Page 49 of The Hallows Queen

He smiles, kissing my cheek. “I’m not going to fuck you today. It is our first date, after all.”

Leaning into his neck, I suck on his skin, then bite and kiss a line up to his jaw. “I fuck on the first date.”

He laughs, grabbing me by the arms to hold me at a distance. “I want today to be different.”

“Hayden,” I groan. “Don’t go soft on me now. We’re way past the need for you to be a gentleman with me.”

His hand wraps around my throat, and I smile as desire runs through me. Placing his mouth against mine, he speaks again. “I’m anything but soft when it comes to you, baby. Let me do this right.”

Chapter13

Hayden

I spendthe next seven days with Penelope.

She goes to work during the day, or to see her dad in the hospital, so I surf with Levi, but the nights are ours. I still haven’t been to her house, but she’s made herself at home in mine.

I learned she’s a history aide at Luxington High – shadowing Mrs. Justice, who I have burning a hole in my schedule – and I haven’t found the balls to tell her I’ll be her student.

It’ll be more fun on the first day of school, I think.

Even though I’ve grown closer to her, I still have the need to be reckless in the back of my mind. There’s that part of me that likes it twisted and fucked up. I can’t help it.

It isn’t until the day before school starts that I grow nervous.

I’ve tried to give Penelope the smallest details about my life, avoiding her questions about a career or anything that could give away my reality. So far, I’ve been in the clear. I’m not ready to burst the bubble we’re in. I’m not ready to risk her walking away from me just yet. I want to hold on to the things she’s making me feel for as long as possible, and part of me knows that I’m doing it because I’m scared I’ll never feel it again.

After eighteen years of being depressed and numb, I’m clutching the happiness she’s giving me like my last dying breath.

Logan invites us all over for family dinner to say goodbye to summer break and welcome our senior year of high school, so I make up that I’m feeling under the weather when Penelope asks to hang out.

I pick up Levi on my way to Carson and Logan’s for dinner, and he grills me about where I’ve been every night this week for the whole ride over. When I park behind Carson’s Jeep, I unbuckle my belt and turn to face him.

“Don’t talk about any of that in front of them.”

“About what?” Levi questions.

“That I’ve been disappearing this week.”

He slaps my arm. “You know I wouldn’t, papi. I got your back.”

“Thank you.” I sigh. “I don’t need Logan after my ass tonight.”

“You gonna tell me where you’ve been going?” he asks, raising his brows.

“Not yet.”

He dips his head in understanding, and we get out of the car to head inside.

We’re hit with the smell of food the second we walk through the front door and find Logan’s dad sitting on the couch just inside. We all exchangehellos, and Levi and I make our way to the kitchen to find our friends.

Logan and Carson are both wearing aprons, rushing around the kitchen like a married couple.

“Dude, why the fuck are you wearing an apron?” Levi laughs, slapping Carson on the back as he passes by him to start lifting lids from the pots on the stovetop. Logan slaps his hands away, and he raises them in defeat.

I kiss Logan on the cheek, avoiding the tray of food she has in her arms. “How was Franklin?”

“Good,” she replies cheerfully. “Giuliana and I volunteered at the food bank. Thanks for the donation.”

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