That was all I wanted right now. A quiet night at home with my parents. And grandparents, who were also here, but I hadn’t been able to find them again since the crowd arrived. I didn’t want to complain, though. Even though I hated being the center of attention, I understood the need to celebrate this moment. I just wanted to hide out until it was over then pick at the leftovers from the buffet. I still couldn’t believe my parents actually had a buffet and not a sit-down, five-course meal. I’d always asked them to do buffets as a child.
“OH, Jackson!” An elderly woman I didn’t recognize waved at me from a table ten feet away. “Jackson!”
I smiled and waved, then ducked behind a waiter carrying champagne—and froze.
There she was.
Bettina.
My breath left me in a rush. My heart fluttered and my pulse did weird things. She stood a few tables over talking to Louis, my cousin, who worked in the security hut. My lungs burned, and I had to remind myself to breathe. But she was breathtaking. An angel in blue. Flawless perfection. My gaze locked on her as I soaked her in.
That dress was… I had no words. It was a deep navy-blue satin, like the color of sapphires. The straps hung off her shoulders, and I loved the lean muscle in her arms. The material shimmered in the soft golden light. It clung tight to her flawless figure all the way down to her knees then flared out like a mermaid fin. She looked like a supermodel, one who belonged on a runway next to those Victoria’s Secret ladies. I licked my lips then forced my gaze up off of her body before I gave myself a stroke.
But I found no reprieve there. Her pale blonde hair was styled up off her neck, which gave a perfect view of the string of diamonds wrapped around her throat. My pulse quickened. She wore dark makeup on her eyes that made the royal blue irises pop out like a neon sign. Her lips were painted bright red, and it did not help me stop thinking about kissing her. I couldn’t handle it. She was beautiful…and watching me.
My cheeks warmed. But I didn’t care that she caught me looking because there was no way I was taking my eyes off of her now. I was the moth to her flame and I was helpless to break the spell.
“Go ask her to dance,” my father whispered in my ear.
He pushed my back, and I moved forward. Her eyes sparkled. She took a step toward me, and her long, lean leg emerged from a high slit in her satin dress. My heart stopped, but my feet moved faster. People called my name and tried to talk to me. I kept moving.
We met halfway.
I meant to lean in and kiss her cheek or hug her or something. But I just froze in front of her. Staring. Like a total creeper. Come on, Jackson. Speak. Smile. SAY SOMETHING. We were almost the same height. I was only two inches taller, so our lips were already almost touching. NOT HELPFUL.
Her cheeks flushed and she smiled. She looked up at me under long black eyelashes. “You okay, Lancelot?”
“No,” I heard myself whisper. “That dress—”
“You like it?”
“—broke my brain.”
She giggled and it made her eyes shine. She ran her hands over her own body, across the dark blue satin and my mouth watered. She was bringing my eyes back to all the places I didn’t need to be looking. “It’s a Rebecca Cook dress.”
“Hmmm?”
“My dress? It was made by someone named Rebecca Cook.”
Huh? OH. I blinked and shook myself. “Right, yes. She’s a big designer here, friend of the family.”
She grinned up at me. “And you like it?”
I sighed. “You are the most stunning woman I have ever seen.”
Oh shit. Bloody hell, I did not just say that.
Her smile faltered and her eyes widened. The blush in her cheeks turned redder. She licked her lips and blinked up at me. “Thank you,” she whispered.
Now what? Oh, right, Dad said to dance.
I cleared my throat. “Would you like to dance with me?”
She inhaled sharply then nodded. “Yes. Please.”
I held my left hand out. She put hers in mine immediately, and it sent electricity shooting up my arm. My pulse skyrocketed. I turned and led her onto the dance floor. Our fingers tangled together. Her skin was warm. Her magic tingled against my skin. In my peripheral vision, I saw people turn to watch us, but I ignored them. I wiggled our way through the dancing couples until we were in the middle, blocked from sight from anyone not dancing.
And then I realized my error.
I only had one arm.
She chuckled softly and wrapped her arms around my neck. “You’re cute when you panic over silly things.”
Quick. Say something. Anything. “So, do you have your converse on under this dress?”
She pouted. “No, I wanted to wear them but…I was afraid that would insult your mother and I didn’t want that.”
“Oh, that was thoughtful of you.”
She grinned up at me. “Thank you.”
My entire body was on fire. From my cheeks all the way down to my toes. I put my hand on her hip and pulled her flush against me. Our chests touched. She ran her fingers through the short hairs on the back of my head, and it sent a tickle down my spine.
From this close, I could see the flecks of light blue in her eyes. I saw the heat spreading across her cheeks and the pale freckles on her nose. I saw the wetness on her bottom lip from when she’d licked it. I saw her pulse pounding in the vein on her neck. She wrapped her arms tighter around my neck, and a fire scorched through my chest and down my spine.
I looked down into her eyes, and the rest of the world melted away.
Our noses touched… I tilted my head, and our lips brushed—
The crowd gasped.
We jumped apart, and a wall of cold energy washed over me. Whispers and murmurs rolled through the ball like a wave. My breaths were ragged and heavy. My chest burned. I blinked and scanned the party. Everyone had stopped moving and was staring at the entrance with their jaws dropped. I turned and followed their gazes.
Tegan stood there front and center, in her ripped-up black jeans, beat-up black combat boots, and a black tank top. Her eyes were back to green and her hair was black with purple tips. She looked like her old self again, and it was a sweet relief.
She made a weird face that might’ve been an attempt at a smile—then she lifted her left arm and waved. The II Mark of the High Priestess stood out against her pale skin and was on perfect display. “Hi… I smelled food?”
“The High Priestess,” someone whispered near me.
The whole crowd pointed to my right to where the buffet line was set up.
“Please, Ms. Bishop. Join us,” my mother said from up at the front.
“Cool. Thanks.” Tegan grinned and nodded.
She looked down at herself then around the ball. She pursed her lips then snapped her fingers. Rainbow magic swirled around her until you couldn’t see her at all. A few seconds later, her magic vanished, leaving her standing there in a floor-length black lace gown that was half see-through and somehow tighter than Bettina’s. It was strapless, which perfectly showed off her soulmate glyph and its pink crystal hearts. Her long black hair was now braided straight down her back. Her lips were now deep wine red and her eyes lined with black.
Tegan looked to the crowd and shrugged. “Better?”
There was a beat of silence, and then the room erupted with cheers of excitement. People rushed to her like she was a Black Friday sale. I laughed and shook my head. She was something else. I didn’t know how Tennessee handled her. Then again, I didn’t know how Tegan handled him. So they were a good match.
No one’s looking, Lancaster, Tegan whispered into my mind. Now’s your chance.
I gasped. She was right. Everyone was so occupied by her presence, they’d forgotten mine. I grinned and spun back around to Bettina. She looked up at me with bright pink cheeks.
I gripped her hip. “Do you wanna—”
“Yes.” She bit her bottom lip and nodded. “Let’s go.”
Chapter Eleven
>
Bettina
I hadn’t stopped to think about where Jackson wanted to go when he’d asked. I just knew I needed to get out of there before I did something stupid like kiss him in front of everyone. I needed fresh air. But it turned out that was exactly where he wanted to take me.
We’d snuck out the back door and into the most amazing garden I’d ever seen. It was dark out so I couldn’t quite see the colors, but I imagined they had to be breathtaking. Especially in the spring. I was trying to focus on my surroundings, and not Jackson walking behind me. I felt his eyes on my back. Heat slithered down my spine.
His fingers tangled with mine and then he pulled. I turned around, and my chest slammed into his…and then his lips were on mine. I gasped and inhaled his Christmassy scent. All of the fight I had left in me melted away. I was a mess from just a kiss. Our lips brushed, and his tongue slid over mine. I pushed up on my toes—
He jumped away with a curse. “Goddess, I’m sorry. I’m sorry. That was…” He shook his head and scrubbed his face with his hand.
That was amazing. But I didn’t say that out loud. It wouldn’t help either of us, and we both knew it anyway. He licked his lips and ran his hand through his hair.
I needed to say something to fill this silence. “You look really handsome in your tux tonight,” I said softly.
His eyes flashed. He smiled and I could’ve sworn he blushed. “Thanks.”
Then we just stared at each other. I knew we were both thinking about that kiss…about that dance… Snap out of it, Bettina.
I cleared my throat. “So, Lancelot. Show me your favorite spot here?”
He held his hand out and grinned. “Follow me.”
I put my hand in his and let him lead me through the garden. We moved fast, which was good because a late-night stroll through a garden was too romantic for my own health. To my surprise, he led me to a narrow spiral staircase. Then he stepped aside and gestured for me to go up first.
Fortunately, I wore flat sparkly sandals, or otherwise this narrow metal staircase might’ve proved to be a real problem. I carefully made my way to the top—and then my breath left me in a rush. It was a terrace—a heavenly oasis with plants everywhere and a gorgeous view overlooking the garden we’d just walked through. Running alongside was a wall made entirely of glass, but it was completely fogged over since it was so much warmer inside.
I bit my lip and pointed at it. “What’s in there?”
He tapped on the glass, and it popped open. “My room, actually. This terrace is all mine. I used to beg my parents to let me sleep out here…under the stars.”
I smiled and leaned back against the stone railing, then looked up at the stars twinkling down at us. “Well, I understand why. This view is beautiful.”
“Yes, it is,” he said with a scruffy, deep voice. His fingers brushed over my hip, and then his hand slid up to my waist. “You are beautiful.”
“So…this is your favorite spot…”
He nodded and rubbed circles with his thumb.
My whole body warmed and my breaths grew shaky. I chuckled and tried to ignore the chaos he was causing inside of me. “You know, I just realized…it’s still your birthday.”
His eyebrows rose. He slid closer. “Oh yeah, I keep forgetting that. I’m seventeen today.”
“I didn’t get a chance to get you a present.” I pouted.
“Hmmm…” He leaned down and sucked my bottom lip into his mouth.
And I snapped. All of my self-control vanished. I gripped the lapels of his tux and pulled his body down on top of mine. I slid my tongue into his mouth. He groaned and fisted my hair, pulling my head back so he could deepen our kiss. I threw my arms around his neck, and we stumbled backward. He spun me around, and then my back hit the cold glass wall. I gasped against his mouth. His tongue brushed mine.
I slid my hands down to his jacket then pushed the sleeves off his shoulders and down his arms. He leaned back onto me, and we slid down the wall. I pulled the bottom of his shirt out from his pants then gripped the hem and yanked the silky material open. Buttons clanked against the glass wall and the stone floor. Jackson gasped. He gripped my ass and lifted me up. I threw my leg around his hips, and then we were stumbling again.
We tripped over each other as we fumbled through the dark, warm room. My legs hit something, and then I was falling backward. I gripped his shirt and yanked him down on top of me. My teeth sank into his lip. Our legs tangled. We rolled a few times, and then his body pressed down on me, pushing me into a soft, bouncy surface. Our lips never parted.
And then he was gone.
I gasped and pushed up on my elbows only to find him sitting up next to me. We were on his bed.
He buried his hand in his hair and tugged. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry. Goddess, I’m sorry.”
I frowned. “I’m not. That was… That was…amazing… It felt… With you I feel…”
He groaned and hung his head. “You deserve more than this…this…this feeling we can’t have.”
I stared at his beautiful profile. I knew what he meant. He wasn’t my soulmate, and he thought I deserved to not have my feelings trampled on. I didn’t know how he felt about me…emotionally. But I knew he felt what I just had. I knew that kiss melted him, too. Nothing had ever felt as good as I had—until he stopped. Maybe one day someone would give me that back, but I wanted to share this with him.
“Jackson…” I licked my lips and slid closer. “Jackson, please listen to me. I meant what I said before. I’m in love with you. I know I can’t have you forever, but I can have you tonight. Just once.”
He gasped and sat up straight. Heat rushed out of him. “Bettina…” he growled.
I sat up then climbed onto his lap until I was straddling his hips. His eyes widened and his nostrils flared. The slit on my dress parted and the satin fabric slid off my hips until there wasn’t much between us. He gripped my knee then slid his hand up my thigh…and then all the way up over my bare hip. His fingertips pressed into the soft skin of my ass, and it made my heart flutter. I wrapped my arms around his neck and pressed my forehead to his.
“Let us just have this one night, this one moment, before I lock my heart away forever.” I stared into his eyes for a moment, then pressed my lips to his. “One night.”
He groaned and gripped my hip…then flipped me onto my back. He lowered himself onto me, then whispered against my mouth, “One night.”
Victory I’ve never felt before surged inside of me like a hurricane, raging with excitement and anticipation. One night…he’s mine. I wasn’t going to waste it. I grabbed him by the face and took his mouth with mine. I pushed up against him. We rolled across his bed a few times until he landed on top of me, with his big, heavy body pressing me into his mattress. I felt every inch of him. The heat radiating off of our bodies could’ve set a forest on fire.
Our tongues brushed and battled. My heart was pounding like a jackhammer in my chest. Every nerve ending in my body was screaming for more of him. I dragged my nails down his throat then pushed his shirt off of his shoulders, but I didn’t have a chance to admire the artwork that was his body. I would look at him later, right now I needed to feel him.
He may have only had one hand but I felt him everywhere. The scorching heat of his skin blazed a path over my entire body. More. More. MORE. He licked at my mouth and pulled on the zipper of my dress. I felt each and every one of his fingertips graze over the bare skin on my back and it made my heart flutter.
I didn’t want him to take his time. I wanted to feel him lose himself with me. Just once. He nibbled a path across my jaw then kissed that soft spot on my neck, just behind me ear. My toes curled and my back arched into him. I fisted his hair and tried to pull his mouth back to mine, but he licked a trail down my throat to the base of my neck.
“Jackson…” I groaned and threw my head back. “Jackson. Please…”
His teeth sank into my throat and I gasped. I needed him now. All of him. But he was taking too
long. He was being too sweet and gentle. So I slid my hands down his muscular back then slipped them around the front and into his pants. My hands brushed over bare skin – Jackson moaned.
And then he was everywhere all at once. I felt a tug on my dress and then our bare, naked bodies were pressed tight together. I dug my fingernails into his back and then his lips were on mine. He gripped my knee and made room for him to slide between my legs.
He paused and pushed up on his arm, right before he gave us what we both wanted. His aquamarine eyes sparkled down at me. “You sure? One night?”
“I’m so sure.” I grinned and hooked my legs around his hips. “One night.”
Chapter Twelve
Bettina
A gust of ice-cold air rushed over my shoulder, prickling my bare skin. I smiled and pulled my blanket up higher, snuggling into its warmth. The cool temperature was refreshing and a perfect excuse to stay cuddled up in bed. Morning sunlight streamed over my closed eyes. Birds chirped from just outside my window, so close they could’ve been perched on my bed with me.
I knew I needed to get out of bed and see what needed to be done today, but I was just too comfortable. It was so warm under my blanket, and I didn’t want to move. Heat wrapped around from my head all the way down to my toes. It was just so cozy. My room smelled like cinnamon and pine trees, like Christmas— I gasped.
Memories from last night came rushing back.
The ball…
The dress…
Jackson…
I opened my eyes, and my gaze landed on a red rose tattoo covering his left thumb. My fingers were tangled with his. My skin looked so pale compared to his. Our Marks were lined up side by side, and it made my heart flutter. XX and XXI. Twenty and twenty-one. We would’ve made a cute couple with our numbers lining up like that, but that was dangerous territory for my thoughts to go in.
In fact, this whole moment was too dangerous for me. This was too perfect. I was too comfortable and happy. He wasn’t mine. I couldn’t have this. I didn’t regret a second of our night together; it was a memory I would cherish forever, but if I didn’t get out of his bed soon, it was going to have catastrophic damage on my heart.
The Frozen Witch (The Coven: Academy Magic Book 4) Page 6