North watches me cross my legs, our gazes connecting as he closes the door and skirts round again of the Chevy. He throws open the trunk and within the rearview, I watch as he tugs on a shirt, drags a hasty hand via his hair, unwraps his palms and tosses the used tape into the opening. As soon as he closes the trunk once more, he braces his palms on the sting of it, taking an extended breath and expelling it, leaving white, curling patterns within the night time air. I’m not the one one who’s nervous. Or attempting to come up with themselves.

A second later, he will get into the driving force’s aspect, his head brushing the roof of the automotive, his large fighter’s physique taking on all of the air—or all of my air, for that matter. With a twist of his wrist, the engine rumbles to life and we draw back from the curb. It’s occurring. It’s actually occurring. This fighter from the Hellmouth is driving me dwelling. It’s dangerous. It will be a punishable offense in my father’s guide. And but, I really feel as protected as homes.

“The place are we going, Gracie?”

The place ahh we goin’, Gracie.

His Southie accent tickles my erogenous zones just like the tip of a feather and I curl my fingers into the sting of the leather-based seat, holding on for expensive life in opposition to what this man makes me really feel. Like I’m on the very best level of a curler coaster about to drop straight down. “Beacon Hill. Chestnut Road. Do you…understand it?”

Slowly, he shakes his head. “Nah, magnificence. I don’t know a factor about Beacon Hill.”

My face heats over asking him such a dumb query. After all he wouldn’t know my neighborhood. The identical manner I don’t know South Boston. “It’s okay, I can provide you instructions.” I scrub my palms up and down my thighs. “Thanks for doing this. Driving me dwelling. My pals…their antics had been worse than regular tonight. I want I may blame a senior 12 months energy journey or the alcohol, however that’s just about them regularly.”

“That’s not you, although,” he states. “You don’t appear the kind to be in Southie after darkish stirring up bother.”

“You’re proper. I’m not.” I rub my lips collectively. “Then once more, this…taking a experience dwelling from somebody I don’t know isn’t typical habits for me, both.”

“What’s typical habits for you?”

Our gazes collide throughout the console and I can see he’s genuinely , these golden eyes reducing via the darkness and tracing my options. The way in which he seems to be at me is so highly effective, it nearly looks like his palms are on me, dragging up and down my uncovered pores and skin. “Typical habits for me?” I say erratically, wracked by a heat shiver. “I’m…properly, I’m the senior class president. I’m captain of the flag workforce. A founding member of the science membership. I assume you would say I’m sort of…targeted on making my school purposes look good. That appears to be your entire focus of my life. And it all the time has been.”

I anticipate him to roll his eyes over my goody two-shoes reply, however as a substitute his forehead is furrowed, as if he’s targeted on each phrase. “So your typical habits is being an overachiever.”

“Is that your well mannered manner of calling me a nerd?” We share a chuckle. “Yeah, I assume you would say I’m an overachiever,” I say quietly, as he pulls onto the freeway. “Nevertheless it’s by no means felt prefer it’s for…me. A number of it’s attempting to please my father.”

North hums in his throat. “What do you do to please your self?”

Consciousness ripples throughout my senses, the tiny muscle tissue of my femininity pulling taut like a violin string. “I…I…”

“I didn’t imply that prefer it sounded, Gracie,” North says gruffly, dragging a hand down his open mouth. “I meant, what do you do for enjoyable? Didn’t look like you had been having time with your folks.”

No. I wasn’t. Actually, it’s been a very long time since I loved myself with them.

However so far as answering his query? What do I do for enjoyable?

I can’t formulate a response. There’s simply…nothing.

“I don’t know,” I say, sort of hollowly. “All the pieces looks like an obligation. Going from level A to level B with no thought as to why. I’m doing what I’m purported to do. What’s anticipated of me. Hanging out with the youngsters of my dad and mom’ pals. Becoming a member of the proper committees. Not letting the entire balls drop, when generally…I’d similar to to drop kick them into the harbor.”

North is silent for an extended second. After which, “Is that what that is?” He gestures between us. “Am I your manner of rebelling?”

“What? No!” I flip to him within the seat, my hand robotically going to his thick bicep. He hisses a breath on the contact, his jaw slackening. Uncertain if that response is sweet or unhealthy, I draw my hand again and curl it in my lap. He stares after it, as if he desires to seize it again, however gained’t. Or possibly isn’t certain if I’d prefer it. “I’m not spending time with you on some…some quest to make my father offended or buck the norm. I—”

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