Free Beautifully Unnatural: A Young Adult Paranormal Boxed Set by Susan Hatler, Amy Miles, Veronica Blade, Ciara Knight Page B

ago.”
    “And?” Roseline questions, curious as to why his pulse has sped up. The boy has not even been around her long enough to be affected by the hormones leaking from her pores.
    Rubbing the back of his head, the boy smiles sheepishly. “And I was hoping to run into you sometime.”
    Roseline tosses the football into the air. She catches it easily and hands it back over. “Well, it looks like you have succeeded.” She turns and heads away.
    A tall dark-haired guy at the end of the hall calls out, waving his arms for a return pass, but the boy waves him off. His partner disappears around the corner with a shrug.
    “Wait a second,” he calls after her, jogging to catch up. “Aren’t you going to let me apologize?”
    “I believe you have already done that,” Roseline points out, not slowing her pace.
    “My name is Gabriel, by the way. What’s yours?” He reaches out, gently placing his hand on her arm to stop her.
    Roseline gasps, jerking away as she feels an intense heat radiating out from his hand, like a blowtorch on her bare skin. No mark, no searing flesh, but the same intense feeling. Gabriel’s eyes widen as he reacts to the burn.
    She stumbles back, shocked to find her senses impaired. Her nose crinkles as she fights to pick up even the tiniest hint of body odor coming from the boy’s locker room. The lights overhead dull before her eyes. Her skin feels clammy, heart thumping wildly in her ears. Her throat constricts as she fights to regain control.
    “What was that?” he gasps, staring hard at Roseline.
    She doesn’t know but she has no intention of sticking around long enough to let him try it again. The final bell of the day rings, saving her from fumbling through an answer. Doors slam open and a tidal wave of students spills into the hall.
    Sadie bursts out of the room at the end of the hall, shoving people out of her way as she rushes up to Roseline. She takes in Roseline’s furrowed brow and Gabriel’s glassy-eyed stare.
    “Come on,” Sadie demands, yanking her down the hall. Roseline looks back as Gabriel is swept away by the hoard.
    “Thanks,” she mutters. Her labored breathing begins to ease.
    “Where the heck have you been? And with Gabriel Marston, no less,” Sadie hisses, huddling close. “What were you thinking?”
    Roseline blinks, trying to clear away the confusion fogging her brain. “We were only speaking…” she pauses, planting her hands on her hips. “What is it that you are implying?”
    “I’m implying that you’re messing with the wrong guy, Rose,” Sadie snaps. “That’s Claire Scofield’s boy toy back there and you know what happened when she messed with Oliver.”
    Roseline nods, clearing her throat. “I do, but that does not change the fact that it was an innocent introduction. He was simply apologizing for nearly hitting me with a football.”
    Sadie rolls her eyes scathingly as she slams through the side exit and stomps toward William’s car. “Oh, don’t try to patronize me, Rose. I saw the look on his face. If that guy is not smitten with you, I’ll give my car to charity.”

Six
    “Oh not again,” Oliver groans, watching Gabriel frantically search the growing crowd. “I thought we were past this.”
    Gabriel waves off his friend. “I met her. I mean, I nearly took her head off a couple days ago with a football, but I finally did it. I was starting to think I’d dreamed her up.”
    “Definitely not, man,” Conner says as he plops his helmet down over his head. “That girl is out-of-this-world hot. No way could you dream her up.”
    Oliver punches Conner’s helmet, jarring his brain. “Shut up,” he hisses as a group of cheerleaders walk by. They might hide their giggles behind pompoms but there is no mistaking the object of their gaze—Gabriel Marston.
    There is not a girl in school who would dare go behind Claire Scofield’s back to talk openly with Gabriel, but the desire is definitely there. Not only is he the most popular