Lunangelique (The Lunangelique Series) (7 page)

“Mind if I join you,” he asks, still standing next to me.

“Not at all,” I tell him. I feel so shy around him again, like I did the first night I met him. Maybe you have to work up immunity to someone when you really like them. Or, like the effect they have on you is a type of drug that you have to build up a tolerance for.

He slips off his flip-flops and sits down next to me, putting his feet in the water. He leaves a small, unpromising gap between us. Finally after giving up on me initiating any talk he asks, “What are you doing out here?”

“How did you know I was out here?” I counter.

“Alex told me,” he replies.

I take a deep breath and answer his question, “I just needed to calm down from all the craziness of the day.” Which is mostly true. I feel like my mind is on two settings. Really, really slow and super-duper fast. When there is a lot of activity and people are surrounding me, I can’t focus on anything. The entire day felt like it went by in seconds, in a blur. And now that everything is calm and quiet, I feel like I have to take a deep breath for every second of the day that flew past me until I can recall all those lost, hectic moments.

“It sounded like fun. I’m sorry I wasn’t invited.” He looks at me with a small apologetic smile. “I know that the fault was all mine.”

“Maybe,” I say and smile back at him, which makes his smile broaden.

“Then, am I forgiven?” he inquires.

“I haven’t decided yet,” I tell him honestly, losing my smile.

The smile vanishes from his face too. “Lexi, how can I make it up to you?”

“I don’t know.” I shake my head and cover my face with my hands. “I don’t even know where to start. I don’t know how we left off. I don’t know what to say to you.” I let my hands drop from my face as I turn to look him in the eye, daring him to say something meaningful.

“I see that you got my present,” he says, motioning to the hand that is holding the pendant.

“This?” I lift the pendant up. “How did you give me this? I found it in my bedroom this morning.”

“I asked Alex to leave it somewhere where you would find it,” he tells me.

“Why didn’t he tell me?” I ask more to myself than him. “I asked everyone today if it was theirs and he never said a word.” I’m getting a little miffed that Alex kept something from me but I have to remind myself that I kept something from him too and he was probably trying to get back at me.

“When did you come over?” I ask but I already know.

“This morning. You were already driving away from the house when I started coming over. I’m really sorry I missed you.” He looks at me sincerely. “Alex also told me about the party but since you weren’t the one to invite me, I thought it better not to come,” he finally admits.

“I’m sorry about that. As you can probably guess, I was a little mad at you,” I finally admit to him. “And I’m sorry for Alex bombarding you last night. I had no idea he went over there until he came home and told me. What did he say to you?” My voice sounds desperate, I’m afraid Alex has ruined my chances to be with him. Maybe he scared him off and is here to tell me there won’t be anything serious between us.

“You’re lucky to have a brother who cares about you. Not too many would feel it necessary to defend their sister’s honor.”

“Oh, God. How bad was it?” I start fumbling with my bottom lip with my teeth, worrying.

Cole laughs. “It wasn’t bad at all. Seriously, Lexi. I promise you I was not offended or embarrassed. I would have been mad if he hadn’t spoke up for you.” He’s quiet for a few seconds and then he asks, “So, have you come up with a way to make this, us, different?” His hand comes up to brush my matted hair. It’s still a little damp from being in the pool all day.

“Maybe,” I say as a sensual chill runs through my body from his touch.

“And,” he lets the word linger between us as his head starts to move towards me. But I can’t let him distract me before I get to explain to him the conversation my mother and I had so right before our lips touch I push him in the water.

It’s pretty funny watching his expression as he falls over the side of the pool. I quickly jump to my feet and head over to the deck where the light switch is located to turn the pool’s lights on. And even though I pushed him in the water so he couldn’t distract me with his great kissing abilities, I have managed to distract myself by bringing another swimming session into play.

I laugh as he comes up from under water and takes off his shirt to ring it out and set it by the side of the pool.

“That was not very nice,” he says playfully.

I just continue to laugh at him.

“Come here so I can get you in the water.” He swims to the side of the pool to start pulling himself out.

“Nuh, uh,” I tell him, standing with my hands on my hips. “Not interested in getting in again today, thank you.” He stands at the edge of the pool, staring at me. I know he’s thinking of a way to get to me before I can run inside or something.

“Don’t run,” he tells me. And all of a sudden it’s like my body wants only to listen to him. So I stand there, frozen, letting him come up to me and wrap his cold, wet arms around me. I let him lift me up into his arms and I don’t struggle when he goes back to the edge of the pool and steps in, still holding onto me.

I squeal when we resurface and I wrap my arms around his neck.

“How do you do that to me?” I ask him.

“What?”

“Make me do what you want me to do and not what I want to do,” I clarify but letting the words roll back in my head, it still doesn’t make sense. I think he understood though.

“I don’t make you do anything you don’t want to do,” he laughs at me. “I don’t think anyone can do that.”

“I’m serious,” I say and let go of him to swim to shallower waters. “Just now you told me not to run, which was what I was thinking about doing, but I couldn’t. So, I’m asking you, how do you do that?”

He just shrugs his shoulders. “I don’t know. But you can’t say I was making you do anything against your will. I’m sorry if you felt like you
had
to do it. You didn’t feel threatened did you?” he asks me seriously.

“No, of course not. Forget it,” I mumble. Still confused over what I have been experiencing.

“Anyways,” he says swimming over to me. “So, your
maybe
comment? What were you implying?”

I smile at him, instantly forgetting the previous conversation. “My mom has no problems with us seeing each other. She recommends that we just play it cool at school and nobody will get hurt or fired.” I raise my eyebrow to him.
I dare you to reject that.

“We can try,” he concedes.

I clear the small distance between us and kiss him desperately. He laughs around our kisses. “I think I’ll have to give in to a lot more things if I get this response every time,” he says.

“Shut up,” I tell him and press my body closer to his as my kisses deepen.

Chapter 5

The next morning, I awake feeling better than I have in days. Everything seems so perfect now that Cole and I are committed to giving a relationship a shot. I’m so excited to start the day as I bound down the stairs singing Metro Station’s ‘Shake it’ from my iPod. The song reminds me of Cole so I had to start the morning with it.

I bounce into the kitchen, surprising the whole family with my mood. Mom and dad share a knowing look at each other and Alex rolls his eyes.

“You slept in late this morning,” dad notes. “Long night.” Mom elbows him in the side and they both share a quick laugh.

“Yeah, a little,” I reply smiling from ear to ear. “I’m starving this morning. Too much swimming yesterday.”

My dad is about to burst at the seams from containing his laughter.

              “You’re weird daddy,” I inform him and then wrap my arms around his torso. “But I love you anyways.”

              He sobers up a bit and kisses my head. “I love you too, baby girl.”

Just then the doorbell rings and I run to answer it, which leaves my parents laughing at me some more and exclaiming to themselves how they’ve never seen me so happy.

When I open the door, I am greeted by a huge bouquet of Calla Lilies and a special someone from across the street wearing a top hat.

              I take the Lilies he hands to me and rub them against my lips. “They’re my favorite, how did you know?”

              His eyes sparkle brightly but instead of answering me he says, “You have been cordially invited to have dinner with me tonight.” He dips his top hat down in the old fashion sentiment.

              “Thank you, kind sir.” I curtsey to him and giggle.

              “Shall I pick you up at five o’clock, then?” I nod. “Until then, ma’am.” He gently takes my hand and places a kiss upon it. Then, he’s going down the porch steps and back towards his house.

I shut the door and lean up against it to catch my breath. I thought I was happy before, but now I am going to burst. I squeal loudly and head back to the kitchen to put my newest gift in water. The other gift, the pendant, is in my jewelry box with an old silver chain running through the hole.

“That boy sure knows how to sweep a girl off her feet,” my dad remarks on seeing the huge bouquet of flowers.

“I know,” I admit. “Who told him my favorite flower?”

Everyone mumbles that it wasn’t them. And I shake my head in amazement that he was able to pull that off instead of the traditional, and I think boring, red roses. But now, reality hits me as I realize I won’t be able to see him until tonight. That means the day is going to go by so slow until then. What am I going to do? Kaitlyn! I’ll see if she wants to go out. Maybe get a manicure and pedicure and go buy a new dress.

After I crush a bowl of cereal, I call Kaitlyn and that is exactly what we go do. It has been so long since Kaitlyn and I had a girlie day. Even my mom joins us, which added to the pleasure of the day, instead of taking away as I’m sure most girls would think. My mom has a high sense of fashion and she talks about my dad like he’s her boyfriend, so it’s like having another girl with us. I make all the appropriated ‘yucky’ faces, though, when she tries to spill us on more intimate details. I do not want to picture my dad like that.

              By three o’clock, our nails are looking perfect and I have a pretty new dress for the dinner. I don’t know where Cole is taking me so I went with a casual/formal dress. It’s nothing too much more formal than what I would wear on a normal day. At least that is what I am telling myself. The dress we chose is magical. It’s another strapless dress, like the one I wore the other day, that stops right above my knee, it has a sweetheart neckline, is white underneath with a sheer overlay with sparkling silver and gold glitter in an intricate pattern. I also bought a pair of gold heels to go with it.

When we get home Kaitlyn helps me by putting my hair up in a half-do as I apply my makeup.  She styles the top half in a loose bun that makes it appear it’s coming loose, while the rest of the hair is softly curled and cascading down my back. The whole time she helps, she keeps commenting on never seeing me so excited about a date before and how the only other time she’s ever helped me get ready was for a school dance. I don’t comment back. I don’t know how to explain my anxious behavior.

When she is done I attach the latch on the angel pendent necklace and look back to see how perfect it looks with the rest of the ensemble.

“You look amazing,” Kaitlyn tells me.

“Only because you helped,” I compliment her. “Thank you for helping me get ready and for helping this day fly by. It’s such a relief.”

She just shakes her head, still in a state of disbelief. “Let’s go downstairs and show your mom.” She grabs my hand and leads me down the stairs into the living room; where everyone is sitting back enjoying the news, as much as one can enjoy it. Mom and dad are sipping their nightly glasses of wine.

“Oh sweetie, you look beautiful,” mom gushes.

“Very nice,” dad comments, nodding his head in approval.

“Pretty dress,” Alex remarks, barely looking away from the TV. Kaitlyn walks over to sit next to Alex and nudges him in his side to show her disapproval in his enthusiasm.

“He should be here any minute now. Do you want to sit down with us,
relax
for a bit?” My mom tries to calm me but she knows I’m too keyed up to sit.

“No thanks. I’m just going to make myself a glass of water, find a chill pill, you know those relaxing methods,” I say to her.

She tries to stifle a laugh but still manages to break out in a smile while my insides feel like they are coming apart. I go into the kitchen, alone, which I prefer right now. I pour a glass of water, secretly wishing I could have a glass of wine or a xanax or both. Before I can finish the glass the doorbell rings and I take several deep breaths before walking towards the front door.

Alex has already answered it and is talking to Cole while they wait for me. Cole looks smoking hot. Thankfully, he’s dressed up too. He’s wearing tight black slacks and a black shirt with a skinny silver tie.
Perfect
. He looks so amazing in anything he wears.
And anything he doesn’t wear
, I think to myself.

Cole’s eyes smolder as he takes me in and I can’t help but blush at the way he looks at me. “There are no words to describe how beautiful you look right now,” he flatters me while taking my hand and spinning me before him so he can see all of the dress. “Absolutely stunning.”

“Thank you,” I respond, embarrassed by his flattering. “Bye, everyone,” I call out in a hurry to get away from them before I feel even more embarrassed. We listen to their sentiments as Cole takes my hand and leads me out to his car, which is parked in front of his house.

I’ve never noticed his car before, probably because it’s always been parked in the garage. Now that I see it I think it’s as extravagant as the rest of him. It’s a black Audi A6, which, by the way, is one of my favorite cars. I am so jealous that he has this while me and Alex have to share a Ford Explorer.

He opens the door for me and waits till I’m comfortably inside before shutting the door and coming around to the driver side. The interior of the car is leather and the windows have a tint that makes the car really dark inside. I love it.