mallory-dodge

This reminds me of old times,_ he said, and his lashes lifted. As his gaze drifted over me, it was focused but all too brief, because he looked away, a muscle working along his jaw. __ind of.__ flush raced across my cheeks as I switched out the ball for a new one. He was right__his was like all the other times I__ cleaned him up. Well, when I was younger, I tried to clean him up, but had no idea what I was doing, but as we grew older, and he got into fights defending me or for some other reason, this was our routine.Except I was pretty sure that when his gaze roamed over me just now, he__ checked out my breasts, and that was definitely something that hadn__ happened before.

When I got home, a spicy scent lured me into the kitchen. My stomach grumbled and I might__e started drooling the moment I spotted the cheesy enchiladas cooling on the counter.They were drenched in homemade queso.My favorite.Dropping my bag on the floor, I skipped over to where Rosa was placing the plates on the table. I wrapped my arms around her from behind and squeezed.Rosa laughed as she turned. __t__ the queso, isn__ it?__odding, I dropped my arms and stepped back.

Can I tell you something?___eah._ I wished I could tell him it was okay to keep touching my face, but that would probably be weird. Totally sounded weird in my head. And would be really inappropriate. Totally inappropriate.His lashes lowered and the lopsided grin appeared. __ always knew you__ be beautiful one day.__y breath hitched as I sat straighter. What was left of the pizza, just the crust, was totally forgotten. My ears had to be smoking crack or something.A flush swept across his cheeks as one side of his lips kicked up. __ just never thought I__ get to see how beautiful you__ become.

You__e beautiful, too. I mean, you__e hot,_ I blurted out. __ut I always knew you would be._ My eyes widened as I realized what just streamed out of my mouth, and his grin turned into a smile. __h my God, I did not just say...any of that out loud.___ou did.___gh.__ipping his head back, he laughed deeply. And he laughed like he had in those rare instances when something truly amused him. He did so with a freedom I__ envied.I started to place my hands over my flaming face, but he caught my wrists, holding them between us. His eyes were lighter, dancing. __ can pretend you didn__ say that if that makes you feel better,_ he suggested.Oh yes, that would be fabulous. I nodded.__ won__ forget it, though.

Hell..._ His voice was thick, rough. __allory, you__e...___hat?_ I whispered, feeling my body burn for two very different reasons.__ou__e beautiful._ His gaze dipped, tracking the lacy edges of the bra. __ever thought I__ see you like this. So freaking glad I have. You__e so beautiful, Mallory.

His gaze locked with mine and a slow grin appeared on his face. He didn__ look like he had last night. More like he did every day at school. Worn jeans. A black henley instead of a T-shirt and beat-up sneakers, but goodness, I couldn__ think.Okay. Not true. I could think, but I was thinking things I really had no concept of. I was thinking about those full, slightly curved lips and how they must feel in places...other than my forehead or cheek. I was thinking about his hands and how strong they were and the oddly pleasant calluses on his palms. I was thinking about...about a lot of things__hings that now didn__ feel so wrong since he was actually single.Noticing my near-prone position, Ainsley looked over her shoulder. __h, my good God almighty,_ she murmured. __hat__ him?___es,_ I whispered. That was so him.

How...how do you feel about me?___ think it__ pretty obvious.___et__ just say I need a detailed account.__is lashes lifted and his eyes met mine. __ can do that for you.___kay._ I leaned toward him.__ never once stopped thinking about you when you were taken away. Four years. All I could hope was that you were in a good place. Never expected you to walk into school. Didn__ even allow myself to dream about that. And then you did, and seeing you blew me away. You were just like I remembered, but different. The hints of the girl I saw in you when we were younger were now right in front of me. The moment you said my name__he moment you hugged me I knew._ Rider reached between us, folding his hand around mine. __ knew I__ fall in love with you and I did. I love you, Mallory.__y lips parted on an inhale. __hat?___ love you, and not the kind of love we had for each other when we were younger, you know? Paige knows that. So does Hector. So did Jayden. I love you.