Less than Perfect, S. J. Evans [classic literature books txt] 📗

dad away.”
“But what if I really do?” Unlike his, her voice carried no playful sarcasm. “What if he doesn’t like me?”
“He will, Skye,” Jules insisted, “I promise.”
“But—”
He pressed a finger against her lips. “Stop,” he said softly, stopping to pull her hand in his as he cupped her face in the other. “Stop worrying yourself. He’s going to love you.”
Sighing, Skye dropped the subject. “Okay. I trust you.”
“Good.” He smiled, and left a gentle kiss on her forehead before moving away and walking up the porch’s steps. “Coming, Slowpoke?” A taunting grin spread across his face.
“Yeah, hot-shot,” she sang back at him. “I’m coming.”
And just for payback, she slowed her steps as she crutched her way up the sidewalk, the steps, all the way up to the front door, where he now stood waiting for her.
“Having fun?” he whispered against her ear, reaching around her slim frame for the doorknob. “’Cause you sure looked

like you were having fun.”
“You bet,” she replied perkily. “Lots.”
“Here we go.” Turning the knob, he pushed open the door and slipped in, called his father’s name. “Come on down; there’s someone I’d like you to meet.”
With her insides twisting and turning from the nerves about meeting his father for the very first time, she tried to put up a strong, happy façade for Jules. After all, she was doing it for him, because he really wanted her to meet his father. And if that’s really what he wanted, she’d be happy to do it.

“THAT WAS A DISASTER,” Skye groaned, lying down against the soft, comforting support of Jules’s bed. “I completely failed

.”
Jules chuckled, kicking off his shoes and sending them into his closet. “You did not fail . . . my dad loved

you. You were perfect

.”
She smiled, remembering how well her first meeting with Jules’s father had

gone—until it came to game time, that was. “Scrabble didn’t go well,” she reminded him. “I failed.”
He made a face at her. “That’s what you’re going on about? That stupid game of Scrabble?”
“Yes.”
A grin slithered up his features. “Skye, you didn’t fail,” he told her, sitting down on the bed beside her. “I failed. I’m the one who lost, remember?”
“Oh,” she murmured around a grin, “right.”
Dropping onto his back, he pulled her hand in his and kissed it. “You really were great tonight. Everything was perfect.”
Her body warmed as he placed soft kisses on her skin, starting at her wrist and slowly making his way all the way up her arm. When his lips traveled into the crook of her neck, she whimpered, wanting him to hold her and love her forever. “Don’t stop.”
He pulled away, his warm breath bathing her face. “I have to. You should get some rest; it’s late.”
“But will you stay with me? Please?”
“Of course I will, Skye,” he promised her, curling a lock of her hair around his finger. “I’ll stay with you as long as you need me to. Just let me call your mom and tell her you’re okay.”
Smiling at the thought of another night with him, she closed her eyes and let out a troubling breath she’d been holding. Her body ached to be in his arms again, nestled in the comfort of his warm embrace, and she couldn’t wait for him to finish the call and join her in his bed, shielding her from all the burdens that could come in the darkness.
Her heart fluttered when he placed a soft his on her forehead, and she opened her eyes, watching him depart from the room to make that call. Crawling over to top of the bed, she nuzzled her face into his pillow, committed the scent to memory. And then, while she was waiting for him to return, she drifted into a hazy realm of peace, longing for the sound of his voice to enter her dreams, and the warmth of his touch to caress her once again.

Epilogue: One Month Later

STEPPING OUT INTO THE GLORIOUS WARMTH OF THE MID-summer day, Skye smiled from the sense of security and serenity that eclipsed her body and soul. She closed her eyes and breathed freely, deeply, drinking in the rich freshness of the mid-day air. Her once tainted and trampled on heart felt alive and free again, able to breathe in and accept the captivating beauty so magnificently crafted into the spirit of life.
She took three slow, small steps forward, appreciating the simple, easy pleasure of walking on her cast-free ankle again. A small but high-pitched noise whistled passed her ears, bringing her out of her hazy, dreamlike state of mind and steering her attention to where the sound had come from.
The moment she opened her eyes and caught Rachel’s impatient gaze from the driver’s side window of her mother’s Honda Civic, she smiled widely.
“Are you coming, Skye?” Rachel called, slapping the exterior of the vehicle. “We can’t wait for you forever. I’ve got a plane to catch, remember?”
“Don’t worry, I’m coming.” Skye’s sweet-as-honey voice rang across the open space of air between the two friends, and in the next moment, Rachel whispered something to the passenger in the back seat and relaxed against the seat, smiling to herself.
Skye’s heart fluttered in her chest when the passenger sprang out of the back seat, revealing himself to her in all his sun-kissed glory. His vibrant, emerald eyes shined even brighter in the blazing sun, and his shaggy, golden hair curled perfectly around his face, making Skye’s breath catch in her throat from his beauty.
“Baby, I thought we had a deal,” Jules called warmly, failing to take his gaze away from her once as he sprinted over to her. “I thought you had agreed to be on time today.” He grinned, flashing his pearly whites. “I thought I’d made it clear that there will be a surprise waiting for you afterwards.” His warm, heavy breath bathed her ears as he neared her and whisper-added, “A perfect and absolutely wonderful

surprise.”
Her knees grew week from the fiery air of seduction in his voice, and she pressed herself closer to him, hands tightly gripping his shirt. “You did,” she purred, brushing her lips against his jaw-line. “And we do. I just wanted a moment to breathe.” She let go of his shirt and pushed him backwards as she watched him carefully. Her lips curled into a smile at the playful glint in his eyes and, with her head spinning and chills spreading along her arms, she taunted him with her hands venturing down his chest as she kept him moving back towards the vehicle. “Get in the car.”
He chuckled and reached a hand out to touch her face, but she was quicker than him and slapped it away before it even brushed her skin. He raised a brow, and his face lit up even more. “Playing hard to get?”
She grinned. “Get in the car and I’ll let you know.”
His back collided with the car door, and, with a wide grin spread across his face, he pulled it open and climbed in. “Perfect,” he said when he was seated, grabbing Skye’s hand and bringing her down onto his lap. He held her close with his hands on her hips, keeping her in place. And when she tried to wiggle away, he laughed deeply in her ear, and brought one of his hands to her face, gently forcing her to look at him. “You were saying?”
She pressed her small hands against his shoulders in a vain attempt at pushing herself further away from him. She had no interest in actually getting away from him though; she was only messing with him, playing hard to get because he seemed to be so keen on getting her

. “You talk too much.” She raised her eyebrows at him, daring him to make the next move.
“I can change that,” he whispered huskily, trailing his fingers along the side of her face. “Just say the words and I’ll shut up.” He inched his face closer, his lips venturing dangerously close to hers. She shivered as his breath fanned her trembling lips. “Come on, Trouble, just say the words. I can tell you want to. I can feel

you giving in.” With the hand still on her hip, he pulled her closer, closing the tiny gap between them both until his lips were brushing against hers and her body was pressed up against his.
Sensations riveted her entire body but she tried to stay strong, tried to hold her ground—she couldn’t give in to him that easily. Not if it meant she’d lose their childish little game. She wanted to believe she was much stronger than she’d ever given herself credit for.
Running her fingers through his hair, she began to press her lips against his, only to pull herself back just as easily, away from him and his tempting gestures. “You lose.”
He growled in the back of his throat, and tangled his fingers through her hair, keeping her close. “No, baby,” he said quietly, sweetly, as if he was sharing a precious secret with her. “I win

.”
And with those words drifting through the mere fraction of an inch between them, Skye finally gave in, forgetting her vow to herself to stay strong, forgetting everything else in the world and focusing solely on the incredible boy before her. She melted into his embrace, feverishly seeking the company of his lips against hers, and all of the riveting sensations that coursed through her body from their heated . . . games

.
Jules nipped on her lower lip playfully, and she gasped, taken aback. He used the opportunity to let his tongue slide into her mouth, exploring her fully. She giggled when she felt the hand on her hip venturing under her shirt, tickling her