Read Come Back To Me for Free Online Page A

which is exactly how it
    does feel. My chin rests on top of her head and I get a hit
    of her shampoo – rosemary and mint – and have to stop
    myself from burying my face in it and inhaling another
    lungful. An idea crystallizes in my head at that point, one
    that makes me grin in the darkness and say another
    prayer of thanks to the gods of baseball. It’s reckless and
    probably crazy as ideas go, and I’m not sure Jessa is going
    to buy it, but here’s hoping.
    ‘Does your dad ever check on you when he goes to
    bed?’ I ask her.
    Jessa shakes her head at me, looking confused.
    ‘Your mom?’
    ‘She’s already asleep,’ Jessa whispers, still looking
    confused.
    35
    PM426 – Come Back To Me.indd 35
    29/05/2014 15:30
    Mila Gray
    The grin widens on my face. ‘OK,’ I say, trying to rein it
    in. ‘I got a plan.’
    Jessa waits.
    ‘Come with me. Let’s spend the night together.’
    Jessa’s mouth instantly falls open. She takes a step
    backwards, slipping out of my arms.
    ‘No, I don’t mean like that,’ I whisper, suddenly flus-
    tered. Crap. She took that entirely the wrong way. ‘I
    mean, let’s go for a drive, hang out, talk .’ Man. I blew it.
    She’s looking at me now with both eyebrows raised, arms
    crossed defensively against her chest.
    ‘Look,’ I add, hoping my charming smile will win her
    around as it has other girls in the past, and then simulta-
    neously hating myself for even trying to win her around,
    because Jessa isn’t like other girls and this isn’t a game.
    For the first time in my life this feels real. Not something
    I’m playing at. I’m nervous, something I don’t usually
    feel when it comes to girls. I don’t want to screw it up.
    Again, not something I usually worry about.
    ‘You can’t get back inside,’ I say, reaching for Jessa’s
    hand. A frown passes across her face as swift as lightning,
    but lingering. ‘Come on,’ I say, hoping I don’t sound too
    desperate but finding my throat dry as sand, praying
    silently that she’ll say yes because suddenly a whole lot
    more than just a night seems to rest on her answer. ‘It’ll
    be fun. I promise.’
    She doesn’t pull her hand from mine, which I take as a
    good sign. She just stands there, studying me, biting her
    lip. She looks at the house. When she turns back to me the
    frown has vanished, replaced by a small, shy smile which
    plays at the edge of her mouth. Those lips, man . . . I tug
    36
    PM426 – Come Back To Me.indd 36
    29/05/2014 15:30
    COME BACK TO ME
    her towards me, take her face in my hands, and because I
    can’t stop myself, I kiss her, just gently, savouring every
    single second. She kisses me back, her body swaying
    against mine, pressing closer. God, this girl . . .
    ‘OK,’ she whispers against my lips just before I lose my
    train of thought completely.
    37
    PM426 – Come Back To Me.indd 37
    29/05/2014 15:30
    Jessa
    Kit pulls back, his arms still around my waist.
    ‘Really?’ he asks.
    I swallow, my heart slamming fast against my ribs,
    then nod.
    Even though it’s dark I can see his smile lighting up his
    face. Then he takes my hand and links his fingers tightly
    through mine, and just this simple action makes my heart
    expand in my chest like a balloon about to burst because
    it feels so natural, so normal and so right. It feels like Kit
    could lead me anywhere right now, and I’d simply follow,
    which, given I’m not one for spontaneity or risk-taking,
    freaks me out.
    Kit tugs me through the bushes towards the gate at
    the side of the house. He’s stealthy and silent, while even
    barefoot I seem to be making enough noise to alert the
    whole of Oceanside, including the people buried in the
    cemetery. My ears are pricked and I keep my eyes locked
    on the back door, anxious that my dad might come back
    to investigate, this time with his gun, but I’m even more
    nervous about what’s about to come next with Kit.
    Where’s he going to take me? What are we going to do?
    The