Speak (Witches & Warlocks Book 1) Read Online Free PDF

handle, my stomach falling into my feet. He’s gonna just let me get out without kissing me. Without asking for my phone number. I mean, he knows where I live, but who really ever just shows up uninvited at someone’s house anymore?
    “Zoe?”
    Oh, thank God.
    I pause with the handle pulled back and the car door half open. “Ya?” When I turn around to meet his eyes the car door swings shut a fraction of an inch.
    “We’re gonna do this at your pace.”
    Wait. What?
    Noah must have seen the question on my face because he smiles and continues. “You set the speed.”
    No. I don’t want to set the speed. I don’t like being in control. I want him to set the pace. I’m not good at this kind of stuff. I’m stunned. I think I’m just staring at him with my mouth hanging open. How could he be so perfect in so many ways and then do something like this to me? Can’t he see that I’m about as aggressive as a water lily?
    Well, a tiger dressed up as a water lily, I guess.
    Whatever.
    I’m no tiger. I’m meek as a mouse and boring as dry, white toast.
    I blink a few times, trying desperately to hide the flood of fear igniting little fireworks of anxiety throughout my body. My voice is gone, stuck behind that awful lump in my throat, so I just nod. I’m not even trying to make myself talk. I don’t know what I’d say. Disappointment settles heavily onto my shoulders. I don’t know what I was thinking, hoping someone like him would work for someone like me.
    I push on the door and toss him a quick smile before straightening out of the car. All that’s left now is to walk up to my door and chalk tonight up to another misadventure of my tedious life – a tiger held captive by a silent tongue. It’s all I can do not to run up to my apartment door.
    The passenger door clicks shut behind me and I lean down and give Noah a little wave of my fingers, still too wrapped up in myself to even mouth the word goodbye. His gorgeous mouth is pulled into a tight little frown, worry creasing his brow. Not even a minute ago I was daydreaming about tasting those lips.
    Tears burn my eyes as I turn away. I suck. I really, really suck. All I had to do was ask him to kiss me. But what if he didn’t want to? What if he was putting it on me in order to get out of this easier? If that’s the case, then why did he stay out all night with me? Why did he bother to drive me home? Why did he bother to suggest going at my speed?
    There’s another thump of a car door closing and I look back to find Noah bounding up the sidewalk towards me. “Just because we’re going at your speed doesn’t mean I can’t be a gentlemen and walk you to your door.”
    I’m a total disaster. I swear I’m aware of each moment as they happen. I hear my breath in my lungs. My blood rushing in my ears. My shoes hitting the sidewalk. I feel his hand on my lower back, that ping of warm contact that’s so unusual and wonderful all wrapped up into one strange feeling. I count the steps up to my door and there’s too many and not enough. I feel so good at his side. I don’t want to leave it.
    We run out of sidewalk and out of nowhere, the tiger stands and roars. “Noah?” I hear myself asking. “Will you kiss me?”
    There’s a moment of out of breath and heart pounding and absolute silence, just my wide, blue eyes seeking out his warm, blue eyes. And then he smiles and his eyes go from warm to hungry and his hands are on my face and his lips are on mine and it’s like being wrapped in wonderful. I breathe in deeply through my nose, catching his scent, filling my lungs and his hands snake up into my hair. It’s every bit as wonderful as I hoped it’d be. His kiss is this perfect juxtaposition of rough and sweet. Of soft and hard. His lips are supple, but his stubble scratches against my skin. And he’s so warm, but when I press my body against his, the muscles in his arms and chest are hard and full of resistance. My body melts around his, my curves