the heels of my hands into my eyes to stanch the burn I feel behind them.
What the hell is wrong with me?
I suck in a breath, and Adam places a warm hand on my back.
“How about a change of scenery?”
“What?” I croak.
“Let’s forget thi
s for a bit, hit a Redbox, and watch a movie at my house.”
I press harder into my eyes. “How will that help me pass my test next week?”
His hand moves in a circle around my back, and my breathing slowly goes back to normal.
“Trust me, we both need a break.”
Once I know the tears I forced back will stay behind my eyeballs, I sit up straight and log off the library computer.
“Can I pick the movie?” I ask the blue computer screen.
Adam moves his hand from my back to grab my bag off the floor. “As long as it isn’t A Nightmare on Elm Street.
I smile, despite the fact that I feel like total shit. I reach for my bag, but Adam stands and pulls it on his shoulder instead. He slides the books he got earlier off the desk, and I walk with him to check them out. Without even thinking, I drop my head to his shoulder as he punches in his library code.
“Am I hopeless?”
His hand pauses on the tap screen. It takes him a few seconds to respond. Enough time for me to wonder what is going through his head… and freak out a little about it.
“No.”
He goes back to checking his books out, and I keep quiet. If he really thinks I can do this, then damn it, I will try not to let him down.
***
My phone rings the second I snuggle into Adam’s couch. It’s Levi.
“Sorry, one sec,” I say to Adam who pauses over the remote. He gives me a pretend annoyed face as I answer. “Hey.”
“Hey, you still at the library?”
“No, I’m at Adam’s.”
“Is he cool with giving you a ride home?”
I don’t see why he wouldn’t be, so I answer without asking him. “Yeah.”
“Okay, I’ll let Mom know where you’re at. I’m going out with Sierra tonight… just wanted to make sure you had a ride.”
“Yep.”
“Tell Adam ‘hey’ for me.”
“You want me to kiss him for you, too?” I joke, letting my eyes drift to Adam whose eyebrows have shot to the sky.
Levi laughs. “Nah. Maybe a nice ass grab though.”
“You got it.”
“You know I’m kidding, right?”
“What?” I gasp. “I already did it!”
“Brea, stop being a smartass.”
“You started it.”
“No, I didn’t.”
Maybe he didn’t, but I don’t care. “Whatever. I’ll talk to you later. Tell Sierra ‘hey’ for me, too.”
“I’ll definitely kiss her for you.”
I cringe. “Okay…we’re done now.”
“And a butt grab. I’ll do both.”
“Levi!”
He laughs. “All right. Goodnight, nerd.”
“Night, geek.”
I hang up and toss my phone on the cushion between Adam and me. “Levi says hi.”
“That all he said?” Adam’s voice is on the edge of teasing, but his eyebrows still haven’t moved down.
“No.” I give him a flirty—or what I think is flirty—look and drop my voice an octave. “He wants me to…”
Adam cocks his head, and I inch closer, but don’t say anything.
He finally says, “What?”
“He wanted to make sure you were okay giving me a ride home.” Then I flick his nose and laugh.
Adam grabs my ankle, tickling my foot through my sock. I squeal and kick him hard in the chest.
“Stop! Stop!”
He gives me one more little tickle near my pinky toe, then lets go of my ankle. My skin tingles and burns from where he was touching me.
“Okay… you ready to pick something?” he asks.
I nod, grabbing a throw pillow and hugging it to my chest. The redbox had crap movies, so we fired up Adam’s Netflix account.
I smack my gum, which is about done. I really should get up and spit it out, but I don’t want to delay our movie watching any longer.
Adam sighs, dropping the remote on the coffee table. He gets up, disappears into the hall bathroom, and comes back with the small trash can.
“Spit,” he says, holding the pail out to me. Did I mention my gum problem out loud? He laughs at my expression. “You had that look. The one you get when your gum is past its chewing date.”
A small smile hits my lips, and I shoot my gum into the can. “I didn’t realize I had a look for that.”
He nods, pulling the trash can back. “Your nose twitches, and you push your tongue into your cheek.”
My face warms as he puts the pail back in the bathroom. I reach over and snap off the lamp by the couch so he doesn’t see my unexplainable blush.
When he plops back on the couch, he lets me put my feet on his lap and instead of tickling me silly, he massages my toes with one hand while he flicks through the movie choices with the other.
“I think I can handle a scary one, if you want.”
“Really?”
He nods, going to the horror movies. Final Destination is the first one recommended.
“How about this one? I’ve watched a few parts, and they don’t freak me out. They’re actually ridiculously funny.”
I go to say yes, but I change my mind mid-thought. “I don’t think I should. I promised Jay I’d watch it with him.”
He stops rubbing my foot. “Jay?”
“Jay Garrick.”
Adam gives me the most bizarre expression—like he’s trying to figure out the equation to fly to the moon. “The new guy?”
“Yes…” I say, dragging the word out. I wiggle my toes so he keeps massaging, but his hand has gone stone still. “Are you okay?”
He blinks. “Oh, yeah. I just didn’t realize you guys were friends.”
“Sort of. I don’t know what we are.”
“What do you mean?”
“I don’t know. We went out last night, and we sort of said we’d get together again. But… it’s weird. What do you call the part of a relationship when you can’t really say you’re friends, because you don’t really know each other, but you can’t call it acquaintances because you’ve kissed, and you can’t call it an exclusive thing either because, well… it’s not?”
Adam blinks again. He gulps. His hand slides from my foot and grips the back of the couch. “Um, he kissed you?”
I throw my head back on the couch arm. “Adam…”
“Sorry, I just… Wow, I didn’t think…”
“What?”
His grip loosens, and he swipes at his messy red-brown hair. “Nothing.” He tries to rub my foot again, but I can tell he’s distracted. “I think you’d call that part up-in-the-air.”
“I call it the place that’s confusing as hell.”
He chuckles, but again, it’s distracted sounding. “Well, okay, not that movie.” He tosses the remote to me and shifts from the couch. “You pick something. I gotta call someone real quick.”
He moves faster than The Flash, whipping his cell from his pocket and speed walking into his kitchen. Maybe Adam and Jay should switch names.
I flick through the movies, going for a more thrilling one, less gore for him. Hopefully he’s okay with What Lies Beneath. I stifle a laugh at the thought of Adam avoiding his bathtub for a week.
His voice kind of floats into the living room, but it’s muffled and I can’t hear what he’s saying. He sounds a little weird. His tone is off, and he’s rushing his sentences. My heart beats unevenly as I slide off the couch. I don’t want to eavesdrop, but I’m worried he’s not okay.
I get to the hallway separating the two rooms and lean against the wall, pricking my ears.
“I know it’s stupid, but I want to know about this stuff.”
It’s quiet while whoever Adam’s talking to responds.
“You promised you’d tell me, even if it sucks for me to hear. I’d rather hear it from you so I can prepare for it. I feel like an idiot.”
I hear him shuffle around his kitchen floor and clicking a pen he must’ve grabbed off the counter. He’s clickin
g it so fast it sounds like he’s trying to beat a record of most pen clicks per minute.
“I know that.” His voice is softer. I inch a tiny bit closer. “I understand it, too, Livingston.”
So, he’s talking to Sierra. Wonder what’s got him so worked up. Maybe I can get it out of him during our movie, but if he wanted to talk to me, he would.
“Okay, yeah. You’re right. Still, I wish you would’ve told me.”
The clicking slows down, and I think he’s getting to the end of his conversation. He’s quiet for a while, and I take a chance and poke my head into the kitchen.
His eyes catch mine, and they look a little bloodshot, but his mouth twitches into a smile and he holds out a finger to tell me he’s almost off the phone.
I nod, then walk back to the living room. Adam might be my best friend, but I sometimes forget he’s known Sierra a lot longer. So whatever was suddenly bugging him, maybe he just needed her.
I wish that didn’t feel like a sucker punch to my gut, but I can’t help it.
“Sorry about that,” he says, putting his phone down by the remote on the coffee table. “So…” He claps his hands, rubs them, then gives me a wide smile. “What are we watching?”
I point to the TV with Michelle Pfieffer and Harrison Ford. He lets out a groan.
“Okay… but if I have nightmares, I’m calling you in the middle of the night just so you can’t sleep either.”
I laugh and stick my legs back on his lap. “Fine.”
He leans back into the couch, kicking his feet up on the coffee table. I watch him before I get so engrossed in the movie that I forget he’s here. The screen reflects off his glasses, and I can see his eyes. He’s looking at the TV, but I can tell he’s not really seeing what’s there.
I wait for him to rub my feet, or at least rest his hand on my ankle like he normally does.
But he doesn’t.
Chapter 9
Sometimes I wish the things you should do coincide with things you actually want to do.