Shift (The Neturu Chronicles) (54 page)

               
This time it’s his turn to smirk. “You are a beautiful girl.  I have
difficulty controlling myself around you, so it must be hard on him too.”

               
“I doubt that,” Kayla nervously whispers.

               
“I’m going to miss you terribly.” Damien sighs.  He puts his hands on the
sides of her face.  “Please, stay safe.”

               
She puts her hands on his.  “I’ll be fine.  It’s only two days, and
Jackson will be there.”

               
“I know.  He’ll take very good care of you.  I just hope it’s not too
good of care.”

               
“Don’t worry,” Kayla says.  “I’m driving all that way to see you.”

               
Nodding, Damien agrees. “You are, aren’t you?”  He looks at her and then
leans in.  His lips meet hers, and she wraps her arms around his
neck.  They pull each other close.  After a few minutes, Damien pulls
away.  “I’m going to miss you.”

               
Kayla takes a deep breath and murmurs, “I’m going to miss you too.”

               
“I have to go,” he sighs.  “Go home.  Get some sleep and start out as
early as you can.”

               
“Okay.”

               
“Dress appropriately, you’re going to be in much warmer weather.  Bring
skirts, preferably short ones, and dresses.”

               
Kayla laughs. “I’ll see what I can do.”

               
“See you later,” Damien says, stepping away from her.

               
“Call me when you get there, so I know you landed safely.”

               
Damien raises his eyebrows.  “You want me to call, really?”

               
“Yeah, so I know you’re safe.  I have to keep you in one piece.”

               
He smiles. “Doesn’t that mean I’m your boyfriend now?”

               
“Go, Damien.  Catch your flight.”

               
 “You’ll give in one day,” Damien says as he backs up.  “It will be
soon.”

               
“Go!” Kayla giggles.  “Your sister is waiting.”

               
Bringing his hand up, he kisses his fingers and then waves them in her
direction.  “See you later.”  Then he turns around and walks
away.  Kayla watches him go through security.  When he disappears
from sight, she turns around and starts to walk to the bathrooms as a crowd
comes through the main entrance. 

               
Kayla gets caught up in all the people as they ram into her, going the opposite
direction. She issues out, “Excuse me,” as she pushes her way through. 
When one individual brushes past her, her eyes flicker upward.  Her heart
stops as the passerby meets her gaze.  Kayla can only breathe out,
“William,” before the guy disappears into the crowd. She swings her arms to try
and clear a path for herself, elbowing people out of her way. When she doesn’t
make much headway, she screams, “MOVE OUT OF MY WAY!”

               
People glance at her but step out of her path anyway.  When the crowd
clears, she sprints to the bathrooms.  Unable to wait for Jackson, she
doesn’t stop outside the men’s bathroom. She rushes inside of it and ends up
slamming into him.  “Um, Kayla, wrong bathroom.”

               
“No, no, no, William is here!”

               
“What?” Jackson grips her arms and searches her face for more details.

               
She points in the direction of the crowd.  “I swear, he walked past me and
looked me dead in the eyes.”

               
“Kayla, how would he know you’re here?  I mean, you probably saw someone
who looked like him.  Calm down and take a deep breath.  Really think
about it, why would he be in the airport?”

               
“To come and take me away,” Kayla answers hotly.  “I don’t know!”

               
He looks at her tenderly. “It was probably just someone who looked like him.
 You’re tired and it’s late.  It’s probably nothing.”

               
“I don’t think it’s nothing,” Kayla mumbles through her frustration.

               
Jackson pulls her into his arms and whispers, “I won’t let anything happen to
you.  Just breathe and relax.  We’ll leave right now, okay?”

               
Kayla nods against his chest. “Okay.”

               
“Come on,” he says, guiding her out of the hallway.  He keeps his arm
around her, and she leans against him.  When they get to the elevator, he
pushes the button and they wait as a woman comes up to wait next to them.

               
Her eyes look at them and she suddenly gushes, “You guys are such an adorable
couple.  I’m sorry, but sometimes you see people and you just go awww.”

               
They look at each other and Kayla realizes what the lady must be seeing. 
She quickly pulls out of Jackson’s arm.  “Oh, we aren’t a couple.”

               
“Mmhmm,” the woman hums.  “You guys look like you should be.”

               
Kayla blushes.  “He’s my friend.”

               
“Don’t lie,” Jackson teases.  “She has underlying passion for me. 
She just suppresses it.”

               
Kayla laughs.  The woman looks at Jackson.  “I bet there are a lot of
girls who have a hidden crush on you.  You’re very attractive.”

               
Jackson’s eyes widen, and Kayla has to cover her mouth from laughing so
hard.  The elevator dings to go up.  “Well…we’re going now,” Jackson
says, grabbing Kayla’s hand.  He yanks her into the elevator.  He
waves to the woman, and then pulls Kayla against him, kissing her hard. 
The elevator doors close and Kayla pushes back away from him.  They both
laugh hysterically.

               
She points her finger at him.  “Damien is going to get so pissed that you
kissed me.”

               
“He doesn’t need to know about that!  That was clearly to give a show to
that crazy woman.  It meant nothing…wasn’t even a real kiss.”

               
“Fine,” Kayla says, crossing her arms.  “Keep your lips to yourself from
now on.”

               
He pushes her up against the wall of the elevator.  Looking down at her,
Jackson whispers, “Is that what you really want?  I mean, really, really
want?”

               
Her breath catches in her throat.  Against everything she feels, she
replies, “Yes.”

               
“Then I will never kiss you again,” Jackson states, putting his hand over his
heart.  “These lips will never meet yours again.”

               
Kayla’s chest tightens, but she replies, “Good, Damien will be happy I’m not
sharing my lips with someone else.”

               
“Mmm,” Jackson hums as he moves away from her.  He leans against the other
wall without saying anything else.

               
They remain quiet the rest of the way to the car.  Unable to take his
silence any longer, Kayla exclaims, “We can’t do this!”

               
Jackson flinches, surprised by her outburst.  “Do what?”

               
“Be awkward and not talk to each other, we can’t do this.  I don’t want to
do this.”

               
He laughs and shakes his head.  “I thought you were the one being
awkward.  I was just being quiet.  You’re the one going on about your
boyfriend.”

               
“Damien is not my boyfriend!  Don’t put a label on it.”

               
“Whatever, Kayla.” Jackson chuckles.  “You call it what you want. 
I’m not allowed to kiss you because you’re seeing someone so seriously that you
are driving two days to be with him.  What does that say about your
relationship?”

               
She crosses her arms as they approach the car.  “I don’t want to put a
label on it yet.”

               
“Okay, we won’t call him your boyfriend.”

               
They climb into the car and Jackson laughs as he shakes his head.  “What?”
Kayla snaps sharply.

               
He looks at her and grins.  “You’re so damn cute.  No, no, no, he
isn’t my boyfriend!  I’m just traveling across multiple states to be with
him in his hour of need.  What’s it going to take to get you to call him
your boyfriend?”

               
“I don’t know,” Kayla replies, buckling her seat belt.  “I need to feel
differently before I take that step.”

               
“You don’t feel anything for him?” Jackson asks with wide eyes.

               
“No, I do.  Obviously, I care about him.  I just always thought I
would have stronger emotions before I put that label on it.”

               
With a shocked look, Jackson retorts, “You want to be in love with Damien
first?”

               
“I don’t know if I want love, but something stronger than what I feel right
now.  I’ve never had a boyfriend before, and I’ve never been in love. 
I kind of want that to go hand in hand.”

               
“So you want to fall in love with Damien?”

               
“I didn’t say that,” Kayla mumbles.  “All I know is that I want it
all.  The powerful kisses, moments that take your breath away, heart
pounding desire, the yearning to never be separated.  You know, when you
don’t see each other for a day, and it makes you miss them terribly.”

               
The corner of Jackson’s mouth twitches upward.  “That sounds
fantastic.  You’ll feel that, just give it time.”

               
“Especially when I kiss him,” Kayla breathes out.

               
Jackson looks at her.  “Yeah, especially then.”  After a few seconds,
he turns the car on and backs up.  As they drive, Kayla’s eyelids start to
get heavy and her head starts to bob.  “Here,” Jackson finally says,
shrugging off his jacket.  “Lay down on this.”  He puts it down on
the center console.

               
Kayla leans over and puts her head down.  The jacket smells like him and
she smiles.  It doesn’t take her long to fall asleep.  Sometime
during the drive, she wakes to the feel of his hand running down her
hair.  She feels his thumb trace across her cheek but doesn’t open her
eyes, savoring the touch.

               
The finally car stops.  She feels it but doesn’t open her eyes. 
“Hey,” she hears a voice whisper in her ear.  “Wake up, beautiful. 
We’re home.”

               
She nestles her face into Jackson’s coat.  “I’m fine here,” Kayla mumbles.

               
Jackson laughs.  “No, you’re not sleeping in my car.  You wouldn’t be
able to move your neck in the morning.”

               
“Mmm,” Kayla mumbles, sitting up.  She yawns and then opens her
door.  It’s cool out, making her wrap her jacket tighter around her. 
They walk to the house and Jackson opens the door for her.  “Thanks,” she
sighs.  “I’m so tired.”

               
“Then let’s get you to bed,” Jackson replies.  “You can use my bathroom
first.”

               
Nodding, she walks to her room.  She grabs a nightgown and returns to
Jackson’s bedroom.  The door is open, so Kayla walks in.  The sound
of running water guides her to the bathroom, where she finds a shirtless
Jackson standing at the counter.  

               
She stumbles back a step in surprise. “I thought you said I could have the
bathroom.”

               
“You can.” He shuts off the water.  “I was just washing my hands.” 
He smiles and walks past her. “It’s all yours.”

               
Kayla gives him a small grin. “Thanks.” When she walks out of the bathroom a
few minutes later, Jackson is in pajama pants.  “Hey,” she laughs. 
“You said you would change in the bathroom so I wouldn’t walk in on you.”

               
“The water was running,” he replies with a grin.  “I knew you were
preoccupied.  Besides, we can’t change in the bathroom at the same time.”

               
“Who says I want to see you in your pajamas?” she quips, walking up to him.

               
He turns to her.  “I know your deepest darkest fantasies involve me taking
my clothes off.”

               
“No they don’t.”

               
“Oh wait, those are just your lustful sex dreams.”

               
Kayla reaches out and punches him in the arm.  “Shut up and stop picking
on me.”

               
He bends down and puts his forehead on hers.  “You would know if I was
really picking on you.”

               
“Mmhmm,” Kayla hums.  “I’m going to bed.”

               
“Okay, see you in the morning.”

               
Half asleep, Kayla returns to her room. She crawls into bed and turns off the
light.  Her head barely hits the pillow before she is asleep.  The
ring of her cellphone rips her from sleep a few hours later, making her jump.
 Snagging her phone off the table, she answers it. “Hello?”

               
A very tired sounding Damien responds. “Hey, babe.  I just wanted you to
know I’m home.  Everything is all right.  Victoria is finally
sleeping, and I don’t want to wake her.”