by J. L. Weil
Everything about the house made me think of fairytales. I could almost visualize the fairies dancing under moonbeams, with their fluttering fragile wings and childish secretive giggles.
I gathered my courage and walked up to the porch, and I was bombarded with a wave of dizziness. It hit me out of nowhere and with a force that left me unsteady. My hand shot out, grabbing the rail. I was nervous, but this was ridiculous. When my head cleared, I took a deep breath and rang the doorbell. The crashing of ocean waves sounded from behind the house as I waited.
Sophie answered the door with excitement shining in her eyes. She pulled me into the house. “I’m so glad you came,” she bubbled.
I was at a loss for words.
The grand foyer was just that—grand. Rows of windows flanked the walls on both sides of the room. To the left was a living area with thick, plush carpet decorated in hues of turquoises, blues, and gold. The room reminded me of feathers on a peacock.
On the right was a study, and the voracious reader in me sighed in appreciation at the rows upon rows of bookshelves lining the walls from floor to ceiling. Some filled, but many of them waiting to be housed with novels. Boxes of books were scattered along the room. It often escaped my mind that the Masons had moved in only a few weeks ago.
Overhead, a massive mural was in process on the ceiling. I wasn’t able to make out the entire scene from the angle where I stood, but from what I could see, it was a portrait of an extraordinary woman with flaming hair, like the sky at sundown. She was gracefully posed in a long white dress that whipping out around her. Power emitted from her, through her, and about her. She wallowed in confidence, and determination shone her stunning eyes.
I was mesmerized.
Tearing my gaze from the ceiling, an enormous circular staircase stretched out before me. It was there I noticed Gavin’s parents waiting to greet us.
My palms were damp.
God, was I nervous.
The staggering beauty of Mrs. Mason struck me speechless. Straight, silky raven hair ran down the length of her back, like Sophie’s. She was tall, slender, and graced with curves. Something about her heart-shaped face and magnetic cobalt eyes reminded me of mystical Celtic myths. A welcoming smile touched her lips.
At her side was Gavin’s father, with a light hand on the small of her back. He was tall and lean, with sandy brown hair that curled just above his hazel eyes, which were behind horn-rimmed glasses.
“You must be Brianna,” his mother greeted, in a voice as lovely as her daughter’s. She embraced me in yet another hug. Apparently, the females in this family were not shy with their affections. I didn’t think the same could be said for the men, at least not the one I was acquainted with. “I’m Lily, and this is John.” She gestured to Gavin’s father.
“We are so happy to finally meet you,” John said, in a tone timbre and male. He smiled my way.
“Thank you. Your home is absolutely beautiful,” I complimented.
“It’s coming along; there’s still so much to do. Moving is never an easy task.” Lily took both my hands in hers. At the touch, a blue spark passed between us. I let out a small gasp and raised my startled eyes to hers. She continued with barely an acknowledgement of what we both felt. “Which is why we are so happy that Gavin has met you.” Her voice was thick with feeling and sincerity. She was impossible not to adore, and her demeanor did what I hadn’t been able to do all day—calm my frazzled nerves.
At the mention of his name, Gavin strolled down the spiral staircase. My gaze irrevocably sought his, and any calm I felt dissipated. Fireflies tangoed in my belly, and a flush dusted my cheeks. I lost all sense of everything in the room.
“Hey.” His husky voice rolled over me, filling me with warmth.
“Hi.”
He stood in front of me, and I couldn’t think of anything else to say. Had I been acutely aware that I was unabashedly staring, I would have been mortified.
Luckily, Lily filled the silence before it became extremely awkward. “Gavin, why don’t you give Brianna a tour?” she suggested, breaking the thick silence permeating the air. “I’m going to finish dinner, with Sophie’s help,” she said, turning to her daughter.
“But I was going to show Brianna around,” Sophie protested.
“I think Gavin can handle it.” Lily arched a brow at her daughter, and glanced back at me. She had such an air of maternal instinct about her. “Brianna, we would love for you to stay for dinner, Sophie especially.” Her smile only brightened her features.
“Sure, thanks,” I replied.
“Come on,” Gavin said, lacing his fingers with mine. “Let’s go before Sophie swindles her way out of kitchen duty.”
I had already seen most of the main floor, so I followed him up the winding staircase.
“This is Sophie’s.” He indicated to the first room on the left.
Her room was bohemian chic. A wrought-iron bed stood in the center of the room, draped with bold, jewel-toned bedding. A crystal embellished teal canopy tailored the corners of her bed. It felt like walking into a gypsy camp.
Down the hall and to the right, we came to another bedroom.
“Jared should be here shortly. This is his.” His voice was like music to my ears. I was pretty sure I could listen to him ramble about the weather patterns, and I would be enamored.
Messy summed up Jared’s room in one word, and it smelled similar to a fraternity. I wrinkled my nose.
Our hands were still joined as he led me around. I loved the feeling of our entwined fingers, and I wasn’t willing to give his up anytime soon. There was an underlying spark of awareness.
“And this one is mine.” He walked into the doorway angled at the end of the hall.
Gavin’s room wasn’t at all what I expected. I figured he’d have black walls and heavy metal posters. I was surprised by the neatness, a contrast to his brother. He did have a black framed bed with a book shelf as the headboard, lined with black and white photos. Across from the bed, a large stereo and TV shared space with CDs, DVDs and an. The scent of him was everywhere—taunting me.
It felt naughty being alone in his room. Not like the time we spent in mine. This was suddenly more intimate.
“Let me show you the best part.” He opened a set of French doors, exposing a circular balcony with a spectacular view of the ocean, just steps from the house.
I leaned over the railings and inhaled the fresh air of the evening tide. “This is amazing,” I said in awe. “To wake up to this view every morning…” My voice trailed off, taken away by the crashing waves.
“You want to check it out?” he asked with excitement.
I nodded.
While we waited for dinner, he took me for a walk along the ocean’s rocky shoreline. “What do your parents do?” I had removed my shoes earlier, and my feet buried in the sand as we walked.
“My dad is a historian, and my mom is an artist.”
“Did she paint the mural in the library?” I looked up into his face. Our arms swung together as we strolled on the beach.
“She did. It’s not done yet,” he explained. “She paints a lot of mythology and folklore.”
“It’s stunning,” I praised. Stopping, I bent down to grab a glittering shell that caught my eye.
He looked out into the indigo vastness of the ocean. The sun was setting, casting an assortment of oranges and purples at the horizon. “It’s a depiction of Morgana le Fey.” His glance returned to me. “She reminds me of you.”
I snorted. “You’re kidding, right? That painting was beautiful.”
Nibbling on his lip ring, he considered what I said, looking sinful and serious. “So are you.” His tone had lowered.
I swear I heard him wrong. Maybe that was just what I wanted to hear. Right then, I wanted more than anything for him to kiss me, with the lapping waves and sea salt teasing my wits. Maybe if I thought about it hard enough, I could somehow have what my heart desired.
He took a step closer. The heat f
rom his body infused mine, and a sharp gasp escaped my lips. My head was lost on a turbulent of raw emotions. Kiss me now, my mind demanded.
The depths of his eyes darkened, and his mouth crushed over my mine in an assault of power. Excitement rippled inside me like chain of lightning. His hands gripped my sides, pulling me in and steadying my swirling head all at once. He tasted of dark promises and pleasure beyond what I could imagine. My entire being filled with flames, and I encircled my arms around his neck. With nothing between us, our bodies collided. My mouth traveled lavishly over his, loving the feel of his cool hoop rubbing against mine.
As first kisses went, this was unworldly. The flavor of him was an addiction I wasn’t able to fulfill. He made me dizzy, weak, and feel exactly what he claimed—beautiful.
The kiss ended, to my utter dismay, as fast as it began. He pulled away, keeping me at arm’s length. I moaned at the loss of his lips and opened my eyes. Gavin gazed longingly at my swollen mouth, before shutting his eyes again. He laid his brow on mine, and I breathed in the familiar scent of him, mixed with the misty spray. Our quickened breathing synchronized in heavy rhythm.
Dropping his hands from my lower arms, he broke the spell. “We better get back inside.” His voice was thick with huskiness.
I had to fight every muscle in my body not to pull his mouth back to mine. His self-control was staggering, which was both annoying and admirable.
I nodded. No longer touching, we turned back toward the house, walking back at a slower pace that barely gave me enough time to control my thrashing heart.
As we got closer to the kitchen, a slew of animated voices bantered back and forth. Gavin and I stepped into the dining nook, where I was greeted with smells of spaghetti sauce and garlic. My stomach rumbled in response. I hadn’t had an appetite earlier, and my stomach was in serious protest. The remainder of his family was gathered, including the brother I yet to meet.
A hush fell over the room as we stepped in. Sophie smiled beside her eldest brother.
“Jared, this is Brianna. Be nice,” Sophie warned him.
A laugh snickered from his chest, a wolfish grin spreading across his face that looked similar to Gavin’s, but without the seriousness. He had a boyish charm, the devil’s smile, and irresistible dimples.
Jared pulled out his chair and walked to stand in front of me, smiling the entire time. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, beautiful Brianna.” His voice was almost as seductive as his brother’s, but it failed to send my heart sputtering in overdrive. Instead, his smile was contagious, and I found myself answering his devilish grin.
“You, too,” I said, my voice having yet to recover from the emotional onslaught.
“Here, I saved you a seat.” He pulled out a chair beside him.
Gavin growled, eyes darkening and brewing with a violent storm.
“Jared,” Lily warned in a stern tone. I wasn’t exactly sure what was going on, but Gavin was not happy. There was a thick static in the air, suffocating the room. No one else seemed to notice, but they felt it.
“What?” he answered in mischievous laugh. “I’m just being a good host,” he defended with charisma.
Dinner was delicious, and it felt so nice being included in a family dinner. It was so full of commotion, laughter, and so opposite of my own dinners at home. I never realized what I was missing in not having a large family.
“It’s Saturday night. Let’s go out,” Gavin suggested over the chatter.
“There must be a bowling alley or something in this town,” Jared added in exasperation to my left. He didn’t seem like the kind of soul to sit idly around. He screamed action.
“Yeah there is, but—” I was cut off.
“Great. Let’s get out of here,” Jared swiftly interrupted my rebuttal.
I sighed. I sucked royally at bowling.
Chapter 11
Holly Ridge Bowl was no sight to behold. There were ten bowling lanes, a small arcade, and a bar in the corner that served only beer and frozen pizzas. As we walked through the alley, just two of the lanes were occupied. I couldn’t believe I’d let them talk me into this. It was going to be so humiliating.
The four of us went up to the register, and Jared requested a lane.
“We should play on teams,” he suggested. “A little competition, what do you say?” A gleam hit in his eyes.
“Jared and I against Gavin and Brianna,” Sophie suggested.
Gavin turned to me. “You okay with that?”
“Sure. If you’re prepared to lose,” I mumbled under my breath.
“Have a little faith, Bri. With me by your side, we can’t lose,” he assured, oozing confidence.
I hoped it was contagious.
“We’ll see, little brother,” Jared countered, loving the banter.
We gave the guy behind the register our shoe sizes and set off for lane six.
“Any chance we’re using bumpers?” I asked as we wound our way down.
Jared laughed, but I wasn’t being funny. I would have totally used bumpers. “Not a chance,” he replied still grinning. “Trust me. We won’t need them the way we bowl.”
Great. Was that supposed to make me feel better? What were they, bowling fanatics? I had no idea what the heck I had gotten myself into. “Lovely,” I retorted sarcastically.
I set off in search for the lightest ball possible. Maybe they would let me just watch? I picked up the different colors balls, testing their weight, finally settling on a blue one. At least it was a pretty color.
Sophie was setting up the order into the computer when I came back with my sparkling ball. I took a seat next to her and waited with dread for my turn.
“Thanks for coming with us,” she said. “This is the first time we’ve been out since we moved.”
Her words penetrated through wall of dismay I’d been building inside me, making me feel remorseful for wallowing in self-pity. They were new in this town. I should be making them feel welcomed.
“Sure, no problem.” I attempted to muster up some enthusiasm.
Jared was up first, eldest and all, and in perfect form, threw a strike. There was no doubt in my mind; Gavin and I were going to get slaughtered. Jared strutted off the lane, giving Sophie a high-five as he took his seat.
I frowned.
Gavin was up next. He looked adorable in his t-shirt, black jeans and the multi-colored bowling shoes. Gavin answered Jared’s strike with one of his one, and I sunk lower in my seat. The Masons were serious about their bowling. This was going to be a long game, I thought miserably.
Being the good sport that I am, I grinned at my partner. “Nice work. At least one of us will score points.”
He sat beside me smirking. “It’s all in fun.”
“Wait until you see me bowl,” I said somberly.
Sophie, at least, didn’t get a strike. She knocked eight of the pins the first time, and on the second wasn’t able to pick them up.
It was a nasty split.
“Your turn, Brianna,” she called after her last throw.
“Here goes nothing.” Literally.
I walked up to the lane and grabbed my blue ball. Fitting my fingers in the holes, I aligned my feet with the triangles on the floor and said a quick prayer before sending the ball sailing down the lane. Halfway down, it started to curve, riding on the line. I backed up, afraid to look, but even more afraid not to. A lonely crack sounded as the ball knocked over only one pin. My shoulders sagged a little.
“At least you have great form,” Jared razzed.
He was rewarded with a punch in the arm from Gavin.
“What?” He pretended innocence, then winked at me while I waiting for the ball to be retrieved.
My next throw was slightly better. I was able to take down three more pins.
“Don’t let them get to you,” Sophie encouraged. “It’s really just a brotherly competition, a power struggle between the two of them. I don’t know why they enjoy it so much.”
“Are they alway
s like this?”
She nodded. “They are forever trying to outdo each other. It’s all in fun, as frustrating as it is for the rest of us.”
“Yeah…I can see that,” I agreed.
“It’s so nice to have another girl around. I’m always caught in the crossfire. You balance the scales now.”
“I’m not all that graceful,” I jested.
“You’re a lot of things you don’t believe.” There was a prophetic knowledge behind her words. As friends went, Sophie was pretty uplifting to have around.
My next few turns where no better. If possible, they were worse.
Gavin leaned in closer beside me. “Let me give you a tip. Think about what you want the ball to do, visualize it before you throw and keep the image as you release. Works for me every time,” he swore, grinning.
“You’re joking,” I said in disbelief.
He lifted his brow.
“Fine.”
My next turn, I thought, what could it hurt, and gave it a whirl. What did I have to lose? I did exactly what he’d said. I envisioned the ball gliding down the middle of the lane, hitting it dead center. Ignoring everything I thought I knew about bowling, I let the ball soar down the lane, the whole time, keeping my focus on the ball. I hadn’t expected much, but when the ball thundered the pins, I was stupefied. All the white pins fell.
Holy shit.
I jumped in the air and bounded down the lane straight into Gavin’s arms. He twirled me once before setting me back on my feet.
“See, I knew you could do it.”
“Beginners luck,” Jared joked beside me.
I stuck my tongue out at him, and he hooted with laughter.
The strikes kept on coming, and the competition never let up. Something about the way they played struck a chord with me. I started to really pay attention. No one was that good, not without some help, my skeptical mind rationed. It wasn’t the way they bowled, or their form. What made me leery were their eyes.
