Diary of a Teenage Jewel Thief(26)
Will lands his gaze on me and gestures for me to exit ahead of him. “After you.”
I nod my assent and head out into the cold air.
Wood fence panels with thick, horizontal slats line the outer edges of the rooftop, and hanging plants and climbing vines are spaced out across them. Rope lighting runs the length of the roof and crisscrosses over the width, casting the entire space in a soft white glow. The area is unfurnished, but several feet away, a couple of steps lead up to another landing where dark-brown wicker chairs surround a stone fire. Beyond that, a covered swing is partially enclosed by teal fabric panels hanging down around it. Potted plants, mostly tropical in nature and all lush and colorful, give the impression of an equatorial vacation, even in forty-six-degree weather.
The rooftop is a private oasis, an island of peaceful isolation apart from the crowded city. While most of the time I do love the anonymity that comes with living in a city with a population of more than eight million, right now, nothing compares to the beauty of this private retreat. It even sounds less populated up here.
“It’s beautiful. My building just has a swimming pool on the roof.” I wrap my sweater tighter around me and head for the swing, not bothering to wait for Will. But his footsteps trudge along behind me, and when I turn to sit down on the swing, he’s right there.
“It’s my favorite place to come to.” He sits down a moment later, placing his arm around my shoulders as he does. It’s a practiced move, and a smooth one.
“Do you bring girls up here often?” I try to sound teasing, but even I recognize the tiniest hint of accusation in my words.
None of my business, I think in an attempt to convince myself of exactly what I’ve been telling him: that I’m not looking for anything serious. But somewhere along the line, I stopped believing that, stopped feeling it. And it’s too late—the damage is already done.
“Just you,” he says quietly after a long pause, like he’s admitting some deep secret. “I’ll admit, I’ve dated, but I’m not out there whoring it up.”
“Okay.” I don’t know what else to say. I didn’t mean to offend him.
Finally, he returns his attention to me, and the hand that’s still around my shoulder sifts into my hair, playing with the loose strands. “So, let’s get to know each other, flower. Where did you move here from? Some place cool and sophisticated, right?”
I snort in amusement before I can stop myself. “Sophisticated? You think I’m sophisticated?” The idea sends a tingle of pride rippling through me, and I lean in a little closer to him.
“Aren’t you?” He tightens his hold on me, pulls me in to lean on his chest, and I let him. Then, he kicks his feet, scuffing his sneakers across the concrete to propel the swing into motion.
I ignore his question and instead go for answering the easy one. “I’m from the city originally, but we moved overseas when I was little.”
“Why overseas?” His question is casual, but it sets off warning bells in my head. I can’t tell him why we really moved, so I simplify the answer as best I can. “For my mom’s work.” Then I evade and misdirect. “Hey, if you could do something you’ve never done before, what would it be?”
Will takes the change of topic in stride. “Hmm, I don’t know. BASE jumping seems like it might be kind of fun.”
I shudder at the thought. “Ick, no thank you. Give me a rope, and I can rappel tall buildings all day, but BASE jumping is too much like free-falling for my taste.”
Will’s foot scuffs on the concrete as he drags it to stop the motion of the swing. “You rappel down buildings?” He’s staring at me again, only this time his look is less admiring and more unreadable.
“Well, no.” I scramble to recover quickly. “I’m just saying I could. You know, if I had to.”
His eyes narrow, like he isn’t quite sure if he should believe me. But then his expressions softens, and he starts the swing moving again. “Okay, my turn. If you were an animal, what animal would you be?”
His question throws me off, and I almost laugh at it. But then the nature of it clicks in my brain. He’s trying to figure me out, to probe me in a way that won’t be intrusive. Will’s smarter than I gave him credit for. “I don’t know. Probably a wildcat, like a leopard or a cougar or something.”
Will smirks. “A cougar, huh? You like ’em young?”
“Maybe I do,” I tease back, enjoying the light banter. “How old are you?” I realize what I’ve just implied the moment the words are out of my mouth, clamp my lips closed, and shut my eyes tight in mortification. Maybe, if I try hard enough, I can disappear.
“I’ll be eighteen in May. You?” His voice is quieter, huskier when he answers, and if I’m not mistaken, he’s moved ever so slightly closer to me.
I open my eyes to his face barely inches from mine, and he’s watching me expectantly, waiting for my answer. “March,” I whisper.
“So I have a chance, then?”
If I lean forward just the slightest bit, I could press my lips to his. But I’m not that brave. “I guess you do.”
He’s about to kiss me. I’m as sure of it as I am of my own existence. His lips are impossibly close, so close I can feel the heat of his breath when he exhales—as close as two people can be without actually kissing.