The Low Notes (17 page)

You gonna sit out there all night?

Nina smirked, shaking her head as she stepped out of the car and stared at his shadowy figure before making her way up to the door.

“
Hey,” he said, opening the door for her when she reached the porch.

Nina drew in a sharp breath as she walked through the threshold. Each time she’d been in his home their relationship escalated and she wondered if she'd have the courage this time to tell him exactly how she felt.

They walked in to the living room together, Kevin leading the way to where Nina sat on the couch and curled her legs underneath her with ease. Her head leaned against the back of the couch as Kevin sat down next to her. He was close, his face turned to her.

Nina was quiet, breathing in the scent of him. His deep brown eyes were captivating her, keeping her speechless. He seemed to be just as lost in her eyes. Nina felt his hand lay gently against her leg and she couldn’t move.

“
Didn’t you want to talk about something?” he asked, his voice barely flowing out in a raspy whisper.

She didn’t say a word. It wasn’t time. She could feel it. Moving slow and cat-like, she slid closer to him and unfolded her legs from underneath her. One leg swung over his lap gracefully and then she was sitting on top of him, facing him closer than before. She saw the look of panic in his eyes as she let her hands hold his face. Kevin shifted underneath her causing Nina to inch closer to his chest, her wide-spread legs hiking higher on his lap. He grabbed her arms and she feared he would push her away. Instead, his grip tightened and he pulled her closer to him, pressing his lips against hers forcefully. Nina melted in his arms as they left her biceps and wrapped around her completely.

A moan growled deep in Kevin’s chest as Nina began to grind against him while their mouths meshed. Kevin’s hands roamed upwards and made their way into Nina’s hair. His hands didn't stop moving, feeling each inch of her; the small of her back still bound in the corset, the nape of her neck, her spindly arms and her strong thighs that were squeezing him around the waist. Nina was growing wilder with each new place his hands traveled. When he gripped her waist, their lips separated.

Nina stared at him, mouth open, breath heaving. He looked at her closely and she saw his face soften into a tender smile. She wanted to ask him what was wrong but she was too busy thinking about how badly she wanted him to kiss her again.

Kevin’s head tilted slightly to one side as he took in her features with a dreamy look in his eyes.

She was at peace not telling him. Just having him in her arms was enough. After everything it had taken to get them to this point, she was happy just being with him. There was no reason to make it more complicated. She could keep the rest to herself for a little while longer.

Nina’s open mouth curled into a huge grin. His mouth copied hers and they shared beaming smiles. Her hands clasped behind his neck as she giggled and pulled herself back to him, joining her lips to his once more.

Chapter Thirty-Seven

November

Looking up from her notes, she caught his eye and was unable to hide her delight. The rest of the class that Monday morning was either taking notes or pretending to as Kevin lectured. He stood at the front of the class, perched on an empty desk, looking over the room full of students but his eyes kept coming back to Nina. They'd been locking eyes and sharing smiles the entire morning. Nina even winked at him once.

“
The test will be...” Kevin’s voice trailed off as he caught another quick glimpse of Nina with her head down and her pencil absentmindedly placed between her lips. He let out a tiny puff of a laugh. “What was I saying?”

A boy in the front row gave Kevin a look and grumbled. “The test.”

Kevin’s hand reached up and ran through his dark hair as he beamed when Nina looked up to see him staring at her again, the rest of the class oblivious.

“
Right, the test is, uh, next week.”

The bell rang at his very last word and his students shot up and to the door. All but one.

Once again Nina and Kevin were alone in his classroom. Nina stood up from her seat and made her way to him at the front of the room. She thought of saying something but all that came out was a goofy grin. Kevin smiled back like a giddy boy. She couldn't help but pull her bottom lip between her teeth. He reached out his hand and let it slip into hers. They watched as their fingers interlaced. It was a feeling neither of them expected would be so gratifying. Their thumbs danced with one another for a moment until Nina pulled away giving Kevin a look. Her head was dipped down and she stared up at him through black lashes.

She had to go to class. The bell was about to ring. Students would be coming in to Kevin’s room any minute. Their moment was lost. As Nina bent down to pick up her bag, the first of Kevin’s second period students walked in. She turned to breeze past the student, unable to give Kevin the goodbye she wished and she locked eyes with the boy in the doorway.

“
Nina...”

The boy’s voice was deeper than she remembered and he’d grown a few inches but his hair was still the same sandy blonde and his eyes were the same emerald green. His skin had taken nicely to a tan. The kind of tan someone gets in Arizona but never in Wexley Falls.

He was staring at her with a sparkle in his eyes and she watched as he came toward her and put his arms out for an embrace. Nina tensed, feeling Kevin’s eyes on her back as the boy put his arms around her. She kept her distance in the awkward hug and shrugged out of it quickly.

“
Todd. What are you doing here?” she managed to speak finally.

He grinned at her. “I’m back.”

Most of Kevin’s second period class had come in to the room and were taking their seats as Nina stood stunned between Kevin and Todd Dawson, waiting to wake up. She looked back at Kevin then to Todd. Her head shook back and forth in disbelief and then avoidance as she refused to accept this strange reality. She pushed passed Todd and headed toward her second period class.

“
I have class,” she muttered to herself.

****

Nina stormed into the auditorium where Mrs. Benson was watching one of the group performances rehearse on stage while the rest of the class sat in the audience. Her eyes scanned the large space until she saw James talking to his group mate, Nick Fields. Her feet pounded against the burgundy carpeting until she was standing next to him, waiting for him to look up.

“
Hey honey, what’s up?” he asked, both he and Nick staring up at her.

She felt her face growing hot as she let the vision of Todd Dawson staring at her in that classroom fill her mind. Her breath shot out of her nostrils in quick, forceful spurts and her hands balled into fists.

“
Nick, could you give us a minute?” James said in a sugary sweet voice.

Nick took the cue and moved to another row of seats, giving Nina a worried look before heading on his way.

She sat and stared forward, her anger still seething.

“
What happened? Is this about Halloween? I’m sorry I left you but this guy was super hot and we ended up making out behind the restaurant and...” She cut him off in the middle of his rant with a growl.

“
Todd. Dawson.”

“
Uh, what about him?” James whispered his question in fear.

“
He’s back.”

James’s mouth gaped as he searched her profile with his eyes. Her mouth twisted and her jaw clicked. Mrs. Benson shouted from the front of the stage for the next group to come up and do their blocking and a run through of their song. It was James’ group. Nina caught Mrs. Benson's eye wondering if she needed to be at the piano. She waved her off and Nina was relived.

Nina shooed James with her hand, knowing he had to perform. She’d be okay by herself for a few minutes.

Nina’s mind was reeling. Todd coming back was going to be one more obstacle for she and Kevin to navigate. Things had just started getting easier with Kevin. They'd crossed a line and changed the game. She was in such a giddy, honeymoon state with him and now Todd was back to ruin it all.

“
Hey babe,” the voice behind her sent a chill up her spine. She whipped her head around to see Todd sitting in the row behind her with his arms outstretched as if he had supermodels sitting on both sides. She was beginning to remember everything about him that ever made her cringe. Like the fact he treated every chair like a throne.

“
Are you cutting class on your first day back?” she asked, letting her eyes squint at him viciously.

“
Just a quick bathroom break. Thought I’d come see if we could talk some more,” his smile was charming but Nina knew better.

“
What happened to Arizona?” she asked, figuring if he wanted to talk he'd have to answer some questions.

“
I didn’t like living with my mom as much as I thought I would,” he leaned forward, letting his elbows rest on his knees and his hands fold. “Plus, I missed you.”

Nina laughed so loud most of the students in the auditorium turned and shot her a look.

“
That’s really something, Todd. You missed me. I’ll bet you did. In fact, I bet you wrote me a letter every day and they all got lost in the mail. Or did you have my phone number stored in your cell wrong? What‘s your excuse going to be?” she spat.

He sat straight up in his seat and pointed a finger in her face. “You didn’t call me either, Nina. It goes both ways.”

“
And that should speak volumes to you,” she said before turning back to the stage taking in a deep breath. She stayed still, feeling sick as his hand pulled back her dark hair away from her face and he leaned in to her ear.

“
Well, I’m back Nina. You might just grow accustomed to me again.”

Chapter Thirty-Eight

Nina felt her cell phone vibrating in her pocket as she stopped at her locker before lunch. She pulled it out and secretly took at peek at the text message. A smile stretched across her lips when she saw who it was from.

Know any top secret hiding places in this school? I want to have lunch with you.

Nina pondered the question and thought of the perfect place. She sent him the directions quickly before giving herself a look in the mirror. Nina saw James walking toward her from the corner of her eye. She needed an excuse fast. He reached her and slumped against the locker next to her looking pitiful.

“
I have
three
classes with Todd frickin’ Dawson. Three!” he griped.

Nina let out a stifled laugh and smoothed some cherry gloss over her lips.

“
I have to do this thing during lunch. You can sit with Nick, yeah?” she asked.

James eyed her. “What kind of
thing
?”

With one hand fluffing her hair and the other shutting her locker, she shrugged at him before scooting past him.

“
A thing for English.”
Shit,
she thought,
way to be obvious.

James’ ears had perked up at that. “With Mr. Sexy?”

Nina rolled her eyes and tried to will the redness from her cheeks. Nick came running up behind James and slowed right before he reached them. He stood behind James and very precisely flicked James’ ear. James turned around in one quick spin and the two carried on with a play fight.

“
Okay Nina, have fun with your boring English thing. See you in seventh period,” James said before strolling off to the lunch room with Nick.

Nina nearly laughed out loud.
That was rather easy,
she thought. She took off in the opposite direction toward the performing arts hallway, careful not to run or seem as though she was going somewhere she wasn’t allowed. The door was open when she got there and she glanced around before entering. Kevin’s head popped out from behind a corner when she stepped all the way into the room.

It was a small room hidden in the corner of the music hallway. The walls were papered with a yellow-stained floral print that looked like it might have pre-dated the rest of the school. There were two vanities, complete with cushioned benches and huge, light bulb outlined mirrors. At one time it had been where the girls got ready for the musicals and school plays. With the senior choir alone now topping out at roughly fifty girls and the school productions getting bigger each year, Mrs. Benson put the room out of use a few years ago.

Kevin stood looking around curiously as Nina snuck in and shut the door behind her with a Cheshire grin.

“
I don’t have much to offer you…” he said, his words trailing as he held out the contents of a packed lunch.

Nina giggled. “What, no four course meal?”

Kevin stood awkwardly for a moment, looking around the room. Nina happily took a seat on the floor but tried not to think about the last time it had been cleaned.

“
Is this a good idea?” Nina asked as Kevin took a seat on the floor across from her, his legs folding under him. He started dividing his sack lunch between the two of them.

“
Terrible idea,” he teased. “But what the hell?”