Pushing the Limits (Pushing the Limits #1)(37)

“I know a guy who’s a genius with cars. He’d love to be in the same zip code as a ‘65 Vette. Would you mind letting him have a crack at it?”

Her siren smile appeared and her eyes lit up the room. “Yes. Totally. Yes.”

She’d probably lose some of that excitement once she met Isaiah. “Isaiah’s a little rough around the edges, but a good guy. I don’t want you to be shocked when someone like me shows up.”

Her laughter sounded like music. “What, you don’t hang out with missionaries in your downtime? When the rest of us go home and slip into sweatpants and T-shirts, you kick back in a polo shirt and khakis.”

No one but Isaiah and Beth teased me. People ran from me. Yet this little nymph thoroughly enjoyed this game. “Keep it up, Echo. I’m all about foreplay.”

She laughed so loudly, she slapped a hand over her mouth, yet the giggles escaped. “You are so full of yourself. You think because girls swoon over you and let you into their pants on the first try that I’ll follow suit. Think again. Besides, I have your number now. Every time you try to look all dark and dangerous, I’ll picture you wearing a pink striped polo, collar up, and a pair of pleated chinos.”

No way. I stalked over to Echo, feeling like a tiger after its prey. She backed up against the wall, but I kept up my approach. I pressed against her, feeling each sensual curve. I wanted to touch every inch of her body. Her sweet smell intoxicated me.

Her eyes kept their laughter, but her smile faded as she bit her lower lip. Damn, did she have any idea what she was doing? For a girl hell-bent on keeping me away, she sure did everything to turn me on.

“You were saying?” I lowered my head and inhaled the warm cinnamon scent at the nape of her neck, allowing my nose to skim along her inviting skin.

Her chest rose and fell at a faster pace. My hand melted on the curve of her stomach, centimeters from her hip. I reeled with the decision of moving up or down, both areas I’d dreamed of touching.

“Noah,” she breathed out, unknowingly fulfilling one of my many fantasies involving Echo. If I played my cards right, maybe she’d fulfill a couple more. I barely brushed my lips down her cheek as I moved toward her mouth. Her nails tickled my chest, driving me insane. Kissing her became my single reason for breathing.

Her hands applied pressure to my chest and her lips moved against mine. “I can’t.”

She pushed me away. “I … I … can’t.” Any traces of humor were gone, her eyes wide. “I’m on a date with Luke and this—” she motioned with her hand between us “—cannot happen. You’re Noah Hutchins and I’m not the girl that does ‘it’ with … with …”

I closed my eyes to regain some control over my body. I finished for her. “Me.”

“Yes … no … I don’t know. I want normal, Noah. Can you give me normal?” Funny, she talked about normal as she tugged at the gloves on her hands.

“When are you going to figure out that doesn’t exist for people like us?” I wasn’t sure who I wanted to hurt more, myself or her. She could pretend, but she’d never return to the girl without scars. Hell, maybe I said it to remind me that a guy like me could never have Echo.

She whipped around, the same anger spewing from her that I’d seen that first day in Mrs. Collins’s office. “What should I do, Noah? Give up like you? Get stoned, skip school? Say f**k it to everything?”

“It’s a hell of a lot better than pretending to be someone I’m not. Why’s it so important to be with some guy who’d dump you to see a damn movie?”

Echo rubbed her face with both of her hands, her anger dying out. “Are you going to take me to the Valentine’s Dance? Am I going to be more than another girl in the backseat of your car or will I be a joke between you and your friends?”

I don’t know. The truth stuck in my throat. I wanted to tell her that she’d be more, but I couldn’t. I didn’t do attachments and here was this amazing creature, asking me for one.

She ran a hand through her hair. “It’s fine. Don’t blow a blood vessel over it. I’m your tutor and you … you need help. We’ll work together to get into our files and you’ll live your life and I’ll live mine. I’ve gotta go. Thanks for the meal and the game.”

Echo brushed past me, bringing me to life. “Wait.”

She glanced over her shoulder. Dark circles hung under her eyes and her shoulders slumped forward. How come I’d never seen the exhaustion before? She talked about nightmares. When was the last time she’d slept? Not my concern—my silence confirmed that. When I said nothing, the best thing that happened to me in three years left. Damn, I was an idiot.

Echo

Two thousand dollars. That’s how much the mechanic wanted to get Aires’ car running. So, I made ten dollars an hour and, if I was lucky, I tutored Noah two hours a week. If I took out federal, state and local taxes and social security I’d get Aires’ car fixed in … never.

Sunlight streamed in through the cracks of the venetian blinds. The light perfectly hit the picture on my dresser of me, Aires and my mother.

“Hey, beautiful.” Luke entered my room, shutting the door behind him.

In rabbit-swift movements, I bolted upright in bed, grabbed a sweatshirt and pulled it over my head, more importantly over my arms. “What are you doing here?”