Backstage Pass by Nelson Elizabeth

Author:Nelson, Elizabeth [Nelson, Elizabeth]
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub, pdf
Publisher: Bristlecone Books
Published: 2013-08-05T23:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 6

Back at the house, Kerri curled up with her geography notes and I worked on conjugating French verbs until my eyes blurred. Clouds obscured the sky and a light rain ushered in the afternoon. When I couldn’t keep my eyes open I tossed my notes on the coffee table and eased myself upright. A cool breeze drifted through the room and I hobbled to the front door. Jesse’s silhouette at the end of the walk didn’t surprise me. I pushed through the screen door and hopped onto the porch.

Arms deep in the front pocket of his sweatshirt, Jesse lifted his head. My heart lurched at the forlorn edge to his features. I wanted us to be friends, not this, whatever it was.

“Out for a run?” I yelled through the drizzle.

He didn’t answer.

The wind picked up and a gust slipped around the side of the porch, knocking me off balance. I scrambled for a handhold, but the bench was too far away. My weight shifted and I pinwheeled my arms. Solid arms wrapped around my waist and held me over the warped boards of our aging patio. I pressed my palms into them until they shook. My hamstring burned with trying to keep my cast from hitting.

Jesse slid his arms further around me and squatted until he held my full weight. Was I ever going to stop leaning on him? I exhaled and my body trembled. Another gust buffeted us and he lost his balance. I shrieked and braced myself for the jolt of pain. His arms tightened around me and he twisted, landing on his back and breaking my fall. My chest smashed into his and my chin dug into his sternum.

He groaned, but his arms held me tight.

I twisted. Somehow, he’d managed to catch my cast with his ankle and had his foot propped against the bench. Relief flooded my limbs and I sagged against him. He bent his knee so our legs weren’t angled so awkwardly.

His cellphone dug into my stomach and I inched higher, not feeling stable enough to stand just yet. I squeezed my eyes closed and willed the patio to stop spinning. These pain meds were going to be the death of me. My skin tingled where Jesse’s fingers rested on the base of my skull and the small of my back.

“If you keep fidgeting like that, I’m going to need a cigarette.”

I froze.

He chuckled and the sensation vibrated through my torso.

“You said you quit.”

He cleared his throat. “Yeah well, now I need one for an entirely different reason.”

Suddenly very aware of his body beneath mine and my breasts rubbing against his chest, I tugged my hands from between our bodies and pushed. His grip tightened and his fingers traced small circles across my skin. As much as I wanted to hate his touch, it made me feel safe, and tingly.

I opened my eyes and stared at the crooked porch railing. It rolled and swayed like the deck of a boat. I closed my eyes again.

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