Gifted Connections 01

by S M Olivier

  I stroked his hand and let him continue talking.

  “But something still didn’t feel right. Like, she kissed me last night, told me she would see me today and left. We didn’t fight, we never fought. It felt so sudden. So, I had to quiet the voice in my head and I went to go see Remy,” he leaned back on the sofa and ran his free hand over his face. He removed his glasses and put them on the arm of the sofa. “He admitted to me that she did come on to him a few years ago and he never told me. Why didn’t he ever tell me?” He looked over at me.

  When I realized he expected an answer I cleared my throat, “Well…he knows you loved her and sometimes when we care about somebody, we will do anything in our power to protect them.”

  “Is that why you didn’t tell me about Collin last night, why nobody did?” He asked wearily.

  I gaped at him.

  “I thought if we were going to make this work, we needed to build this relationship with no lies. Even lies of omission.” He said with a crooked smile, throwing the words I told Jax and Noah back in my face.

  “No one wanted to hurt you,” I whispered to him finally.

  “I know I seem…shy, maybe even sensitive, but I’m a big boy, I can handle…life. You guys trying to protect me isn’t doing me any favors.” He said as he grabbed me by the waist and lifted me, so I was straddling his lap.

  “What are you doing?” I asked, a bit shocked at this boldness coming from him.

  “What does it look like,” He muttered as he pulled my lips down to his roughly. “The way I see it is the boys got you all to themselves last night and today, and I need my time.”

  I let him deepen the kiss and found myself getting excited by his forcefulness and this other side I was seeing from him.

  After a few minutes of making out heavily, he finally took a deep breath and cradled me to his chest. “I’m not going to lie to you, love. I’m going to miss her, and I may need some time to find myself again, but I’m glad it’s over. I’m glad when others are around and you want to show me affection, you can and if I want to randomly hug you, hold you, or kiss you, I can. Now, do you mind if we just cuddle, maybe fall asleep?”

  I nodded at him with a smile. “Sounds good to me,” I had to stifle my yawn.

  He stood up and started moving out of the room. “My room okay?”

  I nodded again. “Should we let everyone know you’re home? We called you all day long.”

  He grimaced. “Nah, let them sleep. I already sent Pops up to bed. And my phone is fried. When I was visiting Rose, I forgot my phone on the roof of my car, when I got back out it was soaking wet.”

  “Oh,” I said. “What took you so long to come home?”

  He chuckled. “Remy needed a little help at the new bar. The builder hit a water main. There was water everywhere. This is the first one he had to build from the ground up. He’s stamping it out as his own, so I drank all day and hung out with Remy and the executive chef. We wanted to revamp the menu. Blend the old with the new. Then I had to sober up so I could get home, to you.” He dropped a kiss on my nose.

  We finally reached his room, and I was beyond sleepy. We had time to talk tomorrow. I was interested in seeing what his room looked like, but I was too tired to even look around. He slid me into his bed, stripped down to his boxers and slid in beside me. I rolled over to him so I could lay on his chest. He wrapped his long, lean arms around me and I let the rhythm of his heart lull me to sleep.

  I didn’t expect to wake up under a dog pile the next morning as Jemmy and the guys jumped on the bed unceremoniously. Draping themselves across us.

  “Well, good morning,” I said groggily. “I hope you have coffee for me.”

  “You know I do,” Troy said as he wrapped me in his arms and rolled me, so I could see a steaming cup of coffee.

  “Mmm,” I moaned, but closed my eyes and snuggled down into his arms. “I love coffee.”

  “I’m glad you’re so easy to please,” he said, amusement lacing his voice.

  “With most things, not all,” I muttered impishly.

  “Sounds like that’s a challenge, Misty, and I love a good challenge,” he said wickedly.

  “Are you naked?” Jemmy asked her brother.

  “No, now get with you all. Can’t I just stay in bed and cuddle with Blake for a little while longer?” Drake muttered.

  “We’re hungry,” Jax stated. “And the food won’t cook itself. I want French toast and bacon.”

  “Then learn to cook,” Drake reached out to grab my hand.

  “Pssh,” Jax exhaled loudly. “You spoiled us. No turning back now.”

  “Why weren’t you answering your phone, bro,” Noah asked with annoyance.

  “Noah,” Troy said with a warning.

  “No,” Noah said resolutely. “He almost killed Blake and we couldn’t reach him.”

  “I what!?” Drake sat up, suddenly wide awake.

  I opened one eye and looked over at Noah. “It’s okay, Noah, all is well now.”

  “You felt me yesterday?” Drake’s jaw dropped. “Even Jace has to be in the same house with someone. I didn’t know! I’m sorry, Blake.” He looked desolate.

  I shrugged. “You didn’t know,” I said quietly.

  He rubbed his hands through his hair in agitation. “Seriously guys, I didn’t think I could affect her if I wasn’t in the same room as her. I’ll go out and get a new phone now.”

  “After French toast and bacon?” Jax asked hopefully.

  “Please,” I propped myself up on my elbows. “It’s fine Drake, honestly.”

  I saw the tension leave his shoulders. “Yes, after French toast and bacon.”

  Everyone cheered.

  “Are we still on for our date tonight?” Troy asked over breakfast.

  I dipped my bacon in my syrup. “Yeah sure, if you still want to go.”

  “Wait, you have a date tonight? Is that okay?” Jax demanded. He looked over at his dad, then the guys, then me.

  Will stuck his hands up. “I don’t know why you’re looking at me. I wasn’t aware of any rules or guidelines. Ella, dear, what would you like to do today?”

  Ella took a drink of her milk. “Can we go swimming?”

  “But it’s a school night,” Jax said.

  I looked over at Will, I hadn’t thought of that. I never had rules before. I never needed them. Until recently, and when I hadn’t been able to physically go to school, I never missed a day.

  Will shrugged. “Okay, I guess same rules I started with you and Jemmy this year. Home by ten since it’s a school night and if you’re late for school in the morning, curfew is nine.” Then he turned to Ella. “Want to go upstairs and change into your swimsuit, and we will meet back down here in five?”

  Ella jumped up and started to run out of the room.

  “Your plate,” I gently reminded her.

  “Oh yeah,” she blushed and came back to load her plate into the dishwasher.

  “Anyone else want to go swimming?” Will asked.

  “I do,” Jemmy chimed in.

  Noah looked down at his phone. “I’m running out for a bit.” By his evasive look, I knew he was going to see Stacey.

  It irritated me that he thought he had to lie to me. I had already told them that they were free to explore relationships with other people. Maybe he felt guilty that he still wanted a relationship with someone other than me.

  “I’m going to practice for a little bit since my audition is tomorrow,” I said as I picked up my plate and stuck it in the dishwasher.

  “I’m coming,” Drake stated.

  “I’m heading down to get my workout in,” Troy said.

  Jax remained silent as everyone got up to get changed. I started cleaning up the pots and pans from breakfast and Jax stood up to help.

  “What’s wrong?” I asked.

  He shrugged. “Well, I guess when we found you I thought I could finally do something with you. You’ve already connected with Drake and now you are going out on a date
with Troy. I guess I felt we could have something unique to us.”

  I stopped and turned to him, reaching up to grab his broad shoulders. “I never planned on connecting with Drake first. It’s not like I put a number on each one of you. It just happened. And Troy asked if I wanted to go to dinner. What was I supposed to do? Tell him no. No dating or going out with anyone I need to make a connection with? We do have something unique to us. I’ve known you the longest. No one else can hear my thoughts. You just broke up with your girlfriend, are you sure you’re ready for another relationship?”

  He bent down and gave me a sweet, exploring kiss, “Does that answer your question? I’ve been ready for years. I tried to imagine you a thousand times over the years and you’re more beautiful and better in so many ways than I could have ever imagined.”

  I buried my face against his chest. “I used to do the same. I used to think of you as my imaginary boyfriend. It helped me when I saw other kids our age dating, partying. I thought I had something better than them, though. I had someone who practically knew everything about me, the good and the bad. You were there every time I needed you.”

  He picked me up and placed me on the counter. Positioning himself between my legs. He put a hand behind my head and pulled me in for a kiss. His kiss was full of yearning and hope. I melted further into him, my body wanting to seek his warmth more. He obliged, putting my softness against his hardness. As he continued to kiss me, he rubbed me on his hardness. His hands were on my butt guiding my hips.

  I moaned into his lips.

  He picked me up and carried me backward, so we were now standing in the laundry room. He kicked the door closed. He never broke our kiss and I could feel a fire building within. I was experiencing a delicious heat between my legs that I had never felt before.

  “What-” I was confused but filled with yearning at the same time.

  “Shh,” his voice was thick with desire. “Just embrace it.”

  Soon his lips were hot on mine once more and his hands moved my core harder against his hardness. My sweatpants and his flannel bottoms the only thing separating us.

  “Ohhh,” I moaned, leaning into his shoulder.

  I let go of the tenuous hold I had on my control and I felt an explosion of pure bliss fill me, a wetness between my legs. I heard him moan above me and I knew he had found that blissful place with me. He slid us down the wall, still holding onto me, our breathing ragged.

  Then I felt a huge explosion of energy within. I felt like my body was radiating heat. I felt like I was on fire.

  I heard Jax mutter a curse before he hastily removed himself from me. “You’re on fire!” he said in a panicked voice.

  Chapter 18

  Suddenly, there was a pounding on the door. I held my hands out in front of me and saw I was literally on fire. When I watched Troy, he had been able to control his fireballs. His glowed specific colors. My skin was sparking in shades of blue, red, yellow, orange, and I swore I saw black.

  “Get Troy,” I yelled. Instinctively, I knew if Jace got me through my emotional upheaval from last night, then Troy could help me extinguish this fire.

  What the hell was going on?

  Jaxson opened the door and Troy, Drake, and Noah came tumbling in.

  “Holy crap,” Drake halted before me.

  Noah stood there blinking in shock.

  Troy knelt before me at a safe distance. “Misty, you need to think of a time you felt extremely cold, like when you forgot to put your coat on, on a cold winter day. Have you ever reached down to snow, to make a snowball, but the cold seeped into the gloves?” I nodded, but it was hard to focus on his words when it looked like a thousand sparklers were dancing across my skin.

  “Focus,” I heard Jax’s voice in my head. “Relax and focus.”

  I took a deep breath in and closed my eyes.

  “Have you ever drank something so cold you gave yourself a brain freeze? You feel the cold course through your body like it’s running through your veins.” I nodded. “Now push that ice onto the fire, watch the ice extinguish the fire.”

  I tried to concentrate on his words as I imagined the ice. I remembered the cold. I imagined the icicles that would hang from the trailer roof. How I use to grab them barehanded and imagined stabbing one of Heidi’s boyfriends. I imagined how I was grabbing it and hurling it at the fire.

  The fire went out.

  Troy drew in a deep breath and crawled to sit next to me. He pulled me into his arms and dragged me back up against the wall.

  “Good thing these floors are tile,” Noah joked. “Although, I don’t think Pops is going to be happy he needs to replace the dryer again.”

  Drake had disappeared and came back with a laptop. He put it on the floor in front of Troy and me. Jax sat down beside him. Drake sat next to Troy and Noah sat on the other side of Jax.

  Jace and Remy were on the laptop. Jace looked amazing as ever, and I got to see him shirtless for the first time and I wasn’t disappointed. I blushed. I had just unraveled into Jax’s arms and here I was ogling his brother. Remy looked the worst I had ever seen him. He looked like I had the morning before. Tired and hungover. I guess he had continued drinking after Drake left him yesterday.

  “She was on fire,” Jax finally said. “Literally on fire.”

  “Because…?” Noah asked with an impish smile.

  “Shut up,” Jax muttered. “You know why.”

  “She connected with Jax and then she went up in flames.” As always, Jace’s features were enigmatic.

  Remy wiped a weary hand over his face. “So, let me get this straight, she connected with Drake and became an empath, and now she connected with Jaxson and she has pyrokinesis. If she continues at this rate, she will get all of our gifts.”

  “What about her other gifts, are they gone? I’ve heard of a gift stealer, for lack of a better word, being able to borrow other people’s gifts, but they don’t retain the others and they can only use it for a brief period.” Drake sat forward, bracing his arms on his knees.

  “You know,” I stated, “she is sitting right here. She should be included in the conversation about her and she doesn’t appreciate when people are knocking down doors every time she has a private moment. It’s embarrassing enough for her that she is supposed to be…connected with six different guys and eventually may form intimate relationships with them!” I stood up embarrassed, furious, and scared.

  I stormed out of the room. I couldn’t handle the one gift I had, now I might have to deal with two more.

  “Blake!” Noah came after me, calling my name. “We didn’t mean to exclude you from the conversation, we didn’t do it intentionally. We’re just as afraid as you are.”

  I whirled on him. “Go fly a kite, Noah,” I said through clenched teeth. “Aren’t you late for your date with Stacey? I’m sure she’s going to be ticked off at you once more because I intruded into your private time!”

  I stomped up to my room to change my underwear. I stomped back down to the music room after changing and didn’t even bother warming up as I went straight to playing Modest Mussorgsky’s, “Night on the Bald Mountain.” It was angry, it was upset, and it was like a storm raging across the sea. Huge waves threatening to sink a ship. I felt like that ship being tossed around by the waves and the storm.

  Drake came into the room timidly as I was finishing the peace. “Ummm, Blake, can you come with me?”

  “No,” I said with shortness. “I need to practice. My audition is tomorrow and I need to make sure my piece is perfect.”

  “I think it’s important that you follow me,” he said insistently.

  Reluctantly, I stood up and followed him. He led me to the backyard where I was filled with confusion.

  Noah was flying a kite, he looked like he had been crying. A pink Hello Kitty kite was soaring in the air, pink and white ribbons trailing behind it.

  Will stood with his hand raised towards the kite, he gave me a stern look that I was confused about. Jaxson, Jemmy, a
nd Troy were laughing as Jaxson recorded Noah with his phone.

  “What’s going on?” I asked, confused.

  Drake looked at me. “We were wondering the same thing. You left pretty angrily earlier and next thing you know Noah’s tearing through the garage looking for a kite.”

  “I forgot I even had it,” Jemmy giggled.

  “He was getting upset when the kite wouldn’t fly, there’s no wind,” Drake further elaborated.

  “We had to get Dad,” Jax said between his laughter.

  “Did you tell him to fly a kite?” Will asked gently.

  “I-” I started, but my eyes widened when I remembered. I was angry at him and I had told him to go fly a kite. It was just a term, I didn’t mean to make him take it literally.

  I ran over to him and embraced him. “Oh, Noah, I’m so sorry. You don’t have to fly a kite. I was just scared, and I lashed out at you. You can stop,” I told him. He didn’t. I put all my feelings in the next words, “Please, Noah, you can stop!”

  Noah suddenly deflated.

  “I’m sorry,” I hugged his waist. “I’m so, so sorry. I had no right to lash out at you angrily because I was scared and frustrated.”

  Noah pulled me in close. “It’s okay, dear. I understand and it’s not fair for me to want a relationship with you while keeping Stacey around for….” He blushed as he looked around. “Convenience.”

  Jemmy, Jax, and Troy started laughing.

  I turned and blushed at Will. “So, it looks like I owe you some more money. I kind of picked up pyrokinesis and scorched your dryer.”

  “How-” he held his hand up to me. “Never mind, I don’t need to know. So now you have the gift of compelling people, pyrokinesis, and you’re a partial empath.” He blew out a deep breath. “How were you able to reign in the gift today?”

  “Troy talked me through it like Jace talked me through it yesterday,” I explained to him.