Him by Carey Heywood (reading strategies book .txt) 📕

"I just don’t like the way other guys are looking at you."

My arms relax, but I don’t remove my hands. "Why?"

He turns his head, his breath tickling my ear. "Maybe I want you all for myself."

I'm incapable of speech. My mouth drops open. He lifts his head and studies my expression. I see the corner of his mouth pull up as he slowly lowers his lips to mine. He barely dusts his lips across mine before pressing more firmly.

I jerk back. "Will, what are you doing?"

"I'm trying to kiss you."

I smack his arm.

"Remember when I told you I like someone else?"

I nod, still reeling from the fact that he just kissed me.

"I was talking about you."

"Me?"

He rolls his eyes and pulls me back into his arms.

I push him away. "But why?"

He puts his hands on my shoulders and drops his head down in front of mine. "I've liked you for a long time but just figured you weren’t interested in dating anyone. Until you agreed to go out with Kyle."

I shake my head. No way he likes me. "Be serious."

His doesn’t say anything, just drops his lips to mine again. This kiss feels serious. I brace my hands on his arms, pressing myself against him. He keeps one arm coiled around my waist and moves the other one up to the back of my neck, pressing my face closer to his. I moan, and his tongue moves into my mouth. My eyes close as the rest of the world fades away. He kisses his way across my cheek to my ear, where he whispers that he has wanted to do that for so long. His mouth moves down to my neck, and it suddenly dawns on me that half of our class is probably watching his performance.

"Will, stop."

"What?" He's nibbling on my earlobe.

"People are watching." I try and step back.

His arm tightens around me again. "Fuck them."

I laugh. "Will."

He pulls back, putting his hands on either side of my face and locking eyes with me. "Seriously, Sarah, Fuck them." He leans back down, giving me a sweet kiss before wrapping his arms around my waist.

"Will?"

"Um hmm." He's running his nose down the side of my ear.

"What does this mean?"

"You're mine."

I snort. "I'm yours?"

"Yep, all mine."

I shiver.

"Are you cold?"

I'm grinning as I shake my head. He drapes his arm around my shoulder as we make our way out of the pool, his fingers brushing back and forth at the top of my arm. I cringe, taking in the expressions of our classmates, most of which are drop-jawed. Will, on the other hand, is grinning and even pops his head towards a couple of people. JJ is back at his towel, shaking his head at us. When we get to our towels, Will grabs mine and again wraps me in it. This time, when he tugs me to him, it's to plant his lips on mine again, right in front of everyone. I'm simultaneously on cloud nine but also sick with worry at what everyone thinks. I try to embrace what he told me in the water. Fuck them.

I slide my hands up out of my towel, letting it slide off my shoulders. He leans further towards me, wrapping his arms around my waist again, but this time, lifting me up so we're face to face. Holding me like that, he rubs the tip of his nose against mine. Trailing a line of kisses to my ear, he asks if I want to get out of here. My stomach flips, and I nod my head. Setting me gently on my feet, we slip on our flip flops and hurriedly towel off. He takes my hand and pulls me away, turning his head to grin at everyone behind us.

"You are terrible." I knock my hip into his.

"You're beautiful," he replies quietly.

We make our way to the lockers and pull on our clothes.

"Where are we going?"

He pauses. "Where would you like to go?"

"Carousel?" I ask innocently.

He rolls his eyes. He hates the carousel, not action packed enough for him. I smile as he grumbles and pulls me towards that end of the park. When we get there, we wait in a small line of little kids. I rub my thumb across the back of his hand, and he smiles down at me before kissing the top of my head. As the line slowly moves forward, I try to wrap my brain about what is happening. I partly wonder if this is just a highly realistic dream, and I'm actually still asleep on my towel by the wave pool.

"Pinch me," I whisper.

"What?" Will looks confused.

I look up at him. "Pinch me so I know I'm not dreaming."

His mouth cracks into a wide grin as he gently puts his lips on mine. Pulling back, he lifts the hand he's holding and places a sweet kiss on that as well before pinching the top of it with his other hand.

"Ouch!"

He kisses my hand again and bends his head to my ear. "It's a dream, but you're not sleeping."

He pushes me forward, and we make our way onto the carousel. I pick a blue pony with a white mane and tail. Instead of getting on one Will stands next to me, his hands on my waist. From my seat, he doesn’t have to lean down to kiss me. His mouth is on mine as the music starts. Our kiss only breaks when my horse goes up, his lips finding mine again as soon as I descend. I'm dizzy between his kisses and the heat of his hands on my waist to the up and down and round and round of the carousel. When the ride stops, I take a stumble step and he catches me.

"Will?"

His eyes meet mine.

"Will, what are we doing?"

He looks confused. "What do you mean?"

I close my eyes, terrified of what he may say next but incapable of not asking. "Do you want me to be your girlfriend?"

He pauses. I cringe. Taking in my