Crave (Harlequin Teen)

going to do. Okay? It doesn’t matter what I want, or what you want.” She started out the door.
    “Hang on,” I growled, ducking into the uniform closet to grab two hatboxes before joining her in the hallway.
    She looked tired as we walked down the stairs and out the building, her shoulders slumping as we made our way down the cement ramp then cut across the grassy hill between the math building and cafeteria.
    “Is that too heavy?” I tucked the hatboxes under one arm, reaching out for her box with the other. “I can carry—”
    “No, it’s fine.” She jerked the box out of my reach and walked faster toward the front parking lot.
    It was my turn to sigh in frustration. Man, she was hardheaded.
    We filled up the seat of her truck. On the way back, as we passed my grounding tree outside the cafeteria, I said, “Go ahead, I’ll catch up.”
    I pretended to tie my shoe until she was out of sight inside the sports and art building again. Then I pressed a hand to the dirt and pulled up some energy from the earth. The boost of energy helped clear me of the lingering weakness and light-headed effects from our kiss. Feeling better, I stood and jogged to catch up with her inside the foyer.
    We made one more trip, both of us loaded down with the last of the gifts. The entire time, her cheeks and ears stayed a bright pink. Then she opened her truck’s driver-side door and slid in. But I couldn’t let her go yet. Not till I knew where we stood now that we’d crossed the line beyond friendship.
    I held on to the open door. And noticed her hands were shaking on the steering wheel. “You know this thing between us isn’t gonna go away, even if you ignore it. Clann rules or not. It’s not about them. It’s about us.”
    Staring at the dashboard of her truck, she whispered, “It doesn’t matter. We can be friends, but that’s all. I can’t date you.”
    “And if I keep asking?”
    One corner of her mouth tightened. “Anne’s right. You are spoiled.”
    “No, just determined.” I shut her door for her. Then she started the engine and pulled out of her parking space.
    At least look back at me, I thought. Come on, just one little sign.
    As she left, I caught her looking at me in her rearview mirror. Yes!
    Maybe I hadn’t totally blown my chances with her. I just needed to find some way to get past this whole family-rules hang-up of hers. After all, some rules really were made to be broken.
    Savannah
    The glow singing through my body faded as soon as Tristan was no longer visible in my rearview mirror. I couldn’t believe I’d kissed him. I hadn’t even been that stupid in my dreams about him. What had I been thinking?
    Oh, that’s right, I hadn’t. I’d gotten caught up in my emotions. Again.
    I always got emotional during the few stolen minutes each week when I could safely have the dance room all to myself. Maybe it was the fact that I had to keep my dancing ability a secret that made it that much more of a pure pleasure.
    Whatever the reason, I’d been lost in the moment and the flood of emotions as I moved. And then I’d felt him there. But the usual ache from his nearness had been intensified to the point of pain, as if magnified through the lens of my other emotions.
    The pain might have gone away eventually, if he hadn’t kept poking at my feelings about things. I’d tried to push on, to ignore the pain and focus on getting back to work.
    But then Tristan had moved to stand so close to me, his warmth at my side, his crisp cologne like a pile of autumn leaves I just had to dive into. The ache in my chest and stomach had exploded, and I’d lost all common sense. Something had driven me to stare into his eyes, to put my hands on his shoulders. Only one thought, one need had pounded through my veins. I’d wanted him to kiss me.
    I’d used my gaze on him again.
    I groaned and slapped the steering wheel. “Idiot, idiot, idiot! Sav, how could you? Twice on the same guy?”
    I really should be locked up.
    How long would it take for the gaze-daze effects to wear off him this time? Would repeated exposure make it take longer, or less time? Probably more. I hadn’t been brave enough today to check his eyes for that possessed-stalker look after ward. I would have to find the courage and check tonight at the game.
    Crap. This time I’d used my gaze on a guy I worked with almost every day. And was frequently alone with. How could I do that to Tristan? And just when things seemed to be clicking