Make My Move (Hannaford Prep #5) - J. Bree Page 0,109

down the bed until my head is on her pillow, turning to face her. Fuck, I might have to be here for hours just watching her sleep and ramble on and flail about, but there’s nowhere else I’d rather be. She turns her head to face me, and we’re so close that the back of her hand brushes against my lips from where it’s still clamped tightly over her mouth. She’s fucking cute, and I can’t help but smile as she snatches her hand away like it’s on fire.

There’s a frown on her face, and her eyes are still a little glazed.

“What’s wrong, little Nightingale?” I murmur, brushing her hair away from her face.

Her eyes roam over my face and they finally focus a little. “This is going to go very badly and then you’re never going to speak to me again. After all my work this year to get you guys to trust me and now I’ve fucked it. My voice is still all weird and floaty. Floaty is a strange word.”

“Right, it is a strange word but let’s stay on topic.” I don’t want her freaking the hell out and talking herself out of this before we’ve even given it a go.

She startles a little. “Shit, I’m saying stuff without realizing it again.”

“Yes, you are. You haven’t fucked anything. Harley wasn’t pissed this morning, he was impressed. Then he was awkward and embarrassed because he upset you.”

Her eyes glaze over again, and I know I’m fighting a losing battle here. I just need to keep her calm and busy so she doesn’t do anything stupid.

“I think I’ve lost the filing cabinet. I think the office is closed for maintenance. I hope they repaint.”

Her phone buzzes on the nightstand again, but we both ignore it. “Fuck, we need to get you stoned. I need to see you on THC.”

“Nope. Whiskey or nothing. Vodka in emergencies. Possibly tequila but sometimes I get mouthy and fight…-y on tequila.”

The Wolf of Mounts Bay gets ‘fight-y’ on tequila. That’s some vital information to remember if I’ve ever heard it before. “Duly noted. Your phone keeps buzzing. Want me to get it?”

She nods and I grab it from the nightstand, handing it over to her, which I realize quickly is not going to get us anywhere, because she stares at it like she’s never seen it before in her life.

Then her eyes keep focusing on my chest, and I have to take charge again so the situation doesn’t spiral out of control. “Here. It’s from Matteo, who’s that? He says he can’t wait to see you tomorrow. He calls you Starbright, what the hell does that mean?”

I don’t like the sound of the guy just from the message itself, but the look of panic on her face has me ready to call Ash and Arbour so we can go find him and fucking kill him.

She flails and struggles for a second before I realize she’s trying to sit up, so I immediately help to prop her up until we’re both leaning against the headboard.

As soon as she’s steady she grabs my biceps and attempts to give me a shake. “Don’t ever tell anyone. That’s the Jackal. He’s bad. You can’t tell anyone his name. He wants me to go to see him but I’m going to put him off. I don’t like him and I definitely don’t want to fuck him.”

Fuck.

That’s the worst possible option to be messaging her in such a fucking flirty and familiar way. I know she’s said a million times that she hasn’t fucked him, but I can’t help but wonder if she’s hooked up with him at all. Clearly he’s crazy for her.

I nod and run a hand up and down her spine in a soothing stroke. She takes another deep breath and says, “Most importantly, don’t ever tell anyone my middle name is Starbright.”

Oh fuck.

Oh fuck, I cannot laugh right now, because I get the feeling she’ll either stab me or kick me in the nuts and throw me out of the room. Fuck, her mom must have really been a piece of work because Eclipse Starbright Anderson? Fuck me, Lips is lucky she survived middle school with a name like that.

Blaise Morrison, son of Blaine Morrison, doesn’t sound so bad now.

When I’ve got my shit locked down tight, I meet her eyes and say with complete seriousness, “I will take your secret to the grave, Mounty.”

Her eyes grow soft again and she looks back out at the