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He paced the sitation; upstairs several of their friends began shouting as the football game took some intense turn

At last he faced his little sister Pressing his back against the tallest shelf, he bolstered his courage with a quick prayer "Sissy cat, she is an angel," he blurted

She laughed "Oh, shut up"

He, on the other hand, didn’t laugh at all "I am deadly, completely serious But you can’t tell Kate or Mason or anyone else She begged el" Shay gave hihter than I thought What happened?"

He sagged against the bookshelf "Shay She Is An Angel It’s true" And then he admitted the worst part of all "And I totally ot her in trouble," he added in a rush

"This scary, huge angel showed up tochastise her, I guess I dunno But I kissed her, and now she’sto burn in hell And the worst part? I don’t care I just wantI want to hold her again Kiss her again And she’s a flippin’ angel!

What’s happening toit or what?"

Shay stared at hi

"Are you tracking with this shit, Sissy cat? I think I’el Maybe I really will burn in hell now"

He stared at his sister, waiting for some kind of reply, but she wasn’t the one who answered

"I asked you not to tell"

Jaaze to the open doorway; Sunny stood there, her own eyes bright with unshed tears

"I thought you’d keepwe shared," she row even wider

Chapter Five

"Shay, I need to be alone with Sunny" Ja determination His eyes were bloodshot, undoubtedly from the few moments he’d looked at Kiel Sunny hoped his vision wasn’t dae to rush to his side, to ensure that he was all right

Not one of the Meanwhile, Jaht at Sunny, al heart Shame filled her throat with bile Embarrassment caused her to stare at the floor

Shay moved wordlessly toward the doorway, and before Sunny could stop her, she drew Sunny into a tight, reassuring eainst Sunny’s cheek "We won’t tell anyone else I promise We both do You are safe with us; I promise you that, too"

Sunny nodded as Shay released her, hurrying up the ooden stairs that led to the first floor She watched Shay vanish, desperate to look at anything except Ja Shay, not really--and yet, it still stung, after all she’d risked just to kiss hi Jamie physically But she should’ve known he’d have none of that, and his large, strong hand touched her shoulder

"Are you all right? Safe now?" he inquired softly

She bobbed her head, staring at the floor "It will be okay"

"Then look atit again, getting physical with her when he should keep his distance

She swerved away froht for now, but only if we don’t touch again Kiss again None of that can happen Ever"

"I hate that I can’t tell you how much I hate it" His voice was husky and filled with e ’cause oftears "And you don’t want to burn in hell Like you said to Shay," she remarked with a trace of bitterness

"I’ hands on both her shoulders, forcing her to turn and face him She didn’t want him to see her tear-filled eyes The pain in her heart was about him--and yet it so exceeded the bounds of thisfor someone to have as her own, not just to watch over, nor to protect objectively

He slid two fingertips underneath her chin, tilting her face until their gazes locked "I’ve hurt you I’m so sorry"