hand, and a massive bruise around your eye, you’re not so bad yourself.”
“You just wait until I’m fully recovered. There’s no way you’ll be able to resist me,” he assured her, and Emma raised her eyebrows.
“I’m actually having problems resisting you right now,” she teased, but the rest of her words were lost as Curtis leaned up and let his mouth search out hers.
Emma found herself sighing in happiness. The feel of his lips on hers was hot and tender all at once, and as the kiss deepened, she edged her way closer to him, her fingers unconsciously threading through his curls.
“There’s no way I’m paying up on that bet,” a voice said, and Curtis made a growling noise under his breath as Emma reluctantly pulled away to see Loni and Tyler standing at the end of the bed.
“Of course you’re paying up,” Loni informed him. “Just because my wards didn’t keep the darkhel out doesn’t mean they didn’t work. You heard the guys from ops: they said that the theory is sound and that the idea of using a subsonic blaster was—”
“Inspired. Yeah, so you keep telling me, but I’m still not paying up.”
“Yes, you are. And at least the money will be going to a good cause since I’ve seen the most gorgeous bag at the mall and my horoscope said that today I will experience a reversal of fortune. You can’t argue with the stars.”
“I can when they cost me twenty bucks,” Tyler protested as Loni pulled up the chair Nurse Reynes had so recently discarded and settled into it. Next to her Tyler picked up some leftover Jell-O and, after giving it a tentative sniff, started to pile it into his mouth. “What do you guys think about honoring Loni’s inconclusive bet?”
However, instead of answering them, Curtis let out a small cough and pressed his forehead against Emma’s as he lowered his voice.
“Um, do you think they’re going to stay here long?” he asked as his dark eyes caught hers. Emma felt her stomach churn in longing as she returned his gaze, while the rest of the world started to slip away again.
“Probably,” she said softly. “But to be honest, right now I really don’t care.”
Curtis smiled as he once again pulled her toward him and searched out her mouth.
Perfect.
Turn the page for a sneak peek at Amanda Ashby’s
ZOMBIE QUEEN of Newbury High
one
Mia Everett was doomed. It was a fact she had known ever since Rob Ziggerman walked into biology class half an hour earlier. Instead of sitting next to her, as had been his habit for the last month, he’d made a beeline for Samantha Griffin. All of which meant the rumors must be true.
“How can this be happening?” she demanded in a low voice as she turned to Candice, who was carefully inspecting the skin of her elbow by poking it with a pencil.
“I have no idea.” Her friend shook her shoulder-length red hair in disgust as she offered up her arm for inspection. “I’m only seventeen. It hardly seems fair, but it’s definitely leprosy. No doubt about it. See the way the skin is falling away like that? Textbook case.”
“Candice, I’m not talking about you, I’m talking about how my life is about to be ruined.” Mia sunk farther down into her seat as their teacher, Mr. Haves, continued to talk in an animated voice about something bug-related. Normally Mia liked biology, but then again, she normally had Rob Ziggerman in all his blond, beautiful glory sitting next to her, so what was there not to like? “It’s important.”
“And leprosy isn’t?”
Mia gritted her teeth, once again wishing Candice wasn’t such a hypochondriac. This week it was leprosy, the week before it was some weird tapeworm that you could only get from a certain part of the Amazonian rain forest. Which, considering Candice hadn’t even left the state of California, was highly unlikely.
“What?” Candice raised an eyebrow. “Why are you looking at me like that? I’m serious. My arm could fall off by tomorrow.”
“Yes, it could. If in fact you had leprosy. All you’ve got is a bad case of dry skin.” Mia forced herself to keep her voice low. “Now, can we please start focusing on my crisis? Did you find out anything?”
“Fine.” Candice let out an exaggerated sigh and reluctantly pulled her sleeve down. “So this is what I heard. When Samantha broke up with Trent three weeks ago, she assumed that the guys would be lining up to ask her out.