“You haven’t ditched us.” He gives me a look and I laugh. “Okay, so maybe you have, but it happens.”
Cade stands up and looks down at me. “This thing with Thea and you is going to take some getting used to, but I can’t say having you as an official part of the family is the worst thing.”
“Thanks.” I think.
He nods and heads inside. Before I can follow him, Thea bursts outside. She must’ve been standing just inside the door waiting.
“Did he hurt you?” she asks. “Punch you? Kick you? Slap you like a middle school girl on crack?”
I laugh and shake my head, walking up the deck steps to meet her.
“No, nothing like that. I think we’re cool now.”
She looks from me and back to the door. “Oh, thank God.”
I throw my arm over her shoulder, tucking her into my side, and reach for the door.
She looks up at me and a smile touches her lips. “It looks like everything’s going to be okay.”
I nod and press my lips to her forehead. “Looks that way.”
But I know we have so many more challenges ahead of us, and I can only hope that they don’t break us.
“A blindfold, really, Xander? If you wanted to get kinky you should’ve just said something.” I twirl the scrap of black fabric around my finger, waiting for his response.
He chuckles. “That wasn’t the plan, but now that you mention it …”
Before I can blink, his arm winds around my waist and I’m slammed down on my bed. It jostles from the sudden impact and we bounce up and down. Laughter tears out of our throats. I smile over at him.
“That was completely unnecessary.”
He grins back. “You have a flair for the dramatics so I thought I’d give you a taste of your own medicine.”
I sit up and brush my hair from my eyes. “Seriously, though, why the blindfold?” I hold it up, dangling it from my finger.
“I have a surprise for you.” He smiles shyly and looks away.
I narrow my eyes. “What are you up to?”
“Nothing bad. You’re going to love this.”
“That’s what Cade and you said when I was five and you convinced me to eat that pepper. It burned my nose hairs, Xander. My nose hairs.”
He chuckles. “That was hysterical. You were such a gullible kid.”
“Hey.” I smack my hand against his solid chest and give him a look like really?
He raises his hands innocently. “This isn’t like that at all.”
I huff out a breath. “Do I at least get a hint?”
He narrows his eyes and glances around my room. When he finds what he’s looking for, he jumps from my bed and grabs my shark slippers, then proceeds to hold them out to me.
“My shark slippers? That’s my hint? Seriously?”
He laughs. “It’ll all make sense soon. I promise.”
I snort. “It better. But do I have to wear this?”
He sighs. “I guess not. I doubt you’ll know where we’re going anyway.”
“Great, now I’m more scared.”
I hold out my hand with the blindfold and he takes it from me. He tucks it into his back pocket and mumbles, “Saving that for later.”
I snort. “Keep dreaming, buddy, unless you want to be blindfolded.”
He grins widely. “That has possibilities too.”
I choke on my own saliva and he laughs, clearly pleased at having left me speechless for a change.
“What should I wear for this mysterious outing?”
He shrugs. “Casual. I’m changing into jeans and a t-shirt.”
“Darn,” I say, frowning. “I love those sweatpants.” I waggle my brows and eye the noticeable bulge there.
He shakes his head at my antics, but a blush lightly stains his cheeks. I’d think he’d be used to the inappropriate things that come out of my mouth, but I guess I’ve only very recently been brave enough to say them. The poor guy has no idea the kinds of dirty thoughts I’ve had over the years.
“We’re leaving in an hour,” he tells me, lingering in the doorway to my bedroom. “Come on, Prue.” He whistles and the dog jumps up from the floor and follows him out.
I immediately go into overdrive to get ready. He might’ve said this is casual, but I hardly think my no makeup, messy bun, pajama-wearing self will be allowed. Heck, I don’t even have a bra on. It’s been a lazy day, which was much appreciated after the craziness of this week and the dinner with Xander’s family last night.
Thankfully, they were thrilled for him, and he and Cade made up, but I was so stressed over the whole thing I probably wore a hole through my stomach lining.
With five minutes to spare, I slip my feet into a pair of black flats. I straightened my hair, opting to do something different from my norm, and dressed in a pair of dark wash jeans and a black and white striped top. I added a necklace and a bracelet to dress it up a bit.
I grab my small black cross-body bag and sling it on, then head downstairs. Xander is hanging in the kitchen with Rae and Cade while she cooks dinner.
Xander stands when he sees me. “Ready?” I nod. He tips his head at the other two. “We’ll see you guys later.”
“Bye.” I wave and Rae gives me a look that tells me she’s going to expect me to give her a play-by-play of the whole evening. I seriously feel bad for all the times I pestered her like an annoying mosquito. I’m now being punished for that behavior by receiving the same treatment from her.
Xander pauses in the garage and turns around abruptly so I smack into his chest.
“Ow.” I rub my forehead. “What are you? Half rock? That hurt.”
He chuckles and rubs his thumb over the spot. “You’ll live.”
“Easy for you to say,” I mumble. “You didn’t walk headfirst into a boulder.”
He shakes his head at me. “I wanted to ask—truck or bike?”
“Bike,” I answer without a moment’s hesitation.
He grins. “I had a feeling you’d say that.”
He heads over to his motorcycle and grabs one of the helmets, turning around and placing it on my head. He secures it and does the same with his. Then he hands me a riding jacket of my very own.
I slip my arms through the holes of the jacket. “If I didn’t love you before, I love you now,” I say.
He laughs. “Wow, all I had to do was buy you a jacket? Noted.”
“Well, that,” I begin, “and rub my stomach and tell me I’m cute—oh wait, that’s Prue.”
His laughter echoes through the garage and his eyes twinkle when they meet mine. “I’d like to say I don’t do that, but I’d be lying.”
“Mhm,” I hum, and push the button for the garage door. It whirls and creaks as it goes up.
He rolls the bike out of the garage and I follow him out onto the driveway. It’s a little after five and the sun shines down brightly on us.
I look over my shoulder at the house and laugh when I see Prue peering out the window beside the front door.
“Look,” I say to Xander. “She’s watching us.”
He straddles the bike and looks up, letting out a laugh. “Poor girl, she just wants to go with us.”
“You’ll have to make it up to her later with extra belly rubs,” I tell him.
“Enough chit-chat,” he says. “Get on.”
I don’t have to be told twice. I’m insanely curious about what he has planned. The fact that he’s obviously put so much thought into something makes me really excited.
He starts out heading for the city, but after about thirty minutes, he changes course and then I have absolutely no idea where he’s going so I can’t even begin to guess.
He drives for another twenty minutes before we come upon a quaint little town. It’s cute with antique and coffee shops on every corner. He comes to a stop outside a movie theater, complete with one of those lit up things that jut out from the roof of the building.
The movie playing today?
Jaws.
> The boy is good.
We hop off the bike and remove our helmets.
“Jaws, huh?” I ask.
He nods, grinning from ear to ear. “Yeah. This place shows a different classic movie every week. This week happened to be Jaws.”
“Our favorite,” I say, and a sudden rush of emotion clenches my chest.
He nods and takes my hand, leading me to the ticket counter. He purchases two tickets and then we get drinks, popcorn, and candy. When we take a seat in the theater there’s only one other person—an elderly man that’s enjoying his popcorn so much I doubt he’d know if the place burned down around him.
We take our seats in the back—the back is the best, and anyone that says otherwise is a gremlin—and wait for the movie to start.
I munch on a piece of popcorn and Xander fumbles in his pocket. His pack of M&Ms falls to the floor and I reach down to the grab them. “What are you doing?” I ask, sitting back up and dropping the candy pouch in his lap. “Oh,” I gasp. “That’s what you’re doing.”
He smiles sheepishly, holding my wedding ring out to me. “You said you’d wear it if I gave it back, but it seemed weird to just hand it to you at home.”
“So,” I draw out the word, “you brought me to a movie theater?”
He winces. “Okay, it sounds really dumb when you say it that way, but it made total sense in my head.” He swallows thickly. “There’s more, though.”
My brows furrow together. Now I’m really confused. “Okay?”
He wets his lips. “I brought you here, because the first time we watched Jaws was the moment when I really knew you were someone special to me. I remember you getting scared when the shark came out of the water and you whimpered and curled into me and I knew then that I wanted nothing more than to make you feel loved and safe for the rest of your life. So, that’s why we’re here. For me, this is the start of it all.”
Swoon rating? Off the charts, ladies and gentlemen.
I take his face between my hands and kiss him, because I don’t have any words that can measure up to that. I hope through the kiss he can feel just a fragment of what I’m feeling.
I pull away, both of us breathless now, and he holds my hand as he guides the simple silver band onto my finger. It rests there, a perfect fit, like it was always meant to be there.
He goes to put his ring on, but I grab it. His dark eyes flick up to meet mine and I think he’s afraid I’m about to throw the ring into the depths of the theater, but then I take his hand like he did mine and put the ring on. I struggle to get it passed his knuckle but I manage, and I’m surprised by the happiness it brings me to see it there. The morning we woke up in Vegas I felt anything but happy at the sight of it.
I lay my head on his shoulder as the movie starts.
“Can we do this?” I whisper softly, so as not to disturb the man a few rows down.
I feel Xander nod. “Yeah, I think we can.”
I think we can too.
Our laughter echoes through the kitchen as Xander spins me around. Turning the radio on while we cooked might not have been our brightest idea, but there are times in life where you have to pause and enjoy the little things.
I wind my arms around his neck, swaying my hips to the beat of the song. His hands rest on my waist and he laughs when I begin to make funny faces.
“Bleck,” Cade says, entering the kitchen. “You guys are gross.” He picks up an apple from the basket on the table, tosses it in the air, and catches it before taking a bite.
I laugh and step away from Xander, returning to the stove. “You’re one to talk,” I say to Cade over my shoulder. “You and Rae are the grossest.”
“Are not,” he argues.
I snort. “We sound like we’re six.” I throw away the burnt eggs and clean the pan.
Xander takes the pan from me and says, “Maybe I should do this.”
“Hey.” I pout. “You’re the one that started dancing first. It’s not my fault the eggs burned in the process.”
He shrugs. “I make them better anyway.”
I gasp. “Take that back.”
“The truth hurts, deal with it.”
I narrow my eyes. “Oh, you’re in trouble.” When he turns around, I jump on his back like a spider monkey. He starts to fall from the impact but quickly recovers.
“Thea,” he laughs, “what are you doing?”
“Making it more difficult for you, obviously.” Unfortunately, I begin to slide down his body and my butt hits the floor. “Fuck,” I curse.
Footsteps pad across the floor and my brother looks down at me. “Forget gross, you guys are just weird.”
Xander chuckles and looks down at me, waiting for my response.
“I like weird,” I say.
“Me too.”
Cade gags. “I’m out of here. I can’t take anymore.”
I pick myself up off the floor and Cade pauses before leaving. “We’re going tubing with Jace and Nova at twelve and Mom and Dad’s barbeque is at three,” Cade reminds me.
“I know,” I laugh. “You told me three times yesterday.”
“I don’t want you to forget.”
“Mhm,” I hum as he leaves this time. Before he can make it to the stairs, I call, “The barbeque is at five, right?”
“Three!” he yells back as I cackle. “Dammit,” he mutters.
I shake my head. “I love messing with him.” I wrap my arms around Xander’s body, laying my head against his back. “Well, we’ve made it to July, one more month to go.”
His body stiffens. “Why do you say it like that?”
“Like what?” I step to the side so I can see him.
He flicks his dark hair from his eyes. “One more month to go,” he mimics. “It sounds like you’re getting rid of me after that.” Hurt flashes in his gaze.
My heart pangs. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean it like that. It’s just that August is technically the end of our agreement.” I shrug. “Who knows what’ll happen.”
He shakes his head. “You’re unbelievable.”
“What?” My eyes widen in surprise.
“I thought we were doing good and here you are talking about the end of it.”
I touch his arm and he flinches away from me. “Xander,” I say firmly, forcing him to look at me. “That’s not what I meant. It was stupid of me to say that. I’m sorry.”
He swallows thickly and takes a deep breath. “It bothers me when you talk like that,” he says. “We’ve waited a long time for this and the thought of not having it anymore kills me.” He closes his eyes briefly. “I guess when I put that ring back on your finger I thought the agreement didn’t exist anymore. I shouldn’t have thought that.”
“You’re right,” I say, shaking my head rapidly. “It’s pretty much null and void at this point. What I said was stupid. I’m stupid—but we know this.” He chuckles. “I’m sorry,” I say again. “Forgive me?”
He smiles, and it’s not quite genuine, but almost. “I forgive you. But,” he starts, “if you start having doubts about us tell me. Don’t blindside me.”
I shake my head. “I’m not going to have doubts,” I tell him.
He stares at me for a moment and then nods. “Good.” He kisses me.
The atmosphere in the kitchen returns to more normal, happy levels as the tension from before leaves.
While he makes the eggs, I handle the toast and pouring of the orange juice.
We set everything out and Rae and Cade join us.
I smile at Xander beside me. I hate that we had a tiff, but I guess it’s bound to happen now and then. No couple has sunshine and rainbows moments all the time. You have to learn to move past things, and I think for our first kinda-sorta fight, we did pretty good.
Go us.
“This looks dangerous for my boobs,” I say, adjusting my bikini top. “If a nip slips out, someone better tell me.” I glare around at my group of friends.
Cade pales. “I’m not going to be looking at your boobs
, so sorry.”
I look up at Xander. “You’re in charge of nip duty.”
He chokes on a sip of water and spews the liquid all over the ground. “Um, okay,” he says, wiping the back of his hand over his mouth.
“Whose idea was it to go tubing again?” I ask, gathering my hair up into a messy ponytail.
“Mine.” Jace raises his hand.
I narrow my eyes on him. “If this doesn’t end well, I might never speak to you again.”
I already saw one girl come back soaking wet and covered in mud. I could handle getting wet—you’re going to dry off, obviously—but mud? That would require at least three hot showers to get all of it off and disinfect my body. I don’t have time for that today.
Jace chuckles. “I don’t think that would be a bad thing.” I glare at him. “What?” He raises his hand innocently. “You talk a lot and I like silence.”
“Says the guy who works in a bar,” I mutter.
He laughs and counters, “Maybe that’s why I appreciate the silence.” He claps his hands together loudly and a group of girls looks over. They immediately make googly eyes at him. It’s the tattoos all over his arms. Tattoos make girls do stupid things. It’s a fact.
One of the girls gives Xander an appreciative look and I bristle, making a hissing sound.
Xander snorts. “Did you just hiss at them?”
I hadn’t meant to do that. I square my shoulders and lift my chin, owning my moment of jealousy. “Yes,” I say. “And I’ll piss a circle around you too if I have to,” I joke.
He throws his head back and laughs. “You’re amazing.”
Cade shakes his head. “Are you sure you want to stay married to her? She’s kind of weird.”
Xander laughs and wraps his arm around me. “Yeah, she’s stuck with me.”
Jace picks up his black tube. “Can we talk about the fact that I was the last person to find out you guys got married? I feel the love, guys.”
I laugh. “We haven’t told our parents yet, so technically you’re not the last one.”
He points a finger at us. “You didn’t even tell me. I show up here and you’re both wearing rings.”
“Technicalities.” I wave my hand through the air, dismissing his words.
When Stars Collide (Light in the Dark #2) Page 15