Dream Chaser (26 page)

Suddenly, any thoughts of my burned hand evaporated with the scorching awareness of Eli’s arms wrapped around me like a blanket. I didn’t move a muscle, afraid of the sensations coursing through me. Then I relaxed and leaned against him just enough that I could feel the strength of his body on mine, and he wouldn’t notice. I released a sigh.

His arms hugged closer, locking me in the glory of his touch. I leaned my head against his neck and sighed. The beat of his heart pulsed against my back. Cold tap water rushed over our hands, his breath warmed my cheek.

“Thanks, it feels better,” I whispered.

“Are you sure?” He tilted his head to look at me and let our hands drift away from the water.

“Yeah,” I angled to see him but not disturb his gentle hold. Our eyes connected and gravity pulled us together.

Eli’s lips parted and he kissed me. Long and slow.

“Was that practice for the show?” I murmured.

“No. That was for me.” His eyes searched mine to see if I’d run. “Is that okay?”

I nodded. I wasn't running anywhere.

“Good.” His mouth settled on mine. I leaned against him. He tilted my chin closer. His fingers caressed my neck. I’m pretty sure I had died and gone to heaven.

I turned and wrapped my arms around him. I couldn’t believe this was happening. I gazed into the depths of Eli’s eyes, aware of him for the first time.

“Where have you been hiding?” I whispered.

“Right here. Waiting for you.” He smiled, his dark eyes all dreamy. He reached past me to turn off the water and then wrapped his arms around my waist and looped his thumbs in the top of my jeans.

If I wasn’t so stunned to realize how much I really liked Eli, I might have felt embarrassed. All those years together and I never saw him this way. I guess the attraction had been fighting to come out ever since my audition. Why had I been so stupid and blind? I caressed his back.

“You’re hands are freezing,” he said.

“That’s your fault.”

“As I recall, you’re the one that burned your hand.”

“This is true. I’m glad I did, or I’d never have seen you clearly.”

His smile lit the whole room. “It’s about damned time.”

Eli took my hands and linked his warm fingers with my cold ones being careful not to touch my burn, then wrapped our arms around my back. Holding me captive, he took my mouth with his. We went from zero to sixty in mere seconds.

After long minutes of exploring the contours of Eli’s lips and mouth. He sighed and leaned his forehead against mine. “I think this would be a good time to order that pizza.”

Leave it to Eli to be the responsible one. “You don’t want charred chicken
caccatore
?”

“No, I definitely don’t want that.”

I pulled him in for a slow kiss. “You’d rather have pizza than this?” I breathed.

“Hell no! But we’ll need energy to make it through the night.”

*
  
*
  
*

After eating a little pizza, we turned on the stereo and picked up where we left off, this time on the comfort of the couch.

Eli held me in his arms; my world had never been better. He brushed a wisp of hair off my cheek and behind my ear than wove his fingers deep through my hair. His mouth moved over mine with gentle kisses. Like an engine, my heart started at a slow idle and now revved out of control. I disappeared into this new world we’d discovered.

With our legs tangled together, his hands roamed my every curve sending tingles to new places. He ran his hands over my jeans, and caressed my bottom. The sensations coursing through me awakened every nerve ending. He pulled me closer, our bodies intimate. Hungry. Without realizing, I squirmed for more, and Eli groaned with desire.

And that's how Mom, Dad and Breezy found us when they barged in, carry-on bags in hand.

I don’t think
Eli’d
ever moved so fast in his life. Unfortunately, our legs were linked and as he tried to leap off me, we ended up on the floor.

“Hi Eli,
whatcha
doing?” Breezy asked as if it was an everyday occurrence to find him wrapped around me like a pretzel.

I pulled my shirt down as we struggled off the floor.

“Uh, yeah. Hi Squirt.” Eli floundered for words. “Willow asked me to come over and help her make out, I mean make up one of her cooking assignments.”

“And how’s that going?” Dad tipped his head toward the barely touched pizza on the coffee table. I couldn’t think of a single word to say.

“Oh that, oh, well, sir. It burned. The dinner that is.”

“It seems really hot in here. Ralph, did you notice?” Mom fanned herself.

“Sure is. I’d say steamy,” he answered with a straight face.

“You’re right. Maybe we should open a window to cool it down in here.”

“Good idea. These poor kids look overheated.” Mom bit back a smile.

I rolled my eyes. There was no stopping them now.

"It’s a good thing Willow doesn’t cook more often.”

“True. They could burn the house down.” Dad acted concerned.

“That, or we might be grandparents soon,” Mom said matter-of-factly.

“Mom! Dad! Stop it!” I interrupted.

They grinned, so proud of themselves. I wanted to throw some of Breezy’s paints at them.

“You’re
gonna
be a grandma?” Breezy asked. “Who’s having a baby?”

“Oh. My. God!” I said.

Eli’s cheeks turned pink, a sight rarely seen.

“And to think we were worried she’d be lonely.” Mom shook her head.

“I don’t think she’s lonely. Breezy, does your sister look lonely to you?” Dad said.

“Not so much.” She shook her head, finally catching up to the conversation and joining their evil game.

“Enough already!” I stood up, Eli followed.

“Sir, I’m really sorry...”

“Eli, it’s nice to see you again. How’ve you been, son?” Dad held out his hand.

“He looks pretty happy to me,” Mom answered, fighting back a grin. I gave her the evil eye.

“Hello, sir. I mean Mr. Thomas.” A confused Eli shook his hand.

It was strange to see Dad and Eli, now the same height, standing eye to eye. Last time I saw them together, my dad took him fishing down at Bowman Park years ago.

“I think you’re old enough to call me Ralph,” Dad said.

“Thank you. I will.”

Poor Eli. I wanted to hug him and smooth down his hair where it stuck out funny from all our, uh, fun.

“You got big,” Breezy said.

“Hey Squirt, so have you. Last time I saw you, you were only this tall." He held his hand out to show how small Breezy once stood.

She giggled. “
Wanna
see my tattoo?”

Eli looked at Mom and Dad as if they’d actually let an eight year old get a tattoo.

“It’s a spider.” Breezy dropped her coat and held out her forearm to reveal a lick and stick tattoo.

He bent over to examine it. “Wow, that’s really scary.”

“Thanks.
Wanna
see my coffin?”

“Breezy, leave him alone,” I said.

“I should really be going.” Eli took his first opportunity to escape. I wished I could escape with him!

“Are you sure you don’t want to stay?” Dad asked.

“You can have more pizza or maybe take a cold shower?” Mom offered as she choked back laughter.

Man, I mention I hate my family sometimes.

A few days later,
right before I left for my voice lesson torture with Gloria, Mom gave me an address and directions to some place in Fitchburg.

“What’s this?” I knew immediately I wouldn’t like it.

“I don’t know. Your voice teacher called a few minutes ago and said you needed to meet her at this address.” Mom feigned ignorance.

“That is evil and cruel and mean.”

“You shouldn’t talk about her that way. She’s working very hard to help you.”

“I’m not talking about Gloria. I’m talking about you!” Mom knew exactly what Gloria was up to and I knew she wouldn’t spill it.

“Oh, in that case, thank you!” She kissed my cheek. “You better hurry. Don’t want to be late.”

I slammed the door on my way out. Why, when things were finally going so well, did I have to still be tortured? The last few days, things with Eli were better than ever. We’d grown closer and closer since the night I tried to cook him dinner. I still can’t believe how blind I was. I guess it was fear. This super hot guy with more talent than anyone I know—except Tyson, of course—wanted me! I get to spend time with him every single day. God, life is good.

I pulled out of the drive and called him. We now spent every spare second together and talked on the phone the rest of the time.

He answered on the first ring.

“Hey you.” His voice sounded like cool magic.

“
Whatcha
doing?”
I asked.

“Other than thinking about you?”

“You are such a suck up!” I laughed

“I thought for sure you’d fall for it.” The low rumble of his laugh made me smile.

“Nice try. You are not going to believe what Gloria is doing now.”

“You mean besides turning you into a great singer?”

“She gave my mom some mysterious address with directions, and they won’t tell me what it's about. I know she’s going to make me sing in front of people again.”

“You realize that’s a good thing, don’t you?”

“No, it’s not! I hate singing in public. You know that!”

“Well in another couple weeks, you’re
gonna
have to whether you’re ready or not. And I’d appreciate you not sounding like a squeaky mouse.”

“Ouch! Whose side are you on?”

“Mine!
Tyson’s.
Gloria's.
Listen, I know you can do this. You’ve just always been too
self conscious
to try before. Give me the address, and I’ll look it up.”

I read him the address. “So what are you really doing, watching Next Top Model?”

“Cute. You’re a riot. I’m working on a paper for AP Lit that’s due next week.”

“Wow, you work ahead.” I thought of my history paper that was due last week. Oops.

“It’s fifteen pages and twenty-five percent of my grade. Oh, here we go, she’s sending you to...”

“Where is it? Tell me it’s a vacant lot or a cemetery.”

“Oh. Interesting,” he said.

“What? Where am I going?”

“I think it’s better if you see when you get there, but you’re on the right track.”

“What, a cemetery?”

“I’m not
gonna
tell you, so you can stop asking.”

“You are a total shit! You’re supposed to defend my...I don’t know. My whatever!”

“Sorry, you need this. You’ll do great. Just relax and have fun.”

“You know this is grounds for a break up.”

“You’d never do that. You want me too much.” I could practically see the grin on his face.

“You are in so much trouble. I’m deleting you off my phone!”

“Hang up now, and do your warm ups. You’ll be glad you did.”

“You are so bossy, but right. I’m hanging up. Bye.”

“Bye, break a...”

I clicked him off. The jerk.

As I turned onto the road listed in the directions, I discovered my final destination
;
The Hospice Care Center.

“Oh boy.”

I knew what this meant. I had to sing in front of sick people.

Correction.

Dying people.

I did not want to walk into that building, let alone force these dying people to listen to my ineptness. Not to mention, sick people gave me the creeps. I know it’s wrong, but it’s true. What do you say to someone who is terminally ill? Hi, how’s it going? What did you do today?
Anything fun
coming up? Oh yeah, death!

Singing at the nursing home was bad. The people were old and dying, but these people wouldn’t be that old. I walked past the pristine landscaping to the front entrance. Each step filled my stomach with dread. Gloria came out.

“Please don’t make me do this,” I pleaded.

“Willow, you have a beautiful gift to share, and these people deserve as much joy as possible in their final days.”