Mom stood at the dark granite island peeling an orange. She looked prettier than usual; she had her long chestnut hair pulled back with a red barrette to match the boat-neck blouse she was wearing and there was even eyeliner around her light brown eyes. She glanced up and smiled. “Good morning, Rylie.”
“Morning, Mom.” I tossed my bag on the table and walked over to the island, where I hopped up on the barstool, propping my elbows on the counter.
She handed me a wedge of the orange, and I popped it in my mouth. I took a moment to savor the juiciness, tart and sweet on my tongue. “Mmm, amazing.”
“Take it.” She pushed the plate holding the orange across the counter.
Picking up her mug, she took a sip of tea before peeling a banana, her hip propped on the counter. Even though we had a perfectly good kitchen table, my mother wasn’t one to sit there for breakfast. She liked to stand at the island with the paper spread out before her and the TV on in the background. She was one of those people that was always on the go. Healthy eating and fitness were important to her.
Me…not so much. I’d take a doughnut any day.
My father’s keys were gone from the “Home Sweet Home” hook by the door leading to the garage. He left for work earlier than I or my mom got out of bed, so most mornings we didn’t see him. He was a detective for our local police department, which meant he worked long—and sometimes odd—hours. As much as I admired his work ethic, it still sucked that he missed out on so much while I was growing up. I’d lost count of the birthdays and recitals he wasn’t there for when working on a case.
“What do you have going on today?” Mom looked up from her paper. Her eyes met mine and she gave me her full attention.
“Not much. Hanging out with Adam after school.” I swiveled off the stool and went to the stainless steel fridge, pulling out the milk. Grabbing a tall glass from the cabinet, I filled it. “We have a project to finish.”
“Oh, yeah? What kind?”
“Something for French class.” There was a loaf of bread half-sliced on the cutting board near the toaster. I dropped a couple pieces in the toaster and pushed the bar down.
“Why don’t you ask him to stay for dinner? You know we love having him.”
“Okay, I will.” It made me happy that my parents liked my boyfriend. Adam and I had been friends for a long time before he asked me to be his girlfriend only a few months before. We had always clicked, so saying yes was a no-brainer.
We were silent as I slathered butter and cinnamon on my toast and walked back to the island. I motioned to the paper with my toast before taking a bite and speaking through my mouthful. “Anything going on in the world?”
“It’s falling apart around us. Nothing new.” Mom glanced at the clock on the microwave and then shut the paper with a rustle. “I need to get going.” She slid the paper to me, put her mug in the sink, and grabbed her purse from the table.
“Have fun.” I smiled sardonically, thinking of the day my mom was about to have. She was a kindergarten teacher, and her class was a handful. Most days she came home with a headache.
“Always.” She winked and hustled out the side door into the garage. Peeking back into the kitchen one last time, she narrowed her eyes and said, “Behave.”
“Mm-hmm.” I rolled my eyes at her warning. I wasn’t exactly known for being a bad girl. In fact, I was mild compared to most of the kids I knew.
The door closed, and I was alone in the house. I finished my breakfast and rinsed the dishes before I put them in the dishwasher. A loud honk signaled my ride had arrived. I grabbed my favorite brown Converse shoes from the shoe rack, slipped them on, slung my backpack over my shoulder, and rushed out the front door.
It was going to be a gorgeous April day. We would probably get a shower later on, but for now, the sun was glorious and high, the air cool but with an expectation of warm to come. I could smell the honeysuckle vines from the backyard on the breeze.
Sierra waited in her black convertible in the driveway with the top down and the music blaring. She had the visor down and was applying lipstick, so she didn’t notice me approaching.
Sierra was my best friend in the whole world. She had dark brown hair streaked with golden highlights that she usually left down to frame her oval face, and her personality matched her car—artsy and outgoing with a little bit of a wild in her. We had been friends for as long as I could remember.
I scanned the woods as I walked to the car, remembering the feeling of being watched from earlier. Nothing unusual stood out, but a chill went down my back as if there really were eyes on me. I brushed it aside. I often had the feeling that someone was watching me, and it seemed to be happening more often lately, but I was probably just imagining it. Having a father who was a cop made me a little paranoid. He spent most of my life drilling into me that I should be aware of my surroundings at all times. Between watching the news and hearing stories from him, I knew what kind of monsters were out there.
I opened the passenger door and slid into the low seat. It felt like sitting on the ground, especially compared to my boyfriend’s big truck. “Hey.”
“Hey, yourself.” Sierra shut the mirror on her visor and turned toward me. Her green eyes were dancing in excitement. “Your birthday is this weekend!”
“I know. It’s hard to believe,” I said absently as I turned down my own visor and checked my hair in the mirror. If I secured it back, maybe it wouldn’t be destroyed by the wind before we got to school.
“Aren’t you excited? You’ll finally be sixteen.” Sierra had turned sixteen a few months before and liked to rub it in my face.
“I’m not sure it’ll be much different than fifteen.” I wrapped my hair up in a quick bun.
“Maybe your parents will get you a car? Although that would suck. I like picking you up.” Sierra put the convertible into gear and pulled out onto the street.
“I doubt I’ll get a car. My parents aren’t loaded like yours.” I liked Sierra’s car, but it was really kinda pretentious for a teenager, I guess. The soft leather interior had heated seats and a built-in satellite radio, while most of our classmates were driving hand-me-down Hondas with dented rear bumpers. I would be lucky to get even that.
I watched out the window as the houses disappeared and the businesses became thicker and closer together. Sierra chattered nonstop the entire five-minute drive to school. I tried to keep up, but it wasn’t always easy with her.
We pulled into the school parking lot and Sierra took her usual spot near the front door. As she rechecked her makeup, I got out of the car and searched the area near the stairs leading to the heavy double doors, where Adam always waited for me. My heart did a little flip-flop when I saw him.
He was sitting against the brick building, drumming his fingers on his legs while listening to music. His light brown hair hung down in his eyes and covered the ear buds in his ears, but I could see the cords dangling down his white T-shirt.
I adjusted the straps on my backpack and Sierra joined me, then we climbed the hill to the front of the school. Adam’s eyes were closed, his head leaning against the red brick building. He didn’t notice our approach, so I kicked his foot.
His green eyes opened and he grinned. “Hey, beautiful.” His voice was deep and smooth. He took the ear buds out of his ears and stood up, unfolding his long, lanky body in a graceful move that should have been illegal in its beauty. He stood almost a foot taller than me. Cupping my face with his hands, he leaned in and kissed me, slow and gentle.
My heart raced, and I pressed my body to his as I slid my hands up his chest.
“Okay, enough, get a room,” Sierra interrupted, her voice one part disgust, two parts playful.
Adam ended the kiss, and I rested my head on his chest, breathing in his warm, musky scent.
“I have something for you,” he said, his voice rumbling through me.
I stepped back, and he reached down to pick up a handful of yellow daisies near his gym bag. They were my fa
vorite flower, and had been since I was a little girl, even though I’d heard they were technically considered a weed.
I accepted the bouquet with a laugh. “They’re beautiful. But it’s not my birthday yet.”
“I know. I saw them near my mailbox, and I couldn’t resist picking them for you.” He traced a thumb over my cheek, his fingers at the edge of my jaw. “Remember how you would make me hold the flowers for you when we were younger? We spent hours collecting them. I was like your little flower slave.” He chuckled.
“I remember.” I tiptoed to kiss him. “Thank you. You’re the best boyfriend ever.”
He put his arm around me, and we all walked through the glass doors into the school. Before the first bell, the school was always chaotic and loud. There were students rushing to their first class, or hanging out with their friends in the hall, and still others were causing trouble. Our school was one of the better ones in town, so I couldn’t complain.
We walked down the large, open corridor to our gray lockers and stopped in front of them. I opened mine, shoved my backpack inside, and pulled out what I needed for first period—my biology book, a black spiral-bound notebook with a pen shoved into the spiral, and the beat-up paper folder that held almost an entire year’s worth of homework.
I slammed the locker and spun around to wait for Adam, but he was ready for me. He grabbed my books out of my hands and stacked them on his own, giving me an adorable wink.
I took his warm hand and squeezed it. He was so sweet.
We had our first class together, which I thought was the perfect way to start the day. We said goodbye to Sierra and started working our way towards the classroom.
As we dodged the usual morning madness, I said, “My mom invited you over for dinner.”
Adam raised an eyebrow. “Is she cooking?”
I bumped my hip against his. “She’s not that bad of a cook. If it will make you feel better, we can order in Chinese and surprise her.”
“You know I don’t mind eating your mom’s burnt cooking if it means I can spend more time with you.” Adam stopped outside the science lab and tugged on my hand until I turned to face him. “I got you something special for your birthday. I hope you like it. Took me forever to pick it out.”
“That’s not fair!” I argued, pinching his arm for effect. “You know I hate surprises, and you just have to rub it in. Give me a hint.”
“No hints. You’ll have to wait and see.” He kissed the top of my head. “And you love surprises.”
“Just one small hint, and then I’ll leave you alone,” I begged.
“Forget it. We’re going to be late.” His grin was cocky as he turned to stroll into the classroom ahead of me.
Still sulking, I plopped down in the hard plastic seat. As the teacher started droning on about phylums and kingdoms, I tried to ignore his gaze on me, but it was too hard. I rolled my eyes in his direction.
His crooked grin melted my heart. The annoyance I felt at him for holding out on me faded away. I could never stay upset at him. I couldn’t wait for the day to be over. All I could think about was spending time with Adam.
After our first class was over, I had English with Sierra. Adam walked me to class and kissed me goodbye, then rushed off to the other end of school where he had gym. I took my usual desk behind Sierra and opened my notebook.
She turned to face me and crossed her eyes. “Wake me up if I start fading.”
Mrs. Garrett surprised the class with a pop quiz over a book we were reading. I knew I wouldn’t pass, because I hadn’t even read the first page. My mom was going to kill me when she saw the grade.
After I failed miserably at five simple questions, the teacher started writing notes on the board. Already bored, I leaned over Sierra’s shoulder to admire her artwork. She called it “doodling,” but there was a lot of artistic talent to it. I’d always been envious—I could barely make a stick figure.
After a few minutes of craning my neck, I sat back and picked at the strings hanging off my jeans, trying to make figures out of the clouds outside the window. School was boring, and time seemed to drag so slow. I couldn’t wait for summer break, which was still weeks away. The only good thing was having classes with my friends.
When the last bell of day went off, a collective sigh of relief could be heard throughout the school. I gathered my things and hurried to my locker, where I threw a couple of books into my backpack. I smiled when I felt Adam’s presence behind me. He moved my hair and lightly kissed my neck.
“You’re so mean.” I groaned.
“It’s not my fault I can’t keep my hands off you,” Adam whispered in my ear, sending goose bumps across my skin.
I turned around and stared into his pale green eyes, and heat rose in my cheeks. “My parents won’t be home for a while. I told them we were going to be working on a project together.”
“What are we standing here for? Let’s go.” Adam draped his arm around my shoulder as we walked out of school, a comfortable, familiar feeling. I always felt so lucky to be his girlfriend. He could have anyone he wanted, but he had chosen me.
Chapter Two
Adam drove a silver Chevy Silverado. He had an obsession with trucks, or anything with big tires for that matter. Always the gentleman, he opened the passenger door for me. I grabbed the handle and pulled myself into the front seat. He closed my door, and a minute later he was in the driver’s seat starting the engine. Loud music blared from the speakers. His hand quickly sprang out and turned the knob to lower the volume.
Being able to sit right next to Adam was my favorite part about the truck. I slid over the bench seat and cuddled against his side. His strong leg was pressed against mine, and I grinned over at him, placing my hand on his thigh.
“What are you thinking?” Adam asked as he pulled onto the road, the engine roaring under the hood.
“That I love your truck.”
“Uh-huh, sure you do. I thought you said it was a gas hog and too hard to get into.”
“I like this part.” I traced my fingers up his thigh and gave him a wicked grin.
“Is that so? You better watch it or you’re gonna cause an accident,” he said wryly.
“Well, it’s a good thing I live so close by.” I laid my head on his shoulder as he pulled onto my street. My house was on a dead end road and set back far enough that neighbors were never an issue. It was a little piece of rural in a suburban neighborhood.
Jumping down from the truck, I looked up at the familiar two-story colonial house. My family had lived there since I was born. The grass was in need of a cut and Mom’s roses were in full bloom. That, coupled with the blindingly white siding and bright blue shutters, made it a charming picture.
I pulled the keys out of my bag and fumbled with the lock while Adam stood behind me, his fingertips trailing over my back. Once we got inside, I flicked on the lights, and we made our way to the kitchen table where I spread out our books.
“How long ‘til your parents get home?” Adam asked, coming up behind me, his breath on my neck.
“At least a couple of hours.”
He turned me around and grinned, pulling me close to him. “What do you want to do?”
“I can think of a few things.” I reached for his hand with a sly smile and led him up the stairs to my bedroom.
We fell on the bed together, laughing. Our eyes met, and the laughing subsided. I glanced at his lush lips and licked my own. My heart pounded as I waited for him to make the first move.
I noticed his intense expression as I gazed into his eyes. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing. You’re just so beautiful. I can’t believe how lucky I am.” He pressed his lips to mine, ending any further conversation.
I ran my hands under his shirt and up his back, holding him close so that our bodies fit together. His hand drifted down my side and slowly traveled upwards, his fingers trailing across the skin under the hem of my shirt. He made his way from my lips down to my neck, then moved the
collar of my shirt to feather kisses across my collarbone.
The feeling of his lips on my skin and his hand just below my breasts sent shivers through my body. I ran my hands through his soft hair, slipping in a kiss as he ran his tongue up my neck. His lips met mine again.
Adam and I had an agreement. We only went so far. Kissing and caressing was okay, but we hadn’t had sex yet. We weren’t ready, so we promised each other we’d wait. As he broke away and stared into my eyes, I smiled. He was a good guy and he’d never break his promise to me, no matter how much I sometimes wanted to.
He rolled off and propped himself up on his elbow next to me. Running a single finger in between my breasts, he said, “You’re perfect.”
I rolled my eyes. “Oh, stop it. No one is perfect.”
“You are. I’m serious. I don’t know what you see in me. All I know is, I never want to lose you.”
I sighed, knowing I couldn’t win this argument. “You don’t have to worry. I’m not going anywhere.” I snuggled close to him, reveling in how safe I felt any time I was in his arms.
The first time I had seen Adam had been ten years before, when his family had moved here from the Midwest. He had been the new kid in school. He’d been painfully shy, which was nothing like my Adam. Anyone who met him now wouldn’t take him for the shy boy. But he had been.
He had been assigned my reading partner, and we quickly became friends. Over the years, he grew into the best-looking boy I know.
“What are you smiling about?” He traced my birthmark with his finger.
“I was just thinking about when we first met.” I patted his face dramatically. “You were so nerdy and cute.”
Adam groaned. “Don’t remind me. I was the smallest boy in our grade and had that huge gap between my teeth.”
“Look at you now. Six feet tall with perfectly straight teeth.”
“Thanks to braces and genetics.” Adam pulled me closer. “You were just as beautiful then as you are now. I remember how nervous I was when you asked me to sit by you at lunch.”
Faery Realms: Ten Magical Titles: Multi-Author Bundle of Novels & Novellas Page 30