Part 13 (2/2)

I glanced down with sadness at my much loved sneakers. The soles were covered in blood, the canvas tops saturated. They wouldn't be coming back with me. I sighed and bent to pick them up, before slinging them into the water to join the rest of my clothes, and the man I had murdered.

”Come on,” said Riley, jerking his head toward his bike. ”Let's get out of here.”

Barefooted, I ran back toward his bike. Riley swung his leg over the seat and kicked the bike into gear. I hopped on after him, able to scoot closer on the seat this time, and wrapped my arms around his waist to hold on. The position made the jacket ride up, so it sat at my hips, and did nothing to cover my thighs or panties. I couldn't worry about that now, though Riley glanced down to give my naked thigh an appreciative stare.

The bike jumped forward, and Riley turned the machine in a tight circle, before heading back the way we'd come. We were able to make faster progress this time, and we b.u.mped and lurched across the uneven terrain, causing me to hold on tighter. I couldn't help myself. I pressed my face against his back, feeling the heat of his skin through the thin t-s.h.i.+rt he wore, the only item of clothing covering his torso now that I was in possession of his jacket. The roar of the bike through the otherwise silent forest sent nocturnal animals skittering for cover. The bugs were back again, flitting in the headlights of the motorcycle. I took comfort in their return. We had moved beyond whatever strange realm of power the pools held.

It was the early hours of the morning by the time we made it back to campus. I didn't want to have to go to my room, but I didn't want to go to the carnival with Riley either. People would start to notice Jordy missing. In fact, I was amazed the other two men hadn't already reported his murder, if not to the police, then to Bulldog Mackenzie. I wouldn't have been at all surprised if a gang of the carny guys were laying in wait for me.

Riley pulled over the bike, and the engine died. I climbed off the back, my heart dipping at the s.p.a.ce my movement had created between us.

”Well, thanks,” I said, glancing at the ground, shuffling my feet. Did thanks' cover it when someone helped you cover up a murder?

Riley swung his leg over the seat, to stand beside me.

”What are you doing?” I asked.

”Taking you back to your room. What do you think?”

”I can get back to my room just fine.”

”c.r.a.p. You've been through a trauma. You're not fine, even if you keep pretending you are.”

How could I tell him I wasn't fine, but for all the wrong reasons? I'd proven to myself that I could lose control, and I worried now I'd unleashed the beast, it would be harder to rein back in when the urge took hold. What if Riley stimulated my bloodl.u.s.t again, as he had in the past? What would happen if I hurt him? I would never forgive myself.

”Please, Riley. Just let me go.”

”No. I'm not letting you be on your own right now.”

”My roommate, Brooke, will probably be there. I won't be on my own.”

He frowned. ”Brooke? As in Brooke Squires?”

”Yeah,” I said, my unease deepening. ”Why?”

”Then I'm definitely not letting you back to your room on your own.” He took me by the hand and started to head toward my building, half-pulling me with him. This time I let him, my mind too jumbled with thoughts to protest. What about Brooke? Was her denial about what I'd seen, and her disappearance the night before, nothing to do with blocking out her memory, and everything to do with her lying her a.s.s off?

Something else occurred to me. ”Hey, how did you know something had happened with me? Did the other two guys tell you?”

”They came back, and I overheard them talking. They seemed scared, but they wouldn't admit why. I knew something had happened.”

We snuck into the building. Most people would be sleeping, but the chance a couple of students would be hanging out remained. We moved quickly, taking the stairs, me running almost silently on my bare feet. Riley followed me, though he knew where my room was-after all, he'd been there before.

I reached my floor and ran down the corridor toward my room. The door was closed so I pushed it open. The room was in darkness, though moonlight slanted through the window, offering enough light to see. I frowned at Brooke's bed. The bedcovers lay flat, the pillow still plumped. No one had slept in that bed tonight.

”She's not here,” I hissed to Riley, lurking outside the door.

He stepped through and shut the door behind him. ”Good.”

I could barely believe Riley was in my room again, only this time he'd been invited. My breath was shallow with nerves, and I fiddled anxiously with the cuffs on his jacket. I had no idea what I was supposed to do with him now.

”You'll need your jacket back,” I said, simply trying to fill the silence between us. But then I realized that doing so would involve me taking it off, which would once again mean I'd have to stand, almost naked, in front of him.

He moved forward, closing the gap between us, and caught me by the shoulders. ”Hey, it's okay.”

”What do you mean?”

”You don't need to be nervous around me. I'm not going to do anything you don't want me to.”

”I'm not nervous,” I bl.u.s.tered. I didn't want him to know he was getting to me. He reached out and caught the collar of his jacket, using it to tug me forward slightly. He looked down at me, his hair falling forward, his hands still on the lapels so I could feel the warmth of him melting through to my collar bone. The expression in his eyes was intense and unmistakable.

He was going to kiss me. My first real kiss. My world spun, like a tornado encased us while we stood at its center. He leaned into me and his lips met mine, soft and warm, and instantly my mouth opened to him, our tongues meeting.

Fire raced through me, and I experienced a surge of desire. I was lost in him. I'd never felt this way around anyone before, like he recognized me so completely, like he knew me before we'd even spoken to one another. His hands moved from the lapels, to the zipper at my throat, and he slowly lowered the zipper. The rasp filled the room. My arms had found their way around his neck, and I arched myself into him, pressing my b.r.e.a.s.t.s against his chest. Only his t-s.h.i.+rt was in the way of our skin touching. His hands ran down, slipping beneath the back of the jacket, his palms cupping my panty-clad b.u.t.tocks, to press me against him. I was breathing hard, our pa.s.sion intensifying. I didn't want to break this moment, but I felt as though I was losing control. I was frightened of what happened when I lost control.

I broke the kiss, moving away.

”I can't,” I stuttered. I didn't want him to think badly of me, or think of me as immature or a tease, but I needed to stay true to myself. ”We can't ... It's too soon.”

He took my rejection graciously, though I could see the disappointment on his face. ”Of course. Whatever you want.”

He went to my dresser and pulled open a couple of drawers, before pulling out an oversized, white and blue, Los Angeles Dodgers t-s.h.i.+rt. I clutched his jacket closed with my fist at my sternum, but he removed my hand and slid the jacket from my shoulders. He pulled the top over my head, covering my body, and then kissed me on the nose.

”There. I can't say I've ever made a girl wear more clothing before, but you're worth waiting for.”

I smiled, while my insides twisted with jealousy at the idea of him undressing another girl. I hoped he wouldn't think I was a total prude. I didn't want his nickname for me taking on a whole new slant. But I was still a virgin, and while I hadn't exactly been holding onto my virginity, or guarding it like something sacred, I still didn't want the day I lost my virginity to be forever tied in my mind with the day I'd killed a man.

But if I was going to lose it to anyone, I would want it to be Riley.

”I don't want you to go,” I admitted.

”I don't want to go.”

”Will you lay with me a while?”

A smile tugged his perfect mouth, a mouth I'd been kissing only moments before. ”Of course.”

I climbed into bed, and he got in after me, still wearing his jeans and t-s.h.i.+rt, though he kicked off his boots. He held out his arms to me, and I snuggled down into him. His arms enveloped me. My cheek pressed against his chest, my arm slung over his body, and my thigh hooked over his jean-clad leg. He ran his fingertips lightly along the length of my arm, up and down.

Riley stopped, and I felt him s.h.i.+ft slightly as he looked down.

He held my arm by the wrist and lifted it up.

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