Just Me (23 page)

He pulled me closer but I felt the tension in him.
“
I didn't either.”
And I was sure that was part of what fueled his anger. He had been deceived by Brad too.
“
I'm sorry I wasn't there. I'm sorry he put his hands on you. Jesus, Lark, the thought of him hurting you makes me insane with rage, especially knowing how scared you must have been. I want to fucking kill him.
”

My hold tightened on him.
“
He isn't worth it. What did you tell the folks in Massachusetts?
”

“
The truth. They know who you are and what you mean to me.
”

I brushed my lips over his. “I think you like me.
”

A small grin touched his lips at the memory.
“
There's no think about it.
”

“
So it's everything you hoped, the restoration work?
”

“
You're trying to change the subject.
”

“
I am. I've spent the past 24-hours worried sick that you would feel differently about me. It was that, more than the attack, that had me unable to function.
”

“
Well, that's just fucking stupid.
”

It felt so good to laugh.
“
Agreed, so now I just want to forget,” I said. “You are here and I've missed you like hell. I want to talk about you.
”

His hold on me tightened, some of the tension draining from him. He exhaled and said,
“
Yes, I love the work. I want, well, I have so many ideas.
”

I really stared at him at that moment, because it looked as if he was blushing.
“
Ideas about what?” I asked.

He threaded his fingers through my hair,
“
In a few years I see you and me, an old house on the Hudson in need of restoration, an easel by the water, kids running around the yard, maybe a tire swing.
”

“
Really?”

“
Does that surprise you?”

“
No, it sounds perfect.”

“
That's my dream, a loving family of my own, a home, but I've only come to realize I want that because of you, only want that with you.
”

“
That's what I want too.
”

When he kissed me, it held a promise.

A mischievous light glinted in his eyes when his mouth lifted from mine,
“
We should probably get some sleep, since we have school tomorrow.
”

“
We have school? You mean me.
”

“
Yeah.”

And then I noticed his bag.

“
You can stay here with me tonight.
”

“
I know.”
He
said with a naughty look.

He was acting very strange, but I was too tired to think about it. I changed into my pajamas and brushed my teeth. Bastian was already there waiting to pull the covers up over us as I climbed into bed. He wrapped me in his arms.

“
It's been too long,”
he whispered. As I snuggled even closer to him, a contented sigh escaped my lips, which elicited a chuckle.

“
Sweet dreams, Lark.
”

In the morning I woke to the feel of an arm draped over my waist, a leg tangled with my own and at first I thought I was still asleep, but the warmth of his body pressed so close to mine was no dream.

My fingers ran over the muscles of his forearm, trailing along the veins in his hand, before his fingers grasped mine. He kissed the skin at the nape of my neck.

“
Mornin
g
beautiful.
”

I missed this—waking up with him, talking until we fell asleep, knowing that when he was away from me, it was at most only a few miles.

“
When are you going back, Bastian?
”

“
I want to talk to my brother and Mr. Wright, want to make sure Brad can't hurt you again. I need to see Caden—to thank him in person for protecting you from that bastard.
”

He didn't answer my question, but then since I didn't want to hear the answer, I let it pass. I turned to him and was immediately distracted at the sight of his bare chest. My fingers ran over his dragon, tracing the head, the snout, the eyes.

“
Why this?”
I asked.

“
What makes you think there's a meaning behind it? Maybe I just think it's cool.”
He
said very softly.

“
Maybe, but since all the ink on you has a meaning, I'm guessing this does too.
”

He traced my jaw, his eyes tracking the motion.
“
I read once that dragons symbolize courage, strength and a strong will—all traits I want to emulate. Blue represents the sky. When I was little, I used to look up at the vastness of it and knew that there was so much more to the world than my tiny little part in it and that knowledge made the intolerable, tolerable.
”

“
And the ruby-red eyes?
”

He chuckled,
“
Reminds me of laser beams, a super power I wish I had on more than one occasion when dealing with my parents.
”

Pressing my lips to his dragon. I felt a tear slip from under my closed lid to drip on his chest. He, obviously, felt it too when he touched my chin with his finger and lifted my gaze to his.

“
Lark?”

“
They may have given you life, but they don't deserve you.”

He pinned me under him, his expression raw as love looked back at me. He started to work off my panties before he stopped abruptly.

“
Don't stop.”
I whispered breathlessly. When my eyes opened, I saw his hesitation, his concern for me. I loved him all the more for it. Reaching for him, I slipped his hand under my panties and guided him to the part of me that ached for him.

“
Please don't stop.
”

His kiss branded me with its intensity, erasing all the ugliness and leaving only the beauty that was Bastian and me. He pulled my panties down my legs and I spread them wider and lifted my hips in invitation. He reached for the condom and slipped it on before settling over me and when he joined us, it was deliberate…almost lazy. His mouth sealed over mine just before I came to swallow my cry. I felt him tense right before he followed me.

An hour later, we came downstairs. Poppy and her parents were already filling their travel mugs with coffee. Bastian followed me, but as soon as we entered the kitchen, he walked straight to Mr. Wright and shook his hand.

“
Hello
sir.
”

“
Bastian, it's good to see you.
”

“
And you, sir.”
Dr. Wright lowered her mug and pulled Bastian into a hug. She whispered something into his ear, but I couldn't hear it and when she stepped away, his eyes looked suspiciously moist.

Poppy, being so in-tune to others, took the focus off him and asked,
“
Lark, are you riding with Bastian to school?
”

“
Yes.
”

“
All right, I'll see you there.”
She walked past Bastian and he leaned over to kiss
her cheek. She continued past me with a face that was on fire. I couldn't help my grin.

“
Would you mind if Bastian and I made dinner?
”

Dr. Wright smiled, big and pretty
in response.
“
I would love that.
”

“
Dominic is joining us tonight as well. He wants to see you, Bastian, and he has some things he wants to share
.
”
Mr. Wright said cryptically.

“
Thank you, sir, for calling him.
”

“
You had enough to handle last night.
”

My attention turned to Bastian,
“
Maybe we could stop by a grocery store after you pick me up from school?
”

“
Sure.
”

Though it was the end of February, the weather warmed up as we made our way along the quiet country roads. With a day as glorious as this one, it was easier for me to push the ugly ordeal with Brad from my thoughts. I tilted my head back so I could look up at the sky—so bright a blue, with wisps of clouds that looked like white brush strokes across an azure canvas. Bastian was right, looking up into the vastness made you feel so small. It really did put things into perspective.

I squeezed his arm and signaled for him to pull over and as soon as he did, I climbed off. He shut down his bike and met my gaze with a look of concern. “What's wrong?
”

“
I think you should stay to finish out high school and be with me. I think we should march ourselves right into your parents
’
home with Mr. Wright, my uncle and your brother and tell your parents as much. We should stand up to them and maybe with an audience they'll be less inclined to follow through on their threats. Damn it, Bastian, we need to live our lives and not the ones they're trying to force on us. What do you say?
”

He shoved his hands into the front pockets of his jeans with a smile.
“
I say you're fucking incredible.
”

“
Can you get out of the apprenticeship now and still be able to rejoin them in the summer?
”

“
Yes.
”

“
I want to walk down the halls in school holding your hand. I want to see your face at my locker. I want to secretly hold hands in English and share lunches together. I want to make love to you when the mood strikes. I want to laugh with our friends and go to parties. I want to live like a teenager while we are teenagers. Your parents have no right to take that away from us.
”

“
Agreed, but I have a confession.
”

“
What?
”

“
I wasn't going back. I had already decided to stay. The rest of my stuff is arriving today.
”

My eyebrow rose slightly at that. “Really?”
Tidbits of conversations with him and Dr. Wright popped into my head as I narrowed my eyes at him.
“
What did Dr. Wright say to you?
”

He looked uncomfortable,
“
She told me she was glad that I took their advice and decided to stay, reminded me I was welcome to a guest bedroom and she let me know she cleared it all with the school. Since I've already taken all of my exams, I can basically audit all the classes.
”

“
When did you talk to her?”

“
Repeatedly, since the day I left.”

“
Fought harder.” I muttered.

“
What's that mean?”

“
Nothing, just an answer to a riddle. So you're staying. Are you going to stay at the Wrights'?”

“
For the time being, yes.”

Joy filled me and I launched myself into his arms. When he pulled me close and held me there, yes, that was exactly what I was talking about.

***

As soon as we pulled into the school parking lot, the stares started. When we climbed from the bike and walked hand in hand through the doors, the whispers followed. Bastian walked me to my locker and on the way countless people welcomed him back. When we parted for homeroom, he kissed me long and hard right there in the middle of the hallway. After morning announcements, he was waiting for me and together we walked to English.

Kira was already seated next to Mica and, based on the look of her, she had heard about Bastian's return. My gaze met Mica’s
and we shared a smile. After what she had done for me, clearly I had been wrong about her, but the same could not be said of Kira. The idea that she had been complacent with the Rosses' attempt to manipulate Bastian, particularly when she had feelings for him, stirred my temper. My voice was loud enough to carry,
“
Yes, he's back, and yes, he's still with me.”
I leaned over so we were nearly touching noses.
“
So go ahead and run to the Rosses and tell them.”