The Chase (Briar U, #1)

by Elle Kennedy

Sunshine, I finish silently. Just like her name, Su...

“And despite what you may think, I can hold a conversation that doesn’t involve shoes or designer clothing. I might not be able to write you a five-thousand-word dissertation about Van Gogh and every tiny little brushstroke he did, but...

I bite hard on the inside of my cheek. “I really am sorry about New Year’s. Truly. I didn’t mean any of that shit.”

She gives a resigned smile that once again cuts me to the core. Then she shrugs and says, “Yes, you did.”

Typically, clearing the air is supposed to ease relations between two people. For Summer and me, it produces the opposite effect.

I’m not certain how long I lie there, sketching with my eyes closed, but by the time I register that my pencil’s no longer sharp and my wrist is cramping, the music in the living room has ceased, and my own playlist has restarted itself.

Shaking out my wrist, I slide into a sitting position. I stare down at my sketch and discover that I’ve drawn Summer. Not the season. The girl.

And not the girl with the dazzling smile. Not the laughing Summer, or the Summer whose cheeks go brighter than Red Delici...

I drew the Summer whose green eyes shimmered with pain as she’d whispered the words, “I have substance.” On the page, her full lips are frozen in time. But in my mind, ...

The sketch hints at the tears clinging to her lower lashes, conveying an air of vulnerability that tugs at my heart. But the tight set of her jaw tells you she won’t...

She’s completely and utterly perfect for the character in the new game I’m designing. I’ve been working on the assets for the past few months but haven’t found any inspiration for the...

Usually when Mike Hollis sounds this excited about something, it’s either the most horrifying thing in the world or unimaginably awesome. No in between with that guy.

Either I’m hallucinating, or my college-aged friends are playing Spin the Bottle.

Clearly Summer was the spinner, because she’s leaning forward from the couch, watching the bottle. Meanwhile, all the single dudes in the room are watching her. Beyond hopeful.

The green Heineken bottle slows, just passing Nate and Hollis. It nearly lands on Jesse Wilkes’s girlfriend Katie. It spins another fraction of an inch, glides to a stop. And po...

And this is why games like Spin the Bottle and 7 Minutes in Heaven stopped being cool after middle school.

Because when you’re twelve and thirteen, you’re allowed to kiss random boys without worrying about the consequences.

When you’re an adult, there are always consequences. For example, if I have to kiss Colin Fitzgerald right now? Everyone in this room is ...

“Let me spin again,” I blurt out. “Fitz isn’t...

Katie, a pretty redhead with a wide Julia Roberts-esque mouth, wags a finger at me. “No way! I just had to kiss H...

“I wasn’t threatened,” Jesse says easily. “I mean, it’s Hollis.” ...

“That’s not the point,” Katie argues. “All I’m saying is, you kiss whoever the bottle ...

My gaze shifts to Fitz. He’s sporting what I like to call Exploding Ovaries attire—gray sweatpants that ride oh-so-low on his trim hips, and a tight white T-shirt that shows off his ...

“Freeze!” Katie orders when Fitz tries to take a step. He freezes. “I’m sorry to have to break it to you,” she informs him, “but Summer will be kissing you now.”

“I’ll spin again,” I insist. At this point, I’ll gladly kiss anyone else, even Hollis. Or one of the girls. To my shock, Hollis sides with Katie. “Naw, babe, a rule’s a rule.”

My reluctant, unhappy expression only hardens his resolve. “This’ll be good for you guys.” He glances toward the doorway, where Fitz is frowning at him. “All you two do is fight. Time to kiss and make up.”

“You are freakishly strong,” I growl down at her. And I do mean down—I’m almost a head taller than this girl, yet she’s still able to manhandle me. She grins. “I know.”

“All right, babes.” Katie claps her hands. “Kiss and make up.” I give an outraged squeak when there’s another hard push on my back.

His touch sends a bolt of heat through my body, and my breath catches in my throat when I notice that his eyes have softened. Actually, no. They may have lost their hard edges, but they’re certainly not soft. They’re heavy-lidded now, gleaming with unexpected heat.

“Fine,” I murmur back. “No tongue.” I see the merest hint of a smile. “No promises.”

I barely have time to process the unexpected teasing remark before Fitz cups my chin with one big hand. I vaguely register a loud whistle—I think it comes from Hollis. And then it gets drowned out by my pounding heartbeat as Fitz’s lips gently touch mine.

Oh. Oh wow. I didn’t expect him to start off so tender. In front of e...

His thumb sweeps over my cheek as his mouth moves ever so slowly over mine. He’s got the softest lips I’ve ever felt,...

I shiver when he increases the pressure, sealing his lips tight to mine. And then the tip of his tongue slicks over my bottom lip, and I jolt a...

The moment our tongues touch, I’m gone. A low hum of desire buzzes between my legs, crackling up to my breasts and hardening my nipples. I completely surrender to his kiss. I let his tongue sweep into my mouth. I let his fingers dig possessively into my waist, ...

I can’t stop myself—I press one hand to his rock-hard chest. The other, I curl around the nape of his neck. The baby-fine hairs there tickle my palm. His left pec quivers beneath my palm, and I ca...

When I feel him start to pull away, a frantic, helpless sensation surges through me. I tighten my grip on his neck and kiss him harder. My tongue tangles with his, and I swallow the ...

Because that beautiful desperate sound belongs to me. It’s all mine. I want to memorize the seductive resonance and replay it over and over again later, when I’m lying alone in bed, when my hand slides betwe...

Oh fuck. I’m so turned on. My legs are shaking. My pa...

I force myself to wrench our mouths apart. What takes even more willpower is not looking at him. I’m terrified of what his expression will show me, so I avoid it by glancing over my shoulder at our audience. But I feel it...

My inner critic is, frankly, a total bitch.

Same

A mere five minutes of Googling on my laptop leaves me overwhelmed with facts. And the more I read, the broader the topic becomes. I have no idea how to narrow it down, and the panic hits me like a fist to the stomach.

Oof i feel this

Another choked sob slips out. “Summer?” I freeze at the sound of Fitz’s voice. It’s followed by a soft knock on my door. “You okay?”

My breath escapes in a trembling wheeze. “F-fine!” I manage to answer, and cringe at the crack in my voice.

He hears it too. “I’m opening the door now, okay?” “No,” I blurt out. “I’m ...

“I don’t believe you.” The door eases open and his handsome, worried face appears. He takes one l...

Before I can blink, he’s kneeling beside me. One warm hand grips my chin, forcing my gaze to his. “What’s wrong?” he demands...

“You’re crying. That’s not nothing.” His eyes drop to the dozens of notes stuck to the floor. “What’s all this?” “Evi...

“Stop saying nothing. Talk to me.” His thumb rubs a gentle line up my wet cheek. “I’m a good listener, I promise. Tell me what’s wrong.”

My lips start quivering. Dammit, I feel another wave of tears coming. And that makes me angry again. “I can’t fucking do this, that’s what’s wrong.” I fling a hand out and sweep the Post-It notes away.