Pushing the Limits (Pushing the Limits #1)(26)

“‘Sup, man,” said Rico Vega, joining me in the back of Spanish class.

“‘Sup,” I answered. “How can they let you take Spanish when that’s what you speak half the damn time?”

“Why they let a bunch of gueros take English? You gringos gotta be stupid if you ain’t got it down in eighteen years.”

Before I could hand crap back to Rico, Echo entered the room. She had that bunny-locked-in-a-pet-store-cage look, but at least she made eye contact this time. Until her stuck-up friend breezed in and redirected Echo to a seat in front.

“Why Lila glaring at you, hombre?” asked Rico. “Though I wouldn’t mind a hot piece of culo like that acknowledging my existence.” Rico puckered his lips, sending a mock kiss in Lila’s direction. I laughed when she flipped her golden hair over her shoulder and stared at the dry-erase board.

Mrs. Bates, a real-life condom ad, waddled through the doorway. She was knocked up with triplets. “Hola. Today we are going to work on our conversational Spanish.”

Excitement rippled through the room. Conversational Spanish meant picking a partner and doing nothing for the rest of the period. Rico and I bumped fists. I needed some sleep.

“Yeah, yeah. Don’t get too excited. I’ve already picked your partners. I expect to hear Spanish flowing in my room.”

She eased back into her chair and it squeaked when her ass hit the seat. “Lila McCormick—you’re partnered with Rico Vega.”

Lila groaned, “No,” while Rico pumped his fist twice to his heart and then raised a finger to the sky. “Gracias a dios.”

Lila approached the desk. “Please, Mrs. Bates. I’ll do anything. Let me and Echo partner.”

Mrs. Bates winced and rubbed a hand over her stomach. “Miss McCormick, do I look sympathetic to your plight? Go find a seat next to Rico. Noah Hutchins, you’re paired with Echo Emerson.”

Lila clutched her hair as her voice dropped. “No.”

Mrs. Bates continued with her list of assigned partners while Lila knelt next to her, begging for a change of heart.

Rico chuckled. “I’m off to peel my partner off the floor.” He yelled to Lila as he walked toward her, “Casate conmigo, diosa.”

Echo gathered her books and made the long trip down the aisle to me. The universe had a strange sense of humor. Last semester, Echo and I barely made eye contact. Now, we were thrown together at every turn. Not that I minded. She sat in Rico’s seat and stared at the fake wood desktop.

“First trip to the back?” I asked. Everyone partnered out, most moving their desks together so others couldn’t hear their screwed up Spanish. When she didn’t say anything back, I continued, “I’m impressed. The rule-follower skipped a few classes today.”

“No, not skipped. Mrs. Collins excused me so I could prep for the ACT this weekend.” She inhaled deeply, causing her cle**age to expand. Lines worried her forehead. “Noah, about yesterday …”

Echo had permitted me a peek into her world yesterday. The least I could do was let her into mine. Even if the thought made me nervous as hell. “Mi primer padre adoptivo me pegaba.” My first foster father hit me.

Her wide eyes met my gaze. “Lo siento.” I’m sorry.

I tapped my pencil against the desk and continued to speak in Spanish. “We’re even now. You’ve got dirt on me and I know something about you. No need to avoid me anymore.”

She bit her lip, translating in her head, before she replied, “Tú hablas bien el español.” You speak Spanish well. Echo sent me a soft, shy smile that told me we were beyond good.

“Mi madre era una profesora de español.” My mother was a Spanish professor. I’d never told anyone that before. Images of my mother laughing and speaking to me in Spanish filled my head.

“Mi madre era una artista. Muy brillante.” My mother was an artist. Very brilliant. Echo’s foot began to bounce under the desk.

We sat in silence. Murmurs of broken Spanish and English hummed in the room. Soon the pen she held in her hand drummed in time with her foot. I understood her rhythm. That feeling of everything inside twisting to the point that if you didn’t find a release you’d explode. I craved to grant her peace.

I placed my hand over hers. My own heart rested when I rubbed my thumb over her smooth skin. She dropped the pen and grasped her sleeve in her palm, her constant defense mechanism. No. If she grasped anything, it would be me. My thumb worked its way between her fingers and her sleeve and released her death grip on the material. I wrapped my fingers around her fragile hand. Touching Echo felt like home.

Her ring finger slid against mine, causing electricity to move through my bloodstream. She moved it again. Only this time the movement was slow, deliberate and the most seductive touch in the whole world. Everything inside of me ached to touch her more.

Beth had been both wrong and right. Echo couldn’t hurt anyone, especially when she seemed so breakable herself. But the need I felt to be the one to keep the world from shattering her only confirmed Beth’s theory. I was falling for her and I was f**ked.

The PA system in the classroom beeped. Echo pulled her hand away from mine, ending perhaps the most erotic moment of my life. I shifted in my seat, trying to find my damn mind.

“Mrs. Bates?” called Mrs. Marcos through the loudspeaker. “I need Noah Hutchins to report to Mrs. Collins’s office.”