It’s day two of school and my throat is just as dry as yesterday. I climb out of the SUV, everyone looking at me as I do so. I should really think about getting my license now that we’re in such a small town. Every time I pull up somewhere with my driver escorting me, it turns heads. It’s unneeded attention at this point.

Stepping out, I pull my bag close and head toward the front door. My yellow nomad midi skirt tickles my calves, and the way everyone is staring at me, I can’t help but adjust my choker and necklace anxiously. Looking down, I pull at my blouse that is tied in a knot at my belly button, making sure I’m not showing any skin.

Inside the school, everyone is congregating in their cliques talking before school starts, so I decide to head to the cafeteria and finishing drawing my sunset I’ve been working on.

Huffing, I throw my bag on the table and pull out my pencils.

A waft of Old Spice has my nipples perking beneath my top, and my spine straighten. A large palm caresses my back and Warner suddenly appears at my side. His spotless letterman jacket, blue polo, and ripped jeans has him looking really good.

“You okay this morning?” he asks. Inhaling a large breath, I think about last night’s events. How he hit my dog and rushed us to his vet. It was an intense situation on its own, throw in the draw between us and it was almost unbearable.

“My parents weren’t happy that I didn’t call them when it happened, but everyone’s just happy Huey is alive,” I inform. My parents were both standing on the front porch when I got back, their faces dropping when they saw blood all over my clothes. First they were terrified, then mad, then understanding.

“You’re drawing this early in the morning?” His blue steel eyes meet mine and a grin that stretches more to the right crosses his face. He nervously runs his hand through his golden locks, and for some reason, I have the urge to push the strays that fall back into his eyes to the side.

Looking down, I try to fight back my smile and I look at my work in progress.

“Trying, I guess,” I half laugh. I want to color in what I outlined last night, but I can’t get my mind off the fact he kept my headband all this time. The thought has cursed me all night and morning. I tossed and turned all night wondering what it meant.

He picks up the pencils looking them over.

“What’s your favorite color?” I ask, trying to bring my mind from the thoughts that were plaguing my mind all night.

His eyes pop over the sharp lead, the normal baby blues becoming heated.

“You.”

“Me?” I flinch.

“Yeah, whatever color you are… that’s my favorite color.”

Pursing my lips, I snatch my pencils from him.

“That’s a good one,” I chuckle, laying my colors flat on the table.

“Good what?”

“A good line.”

He tucks a hair behind my ear, and the entire touch sends tingles down my neck.

“Oh, it’s not a line. You are your own color, and if I could tell you what it was, I would. I would fucking wear it every day just to have a piece of River Addington.”

I swallow, my breathing becoming shallow, I slowly bring my gaze to his. A smug smile crosses his face just before he stands.

“Besides, it doesn’t take any lines to get in your pants if I remember.” Hot breath sticks to the shell of my ear, causing my whole body to rise with one large inhale. “Or in your case… you weren’t wearing any…”

I can’t help the liquid heat flushing in my cheeks, and I bite my lip.

“See you after school,” he says, walking away.

“Wait, what?”

He turns to look at me, walking backward. “To pick up Huey.”

I open my mouth to object, but he doesn’t give me a chance before leaving me in a pool of lost words and a colorless sketch of paper.