I never should have kissed Nora. It’s one thing to long for the forbidden fruit, to crave what it might taste like once you finally sink your teeth in.

It’s another to know just how good it is.

And Nora is the sweetest thing I’ve ever had.

If I could go back to that day, I’d tell myself not to do it. I’d tell myself to stay away, because one kiss is never enough, and the moment her lips touched mine was the beginning of the end. I’d tell myself she’s dangerous. Risky. Addictive.

And I’d tell myself how it’s been over a month since I gave into my yearning for her, and the kisses we steal when no one is looking are just as good as the first. I don’t know what to consider this thing we have going on between us. She’s not my girlfriend, but she’s more than a friend. We don’t hang out just the two of us, but we’re always looking for ways to be together.

Our time together is fleeting. I was busy with football—we made it to semifinals—and Nora filled her schedule with anything and everything she could. Staying busy kept her mind off of things, she told me, and I watched in awe as she dealt with her grief in the complete opposite way I do, making Nora the most productive pissed-off, grieving person on the planet.

Mrs. Freeman and her caseworker told her it wasn’t a healthy way to cope, that she was going to reach a breaking point and was putting too much stress on herself. They didn’t get it, but I did. She was desperately clinging to her old habits, making them a bit extreme without realizing it. Her grandma ran a tight ship and made sure Nora was doing everything she could to get into a damn good school. Plus, we were coming up to the holidays, and facing them without her grandma was harder than Nora was willing to admit.

When my alarm goes off that Monday morning, I get up without hitting snooze. Getting up in the mornings used to be one of the hardest things I’d do all day. When I’d finally fall asleep at night, I’d have to get up just a couple of hours later. Well, if I was lucky to get that much sleep.

Ever since Nora laid in bed next to me—even before we kissed—I’ve been sleeping better. I’d still rather not get up early but knowing that Nora is often up and outside listening to music in the morning is all the motivation I need.

It’s mid-November, and the air coming down from the mountains is cold. Nora isn’t outside, and the disappointment of not seeing her makes me want to crawl back under the covers. Instead, I get dressed and drag my ass downstairs. I’m the first one up this morning, and I have eggs and bacon on the stovetop by the time Mom comes down.

“Good morning, Jackie. You’re cooking?”

“Yeah. Remember those breakfast burritos I used to make every morning?”

“How could I forget? You ate one every morning for a year straight. Is that what you’re making now?”

I flip a piece of bacon in the skillet. “Yeah. It sounded good.”

“It does.” Mom stops in the middle of the kitchen, looking at me like I just came home after a semester away at college. Though I suppose the reality was worse. Physically, I was here the whole time, but I was just a shell of my former self.

Once the food is done cooking, I get myself a plate and sit at the table. Dad and Veronica are up now, and Veronica gets herself a small portion of eggs and one piece of bacon. She gets caught up in the diets along with Mom, though she has nothing to lose. Veronica is tall and thin, nothing but knees and elbows, and gaining a few pounds could do her some good.

I finish breakfast and go outside, needing to get out there before Veronica. Nora is on the porch again, face up to the sun as she listens to music. She’s wearing a black dress with combat boots, and her hair is hanging straight down her back.

She smiles when she sees me, getting up and hurrying over. I take her hand, pulling her around my Jeep. It’s parked on the street, giving us a bit of cover. We’re out of direct line of sight, but still visible if anyone looked hard enough. Without a moment to lose, I take her by the waist and put my lips to hers. Nora’s arms hook around my neck and she kisses me back just as hard as I kissed her.

A car drives by, but I don’t care. I don’t stop. Neither does Nora. We weren’t able to get any time together this weekend, and two days without her lips on mine is two too many. She slides one hand down and around my back, pulling me to her. I step forward, pinning her between the Jeep and my body.

“There’s no chance we can skip school again, is there?” she pants. “I want to do this all day.”

“Me too,” I grunt, pressing myself against her. I’ve learned an unwelcome lesson in self-control since I first kissed her. “But we’d do more than just kiss.”

Nora sucks in a breath and her eyes widen. Then she smiles and kisses me again. I close my eyes and melt into her. She is the light at the end of my tunnel. Kissing isn’t enough, and I don’t care if I’m being greedy. I want all of Nora.

“Charlie!” Veronica’s voice rings out from the porch. “Jack! Charlie’s headed for the road!”

Nora and I break apart. Another car is coming down the road, and I know Charlie is going to run out to greet me. I jump away from Nora and barrel around the front of the Jeep, catching Charlie at the last second. We both go down, and the base of my palm scrapes along the pavement.

“Oh my God.” Nora rounds the Jeep and crouches down, slipping her hands under Charlie’s collar. “That was too close.”

“I’m going to fucking kill my sister.” I stand, and it hits me how close Charlie came to getting run over. Nora has a death grip on his collar, but it still worries me he’s going to pull away and get hit.

“You’re bleeding.” Nora looks at my hand. The pain is pushed to the back of my mind, not a concern when I’m worried about my dog.

“I’ll be fine.” I take Charlie from her, and she grabs my hand, inspecting the injury.

“You have gravel stuck in it. Let me wash it for you. You have to take Charlie in any way.”

“Yeah.”

Keeping a tight hold on my dog, I head back into the house, seething when Veronica walks by. She gives me a guilty smile and says she’s sorry, but I ignore her.

“I’ll be right there,” Nora tells her and comes into the house with me. We go into the kitchen and I give Charlie a treat before going to the sink. Nora turns on the water and holds up my hand, inspecting the wound in the light.

“Blood doesn’t bother you?”

“No,” she answers. “I like gross things as well as creepy. Though this isn’t really gross.” She brings my hand closer. “But it might hurt to get the gravel out.”

“I have a high pain tolerance.”

Nora carefully washes my hand with soap and water. Bloody water swirls down the drain, and I’m hit with the memory of showering for the first time after getting shot.

“Jack?” Nora turns off the water and wraps my hand in a towel. “I’m right here. Talk to me.”

“Blood doesn’t bother me,” I mumble. “But just then, seeing it go down the drain reminded me of taking a shower after I got shot. Some of it was my blood. Some of it was Jason’s. I tried to stop him from bleeding to death.” My vision starts to blur, and my chest tightens. “It’s like I’m there all over again. All I can see is blood. All I hear are the screams. Even now.”

“Look at me.” She steps closer. “There’s only me. No blood. No screaming. Just me and you.”

I exhale, and my heart rate slows. “Just me and you.”

“I don’t know much about PTSD,” she says gently. “But I know it’s terrible.”

“It is. I can’t escape it.”

“Yes, you can,” she says with such determination I almost believe her. “There’s always light, Jack. Sometimes it’s hard to see, but it’s there. You’ll find it.”

“I think I already did.” My heart is in my throat and my stomach flutters. I’ve never felt this way around anyone before. Whatever Nora is doing to me…I don’t want her to stop.

The floorboards creak and we both turn, seeing Mom come into the kitchen. Her eyes are misty, but she hides it with a smile. “I thought I heard voices. Hello, Nora. How are you, dear?”

“I’m good, thanks. And you?”

“Running late for work, as usual.” Mom’s eyes focus on my hand. “What happened?”

“Veronica let Charlie out. I had to dive to get him before he got hit by a car.” I unwrap my hand and inspect the damage. My skin is torn, but it’s not deep. It’ll make playing football a bitch, though. Mom gets me a bandage, smiling and stealing glances at Nora.

“Have a good day,” Mom says, and walks us to the door. “And thank you, Nora.”

“Uh, you’re welcome,” Nora replies, unsure what Mom’s talking about. She catches my eye and winks, and I get it. Mom was listening to us the whole time.

* * *

“You have some nerve.” Alice Bloom puts her hand on her hip, narrowing her eyes the moment Nora and I stop in the hall near her locker. She drills her gaze into Nora, then looks up at me, batting her lashes and smiling.

“What are you talking about?” Nora pulls her heavy backpack up on her shoulder. She’s stuffed it so full of books it looks like it’s gonna burst.

“You know exactly what I’m talking about.” Alice shifts her gaze back and forth from me to Nora. “I saw you two this morning.”

Fuck. “Yeah, we ride to school together.” I take the heavy bag from Nora and force myself to stay calm. “She’s my neighbor.”

“Don’t play dumb with me.” Alice’s nostrils flare and she stares daggers at Nora. “We have a girl code, and you had to go whore around. I should have known you’d be a slut. You could do so much better than this piece of washed up L.A. trash, Jack.”

“Shut the fuck up.” My voice rings out louder than I anticipated, but I’ll be damned before someone insults Nora. God forbid anyone hurt her.

Alice is taken aback by the venom in my voice, but she recovers quickly. “You just proved it.”

Veronica, having heard me swearing, is on her way over. “Proved what?”

Alice bites her lip and smiles. “Nora is fucking your brother.” She holds her hand up, giving a little wave with her fingers as she walks away. “Have fun, kids.”

Nora looks up at me, shaking her head. “We’re not—I’m not—we aren’t fucking.”

Veronica’s brow is furrowed, and she turns her head down, staring at the floor. She’s always been possessive of her friends, having accused me in the past of flirting with them. In her defense, a few have used her in an attempt to get to me. Little did they know hurting my sister was a one-way ticket to get on my shit-list.

“It’s okay if you are.” Veronica looks me in the eye. “I really don’t care.”

“But we’re not,” Nora tries to assure her. “I promise.”

“You don’t have to lie.” Veronica makes a face. “I’m not stupid, guys. I know Nora went into your room the first time she slept over.”

I blink, staring at Veronica. “You never said anything.”

“It wasn’t my business.”

A new respect forms for my sister. “Thanks.”

“Besides…you seem happier now. I assume it’s because you two are…you know.”

“I’m a virgin,” Nora admits.

“Really?” Veronica makes a face.

“Yes.”

I run my hand over the back of my neck and look away. As if the thought of spreading Nora’s legs and burying my cock in her tight pussy wasn’t tempting enough before.

“Me too,” Veronica says quietly. “Alice always makes fun of me for it.”

“She’s a bitch. My mom had me when she was sixteen, and I don’t want to make the same mistake.”

Nora’s words are a much-needed slap to the face. She’s innocent. Pure. Yeah, she’s going through hell, but she’s still going. She’ll get out. There’s no need to drag her down and burn with me.