A'S

e fourth brother-quieter than the others, with dark hair that fell over his eyes and an i

glaring at me with open hostility. His exp

ent. Maybe not al

ut shaky. "I don't w

ait for the bus." He held out a sp

ensely my knees felt weak. "Than

with the strap. Kai watched me struggle for a moment before rea

breath caught. His scent hit me then: leather and something darker,

n. Not with

y belly, the same ache from last night flaring back to life.

cond-dark, unreadable-before he t

" he sai

g. I could feel the heat radiating off his body even through his leather jacket. When I c

o I put

id, his voice rou

could feel the solid muscle beneath. My thighs pressed against his, and tha

He's my stepbrot

about the proximity, the warmth, the solid male pr

-and suddenly jerked

ward, landing hard on the driveway. Pain exploded through my ta

d, breathless f

sympathy was gone. In its place was cold amusem

oment, just so I could hear him clearly. "You're pathetic. Desperate

ut I refused to let th

ll on his lips. "Consider it a lesson, step-sister. We're not your frien

aching in all the wrong ways-bruised from the fall, but still

? And why does my body stil

as my tailbone, my hoodie doing nothing to hid

y God, ther

the school doors. Her excitement was infectiou

, not

ulled me aside, her eyes sparkling.

ipped. "Wha

tell him what they want." Maya waggled her eyebrows. "Apparently,

d to my fa

, Aria. You've been crushing on h

e need that hadn't gone away even after last night. Mayb

d make this f

rd myself say

chickened out ninety-nine. But Maya kept pushing me

m and half the cheerleading squad.

ink. Jus

my voice barely

se gorgeous eyes f

e were staring. I could

He lik

talk to you

ed back in his cha

everyone could hear it. The words

have sex

teria we

brows shot

od, what did

now. "I need someone like you. You'

l chuckle, but a full, loud laugh

ugh for everyone to hear. "You-Aria whatever-your-n

ed around us.

th mockery. "Especially ones who probably don't even know what they're asking for

that?" someone wh

u belie

path

er. Phones came out, r

ne called after me as I turned to run. "T

fingers and cruel smiles, out into the hallway.

have

mall, so stupid, so