When You Come Back to Me (Lost Boys #2) - Emma Scott Page 0,81

our lips brushed. “You’re a softy. A pillow. A grilled cheese sandwich.”

I kissed him silent and the flame that burned between us flared instantly. Holden hauled my hips against his and slid his hand over the erection straining my jeans. He started to undo the button, but I took a step back.

“Can’t. This is a short break. Save it for tonight.”

Our mouths had been everywhere on each other, but my body was getting impatient for more. I know Holden was too, but he never complained, never pressured, never cracked a joke. But in his bed, I felt the tension under his skin and saw the need in his eyes.

Maybe tonight’s the night.

I didn’t give it more thought than that. I only wanted to do what we were both ready for. That Holden was more experienced didn’t mean anything to me. Whoever he’d been with before didn’t know who they had. But I did.

“Should I have James drive?” he asked.

“Nope, I’ll pick you up at ten.”

We kissed a final time—rough and raw, Holden trying to coerce me with his tongue to stay and let him have his way with my cock. But I broke the kiss and laughed as he snapped at me with his teeth.

“I’ll see you tonight.”

I slipped out of the band room, checking first to make sure the coast was clear. Holden would follow me out a minute later.

It wasn’t our perfect life, but it was the best I could do.

At home that afternoon, I took the stairs up two at a time and knocked on Mom’s door.

“Come in,” she called, her voice soft and breathy.

In March, she’d had good news that her latest cocktail of meds was holding the cancer at bay. But lately she’d been tired a lot and losing weight when she didn’t have weight to lose. Dad was taking her in for more scans in a few days, but a pall hung over the house. She wasn’t supposed to have made it to Christmas. Now, it was nearly a year later but we were all terrified that her extra time had come to an end.

Mom lay against her pillows, swimming in a silky bathrobe. Her hair was short, like a Marine. I liked to tell her she looked like Charlize Theron’s character, Furiosa, in Mad Max: Thunder Road and was just as much of a badass.

Amelia was sitting on the bed with her.

“I can come back,” I said.

“No, it’s fine, join us,” Mom said. “Tell us about your day.”

I met my secret boyfriend in the band room like we’ve been doing for months.

I coughed. “Not much to say. I’m supposed to be at the shop today, but I can stay home if you need me.”

“I’m fine. Dazia will be here literally any minute.”

Mom’s best friend coming had become like a portent of doom; Dazia was an infusion of energy the family desperately needed but only arrived when Mom was at her sickest.

“In that case, I was thinking of seeing a late movie with some guys tonight,” I said. “Might be home late.”

“Again?” Amelia was suddenly curious. “You’ve been staying out late a lot lately, River. What’s that all about?”

I stiffened, not looking at her. She’d been making strange remarks like that for weeks.

“River’s eighteen,” Mom said. “He’s a man now, going out and doing manly things.”

I choked out a nervous laugh. “What the hell does that mean?”

“It means you’re an adult, about to graduate. As long as you live under this roof, there are rules of course, but—”

“Are you saying he doesn’t have a curfew anymore?” Amelia demanded. “Because that is so unfair.”

“He has a curfew,” Mom said, shooting me a wink. “It’s to come home one minute before his parents start to worry.”

Amelia huffed and crossed her arms. “Oh my God, that is sexism at work. He leaves the house when I have to go to bed.”

“When you’re eighteen, things will be different for you.” Mom tapped her chin thoughtfully. “Or maybe not. Your father might make your curfew six p.m. to keep the boys away.”

Amelia wouldn’t be eighteen for another three and a half years. God knew what our family would be like then, without Mom, and Dad trying to raise a teenage daughter alone.

The room grew quiet and Amelia muttered something about needing to do homework. She kissed our mother on her wan cheek and hurried out.

“I shouldn’t have joked about it. It’s hard for her and will get harder.” Mom raised her tired blue eyes to mine. “I want you