It doesn’t come as much of a surprise to Alex Ryan when she finds herself falling head over heels for Connie O’Reilly. How could she not? There isn’t a person alive who wouldn’t be drawn to the irresistibly beautiful and charming Connie. It seems impossible she could reciprocate -- not when Alex is so awkward, so timid, so very much a girl -- until what starts as a sweet friendship blossoms into something so much more than Alex could have dreamed of. Alex knows what they have is a momentary thing, not enough to be called forever. Connie’s the most popular girl in the school, wealthy and admired. She’s going to go to Trinity, maybe marry a lawyer. She’s going to have everything Alex could never give her. She isn’t stupid, after all. Status and reputation might mean nothing to Alex, but to Connie they are everything. The only out-lesbian they know is ridiculed by everyone she meets, and it’ll be a cold day in hell before Connie lets that be her. But when rumours spark and new faces enter the picture, they’re both set to discover that, while it may be easy to walk away, it’s a lot harder to move on.

The Night Belongs to Us

Christ, I almost died with her in my arms only minutes ago.


“But you do think I’m attractive.”


“And I know you want to kiss me,” she said, and my heart seemed to stop. There was a hint of teasing in her tone. I didn’t bother opening my mouth to deny it, just sat entirely still. She sounded so sure of it—too sure of it. “You wanted to when we were inside.”


“So?” It was all I could think to say.


“Why haven’t you? Tried to kiss me, I mean?”


“You mean—like, now? Or ever? Or inside—”


She looked away from me, then, and took another long drag. I wiped my hands against my thighs, wishing I too had something to hold, something to distract me.


Chapter 32