“Your dad is so charming,” I scoff, rolling my eyes.
“Did he seem spooked to you?” Mars turns his blue eyes toward me.
“He definitely did.” Silence swells between us but then Mars speaks.
“I’m sorry you had to see that, Sage.” He slides his fingers through his hair as if it will ever obey him. I walk over, erasing the distance between us. I need to touch him. My head is clear when I’m near him.
He’s so tall I have to stand on my tiptoes to look at him. I wrap my arms around his neck and stare into those denim blue eyes. “You don’t have anything to apologize for.” I rub the tip of my nose against his and he slides his strong arms around my waist. “You’re not him, Mars. You’re not your mom or the people in this town either. You’re like me. We’re different. We’re not a part of all the bullshit in our lives. Somehow, we manage to hover above it and not get sucked in.”
“Like dragonflies,” he says quietly.
“Like dragonflies,” I agree. The moment is so intense that if I don’t feel my lips against his I’ll explode. I crash against his mouth and his grip tightens on me like if he doesn’t hold on to me, I’ll float away into space. The embrace feels good though. Being anchored to something real feels good.
“I don’t deserve you, Sage.” His words are quiet and they squeeze my heart until blood roars through my veins.
“You do. You deserve everything good,” I say. I touch the side of his face and ache at the pain in his eyes. It shouldn’t be there. I miss the light I see in his blue pools when he laughs. “What you don’t deserve is for your dad to treat you like that.”
“There’s nothing I can do about it until I’m done with school and get away from Duncan.” He pauses a beat then looks at me. So much is running through his mind and I can almost see it. “I want you to come with me.”
I think of getting away from Ashton Hills, away from Mom, and all the other phony people, and I buzz with anticipation. “Of course,” I breathe. Mars gives a stern nod and we finally break our embrace.
“I don’t know when he’ll be back so I’m gonna take you home.” I don’t want to go. I don’t want to leave Mars alone with that bully. They may have looked alike but that was where the similarities ended.
“Okay, but I want to take the scenic route.” I think of our first night under the stars and my fingertips tingle. Even though he’s tense and brooding, he manages to smile a little.
My sweet Mars.
“Deal.” He kisses the top of my head and then he grabs my things. After I’m dressed, I spot Mars’s NASA hoodie draped over the back of a chair. I grab it and pull it on over my head. It smells like him. I pull the neck of the hoodie up over my nose and breathe in the scent that makes me feel safe and warm.
“Are you stealing my hoodie?” He chuckles and a chunk of ice thaws from the guard he has up.
“Maybe.” I shrug. I push my hands through the sleeves and the soft fabric bunches around my wrists. I’m swimming in this thing but I don’t care. It reminds me of Mars and I’ll never take it off.
“You’re lucky you’re cute, Sage, or else you’d see what I do to thieves,” he says, flashing a wolfish grin and my thighs press together involuntarily.
“Since I’m cute, I get off the hook?” I quiz. He yanks me against his body and tips my head back, exposing my tender throat.
“Not exactly.” He slides a finger down the curve of my neck and I shudder in his arms. His tongue follows his touch, then he dots kisses up and down my skin, making me burn with desire. “You have no idea how bad I want to mark your sweet neck again.” His voice is a primal growl that makes my belly clench.
“I want you to.” My voice comes out sultry and it makes him grip me tighter. His teeth scrape my throat sending a flash of pain zipping through my body, but Mars soothes it away with his tongue in the next moment.
When he pulls away, I’m nearly stunned by his absence. I want more of him. I want more of his mouth on me. My heart is beating in the roof of my mouth. I stare at him and he sighs, clearly torn.
“Let’s go before my dad comes back.” He says the words like speaking about his father turns his mouth sour. I know the feeling.
We head outside and climb into The Beast. I slide next to Mars and his hand finds my thigh once our seat belts are on. The engine rumbles to life, but then it cuts off, and Mars bangs his hand against the steering wheel. Tension pours from him in waves and I rub his back to calm him down.