Free When Its Least Expected by Heather Van Fleet Page A

words spilled out, “I’ll think
     about it, okay?”
    She rolled onto her side and closed her eyes. Her fingers pinched the bridge of her
     nose.
    God, now she was thinking about accepting his invitation to the stupid dance? This was not her.
    Little pea brain aliens had to have crept into her ears and implanted those thoughts.
     Yeah, that was it.
    But then another idea hit her, and she smiled. Sure, she’d go to the dance with Mason
     …
    Then Abigail and David would go too. She was a genius! “Are you still there, little
     beast?”
    Mason chuckled, and the sound of his laughter crept into her spine. Tingling sensations
     did sprints up and down her back. She wiggled; it was a failed attempt at easing the
     unfamiliar sensation. Damn the boy for having a laugh like leather, smooth and rough
     at the same time and so addictive too.
    “Yeah, I’m here. Sorry, I’m just a little tired tonight.” She sat up and scooted back
    against her pillow, letting her hair spray all around her. It brushed her bare shoulders,
     and she shivered as she closed her eyes waiting on edge for his reply. She sure as
     hell hoped that he’d tell her goodbye so she could get the ridiculously goofy grin
     off her cheeks. It hurt to be that happy.
    Her face wasn’t used to it.
    The quiet gave her more time to think, and time was definitely not her friend. As
     the
    unfiltered words left her lips, she realized that even thinking could get her into
     some serious trouble. It was a well-known fact. Harley was an idiot. “Okay, fine.
     I’ll go with you to the dance.” She slapped a hand over her mouth and stiffened.
    Oh crap! What’d she do?
    “You will? That’s great, awesome, but I thought I was going to have to do a whole
     lot of
    groveling and begging. You surprised me, little beast,” his voice went low, sweet.
     “And I like surprises.” Harley’s heart dipped into her toes and she suppressed a longing
     sigh. Damn, she’d gone all hearts and butterflies with those words.
    “I’ve got one more question.” Harley’s eyes squeezed shut, worried that whatever else
    he’d have to say would send her over the edge. “What are you doing Friday night?”
    Oh no. Not a date. This was so not a date. Well, maybe it was. Would that be so terrible?
    Yes, yes it would.
    “Well, I’ll have to check my ever exciting social calendar and see,” she giggled,
     actually
    freaking giggled. Harley Anderson did not giggle over boys. Not ever. “…but most likely
     I’ve got nothing planned.”
    Okay, so the dance was one thing, but a date? Oh, God. That was a completely different
    thing, a completely different and a very bad thing. She cleared the nervous ball of something or another that was stuck
     in her throat. The unavoidable questioned she’d been avoiding slipped out of her mouth,
     “Why?”
    “Well, I was hoping we could hang, get to know each other. I could just come over
     to
    your place…” Oh yes, total date night. Crap. “And we could watch a movie maybe. Hang out as, um, friends.” She gnawed on her lower
     lip; she was boggled; mind-blowingly boggled.
    Hang out, as friends? She shifted her legs over one another. Why did those two simple
    and completely normal ideas bother her so much?
    “So, what do you say, little beast? I could bring ice cream, popcorn, whatever else
     you’d
    like to nibble on...”
    Nibble on? Oh hell, she could think of a few things. Ears, neck, and lips were always
    good. Oh, God no.
    What was she thinking? She shook her head and pinched her eyes shut. She was in dire
    need of a little focusing energy here, and hearing this guy talk about nibbling was
     not the way to do it. Having Mason in her house, on a Friday night definitely constituted
     as a date. A date she should avoid, but couldn’t bring herself to say no to.

    “I mean, I would have you over here and everything, but my grandpa’s sick and
    my mom’s not exactly friendly right now,” his rambling startled her out the