Starcrossed (Starcrossed 1)

as he started in on her cuts with the gauze and some hot water.

Helen was having a hard time seeing straight. Everything was out

of focus, and her eyes couldn?t seem to get a hold of Lucas. It was

strange. Her vision kept sliding off his shape, as if it was too slippery

for her gaze. She tried to watch Lucas?s expression as he

doctored her cuts, but it was almost impossible to see him. As the

minutes ticked by and Helen healed on her own, Lucas became visible

again and Helen could see that the grooves of worry dug into

his forehead loosened and went away. He dabbed at the leftover

blood and sighed.

?Why didn?t you get out of Hector?s way, Helen?? he asked softly,

breaking the long silence. ?Why didn?t you block with your hands??

?He?s faster than me,? she replied, but they both knew that wasn?t

the whole truth, and as she took in his skeptical look she continued.

?I knew if I started blocking him he?d just get angrier, and

then I would eventually have no choice but to hit him so hard he

wouldn?t be able to hit me back.?

?That?s sort of the point of fighting, you know,? Lucas said with a

touch of a smile.

?Then I don?t want any part of it,? Helen said seriously. ?I don?t

want to hurt people, Lucas. Can?t you teach me something else??

?Like what?? he asked, at a loss.

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?Like what you did in the hallway at school that first time we saw

each other. How you spun me around and stood between my legs

so I couldn?t get at you? That didn?t hurt me at all, but you still had

me beat. Or what you did on your lawn that night. Remember? I

was on top of you and then you did that thing with your hips?? she

said with building optimism. He nodded and looked away.

?It?s called jujitsu. It?s for hand-to-hand fighting and I?d rather