hurry because my gut feeling is that we don’t have much time.”
CHAPTER TWENTY
By eleven o’clock Emma and Curtis had been around the grounds three times and there had been no sign of the darkhel, which, Emma was forced to admit, was probably a good thing. She was still feeling pretty exhausted from her earlier fight. At least they’d slipped back to her room and changed, so she wasn’t forced to patrol in a dress and heels.
She came to a halt by the same bench where Loni, Tyler, and Curtis had waited when she had talked to her dad earlier that evening. It seemed like a lifetime ago now. She sat down and her throbbing muscles instantly let out a sigh of relief.
“So are you really okay?” Curtis sat down beside her and spoke in a low voice as if not wanting to disturb the night. Above them the moon was partly obscured by clouds.
“I’m fine.” She sighed. “Though I probably wouldn’t have been if you hadn’t come along when you did. Thanks for watching my back.”
“Sure.” He shrugged as he started to play with one of his crutches, which were leaning on the bench next to him, before he peered at her from underneath his blond curls. “It’s been a pretty crazy day.”
“Make that a crazy week,” Emma corrected as she paused to rub her eye. Ever since the fight it had been itching like a demon.
“Yeah, that too,” he agreed. Then he paused for a moment as if considering something before finally speaking. “So, with everything that happened, you never said how it went with your dad?”
“It was fine. I mean, Olivia insisted he bring me that book in case it was important,” Emma was forced to admit.
“Which it was,” he reminded her.
She folded her arms and leaned back on the bench so that she was looking up at the inky-black night sky. “I know what you’re trying to do, Curtis.”
“And what’s that?”
“You’re trying to make the point that my dad and Olivia aren’t as bad as I think they are.”
“And?” he prompted as he cocked an eyebrow and let a small smile hover around his mouth.
She took a deep breath. “Look, I never thought they were that bad. It’s just... well . . . ” She paused for a moment then turned to him. “It’s just that it’s not how I want things to be.”
“I know. I’m sorry,” he said in a low voice as his broad shoulder grazed hers. “It sucks when things don’t turn out the way you want.”
“Thanks,” she mumbled, the warmth of his shoulder making her feel at ease. “And by the way, don’t get all gloaty, but I did that thing you suggested. You know, the talking thing.”
“With your dad?” He sounded surprised.
“Yeah, and it was... okay. He said my mom had never mentioned the darkhel, but he told me some other stuff. Just dumb family stuff. Nothing big or world changing, but it was nice to hear it all the same.” Then she flushed as she realized what she was saying. She never told anyone how she felt, not even Loni, because she knew it didn’t make sense. After all, her mom was dead. She wasn’t coming back, but even though Emma knew that, accepting it seemed to be another thing entirely.
Suddenly, she was aware of the silence between them, and after the embarrassing misunderstanding of the tie incident, she decided that she had better stand up before she made another stupid mistake. She started to get to her feet, but before she could, she felt his fingers reach out for her hand.
“Jones . . . ” His voice was low and raspy and sent a delicious shudder racing through her as his fingers curled possessively around hers and he pulled her back down to the bench. She looked up to see him staring right at her, and she swallowed. Last time this had happened he had fixed her tie, but tonight she didn’t have her uniform on.
“Yes?” Her voice was croaky, even to her own ears, but instead of answering, he lowered his mouth to hers, and before she knew what was happening, Curtis was kissing her. The feel of his lips on hers, his skin touching hers, his fingers entwined in hers . . . it all made her feel something that she hadn’t felt in a very long time. Happy. He deepened the kiss, and Emma felt her whole body start to tingle. However, too soon it was over,