Cinder by Ashes

by Pinder, Victoria

  The ballroom was full of people milling around, and it was impossible to see Mr. Sexy now. I turned toward Jason and said, “He was talking to Cleo and Coco. My stepsisters.”

  He pulled me forward and tried to steer me toward the man who filled me with wonder.

  “So?” he said. “You two said you’d talk. It’s time to let that happen.”

  The thump in my chest was hope. I knew it, but I shivered and turned like I’d run into a corner. “I’ll just stay back.”

  Jason took my elbow and guided me forward. “Don’t you dare! It’s time to get to know this guy you’re so interested in.”

  It wasn’t fair. Coco was beautiful and every guy in high school had been in love with her. Cleo tended to attract all the bad boys with her surly attitude. And, they were both swarming around the one man I’d ever thought handsome. I ignored the tension in my shoulders and said, “I … fine, but come with me.”

  We were halfway across the room when I saw a glimpse of Mr. Sexy. Seriously, the humming in my veins wasn’t normal. I’d never been crazy like this before. “Stay by my side. I’m nervous.”

  “No. Once you’re there, I’ll give you a chance to miss me.” He nudged me forward and stepped back while he said, “You got this Emily. You’re a Steel.”

  For one second, I stopped. Maybe he was right. I was a Steel, so it was time to live up to my name and not hide. I was here to shine, for once.

  Chapter 7

  Jesse

  Until right now, I honestly never believed what I read in books when they talked about love. I absolutely hadn’t believed that one glance was all it would take to make my heart burst into thousands of flames.

  However, as I glanced up the stairs of the ballroom, I saw an almost mythically beautiful girl in a blue dress who could haunt my dreams forever.

  My spine tingled and my hair stood on end as I walked away from the two girls my age I’d been talking to and stepped forward.

  I lost sight of the living Aphrodite, and I wondered if she was just some fantasy I’d concocted in my mind to rid myself of the two girls who were hovering around me. But the crowd cleared as I stepped forward and I saw the brown-eyed beauty again. In an instant, she captured my heart and possibly even my soul.

  A guy our age tapped her side and said, “I see you don’t need me anymore.”

  Whoever this girl was, she nodded at her friend. My heart raced—and it never reacted like this to anyone. A memory of earlier today, when I’d stood on the sidewalk with a stranger, rushed through my mind. She had the same eyes, I quickly realized, and I asked, “You’re the same girl I talked to earlier today?”

  “Yes, that’s me.” Her cheeks had a bit of extra color, but she nodded. “I met you leaving the dress store.”

  “You’re even more breathtaking now.” I reached out and brushed her bare arm. My pulse convulsed, almost like I felt sparks. Funny. I’d only read about this kind of sensation. But my mind was still working, and I asked, “What’s your name?”

  She lowered her eyelashes like she’d tease me, but her face turned redder. “Won’t that spoil the mystery?”

  “We’re at a wedding,” I whispered into her ear. I didn’t step back, as she made the air smell like lavender, and I said, “I need to make sure we’re not related.”

  She pressed her small but strong hands on my chest like she’d push me away and I stood back.

  “Fair enough,” she said. “I’m Emily Steel.”

  The name replayed in my mind. Yesterday was her birthday and she was going to Austen. My pulse zipped as I massaged the back of my head.

  “Em! I had no idea you were the girl I talked to on the phone yesterday. You didn’t mention going to a wedding when I did.”

  “Wait!” She blinked at me and pressed her hand to her chest. “Are you Jesse, going to Austen?”

  We’d definitely see each other again, then. Behind me, I thought I could hear the voices of the other two girls I’d been talking to, but right now I just wanted more time with Em. I reached out and took her hand. “Good. You remember me, too.”

  She didn’t object and her palm curled in mine like she belonged to me. “You said you’d find me there.”

  For the first time in my life it was like I had found my other half and now I was whole, which was crazy. My cold, sneering attitude toward life was completely shattered, like shards of glass, near her. I winked and said, “I definitely will, now that I know what you look like.”

  The chatter of others behind us made me lead her toward the balcony. She walked with me as she asked, “Were all your answers honest?”

  Even on the phone I’d been at ease with Em, and I hadn’t even known how electrifying she was. And on the street earlier, I’d known right away that I wanted to meet her. I opened the balcony doors and finally we were alone. “With you? Yes.”

  She placed her hand on her hip. “So why did you break up with your girlfriend?”

  My nose wrinkled. It seemed like I’d spent my life waiting for her. I walked her to the edge of the stone terrace and said, “She wasn’t a girlfriend exactly, and she wanted more from me than I could give her. But just to remind you, even before now, I clearly wanted to meet you.”

  Her face turned upward, and she let out a small laugh. “Are you always this flirty?”

  I pressed my hand on her lower back and urged her closer. “Only with you.”

  She motioned with her head toward the few steps that led down off the balcony and toward the vineyard. “Want to sneak out for a few minutes?”

  “Where do you want to go?”

  She tugged me forward. “I want to see the vineyard.”

  “In your heels?” I asked, as we headed toward the steps. She wasn’t like anyone I’d ever met in Beverly Hills.

  “I live dangerously.”

  We went down the small steps at the same time, but I paused. “And in the moonlight.”

  She took both my hands and pulled me to go with her. “You’ll protect me.”

  My body burned to possess her. Something about Em was different. I took a few steps and then stopped again. “I’ll have to earn that trust.” There was a little shed close by, and inside I found plastic flip-flops and said, “Here, put these garden shoes on.”

  She put one hand on my shoulder to balance herself while she undid the straps of her silver heels. “Always looking out for me.”

  I held her steady. “I’d like that job.”

  She left her shoes on the bottom step and waved for me to follow her along the path through the vines. “Well, it’s yours for the night then.”

  A few feet in, the pungent smell of grapes was everywhere. I stopped and pointed behind us. “The music started.”

  “So?” she asked without blinking.

  I cupped her hips and tried to ignore how hard she made me. I said, “So, I want to dance with the prettiest woman I’ve ever seen.”

  She placed her hand on my arm and I swayed with her to the faint strains of music. “I can’t imagine anyone ever saying 'no' to you.”

  “Let’s keep that fantasy.”

  She pressed her head to my chest and, in that moment, I knew she was the one I’d been waiting for. Em made the world seem more alive and my body pulsed with energy. As the song ended, I asked, “When do you go to Austen?”

  We continued on our walk, and I couldn’t not touch her. She didn’t complain.

  “Orientation is in seven weeks.”

  In seven weeks, I could lose her. It was suddenly imperative that never happen. I had been waiting all this time to start my life over, on my own, and I wanted her in it. “That’s too far away. I want to keep you for myself.”

  She cupped my cheek as we neared the end of the row of vines. “We both have lives.”

  She didn’t move, but I kissed her fingers with butterfly kisses. “Mine was dull, until you.”

  She stayed in my arms and I held her closer.

  “Mine was … hard, but getting better. I’m excited about
starting over,” she said.

  She went on her tiptoes to be closer to me.

  “Now that you’re here, my life is better.” My lips tingled and I caressed her.

  “I half believe you,” she said.

  I pressed my forehead to hers. I needed to know everything about her, but I held back and said, “You should. I read once that one moment is all we need to know the truth.”

  She ran her hand down my abs and my muscles contracted. Her eyes were gazing into mine when she said, “That’s deep. What’s the truth you now know?”

  She sucked in her lips as I made small circles on her back with my fingers. “That you’re my new obsession.”

  She let out a small sigh. “That sounds a little dangerous.”

  My gaze narrowed. Was she stalling? I had no roadmap of what to do with someone like Em. I asked, “Are you scared of me?”

  Her eyebrows arched. “Of you? No.”

  “Good.” She trembled in my arms a little, but I kept her close and our hearts were in sync. “I hope we can get to know each other better.”

  She breathed as if for both of us. “I’m in.”

  I let her go. She had never closed her eyes and I refused to push her away by acting too soon. I had to force myself to keep my distance, as every instinct I had was telling me to take her behind one of the vines and find a secluded spot for us. However, I wasn’t an animal, so I just said, “Seems like we should get back inside.”

  She hugged herself but didn’t move. “Jesse?”

  “Yes?” I asked and stood absolutely still.

  She lowered her head and I couldn’t see the magic in her eyes. “I should tell you I’ve never been kissed.”

  I lifted her chin. Now I understood, and my heart thundered inside me as I asked, “Under the moonlight, or ever?”

  Her eyes almost misted. “Both.”

  “Then, let’s fix that before we go back,” I said, and this time she closed her eyes and, out of instinct, puckered her lips.

  I pressed my lips to hers. I’d kissed probably a hundred girls before this moment but, with the simple brush of her lips against mine, every other girl was suddenly a blur. The only person who zapped life into me was Em.

  As the kiss ended, she hugged me and said, “Wow.”

  The last thing I’d ever do was move too fast. I took her hand and held it near my heart as I said, “If you kiss me like this, I’ll never have enough of you.”

  She rested her head on my chest and said, “You’re poetic, Jesse Donovan.”

  Damn. It was like Em saw something in me that no one else ever had. I kissed her forehead, as I’d not had enough of her, and said, “I’ll be anything you want me to be, Emily.”

  She took a step back and looked up at me. “Anything?”

  The air smelled fresher and the moon in the sky beamed brighter over the vineyard as we walked back toward the inn. I asked, “Do you have something in mind?”

  “I’d like for us to pretend, just for the weekend, that we’re in love. I want to leave here remembering you as my very own Prince Charming.”

  “That’s a tall order,” I said. I felt like a fucking hypocrite agreeing, because I remembered when I'd said I’d never be that to anyone.

  She shrugged, but her face seemed whiter now. “That’s a 'no'?”

  I tugged her into my arms and lowered my head. I’d do whatever this sexy siren wanted from me. “I said anything. And there is nothing I want more than to spend every second for the rest of the weekend with you in my arms.”

  “Yeah,” she said as she went up on her tiptoes again.

  I stole another kiss. I intended to be light and airy with her. But once our lips touched, the need to claim her as my own hit hard and fast.

  I’d never been like this, ever. I let her go, but every cell in my body rebelled like I was betraying myself. I was breathing harder as I said, “Let’s get our dinners so we can escape and do something, just the two of us.”

  “Like what?” She asked.

  We had reached the house, and she stopped to pick up her shoes from the step. She used me as an anchor again while she slipped the heels on. Then, I knelt down to help with the straps. Her legs were smooth and silky, and the gentle brush of her skin against mine made me wild, but I refused to tell her. I fastened one strap, and she gave me the other foot.

  “I haven’t exactly planned a date on such short notice, but I’ll think of something.”

  She straightened up and I quickly put the garden shoes back in the shed. As I returned, she said, “Jesse, just sitting with you is a dream.”

  We walked back in together and rejoining the swirl of people was a little like waking from a dream. I guided her to the buffet table as I said, “I promise we’ll do much more than sit, soon.”

  She bumped into me and whispered, “I’d like to experience everything I can with you.”

  I handed her an empty plate and smiled. “Those are words you might regret later.”

  “Doubtful,” she said.

  We made our way down the buffet table and helped ourselves to the chicken. Then, she added green beans to my plate before putting some on her own.

  For a second, I blinked. The girls I’d dated would never have been so considerate. I whispered, almost under my breath, “I hope you always have that light in your eyes when you look at me. You make everything different.”

  She tilted her head at me and gestured for me to move forward in the line.

  I did as she directed. Soon, I’d find a way for us to spend some alone time together. For once, I had someone in my life that seemed important. And I never wanted to lose her.

  Chapter 8

  Emily

  After eating, I’d snuck away from Jesse to head to the bathroom. I was floating on air. I’d never imagined what falling hard and fast for someone might be like, but maybe this floating feeling was love at first sight.

  Tomorrow, I might feel different, but tonight, there were butterflies in my belly the whole time. It was like I was under a magic spell of perfect happiness.

  But as I opened the door to head back into the ballroom, I slammed right into one of the two people I’d hoped I’d never see again. The dark-haired girl who’d made everyone in high school hate me and who treated me like I was dirt to walk on, now stepped back and offered her hand to shake.

  “Hi, I’m Cleo.”

  Did the dress and makeup make me look that different to her? My entire body tensed like she was about to kick me out of my dream. I just stared at her hand and said, “Umm …”

  I didn’t even have words. She patted my arm like we were friends.

  “Look, I can see you’re interested in Jesse Donovan and I just thought I’d show you what I know about him.”

  She took out her phone and showed me Jesse’s online profiles, with photos of him with countless girls in his arms.

  She’d stuck a needle into my soul, but I just nodded at her and said, “Okay.”

  She shrugged and bounded into the bathroom, leaving me alone.

  For one second, I braced myself against the wall and imagined Jesse with all those others. However, as I heard the music change, I pulled myself together and ignored how my insides cringed. Jesse had told me himself that other girls had wanted him, and I’d not been jealous then. I steeled my spine, determined to ignore the pictures, and I returned to the ballroom.

  As I slipped into the hall, I held my head higher. At least Lana hadn’t seen me. It was so strange how Cleo had acted like she had no idea who I was.

  I tried to put the photos she’d shown me out of my mind, but she had me wondering which of the beautiful girls in Jesse’s arms was the one he’d broken up with yesterday.

  And, what in the world was he doing with me? He stood as I approached and, in that moment, I needed to ignore everything else.

  This might not be forever, but tonight, the most perfect man I could ever imagine was real and beside me. I kissed his cheek. That slightly rough skin was real, and it tick
led me. I took my seat and, as I scooted in and he rejoined me, I pointed toward the door where Cleo had just walked in.

  “I don’t think she recognized me,” I said.

  He glanced over my shoulder and stared at Cleo. Then he snapped his finger and shook his head. “You know, I was talking to her earlier, but I don’t remember her name. Who is she?”

  I waited till she was out of sight, before saying, “She’s … she was my stepsister.”

  Waiters brought raspberry chocolate tarts and put them in front of us. And somehow, I had a champagne flute, probably to toast the bride and groom.

  He scooted closer to me and placed a warm hand on my shoulder. “Your parents divorced?”

  “No, they died,” I said, but the usual ache in my chest wasn’t there.

  Jesse’s knee brushed against mine as he said, “That’s hard.”

  I let out a long sigh. “Honestly, the hardest part of the past five years was Lana and Cleo.”

  His eyes widened. “Yeah, that was her name.” But then, he pressed his shoulder to mine. “Who’s Lana?”

  The tables full of people around us melted away and, once again, I was in the world where only Jesse and I existed. I met his blue-eyed gaze and said, “My stepmother. She’s kept me away from my family—even my brother—for five years.”

  His face whitened. I relaxed a little, and pressed my hand against his chest before he could say anything.

  “It’s okay,” I quickly added. “On my birthday, after we talked, my brother, Stone, showed up and rescued me. She threw him out five years ago, and he just vanished. I had no idea how to find him. And she’d never let on that he had wanted me to move in with him once he settled down and got his own place.

  “I didn’t have anywhere else to go, then. But I’m eighteen now, and I don’t ever have to go back.”

  His hands were tense at his side. He said, “I won’t let you ever be hurt again.”

  So much for my plan of independence, if I let him become my protector. I closed my eyes and wished this wasn’t just some blip in my life. Having someone like Jesse would be a dream come true. I patted his muscular arm, and sat straighter. “I … like how sweet you are, Jesse. In a few weeks, you’ll probably be sick of shepherding me around.”