Free Shadows by Jennifer L. Armentrout

on her face was inked on, going nowhere. Her manic happiness had a name and—
    “Hey there,” Dawson said, his breath warming her ear.
    Squeaking, she spun and dropped her book. Clasping a hand over her chest, she stared at Dawson wide-eyed. “How…how in the world? I didn’t even hear you.”
    He picked up the book and handed it over, then leaned against the locker beside her, giving a lopsided shrug. “I’m quiet.”
    Quiet didn’t even cover it. A mouse sneezed in these halls and it echoed. She shoved the book in her bag. Then it hit her. “What are you doing in the hall?”
    A lazy grin appeared. “Going to lunch.”
    “Wait. Don’t you have class now?”
    He leaned in, breathing the same air as her, causing her breath to catch. That damn half grin did funny things to her. They’d gone to the diner again on Tuesday, parting ways without a kiss—a real kiss. But when his forehead touched hers, she really believed he was going to kiss her, right in the hall.
    Bethany was totally okay with that.
    “I have study hall,” he said, tilting his head just a little to the side, lining up their mouths. “And I charmed my way out of class. I wanted to see you.”
    “You charmed your way?” Her eyes drifted shut. “How’d you do that?”
    “I’ll never tell my secrets. You know better than that.” Dawson pulled back, capturing her free hand. Feeling like what she wanted— needed —had just been taken from her, she glared at him. His grin spread. “I wanted to have lunch with you.”
    More than flattered, she let him pull her down the hall…away from the cafeteria, it appeared. “Hey, where are we going?”
    “It’s a surprise.” He pulled her to his side, draping a heavy arm over her shoulders. The length of his body was fit against hers like it was made to be.
    “Are we leaving campus?”
    “Yep.”
    “Are we going to get in trouble?”
    He stopped, turning her in his arms. They were almost chest to chest, his arm still around her shoulders. “Questions, questions, Bethany. Trust me. You won’t get in trouble with me.”
    She arched a brow. “Because of your charmer skills, huh?”
    “Exactly.” He grinned.
    Dawson continued on and she went with him, imagining what her mom would do if they got caught and the school called her. Mandatory pregnancy tests were in her future. She glanced at Dawson and decided it was worth it.
    As they went out the back doors, she expected an alarm to sound and the rent-a-cop to come running at breakneck speed. When that didn’t happen and their feet hit pavement, she started to relax.
    Dawson let go of her hand, picking up the pace as he dug his keys out of his pocket. “Where I want to take you is two blocks down. We can drive if you want.” He glanced over his shoulder, his eyes starting at the top of her head and drifting all the way to her toes.
    Geez, when he looked at her like that, did he expect her to be able to communicate? She was mush now, useless mush.
    His smile tipped higher, as if he knew what he was doing to her. “It’s kind of too cold for you.”
    “What about you?”
    He faced the front, flipping those keys around. “I’m fine. This is your world, though.”
    She smiled at his back. “It is kind of co—” Her words ended in a startled shriek as her foot hit a thick patch of ice that hadn’t thawed. Before she knew it, her arms were flailing as she sought to keep her balance.
    Not going to happen.
    In those teeny, tiny seconds, she’d resigned herself to cracking her skull wide open in front of Dawson. An ambulance would need to be called. Mom would find out. Dad would get summoned from work. She’d be grounded, with a concussion. Or worse.
    Warm arms surrounded her, catching her a half second before she went splat . And there she remained, suspended in air, her hair brushing the slick asphalt. Dawson’s face was inches from hers, eyes closed in concentration, face tight and grim.
    Bethany couldn’t even speak around her shock.