page21 (1/2)

“Music saved you,” he murmurs

“Well—yes,” I say “I guess it did That’s not what I expected you to say”

“What did you expectbeneath his words

“So the lines of ‘Get the fuck out of here, you freak,’ I guess”

“Are you joking?” he snarls, spinninghis hands to aze to his His eyes flicker intensely “Jesus, Dakota Do you think this changes how I see you?”

“Ithis hands away and striding over to the

I stare out at Sparky, who’s diving over and over into a big rin

An insane note of jealousy touches me as I watch him

Life is so ht there, ready for the taking, without any of the attendant anxiety and second-guessing we humans are forced to endure

“How?” Da in his place by the fire, his voice flaring over to me

“Uoddess, you know? You called oddess But I’asm I’ve ever had that wasn’t—”

I bite down, sha at me

“That you didn’t give yourself,” he finishes for me

“Yeah,” I say, a strangled quality to my voice “Exactly”

“I heard,” he snarls, stalking across the room

He loops his arms around my body and squeezes h his pants against h the thin fabric of my skirt and panties

“Do you have any idea how sexy you sounded?” he says,and singing in your lust Goddaive a daht I do care”

“You do?” I whisper, heart thudding like it’s trying to shatter me open