“You picked the seats you did for a reason, right? Familiarity. Too bad the best sleuths avoid familiarity. It dulls the investigative instinct.”

And just like that, i shut off the switch to my brain.

Angel… I don’t think you understand the lengths i would go to if it means keeping you here with me.’ -patch (pg 262)

Dont start. I saw marcie climb inside your jeep. She needed a ride. I adopted a hands-on-hips pose. What kind of ride? Not that kind of ride, he said slowly.

He grinned when i didn’t protest, and lowered his mouth toward mine. The first touch was just that – a touch. A teasing, tempting softness. I licked my lips and patch’s grin deepened. “more?” he asked. I curled my hands into his hair, pulling him closer. “more.

Why is anthony amowitz using his pimp smile on you? Youre only calling him a pimp because hes here. At marcies. Yeah, so? Hes being nice. I elbowed her. Smile back. Being nice? Hes being horny.

I hung my fingertips on his waistband, tugging him closer. Patch buried his face in the curve of my shoulder, his hands flexing over my back. He gave a low groan. “i love you,” he murmured into my hair. “i’m happier right now than i ever remember being.

The truth is, normal might take years. Normal might never happen. But its definitely not going to happen if i lounge around here watching soaps and avoiding life. Im going to school today, end of story.

…Five minutes from now, when everything else had dropped away and i realized the full impact of what id done, id feel my heart breaking.

I have a free couple of hours,” i told him, walking toward my car, which was parked on the next block. “there’s a very private, very secluded barn in lookout hill park behind the carousel. I could be there in fifteen minutes.” i heard the smile in his voice. “you want me bad.

Before i could stop myself, i punched his arm. Careful, he said in a low voice. They might think were flirting.

Im really starting to like all this spy work, vee said. When my normal life gets boring, all i have to do is sidle up next to you.

Jev stroked his chin. “do i look like a summer fling?

Patch? Whatever happens, i love you.” i wanted to say more, those three words painfully inadequate for the way i felt about him. And at the same time, so simple and accurate, nothing else would do.

What i really wanted was the impossible.

Science is an investigation,” coach said, sanding his hands together. “science requires us to transform into spies.” put that way, science almost sounded fun. But i’d been in coach’s class long enough not to get my hopes up.

Don’t blame me. Tell your mom to move closer. Tell her there’s this new club called civilization and you guys should join.