Behind Enemy Lines

Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Pulling away, breathless, I set my hands on his chest and pushed him back a few steps. Slipping off the counter, I shook my head, trying to clear the fuzziness from my brain.

My god-- the things that boy did to me.

"Arleigh," he called out when I began walking out of the kitchen. I froze in the doorway. "Where are you going?"

"Upstairs," I answered. With that one word, I left and once I was out of sight, ran up the stairs and into Gemma's room.

Her eyebrows shot up, "Hey?"

"I need girl talk," I told her simply as if that explains everything-- which it did.

She nodded and patted on the bed next to her, "Sit."

Following her order, I sat down and sighed, getting straight to the point, "Hayden and I kissed. Twice."

Gemma grinned and was about to squeal but stopped when she saw my expression, "that's a bad thing?"

"Yeah," I looked down at my hands, "it is. I mean, obviously I like Hayden, but it's difficult. I can't be with him-- I shouldn't."

"Why not?" She had me there.

I could make up excuses--I had twenty on the tip of my tongue-- but I caught them at the front of my teeth. I couldn't lie to her. More importantly, I couldn't lie to myself.

Sighing, I looked down and slowly formed the words, "With our situation, one of us is going to get hurt. I guess I just don't want it to be me."

"Arleigh, he would never hurt you. He's your mate-- he couldn't," she reassured me.

I nodded, rolling my lips in my mouth, "I know he'd never hurt me on purpose. That's the thing; no one ever hurts each other on purpose."

With the end of my sentence came the sound of shattering glass from downstairs. It took all of a half second for Gemma and I to run down the steps and into the living room where Hayden stood, a pile of broken glass at his feet-- a former vase.

"It slipped," he explained gruffly.

I glanced at the wall that had chipped paint and scratch marks on it, "I'm sure."

Walking over and bending down, I began to pick up the pieces of glass.

"Arleigh you don't have to help," He bent down next to me and began picking up too.

Shrugging, I picked up another piece.

Losing my balance while squatting, I fell backwards and threw my hand on the ground to save me.

Unfortunately, I threw my hand on shards of glass.

Hissing, I drew my hand up to my chest and swore loudly.

Hayden's eyes widened, "Arleigh, are you okay?"

"Obviously not I'm bleeding here!" I snapped, cradling my hand.

"Come here," he stood up, holding out his hand. His voice was deep and velvety, tone commanding. Nodding numbly, I stood and walked over to him. When I held out my hand for him he swore loudly. Taking my uninjured hand, he dragged me into the kitchen and lifted me up on the counter. A sense of déjà vu washed over me.

I focused on the concentration in his face as he focused on pulling out the glass shards with a pair of tweezers. I hissed when I felt it removed from my skin.

"Are you alright?" He asked, both concerned and worried yet somehow still remaining calm.

Responding, I simply nodded and let him pull out the rest of the glass, clenching my teeth to hold in the pain.