Page 12 of Sinful Skulls
“Naw, but I want to read about where you’re going. I don’t know much about Paris other than the Eiffel Tower is there.” He hands me one of the books specifically about Paris. “Will you mark some of the places you are planning to visit?”
A warmth settles in my chest as I sit down next to him with a highlighter. He places his arm along the couch behind me.
I rattle off all of the museums I’ll for sure be visiting. “The Louvre, Musèe d’Orsay, and the Petit Palais …” I pause, noticing he’s not looking at the book anymore. His attention is on me.
“What?” I laugh lightly. “Am I boring you?”
He shakes his head. “Not at all. I love watching your face when you talk about things that excite you.”
I dip my head, enjoying his attention. “There’s a map in this one.”
He sits up straight as I open it over our laps. “This is where I’ll be living.”
“Is it a safe area?”
“Yeah. It’s on campus.”
His tattooed hand smooths over the map, and his brows pull together as he studies it. Now that I’m watching him, I see the same worry lines my parents had.
I place my hand over his. “I’ll be okay, Brody. Remember how street smart I was the night we met?”
It doesn’t make him laugh like I thought it would.
“I promise I’ll be safe, and I’ll pay attention to my surroundings.” My hand rests on his.
“This is harder than I thought it was going to be,” he admits quietly. “But don’t get me wrong, I really do hope it’s everything you’ve imagined and more.”
“Me too,” I whisper.
He sighs and leans back against the couch. “It really sucks we have to say goodbye.”
“We can still talk on the phone and write to each other.”
Brody shakes his head adamantly. “No. I think we need to make a clean break.”
My heart sinks.
He grabs my chin in his big hand. “I want you to experience it all. You might tell everyone you’re going there to study art, but I think you’re really going to find yourself. You won’t be able to do that if you’re constantly thinking of me back here in the States.” He pauses to run his thumb over my bottom lip. “Do you understand what I’m saying?”
“You’re right. This really sucks.”
He laughs. “It does, but I don’t regret it. I’ve had the most memorable week with a special girl. I’ll never forget you.”
“Maybe when I get back …”
“Don’t do that to yourself. Keep your heart open. You never know where life will take you. I mean, you’re going to be in Paris for fucks sake. Isn’t it the romance capital of the world?”
“I thought you didn’t know anything about it?” I grumble.
He laughs. “I will miss your sass.”
I stare into his galaxy eyes. It would be so easy to get lost in them. “I’ve never met anyone like you, Brody. I don’t regret our short time together either. But I hope you know I’ll never forget you. How could I?” I laugh sadly.
He leans in and presses his lips to mine. My stomach flips clean over, and every cell in my body begins to vibrate. His kiss is soft, yet firm, and I don’t want it to ever stop.
His tongue slides along mine, and he grabs my face in his hands, holding me still. He takes his time, and I wonder if he’s placing everything to memory, same as me.
When he pulls away, we stare at each other. “Why are we torturing ourselves?” I ask, swallowing hard.
