Total pages in book: 102
Estimated words: 99766 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 499(@200wpm)___ 399(@250wpm)___ 333(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 99766 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 499(@200wpm)___ 399(@250wpm)___ 333(@300wpm)
My eyes remain fixated on her as I give her the burger and fries. She jolts when our fingertips touch, snatching her food back. I’m going to have to remember to ask Hollis what her deal is about not being touched.
But then he’d want to know why I want to know that…
Yeah, not asking her older brother about that shit.
Not looking to get killed by Hollis any time soon.
I devour my burger and fries before downing half my Coke. Once I’m full and feeling marginally better, I reach into the back to locate my medicine in my bag. I take my pills and then relax in my seat with my eyes closed, waiting for her to finish.
When I feel her stare burning into me, I peek over at her. “What?”
“Nothing.”
“How did you know what I wanted? You stalking me?” I arch a playful brow at her.
Her dark blond lashes that are makeup free flutter hard as she dramatically rolls her eyes. “Gross.”
I try to laugh off her comment, but it digs right in, finding the nerve that’s all too sensitive lately. I’m fucking terrible to look at. I know this. It’s why I avoid mirrors if at all possible.
“Hey, Smash,” Penny barks out. “Stop feeling sorry for yourself. I was saying your ego is gross, not your face.”
“But my face is…”
“Stop fishing for compliments.”
I bark out a laugh. “I’m not fishing.”
“You are. Stop talking.”
“You can’t just make me shut up—”
She leans over the console, her hand covering my mouth. I’m stunned over the fact she’s willingly touching me. What’s more confusing is the way her features seem softer than ever before. Our eyes collide, and for a moment, we’re frozen as we stare at each other. I almost feel as though she has the power to probe inside my mind, peeking in the dark corners and inspecting each cranny. All I can do is allow the mental assault.
It doesn’t feel bad.
No one’s bothered to come looking in the way she’s doing right now. My heart rate speeds up. I notice details about her. Like the single beauty mark on her slender, creamy neck. It’s a dark contrast on her pale skin and I grow fixated on it. The mark is directly over her pulsing vein, causing it to move with each throb.
With her up close, I catch her scent. A sweet smelling one. Not like Charlotte’s girly perfume that sometimes agitates my head. No, Penny smells like a flower after the rain. Fresh and clean and delicate. Not overpowering. I have an intense craving to lean forward, dragging my nose along the side of her neck to see if her beauty mark smells sweet too.
Something in the air shifts.
The quiet transforms into a living entity that threads between us, dragging emotions out of her head into mine and mine to hers.
I sense her confusion. Anger. Excitement. Fear.
I’m sure she can feel my pain, my wonder, my loneliness.
Slowly, she peels her palm from my mouth. “Your face is not gross.”
It’s not a compliment. Not even close. She says her words in such a Penny way. Harsh and blunt and borderline cruel. Yet, it still feels like praise.
“If you’re done creeping on me, let’s make a plan,” she says, her voice lacking its usual sass.
“It’s not creeping when you enjoy it.”
She scoffs. “I did not enjoy you staring inside my crazy-ass head.”
So she felt it too?
Like her mind was being penetrated by me?
“As you probably just realized,” I murmur. “I’m the crazy one here.”
No sense in denying the fact it felt like she was staring inside of me too.
Her eyes sweep over my face, landing on my mouth. “Hush.”
I nod at her, pressing my lips together. The last thing either of us needs is her trying to shut me up again. Next time, I might run my fingers through her silky blond hair or kiss that beauty mark on her neck.
She peels out of the empty parking lot, driving like a psycho. It’s just the reality check I need. What the fuck is wrong with me? She’s a damn teenager. I’m not some perv. It annoys me that I even considered kissing any part of her.
It’s Penny, for fuck’s sake.
Bratty, annoying, mean-ass Penny.
God sure did make her fucking pretty to mess with my head.
Maybe I never woke from that coma. Maybe this is hell. Penny as my very own little Satan… Not sure I exactly hate the idea.
Which means, maybe I’m not in hell at all, and instead going for a joy ride with a grumpy angel.
I glance over at her, admiring her beautiful features.
Fuck.
She’s definitely an angel.
An angel I’m suddenly all too smitten with.
I’m so fucked.
Penny
Something’s wrong with me.
I’m sick. More so than usual. It’s like all the strange things that go on inside my head are traveling. Making my chest feel tight or my stomach twist violently. My skin burns and my palms are sweaty. The most unusual feeling is in my pelvis. Aching. Throbbing. And I’m not even on my period anymore.