Dare You To (Pushing the Limits, #2)(140)

A ball of dread forms in my stomach and I sink back into the      chair. “Then there will be a trial.”

Scott lowers his head. All of us had hoped to avoid this.      “Yes.”

Ryan and I will have to face Trent again when we testify. I      take a deep breath to calm myself.

“Did you talk to Mom?” I ask.

He shakes his head and I’m not sure how I feel about that.      I’m not sure how I feel about my mom at all. Six years. My mom is going to      prison for six years and I’m the one who put her there.

“You did the right thing, kid.”

“I know,” I say softly. I do know, but it doesn’t mean that      it sucks any less. The doorbell rings and the dread starts to fade. Ryan’s      here.

A good-natured smile settles on Scott’s face. “And Prince      Charming awaits.”

“Hey, Scott?”

He motions for me to continue.

“How could you keep the heroin to yourself? I mean, that’s a      pretty big secret. I know that you wanted something to blackmail me with, but it      was heroin.”

Scott scratches behind his ear. “I was in the process of      hiring private detectives to find you when your aunt called. When I got to the      police station, there was no way you were going home with anyone but me. One      look at your mom and I knew things were bad.”

He sighs. “She was so jumpy around the cops that I figured      she was hiding something. I would have said anything I had to in order to keep      you. But I never used the word heroin with you or your mom and I never went into your mom’s      apartment. I guessed that she had a secret and I bluffed.”

And I sort of feel like an idiot. A happy idiot, but an      idiot nonetheless. “Well played.”

He smirks. “I think so.”

*

At the two-minute warning, my hands begin to sweat,      including the one in the cast. Indian summer in Kentucky has a strange way of      making November feel like July. As we walk to the open field behind the      scoreboard, Ryan holds my hand and he doesn’t seem to care it’s cold and wet.      People yell and scream from the bleachers and the announcer informs the crowd      that our team is at the first and ten—whatever the hell that means.

The other couples nominated for homecoming court stand      closer to the lamppost, but I hesitate farther back and Ryan plays along.

“Gwen won’t bother you,” he says.

“I know.” He’s right. She won’t. Since Ryan and I returned      to school, she’s been less than her normal stuck-up self, quiet and withdrawn.      She apologized to both me and Ryan. I accepted it, but it doesn’t mean I have to      like her or be near her. Perfectly groomed, Gwen stands off to the side of the      group. I sort of feel bad for her. Guilt is a horrible emotion. I should      know.

“We could go talk to Carly and Brent,” Ryan teases. “She’s a      big fan of yours.”

I roll my eyes. “Carly and I were paired as lab partners      today.”

“See, best friends already. Lacy will be pissed someone is      encroaching on her territory.”

“That’s exactly what’s going to happen,” I say      sarcastically.

“Carly’s nice.”

“She’s chipper.”

“Same thing.”

“Nice is nice. Chipper is annoying.”

“We should double-date with them.”

My eyes almost pop out of my head. “Are you kidding me? I’m      about to walk out onto that football field and make a fool out of myself and you      want me to consider double-dating with Mr. and Mrs. Chipper? Have you lost your      mind?”

Ryan chuckles, then winks. “I just wanted to see you get      aggravated.”

I wrinkle my nose. “You’re annoying.”

He lets go of my hand, slips his arms around my waist, and      pulls me close to his strong body. “You’re beautiful.”

The corners of my lips turn up and I slide my right arm      around his neck. “I miss touching you with both hands.”

“It’s weird seeing the ribbon on your other wrist,” he      says.

I shiver when Ryan caresses the sensitive skin above my cast      and rubs the small of my back. Joyous and devious warmth spreads throughout my      body. “I never take it off.”

“I miss you in my bed,” he murmurs so only I can hear.