Enchant Me (16 page)

With homework done I finally turned out the
light and flopped onto my bed. Cody eventually jumped up and padded
over to me, happily sprawling on my chest. Within minutes he
started purring and making paws with his little sharp nails;
muffling my yelp, I lifted him up, dragged the comforter underneath
him and then lay him back down. He didn’t seem as satisfied with
the arrangement but that was too bad. As we lay there
communing with each other, the feeling that someone was watching me
crawled over my skin. Even though my curtains were closed, I still
had the sensation someone was near my window. What freaked me out
more was the fact that Cody seemed to sense someone too. His ears
had rotated around and he jumped off my chest and faced the
window.

If it had been just me I could have passed it
off as being paranoid, but knowing Cody’s hearing was better than
mine… I started to feel panicky. Quite honestly I wasn’t so sure it
was Christian this time. I crawled over the end of my bed so I
could approach my window from the right side. Slowly I moved my
curtain aside and peeked out; seeing no one, I crept over to the
left side of the window and peeked out from there, still nothing.
Finally I walked to the center of the window and gathering my
courage, yanked the curtains wide open.

All I saw were trees. I sighed loudly; I had
been more scared than I wanted to admit. Jerking the curtains back
in place, I crawled into bed and tried to not see Christian on the
back of my lids as I fell asleep. When Friday arrived warm and
sunny, it was like a benediction upon my party. For the first time
I was the most popular girl in school. I was still being inundated
with requests; some even tried to bribe me. Superficially I enjoyed
it all, but deep down I knew that none of those particular people
were real friends or cared one bit about me. 

By lunch time, I was already sick of the
falsity of it all and arranged for Tina to take Becca and I to her
house for lunch and almost wished I hadn’t. We sat around Tina’s
butcher-block-topped kitchen island, eating sandwiches and chips,
quiet for the time being. I had been mostly absorbed in melancholy
thoughts until I felt the combined weight of their concerned stares
and I ignored it for as long as I could. That wasn’t long,
considering my mood. I felt restless and dissatisfied like nothing
in the world could ever make me happy or content again. Then in
turn I would berate myself for not appreciating what I did have. It
was becoming just one big negative cycle and I found myself almost
hating Christian for it.

“What?” I finally blurted out, staring first
at Becca’s brown eyes then to Tina’s almost black ones. “Are
you sure about tonight?” Becca asked.

 “Yeah,” I said shrugging my shoulders.
“Why wouldn’t I be?”

“I just don’t want you to get in trouble if
somehow your mom or grandmother finds out.” 

“They won’t. I told my mom that I am staying
with my grandma Ann and since they don’t talk, mom won’t even know
that she isn’t home.”

It was interesting that Tina seemed to be
letting Becca carry the conversation, and when I looked at Tina
piercingly for a moment, she ducked her head like she was
embarrassed about something. Great, apparently Becca had elected
herself speaker for their mutual concerns for me. As much as I
appreciated their love, I was starting to really hate their
pity. 

I watched as Becca shook out her long curly
red hair behind her like she was preparing for battle and then she
eyed me from across the island. “I still think you should go to
prom.”

“I am,” I said as I wadded up my trash and
threw it away. Becca threw a glance at Tina in confusion. Tina
looked at me with pleased bewilderment. “Since when?”

“Since last night.”

“Who are you going with?” she asked in
excitement. I shook my head and stood up in preparation for us
leaving. “No one.”

They followed me out the door and to Tina’s
car. Their confusion was a palpable thing. “You know my cousin
Ethan that goes to UW?” Becca asked.

 I nodded at Becca waiting for her to
get to the point. “You’ve met him before. He said he would
have no problem being your escort to prom. He’s coming to your
party tonight too, so you could talk to him about it then.”

It took a couple of moments staring at Becca
before I calmed down enough to form a coherent reply. “One, I don’t
want nor need either of you to find me a date--ever! Two, I do not
desire a date for prom in any way. I will be too busy making sure
everything goes smoothly. Understand?” I demanded, getting into the
back seat and slamming the car door behind me. 

“Yes,” Tina piped in immediately, glancing at
me in her rear view mirror to check how angry I really
was. 

There was only the barest grumble of
agreement from Becca. I guess that didn’t surprise me since, of all
my friends, she was the most boy crazy and probably couldn’t
understand for the life of her why I wouldn’t want a date.

Back at school, outside the door of my
yearbook class, I was waylaid by both Kirk and Michael. They didn’t
understand how they weren’t invited for the party. It was actually
kind of funny watching them try to jockey for a spot. I was already
late to class, and I could see Michelle leaning way back in her
chair to look at me, hinting to hurry it up. Mr. Agostini seemed to
already be doing roll call, so I used that as an excuse and left
them to fight it out behind me. 

When I stepped through the doorway to class I
felt the back of my neck start to tingle; glancing back I saw
Christian at the entrance of his class staring at me with a sort of
savage look in his dark eyes. I repressed my instinctive shiver and
closed our door. I couldn’t stop thinking about that look. Not
as I got dressed for the night, not as I put signs along the path
at my grandmother’s house to lead everyone to the fire pit, and
especially not as the night fell and the only light was that of the
fire. It wasn’t fear that I felt, it was more like-- intrigue,
excitement.

As I watched the bounce of my friends’
flashlights as they made their way up the hill, it occurred to me
that I shouldn’t feel anything. He probably meant nothing by it.
But I decided for tonight I would rather believe that it had meant
something so I could have one night where I wasn’t torturing myself
with what-ifs. Forcing a smile to my face, I walked up to greet my
guests. While Jim was occupied talking to Michelle and her
boyfriend, Tina pulled me away. By the way her eyes were lit up I
had an idea of what it was about. I smiled at her obvious
happiness.

Once we were on the other side of the fire
where we could talk privately but she could still watch Jim, she
turned to me. “He kissed me last night.”

I smiled more broadly. “And how was it.”

She looked at me surprised. “It was amazing
of course,” she exclaimed, giving me an unnecessary elbow into the
ribs.

I privately snorted at the fact she was
insulted that I could think anything else.

“I think I am falling in love with him,” she
said in a hushed tone like she was confessing a sin. 

“There’s nothing wrong with that. I’m so
happy for you.” 

“Thanks,” she replied, barely able to contain
her smile. “So have you seen any one interesting yet?”

“Not yet but the night isn’t over yet,” I
replied playfully and pushed her back in Jim’s direction. “You
better head back over to your man. It looks like he’s about to
circle the wagons and come searching for his little lady.” She
glared at me but wasted no time getting back to her man.

It was a great party, all things considered;
we had food, music, and ambiance. I should’ve been happy if not for
myself then at least for everyone else. Unfortunately I only felt
jealousy as I looked around and saw the shining happiness on Jim
and Tina’s faces, the calm connection that Michelle had with her
man, Becca’s delight with the two dates she had brought for the
night, and all the other myriad couples that were here. I felt
wrong-- like I didn’t belong here and I started to edge back
towards the woods when Becca’s cousin Ethan walked into our little
clearing and headed straight for me.

He was more attractive than I remembered,
short red hair, built like an athlete. He was smiling warmly as he
walked up. Abruptly Jaime, Michelle’s older brother, stood in
front of me. I blinked up at him in surprise. Lord, he was tall, at
least six foot one if not more, his long and dark hair pulled back
in a ponytail. The glint in his eyes wasn’t one I was sure I
trusted as he held out his hand to me. 

“Would you care to dance?”

I glanced at him suspiciously; he hadn’t
seemed to notice me in any way other than one of his little
sister’s friends until now, huh…. “Sure,” I said cautiously.

He led me away from Ethan to the other side
of the fire and took me in his large arms. I was almost amused by
the safe and proper distance he kept between us. By virtue of being
friends with Michelle I suppose I was off limits. Which then begged
the question of what was he up to. I glared up at him trying to
catch his eye but he was studiously looking away. When the
song ended and I prepared to step away, he gently drew me in again,
dancing to the next song that had come on and still keeping on the
opposite side of the fire as Ethan. I caught him giving a warning
glance to Ethan, but warning him of what, I didn’t know. Jaime
wasn’t even interested in me. I was getting tired of whatever game
was going on so I stomped hard on Jaime’s foot to get his
attention. He actually laughed in a deep booming voice before
he looked down at me.

“What?” he asked with humor in his voice and
a very mischievous look in his blue eyes. 

The thought occurred to me that I should be
feeling completely obsessed with Jaime. He was undeniably handsome,
maybe one of the most classically beautiful men I had ever seen,
but I felt nothing towards him. I found I preferred brown eyes to
blue, intelligence and mystery compared to Jaime’s what you see is
what you get, and someone who was comfortably tall, but not a
freakin giant. 

My patience finally snapped. “What are you,
my damn babysitter?”

He didn’t look down as he laughed at me
again. “Do you need one?”

That was it! I could play games too. I let my
hands drift down from his neck, over his chest and down his abs. He
glanced down sharply at me warning me not to go any further.
Feeling empowered by recklessness, I slipped my hands under his
shirt, flattening my palms against his hard stomach and watched as
his eyes kindled. He seemed to be struggling internally with
whatever agenda he had, but I now had his complete attention.

 “What do you think you are doing?” he
grumbled. 

“You first,” I demanded, and then watched as
his eyes left mine and focused at some point behind me.

 He leaned down close to my ear but his
voice still boomed out around me. “Don’t you have a boyfriend?”

I prepared to tell him in no uncertain terms
I did not, when I felt that tingle on the back of my neck… That was
my only warning. 

“Yes she does.” 

Jaime released me and walked away. This time
I was unable to stop the little shiver that went through me. There
was a wealth of emotions in Christian’s low voice that I couldn’t
even begin to place. As I turned to face him, I felt that shock of
awareness between us, the compulsion to be close. He looked
beautiful and dangerous in a black coat, button up shirt and dark
jeans but it was his eyes that drew me. His dark eyes were almost
black in the night, flickering with jealousy, desire and pain. As I
tried to fathom why he was here and what he wanted, he reached out,
grabbed my wrist, and pulled me around the fire and back down the
path. I could sense the emotions seething through him, but was
beyond perplexed as to the reason why. I followed in stunned and
intrigued silence. Still unspeaking he cut onto another path that
would lead to the waterfall and creek which was a good distance
from the fire pit.

Eventually we reached the waterfall and he
pulled me under a weeping willow tree, its branches gently swaying
open and closed as we passed through. Swinging me around, he
pressed all of his weight against me from chest to toe against the
trunk of the tree. I should’ve been angry at his attitude but I was
too fascinated by him. 

“What the hell do you think you are doing?
Have you forgotten that you are supposed to be mine?” He
roared.

I realized this was why he had walked us so
far away from everyone else. I also realized I could be
blisteringly angry and fascinated with him at the same time.

“Have you forgotten that you broke up with
me?” I challenged.

 I swear I could hear the cracks in the
dam of his control, break wide open. His dark eyes flared with
emotion just as he shoved his hands in the length of my hair,
cupped the back of my head and drew me to him. I barely had time to
register the new direction our exchange was taking before I felt
his lips crash down upon mine. It reminded me so much of our first
kiss, desire, devotion and needing someone so much it hurt.

All my questions took a back seat to desire.
His lips seemed to feast upon mine, ravenous and devouring. They
were so warm I imagined that I literally melted into their embrace.
I gasped as he nudged my head back and trailed my neck with kisses,
only to reverse the path with the dampness of his tongue on the way
back up. His lips brushed against mine again before I felt the
rough texture of his tongue as it traced my bottom lip, then dipped
inside to caress my own. The words ‘I love you,’ hovered on my lips
but I didn’t speak them. Slowly his hands drifted down,
caressing my neck, then over my shoulders and arms until he reached
my thighs. Without breaking our kiss he gently gripped them and
lifted me up in his arms and I wound my own arms tightly around his
neck and my legs around his waist. I wanted him--more than I had
wanted anybody and more than I think I could want anyone in the
future.