Nova 05 Ruin Me Read Free Page A

there forever.
     
    When I open my eyes again, she’s lying on top of me with her head tucked underneath my chin. My heart is pounding in my chest and I know she can feel it.
     
    Knowing she’ll only remain this way for a few seconds longer, I seize the opportunity to kiss the top of her forehead. “That was good,” I whisper, drawing patterns on her back as I stare at the ceiling.
     
    Moments later, Clara shifts off me to stand up. She bends over to scoop up her dress and slips back into it while I discard the condom and pull my jeans back up.
     
    “So, now what do we do?” She bites on her thumbnail as she watches me pull my shirt over my head.
     
    “We could do it again,” I suggest as I stretch out my arms and legs.
     
    She laughs like I’m joking, but I’m not. “No seriously.” She checks the time on her watch. “I still have an hour before I have to go home. We could go get some ice cream or something. That is, as long as you’re sober enough to drive.”
     
    At twenty-one years old, I find it odd that Clara has a curfew. Sometimes she tells me she has to go home early because of work, while other times she doesn’t give a reason. Up until a month ago, I had to leave early too, because my sister Avery had been working night shifts and needed me to watch Mason. It makes me really curious what awaits Clara when she returns home.
     
    While she rarely speaks of her home life, I know that she lives with her mother, and that her father passed away a couple of years ago. I’ve also heard funny stories about her quirky neighbors but that’s about it.
     
    “I had half a beer.” I hop off the desk and ruffle my hair into place. “Sex and ice cream, huh? Sounds like a pretty good night.”
     
     “See, that’s why I like you.” She grins as she combs her fingers through her hair. “Anyone else wouldn’t have wanted to leave the party to go get ice cream, but you totally get it.”
     
    “Get what exactly?”
     
    “My ice cream fetish.”
     
    “Of course I do.” I desperately want to hold her hand as we head for the door. The urge is so intense I have to ball up my hands to stop myself from touching her. “Just like I now get your bossy fetish.”
     
    “Yeah, thanks for helping me discover that one.” She flashes me another heart-stopping grin as she reaches for the doorknob.
     
    “I can’t wait to explore more of your fetishes,” I say a little too loudly while she’s opening the door.
     
    She shushes me, pointing a finger at me. “That’s secret information right there, so be careful who you tell.”
     
    I drag my fingers across my lips. “You know my lips are sealed.”
     
    “Yeah, I know.” Her posture relaxes. “Sorry if I’ve seemed a little bitchy lately. Things at home have just been intense.”
     
    “Want to talk about it?” I ask as we enter the packed hallway.
     
    She swiftly shakes her head with her attention on the stairway. “No. I deal with it enough while I’m there, so why would I ever want to talk about it?”
     
    “To let some steam off?” It’s more of a question since I have no clue what the problem is. I wish I did, though. Wish she’d just open up to me.
     
    Again, she shakes her head.
     
    She remains quiet until we make it out of the house. Then we both let out a breath of relief as the silence and warm, humid night encompasses us.
     
    “As hot as it is out here,” she fans her hand in front of her face as she trots down the porch stairs, “it’s like ten degrees cooler than the inside of that house.”
     
    “That’s all part of the partying experience.” I follow her off the porch, and then we hike up the driveway toward where my Jeep is parked.
     
    “I’ve never been one for partying.”
     
    “Me neither.”
     
    “Because of your mom?” she wonders, staring at the road in front of the house.
     
    I nod, my jaw tightening at the mention of my mother.
     
    The gravel crunches under our shoes as we fall into an awkward