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TOM CROSSED INTO THE school sending a wave in Jennifer’s direction and watched her pull away before he framed his attitude for battle. CJ caught up to him before he took a dozen steps and Raven stepped to his other side, forming a triad of strength and intimidation. Students in the hallways parted giving them space to pass; even the football team gave them a wide berth.
When Tom settled into his seat, he traded a smirk with CJ before wiping it off and focusing on Miss Simpson at the front of the class. His mind drifted to Raven and he wondered how one day could provide such a turnaround in him.
He could pinpoint the moment things changed and it wasn’t when she sat down at the table. It was when she laughed. That magical laugh tugged at his soul.
He thought back to Tanya, analyzing every conversation, every nuance and what he thought was love. Now it all seemed superficial and shallow. She was beautiful, the kind of beauty that struck men silent, but it didn’t reach her heart. She could be mean and possessive and nasty at times, even to him. He’d heard her relentless put downs of anyone not in her circle and he used to ignore it, categorizing it as a female trait even though he never once saw his mother or Jennifer being catty. Even Sandy was a bright warm soul that never talked smack.
In comparison to the few stolen moments with Raven, his time with Tanya just felt like a sham. Guilt drummed up through his skin and he sighed, staring at the aimless doodles on his paper before glancing at the clock. Just a few minutes to go before their history class and his mood perked up.
A few minutes more and he’d see Raven.
His thoughts jumped to Tanya again and he bit his lip, wondering where her spirit went after his father took her away.
Maybe she’s mortified.
Tom slid a glare in CJ’s direction. Get out of my head.
The class is boring and it’s refreshing to hear you finally seeing Tanya for what she was. I was getting sick of you viewing her as some angel that belonged on a pedestal.
Tom’s eyebrows rose, and his mouth dropped at CJ’s honesty.
She used you, Tom. And maybe I shouldn’t be sharing this with you, yet, but the reason Bear is so ballistic is he was sleeping with her, too.
Tom’s mouth popped closed and he narrowed his eyes, glaring at CJ. Just when the hell did you find this out?
CJ looked away and anger filled every one of Tom’s pores.
CJ?
CJ kept his eyes forward, even though he winced at the volume of the demand.
“eeay,” Tom whispered.
CJ turned and met his gaze. The beginning of September.
Tom dropped his gaze to the desk, his hand gripping the pen tight enough for the plastic to creak and he loosened his grip before the pen broke. Why didn’t you tell me? he asked without looking at CJ.
I told her she needed to tell you, but she never did.
The bell rang, and Tom popped out of his seat, heading down the hall alone, hoping Bear had the audacity to stop him. A hand landed on his shoulder and he spun, slamming the owner into the wall.
CJ raised an eyebrow. “You gonna punch me, too?”
Tom stepped back and signed, “I should.”
“We can settle this tonight when I get home from work,” CJ said, his gaze just as hard as Tom’s.
“I don’t think Jen will want us breaking the furniture again,” Tom signed.
CJ grinned. “You chicken?”
Tom pushed his shoulder. “You’re still an ass for not telling me.”
“I have to head to science, and I guess I’m driving you home today.” CJ said holding up the text request from Jennifer.
“Fantastic,” Tom said and turned, heading toward his history class. His mood was as foul as the mystery meat in the cafeteria.
He was first in the classroom and took one of the empty seats in the back of the room instead of his regularly assigned seat. With his dark mood, he didn’t want to be near people right now, not even Raven. CJ’s little revelation left him bitter and feeling like a fool.
The teacher gave him a double take when she came into the room and he crossed his arms, daring her to say something. Mrs. Fineworth creased her brow and glanced at the hallway before returning her gaze to him.
“Is everything all right, Tom?”
He couldn’t help it, he started laughing. “In what world could things possibly be all right?” he signed.
Before she could answer, the rest of the class started filtering in, and when Raven stepped in the door, he met her gaze.
Her eyes widened, and her mouth popped open as she looked at him, her gaze taking in his aura as well as his hostile demeanor. She took her seat and glanced back at him.
“It’s not you,” Tom signed. “Just needed a quiet space away from everyone.”
She nodded and turned away, focusing on the teacher.
As class went on, his gaze kept drifting back to Raven like a magnetic pull and his fingers landed on the medallion under his shirt. Her presence calmed him, and he glanced down at the blank page and back at the teacher. He sighed and copied the test bullets on the board and then went back to staring out the window at the cool November landscape.
When the bell rang, he shoved his books into his backpack and slung it over his shoulder, approaching Raven. She looked up from her desk and sent a strained smile in his direction.
“I’m sorry,” he signed. “CJ pissed me off in English class.”
“What did he do?” she asked as they stepped into the hallway.
“He knew Tanya was cheating on me with Bear and didn’t tell me,” he signed.
Raven pressed her lips together and lowered her head, but Tom caught the look before she attempted to hide it from view. He tilted her chin up so she met his gaze.
“Wha?”
“I shouldn’t speak ill of the dead,” she said, her tone as frosty as a mid-winter breeze.
He couldn’t help the smile that surfaced. She looked adorable all fired up and he could almost predict her derogatory thoughts.
“Want to skip lunch?” he signed. He wasn’t in the mood for a confrontation with Bear.
She hesitated, and he took her hand, navigating the hallways to the back of the school where the assembly hall sat. He glanced back and forth to make sure no one was around. He tried the side door and the handle didn’t budge. Shit.
Pulling her around to the main entrance, he tried the first pair of double doors and they were locked as well. The second pair provided the same results; he only knew of one more door and pulled her into the last hallway, silently praying this door allowed entry.
He put his hand on the knob and sent a glance in her direction before turning it. The door gave, pushing inward, and he grinned at her pulling her into the dark hall. The door latched, and he led her onto the stage and down the stairs into the empty auditorium.
“We could get in trouble for this,” she whispered.
He sat down and pulled her, so she straddled his thighs.
“What are you doing?”
He smiled and signed slowly. “It’s dark in here. If you’re not close, you won’t know what the hell I’m saying.”
She giggled. “I thought you were trying to seduce me.”
He chuckled softly and raised an eyebrow. “Do you want me too?”
“You’re the biggest whore in this school and I don’t want to be just another name on your conquest list.”
His smile faded. He didn’t want her to be just another name either and he lowered his hands to her thighs and dropped his chin to his chest. Up until this moment, he had been proud of his ability to get into a girl’s pants but right now all he felt was shame.
She cupped his chin and tilted his head back until his gaze met hers. “This shy, shameful act has got to stop,” she whispered.
“Why?’ he said, his voice soft and deep.
“Because,” she whispered and moved closer, settling over his lap instead of his thighs, and his hands slid to her hips.
“Why?” he repeated, his gaze locked on hers and his hands tightened on her hips. His heart thundered in his chest as a want he couldn’t describe hit him like an atom bomb. He slid his hands under the hem of her shirt to her waist, his thumbs and forefingers found the silky flesh of her sides and his breath locked in his chest.
“Tom,” she whispered, her voice shaky and stern at the same time.
He allowed a smile to form, unwilling to move his hands away from her warm flesh.
“Yeah?” he asked, cocking his head to the side.
She cupped his cheek with her palm and he turned, kissing her soft flesh, his gaze never leaving hers.
“Why are you doing this?” she asked.
He ran his thumb along her belt line in a slow caress that was more erotic than anything he had ever done with the numerous girls he screwed. “Be’aue I wa ou,” he started and chickened out. Admitting to wanting her was nothing new, but asking her to be his girlfriend opened the door for rejection.
She laughed and he squeezed her sides frustrated.
“Be’aue I wa ou a ma giwfe,” he blurted and pressed his lips together, praying she understood the sentiment and he wouldn’t have to remove his hands from her silky skin to clarify his muffled words.
She blinked and removed her hand from his cheek.
“Fire and water,” she whispered.
“Mae eam,” he added.
She grinned. “Did you just say make steam?”
He nodded.
She ran her fingertip over his lips and he closed his eyes, relishing the moment, the feel of her skin under his thumbs and her finger tracing the lines of his face. Time disappeared, and he ran his hands higher up her torso, feeling her ribs like a magic relief map until his fingers hit the fabric of her bra. He stopped and opened his eyes.
He brought his hands back to her waist, unwilling to do anything that might jeopardize this, and her beautiful lips parted in a sexy exhale. With a flash of regret, he removed his hands from her waist.
“Will you be my girlfriend?” he signed.
She stared at his hands and then her gaze jumped to his. “Why?”
“Because your laughter breathes life into me and I want to learn everything there is to know about you, from your beliefs to what you want out of life and everything in between.”
“And what if I tell you I’m a virgin?”
He shrugged. “I don’t care.”
“Bullshit. You’re ready to shag right now.”
“I’m always ready,” he signed and smiled. “But I can be patient, too. I won’t ever pressure you to do anything you don’t want to do.”
“I doubt you’d feel that way a year from now,” she said and went to slide off his lap.
He grabbed her waist and shook his head.
“A’we?”
“You want my answer now?”
“Yes”
“What if I just want to be your friend?”
His heart dropped to the floor and he swallowed the sting to his pride. “Then I’ll be your friend,” he signed.
“And what happens when all this blows over?”
“Then I get to take you to dinner and for walks on the beach or anything you want to do.”
“And what do you like to do?”
“Go to see the Patriots or the Red Sox or a play in New York City,” he signed.
“You like to go to the theater?” she asked, her eyebrows posed in arched surprise.
“Yes. Ogunquit has a great summer program.”
“That is something I would have never guessed about you.”
“I still don’t know your answer,” he signed and placed his hands on her hips again, waiting.
Raven sighed and leaned forward; pressing her lips to his in a sincere and soft kiss that left him wanting more. He wrapped his arms around her, molding them together and he broke the kiss, running his lips down the line of her neck, nibbling her ear gently before kissing his way down to her shoulder. Tom couldn’t stop the need to taste her, wishing he could run his tongue over every inch of her flesh.
He stopped at the curve of her breasts, closing his eyes and resting his forehead on her shoulder. His hands itched to caress her skin and bring her to his level of need, but he refrained, concentrating on getting his breath under control and his libido in check.
“Tom?” she whispered and he looked up, meeting her gaze. “This isn’t a joke, is it?”
The doubt in her eyes struck a deep nerve and he swallowed, shaking his head very slowly. He ran his hand over her cheek and into her soft curls. “No,” he whispered, forcing the enunciation out of the stub in his mouth.
“I may regret this, but yes, I’ll be your girlfriend,” she said.
Relief melted the tension in his neck and shoulders and he smiled. “Were you planning on coming over after school to study for the history test?” he signed.
She bit her lip.
“I’ll cook dinner for you.”
“You cook?”
“When Steve isn’t around, yes, CJ and I cook because Jen is a god-awful mess in the kitchen.”
She smiled. “I’d like to see you in a kitchen.”
“Then it’s a date,” he signed and lifted her off his lap. Taking her hand, he led her out of the auditorium.