Fusion (Explosive #5) Read Online Free PDF Page B

go,” he said.
    “Always?” I asked.
    He grabbed my hand, squeezing tight. “Always, Sierra. You’re my best friend.”
    I squeezed back. “You’ll always be my best friend, Copper,” I told him, thinking of my favorite Disney movie.
    He tilted his head and narrowed his eyes at me. “Hey, why do you get to be Tod? I want to be the fox!” he exclaimed, pretending to be offended.
    A smile crossed my lips as I studied his features. “Because your hair. And your eyes,” I admitted, hoping I didn’t sound too much like a girl. “It’s the shade of brown. It’s copper, like a penny. So you’re Copper.”
    His head remained half-cocked as he mulled it over. I emitted a sigh of relief when he smiled.
    “Oh, okay. That makes sense. And, just so you know, you’re mine, too, Tod.”
    Warmth seeped into my bones as if the rays of the sun were penetrating my skin and settling in. Except it wasn’t the sun. It was Jeremy.
    I spat on my hand and held it out, just like we’d done the day we’d met. “We’ll always be friends forever?”
    He didn’t even hesitate. He hawked a big one in his hand and slapped his palm to mine. “Yeah. Forever.”
    Neither of us knew it at the time, but it truly was the beginning of a beautiful friendship. A lifelong one.
    The foundation of our futures was laid out right there, and we had no clue that the coming years would only strengthen our bond. Little did we know how much we’d come to rely on that strength in our future. We'd need each other more than we'd ever know, and it still it might not be enough. Only time could tell.

1998

    NEITHER ONE OF US made an effort to walk inside the expansive brick building before us. Students were milling about, chattering with their friends, even though most of them had spent the summer together on the beach. A buzz of both excitement and discontent filled the air. Excitement of a new school year; discontent for the same reason. Most of us were still in beach mode. Still, nerves attacked my belly. This was finally it.
    High school.
    Jeremy shoulder-checked me, nearly knocking me off-balance. I gave him a mock scowl, but he laughed as he brushed the messy hair out of his eyes. I reached over and did it for him, my fingers not missing how soft it felt beneath my fingertips. I swallowed hard and tried to forget that thought. Over the summer, I’d started noticing Jeremy in a different light, and I wasn’t sure how I felt about it. He’d gone through a growth spurt and decided he wanted to make the football team, so he’d trained hard. In just a few months’ time, he had gone from my tall, lanky, goofy best friend to a taller, muscular, hot guy.
    Hot.
    I’d actually referred to Jeremy Banks as hot. The guy with whom I’d made many a spit pacts and spent hours pretending we were characters from The Mighty Ducks . I wasn’t sure how to process the way he’d begun giving me butterflies. The way I studied his features and wondered how his lips would feel pressed against mine. Would I be able to tell that his lower lip was much fuller than the top one, or would it even matter? Would his eyes light up as we kissed, or would he close them, savoring the taste of me? Would his large hands fist my hair with passion, or would he hold my hips firmly in place?
    He snapped his finger in front of my face, breaking my trance. My cheeks heated as I hoped he hadn’t caught me ogling him. That’s just what I needed—him reading my thoughts and running screaming in the opposite direction. When my eyes reached his, he was watching me with concern.
    “You ready for this, Tod?” he asked, not acting the least bit weirded out. It was more like he was worried I wasn’t ready.
    That was Jeremy. So freaking sweet.
    I let out a sigh of relief even though I was still reeling from the visions I’d had of Jeremy kissing me. Like that’d ever happen.
    “Tod? Hello?” he repeated, eliciting a sheepish grin from me.
    Get it together, Sierra.
    A comfortable wave