Kara Cammilla My mind turned blank. Completely, blessedly blank. It was like trying to watch a movie online and suddenly the screen turns into fuzzy images and a text appears: your brain is buffering 7%... He was leaning against the wall, watching me with that beautiful crooked smile. As if he had no concept of time, he shifted his shoulders lazily, and pulled out the red lollipop from his mouth. It was one of those flat round lollipops they sold in the cafeteria, and I was surprised he liked them. Deep, deep blue eyes focused on my face. I heard myself swallow. Leisurely he opened his mouth and gently placed the lollipop there again, but instead of sucking on it, he trapped it between his teeth. And bit. Crunch. There go my ovaries. I saw that his tongue was stained red from the candy. Soon, I thought, I was going to run out of saliva to swallow. He finished the candy, flicking the stick behind him. I thought that his focus on me couldn't get any more intense. I was wrong. A wicked glint flickered in his eyes. Uh-oh. His first words to me were, "Your wind was so strong it blew me away." I choked on air. There was a cry like that of a trapped animal burning in the back of my throat. I was never the type of person to be rendered speechless. I always had something to say, but at that very moment I wanted the sky to open wide and beam me to space. His lips twitched. "You owe me one, Spitfire." Spitfire? I should say something. I knew there was a comeback floating somewhere in my brain, but where the hell was it? Buffering 7.001%... "What's your name?" he asked, still watching me, still so focused on my face. I gulped. I tried to speak. Nothing. Now his eyes were laughing, those big deep blue eyes crinkling at the corners. And then he looked down as if he couldn't contain his amusement, brought his fist to his beautiful mouth and... was he biting his knuckle? Oh Jesus. Why is that so sexy? His eyes flicked up to mine. I think I peed a little. "Cat got your tongue?" he asked, teasingly. Now if it was a different person who asked that or maybe if I just had my wits about me, I would have annihilated them and chopped them up for dinner. But I did not. My batteries died, and I needed to recharge. "Tell me." He seemed like a person who didn't say please, and if he did he would have been quite uncomfortable, but somehow I heard it in his voice. Tell me your name. Please. "K-Kara," I stammered. My voice sounded weak. "Kara," I repeated, strongly this time. A pitiful attempt at getting back control. My eyes felt wide open. Did I blink yet? I tried but my lids wouldn't cooperate. They just took him in, filing everything like a screenshot in my head. The way his black hair glinted almost blue in the sunlight The way he tipped his head, with the black blue strands silkily sliding to touch the side of his face and cover part of his eyes The way he was leaning against the wall... with just the right amount of reckless. He was tall. God, he was tall. Lean but muscular. Like a swimmer. His shoulders were wide, tapering down to a slim waist. "And your number?" he asked. This time there was no please in his tone. It was as bold as brass. All confidence. I gave it to him. His smile was wicked. He looked like a little boy who had gotten away with something. What was I doing? This wasn't me. Someone had possessed my body. He'd sucked out all my powers from me. I had to get away. But my legs wouldn't move. Traitors! He pushed from the wall, straightening. For a moment I felt panic climb up my chest. Not because I was afraid of him. I was afraid of what I was going to do. He started to walk, closer, closer. But he wasn't looking at me anymore, and I wondered if it was just a test. A game. He kept walking, staring straight ahead. There was a small smile playing on his lips as he walked by me, inches away from where I was standing. My eyes closed involuntarily. And then... I felt a light touch on the back of my hand. Feather light, as if a butterfly's wings were hovering on my skin. My eyes opened. Holding my breath, I looked down. It was like watching something happen in slow motion. We stood side by side, facing different directions. Slowly, gently, the tip of his finger stroked mine without touching it, tracing the outline of it. I felt his head lean down a little toward me, felt his body heat, smelled his masculine scent. And then he was gone.