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  But I pretended like what he said didn’t bother me a bit. Even though it did. It wasn’t my fault that I hadn’t been kissed yet. I didn’t exactly have the time to go around kissing guys. I was always off purifying, killing evil and all that fun stuff.

  That didn’t change the fact that I was self-conscious about it, though. I didn’t want to go around with a huge sign on my forehead advertising it.

  And besides, I always wanted my first kiss to be with the guy I wanted to spend the rest of my life with. Odds were that was as impossible as it sounded, but a girl can dream, right? Call me a romantic. An unrealistic romantic.

  A kiss to me wasn’t just a kiss. I wanted it, if it ever happened, to be special, not with any random guy.

  I shrugged as Michael finally pulled out Gabriel’s sword. His was manlier, that’s for sure. Other than the rose theme, it was basically the same. In place of the rose, it had a dragon’s body, and in place of the thorns was the dragon’s head, making it out as if the sword was coming out of the dragon’s mouth.

  Okay, his was pretty awesome too. Can’t lie.

  Gabriel and I surrounded Michael in a huge hug. “Thanks,” we said in unison.

  He laughed. I loved it when he laughed. It was amazing. Hearing an Englishman laugh never got old. “You are welcome. I take it this means you both like them? I had them specially created for each of you. They were going to be your birthday presents, but I decided that you needed them now more than ever.”

  “So,” Gabriel swung his around, showing off how skilled he was with the blade. “Want to take them out for a test run tonight?”

  I eyed him up. “What about your date with Hilary?”

  I had thought that he forgot, but he shrugged it off, like it meant nothing to him, and it probably didn’t. “Eh, I’d rather use this baby.”

  I laughed and agreed. But deep down I was a little scared.

  He had just called his sword his baby.

  The smell of coffee permeated through the Starbucks store. My nose wrinkled; I never liked the smell of coffee. It’s just gross. But who’s the one standing by themselves waiting in line to buy Gabriel some coffee? Certainly not Gabriel. I wasn’t even sure why I was here, because we had coffee beans at the house, meaning there was no real need for Starbucks. But Gabriel wanted Starbucks, and here I was.

  Thanks, Gabriel. Thanks a lot.

  Why was I even the one here? My mind searched for the answer, expecting to find none. But that’s when I remembered when I wanted cheddar potato chips and we didn’t have any, Gabriel went and bought some. Yep. That was definitely the reason he forced me to go.

  I peered around the people standing in front of me. There were still about ten people in line before me. Great. And I was right by the door too, so every time someone came in or out, I felt a blast of heat, even though it was six at night.

  This North Carolina air, I swore.

  Speaking of the heat, someone walked in, giving me a rush of the humidity. His head was bent down toward his phone, his attention clearly elsewhere. It gave me the chance to study him. The body attached to this man was spectacular. Muscular, defined, tall. I bet this guy had his first kiss already, I thought bitterly, thinking of what Gabriel had said a few hours ago. The way this guy handled himself, I could tell that he’s probably kissed a lot more than one girl.

  The man was now looking out the window, completely oblivious to the little girl in front of him who had just been thinking about if he was a good kisser or not. The side of his head was very attractive.

  That’s when I told my mind to stop, and that’s when the guy turned and faced me and also when I realized that the guy I had been fantasizing about for the last two minutes was John.

  He immediately recognized me. “Hey, Kass. Didn’t think I’d find you here. You don’t seem like the type of person who likes coffee.”

  You have to be a type of person to like coffee? That was news to me. But while I was thinking this, my mouth went and defended me, as pointless as it was, “Well I happen to love coffee.” Lie.

  “Really?” John cocked his head, as if he wasn’t sure to believe me or not. I couldn’t blame him for it. “What’s your favorite?”

  Without thinking, I answered, “I like it black.” Another lie. Black coffee was even worse than coffee full of cream and sugar. “How about you?” I asked like I cared. And I didn’t (but I kind of did). Which was weird, because I really didn’t care what kind of coffee he liked. What has been going on lately? Why did I feel like an idiot around John? I was so not that kind of girl.

  “I like just the coffee. With lots of sugar. You see,” he paused and leaned down, closer to me, “deep down I’m really a simple guy.” A white smile spread across his face.

  And soon I knew his smile was contagious, because I was now smiling like a complete idiot. I was so gone that if someone whispered ‘the Devil’s behind you’ I would not have noticed. That’s pretty far gone, let me say.

  “I doubt you’re that simple, John.” The truth. For once. We took a step forward. Man, this line was going really, really slow. And yet, it wasn’t bothering me one bit anymore.

  “Why? I’m not one of those brooding guys who carries many dark secrets with them. But, I guess I do have the looks for it. Believe it or not, being dark and mysterious is not on my agenda anytime soon.” John winked. And I could not help myself as I thought that he’s insanely cute when he winked like that. “Hey, who say, uh, after we get our coffee we take a seat and talk?”

  Talk? He wanted to talk? About what? Why?

  I found myself nodding rapidly, even though the coffee wasn’t for me, I hated being around the smell it, and there was a graveyard screaming my name, along with Gabriel’s.

  Oh.

  And I really wanted to test out my new sword.

  Chapter Eighteen – John

  I couldn’t believe I ran into Kass here in Starbucks. Damn, it was like it was fate, or something absolutely crazy like that. Standing behind her in line, I noticed how short she was compared to me. Her head barely reached my shoulders.

  Damn it. This was wrong. And yet I loved it.

  “I doubt you’re that simple, John,” Kass told me, staring me square in the eye.

  After taking a step forward, I smiled. She thought I was this complex guy who liked more than coffee with lots of sugar. Yeah, I did like other things: Kass, for example. But I was simple. It was true.

  “Why?” I countered. “I’m not one of those brooding guys who carries many dark secrets with them. But, I guess I do have the looks for it. Believe me,” I added as an afterthought, “being dark and mysterious is not on my agenda anytime soon.” I winked at her, hopefully making her heart skip a beat to make up for mine, which was beating fast. “Hey, who say, uh—” Wow. I felt like an idiot. What the hell was I even saying? “—after we get our coffee we take a seat and talk?”

  Talk? I wanted to talk? That was news to me. I didn’t even know why I said it, truthfully. Oh, wait. I did know. I just wanted to be with her as long as I could be. Also, I had to apologize for what happened last night. At least I felt like I needed to apologize. When I do, she’ll probably look at me like I’m crazy.

  Which, ever since meeting her for the first time, I was starting to wonder if I was.

  Chapter Nineteen – Kass

  “So,” John set his coffee down and pulled out a chair, sitting on it shortly after.

  “So,” I repeated after doing the same. My finger traced the lid. I could feel the steam trying to get out and escape through the top. I wondered how I was going to explain why his coffee was cold. But then I figured I’d worry about that later.

  “About last night.” John took a sip of his coffee. “I…I’m sorry.”

  “Sorry about what?” I asked, trying to recall what he was talking about.

  “I feel like I acted…kind of like a…” John took another sip of his coffee, as if it would help him come up with the right words to say. Maybe he thought that sipping his
drink would make time stop, like in those Twix commercials, where the guy takes a bite and time stopped, giving him more time to make up an excuse or something.

  But that didn’t happen in real life.

  “Dick,” he finished.

  For a second I stared at him, then I looked down at the coffee. And then I took a sip. And then I wished time would stop so I could figure out the right thing to say.

  “What?” I said, trying to be perfectly okay, even though I had just sipped the most disgusting thing in my life, and I felt like heaving it right up. “You were not acting like a…” I trailed off. I had no trouble flinging swearwords out there, so why would saying that make me squirm?

  I made no sense. I realized this many years ago.

  “You were fine,” I corrected myself.

  “No.” John shook his head, his black hair getting in his eyes. “I wasn’t. After the great time we had at the diner…” He placed his hands on the table and intently watched me, like he was staring deep down into my soul. And he didn’t need to be looking there.

  “John. It’s okay, really. You were caught off-guard by Gabriel. He has a habit of doing that to everyone.” I took another sip of the hot coffee, hoping it’d taste better the second time. It didn’t, and it left a gross feeling in my mouth, one that lingered even after the sip was long down my throat.

  “I just up and left after I found out that, uh, you two live together.” John ran a hand through his hair, pushing it away from his eyes. “And that was so not what I wanted to do, trust me.”

  Right away I wanted to drink more of the revolting coffee, because I did not know how to respond to that. What did that even mean? Well, I knew what I thought it meant, but maybe John meant it in a completely different way. That’s definitely possible.

  “What do you mean?” My mind had just gone crazy going through all the potential things he could have meant by that, so I just decided to ask so I wouldn’t go absolutely crazy. That wouldn’t be good. Can’t have a crazy Purifier (Crazy + Purifier = bad things, like end-of-the-world-kind-of bad things).

  “You’ll find out,” John said before finishing his coffee.

  Wait. What did that mean?

  I will admit this: I was beginning to find the passenger’s seat in John’s car abnormally comfortable. Like, the if-my-butt-never-left-this-seat-for-the-rest-of-my-life-I’d-die-happy kind of comfortable.

  I couldn’t believe he was driving me home. Again. But anytime he asked me, I couldn’t say no. It was like…ugh. I refused to say it.

  But here it was, anyway.

  It’s like I was a girl when I was with John. That’s not to say I astoundingly turned into a man when I wasn’t around him. It meant that I felt like a girl when I was near him. I felt pretty. And, let me say, with all the purifying, bruises, and torn clothes, I never felt pretty. It’s like this guy made my hormones go crazy, and I could hardly keep them in check.

  This was not acceptable. I could not be falling for John…could I?

  Well, where’s the law that says I couldn’t like John? Sure, Koath had said it was bad news to like someone out of my profession, but he hadn’t strictly forbidden it. And I didn’t exactly feel like dying young and alone, no matter how hard it was pounded in my head during my training. Michael himself hadn’t been opposed to me dating.

  So, technically I could like John if I wanted to. So, here’s the big question: did I want to like him? I heard that you couldn’t help it when you liked someone, and denying it just made the feelings stronger.

  Right now I wasn’t sure about anything, so…maybe I’d have to sleep on it.

  John pulled the car into the edge of the driveway. “Seems like I was just here,” he joked.

  “Huh,” I spoke with a grin. “Imagine that. I wonder if it has anything to do with the fact that you’ve been offering me rides all willy-nilly?” I unbuckled my seatbelt. All willy-nilly. I seriously just said that? I was astonished that he’s even trying with me, after half the stupid things I’d said to him.

  Instead of mocking me, like Gabriel surely would have, John threw his head back and laughed. That was a relief. “It’s not my fault that you don’t have a car and seem to be stalking me, is it?”

  I playfully hit his arm. “I am not stalking you!”

  He nodded. “Keep believing that, then. I’m not so sure. You showing up every place I’m at is starting to creep me out, Kass.”

  “Creeping you out? Right,” I teased. “I was at Starbucks first, so maybe you’re the one stalking me.”

  “Is that so?” John questioned, turning his body towards me as he pretended to think, rubbing his chin in a comical way. “Personally, I don’t think so.”

  “Yeah?” I questioned. “Well I think you’re wrong.”

  “Am I?”

  “Totally.”

  “Maybe you’re wrong,” he whispered, suddenly inches from me.

  My breath was short as I managed to ask, “Am I?”

  Oh, no. Was this really happening? Because, if so, then…I didn’t know what to do.

  “You are,” John spoke in a hushed tone, dark gaze falling to my lips.

  His face was so close. At this level of intimacy, I was finally able to discern how good-looking he was. His lips looked…well, like they always had. But they were closer than they had ever been, which made me uncomfortable. And yet I was excited. Uncomfortable and excited. Not a good combination, in my opinion.

  That’s when he leaned in.

  Oh, God! He’s leaning in! What do I do? What am I supposed to do? What does he expect me to do? I asked all these questions to my mind, but I didn’t have any answers for myself, because I didn’t know what to do. I didn’t know what I was supposed to do. And I didn’t know what he expected me to do.

  But what I did…let’s say I didn’t think either of us expected that.

  At the very last possible second, somewhere between freaking out and being excited, I decided that the best thing to do was turn and look in the backseat and say “Oh, I love the material.”

  Yes. I love the material was all my brilliant mind could come up with.

  And, adding to the embarrassment of not having anything cool to say about his backseat, John’s lips landed on my cheek, on account of the fact that my head was still turned, because I was too mortified to turn back.

  This day was fantastic. He probably hated me now. He probably wanted to…I didn’t know. Maybe he was secretly glad I turned at the last moment, because now he had time to think it over and realize that it was all one big mistake. Yeah. That’s about as possible as Michael becoming a full-blown, American redneck.

  But, for some reason, John’s lips didn’t leave my cheek as he said, “Well, this wasn’t how I thought it’d turn out. But I can’t complain. Your cheek is really soft.” His breath was hot on my cheek, and each word sent a tingle down my spine.

  I kept my head facing the back, and if I had laser vision, I swore I would have burned a giant hole in the middle of his backseat. “Well…” I began after a few moments, “Thanks for the ride. Again.”

  I turned to jump out of the car as quick as I could, but John grabbed my face with both of his hands and said, “Someday I want to find out if your lips are as soft as your cheeks.”

  But instead of kissing me forcefully, like a douche would have done, he let my head go. I smiled an awkward smile and got out of the car. I was beginning to turn to head up the driveway when I heard his window roll down.

  He leaned over, a huge grin on his face. “Someday, Kass.” Still looking, he rolled his window up and drove away.

  “Someday,” I repeated.

  And I hoped with all my heart that it wasn’t a lie.

  Chapter Twenty – John

  “Seems like I was just here,” I joked, as true as it was. It’s all good. I’d drive her home any day. Hell, I’d drive her anywhere she wanted to go any day, as long as she’ll sit in the front seat next to me.

  “Huh.” Kass smiled at me. “Imagine th
at. I wonder if it has anything to do with the fact that you’ve been offering me rides all willy-nilly?” She unbuckled her seatbelt with a horrified expression on her face.

  I laughed. Deeply. God, I hoped I wasn’t creeping her out, because I was creeping myself out plenty. “Well, it’s not my fault you don’t have a car and seem to be stalking me, is it?”

  “I am so not stalking you!” Kass lightly hit my arm, giggling.

  It took all my restraint to not take her hand and pull her over and then kiss her like I’d never kissed anyone before. And I’d had my fair share of kisses. I ignored those urges and nodded. “Keep believing that, then. I’m not so sure. You showing up every place I’m at is starting to creep me out, Kass.”

  “Creeping you out? Right,” she was quick to retort, her tongue silver and her eyes glimmering. “I was at Starbucks first, so maybe you’re the one stalking me.”

  I deadpanned, “Is that so?” As I spoke, I began rubbing my chin like an idiot. God, I hoped she didn’t think I was this crazy normally. “Personally, I don’t think so.”

  Kass squinted her eyes. “Yeah? Well I think you’re wrong.”

  “Am I?” I shot back.

  “Totally.”

  “Maybe you’re wrong,” I uttered, inching closer to her.

  “Am I?” Kass clearly realized how close we were, for her cheeks reddened in that adorably awkward way.

  I grinned softly, hating myself for loving her oddness. She definitely wasn’t the type of girl I was used to going after. She wasn’t a game. Kass was the real deal. If I had her, I had everything. “You are,” I whispered.

  Without meaning to, I brought my face closer to hers every time one of us said something. Our faces were so terribly close. She was so close. So…obtainable. Kass looked so alluring in the dim light of my car. Her lips looked so soft and inviting. Her smell was intoxicating.