Of the Trees(37)

“Where are we going?” Cassie asked. She knew from the way that Laney growled back her name that she was being unfriendly and rude. She couldn’t help it. These boys freaked her out. Blue Eyes laughed, his gaze raking over her in a way that wasn’t exactly subtle. She could feel his gaze as it traveled over her form, and she rolled her shoulders in discomfort, tugging her jacket closer around her body.

“To the graveyard,” Corey answered.

“Gray Lady,” Laney clarified. “Remember? You suggested it.”

Cassie hummed vaguely in return, and she could sense Laney’s irritation with her in the subtle shift of her breathing. Blue Eyes still stared, turning slightly in his seat to face her. His hand fell to the cushion between them and even though he was still a foot away, Cassie had the urge to press herself into the car door to further the distance. He seemed to sense it. He breathed a small laugh and then let his hand drift closer to her, his fingertips skirting within an inch of her thigh before he drew back.

“Actually, love,” Corey started. Cassie jumped as the endearment fell from his lips, tearing her attention from the progress of Blue Eyes roving fingers. “I hope you don’t mind, but I set something up a little further into the woods than the cemetery. Not too far. It’s a place I’ve heard about; there’s been sightings there, lights in the woods.”

Fingers brushed against Cassie’s knee, and she stiffened, whether from the unwanted touch or Corey’s words, she wasn’t sure.

“Do you mind?” Cassie snapped, glaring at Blue Eyes. He chuckled and pulled his hand back, not far, but away from her body.

“Not at all,” he murmured just as Laney hissed her name again in admonishment. Cassie ignored her friend, looking to Corey instead.

“Is anyone else going to be there?” Cassie asked, her stomach churning as she remembered the light she saw on Laney’s birthday, the hesitant orange glow that seemed to hover on the breeze. Maybe, at least if there were other people there, people she knew and trusted, she could relax, have somewhere to hide, someone to run to if Blue Eyes decided he couldn’t, or wouldn’t, keep his hands to himself. Or worse, if the light appeared again.

But no, Cassie chastised herself, it was nothing, bugs or something, the moonlight. Nothing.

“A few of our friends,” Corey answered breezily, “and maybe some of the others from the dance. I was telling people about it.”

Cassie let out a breath she hadn’t known she was holding. That was fine. If there were other people from the school, maybe Jon and Samantha, Cassie would feel safer. She reached into her coat pocket, looking for her phone, intending to text Jon to see how Ryan was and tell him where to meet them. Her pocket was empty.

“Damn,” she whispered, her fingers searching her empty pockets fruitlessly. With a sinking feeling, Cassie remembered handing Ryan her phone, asking him to keep it in his pocket, where it most likely still resided, safe in the local ER somewhere.

“What now?” Laney asked in a huff. She turned slightly in her seat to look back at her friend. Cassie saw her raise her eyebrows and looked down to the seat. Blue Eyes’ fingers were inching closer again, not stopping even as Laney watched him. Cassie slapped at his hand, and he took the opportunity to twine his fingers with hers, grinning over at her in triumph.

Cassie went to wrench her hand away, her lips part as she opened her mouth to tell him off. She got caught in his stare. His gaze pinned her to the spot as a sudden tingling shot up her arm. Her hand felt warm, pleasantly so, and she fought an unwanted nervous flutter in her chest.

“Fine,” Cassie gritted out, clearing her throat. She tightened her grip on his warm fingers. If nothing else, letting him keep a hold of her fingers would keep his hands someplace safe. “If it keeps you from grabbing at me, then fine, hold my hand. Text Jon,” she added to Laney, “ask about Ryan and tell him where we’re going.”

Laney turned in her seat, but not before Cassie could catch the satisfied smirk her friend wore. Cassie gritted her teeth, her lips twisted in aggravation. She tried to rationalize her decision in her mind, but Blue Eyes’ thumb was warm and distracting, stroking along her knuckles. Little pinpricks shot up Cassie’s forearm, and it felt annoyingly nice. Laney punched out the message to Jon on her phone, and Cassie heard the buzz of a reply.

“What’d he say?” Cassie asked, leaning forward. Her hand stayed back, pressed to the cushion in the middle of the seat. She felt Blue Eyes shift as his palm pressed closer and his thumb dragged softly over the back of her hand.

“He and Sam are on their way.”

“I meant about Ryan,” Cassie said, her words catching in a little hitch as Blue Eyes twist his hand and laced his fingers with hers. She shot him an annoyed glare, ignoring the fluttering of sensation creeping into her gut.

“Oh, he’s fine. Headed into X-Ray when Jon left,” Laney answered. “He said your mom was there.”

“Okay, good,” Cassie breathed, sitting back. She felt the cushion shift as the boy attached to her hand leaned closer.

“Almost there,” he whispered, close enough for her to feel his warm breath on her neck. Cassie squirmed away, intensely aware of the gentle pressure of his fingers pressed with hers, and didn’t respond. When the car parked, she could dart out and ahead, keep her distance from Blue Eyes, find Jon and drown the rest of her night in the beer she was sure he would bring.