" Cole steps forward, his fingers reaching around my shoulders, and kisses me. It is sudden and smooth and soft as air against my lips. The wind whips around us, tugging at the fabric of our clothes, but not pulling us apart. And then it's gone, the cool pressure against my lips, and my eyes are open and looking into two gray eyes like river rocks." /That's/ what you wanted to show me?" " No," he says, his fingers slipping down my arms as he leads me off the path and out, away from Near. " That was just in case. "