“There’s nothing sweeter than that which is forbidden.”

“Becky!” I had to laugh. “You’re worse than me! It’s no wonder he’s such an egomaniac.”“What? You’re telling me you can say no to that face?”I wanted to say yes, but it would have been a lie and we all knew it.”

“It’s really better this way, Ryan,” Paige said with a sympathy that made me nauseous.“Better for who?” he asked her. “For Jamie? For me? Or maybe just better for you. I can’t believe you, Paige! You have no idea what she’s beenthrough! Pain like you could never imagine! And you’re throwing it in her face over and over again for what? Because I’d rather go out with her thanwith you?You call her the ice queen, but Jamie would never do something like that to anyone.”“But look at what she’s doing to you,” Paige said.“She’s done nothing but make me happy, and she’s had to turn her entire life around just to do it.You guys are the ones doing all the damage!”

“When I got to school the next morning I had stepped onlyone foot in the quad when he spotted me and nearly tackled me to the ground. “Jamie!” he hollered, rushing across the lawn without caring the leastbit about the scene he was creating.The next thing I knew, my feet were off the ground and I was squished so tightly in Ryan’s arms that I could barely breathe.“Okay, Ryan?” I coughed in a hushed tone. “This is exactly the kind of thing that can get you killed.”“I don’t care, I’m not letting go. Don’t ever disappear like that again!” he scolded, but his voice was more relieved than angry. “It’s been days! Youhad your mother worried sick!”“My mother?” I questioned sarcastically.Ryan laughed as he finally set me back on my feet. “Okay, fine, me too.” He still wouldn’t let go of me, though. He was gripping my arms while helooked at me with those eyes, and that smile… You know, being all Ryan-ish. And then, when I got lost in the moment, he totally took advantage ofhow whipped I was and he kissed me. The jerk. He just pulled my face to his right then and there, in the middle of a crowded quad full of students,where I could have accidentally unleashed an electrical storm at any moment. And okay, maybe I liked it, and maybe I even needed it, but still! Youcan’t just go kissing Jamie Baker whenever you want, even if you are Ryan Miller!“Ryan!” I yelled as soon as I was able to pull away from him—which admittedly took a minute.“I’m sorry.” Ryan laughed with this big dopey grin on his face and then kissed me some more.I had to push him away from me. “Don’t be sorry, just stop!” I realized I was screaming at him when I felt a hundred different pairs of eyes on me. Itried to ignore the audience that Ryan seemed oblivious to and dropped the audio a few decibels. “I wasn’t kidding when I said this has to stop.Look, I will be your friend. I want to be your friend. But that’s it.We can’t be anything more. It’ll never work.”Ryan watched me for a minute and then whispered, “Don’t do that.” I was shocked to hear the sudden emotion in his voice. “Don’t give up.”It was hopeless.“Fine!” I snapped. “I’ll be your stupid girlfriend!”Big shocker, me giving Ryan his way, I know. But let’s face it—it’s just what I do best. I had to at least act a little tough, though. “But!” I said in theharshest voice I was capable of. “You can’t ever touch me unless I say. No more tackling me, and especially no more surprise kissing.” He actuallylaughed at my request. “No promises.”Stupid, cocky boyfriend.“You’re crazy. You know that, right?”Ryan got this big cheesy smile on his face and said, “Crazy about you.”“Ugh,” I groaned. “Would you be serious for a minute? Why do you insist on putting your life in danger?”“Because I like you.”His stupid grin was infectious. I wanted to be angry, but how could I with him looking at me like that?“I’m not worth it, you know,” I said stubbornly. “I have issues. I’m unstable.”“You’re cute when you’re unstable,” Ryan said, “and I like your issues.” The stupid boy was straight-up giddy now. But he was so cute that I crackeda smile despite myself. “You really are crazy,” I muttered.”

“She questioned my sexual preference in a highly offensive way, so my fist questioned the proximity of her face in an even more offensive way.”

“Oops,” I whispered as I met Ryan’s worried gaze. “Sorry about that.”“Are you kidding? That was great!”“Great? I knocked out the electricity.”“But you didn’t blow up my room.”

“The way I see it,” Carter said, “I have to keep your secret because if I don’t call a truce with you, that someone who’s going to get killed somedaywill probably be me.” I shrugged. He was right about that. But I smiled again and held out my hand. “Fine. Truce.”“Truce,” Carter agreed, and shook my hand. “So how about a statement for my article?”“Sure. ‘No comment.’ ”