This Fearless Girl (St. Clary's University #2) - E. M. Moore Page 0,37
where he’s asked my permission to do something. “Sure,” I agree, feeling the back of my neck heat. The rare times I’ve been alone with Stone, we haven’t been able to keep our hands off each other. Our bodies are like magnets, always craving more.
I get out of the car with Wyatt and Lucas, waving at them while they move up the walkway and I get in the front seat. Wyatt glances over his shoulder as we drive away, but Lucas doesn’t. I’ll have to talk to him.
Again, Stone is eerily silent. He takes the road back into Clary and I try not to look at him because I know what my body will want to do even though it’s not right.
A few minutes later, he pulls into the trailhead where my father parked when he went missing. It’s the same area we made our home base when we were searching for him. It’s also one of the first times I saw Stone Jacobs in a different light.
He sits back in the car, leaving the A/C on high. The sun hangs low in the sky, and it looks like it will be a beautiful orange tonight, backdropped by the Superstitions.
“Should I say congratulations?” I ask, trying to break the tension.
“Don’t do that,” he scolds, finally turning toward me. His jaw tenses. “Don’t pretend what you saw didn’t hurt because it fucking killed me.”
“Who’s Rissa, Stone?” I ask, ignoring his words for fear they’ll pull me in.
“Marissa is the daughter of my father’s best friend. They co-own a company together. Our families have been friends for ages. You saw her father that day with Cole. There’s nothing he’s into that my father isn’t and vice versa, including the treasure.”
“That explains the rich a-hole, but what about his daughter?” I can’t bring myself to say fiancée.
“We grew up together. Tying the families together through marriage came about when we were really young. We grew up laughing about it. I went to her school dances. She came to my school dances. I never thought about asking another girl, mainly because the girl I wanted to ask hated me. It wasn’t until I started high school that I realized my father was serious about me marrying her.” He tears his gaze from the changing mountain face as the sun starts to hide. “I told my dad I couldn’t do it. I told him I didn’t love her. That day I discovered my father doesn’t have the ability to love anyone. He laughed in my face. He told me I was marrying Marissa because our families’ combined fortunes would bring me everything I want. But I don’t want what he wants.” He hits the steering wheel, slamming his palm against the leather.
I wait for him to calm down. “So, why did you do it?” I ask. “Now of all times, Stone. I’m still not wearing my panties.”
He pulls the white cotton from his pocket and places them on his thigh. “You’re not getting these back.”
I don’t know why. They’re awful granny panties. They’re not what I imagined shimmying down my legs before someone fucked me, but that’s what I find confusing about Stone most of all. Of all the things he cares about, where I come from doesn’t seem to be one of them.
“She is kind of perfect for you,” I admit, eliminating myself from the conversation. If we were never thrust into this mess, he probably would’ve been fine marrying her. He would’ve had really nice things, vacations in the Caribbean, and beautiful kids.
“Fuck her,” Stone snaps. “I want you. I want you so bad I can’t stand it.” He stares down at his lap where his fingertips trace the elastic of my plain, cotton underwear. Stopping, he stares at his hand until he brings it to his face, sticking his pointer finger in his mouth, eyelids fluttering closed. “Mmm,” he moans.
Oh, fuck. It only takes me a second to realize he’s tasting me on him, licking whatever remnants of me are still on his skin. “We can’t do this,” I say, my heart pounding painfully in my chest. Not here. Not now while we’re discussing his fucking fiancée and our shared history.
He clasps his thighs. “When we were here during the search…” He nods toward the mountain, and I follow his gaze. “I wanted so badly to go up to you. I wanted to comfort you when you seemed the most alone. I can still remember the look on your face as you