The Zodiac Collector (35 page)

It's William. He's wearing a blue button-down shirt and black pants. His hair is combed back, except for the rogue strand that flops into his eye. “You should watch where you're going.”

I can't resist the cheek-spasm-inducing grin exploding across my face. “William!”

He smiles down at me. “Long time no see. You look nice.”

“Me?” I swish the skirt of my green sundress. “You look handsome.”

William tangles his fingers in my hair and his smile fades. His gaze falls to my mouth and his fingers linger at the nape of my neck. Definitely
not
a “friend” touch. I want to drag him to a shadowy corner. “You know you're amazing, right?”

“Erm…” My brain sputters and stalls. Friends don't call friends amazing. Not even best friends. Cool, sure. Funny, even. But not amazing.

William's thumb tickles the sensitive part behind my ear and along the edge of my hair. I shiver. More of that this-is-more-than-friendship touching. I like it. A lot.

I glance at him through my eyelashes.

A calmness only he can create washes over me. His blue eyes tell me everything I need to know.

He leans down. I tip my head up. Our lips meld and the stars applaud.

THE END

Acknowledgements

I'd like to thank my fabulous editor, Jennifer Carson, and the team at Spencer Hill Press for taking a chance on Zodiac and helping me bring the Renaissance Faire and the stars to life.

About The Author

L
aura Diamond is a board certified psychiatrist and author of all things young adult paranormal, dystopian, and horror. Her Young Adult Paranormal Romance novelette,
New Pride
, and novel,
Shifting Pride
, debuted in 2012 from Etopia Press. A spin off short story based on the lions of Tsavo,
Tsavo Pride
, is now available on Kindle. When she's not writing, she is working at the hospital, blogging at Author Laura Diamond—Lucid Dreamer (lbdiamond.
wordpress.com
), and renovating her 225+ year old fixer-upper mansion. She is also a full-time staff member for her four cats and a Pembroke corgi named Katie.