While You Were Dreaming by Alisha Rai

Author:Alisha Rai
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: HarperCollins
Published: 2022-12-22T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter

Fifteen

“I’m assuming you’re talking to the dog and not me.”

I swallowed past my lump of embarrassment. “Uh, yes. I was.”

Niam arched a thick eyebrow. He wore jeans and a blindingly white T-shirt tonight, topped with a maroon bomber jacket. The moonlight burnished his brown skin and tight lustrous curls with a silvery sheen.

Lustrous? Had I inhaled some of the weed secondhand?

I was positively destined to keep running into this man in the dark. Reflexively, I raised my hand to my chin. When I didn’t find a mask there, I dropped it away guiltily. I wasn’t Shadow this time, I was myself, and I better act like it. Mild, well-mannered, Sonia.

He didn’t seem that surprised to see me, but I imagined it took a lot to shock Niam. “We have to stop meeting like this.”

Buddy, you have no idea. “I was thinking the same thing. Ha ha.”

“What are you doing here?”

I gestured to the dog. “I, um, heard the dog. Wanted to make sure it didn’t run away.” I wanted to play with it, because animals are more fun than people.

“I meant, what are you doing at this house? Remy’s never mentioned you.”

I doubt he would, even after tonight, given how laser-focused he was on Hana. I slipped my hands inside my jacket. I’d close it in a second, but a part of me wanted Niam to get a glimpse of my cute casual outfit, one that fit my body a little better than usual. He’d seen me behind an apron twice, and once cloaked in a baggy sweatshirt and the disguise of darkness. Pride alone demanded he know that I could clean up. “My friend’s friends with Remy. What are you doing here?”

“Remy and I used to ride the bus together.”

James had already told me that, and that was common for the area, where the public school buses also took kids to other area schools. I’d only asked to deflect from me being out of place.

“But I’m mostly here to make sure my brother doesn’t mix too much alcohol and prescription meds. Parties aren’t really my thing.”

They weren’t my thing either, but it was weird to have something in common with James’s taciturn older brother.

Niam’s words sank in, and I frowned. I hadn’t thought about James’s pain meds. “Um, I don’t mean to snitch, but I should probably tell you he’s playing beer pong inside right now.”

Niam muttered a curse, and he shook his head. “Should be okay. My friends are under strict orders to water down all his drinks. I’ll give him a few minutes and then I’ll drag him away.”

I drifted closer, charmed despite myself by Niam’s gruff affection for his younger sibling. Probably because it felt foreign to me now.

Kareena did do your makeup today. She told you to be careful.

Yeah, crumbs of affection. After months of a starvation diet.

Niam nodded at the puppy. “Did you want some time with Benny here?” The dog perked his ears up at hearing his name.

“I wouldn’t mind it,” I admitted. “I’m not much of a party person, either, and my friend’s off somewhere with Remy.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.