As we come to the steps of the porch, I sit down on the middle step. Drake stays standing, watching me but never letting go of my hand. Then, slowly, he takes a seat next to me. I look out over the front lawn. The night is turning to twilight, and a breeze is blowing the leaves of the trees gently back and forth. I swallow the breath I have been holding and turn toward him. I’m startled a little by the intensity of his gaze.
“Drake, I…I think I finally realized something tonight I probably should’ve known all along,” I admit with a little reluctance. “I think maybe I would like to see…”
Before I know what’s happening, Drake has taken my face into his palms. “Shh,” he whispers as he rubs his thumbs across my cheeks back and forth. “I want to see it too,” he says quickly.
We gaze into one another’s eyes, neither of us moving or breathing. I’ve never been so scared in my life. There are so many what-ifs. What if this doesn’t work out? What if he changes his mind? What if I do?
Shit! Who cares about the “what-ifs,” except what if I don’t take this chance? Drake seems to be struggling with the same questions and realizations. We’ve tried to rationalize how we feel for one another. The problem is there isn’t anything rational about it. He deliberately begins to lean toward me and places his lips once against the tip of my nose. Then against one cheek and now the other. Pulling back, he stares into my eyes one last time. I hope he sees the answer in my eyes to the question in his.
As soon as he moves forward, I know he does. At first, his lips move softly against mine as his hands slide down my cheeks, onto my shoulders, and then around me. As soon as I’m in his complete embrace, our kiss becomes more demanding, and I’m not sure if it’s him or me who changes the tempo. All I know is my body and mind feel incredible. I wrap my arms around him, wanting him closer. He will never be close enough.
This is it. This is what I’ve been waiting for most of my life, and I didn’t even know it. Drake Thomas just changed my world. My mind. My life.
Drake
I NEVER WANT TO END this kiss. I want it to go on forever. The tingling I felt as my lips met hers has now spread through my entire body. This first kiss between us is taking possession of my body and soul. I can’t breathe, but I don’t want air if I can’t feel like I do right now with my lips pressed against hers.
I know now this kiss was inevitable. These feelings unavoidable.
As I sink deeper into her, I know a girl like her is impossible to resist. I knew it the moment I saw her. Selene just became the beat of my heart.
I slowly begin to pull back, and I can feel her resist ending our kiss too. It makes me want to pull her in tighter. I hold our bodies pressed together and rest my forehead against hers, our breathing heavy.
“Wow,” she whispers breathlessly.
All I can do is grin. Yeah, wow. She has no idea just how wow that kiss really was.
This kiss. This girl. It’s everything I never knew could be possible. It’s love. This is what a life with love feels like, and it just changed everything.
Selene
WHEN I OPEN MY EYES, the sunlight is streaming through the sheer curtains. Although I know it’s well after breakfast time, I remain snuggled under the blankets of my bed. I curl up on one side then stretch my legs out before rolling on my back and looking up at the ceiling. I feel good. Actually, I feel better than good. Elation spreads across my face at the thought, because honestly it has been so long since I genuinely felt like waking up had meaning.
Of course, it’s something that has gradually been building since the day I literally ran into Drake Thomas. My bliss only grows as his name floats around in my mind and my thoughts drift to last night. Last night wasn’t a dream. Drake kissed me, and not just on the cheek. The best part is I don’t want to run anywhere but directly into his arms. I’ve never felt this way. Ever. The thing is, I’ve never given anyone—not even Ryan—the opportunity to get this close to me. Making myself this vulnerable is new and scary, but the thought of not letting Drake in is even more terrifying. I think the whole incident over Abby Donovan is what prompted me to honestly evaluate if I was going to allow Drake to slip by. It’s a risk I just wasn’t willing to take. A light knock on my door draws me back into the present.
“Selene, are you awake?” Aunt Violette’s small, gentle voice drifts through the doorway.
Pushing myself up into a sitting position, I rub my eyes. “Yes, come in.”
Slowly, the door opens, and I watch as Aunt Violette makes her way over to me.
“Good morning,” I say, still unable to hold back a smile as she takes a seat on the edge of the bed.
She looks at me for a long moment before she reaches her hand out and pushes a loose hair back from my face. “This looks good on you,” she states, and I’m slightly confused by it as I glance down at my plain cotton tank top, then back up to her face. “The smile, Selene. The smile looks good on you. You have a face meant for smiles.”
A tear slips down her cheek. It isn’t often Aunt Violette allows her vulnerability to show. I feel a knot forming in my throat. No. No. No, I don’t want any sadness creeping into this euphoric feeling I’m having right now.
“Please don’t cry, Aunt Vi.”
Aunt Violette shakes her head slowly. “No, sweets. This isn’t sadness. These are happy tears.”
Leaning forward, I place my head on her shoulder. I release a sigh. It feels so good to not hold back, and it’s easy to let go of any possible sorrow.
“This isn’t why I came up. I really wanted to see if you planned on going to the farmer's market with me today.” She pauses only briefly before adding, “But I do want to restate that the glow, which I can only assume Mr. Thomas is responsible for, is exactly what I’ve been hoping for you.”
Standing up and placing a kiss on my cheek, she rubs her hand gently over mine. “Be down in a half an hour if you are going with me. I love you, Selene.”
I let those three words settle over me. I want to tell her I love her too, but I can’t seem to make them come out. “Aunt Vi, I…” She turns back to me and a look of understanding on her face.
“I know, sweets. I know.” Tears fill my eyes and threaten to spill over, but she leaves me alone, and I quickly brush them away.
As I swing my legs off the side of the bed, I reach over to my nightstand for my phone. The first message I see is from Emme. She sent me a message filled with more emojis than I thought existed. As usual, she is extremely enthusiastic about asking me if I want to join the study group tomorrow night for our history exam. I can’t help but roll my eyes at her over the top text that literally could’ve been a simple one liner. The next message is from Drake. I feel my heart speed up just at the sight of his name on my phone. He sent it when he got home last night, saying he’d had fun. I don’t feel any panic. Any sadness. Any hesitation. This all changed last night with one amazing kiss.
Putting the phone against my chest, I let out a soft sigh. Any other time I would roll my eyes at such a sappy gesture, but that was another time. Another Selene. This time I’m embracing the over-the-top emotions. Now, I just need to vocalize them. Blushing, I think about how we got the feeling part down—we just need to say the words.
Drake
I SPLASH WATER ONTO MY face and stare in the mirror. I can see the worry in my eyes. I’m worried that the decision my heart made last night is going to be a mistake. I’m open to what I had been fighting for months, and there is no going back. I’ll just have to find a way to protect her. Protecting her is all that matters.
I close my eyes and lean forward with my hands pressed against the mirror in front of me. I picture the way she looked up at me, those incredible green eyes, soft lips, and the complete trust she handed to me with just one look that entwined our lives unconditionally. There isn’t another choice for me now. I don’t think there is another choice for either of us. Or at least I hope there isn’t because we didn’t talk much. I just know we’re going to need to talk this th
rough because we’ll have some things—someone—stacked against us. And this is exactly what I worry about.
I try to stay quiet when I hear the door down the hall open and close. I’ve been lucky to avoid her the past few weeks as much as possible. Although I often wonder if I’m lucky or if it’s her intention to avoid me until she feels me slipping away from her control. She often used Lacey to get what she wanted from me. It was like a thrill for her to feel she had power over me, and she knew I would do anything to take her attention off Lacey.
Walking out of the bathroom, I tiptoe toward my door. I wonder if I should wait in my room or slip out while I know where she is. Deciding to take the chance of leaving unnoticed, I grab my jacket and wallet. I take one last peek out into the hallway before closing my door gently behind me and making my way to the stairs. Just as my foot hits the last step, I stop dead in my tracks at the sound of her ice-cold voice.
“Drake Thomas, I hope you don’t think you were going to sneak out again and avoid me.” A chill runs up my spine. Her words may not be threatening in nature, but I know the threat lies beneath.
Taking three deep breaths in, I finally answer her. “Uh, I didn’t realize you were home.”
I try to remain calm. I’m not sure if I feared a repeat of what happened a few weeks ago or if I think she has guessed Selene is something more than what I've been trying to lead on.
“Don’t try to pull that innocence with me. I know better,” she states calmly, although her voice is dripping with venom.
I remain with my back to her, not moving. After a moment, I hear her footsteps making their way toward me. I stiffen my shoulders, bracing myself for what is to come. To my surprise, that moment never came. She brushes past me and makes one last statement just as I’m about to release a breath.
“Oh, and Drake? I know exactly what you’re doing. I know there is something going on with that girl, and it will only be a matter of time before I know for sure.” With that, she opens the front door and disappears.
It takes me a minute before I slowly lower myself to sit on the stairway. I feel a fear I’ve been trying to avoid since I met Selene. Maybe telling her the truth about exactly how I feel for her isn’t a good idea after all.
Selene
AS I WANDER THROUGH THE farmer's market, I swing the bag of fruits and vegetables Aunt Vi and I have picked out so far. I watch people smiling and chatting with their neighbors, and I realize my Dad did me a favor by leaving me with Aunt Vi. He knew it, even if I didn’t understand at the time how he could do it. I look over at Aunt Violette, the fall sunlight shining on her face, and I notice for the first time her eyes are the same shade of green as mine and Mama’s.
Suddenly, Aunt Violette’s hand tightens on my arm, and I can feel her pull me a closer. The happy expression is gone from her face, replaced with one I’ve never seen before. She stops walking, pulling me to a stop with her.
In a voice I don’t recognize, she says, “Hello, Claire. You’re looking well.”
I glance back to find Drake’s mother standing before us. A leer stretched across her face. She is looking directly at me as she replies, “Hello, Violette. Won’t you introduce me to this niece of yours I’ve heard so much about? It seems my son is a bit smitten with her.”
The idea she has heard about me makes me nervous. I can tell she is used to being intimidating and looked upon with envy for her beauty and wealth. I only see a cruel and hateful woman. I can hardly hide the disgust and hatred I feel for her from my expression. She is still watching me, and I notice a curiosity in her eyes that sends a chill up my spine.
“Selene, this is Claire Thomas. Claire, this is my niece, Selene Chandler.”
As my name leaves Aunt Vi’s lips, I notice Mrs. Thomas stiffen, and a new kind of malice replaces the hostility that already lies beneath. I wonder what that is about. She quickly recovers and once again eyeballs me as she reaches her hand out for me to take. I hesitate a moment, not wanting to touch the hand I know has caused Drake so much harm. Since I don’t wish to cause a scene, I reluctantly shake her hand.
“It’s nice to finally meet you, Selene. Drake has told me so much about you.” A hint of coldness still lingers in her tone. I try to keep my face neutral because I know Drake has done no such thing.
“Really? That’s strange. I hardly know him at all,” I reply, adding a slight chill to my sugary sweet southern accent. Two can play at this game. I will not let her intimidate me.
We stare at one another, and I can’t read what she is thinking at this moment. A slight panic fills me as I wonder if I have made things worse for Drake. I can feel Aunt Vi’s confused expression staring at me before she recovers and turns back to Mrs. Thomas. I have an urge to be overly friendly, but Aunt Violette interrupts before I can react.
“We really should be going,” she says in a voice that is still unrecognizable to me. “It was very nice seeing you, Claire.” Aunt Vi begins to pull me away.
I quickly add, “Yes, nice meeting you, Mrs. Thomas.”
Even with our backs to her, I hear her response. “Yes, it’s been very intriguing.”
I’m not sure what this means, and even though I tried to not let her intimidate me, I feel a little fear for what that could possibly mean. I have so many questions. Claire Thomas definitely had a strange reaction to me. One I’m positive is more than just about my knowing her son. I’ll ask Aunt Violette as soon as we get home. I need to see Drake, too.
As for seeing Claire Thomas again, I would like to hope it’s impossible. I realize the possibility is greater than I could hope because there is an alarming threat behind her words.
Drake
WHEN I PULL UP TO the light yellow Victorian, the first thing I notice is there is someone sitting on the porch I don’t recognize. The second thing I notice is Mrs. D’s car is gone, and a truck sits in its place.
As I pull in my usual spot, I can see the person on the porch more clearly. It’s a guy about my age with dark hair. I wonder who it could be and why he is just sitting on the porch like he has a right to be here. I turn off the ignition and step down from the cab. As I round the side of the truck, I notice the dark-haired guy is standing up and watching me approach. I go on the offensive immediately because, for some reason, I just don’t like the guy, even though I have no idea who he is.
“Hey there. Can I help you?” I ask, putting an authoritative air to my voice.
He runs a hand through his hair. Another uneasy sensation runs through me. Even I can admit he is handsome, which doesn’t give me a good feeling.
“Uh, well, maybe. I’m looking for Selene Chandler. This is her aunt’s house, right?” The knot I did not realize had formed in my stomach tightens. Who is this guy, and why is he looking for Selene? I feel compelled to shout at him that she is mine.
“Who’s asking?” I say instead as I stop at the bottom of the steps with my hands on my hips. He is standing on the top of the steps above me, but I can easily see he is few inches shorter.
He takes a step down off the porch. “Look, man. If I have the wrong house, I’m sorry. I’ll go now, but could you possibly point me in the right direction?”
He is almost directly in front of me now, and as ridiculous as I know I’m acting about this, I can’t help feeling territorial. But fuck! Selene and I just—well, I don’t know what we just, but that is why I’m here. I want to know why this guy is here. I glare at him. He is looking at me with confusion, and I realize I need to let this go. I have nothing to worry about. Although I have no idea who he is or what he wants from her, I relax a little.
“You have the right house,” I say warily as I walk past him and up the steps.
Once I’m on the porch, I turn and find him staring at me. I can’t actually read his expression, but can tell he is no longer feeling apologetic for trespassing. He walks back up onto the porch.
“So if I have the right house, who are you?” he asks when he is directly in front of me again.
I hes
itate, giving him another once-over. Slowly, I extend my hand toward him.
“Drake Thomas,” I state lucidly as he looks down at my hand then back up to my face. I lower my hand and move to one of the rockers on the porch, making myself at home. The guy didn’t want to shake my hand. I don’t give a fuck. As I rock back and forth, a sneer spreads across my face. “Looks like we will be waiting for Selene and Mrs. D together.” Throwing daggers at me with his eyes, the guy leans against the side one of the pillars.
I’m not sure how long we remained silent before I notice the ruby red convertible coming up the road. I can see Selene’s hair blowing in the wind. I glance over at the nameless asshole, and he is still leaning against the pillar with his eyes closed. I gradually stand up and make my way down the steps. As I reach the bottom of the steps, Selene is out of the car, smiling one of her beautiful smiles I’ve always felt were reserved just for me. She comes toward me and throws her arms around my shoulders, so I lift her slightly in an embrace.
“Hey, Chandler! Did ya miss me?” I ask teasingly.
I can hear the playfulness in her voice when she says, “Maybe a little, Mr. Thomas, but don’t get cocky.” She releases a light, airy sound, and it warms me to my core. The asshole is a forethought until I feel her body go rigid in my arms.
From behind me, I hear him on the porch. “Hello, Selene.”
I want to tighten my hold on her at the possessive way her name leaves his lips. Before I have a chance, she is pushing at me to put her down. When I set her down, I turn but keep her hand in mine. The look on her face is one I never want to see again. It’s the same look she had the first day I saw her. It’s one of hurt and sadness. I see them as they stare at one another. I take a step forward, wanting to fucking pummel this guy for hurting her. He hurt Selene, but how? Did she love him? He obviously loves her, and this only makes things worse. I wanted to be the first guy to fall in love with her.
When Destinies Collide Page 14
