Eden laughed, happily this time, and braced her hands against his chest to stop him. He seemed surprised by the gesture and she felt his heart pick up speed under her palm. Their eyes locked for a moment, and Noah’s fingers brushed her wrist, sending a flurry of goosebumps rising up all over her skin. Eden pulled back and grinned at him, trying to ease the sudden tension and afraid the hunger would decide to make an appearance. “Nothing happened. I can take care of myself. I just… my parents are really trying to drive me up the wall, what with this debut party and now Teagan…” Noah was still looking at her like he’d never seen her before and she raised an eyebrow at him. “Dude, are you even listening?”
He let go of his breath and grinned. “I told you not to call me dude.”
“Hey, we’ve been over this. You were given options and you chose dude.”
“My options were dude and dick. That’s not a choice. That’s sadism.”
“What is so wrong with dude?”
“Well every time you say it my IQ drops ten points.”
“Wow, and you only started out with ten in the first place. We must be way into the negatives.”
“I’d be a vegetable if that were the case.”
Eden made a face. “You said it, not me.”
Noah raised his eyebrows. “Keep up the insults and you’re going in the lake, Winslow.”
She snorted. “I’d like to see you try.”
“Oh you would, would you?” He reached for her, grabbing her around the waist. Eden started shrieking.
“You wouldn’t dare, Valois!” she yelled, trying to pull out of his embrace as he dragged her down the grassy slope towards the lake. Jeez, he was strong for a human. She elbowed him in the gut but it didn’t even slow him down.
“Either stop calling me dude or you and the lake are going to get pretty friendly.”
“No way!” she half-laughed, half-yelled, tucking her foot around his ankle. They both went down like a ton of bricks, the air whooshing out of Eden’s lungs as Noah landed on her. “Get off!” she giggled, pushing at him.
She felt the vibration of his body as he laughed, struggling to untangle them. The weight of him abruptly disappeared and Eden turned to see him towering over her, still choking on laughter. “You put up a good fight, Winslow.” He held his hand out to her. “But we better stop. The little old lady on that bench looks ready to call the cops and your goon looks ready to kill me.”
Ice immediately tightened around Eden at the thought and she gripped Noah’s hand, letting him haul her up off the grass. She was so dazed, worrying about the goon telling her father she was messing around with a human in public, she lost her footing and had to grab on to Noah for balance. His familiar citrusy scent dove inside her and her hunger latched onto it with a fierceness that debilitated her. Her chest squeezed tight with the need and she couldn’t breathe, couldn’t think, as her eyes landed on his mouth. Her fingernails curled into his forearms as she imagined tilting his head back and opening his mouth. All she’d have to do was breathe him in, reach deep inside him and take a little bit of pure, beautiful soul. Yes. Yes. She could do that. Her hunger needed it. She needed it. Do it, Eden, do it.
“Eden.”
She licked her lips, reaching her hands up to his face.
“Eden!” Noah shook her hard. Blinking fast, Eden looked up and saw his startled gaze.
Oh my God! Fear made her wrench back from him like he was poisonous. I almost… I almost…
“Eden?”
She felt sick. “I-I…”
“Eden, are you OK?” he asked quietly, his eyes serious. Hard.
Eden narrowed her own eyes now as he kept his distance. Had he sensed something?
You were staring at his mouth, Eden.
Right. Relief washed over her. Maybe he just thought I was making a move on him. Better that than the awful truth.
What… that you almost sucked his soul out in public?
“I gotta go, Noah.” She stumbled back.
“I thought we were going to get some coffee?” He nodded his thumb over his shoulder in the direction of town.