Kiss in the Dark Read Online Free PDF Page B

your time,” he says, his bright gold eyes glinting with amusement.
    “Taylor and I went for a really long run,” I say apologetically. “She’s worse than a personal trainer, she shouts and shouts if I even think about stopping.”
    Jase cracks a grin.
    “Fair dos,” he says. “I wouldn’t want Taylor shouting at me. She’s got shoulders like a brickie.”
    “She made us do tons of push-ups too,” I boast.
    “Let’s have a feel, then.” Jase reaches out to squeeze my bicep. “Hey, not bad for a girl.”
    He pulls me closer.
    “Give me a kiss to show you’re sorry,” he says teasingly. “Don’t worry, my dad’s off at the pub. He won’t be back till late.”
    Blushing in anticipation, I go up on tiptoe and plant a soft, slow kiss on his lips. My eyes close. They always close of their own accord when I kiss him. Sometimes I try to keep them open, just to see if I can. But the experience of being that near to Jase, feeling his warmth, smelling his skin, touching him so intimately, is so overpowering that I never manage it.
    His arms wrap around me reflexively as he starts to kiss me back, his full lips nipping at mine, the tip of his tongue touching my lower lip, easing my mouth open, a shiver running through me as I meet his tongue with mine.
    And then the two motorcycle helmets clang together behind my back, and we both jump.
    “Whoops! Forgot I was holding ’em,” Jase says, pulling back. He winks at me. “You shouldn’t get me all distracted like that.”
    “Hey, it’s not my fault.” I make a face at him and take my helmet. “You’re the one who told me to kiss you.”
    We put our helmets on and climb onto the bike. Jase revs it up. And it’s the oddest thing, because the helmet really restricts how much vision you have. But out of the corner of my eye, I think I see movement, and nervously, just in case Jase is mistaken and his dad isn’t safely off at the pub after all, I turn my head to check out what it is.
    There’s an old lady standing in the window of the Barneses’ cottage. White hair pulled up on top of her head in a sparse little bun. Round wire-framed glasses, pink wrinkled cheeks, her hands resting in front of her on what looks like a cane. The curtains at the window are faded lace, pulled back with ties, and they frame her so neatly that the whole image looks like a sentimental picture, too cozy to be true.
    I think of my own grandmother, with her sleek white bob of hair, her smart tweeds and twinsets, her bright blue eyes that don’t need any help to see clearly, with 20/20 vision. Nothing cozy about her at all. They might both be little old ladies, but that seems to be all they have in common, Jase’s grandmother and mine.
    And then the bike takes off, gravel spurting from beneath its wheels, my body thudding against Jase’s back as I cling to him tightly. All I can think about is the sheer joy of motion. I’ll never tire of being on the bike with Jase, never. Speed, excitement, having my body pressed so closely against his, feeling his chest rise and fall under my gloved hands.
    I just wish we didn’t have to wear helmets. I hate not being able to cuddle my head into his neck when we’re out on the bike.
    “Your cheeks are all pink.” Jase reaches across the table to stroke my face. “Look at you.”
    I mutter something about lifting the visor to get the wind in my face, but honestly I think that the reason I’m flushed is that even after a couple of months of going out with Jase, I still get a bit overcome by how gorgeous he is. I can’t quite take it for granted yet. When we walked into this little coffee shop together, I was sure that everyone was looking up and asking themselves what on earth a boy this good-looking was doing with me.
    He’s lounging on his side of the coffee-shop booth, his back against the wall, his legs stretched out in front of him, one knee up, looking so sexy in his leather bike trousers with their dark red stripes it’s no wonder