Two Books in One - Ominous Love and Paradox - The Angels Are Here (7 page)

Hearing voices coming down the hall, I freeze. Darn it. Why did I leave that message on Tom's phone? I could tell him I've
decided not to go, but then he'll think Seal talked me out of it. Oh, what have I got Seal into? I smack my forehead. “Ouch. That friggin hurt.” I look at my hand and it’s covered with blood.

Someone taps on my door, but I can't bring myself to answer it. I feel nauseous and I'm going to be sick. As I dab my head with a tissue, the door knob turns and Seal walks in. He takes one look at me and his mouth drops open.

Chapter Eleven

As I gaze up at Seal, my heart dances. He's looks so cute in my dad's pyjamas. The top is undone displaying his wide muscular chest,
and the pants
. Oh my God. I gasp. They're barely staying on his deliciously slim hips. He must have seen me gawking because he's gone bright red and he's hitching up his pants.

Shaking his head, he closes the door and walks towards me. “Tom's here,” he whispers. “He said you phoned and asked him to take you out. Please tell me you didn't so I can order him to leave.”

I bite my lip and stare at him. Oh, don't tell me they're going to fight again. If they do it'll be my fault. I wanted to make Seal jealous, but I should have thought of the consequences.

“Eloise, answer me.”

“Oh, I'm Eloise now?”

He glances up at the ceiling as if he's annoyed. “Don't play games, just answer me.”

“Okay, I did ring him, but why do you care?”

“Why do I care?” He rakes
his hand through his hair, an exasperated look on his face. “Come on, Eloise, you know very well what Tom's like.”

I scowl at him. “Well, at least he’s not a tease like you.” Uh-oh, now I’ve made him mad.

His face crimson, he scowls at my clothes, then looks into my eyes. “Is that why you’re going out with him dressed like
that
?”

“Dressed like what? You sound like my father.” I stand up and shrug into my black denim jacket.

He grabs my shoulders and glares at me. “Eloise, your father's not here, and if he was, I'm sure he wouldn't let you go out with Tom. How old is he anyway?”

“Seventeen, why?”

“I don't think your father would like you getting in his car. What if he drinks or takes drugs? And why have you put all that paint on your face?”

I pull away from him. “Well, my father isn't here and you're only a kid yourself. By the way, now you know who you are, how old are you?”

He takes my hand. “My age doesn't matter, Eloise, but your safety does. So please, go and tell Tom you're not going out with him tonight, or ever.”

My heart skips with longing and when
One Direction's
hit song
'Moments'
starts playing on my iPad, I try not to cry. I just want to stay here with Seal, but who knows what will happen if I do. I grab my purse. “I have to go, but I'll be back before midnight. There's heaps of DVD’s in the cabinet, or you could read and listen to music, oh and help yourself to anything in the kitchen.”

He holds my face between his hands, forcing me to look at him. “Eloise, I'm begging you not to go. Tom isn't trustworthy, and midnight? I doubt your parents would let you stay out that late.”

His thumbs are caressing my cheeks sending shivers down my spine. I don't want to give into temptation, so I push his hands away. “Well, my parents aren't here, are they?”

He flinches as if in pain, then I notice the wounds on his knuckles where he punched the trunk of the tree. I cringe with guilt. “Oh, I’m sorry
, Seal, I didn’t see that your fingers were cut.”

Scowling,
he folds his arms across his chest. “Don’t worry about me, Eloise, your head is bleeding again. You can’t go out like that. Let me fix it for you.”

I dab it with my tissue. “It’s okay. I don’t want you to fix it.”

Tom shouts from the lounge room. “Elle, are you coming, or not? And what're you doing in there with your naked cousin?”

Oh shit. That's all I need, Tom to start trouble. “I have to go, Seal.”

He clenches his fists. “No, Eloise, I can't let you.”

I squeeze
past him. “You can't stop me. I’m g …”

“Please, Eloise, I’m begging you?”
He abruptly takes me in his arms and stares into my eyes, mesmerising me with his, but instead of kissing me, he roughly releases me. Then he turns his back on me and stares out the window. “Okay, just go.”

My heart aches. No one should hurt this bad. I'm stunned, breathless, and confused. He obviously loves Miss Beautiful and I'm just an annoying temptation, someone to feed his ego. I sigh. I'd better get out of here before I change my mind and attack him with kisses. I run out of my bedroom, close the door, and dash to the lounge room.

Tom is standing with his hands stuffed in his jeans pockets, his head cocked, and his hair falling across his forehead. Looking me up-and-down, he whistles. “Wow, you look hot tonight, babe.”

I give him a half smile. “Thanks.”

He grabs me around the waist and pouts. “What were you doing in your bedroom with him? Was he watching you dress?”

I jab him in the ribs. “Don't be so rude. I was already dressed. We were just chatting and making plans.”

“Plans?” He raises a brow.

I roll my eyes. “Yes, plans on when he's going home.”

He stares at me. “Okay, but you better not be kissing cousins.”

My face flushes like a furnace. “Don't be ridiculous, Tom.” I pull away from him. “Come on, I'm ready, let's go.”

He takes my hand, and as we head out to his car, I look sideways at him. He's sort of cute and he never used to disrespect me. I don't know what's come over him lately, but maybe I shouldn't be so hard on him. After all, I'm experiencing the dramas of my own teenage hormones, so I should try and understand Tom's behaviour a bit more. I blow out a big breath. He'd better keep his hands to himself tonight though, or else. Hopefully my friends will be at the party and I can chill out with them for a while and forget about boy stuff.

As Tom opens the passenger door, I notice Seal staring out the front room window, but he's not watching me, he's glowering at Tom. My stomach jerks and I hop in the car to avoid his eyes. My phone beeps with a message and I'm
glad of the distraction. Great, it's from Brooke. She’s already at the party with Ruby and Francesca. I sigh with relief, knowing I won't have to hang around with Tom all night, though he's being so nice at the moment and I don't mind his company. He pats my knee. “Okay, Elle, let's go.”

As he hits the gas I look back at S
eal. He's holding his head as if he’s distressed. What's his problem? He can't have it both ways. I sigh, wondering if he feels the same way about Tom as I feel about Miss Beautiful.

Tom presses his foot hard on the accelerator. “What're you deep in thought about?”

I glare at him. “Nothing, but you'd better stop speeding or you'll attract the police and get booked. Plus we could have an accident. You're still on your P's, you know.”

He hits the brakes and slows down. “Okay, babe, anything for you.”

For some reason, when he calls me babe, it gets under my skin, but when Seal says it, I melt. Not fair, why can't it be the other way around?

Tom nudges me with his elbow. “What's your cousin doing tonight? Posing in front of the mirror?”

“Oh, give it a break, Tom.” I roll my eyes. “Seal isn't anything like you think. He's not vain, he's quite humble.”

“Yeah right, is that why he walks around half naked even in the middle of winter?”

I sigh. “You wouldn't be jealous of him, would you?”

He frowns. “Why? Should I be?”

Ignoring him, I check my phone for messages. Hopefully, Mum won't call tonight. Shoot. I should have told Seal not to answer the phone, but surely he won't.

“We're here,” says Tom, turning into Richie's street.

Cars and motor bikes are parked on both sides of the road, but then I spot someone leaving. “Look, there's a place.” I point to a Toyota backing out.

“That's a bit of luck,” he says, parking the car. Then he jumps out to open the door for me. “Come on, Elle, the party's gonna be a blast.”

As I step out, I'm nearly deafened by loud music booming from a huge white marquee in Richie's back garden. I wait for Tom to lock the car, then as we walk up the driveway to the party, Tom wraps his arm around my shoulders and kisses the top of my head, “I'm glad you changed your mind and came out with me tonight, Elle.”

Though I don't feel happy, I smile at him. There's a full moon and the stars are twinkling, but I can't seem to get into a party mood. Glancing around at all the happy faces and colourful lights, I wonder why I'm not enjoying myself. Everything feels so surreal since I met Seal. It's like I'm watching the world through a window. I blow out a breath. All I want is to be at home with him, but apparently that's out of the question. Life sucks sometimes.

Brooke comes running towards us, holding her camera. She looks stunning in a figure-hugging black dress and knee-length leather boots, and as always, her long black hair is styled to perfection. ‘Hi, you two,” she says. “Smile for the camera.”

Before I have a chance, she clicks the button and the flash goes off. Oh great, I hope she doesn't post it on the web. “You look fabulous, Brooke,” I say, giving her a hug.

She hugs me back. “Hey, Elle, you look pretty hot yourself. You too, Tom.”

Tom's mates call out to him and he heads over to talk to them. “I'll be back in a tick, Elle.
”

Brooke glances at him, then at me. “How come you didn't answer my messages?”

I shrug. “I've been busy with visitors, I didn't get a chance. I haven't even been on my computer for two days.”

Leaning closer, she
whispers, “Ruby and I thought you weren't coming. We heard rumours that you're two-timing Tom with some hot guy.”

My eyes go wide. “Who told you that, Tom?”

She grabs my arm and pulls me towards her. “That new girl in our class said she saw you walking along the promenade with a gorgeous muscly hunk. Who is he, Elle? Are you cheating on Tom? Is that why you've been hiding?”

I gulp. But before I have a chance to answer, Tom comes back and hands me a diet cola. “You coming in the tent, Elle? It's rocking in there. The band is great and there's heaps of food and drink.”

I give him a feeble smile. “In a bit. It's too noisy to chat over there and Brooke and I are catching up first.”

“Okay, but don't be long.” He strides back to the marquee.

Brooke holds her mouth. “Oops, I hope he didn't hear me.”

“It doesn't matter if he did. He knows about the guy on the boardwalk anyway.”

“What guy?” asks Ruby, walking towards us. She gives me an air kiss. “We miss you at school, Elle. It's a pity you left.”

“Hey, I'm starting a job in a pet shop on Monday. I'm so excited.”

Ruby sips on her diet pop. “That's great, Elle, but if you'd stayed at school for another year, you could have gone to Uni with us. Why don't you come back?”

“I hate school. I never seem to catch up with everyone else, and I’m sick of getting bad grades.  Besides, I'm hoping to get into some courses at college. I really wan
t to be a vet nurse, but I have to overcome fainting at the sight of blood first.”

Brooke laughs. “Yeah, we miss seeing you faint. That was hilarious when you threw up on Mr Bradley's desk in science, then fainted on him. He didn't know what to do.”

I scrunch my face up. “Oh, don't remind me. That was so embarrassing.”

“What was embarrassing?” asked Francesca, walking towards us, a glass in her hand.

“Never mind,” I say, staring at her silk crimson dress. “You look fabulous in that outfit. The colour really suits you.”

She downs her drink, her perfect blonde curls trailing down her back, then she twirls around. “Yes, and it's a designer label. Isn't it divine?”

“Anything exciting happening yet?” asks Brooke.

Francesca moves closer to us. “Oh, yeah,” she whispers. “There's this guy in the back garden, and boy is he hot. And guess what? He's not with anyone.”

I raise a brow. “Oh? What does he look like?” The little hairs on the back of my neck prickle and my heart jerks. Could it be Seal? Has he come to check up on me?

Ruby pushes my arm. “Hey, you've got Tom. Leave the hottie for us to fight over.”

Cupping her hand over her mouth, Brooke whispers in my ear. “Yeah, and who else do you have?”

Heat rushes to my face and I gulp. “I'm not sure Tom and I will be together much longer. We're sort of growing apart. And anyway, I can look at a hot guy if I want.”

Francesca's jaw drops. “You and Tom breaking up? But you've been together for months.”

I shrug. “I know, but we were just friends to start with, and now he wants more.”

Ruby snorts into her hand. “Don't they all?”

Francesca pushes her and laughs. “Don’t you? I certainly do.”

I sigh. “Yeah, but only with the right person—a soul mate.”

“What?” Francesca slaps her cheeks. “Eloise O'Connor, don't tell me you're still a virgin.”

I stare at her. “Yes, I am, but so what? Aren't you?”

She rolls her eyes. “Gosh, no, and if you're waiting for a soul mate, you're just dreaming.”

“What’s sex like?” I ask her. “Does it hurt?”

Francesca smiles. “At first, but only a bit. It’s great when you get the hang of it though. Oh, and make sure you use protection.”

I scowl. “I won’t be doing anything until I meet my soul mate.”