Torment - Lauren Kate [110]
She could go on, she realized, all night. She carried the flowers across the room and set them on her desk.
When she came back, Miles was holding out a hand for her to step through the window. She could make up an excuse, something lame about not breaking Francesca’s rules. Or she could just take his hand, warm and strong and safe, and let herself glide through. She could forget Daniel for just a moment.
Outside, the sky was an explosion of stars. They glittered in the black night like Ms. Fisher’s diamonds—but clearer, brighter, even more beautiful. From here, the redwood canopy east of the school looked dense and dark and foreboding; to the west were the ceaselessly churning water and the distant glow of the bonfire blazing down on the blustery beach. Luce had noticed these things before from the ledge. Ocean. Forest. Sky. But all the other times she’d been out here, Daniel had consumed her focus. Almost blinded her, to the point where she’d never really taken in the scene.
It truly was breathtaking.
“You’re probably wondering why I came over,” Miles said, which made Luce realize they’d both been silent for a while. “I started to tell you this earlier, but—I didn’t—I’m not sure—”
“I’m glad you came by. It was getting a little boring in there, staring at the fire.” She gave him half a smile.
Miles stuffed his hands in his pockets. “Look, I know you and Daniel—”
Luce involuntarily groaned.
“You’re right, I shouldn’t even bring this up—”
“No, that wasn’t why I groaned.”
“It’s just … You know I like you, right?”
“Um.”
Of course Miles liked her. They were friends. Good friends.
Luce chewed her lip. Now she was playing dumb with herself, which was never a good sign. The truth: Miles liked her. And she liked him, too. Look at the guy. With his ocean-blue eyes and the little chuckle he gave every time he broke into a smile. Plus, he was hands down the nicest person she had ever met.
But there was Daniel, and before him there’d been Daniel too, and Daniel again and again and—it was endlessly complicated.
“I’m botching this.” Miles winced. “When all I really wanted to do was say goodnight.”
She looked up at him and found that he was looking down at her. His hands came out of his pockets, found her hands, and clasped them in the space between their chests. He leaned down slowly, deliberately, giving Luce another chance to feel the spectacular night all around them.
She knew that Miles was going to kiss her. She knew she shouldn’t let him. Because of Daniel, of course—but also because of what had happened when she’d kissed Trevor. Her first kiss. The only kiss she’d ever had with anyone besides Daniel. Could being tied to Daniel be the reason Trevor died? What if the second she kissed Miles, he … she couldn’t even bear to think about it.
“Miles.” She pressed him back. “You shouldn’t do this. Kissing me is”—she swallowed—“dangerous.”
He chuckled. Of course he would, because he didn’t know anything about Trevor. “I think I’ll take my chances.”
She tried to pull back, but Miles had a way of making her feel good about almost everything. Even this. When his mouth came down on hers, she held her breath, waiting for the worst.
But nothing happened.
Miles lips were feather-soft, kissing her gently enough that he still felt like her good friend—but with just enough passion to prove there was more where this one came from. If she wanted it.
But even if there were no flames, no scorched skin, no death or destruction—and why weren’t there?—the kiss was still supposed to feel wrong. For so long, all her lips had wanted were Daniel’s lips, all the time. She used to dream about his kiss, his smile, his gorgeous violet eyes, his body holding hers. There