The Second Life of Everly Beck: The Tethered Soul Series Book 2 by Laura C. Reden

Author:Laura C. Reden [Reden, Laura C.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781954587052
Publisher: Laura C. Reden
Published: 2021-04-26T22:00:00+00:00

Chapter 14

The day warmed as the sun crawled high in the sky. Traffic moved all around us while Beck and I stood still. She was lost. She was away on a birthday weekend that had turned out to be nothing like what she planned. I wondered what her weekend would have looked like if I hadn’t tagged along. Perhaps Nolan wouldn’t have found himself alone with Payton. I couldn’t help but feel responsible for the turn of events. I needed to make it up to Beck. Make sure she had an unforgettable trip.

“So, you’ve always wanted to bungee jump, but”—I shook my head and sighed—“what else have you always wanted to do? Maybe there’s still time,” I said, checking my watch.

Beck rolled her eyes. “You’re never going to let me live that one down, are you?”

“Nope!”

Beck accepted her fate with a heavy sigh. Then a look I was beginning to recognize crept across her face. “I should get that tattoo. Yeah, I should totally get a tattoo!” Beck said, eyes widening in excitement.

“Then you should! Let’s do it!” I said.

“You’re going to get one too, right?” Beck asked.

Me? I’d had my share of tattoos. In one life, I was covered with them. Not just from arm to arm but everywhere. They’d become addictive. The art was beautiful when fresh. Until it wasn’t. Until I wanted something different. When the time came, I wanted to express myself differently and couldn’t. It’s true that I enjoyed them, but I also never had one I didn’t regret at one time or another. “This one’s all you . . .”

“Oh, come on, you baby!” said Beck in a playful tone, shoving my arm.

“Oh! I’m the baby?” I stopped walking and slowly raised my finger to point at the now distant skyscraper that I’d leapt off, while she stayed permanently affixed to the surface in safety.

“OK! OK! I take it back! Please, let it go! You’re not a baby.”

I remained frozen, pointing, unsatisfied.

“You’re . . . brave!” Beck pled.

As soon as she said it, I only hungered for more. “And?”

“And . . . adventurous!” Beck said.

“And?” I prodded. Beck tilted her head in protest, but I encouraged her to keep going with a wave of my hand.

“And . . . spirited, kind, um . . . attractive . . . kind of . . .”

My accusatory pointer finger fell from the skyscraper, and I closed the distance between us. She stood her ground when I lowered down to her. Slowly. Slowly enough to gauge if she would let me kiss her. If her eye contact told me anything, it was that she was open to the idea of another kiss. One that was sober and in the open daylight of clear cognitive thought and emotions. I brought my lips close to hers before brushing by them. Trailing my lips against her cheek, making my way to her ear. Then I whispered, “Kind of?”

Beck let out the breath she’d been holding in, and I couldn’t contain the smile that pulled across my face.

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