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Back Counting Down with You Save as PDF
Chapters (64)
  1. Cover
  2. About the Author
  3. Praise
  4. Booklist
  5. Dedication
  6. AUTHOR’S NOTE
  7. Part 1
  8. 1
  9. 2
  10. 3
  11. 4
  12. 5
  13. 6
  14. 7
  15. 8
  16. 9
  17. 10
  18. 11
  19. 12
  20. 13
  21. 14
  22. 15
  23. 16
  24. 17
  25. 18
  26. 19
  27. Part 2
  28. 20
  29. 21
  30. 22
  31. 23
  32. 24
  33. 25
  34. 26
  35. 27
  36. 28
  37. 29
  38. 30
  39. 31
  40. 32
  41. 33
  42. Part 3
  43. 34
  44. 35
  45. 36
  46. 37
  47. 38
  48. 39
  49. 40
  50. 41
  51. 42
  52. 43
  53. 44
  54. 45
  55. 46
  56. 47
  57. 48
  58. 49
  59. 50
  60. 51
  61. 52
  62. 53
  63. 54
  64. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Ace makes an incoherent noise in reply and crosses the distance between us, pulling me into a kiss.

I laugh against his lips. It’s easy to kiss him back. More natural than anything. I melt into the kiss, curving in toward him. My heart is beating like a sledgehammer in my chest, as if it’s moments away from giving out.

If I die in Ace Clyde’s arms, I’ll die happy.

Ace is the one to pull away, resting his forehead against mine. His eyes are somehow impossibly brighter, shining with the brilliance of a thousand lightning bolts. “Karina Ahmed, I’m so crazy about you. I always knew you were the bravest person I’ve ever met.”

A giggle slips past my lips. “Ace Clyde, I’m completely mad about you, too. Thank you for believing in me.”

We stand there in the middle of the hallway, just breathing in each other’s presence. Ace’s fingers are tracing the slope of my nose, as if he’s trying to memorize me, when I’m reminded of something incredibly important.

“You wrote a poem about me.”

He smiles, dimples popping into existence. “I remember.”

“I’m so proud of you,” I say, pinching one of his cheeks. He grabs my hand and keeps it pressed against his face. “It was really good.”

Ace chuckles. “I guess that means I’m going to ace the English Regents after all.”

“I’m going to break up with you,” I say.

He shakes his head, kissing my nose. “No, you’re not.”

I smile. He knows me well. “No, I’m not.”

Ace leans forward and kisses me again. I laugh, foolishly happy.

He was right about me.

I am a lionheart.

54

T-PLUS 69 DAYS

“Karina, I think we’re good—”

“Just stay still,” I say, cutting Ace off and adjusting his tie. My boyfriend apparently can’t make a knot to save his life. “You keep fidgeting, and it’s messing me up.”

“It’s not a big deal, it’s just—”

“Alistair Clyde, if you say it, I’m going to gag you with this tie.”

Ace rolls his eyes, but there’s a hint of a grin in the corner of his mouth.

We have five minutes before Cora and Nandini come inside and bodily drag us out of his room for taking so long. Ace kindly offered his family’s estate for junior prom photos, trying to win points with my best friends, but he looks like he regrets it now. I don’t blame him.

Fixing Ace’s outfit is helping me calm down. I think he can tell, because aside from his minor protests, he doesn’t try to stop me.