Fourth Grave Beneath My Feet

“D! If you aren’t coming, can I take Odin? That’s a sweet ride.”

“No!” he shouted.

“Fine. Shit. Don’t blow a gasket.”

I sat ogling Donovan, a new appreciation blossoming in my chest.

“What?” he asked, suddenly wary.

“Odin? You named your bike?”

He offered me a wink as he picked up the roll of duct tape. “I was inspired by a crazy girl in a Jeep named Misery.”

“You named your car Misery?” Strawberry asked, her face twisted in distaste.

“Look,” Donovan said, his expression suddenly severe. “Edwards is not all there, if you know what I mean.”

“Edwards?”

“The guy who wanted to take you out.”

“Really?” I asked, interested. “Is he cute?”

“The blond in the van who wanted to slice you into itty-bitty pieces.”

“Oh, that Edwards.”

He laughed. “He got kicked out of sniper training school in the Marines, and he hasn’t been the same since.”

“The Marines may have been on to something.”

“Just watch your back, okay?”

“Consider it watched.”

He grinned and tore a strip of tape away from the roll, readying it for more duty. I laughed. “I think I’m secure.”

“Nope, but you will be.” He ran the tape in circles around the back of the chair and over my rib cage just under Danger and Will Robinson.

The act emphasized their fullness, a fact I was fairly certain he didn’t miss.

“That’s better,” he said, his gaze fixed on the girls.

I rolled my eyes. “Really? This is how you’re going to leave me?”

Before I could say anything else, he lunged forward and planted his mouth on mine again. This kiss was anything but gentle. Need and longing radiated out of him as his tongue slipped past my lips and between my teeth. Just like last time we’d kissed, he tasted faintly of beer and cinnamon. I heard a soft moan, and I realized it was coming from me.

His hands rose to my face, his fingers diving into my hair, pulling parts of it loose from the hair tie. He cupped my chin with one hand and angled my head to give him better access. Slanting against me, he deepened the kiss even more. I wanted to mold myself to him again, to feel the hardness of his body against mine, but he’d taped me to the back of the chair. Of course, that didn’t stop one hand from meandering back to my ass. He pulled me closer—chair and all—then let his hand slide up to Will, to measure her weight in his palm, to test her peak with his thumb.

“D, what the f**k?”

With great reluctance, he pulled away from me. His lids were still closed when he yelled, “I’m coming, damn it!” Then he focused on me once again. “Not literally, unfortunately.” He brushed a thumb over my mouth again. “You are so very special, Charley. I will be back.”

Without another word, he rose and walked out of the room, his big boots echoing against the walls until I heard a door close above me. I sat stewing in a fog of desire and warmth until I realized I still had an audience. And I couldn’t help but notice that Blue’s jaw had fallen open. Poor kid.

After a long draw of air to get control of my hormones, I asked Rocket, “Are you going to introduce us?”

“Miss Charlotte, I don’t think you should be kissing boys on the mouth like that. Especially in front of my sister.”

“You’re right.” I hung my head in shame. “She’s very pretty, though.”

“I’ll fix your hair,” Strawberry said. She stood behind me and ripped the hair tie out, then proceeded to rake her fingers over my scalp. For the love of sunshine, I’d be lucky to leave this place with any hair left at all.

Blue was still as far away from me as she could get without being in the next room, but I could hardly believe I was finally getting to see her. I’d been coming here for years and had never even been offered so much as a glimpse. And she was absolutely adorable. Her short hair curled under at her ears. Her bangs cut to meticulous precision.

After a moment, she took note of the fact that I was looking at her. She closed her mouth and stepped back, her head down and her shoulders concave.

“It was so nice to meet you,” I said a split second before she melted into the far wall.

Then I was lifted, chair and all, off the ground and into the most awkward hug I’d ever encountered. Rocket was a hugger. It didn’t matter that my face was being ground into his cool shoulder with the unnatural position.

“Where have you been?” he asked, and I couldn’t help but notice how air became precious fast when your supply ran out. “You haven’t been here in forever.”

“Rocket,” Strawberry said, her voice nasally with a whine, “I can’t reach her hair, and have you seen it? Maybe we should just shave her head and start over.”

My eyes flew open. She was probably one of those girls who shaved her dolls’ heads. Those girls were creepy.

“No shaving heads,” I said into Rocket’s shoulder.

“I have no idea what you’re saying,” she replied. “I’ll go find some scissors.”

Panic seized me but only for a moment. The departed were limited in what they could do with objects on this plane. Surely she couldn’t really get a hold of a pair of scissors.

“Or maybe I can find a knife.” She disappeared down the hall.