Miles From Kara Read Online Free Page A

I’m an international mutt. My mum’s from Sydney, my dad’s from L.A. originally, and then he moved me out to Atlanta with him when he got his new job two years ago.”
    I wanted to ask why his mom was in Sydney when his dad was here in the States, but I didn’t want to pry and I didn’t want to know any more personal details about him. I could handle an empty attraction. Anything more would be dangerous. But when I glanced up, I found Colt watching me, like he knew I wanted more and was testing me, waiting to see whether I would be like every other person on the planet or whether I would back away from the bait.
    I dropped my gaze. “I’ve always wanted to visit Sydney.”
    â€œYou should. It’s my favorite place. Well, other than here.”
    My eyes cut up to his, and I felt a tingle move down my spine. Did he hold every girl’s gaze like that?
    â€œWho’s swimming?” Preston called from behind me, and then we all made our way over to a section of chairs by the pool that were free. Olivia and Sarah spread out their towels on two of the chairs, and I sat down on a third, Ethan at the foot of the chair between my legs. Sunglasses covered his eyes, but I could tell that he was checking out the girls in the pool, half of them wearing swimsuits made of strings and little else. I knew that I should care that he was looking at them, that I should feel jealous or angry or something, but none of those feelings came. Instead, I felt a surge of relief. Like maybe if he was looking at others . . . then I could, too.
    I cursed myself for being such a crappy girlfriend and reached down for the hem of my T-shirt. It was hotter than hot outside, so I pulled the shirt over my head, revealing my white tank top underneath, and leaned back against my chair. I opened my eyes to find Colt standing to our right, his eyes locked on me. I expected him to look away, but instead he walked over and sat in the chair beside me, ignoring the pleas from Ethan and Preston to go into the water. Sarah and Olivia followed the boys, and suddenly, it was just me and Colt, lying in chairs beside one another.
    â€œWhy didn’t you ask about my mum?” he asked after a minute.
    I draped an arm over my head to help block the sun and squinted up at him. “Because you didn’t look like you wanted to talk about it and it isn’t my business.”
    â€œThat’s never kept anyone else from asking.”
    â€œMaybe I’m not like everyone else.”
    His gaze settled on my face, steady and sure. “I’m starting to see that.”
    â€œWhy do you put those crazy things up on Facebook?” I asked, because I was evidently Kara the Curious Cat. Gah, why couldn’t I keep my mouth shut around him?
    He smirked. “Why do you always put up song lyrics?”
    My eyes widened. He laughed, and the sound was the most comforting thing I’d heard in a long time. Colt had been on my Facebook page. More than once. Maybe every day.
    â€œThey make me feel better,” I said, realizing the truth of my words.
    He leaned his head back against his chair and rotated it to face me. “Why do you need to feel better?”
    â€œDon’t you? Don’t we all?”
    He opened his mouth to reply when a surge of water landed on both of us. I jerked up to see Ethan splashing around in the water with some girl I didn’t know. Again, I searched my heart for some hint that it bothered me, but the ache never came.
    â€œDoesn’t that piss you off?” Colt asked, his eyes trained on the scene in the pool.
    I swallowed. “It pisses me off to look like the fool girlfriend that’s putting up with it, but do I actually care?” I hesitated, glancing back at Ethan, at the smile on his face as he splashed the girl. “That hasn’t bothered me in a long, long time.”
    â€œIs that normal?”
    I laughed. Who was I to know normal? “No clue.