Divine Mortals (27 page)

I rearranged my features into something I hoped resembled the more normal looking me, not the thoughtful brooding me, he raised his eyebrows, his own eyes full of questions, I had him well and truly confused.

Dessert passed quickly, Sally was pretty much back to her old self, chatting easily and laughing a lot, however I did notice her tense a little every time Robert touched me or leaned in to whisper in my ear but I ignored those reactions and much to my relief she really seemed to be enjoying James’s company. I crossed my fingers that it would work out for them.

Robert was the perfect gentleman, making conversation with James as well as he could, after all James was still in school and Robert had been working for the last three years, they didn’t particularly have similar interests let alone personalities. Robert was athletic and universally handsome; James was more the modern city guy, however misplaced that might be in Huntington.

After dessert was cleared we made our way back to the main foyer, Robert paid for our meal much to my dismay, I hadn’t intended to freeload.

“Shit.” James’s expression at our ride was instant and total worship, he circled the car fully twice before hitting Robert with a number of automobile related questions.

Sally and I stood back shaking, our heads at their first real shared interest for the night.

“See you soon,” Sally waved as they climbed into James’s small hatchback.

“See you there.” I replied, turning back towards the shiny black vehicle Robert had ‘acquired’ for the evening. His warm arm slipped around my waist, drawing me closer.

“I want to show you something before we head down, do you mind?”

I could never deny him anything when we were together, he seemed to bewitch me with his gaze, I found it hard just to think straight whenever we touched.

“I don’t mind.” I whispered, instantly scolding myself, was there really any need for me to wear my heart so obviously on my sleeve?

Robert led me behind the car towards a stand of pine trees at the edge of the parking lot, as we reached their cover Robert threw a quick glance over his shoulder, satisfied we were alone he pulled me beneath the thick canopy, the lodge instantly disappearing behind us.

Picking me up easily he set off at a run, that terrifying pace that felt so horrifyingly like flying, which turned my body to Jell-O and set my heart thumping. My head spun and I felt a terrible sense of nausea, oh god what would I do if I was sick down the front of my dress? Perhaps I should have asked what he wanted to show me before giving myself so easily to him.

But in Roberts usual style he never tripped or faltered, I didn’t feel anything touch me except his warm arms and the caress of the evening breeze and I took his closeness as an excuse to bury my face in his neck, inhaling the scent of him, trying to calm myself.

All too soon he stopped, I peered over his shoulder, we were at the hill top, the very peak of valley, the trees had disappeared, only sparse bushes dotted the hillside at this altitude, the air was cooler up here and I felt goose bumps rise along my arms.

Robert put me down gently, steadying me with his arm, I tested my heels in the soft ground, I didn’t want to sink.

“Look…” his voice sung, I turned in his arms facing back the way we had come.

My breath caught in absolute awe.

The sun was setting in an amazing show of pink and gold across the sky, reflecting down the valley and off the river that snaked along its edge, glittering like quicksilver where the sun hit it. I could see hundreds of miles in each direction, it was the most breathtaking view I had ever seen.

“It’s beautiful,” I breathed, the mountain peaks were so close to us here and it was deathly quiet in the pre-evening light, I was in awe of the picture set out before us.

“Well it’s not bad,” Robert laughed gently, “Beautiful though I would reserve to describe something else,” his eyes turned back towards me and I felt myself blush.

Seeing my reaction his laughter came a little louder,

“Your cheeks match the sky.”

“Hey!” I joked, punching him softly in the arm, Robert grabbed my fist before I could withdraw from the blow, threading his fingers through mine and bringing them down to hang gently in the space between us.

“You’re the one I’ve been waiting for.” he breathed.

The entire world seemed to stand still, this simple sentence blew away everything that was spread out around us. The sunset now seemed like a trifling unimportant painting. His words replayed over and over in my head, a million times, in just a matter of seconds, the instinct to pinch myself was strong.

His kiss stopped my thoughts in their tracks, his soft lips slowly caressing mine, I knotted my hands in his hair, pulling him closer to me. Roberts arms circled my waist drawing me in and crushing me against him. I didn’t want this to end, this moment, here at the top of the valley, I was sure nothing would ever,
could
ever, match this. His lips moved away from mine, gently skimming along my jaw towards my ear, I looked over his shoulder and froze, I wouldn’t make the same mistake twice.

“Ahhh Robert…”

“MMMmmmm?” his didn’t take his lips from my neck, the feeling was staggering, a small part of my brain was begging me not to care and I was close to doing just that until I opened my eyes again, I couldn’t risk falling this time.

“Don’t let me go,” I whispered,

“I don’t plan on it.” He chuckled briefly before his lips began doing amazing things to me again, I had to fight to keep my thoughts in line.

“Houston we have lift off,” I tried and failed at humor, the quiver in my voice made it sound
very
wrong.

“Ava what are you talking about?” he murmured, his lips working back towards my own.

“Ahhh Robert, Don’t let go of me
now,
I’ll fall.”

Instantly his hands grasped me tighter making me squeak, his head flew up and I felt him look over my shoulder towards the ground that was now about eight feet below my yellow heels. At almost the same time as he moved we slowly started to descend back towards earth and within a matter of seconds I felt my feet hit solid ground again.

Relief flooded through me, it took all my will power not to bend down and kiss the earth beneath us. I stepped back from him a little, he wasn’t looking at me, he was looking at the ground, his forehead creased deeply in confusion.

“Robert?”

It took him a while to register my voice, he was so deep in whatever thoughts were running through his mind that he didn’t seem to hear me. Slowly his head came up and his eyes met mine. I couldn’t read his expression, it was like the first night I had questioned him at my grandparents, he wore a mask, hiding everything he felt.

“You really are going to have to sort that,” I laughed, trying to show him that I didn’t mind, at least this time we had managed a safe landing.

“Either that or I’ll need to start wearing a parachute when you kiss me.”

This finally broke through his walls and I saw a smile pull gently at the corner of his mouth.

“Maybe until I figure out what’s going on I shouldn’t kiss you.”

I laughed out loud, as if I would be able to resist kissing him ever again, even if it did mean risking my general safety, I noticed a little late he wasn’t laughing, he was serious.

“No deal!” I spoke quickly, this time he did smile.

“Ava,” he was still trying to stifle a grin at my outburst, “I can’t risk the unknown with you, not until I know how to control this…” his hands waved above him, “this thing!”

“Flight?”

“It’s not flight!” he almost snapped, I was a little taken back.

“Sorry,” he apologized instantly, looking ashamed at his outburst, “I didn’t mean to be short tempered with you, I’m just frustrated is all. Until now I’ve known the extent of what I can do, and well now…” he grasped at the next sentence, his eyes betraying the feelings of despair that simmered just below the surface, “now I don’t.”

“That’s okay,” I stepped in, taking his hands in mine, “We can figure it out together,” I pressed my lips into his warm neck kissing him softly, he quivered slightly and I smiled to myself. We would figure this out together, because now we had each other and
that
was more than he had probably had in a long time.

Robert carried me back down to the car with the same ease and care as our trip to the summit.

We walked casually from the trees, I hoped no one was watching, I could just imagine the gossip if anyone had seen us disappear into the bushes and then reappear half an hour later.

Robert opened the door for me like he had earlier and I found myself back in the flashy BMW. He slid into the drivers seat silently and before I could blink we were heading back down the winding valley road towards town.

Robert was completely pre occupied as we drove, I glanced at him every now and then, watching a complete mix of emotions cross his features.

I had stupidly thought, before this day, that we would be able to carry on as we were, totally ignorant to all the questions I didn’t have answers to. I guess I hadn’t wanted to know the answers or I would have asked them already.

After tonight and our river… flight, as that’s all I could think of it as, I needed more information. I needed to know everything he could tell me. But not right now, tonight was still for us, tomorrow I would ask the hard questions.

We had come back onto the main street and Robert turned into the already packed parking lot of Huntington Convention Centre. The name was far grander than the building itself, it looked as though it dated back to the early eighties and was in desperate need of a touch of paint, the light blue of its original coating was peeling in numerous places.

Someone had taken great care to try and dress it up, strings of fairy lights led up to the entranceway creating a long twinkling walkway.

The building itself was large, and going by the number of cars in the lot it would have to be, it seemed the whole town had turned out for tonight’s festivities.

“How many people normally attend these?” I asked, my nervous butterflies setting in once more.

“I’m not sure,” Robert frowned slightly, looking a little guilty, “This is the first I’ve been to.”

“Oh great,” I moaned, “I was hoping you could tell me what to expect.”

His hand flew to my cheek, his fingertips sending bursts of heat through my body.

“Don’t worry,” his eyes were soft “I won’t let anyone make you uncomfortable.”

“It won’t be
anyone,
” I groaned, “Just being
here
is doing a great job of making me uncomfortable.” I had a hopeful thought.

“Maybe we could skip it, spend the rest of the night somewhere together…alone.” I finished in a pleading tone.

He was gone, at the same time I registered his sudden disappearance my door was already opening, his hand reaching in to take mine.

“
That
is far too tempting for me to stay in the car,” he grinned, “If we don’t go in now I will take you up on that offer.” he reached for my elbow, pulling me out gently, I groaned in defeat as I climbed out.

“You need to meet these people Ava,”

I rolled my eyes at him, I was pretty sure I didn’t need to.

“It will make starting school so much easier if you know people.”

“I know people.” I reasoned but he was already leading me towards the entrance of the dance.

“Meeting a few more wouldn’t hurt.”

I tried to disagree but he silenced me easily with a kiss, it happened so fast I wondered if I had imagined his lips on mine. His smug grin told me I hadn’t.

As we walked up the fairy lit walkway to the double doors I could hear a Gloriana track playing inside, this was a slight relief, I had been wondering if the music in the car had been a gentle warning as to what tonight would be, thankfully it hadn’t.

The main doors that bought us from the outside led straight into the heart of the Ball, there was no foyer or small entry hall, we walked right into the heart of the party.

S
omeone had spent hours decorating the inside, I had to admit, it looked amazing. White organza cloth draped in large loops from the ceiling out to the walls which in turn were edged with more white fairy lights and interspersed with candle labrets that burnt large thick white candles.

Hundreds of tiny silver stars hung from the ceiling reflecting the light in small wavering rainbows across the dance floor.

On the other side of the huge ballroom was a stage where the DJ was spinning his tracks, to his right was the bar and buffet table where an array of divine looking canapés were ready to be eaten.

There had to be at least three hundred people in the room, some of them seated at elegantly set tables around the edge of the dance floor, others were dancing to the fast track that was now playing. I couldn’t see anyone I recognized.

Robert stood slightly behind me, one arm resting lightly on my waist, I felt his cheek brush mine.

“Would you like a drink?” his voice was slightly husky.

“Please.” I needed to do something other than stand inside the doorway, I was beginning to feel people stare, getting their first glimpse at the new girl.

Robert led me through the crowd towards the bar. I noticed as we went that just as many people were looking at Robert as at me, in particular the females in the room, and for the first time I felt a little insignificant, were they wondering why someone as gorgeous as Robert was here with someone like me.

Robert ordered two glasses of punch, passing one to me quickly.

“Sally’s on the other side of the room,” he gestured with his glass, “She saw us come in and is wondering what took us so long to come out of the valley,” his smile was cheeky, “She’s pretty spot on with her guesses I have to say.”

I laughed, it could be handy having someone around who could hear conversations from across the room.

“Really…” I asked playfully, “What else do you hear?”

“Well,” his head tilted gently to one side, a few moments later I saw his eyes tighten, he slid his arm around me in a protective manner.