by Muse, M. W.
“No, it doesn’t.” She titled her head to meet her gaze. “You just didn’t think it was a possibility, so you pushed it out of your mind. I get that. But now that River isn’t taken—like he put it in the summer—then he’s going to start dating again. All I’m saying is if you think you’re interested, now’s the time to see.”
“Has he told you he’s going to start dating again?” Legacy detected a hint of sadness in her tone and tried not to smile.
“Not in so many words.” She hesitated. “But he is interested in someone.”
Calli’s face fell as she said that. “Oh.”
“Yeah, he’s told me about this girl he can’t stop thinking about.”
She groaned and looked away. It was obvious. She liked him too.
“So you are interested,” she challenged. “You wouldn’t be acting like that if you weren’t.”
“What does it matter if he’s already found someone he wants to be with?” She shrugged her shoulders, looking down. “When he finds someone he likes, he’s like a dog with a damn bone,” she grumbled.
“Do you like him, Calli?” Legacy asked softly. She wanted her to confess it too.
“Ugh. Yes,” she said, looking back at her. “Every time he touches me, I get goose bumps! It seemed like—at least lately—he was more attentive around me. Sure, he’s a gentleman, so I tried not to think too much of it, but when he opens the door for me, he puts his hand on my back—he didn’t do that before. When I hug him, he holds on a little longer than he used to. When we talk, he brushes his hand against my arm or shoulder. Even when he was chaining me to the wall of his basement, it seemed like he was trying very hard not to hurt me.” Her voice got softer. “I was screaming at him, and he wouldn’t look at me, but I could see him. His eyes were so sad, and his hands were shaking. It really seemed like he hated what he was doing to me. He never left me alone with Medusa. If she was in the room, so was he. Then after she left and he told me what was going on, it still seemed like he was scared for me.” She stopped, shaking her head. “He’s the real reason I didn’t start dating again after I got over Zach,” she mumbled.
“I see.”
“Look, Legacy, I know you were playing him back in December, but I wasn’t sure if you were going to really fall for him. You’re like a sister to me, so I didn’t want to like the man you were destined to be with. But I-I couldn’t help it. You don’t know how happy it made me to find out the love between you two was fabricated.”
Legacy smiled at her. “You don’t know how happy that news made me.” She chuckled.
Calli laughed, then sighed. “So tell me about this girl. Is he just crushing on her, or is he like totally into her?”
“Oh, he’s totally gone.” Legacy shook her head with a crooked smile, remembering his little outburst about Calli’s hair. “He’s so into her that he doesn’t even know how to go about asking her out. And you know how smooth he is with the ladies.” She chuckled. “She makes him feel completely out of his element.”
“Great,” she mumbled. “I hate her.”
Legacy glanced at her, and she looked pitiful. “And she’s totally into him too,” she said slyly.
Her head popped up. “What? How do you know that?” she asked quickly.
“Because she just told me.”
Calli stared at her for a few seconds while Legacy smiled hugely. A slow smile formed on Calli’s face, and she threw her hands up to cover it. “Are…are you…serious?” she whispered. “He likes me?”
“Oh, yeah.” She nodded.
She squealed, and Legacy laughed. Then she grabbed her arms. “How did he tell you?”
“Well, I figured it out. When Adin told us our bonds were broken, River glanced at you and smiled. That’s why I wanted to talk to him alone. He didn’t confess at first, but when he did, he went on and on about how much he likes being around you. He asked for advice, which is why I suggested the picnic tomorrow.”
Calli seemed thrilled, but also seemed like she couldn’t believe what she was hearing.
“So wear something cute,” she prompted.
“You’re not going to tell him you told me this, are you?”
“Er, I told him I was going to feel you out, see how you felt about him, but I didn’t tell him I was going to tell you how he felt about you. Do you not want me to tell him you know how he feels?”
“No, no! I need time to process this.” She stood up and started pacing. “I’ll be alone with him in the car tomorrow, so it’ll be really awkward if he knows that I know…you know?” she said, sitting back down.
She nodded, trying not to laugh at Calli’s rationalization and her inability to stay still. “I wasn’t going to tell him tonight anyway. I have to get ready for my date. How about I talk to him at the picnic? It’ll give you something fun to talk about on the way home.”
“Oh my gosh. I can’t stop shaking!” Calli giggled.
Legacy laughed with her. “You know I love you, but I have to get ready for my date. We’ll sneak away and talk tomorrow.”
“Okay!” Calli jumped up and hugged her.
As she ran for her bedroom door, Legacy said, “Thanks again for bringing the dress.”
“You bet!” she yelled through laughter.
Legacy felt really happy about what was to come for the two of them. She really wanted to help River move on with his life, and now, she got to help her other best friend in the process. She remembered thinking back in the summer that she wanted Adin and River to be friends, and now that the bond was broken and River and Calli were probably going to start dating, she felt as if there was a chance that a friendship could form between them.
Well, she hoped anyway.
Chapter Fifteen
As Legacy thought about her friends and her love, she got ready for her date. So much had happened to her since she’d turned seventeen. From her change to River’s change to her love with Adin and her friendship with Calli, so many things had happened. Adin, River, and Calli had all been instrumental in her life up until now and would continue to be, and not just until her ascension. She would always need all three of them.
As she thought about River and Calli, she couldn’t help but smile. Her two best friends liked each other. She remembered when they seemed to just tolerate the other being around. Of course, there was never any animosity between them, but River was bonded to Legacy, and Calli kept her feelings for him bottled up. Now, they were free to love each other. Well, they weren’t in love yet, but somehow, she knew that was the direction they were headed.
When Legacy thought about Adin, she couldn’t help but reflect on falling in love with him in the summer, breaking up with him in the fall, and experiencing his death and rebirth in the winter. The death and rebirth were bittersweet memories since she was the reason for both, and he couldn’t have one without the other. So much had happened to them so far that she’d wondered what would happen to them in the spring. She really had no idea what to expect.
She stayed lost in her thoughts as she showered, dried and fixed her hair, applied her makeup, and put on the dress and accessories, saving her pearls for last. She got finished before five o’clock, and as she began to walk out of her bedroom, she saw Adin’s journal. She remembered how close it made her feel to him when he was gone, so she couldn’t help but pick it up. She thumbed through the journal, reading a page here and there, until she landed on the page with the condom.
She felt heat all over her body as she stared down at it. She’d just told Calli that she was free to be with Adin since there were no more bonds to contend with.
And Lissa and Olive were gone.
She could feel her ears and cheeks burning as she blushed at the thought of what it really meant to be free to be with Adin. No bonds, no interruptions—those were the two factors that had deterred them in the past. Well, deterred Adin. She hadn’t been as concerned about those factors. He was the one who wanted to make sure their first time was perfect. She understood why he wanted
to wait. He didn’t want their unwanted bonds to factor in their decision to have sex, and of course he wanted them to be completely and totally alone when they did it. He didn’t want her regretting the experience. And now it seemed those deterring factors were not an issue. Why hadn’t she thought about this before? She wondered if he’d considered this already.
Of course he had!
She quickly straightened up her room. She told herself that Adin would want to stay over anyway since Lissa and Olive were gone. Even if he wasn’t going to make a move, he wouldn’t like her staying home by herself with Hades even more eager to abduct her. That rationalization really didn’t help her nerves—nerves that seemed to be multiplying as the seconds passed.
Hmmm. Okay. So she knew he was probably going to be staying over anyway. What should she sleep in? She didn’t want to put on just any PJs, and he knew she also slept in a t-shirt and panties. Neither option sounded sufficient, and she didn’t want to just come to bed naked. Naked? Oh, hell to the no! She’d never done this before, but she knew she wasn’t confident enough for that! She looked in her dresser anyway for some inspiration on what she could wear to bed. If she’d thought about this possibility sooner, she could’ve gone to the store as soon as she’d gotten home. As she rummaged around, she found the nightgown he’d seen her in on New Year’s Eve. She knew he’d liked it based on his reaction, and he’d liked it enough to comment about it in his journal. It’d do the trick. She ran it to the bathroom so she could freshen up and put it on when they got back—just in case. She had to remind herself that tonight might not be the night for them. He had been gone for a while. She didn’t need to get her hopes up that it’d happen. She just needed to be prepared for the possibility.
By the time she walked downstairs, Adin was already knocking on the door. She took a deep breath to steady herself, feeling surprised how quickly she felt at ease, and then she opened it.
His eyes glowed as he took her in, and she was sure hers were mirroring his. He looked devilishly handsome, wearing slacks and fitted shirt with a tie.
And he held a dozen roses in his right hand.
“These are for you,” he murmured.
She took them from him. “Thank you, they’re beautiful.”
He wrapped his arms around her, stroking her back. “Not nearly as beautiful as you,” he whispered in her ear. “You look stunning tonight.”
“Thanks. You look very handsome yourself.”
He leaned back and lightly kissed her.
“Mmmmm,” she murmured as he pulled away. “Do you want to come inside while I put these in some water?”
“Mmm-hmm,” he whispered against her cheek.
He followed her to the kitchen, and she put the flowers in some water and placed them on the table.
“Do you mind if we take your car, sweetheart? I haven’t had time to get one yet.” He smiled crookedly.
She laughed. “That’s your car, Adin. I already gave you the keys back. And I heard you leaving in it earlier.”
“I had to go by and see my mom and get your flowers. I would’ve asked you first, but I figured you were in the shower.” He shrugged.
She shook her head, laughing. “You don’t have to ask me. It’s your car.”
“Oh, no. That’s your car now.” He chuckled. “I’m not taking it back.”
“Adin, I’m not keeping—”
He reached for her hand as she started to protest and dragged her out of the kitchen. “Legacy, let’s talk about this later.” He turned around and looked at her with a crooked smile as he kept walking, his pale blue eyes beseeching.
She gave in with a sigh as he turned back around and escorted her out to his car, damn it.
The date was absolutely perfect. She was right about Cajun’s, and the entire time, they kept ogling each other. They sat at a small, round table in the corner of the restaurant with a beautiful view of the river. They held hands, talked, laughed, and enjoyed each other’s company. She had all but forgotten the little bit of nerves she’d felt this afternoon at the thought of sleeping with Adin.
In fact, thinking about the possibility stirred other feelings instead of nerves—for now. She was sure the nerves would return when they actually got home. But at this moment, gazing at him, she was embracing the possibility.
Toward the end of their dinner, she kicked off her shoes and rubbed her foot on his calf. She could feel his tight leg through his thin slacks and was already imagining them coming off. When she caressed his leg, he shifted slightly in his seat and clasped his hands together in front of his face. He rested his head on his hands and closed his eyes, his jaw clenching as her foot slid slowly along his calf. After a few seconds, he cleared his throat as he relaxed his jaw, slanted his head, and peered around his hands to look at her. She stared at him from under her lashes, no smile on her face. As he stared back, his lips parted, and his breathing accelerated.
With her foot still stroking his leg, she leaned toward him and gently clutched his tie. She tugged on it, pulling him toward her. His eyes watched hers as he leaned in and then shut as he kissed her. As they kissed, his hand found her knee and lightly caressed it under the table.
“Are you ready?” she asked in a low, throaty voice as she leaned back.
Though the question was specific to departing, it felt somehow deeper, more significant in this moment.
With his lips still parted, he nodded slowly.
She slipped her foot away from him, and he removed his hand from her knee while she slid her shoes back on. Not waiting on the ticket, he reached for his wallet, threw a bunch of money on the table, and they left.
On the ride back to her house, he held her hand and gazed into her eyes when he could. They talked about small things just to pass the time, just to hear the sounds of their voices. When they got to her house, Adin grabbed a duffle bag out of the back before getting her door. She gave him a quizzical look, though she’d already assumed he’d be staying.
He shrugged with a half-smile on his face. “My clothes for tomorrow,” he said as they walked up to the door. “I wasn’t sure if we’d be sleeping in, and I know we have to get some food to take on our picnic with everyone. I figured I’d save a step and get ready here rather than run back home or to Grandma’s.”
That was logical. She just had to remind herself that she and Adin had slept together all the time when they were together before…without doing anything. Well, without doing it. And thinking of other activity, they made out all the time before, so she couldn’t really use what happened in the restaurant as a guide. And just because he planned on sleeping over, it didn’t mean he planned on further activity.
Well, planned or not, she was sure he’d considered it just like she had. And there were the nerves again. She didn’t need to dwell on the possibility. She tried to remind herself she just needed to enjoy her evening with him. But as she thought about that, she realized why she felt the nerves. Not only was their relationship ready because they no longer had those obstacles in the way, but she was ready. He was ready.
She wanted to spend the rest of her life with him, and she wanted their lives together to begin. It was a natural feeling, and she was a natural person—Mother Nature, to be exact. She smiled internally at her silly thought.
Must be the nerves. Understanding why she was nervous didn’t make the nerves disappear. She felt like her emotions were on a rollercoaster—nervous one minute, not nervous the next—and she hoped the weather wouldn’t portray that. So far, it hadn’t.
When they walked in, she continued upstairs, and he followed silently. When they got into her room, she kicked off her shoes, and he put his bag in the corner, loosened his tie.
“Thanks for dinner,” she said as she took off her pearls, ignoring the butterflies in her stomach.
“It was my pleasure,” he said, smiling, unbuttoning his sleeves.
She still wasn’t sure if he was going to make a move tonight, and she needed to change out of her dress. She
didn’t know if she should change right into her nightgown or put on regular clothes. She figured she could test the waters to help her decide what she should do, so she walked up to him and kissed him.
As soon as her lips touched his, he banded his arms around her, pulled her up against him, and kissed her deeply without hesitation. Oh yeah, he was definitely considering the possibilities of what was to come tonight. That was the confirmation she needed. She slowly leaned back. “Do you want to pick out a movie to watch in bed?” She figured that’d be her excuse for suggesting that they turn in early. It was only seven-thirty.
“Sure,” he whispered, arms still tightly around her.
“Okay, I’m going to get ready for bed,” she said softly.
She kissed him again and left. Her heart was racing as she tried to walk at a regular pace to the bathroom. She yanked the dress off and pulled out the nightgown she’d stowed in here. Even though she showered already, she figured another quick shower wouldn’t hurt, so she jumped in. After she got out, she brushed her teeth and put on her nightgown. Her heart was thudding in double-time when she looked at herself in the mirror, so she took a deep breath before walking out. When she got into the hallway, she heard the movie already playing—well, a trailer at the beginning.
She walked into the room, and saw Adin already in bed. He was shirtless, beautiful. He glanced at her, and for a fraction of a second, she could see the same nerves she’d felt glimmering in his eyes. She found some comfort in that. This was new for him, too, but it was hard to remember that when her mind had been racing earlier.
The moment he visually took her in, his nerves disappeared…or were well hidden.
She walked slowly to the bed, covers already turned down for her. She slid in next to him, and he shut his eyes on an exhale. When he opened them, they smoldered.