My biceps flex of their own free will. I swear I didn’t tell them to.
I put the truck into gear and drive toward the city.
“So what’s your favorite JB song?” Juliet asks, then holds up a finger. “But if you sayBaby,I’m flinging myself out of this truck.”
Pfft. That hasn’t been my favorite in at least twelve years. I mean never. And I blame Lennox anyway. She was the one who used to blast Justin Bieber like he was the only singer left in the world. Then she had to go ahead and grow out of her obsession right when I started enjoying his songs. What good are little sisters if I can’t use her as my excuse for things like that?
“Anyone,” I say.
She taps on her phone, and the opening notes carry through the cab of my truck.
I knew the song was romantic, but I didn’t realizehow much until this moment. Juliet faces forward, but I keep stealing glances at her. Her perfect heart-shaped lips, her smooth skin, the tiny molejust below her jaw. It may be Justin’s voice, but it’s my heart in every word, promising her she’s the only one I want.
I do. That much has been clear since she called my bluff on the whole cat thing. I’m falling for her, hard and fast, but I don’t know if there is a nice warm pool to welcome me at the bottom of this jump.
The driveto her apartment seems to last ten minutes, but it’s nearly two in the morning when I pull into the parking lot. I don’t need sleep. I could work for hours off the energy I feel when I’m with her. But even so, I think I’ll set my alarm for five-fifty tomorrow. Just this once.
“So, will you still give me another date?” I ask as I help her hobble up the stairs.
Her grip on me tightens. “I don’t know. This oneabout killed me. I’m a little terrified of what could happen next.”
“What if I promise to roll you in bubble wrap?” I tease, stopping at the front of her door.
She squints. “I have a feeling if I say yes, our next date will legitimately include bubble wrap.”
I slide a hand through my hair. “You know me so well.”
“That’s the point, isn’t it?” Her voice drops, and her eyes meet mine and pull me in. All at once, we are back in the hot spring, but this time, no annoying children are around to ruin the moment.
I step closer, careful not to make her move on her hurt foot. I place a hand on her waist and lift the other one to her hair, brushing one of the strands behind her ear.
“I believe so,” I whisper, inching my face toward hers. I watch her eyes, wanting to know if she wants this as much as I do. Her lips part, and her eyelids flutter closed. I move closer still, giving her a chance toback away. But if she does, it mightkill me.
I can’t stand the distance anymore and bend my head to make the last few inches between us disappear.
“Who’s there?” someone yells, and we both jump at the sound. Juliet staggers on her bad foot, and I catch her before she falls into the railing. The door bursts open, and a crazy woman with a bat steps out swinging. Her face is covered in green goo, and her hair is up in a bun. And what is she wearing? Is that a parka?
This can’t be the same apartment I picked Juliet up from.
How tired am I?
I step in front of Juliet, putting myself between her and this deranged woman.
“Whoa, hey, can we put the bat down?” I put up my hand to protect myself and Juliet.
The woman’s eyes glow with rage. “I’ll put the bat down.” She raises it high over her head. “In your face!”
Juliet steps around and puts a hand on the woman’s arm. I’m about to pull her away from the crazed lunatic when she speaks up. “Karli, stop it.”
“Juliet?” The supposed Karli drops the bat, blinks twice, and slouchesinside.
Juliet looksat me. “Sorry, I better make sure she makes it back to bed safe.”
The confusion must be evident on my face.
“She was sleepwalking,” Juliet says.
Sleepwalking? There has to be another word for what that woman was doing, because it was not something as innocent as sleepwalking. Sleep raging, maybe?
