Page 42 of Tiny Fractures

“There, now we’re even,” he says, his voice gravelly. A smile begins to form on his full, soft lips, his green eyes intense when I meet his gaze.

It’s subtle, but I can feel my world shift.

I blink at him as he takes a small step back to give me some space, staying close enough that I can still feel the electricity between our bodies.

He pulls out his phone. “I feel like I should ask for your number. I mean, I’ve saved you a couple of times, and we’ve officially made out twice now.” He flashes me that sexy half-smile.

“Yeah, I guess we’re kinda going about this the wrong way, huh?” I say, blushing.

“I’m not sure I’d call it wrong”—he shrugs, still smiling—“but if that’s how you feel, then I guess I should do something to make it right.”

My eyes flicker back to his lips and I swallow hard before looking in his eyes. “What are you thinking, exactly?” While I’m excited, I also feel a little on edge, like this conversation might be taking a turn I’m not comfortable with.

He senses my apprehension, and his eyes turn serious. “I’m thinking we slow it down a little, and maybe you’ll let me take you out?” He looks at me with a mixture of doubt and childlike hopefulness.

My lips tug upward into a smile. “I think I’d like that.”

“Me, too.” His eyes are soft as he smiles at me. “Thursday? Shane will be pissed if I blow off his party tonight. You’ll be there, right?”

It takes me a second to remember which party Ronan is talking about. “Oh shit!” I exclaim, slapping my hand over my mouth. “It’s officially your birthday!”

He chuckles. “So, are you going to be at Shane’s tonight and then go out me with the next day?”

I lower my hand from my mouth, exposing my huge smile. I nod, blushing. “Yes. I’m really looking forward to it,” I say, actually feeling pretty giddy.

“So am I,” Ronan agrees earnestly. He tugs on Onyx’s leash as he steps backwards off the stoop and turns to leave.

“Ronan,” I say loudly.

He turns his head in my direction and nods for me to say whatever it is I’m going to say.

“What do you like?”

He cocks his head to the side, eyebrows furrowed. “What do you mean?”

I laugh. “For your birthday. I want to get you a present.”

He smiles widely. “You just did!”

Ronan

Well shit, talk about a coincidence. I had no idea Cat lived within a ten-minute walking distance of my house. And who would have even thought she would not only be awake at well past two in the morning but also outside, sitting on the stoop of her front door?

I was exhausted and so lost in my own damn thoughts that I hardly paid attention to my surroundings. I was on autopilot, biding my time until it was safe to head back home and not interrupt, or accidentally eavesdrop on, Steve and Vada getting busy in Steve’s room. And, man, I wouldn’t have even noticed Cat if it hadn’t been for Onyx abruptly veering off the sidewalk and running toward her. But I can’t blame her, because there’s something so damn magnetic about Cat.

I have the hardest time staying away from her, and I can’t even really put my finger on why. I mean, she’s stunning. Holy shit, she’s fucking gorgeous. She has these incredible eyes that I swear change color like mood stones—one minute they’re a cinnamon brown, and the next they’re a deep, dark green. Her high cheekbones and cute nose are specked with light freckles, and she has probably the most enticingly full lips that were so damn soft when we kissed.

But it’s not just her looks. She just radiates warmth and light, like she is the sun. And there’s something about her energy, like she matches mine. Or maybe “match” isn’t the right word; maybe it’s more that she complements my own energy, diminishes the darkness hidden inside me. Talking with her is so easy, and I feel so fucking calm around her.

I mostly live my life in a state of anticipation and anxiety, always on edge, expecting the next fight, the next hit, more pain. The tension obviously eases when I’m around my friends, but nothing compares to what it feels like to be around Cat. It makes me want to spend more time with her. I’ve honestly never felt this drawn to someone, never met a girl I wanted to get to know as badly as I want to get to know Cat. There is something so damn compelling about her; it’s familiar yet new, and my thoughts turn to her constantly. What’s crazy about this whole thing is that I only met her a month ago, but I swear it was like she flipped a switch when she walked down those stairs to the beach. And even though I really should try a hell of a lot harder to stay away from her, because, really, she doesn’t need any of my shit, I can hardly wait to see her in just a few hours.

Once I’m home, I make my way up the stairs, pulling my shirt off as I walk. I shut the door to my room behind me, throw the shirt in the corner, and unbutton my jeans, ready to take them off.

“So, where do you go when you leave in the middle of the damn night?” I hear from behind me.

I jump. “Jesus, Vada, you have a knack for sneaking up on me.”

Vada is standing in the doorway between my room and the bathroom connecting Steve’s and my bedrooms, wearing a pair of Steve’s boxers and a t-shirt. I peek past her through the open door to Steve’s room and spot him passed out on his bed.

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