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"You don’t know anything about " One of the clovers curled overto get an idea Does Radcliffe know you?"

"Of course," I said, though I had doubts Why couldn’t he sense how much pressure I was under? Why add to it?

"Une menterie" A lie

"None of what you say ave a scornful laugh "As long as you doanhi around Clotile, for true And you know it, too That’s why you’re dressing like this" He waved unsteadily at aze Another drink fro anysniffing He loves me He told me he thinks about me constantly" As irlfriend?"

"Girlfriend? Hell, Clotile’s probably my sister"

My lips parted Probably? Jackson and I weren’t just from different worlds, but from different universes

"Look at Radcliffe down there You think you’re on his ht now?"

Brand was surrounded by a bevy of slores as he drank fro like it was a water fountain The life of the party, worshipped and adored

Where was Mel? Norirls I hadn’t seen her--or Spencer--for a while I rose at once, stepping over Jackson to go look for her

"Where you goan, Evie?"

Though I ignored hiround, I saw a shadowy figure skulking ah the fog Another hallucination?

I cautiously eased closer to get a better look, but Jackson stepped in front of me I shimmied to the left; he blockedme toward the mill

"Stop it, Jackson," I snapped when my back met a brick wall The bass puh the stone

He leaned in, his brows drawing together "You got on so like you"

"I don’t wear perfu "You s anything"

"My fondest wish" The corners of his lips curled--the first tienuine srin affectedwith ht? And not just to make me uncomfortable?

Too bad Between Brandon, Death, and the cryptic boy, my dance card was full

And this flirtatious side of Jackson h the Cajun was attractive in a too-rugged kind of way, I probably trusted Death in armor more "Just leave s Ads"

I was already gazing past hi so interested? Why are we even talking? You hate ainst the wall beside , "ButI’d never known A boy could desire to have sex with me and not like me at all In fact, he could even hatea "Jackson, listen--"

"Callhis accent, I said, "And only your friends call you Jack, no"

He grinned down at ain, his teeth even and white "We et real friendly with you" I could feel the heat co off his body He smelled delicious, like the woods, a little wild

He had some unknowable look in his eyes He see, but I didn’t knohat

"Friendly with hts scattered Though the un to feel like a dreaetback to Brandon" I laid my hands on Jackson’s chest to push him away, but his net

"I woan let you go back to that boy--not until you give me one bec doux" A sweet kiss Then he reached forward, unlacing the ribbon fro?" I murmured

"Souvenir" He put it in his pocket, and for so I’d ever seen

Energy began filling er I felt excited and alive for the first ti about kissing and boys and sex?

At thatfor this Cajun boy to kiss me I didn’t care about my reputation, the friends I’d disappoint, the popularity I’d lose, or the bragging rights he’d win

I had to knohat the look in his eyes pro at my lips, and before I could think better of it, I’d wetted the rasp "Ma bonne fille" My good girl

He wrapped one of his areline, I’ for each other"

That was the proreat distance, I heard so even closer to me

"Jack!"

Our lips were about toon his ar look I’d ever seen on a o, podna"

Jackson shook his head hard, his arhter around o," Lionel repeated

Whatever thatto hi for you inside, Evie"

"Oh Oh!" I shilancing over ht coain Lionel hauled back on his arirl,eyes

Lionel said so that made Jackson scowl "Go on, Evie," he snapped "Now! Go back to your friends"

His curt dis ertips to my lips Oh, God, I’d almost kissed another boy I’d nearly cheated on Brandon, who didn’t deserve that

I stopped inup to Brand, and he looked thrilled, holding out his hand for her My jaw dropped as he helped her do a keg-stand, with all the wardrobe malfunctions that entailed Football players cheered

The hu crisis, one mental plea stood out from all the rest: Please don’t let Jackson see this

I shoved through the croard the keg When Brandon caught sight ofClotile down

I was mortified that everyone had just witnessed this scene--and pissed off Feeling reckless, I gazed up at Brandon "Hey, big guy Why don’t you give your girlfriend a kiss?"