Page 75 of Blade

“How do you know?” I asked.

“How could he not?” he rasped, his voice laced thick with emotion.

“Yea, well, I’m not sure he did. Pretty sure he saw me as a sister,” I admitted, looking away.

“Impossible. You are the most beautiful woman I have ever seen.”

His hand reached up to cradle my cheek.

I placed my hand over his and closed my eyes.

“You need to understand. I was still a dorky teenager back then.” I snickered and pulled his hand down to hold it in my lap. “He was my first kiss, though.”

“What?” he gasped.

Nodding my head, “Yup,” I said, letting the p pop at the end. “It was after school one day. I had caught up with him under a tree where he liked to sit and read. He was always reading.”

I heard Blade chuckle at that.

“Hey, don’t laugh, seeing a guy read is hot!” I said, bumping his shoulder and making him laugh.

“I like to read,” he stated, wagging his eyebrows at me.

The jokes helped ease the tension I felt.

It was only going to get tougher from here.

“So, tell me about this kiss,” he prompted, bumping my shoulder back. I looked over at him and tilted my head, really looking at him. “What?”

“I don’t know. There’s something about you. I have only ever felt this comfortable with Ryder and withhim. Well, once you stopped growling at me.”

“What about Jack?” he asked.

“Jack is great. He’s fun, he makes me laugh, but…” I hesitated.

“But what?” he prodded.

“Jack is like Ryder. He is a great friend. Someone you can call anytime. You’re different. You’re more likehewas,” I hedged.

“Are you hoping I’ll notice you?” he asked, and I felt my cheeks heat.

“Pretty sure you noticed me when you barged into Grams’ kitchen and found me in my underwear,” I said, still embarrassed by that encounter.

“Damn right I did,” he admitted with a wink. “Have I distracted you enough? You were spiraling a bit.”

There he went again.

Blade seemed to read me likehedid.

“What’s your real name?” His eyes widened at my question.

I knew it came out of left field, but suddenly I needed to know what it was. He looked away before he answered.

Pulling his knees up, he rested his forearms over them.

“Justin. I never really cared for it much, so when I joined the club, I was glad to have a club name and left that name behind.”

Hmm, he doesn’t look like a Justin.

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