“Lydia, our singer, was friends with this guy who ran a tattoo and piercing shop. We weren’t allowed to have visible piercings at school, so she thought nipple piercings would be
My fingers ran across his biceps, tracing a tattooed band of black-and-white piano keys. His arms were muscular, but not what Mom referred to as “ripped.” He was thin, but defined. Which I liked. I always thought the whole buff thing was overrated. Most of the guys in my mom’s calendar had bigger boobs than me.
He rolled onto his stomach. A tattoo of a grand staff covered his upper back. A treble and bass clef. Rows of notes. Just like sheet music. Wings sprawled out behind it, stretching across his shoulder blades. They were mostly black but tinged with a little blue.
“It’s the beginning of a song I wrote for my mom. Kind of my tribute to her,” he said.
I ran my hands over the ink, admiring the etchings and shadows. “I love it,” I said. “Maybe you can play it for me sometime.”
He propped himself on his elbow again. “Do you have any?”
“What do
“I was hoping for an excuse to get your shirt off.”
I wrapped my arms around my chest, and my heart sped up. “The room is kind of light.”
“That generally happens when the sun is out.” He gave me a half smile.
“It’s just I’ve never—um. A guy has never seen—”
“I know.” He brought his face to mine. “It’s okay. Really. I don’t want you to be uncomfortable.”
“I want to, but I—”
He cut me off with a kiss. My body relaxed with his touch, and whatever I had to say became unimportant. His fingers circled my breast, and his thumb brushed across my nipple. I sucked in my breath, tangling my tongue with his. My skin felt like it was on fire. I inched my T-shirt up, slowly at first.
He pulled back. “You sure?”
I swallowed hard and nodded. “Just don’t laugh at my bra. It’s kind of white and—”
He ran a finger along the curve of my upper lip. “I’m not up on the latest bra trends. You’re safe.”
I let him pull my shirt over my head and stiffened as his eyes skimmed my body.
He pressed his lips to my navel, working his way up until our mouths were inches apart.
I stared back at him. He definitely made me
His mouth tickled my ear. “You will.”
I ran my hands down his smooth back, breathing him in. His hand inched up my thigh. My eyelashes fluttered and a pressure built inside of me. He hesitated.
“Don’t stop,” I whispered.
He kissed me harder, his fingers sliding over the edge of my underwear. My leg muscles tensed, and my heart felt like it was palpitating. His touch moved higher until I was sure I’d pass out. An indescribable warmth blanketed my nerves.
Everything faded away, even the light streaming across his bed from the high windows. I had no idea being close to another human being could feel this amazing.
I WOKE UP SHIVERING the next morning. Raindrops pelted against the window, and the wind roared outside.
I hadn’t wanted to get out of the car when Justin dropped me home, ten minutes before my midnight curfew. The night had been incredible. I already missed his soft lips and the way his hands felt on my skin. My boyfriend. I had a real boyfriend.
During dinner, Justin and his sister had told me about the concerts they went to in Italy and how easy Milan was to get lost in. They showed me pictures of dusky buildings, cobblestone walkways filled with people, and the most elaborate shopping mall I’d ever seen. I’d be going there someday.
I glanced at my cell phone. It read 11:00, but the muted light in the basement made it seem much earlier. The wind picked up again, sending branches against the house.
I buried my hands inside the sleeves of my thermal and sat in front of my computer. The server dinged with new e-mail.
From: Naomi QuinnSubject: She waits for the dawn…
I stared at the name and subject until it became a blurry mess. Maybe she wanted to come to practice today after all. The knots in my stomach told me otherwise. I took a deep breath and opened the e-mail.… to make her grand escape.Hi Drea,Where do I even begin? I guess I’ll start with I’m sorry… for everything. In case you haven’t noticed by now, I’m a horrible friend. More trouble than I’m worth. I know. You deserve better, and I think you have it with Justin. That boy is crazy about you. So much so it hurts to look at you guys. I’ve waited my entire life for someone to look at me the way you look at each other. To admire me for some reason, at least. But that’s another story.Your mom talked to my dad last night. She told him everything. He freaked and told me he was going to turn me in. He thinks I need rehab, which is hilarious. The guy pops Vicodin like it’s candy.Don’t worry. I’m not mad at you. I’ve been looking for a reason to get out. That final straw. This did it. I’m at Scott’s right now. He’s packing up his shit, and we’re heading south in a couple days. Maybe California. Maybe Vegas. Maybe the moon? I know you think he’s scum, but he’s my ticket out of here, and if you knew how he grew up, you’d understand his anger. I love him, Drea. I really do. People screw up. They make mistakes. I hope that you’ll forgive me someday.I left your iPod and money on your porch. Count it if you’d like. It’s all there. I don’t know why I took it. I don’t know why I do a lot of things. Out of everyone here, I’m going to miss you the most. Especially your smile. You don’t smile much, but when you do, your entire face glows. I’ve known you a month, but I feel closer to you than anyone else. Making music with you was awesome, and I’m sorry I can’t keep doing it. It was the one thing I really looked forward to. But singers aren’t hard to find. Did you know Roger sings? He’s not bad either, LOL. No joke!I have a couple favors
