Breathless Read Online Free PDF Page B

forefinger. "You are precious! " she said.

    "Lilith, don't," I said. Was it me, or was everyone just being completely weird to Jason?

    "Oh my God!" Lilith exclaimed. "You guys are beerless! Let's hit the keg." She linked arms with me and started leading me away.

    I looked over my shoulder to make sure Jason was coming. He trailed behind us, looking lost. I felt bad. Maybe I shouldn't have made him come to this party.

    "Fuck me, Zaza," Lilith whispered to me, "he is beautiful. I want to do him. Can I do him?"

    "No!" I said. For some reason, Lilith's overstated attraction to Jason was bugging me.
    Sometimes, I thought Lilith was a nympho. And with a nympho for a best friend, was it any wonder I wanted to have sex with Toby? All she talked about was sex. I just wanted to be able to relate for God's sake.

    Lilith rolled her eyes. "Fine," she said. "You're too protective of your foster kids, you know that?"

    "You just want to have sex with every boy in sight," I said.

    "Not every boy," she said. She dropped my arm and reached back to yank Jason up between us. "It's okay," she told him. "Azazel has proclaimed you off limits. I promise to be good."

    Jason laughed disbelievingly.

    "Did I mention this was my best friend Lilith?" I asked him. I was a little embarrassed.

    "I gathered," he said.

    We'd reached the keg. Lilith pumped, and I poured us two very foamy plastic cups of beer. I handed one to Jason and took the other.

    He held up his cup, studying it. "So..." he said. "Beer, huh?"

    "Beer," I said.

    "I've never actually..." he said. Jason trailed off a lot.

    "No way," said Lilith. "You're a beer virgin?"

    "Leave him alone!" I scolded her. The way things were going, Jason really was going to run away. But it wasn't going to be because he was worried about anybody's safety.
    It was going to be because he wanted to get far, far away from all my crazy, rude friends.

    I clinked plastic cups with Jason. "Cheers," I said. And we both drank. I made a face.
    I didn't like the taste of beer. To my amusement and delight, Jason made one too.

    "It doesn’t taste very good, does it?" I asked.

    "Alcohol rarely does," he said.

    So, he'd drunk alcohol? Just not beer? I wanted to ask, but I wasn't sure how to phrase it without sounding like I was accusing him of lying or something.

    "I've mostly drunk wine," he told me, as if he could see the questions on my face.

    "Oh," I said. "Do you like wine?"

    "Not really," he said, laughing. He took another drink of his beer and surveyed the party.

    Several girls were dancing in the middle of the circle, the headlights reflecting off their hair and curves. They twisted and writhed to the beat of the music, thrusting their hips in gyrating circles. Kids stood in groups, clutching their cups of beer--
    laughing and talking. Someone had brought his dog and was attempting to get him drunk by offering him beer. The dog was lapping it up. The guys surrounding the dog were jeering.

    "So," said Jason, "this is a keg party?"

    I nodded. "Yeah." It seemed so stupid. So tame. I didn't know why I'd brought him here. Someone like Jason probably had more sophisticated tastes. He seemed so old.
    Like he'd seen the entire world.

    "I like it," he said, surprising me. He took a long swig of beer.

    "Well, that's good," said Lilith. "Cause we're all gonna get fucked up."

    "Not me," I muttered. "Toby doesn't want me to get plastered."

    "Fuck Toby," said Lilith. She turned to Jason. "Don't you think her boyfriend is an utter jackass?"

    Jason laughed another surprised laugh. "Um. I..."

    "Lilith!" I said.

    "It's okay," said Jason. He looked at Lilith, raising his eyebrows. "I don't know him real well," he said. "But I don't think Azazel needs someone to treat her like a kid. I think she can take care of herself."

    "Thanks," I said. I thought Jason was pretty cool. I had to get him to stay. I just had to.

    I looked back out over the party and was stunned to see another familiar face.
    Cameron!

    I