Theo was the only person in the world who knew exactly what to say to make me bloom. Which made sense, I guess, because he also knew exactly what to say to destroy me.
I stood on my tiptoes, angling to kiss him. I could taste the buzz of him on my lips, our static electricity already dancing when suddenly I remembered.
“Grim has your mom’s diary now!” I said. “My sister gave it to him.”
Theo’s brow wrinkled, but not with concern, like I’d expected. “My mom had it when I found her. He must have given it to her. She said she was given it looking for me.”
“What? Why would he do that?”
“You know the Horsemen will do any job, for the right price.”
I briefly thought to my sister, to her debt. Had she needed a job from the Horsemen?
“My mom’s wife is the mayor of Crowne Point,” Theo continued, pulling me back. “There isn’t much she can’t afford.”
That was why she looked familiar. She was one of the many faces I’d been forced to mingle with. They all blurred into one blob after awhile.
“What about you, sweet girl? Can you really give up your entire family?” He arched his head forward, eyes digging, unwilling to let me gloss over this.
“Yes… but my mom didn’t seem angry with me. She said see you at Christmas. I don’t know, she might not totally have excommunicated me.”
I could tell he was worried, unsure if that was good or bad, unsure what that meant for us.
“Whatever happens,” I said. “You’ll be with me, by my side. I made that clear.”
Theo dragged me the last few inches to his lips.
Kissing Theo was addicting. I loved everything about it. Standing on my tiptoes as his arm anchored my lower back, tugging me higher and pressing me flat against him, so I felt him. His flat abs, his hard cock.
I got lost in his soft lips and the firm pressure he applied, his skillful, teasing tongue.
The free hand he wove to the base of my neck, pressing me harder against his lips.
A smattering of raindrops fell, and I opened my eyes, breaking me out of his trance. My arms were wrapped around his neck, and I saw the bracelet he’d given me for the thousandth time that night. I realized something then, something so important I’d yet to give Theo
.
“I need to go back to the motel,” I said against his lips, breathless.
“Now?” he asked, lips at my neck, then jaw, kisses leaving a trail of fire and need.
“Now,” I breathed.
He groaned, biting my lip, but let me go.
When we got back to the motel, he eyed my room number with mild amusement.
“What?” I asked.
His lip curved. “I’m 302.”
I looked at the white painted wood number on my door: 301.
“We’re next to each other?”
Of course we were next to each other.
All Theo did was grin.