Talent Chronicles 2 - Impulse Control Read Online Free PDF Page A

Forget about it.”
    “No, I won’t. Thank you.” She reached up and curled her hand around my neck. I followed her lead, bending toward her as she rose on her toes. Her lips brushed my cheek, and then she started to ease back from me again. But she stopped.
    We stood there for a moment, me bent awkwardly at the waist, she on her toes, holding herself up with her grip on my neck, our lips inches apart, both of us barely breathing.
    “Elle?”
    “Yeah?” She was so close that when she whispered back to me it was like I could feel her words against my lips.
    “I think I’m gonna have to kiss you.”
    “Do what you gotta do.”
    I let myself sink those last few inches until my mouth touched hers. God it was soft. My heart was hammering hard against my chest, and I told myself just one more second and then I’d step back from her. Just one more, because I couldn’t believe that anything could feel this good. But we weren’t safe and we had to get back. Then she sighed my name and I felt her fingers in my hair and I forgot all about everything else. There was just Elle and the feel of her body in my arms, her mouth moving against mine, the taste of her, her scent.
    When we finally came up for air, I had no idea how much time had passed. We were both breathing heavily. My lips tingled and I ached to go on kissing her.
    “Don’t look at me like that. I’ve got to start over watching this loop.”
    “Like what?”
    “You know like what.” I was trying not to look at her, but I couldn’t help stealing glances. She looked happy, beautiful, mischievous, and enchanting. And her eyes kept moving to my lips with this wolfish look that was driving me crazy. As evidenced by the fact that I thought, if it could be just me risking it, I thought I’d brave Everlast just to go on kissing her.

    “I’m sure I don’t know what you’re talking about.” She pulled herself up on her toes and kissed my neck. I was not going to give her the satisfaction or encouragement of groaning about it, though I wanted to.
    “You’re going to be the death of me.”

    * * *
    Every time Elle looked at me, which seemed like a lot more than usual, I felt color creep up the back of my neck. I was sure this must be obvious to everyone.
    If it makes you feel any better, not to anyone but me.
    Thanks.
    Not that I know why I should make you feel any better.
    Do you have any idea how exhausted I am? Do you have any idea how long that girl stayed awake last night thinking at the top of her brain waves about what an awesome kisser you are?
    She said that?
    Karen subtly flipped me off and I grinned.
    Neither of you is focused on this plan at all.
    She meant the plan we had come up with over breakfast. A plan which I didn’t really want to focus on because a) it was dangerous and it sucked, b) it relied way too much on Anderson which was dangerous and sucked, and c) it might not really help anything and for as dangerous as it was, that really sucked. So excuse me for wanting to spend my time thinking about kissing Elle which was probably also dangerous, but totally did not suck. And it seemed like it didn’t suck for her either.
    Commence idiot grin, Karen thought. At least try to cover that or something.
    The guard came in, followed by the instructor and Anderson. I noticed right away that he was back to shuffling when he walked. I studied him carefully as the instructor started in on us, and saw that the tick was back as well. Then the next round of defense exercises started.

    Anderson thinks it worked!
    He “thinks” so?
    It worked. That’s what he believes, Karen clarified.
    He’s thinking that he can still hear their orders, but he’s not compelled to obey them.
    And the tick? The way he’s walking?
    He doesn’t want to let on that anything’s different.
    Huh. That’s smart, I guess. Well that’s great. Bet Elle’s happy.
    She’s gone completely non-verbal. There’s a lot of making out with you imagery I really don’t need. I had