Page 24 of Steps

Varen loops his strong arm around my waist andpicks me up from the ground.

“Whoa, what are you doing?” My body shudders frombeing this close to him.Gawd, he smells good.

“Relax. Hold on, damn it, or I’ll drop you.”

Awkwardly, I lock my hands around his neck, and hecarries me back to the car. I can’t believe how disappointed I feel when hesets me down.

He scoffs. “There you go, princess.”

Clearing my throat, I feign nonchalance and tellhim, “Whatever. I could’ve walked the short distance. You didn’t have to dothat.”

“But you enjoyed it, huh?” He smirks in aconceited way and steps around to the driver’s side.

I huff and gnaw at my lip, annoyed with my heartfor disobeying my mind.

“Thanks for this,” he says when I get in and shutthe door. “Your grandmother was cool.”

This warms me. I feel good knowing I did somethingfor him. But if only it were a friendly kind of feeling and nothing naughty.

“Um, let’s go home,” I mutter, clearing my head.

He smirks. “Sure, princess.”

“Will you stop with the princess?” I fume whilebuckling the seatbelt.

“I will when you stop rolling your eyes at me.”

“Ugh.” I do it again, anyway.

When we reach the house twenty minutes later, myfeet are a tad sore from walking on prickly grass and stones without shoes.

“Want me to apply ointment or something?” heoffers when we enter the front door.

I’m taken back by his sweetness. “Uh, no, I’mfine. I should get to bed. I have a test tomorrow.”

He nods, and we proceed to stare at each other fora few seconds too long until Daniel pops into the archway of the living room,breaking up the abnormal connection. Guess he was waiting up for Varen.

“I’m too tired to do this again,” Varen sputters.

“Fine. But we need to talk, son.”

He huffs and jogs upstairs to his room. Lookingback at Daniel, I offer him a sympathetic smile.

“I should go to bed, too.”

“Toya,” he says before I walk away.

I glance at him sideways. “Yes?”

A fatherly smile curves his mouth. “Thank you. Iappreciate your concern for my son. Even if he may not.”

“Oh.” I square my shoulders. “It just seems likehe could use a friend.”

“And I rather a positive one like you,” he praises,then inches closer, cautiously patting my arm. “Goodnight.”

“Night.” I continue downstairs to my room.

Guilt seeps in the second I shut the door. IfDaniel knew the kind of dirty thoughts I’m having about his son, he wouldsplash me with holy water and forbid me from going anywhere near him.

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