Losing Nuka (Litmus Book 1) Read Online Free PDF Page B

sitting in a booth with the witch, getting into an overly heated discussion. Her arms are flailing about, and he’s wearing a permanent scowl.
    “He’s not,” I say, turning back to Coffee Guy.
    “Didn’t look that way on the dancefloor.”
    “Have you been watching me?”
    He leans in and says in my ear, “I haven’t been able to stop watching you since I got here.”
    I feel myself start to blush, so I take a swig of beer, hoping to cover my schoolgirl-like crush that threatens to take over me. He’s got to be at least twenty-five. I’m sure he’s used to women who can take a compliment.
    “So what’s the story?” he asks, leaning on the bar and taking a drink.
    Following his lead, I lean against the bar next to him. “There is no story. We’ve been friends since we were ten.”
    “Oh, I bet there’s a story there. If I had to guess, I’d say that’s an ex-girlfriend who broke up with him because of how close he was to you. She thought he was cheating with you and so she cheated on him as revenge, only, you guys weren’t hooking up—even though you want to—and now she feels guilty for not trusting him.”
    I gape at him. “Damn, you’re good. Apart from the wanting to part. We’re just friends.”
    “Mmhmm.”
    “What’s that supposed to mean? And how did you know all that anyway?”
    “It’s completely obvious,” he says, smirking.
    I grimace at him, unconvinced.
    “Okay, fine,” he says rolling up his sleeve and uncovering his Defective mark. “We match.” He lightly runs his finger down my arm and over my mark. “I can hear everything they’re saying.”
    “Oh. I was beginning to think I was the only Defective person in here.”
    “You dare say the D word?” he asks, more amused than shocked like most people are at that word.
    “What can I say, I like the D.”
    He almost chokes on his beer.
    My eyes widen. “I didn’t mean that .” Oh my God, I could die. “I just mean that everybody else says it. Maybe not in public, but they do.”
    He takes another swig of his drink, trying to hide his smile.
    “So you can really hear them from all the way over here?” I ask.
    He nods.
    “Can you hear every single conversation going on in here right now? Wouldn’t that give you a headache?”
    “I’ve learnt to turn the volume down over the years. I can focus on who I want to listen in on.”
    “That seems a bit rude. Weren’t you ever taught that eavesdropping isn’t nice?”
    He laughs. “Maybe. But without doing it, I wouldn’t have learnt your name, Nuka.”
    “You could’ve just asked me like a normal human being.”
    “I could’ve,” he agrees but then shrugs. “But where’s the fun in that?”
    “Well, that’s just a little unfair. Now you know my name, but I don’t know yours.”
    “Brett,” he answers quickly. We smile at each other, and I can’t seem to tear my gaze away from him, but then his smile suddenly drops. “I’m sorry to say, but your boy is about to abandon you here.”
    “What?” I turn to face Declan who’s glaring at me from across the room. Cassia climbs out of the booth and stands there waiting as Declan climbs out too. He shakes his head subtly and breaks his gaze with me, walking towards the exit with Cassia.
    “You know what’d really make him jealous?” Brett says in my ear.
    “What?”
    “If you come home with me,” he whispers in a husky voice.
    I down the rest of my beer. “Let’s go.”
    Brett grabs my hand and starts leading me out of the club.
    We don’t get far through the crowd on the way to the exit when I start doubting my decision.
    What am I doing? I’m not the kind of person to just go home with some random guy.
    I wonder if he’d still want me after I told him I’m not exactly experienced. I’m not a V-card-holding, wait-for-marriage type of girl, but the one and only guy I’ve been with was in high school, and it was a one-time event. One I haven’t had the courage to try again. Thankfully, Cameron