What did their kiss mean? Had it been a spontaneous thing he didn’t intend to repeat? Or did he intend to repeat it again and again?
She and Sam had each had one serious relationship. Together, their record was 0–2.
He might still love Kayden.
And Genevieve couldn’t afford to set herself up to experience the level of devastation she’d experienced after Thad had broken up with her. If she did, she might self-medicate by reaching for Oxy.
Which she couldnotdo.
Today, Sam had helped her resist Oxy. But down the road, if things didn’t work out with him ...?
It was too soon to angst about future heartbreak! There was no commitment between herself and Sam. Just friendship, a crush, and two fantastic kisses. She’d strive to live in the moment, without fretting over his intentions or the destination of their relationship.
He’d kissed her. And it had been magnificent.
Tonight, she wanted to cling to the jubilation of that.
Luke
“I’m wondering if one of those holds water.” Sebastian points to the two pipes exposed by a section of broken wall about a foot off the floor.
We’ve been down here for a whole day now, but it feels like ten. The girls and Ben keep saying that we’ll be rescued soon. But why would anybody care about five American kids in a basement when the entire city must be ruined? I don’t hear the sound of helicopters or rescue dogs or people calling for us.
One of the pipes is bent where a connecting piece joins two lengths of pipe together. Sebastian tries kicking down on that point. Nothing happens, except that he winces in pain and says a cuss word.
Genevieve gives him a shocked look, as if she’s afraid a teacher is going to send him to detention.
I watch Sebastian through gritty eyes. I don’t care whether he finds water or not because if Ethan’s dead, I might as well die down here, too.
Chapter Seventeen
Sam was supposed to have met Kayden at the Sydney Museum, like they’d planned. He’d forgotten. He hadn’t been there at the right time, and she’d been kidnapped while she was waiting outside for him. Now he had to get her back.
What had he done? How could he have been so careless?
He tried to run down dark city streets to rescue her, but his body wasn’t following his demands. It was as if his feet were stuck in tar. He was too slow. Hopelessly slow.
Why hadn’t he met her like he said he would? He hadn’t been there when she needed him, she’d been taken, and she might die. He’d betrayed her.
Guilt and terror lodged in his chest, so heavy and painful he couldn’t bear it.
Wildly, he looked from side to side, trying to catch sight of her. If he could find her, he could make up for his terrible mistake. “Kayden!” he yelled.
No answer.
He tried to run and couldn’t move. “Kayden!” He didn’t see her anywhere. Where was she? What had he done—
Sam wrenched from sleep to consciousness. For a long moment, he lay in bed, heartbeat fast against his ribs, struggling to acclimate to reality.
It had been a dream.
He’d never stood Kayden up. Nor had she been kidnapped.Unfortunately, though, he couldn’t comfort himself with the knowledge that she was safe and healthy. She wasn’t.
There was no escaping the fact that he’d let both her and himself down. And in the end, darkness had carried Kayden away. Not against her will. But because she gave darkness permission.
The fear and shame of the dream dragged at him like chains.
He pushed his stack of books to the side to view his alarm clock. 4:52. His internal timer often woke him a few minutes before he had to get up for work, as it had today.
