by Elodie Colt
“Yeah, but this is a huge step we’re talking about here. Try to see this from her perspective. You were the biggest asshole to her for weeks. Then you two ran off breaking into the hospital where you seduced one of your nurses, and you never made a secret of the many women you screwed. That doesn’t exactly make you look like a man for a stable relationship. Then there’s the thing with Ricky and her involvement. She’s still blaming herself for his death. And on top of that, she’s never been serious with a man.”
“How would you know?” I asked sharply, not liking the idea that Haylie confided in Chris about her love life.
“Lauren told me. She was eighteen when Shawna died, and according to Lauren, she never had a serious relationship since then. After Shawna’s death, Haylie drowned her misery in alcohol and sex.”
The revelation hit me like a jackhammer. I’d never thought about Haylie having sex with other men. She’d always been under my radar since she came to the compound, so there had never been a reason to lose a thought about her having a lover. I hadn’t expected her to be a virgin, but Chris telling me she’d given her body to various men at various times made my temper flare.
“It took some time for Lauren to snap her out of it and help her through this. Since then, she didn’t engage with anyone,” Chris went on, oblivious to my inner turmoil. It relieved me, though, that this phase of her life had come to a fast end. “She can’t have her heart broken. There’s too much at stake for her. Lauren said you already won her heart. You just need to take it. I agree with her.”
“Damn, when did these things get so fucking complicated?” I muttered, dragging a hand through my hair in frustration.
“Since you fell in love, man. And it’s about damn time.”
I didn’t even care to get into denial. What was the point?
Hours later, we drove back to the compound. It was strange seeing Cassie enjoying herself and not staring daggers at every girl trying to be nice to her.
Lauren started to ramble in excitement about the shopping tour. “This was so much fun, we should do it again. And, oh my God, Haylie, your dress! I can’t wait to see you in it,” she gushed, clapping her hands like a five-year-old. I could see Haylie rolling her eyes in the rearview mirror. “It’s a shame you refused to buy those heels, but I guess your boots will do. I was thinking about doing your hair. Should we braid it or just let it hang loosely?” Lauren addressed Sarah who sat next to Haylie. Haylie huffed and leaned forward between our seats.
“Help me,” she pleaded in a low voice. I laughed, but who was I to intervene if the girls intended to put her in a sexy dress and spice her up a bit?
“What happened here?” Chris asked in astonishment when we entered the canteen. “Is this the part where you’re telling me there’s a secret underground level where the house elves cook?”
The tables usually occupied with students enjoying dinner were lined up against the wall except for three long tables standing in the middle of the room. They were decorated with red tablecloths and set with elegant dinnerware, cutlery, and candles.
“No, but I have someone who turned out to be just as helpful as Dobby,” Scott said with a nod toward Cole, wiping his hands on his apron bearing the slogan Mr. Good Lookin’ Is Cookin’. “It’s quite handy to go grocery shopping with a Racer. We were out of the store in no time.”
I strolled into the kitchen where Jared and Josh were cutting onions, both bleary-eyed. The scent of rosemary and olive oil lingered in the air and made my mouth water. Retrieving three beers from the refrigerator, I handed Cole and Chris one.
“You used your ability in a grocery store?” Chris asked Cole.
“I can be very fast when it’s just for short distances. People feel a breeze but nothing more.”
High-pitched laughter resounded throughout the canteen as the girls joined the party. Annoyingly, my heart leaped as if I were in an elevator plunging downward. I quickly combed a hand through my hair and adjusted the sleeves of my light gray sweater before honing in on my target of conquest.
“Guys, I have the feeling this night is going to be awesome,” Cole drawled as Sarah entered in a glittering sapphire dress flaring around her knees, followed by Cassie.
I’d seen Cassie in every slinky outfit she owned, but the elegant emerald halter dress reaching her ankles was not what used to be her style. It suited her, combined with her shiny silvery hair swept around in a low ponytail draped over one shoulder. I was surprised to see she’d gone without a ton of makeup plastered on her face. Only glossy lips and a bit of red on the cheeks enhanced her features. I didn’t blame Cole for appreciating the view—this was the first time I’d classify Cassie as beautiful rather than just fuckable-hot.
There was only one woman who could be classified as both, and it was the one trailing in behind Cassie. Lauren was right. The dress was beyond stunning, and I couldn’t imagine any other female looking that gorgeous in it.
It was simple—a strapless, dark taupe, mermaid dress that was so sleek, it looked as if she’d been dipped in liquid metal. It curved over the swell of her breasts in a heart shape, hugging her slender waist and coming up a little higher than mid-thigh, short enough to display her heavenly legs. A silver zipper crossed over diagonally from her left breast to her right leg. My heart raced in anticipation as I pictured ripping that zipper down and exposing her in one swift movement.
She wore ankle high, brown leather boots that fit the dress perfectly. I wouldn’t have said no to high heels, either, but regardless, she looked hotter than ever.
Apparently, Lauren and Sarah had decided on doing little with her hair. The strands hung freely down her back, shiny and multifaceted as usual with only the ends a bit frayed with oil, giving them a slightly disheveled look. She, too, didn’t wear much makeup except for mascara and a dark red lipstick that made me want nothing more than to suck her lips until there was no lipstick left.
Haylie gave me a shy smile when she spotted me and waved one of her silver bangle-adorned arms. In my stupefied state, I didn’t manage more than lifting my beer bottle in greeting. Even my hands were sweating. Get it together, dammit.
“Man, you’ve got it bad,” Chris muttered, whereas he, too, did nothing but ogle Lauren who wore a fire red dress made for salsa dancing. Combined with her ebony black hair, I couldn’t deny she made one exotic beauty.
Even Scott, who’d never shown interest in a girl before, nearly dropped a pot with boiling water as his eyes fell on Gabby wearing one of Cassie’s black A-line dresses. Jared rushed to his aid before the pot could slip from his hands.
“Okay, Scott. What’s on the menu tonight?” Sarah asked, peering around Jared to see what was frying in the pan.
“Uh… Roasted turkey with onion-cornbread stuffing and cranberry relish as the main dish. Also, mashed potatoes, roasted cauliflower, hashed Brussels sprouts, and Caesar salad. And for dessert, I was thinking about making a pecan pie.”
Everyone shot each other looks of surprise. “Oh, wow. Jimmy, why was Scott never one of the cooks here?” Sarah asked, but before Jimmy could reply, Scott threw in,
“You mean working with two cooks who can’t tell the difference between Cayenne pepper and Szechuan pepper by scent? No, thanks.”
“Oh, yeah. Losers,” Sarah mocked, waving a hand in the air.
“What’s with the Thanksgiving dinner, anyway?” Lauren wanted to know. “Not that I’m complaining.”
“I don’t need a holiday to make a turkey. I figured now that everyone’s safe and home again, it’s the perfect evening to thank God for his blessings.”
“Aw, you’re so sweet.”
“A toast to that!”
We waited for the girls to have full wine glasses and toasted to a great evening. My eyes hardly left Haylie, and I caught her more than once stealing glances in my direction, much to my ego’s delight. I’d be damned if I didn’t at least kiss that girl tonight.
We fooled around as we all helped Scott prepare dinner. I made sure to make physical
contact with Haylie as often as possible. Once, I couldn’t help but lightly brush my hand over the backs of her thighs as I grabbed a bowl to her left. She didn’t react visibly, but if the soft gasp I heard was anything to go by, I gathered my touch affected her.
My constant attention to her made me incapable of noticing anything else. This became particularly tormenting when Haylie started to wash cucumbers under the stream of water, and I watched her handling the vegetables with deliberate up-and-down movements, making me imagine her hands wrapped around something else entirely.
My eyes lifted heavenward as I prayed for strength, causing me to knock over Haylie’s wine glass. We both whipped around to catch it, but it suddenly froze in the air along with the spilled wine, the amber liquid floating at eye level.
Everyone gasped at seeing Haylie with hands raised, apparently keeping the wine from spilling to the floor.
“Cool,” Lauren exclaimed, poking a droplet and watching it wobble in its suspended state. “Can you pour the wine back into the glass?”
“I don’t know.” Taking the glass with one hand, she flicked the wrist of the other. Half of the wine followed her command and splashed back into the glass, but the rest hit Jared directly in the face just as he turned to the sink to wash his butter-streaked hands.
“Argh!” he yelled as the wine hit him, dripping down his eyebrows and nose, and everyone howled with laughter. “Who the fuck was that?”
“I’m sorry, it was an accident!” Haylie exclaimed but couldn’t hold back a snicker.
“Sure. Can someone please wipe that stuff off my face?” He lifted his buttered hands indicating he was helpless at the moment. It was Sarah who paid pity on him before wiping his face with a towel.
“I’m sorry,” Haylie repeated.
Jared grinned, winking when his face was clean again. “No worries. I’ll pay you back, you can count on that,” he joked.
“Let’s try that with water next time,” Lauren suggested.
I wasn’t paying attention to their conversation anymore. A drop of wine had made itself comfortable on Haylie’s leg, and I watched it trail a path down to her knee. I couldn’t help myself and grabbed a tissue, wiping away the liquid and making sure to make skin contact with my fingers. Haylie gasped, standing stock still.
“There’s a drop left,” Lauren mocked, pretending to scrutinize Haylie’s thigh thoroughly. “You should lick it away.”
I smiled at Lauren’s attempt to embarrass me. “I’d gladly do that if we weren’t surrounded by the entire compound crew.” I flirted shamelessly while my eyes stayed glued to Haylie’s. A pretty blush blossomed on her cheeks, accompanied by a crooked smile, which made me wish the only thing surrounding us were four walls and a bed. No, scratch that. A bed wasn’t necessary.
By the time dinner was ready, everyone was seated. Lisa, Tamara, and Ian had also joined us sitting next to Cole and Jimmy. Of course, I made sure to catch the seat next to Haylie, which provided the best vantage point at her short dress and allowed me to catch her scent every time she swung her head around.
“Damn, this is the best Thanksgiving dinner I’ve ever had on a not Thanksgiving holiday,” Chris muttered, his voice muffled by a mouth full of turkey.
“I’m sure you never had such a good Thanksgiving dinner on Thanksgiving, either,” Josh interjected, impaling some cauliflower on his fork.
“True.”
“I could get used to this,” Jimmy said with a grin, and everyone laughed. Since Jimmy’s horrible accident, everyone pampered him, and he made no effort to hide how much he enjoyed being babysat.
Scott set the last plate on the table before starting with, “I’d gladly cook every day if you let me—”
“Nope.”
“But it would just be one—”
“Nope.”
“But I swear I—”
“Nope.”
Chris and I chuckled at Scott’s sour face. We’d paid witness to this conversation ping-ponging between Scott and Jimmy countless times.
“What was that about?” Haylie wanted to know, leaning in so close, her intoxicating scent turned my insides to jelly.
“Scott wants to plant some seeds next to the northern entrance.”
“Oh.”
“Everyone knows he’s already growing his weed in the cemetery except for Jimmy. Or he knows and tolerates it, no idea. Anyway, he won’t give Scott official permission.”
After dessert had been served, and everyone was full, Cole and Jared volunteered to clear the dishes. We watched in fascination as they raced from the table back to the kitchen faster than we could follow. Lauren stopped the time on her phone—it took them fourteen seconds to clear the tables.
“I should consider marrying a Racer one day,” Sarah mumbled as she refilled Haylie’s wine glass.
“You said the same thing two years ago when you met Marcus,” Cassie threw in.
“Who’s Marcus?”
“A Racer. Sarah had a thing with him for a few months. Apparently, he was quite good at using his ability in the bedroom.”
Sarah’s grin said it all. Haylie and Lauren shared a wide-eyed look before bursting into laughter. Yeah, let her try out a Fighter first.
Jimmy clinked his glass a few times to get everyone’s attention. Haylie stood in front of me, and I rested my hand on her waist when she turned around to face Jimmy. She took a small step back, coming closer, and I felt her behind brush my crotch. It reminded me of the time we’d been forced to hide in Doctor Simmons’ office—another thought that made me wish I could ignore the others and claim her right there on the dining table.
“I think it’s time for a speech,” Jimmy announced, supporting his weight with one arm draped around Lisa. My heart warmed at seeing her smile. Jimmy and Lisa were the perfect couple.
“First, thank you, Scott, for this great dinner. I think that was the best idea you ever had. No, scratch that. It was the best idea you ever had.” Everyone snickered, and Scott gave him a thumbs-up.
“Ian and Tamara. Thank you for staying with us and helping us reconstruct the compound after that tragic accident. My deepest condolences to the team members you lost.” Ian and Tamara both lifted their glasses in acknowledgment.
“Josh and Jared. You two were great on the mission, and I’m glad you got away unscathed. Thank you also for staying with me at the hospital. You were a pain in the ass, but at least I never got bored.” Josh and Jared shared knowing grins.
“Sarah and Lauren. You two make a great team and did your best to see to the compound’s safety when the shit hit the fan. You may not be a Roe, Lauren, but I’m glad you belong to us.” Lauren’s eyes glistened with tears as Haylie squeezed her hand. I watched Chris giving her a sweet kiss on the head and was tempted to do the same to Haylie. I opted for making slight circles with my thumb on her waist, instead.
“Then there’s Gabby. I’m so happy you decided to join us. You did amazing work with your ability and saved my people. We welcome you to our team.” Everyone shouted in unison as Sarah hugged Gabby who was deeply touched by Jimmy’s nice words.
“Lisa, Chris, Cole, Scott, and Dylan. I am so, so proud of all of you. Each of you contributed to rescue our two girls. Dylan, you were a great leader for this unit. You’re my best man and always will be.” Haylie turned around giving me a beaming smile, and it was all I could do not to kiss her senseless on the spot.
“Last, but not least, Cassie and Haylie. I can’t tell you how sorry I am for what happened to you, but seeing you standing here right now, stronger than ever, proves that nothing can destroy you.” From the corner of my eye, I saw Haylie reaching out to Cassie who took her hand. Cole put both hands on Cassie’s shoulders, and she smiled at his touch. Cole and Cassie… Who would have thought that?
“So, let us toast to the best team in the world.” Haylie clinked her glass with Cassie and threw her an affectionate smile.
The evening wore on with a lot of wine and beer bottles being emptied. Fighters an
d Racers didn’t get that affected by alcohol because of their fast-working metabolism, but gathering from Haylie’s rosy cheeks, she was already tipsy. Not that I cared. I loved seeing her this carefree and hoped it would help my attempts to get her into a private room with me soon, which should be easy considering we’d agreed on talking.
I didn’t avert my eyes when she caught me staring at her again. If she weren’t surrounded by the girls clinging to her like a limpet, I would have walked over, swung her over my shoulder, and dragged her out of here, but I didn’t want to push her. She’d been through a lot, and I didn’t know if she felt as fine as she made us believe. I needed to be absolutely sure this was what she wanted before I made my move. I couldn’t afford to make a mistake with her.
Her eyes, intense and unwavering, stayed glued to mine. Pushing away from the wall, she mumbled something to the others and slid out of the door but not before throwing me another meaningful glance.
Message received.
I couldn’t down my beer fast enough and strode to follow her. She waited for me in the corridor.
“Let’s go somewhere private,” I suggested, traversing the hallway before opening a random door to my right and holding it open for her.
“Whose room is this?” she asked at seeing the ruffled bed sheets and open closet.
“No idea.” It had belonged to a student, but now that everyone was gone, there was a lot of space left—much to my delight. Sure, I could have taken her to my room, but I had no intention of wasting precious time by hiking through the entire compound.
I strolled into the middle of the room while Haylie leaned back against the door, crossing her legs at the ankles. Putting distance between us would hopefully keep my hands off her. For now.
“You wanted to talk to me?” I prompted, eager to speed things up a little bit. Lifting my head to face her, I caught her nibbling her lower lip—a lip I’d soon suck into my mouth.
“Yeah, I wanted to thank you for… staying with me throughout the Awakening.”
Her words caused me to frown. “I already told you there’s no need to thank me.”