Masquerade (Heven and Hell #1)(28)
Author: Cambria Hebert

“You look beautiful.” The words came out as a whisper because it was all I could manage at the moment.

“Thank you.” She smiled an open, warm smile and stepped out onto the porch pulling the door around behind her. She stepped close, close enough that I could see she was wearing make-up. Her cheeks were pinker than usual and her blue eyes stood out against her fair skin and dark lashes.

Without thinking I reached out and caught a strand of her hair between my fingers. It seemed to curl right around me and I tugged gently on the strand, pulling her closer. She came willingly, and I could hear the fluttering of her heart.

I kissed her then. I brushed my lips across hers and caught a hint of strawberry. Her lips were soft and welcoming, and I had to hold myself back from deepening the kiss. She pulled away first, her eyes sparkling. “Are you ready for this?”

I had been waiting for this forever it seemed. I held out my hand and said, “Let’s go.”

She tugged my fingers, and I marveled at how well her hand fit in mine. “You have to meet my mom first.”

I didn’t want to. I already knew that parents hated me, and Heven’s mother made me uncomfortable. She was extremely religious and from what Heven had told me, she wanted Heven to follow her path.

I was the total opposite of religious. I didn’t have to be. I knew where I stood in God’s eyes: unwelcome.

“Sam?” Heven prompted, increasing the pressure on my hand. She was gazing at me openly, her freckled nose wrinkled in confusion.

“Lead the way,” I prompted, motioning to the door.

I reminded myself that it was just one mother. I had faced down way worse than this. I felt my lips tilt up at the thought.

Heven’s mom came out from the kitchen, her eyes scrutinizing me from head to foot. It made me glad that I took the chance to go home to shower and change. I didn’t bother worrying about what she would see. I did the best with my appearance, putting on dark jeans and a plain white short-sleeved polo. It was the nicest shirt I owned. I guess I never much thought about my appearance because I learned a long time ago that a person’s appearance was only a disguise for who they truly were.

“Mrs. Montgomery,” I said, smiling. “It’s nice to meet you.”

Heven dropped my hand when her mother entered the room, and the skin on my hand tingled, wanting the contact back.

“Hello, Sam. I trust that you will respect my daughter this evening.” She said, her voice cool but firm.

“Yes, Ma’am.” Her hair was light, but not nearly as light as Heven’s. Hers was more of a golden brown and her eyes weren’t blue. They were brown and they were staring at me with mistrust. She was a little taller than Heven, thicker in form.

“I have a few questions I’d like to ask you,” her mother said, pinning me with a stare.

I stopped myself from shrugging and nodded instead. She fired off questions like a drill sergeant. Wanting to know things like where I lived, how long ago I got my driver’s license and what part of town I lived in. I answered them all, as truthfully as I could, and prayed that it would be over soon. Then, as abruptly as the questions began, they stopped.

“Be home by curfew.” She said turning to Heven.

“Okay.” I figured the meeting must be over because Heven hurried over to grab a jacket hanging by the door.

“Nice meeting you,” I said, turning when Heven opened the door.

She didn’t say anything, but she smiled and gave a little wave. I couldn’t help but notice that the smile never reached her eyes.

Out on the porch, with the door closed firmly behind us, I reached for Heven’s hand again. Every time I touched her I felt a jolt of excitement. Her skin felt like cool silk against my heated palm. If I thought God was listening, I would thank him for sending her to me.

She looked up at me, shyly and smiled. “Sorry you had to go through that.”

“I’d go through anything to be here with you.”

In my palm, her fingers curled closer into my hand, and I stroked my thumb over her skin.

I opened the passenger side door of the truck and watched her climb in. I couldn’t help but notice the way her jeans hugged her curves. Usually she dressed in clothes that were too big and sweatshirts with hoods to hide her face. Not tonight. Tonight she wore jeans that showed off her thin figure and a light colored lavender shirt that seemed to float out around her slender waist. It was some sort of thin fabric that you could see through so beneath it she wore a white tank top. I tried not to stare at her; I didn’t want to make her uncomfortable. She spent enough time like that anyway. But I couldn’t seem to keep my eyes away. She looked beautiful and soft in my world of rough edges. If I hadn’t been holding her hand only moments, before I might have thought she wasn’t real. As if to prove that she was, I reached out to touch her again, this time, leaning over her to clasp her seat belt.

I heard her breath catch when my hands brushed against her. Could she be as affected by me as I was by her? I took my time clipping the seat belt in, and then I pulled back, keeping myself close to look into her eyes. The blue in them reminded me of a tropical ocean that I saw once on TV.

“You’re wearing the whistle.” I said, my voice hushed as I picked up the thin cord that lay against her chest. Her skin was unbelievably soft.

“You asked me to wear it always,” she said, her eyes looking down at my hand.

“You listened.” I tucked the cord back beneath her top and looked up.

She nodded, looking directly into my eyes.

I thought about kissing her, I wanted to, but I knew her mother was probably watching from the window, and I held myself back.

She raised her hand as if she might grab me as I gently closed the door and went around to the driver’s side. On my way, my eyes automatically scanned the yard and street. I had to remember that I couldn’t afford to be distracted. Heven couldn’t afford it. When I was at my apartment earlier no one else was there. I had been glad, wanting to avoid a fight. I really needed to get my own place. But now, I kind of wished that they had been there. At least then I would know where they were. I might even have been able to scare them off for the night. Instead, I didn’t know where they were. I didn’t know what they were up too.

And they have definitely been up to something.

Heven

My night with Sam was finally here, and he took me to the last place I ever would have imagined. Well, not the first part of the date – that we spent playing mini golf after he patiently endured meeting my mother and answering all her questions. Turns out that my almost-being-eaten-alive-by-some-homeless-dog fiasco the other night had actually worked in my favor. Mrs. Bennett couldn’t wait to tell her all about the upstanding young man who found me and came to our aide and had a job. Before he knocked on the door she already liked him, but his quiet respect, and I suspect his sincere hazel eyes, got me out the door.