"You tell me something first, then I'll tell you something."
"Okay." He nodded. "Now I'm getting a read on who you are, sneaking around the rules like that."
"It's your game, so it only seems fair that I get to name my own terms. Now, it's your turn. What's your secret?"
He played absently pulled at a string on his comforter, or at least he tried to do it absently. But his hand was right next to mine, so when he tugged at the string, his long fingers brushed against my hand.
When I didn't say anything or move away, he lifted his eyes to meet mine. His smile had fallen away, and though his expression was serious, I could still see the hint of something wicked. Even now, when he was dropping his pretenses and preparing for a confession, he couldn't completely get rid of the darkness that drew me to him.
"I really want to kiss you," Gabe said finally.
"You've never told anyone that before?" I asked with a smile. "You've never wanted to kiss anyone?"
"Well, I've never told anyone that I wanted to kiss you, the mysterious Mara Beznik before," he clarified.
I laughed lightly. "Why do I feel like you've played this game before?"
"I haven't. I swear," he insisted, but I wasn't sure that I believed him.
"So, why haven't you?"
"I don't know." He shook his head, still smiling up at me. "It doesn't seem to be working, so maybe it's not such a great game."
"No, I meant, if you want to kiss me, why haven't you yet?" I asked.
"I guess because I didn't realize it was an option. I thought you might slap me or..."
His words died on his lips because I leaned down and kissed him. He was already so close, but to avoid an awkward angle, I had to lay down next to him.
When my lips pressed against his, there was a hesitation. Gabe was tentative at first, as if he thought this might be some kind of trick, but when he realized it wasn't, he kissed me fully. His tongue parted my lips, bold and hungry. He put his hand on my side, to pull me closer to him.
My shirt had ridden up, so his hand was pressed to the bare skin of my side, and the instant I felt his skin against mine, a cold pain jolted through me. A blast of arctic air suddenly surged over me - through me, really, piercing my heart like a jagged icicle.
I pulled away in surprise, and for a split second, I couldn't breathe.
But then it was gone. The chill, the pain, everything had disappeared almost the instant had started.
"Are you okay?" Gabe sat up, and when I braved looking up at him, I saw the concern in his eyes, warming the burnt caramel color.
"Nothing." I smiled, but it didn't come as easily as I liked.
"You sure?" he asked.
"Yeah. I just got a chill. That's all." I tried to play it down, not just him for but for myself. "Now. Where we were?"
Gabe looked down at me for a few moments longer, as if to decide whether he believed me or not. I must've been convincing because an easy grin returned to his face.
"Let me think. I believe you were right about here." He put his hand on my waist, and when I didn't recoil, he pulled me back down so I was lying on the bed. "And I was right about here."
His lips hovered right above mine, as close as they could be without touching, and he searched my eyes, almost daring me to kiss him again. But I'd kissed him the first time, and now I was waiting for him to make the move.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity of anticipation, he closed eyes and his lips found mine. His hand was still on my waist from when he pulled me back down, and the instant our mouths met, his hand tightened, gripping onto me, and I wrapped my arms around him.
Freeks will be out January 3, 2017 in hardcover, ebook, and audio.
Amanda Hocking is a lifelong Minnesotan obsessed with Batman and Jim Henson. In between watching cooking shows, taking care of her small menagerie of pets, and drinking too much Red Bull Zero, she writes young adult urban fantasy and paranormal romance.
She has published over fifteen young adult novels, including the New York Times Bestselling series the Trylle Trilogy and the Kanin Chronicles, along with the Watersong series and the Hollows.
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Amanda Hocking, Swear
(Series: My Blood Approves # 5)
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