“I’M KIND OF TIRED, I’m going to bed. Thanks for showing us around today, Gage.”
Tyler stood and walked over to me. “Want me to come with you?”
I shot a quick glance behind Ty to Gage, who was openly glaring at his cousin. “No, you guys need to catch up, I’ll see you later.”
“Sleep well, Cassidy,” Gage said.
I smiled and waved like an idiot. “Night.”
Tyler hugged me and Gage winked when I looked over Ty’s shoulder at him. Seriously, this guy was so confusing! I walked to the bathroom I shared with Tyler to wash my face and brush my teeth before slipping into some pajamas and crawling into bed. I could hear the boys talking and Gage started laughing, warming my entire body. I sighed and flipped onto my side. I didn’t understand him at all. First, he had a girlfriend, then he’d almost kissed me last night, and this morning I could have sworn he was flirting with me. Then he got upset when we wanted to go out this morning and Tyler told me that when he went to talk to him about it, Gage said he didn’t want me living here, but tonight in the kitchen he kept finding a reason to touch me and wouldn’t stop smiling at me. What the heck? I didn’t know how to even act around him.
I must have fallen asleep, because I felt a little groggy when Tyler slipped into the bed later that night.
“Sorry, I didn’t mean to wake you,” he said softly.
“It’s fine, I meant to wait up for you. I guess I was more tired than I realized.”
He pulled me close to his body and wrapped his arms around me. “You’ve had a long last three days, you needed to sleep.”
“True. Did you guys have fun talking?”
“Yeah, it’s good to see him again. It’s been a long time since we hung out.”
“I’m sorry I’m ruining that; you really shouldn’t have brought me, Ty.”
He leaned back a little so he could see my face. “Cassi, I’ll take you with me everywhere I go. And don’t worry about Gage, he’ll get over it eventually. I’m sure it’s not you that he doesn’t like, he just said it’s going to mess up his relationship with Brynn having a girl live with him.”
“I don’t want to do that.” Yes, yes, I do. I’d never experienced jealousy until I met Gage last night, and it was one ugly feeling. “When I turn eighteen, I’ll get my own place, Ty.”
“No, you won’t. He’ll get over it, and I want you with me, okay?”
I curled into his chest and nodded. “Love you.”
Tyler leaned back again and tilted my face up to his. “I love you too, Cassi.” His lips fell onto mine and I scrambled back, pushing against his chest as hard as I could.
“What the hell, Tyler?!” We slept in bed with each other, but we’d never actually kissed before.
“I’m sorry! I thought you wanted me to.”
“What? Why would I want you to?” Oh my God, seriously, what the hell just happened?!
He sighed and relaxed his hold on me. “I don’t—I don’t know what got into me. I’m sorry, that was really stupid.”
“Is that why you brought me to Texas with you?”
“No, it’s not, I swear. You’re my best friend, I would have never left you there. I’m sorry, like I said, that was really stupid.”
I crawled off the bed and grabbed my pillow. “Maybe I should sleep on the couch tonight.”
“No! Cassi, come on, don’t do that. I’m sorry.”
“It’s fine, it hasn’t just been a long three days for me. It’s been even longer for you. I think we’re both too tired and we aren’t thinking clearly.”
“Cass.” He sighed and got out of the bed as well. “I’m sorry, I don’t know what I was thinking doing that.” He hugged me loosely and stepped back. “Please get back in bed.”
“It’s all right, I promise. I’m just going to sleep out there tonight—I think it would be best for us. I’ll be back in here tomorrow, okay?”
“I’ll go out there, you can stay in the bed.”
I put my hand on his chest and pushed him onto the bed. “I’m way shorter than you; that couch was practically made for me. Good night, Ty, see you in the morning.”
About the Author
MOLLY MCADAMS grew up in California but now lives in the oh-so-amazing state of Texas with her husband and furry daughter. Her hobbies include hiking, snowboarding, traveling, and long walks on the beach . . . which roughly translates to being a homebody with her hubby and dishing out movie quotes. When she’s not at work, she can be found hiding out in her bedroom, surrounded by her laptop, cell, and Kindle, and fighting over the TV remote. She has a weakness for crude-humored movies and fried pickles and loves curling up in a fluffy comforter during a thunderstorm . . . or under one in a bathtub if there are tornadoes. That way she can pretend they aren’t really happening.
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Also by Molly McAdams
From Ashes
Taking Chances
Copyright
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
Excerpt from Forgiving Lies copyright © 2013 by Molly Jester.
Excerpt from Taking Chances copyright © 2012 by Molly Jester.
Excerpt from From Ashes copyright © 2012 by Molly Jester.
STEALING HARPER. Copyright © 2013 by Molly Jester. All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the nonexclusive, nontransferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, decompiled, reverse-engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of HarperCollins e-books.
EPub Edition JUNE 2013 ISBN: 9780062292117
Print Edition ISBN: 978-0-06-229212-4
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