GIVE HER (book 1) | ✓

H u n t e r - c r y i n g

Her parents are probably the most innocent people on the surface of Earth. I watched carefully, but not obviously, as their smile grew wider every time I held Hannah's hand in mine, and every time I gave her a forehead kiss. Her mother would sigh in awe, and it would make me happy that I'm doing good in front of them.

We were seated around the small table in a booth in one of the small restaurants inside the town, and next to the window. I turned my head and looked outside, watching sets of people as they stroll from beside us.

"I finished," Hannah said, cutting the silence. I looked over to her and then to her empty plate and grinned. "I thought you would order another one."

She rolled her eyes almost comically, "Very funny, Hunter."

"Tell me something new, Hannah."

She smiled, shifting in her place and getting closer to my place. She touched my hand first and I held hers, sliding my other hand to her lower back. She angled her face towards mine and I closed my eyes, doing the only thing I missed.

I imagined my Pearl.

I covered her lips with mine with a long, slow kiss that I knew she enjoyed too much. Her hands circled my neck as she kissed me again.

"That's creepy," she whispered, her lips still against mine, but not touching.

"What is it?" I whispered back, pulling away from her and facing her, my head turning to where her eyes were looking.

"She has been watching us the entire time," she mumbled again, but I couldn't look her again to see her expression because my eyes were stuck solidly in her direction. I blinked once, twice, and thrice, but she was still there.

Pearl was there.

Pearl saw us.

Pearl saw me kissing Hannah.

Pearl is crying.