Softened by his sweetness, Gemma shrugged. “Well I never saw you coming, so…”
They both shot each other a quick smile.
“I promise I won’t kiss you again…
Slightly appeased, Gemma felt her chest loosen.
“Unless you want me to.”
Her chest shot back into a tight ball of agitation. “I won’t.” It was all she could get out of her locked jaw. Pushing past him she headed for her room, the dark cloud of annoyance raining on her the whole way.
Slamming the door behind her, she leaned against the wood and drew in a few deep breaths. The phone on her desk began to jingle seconds later.
Grabbing it up, she looked at the number. Her body stood juxtaposed between relief and anxiety. All she wanted was to hear his voice. All she didn’t want was to tell him what had just happened with Simeon.
In spite of her misgivings, relief won.
“Hey Harrison.”
“Hey. Are you okay?”
“Sure.” She opened her closet door and headed for the back corner.
“I just got a bad feeling.”
“I’m fine, I’m just…” The truth was right on her lips. She wanted to say it, but knew she couldn’t handle the reaction. “It’s been a long weekend.”
“Tell me about it. I’ve missed you.”
She sunk into her spot with a smile.
“What have you been doing?”
Her shoulders tensed. “Nothing much, just doing what my mom tells me to.”
“Are you sure you’re okay? You sound nervous or something.”
“I’m fine, really. You know living here can be hard sometimes. My mom’s been ragging on me about everything and…”
“Then you have your unwelcome guest.”
She tried to let his casual statement not rile her. It was said innocently enough, she shouldn’t be annoyed, but she knew the underlying intent and didn’t have the energy for this fight as well.
“Can we for once have a conversation that doesn’t involve him?”
“Sorry, I just don’t like it.”
“I know, you tell me every time I talk to you,” she huffed, “but there’s not much I can do to change it.”
“You could go live with your dad.”
“Harrison.” She ran her hand through her hair and squeezed her eyes shut. “You know I can’t have them finding out about Gabe,” she said for the millionth time.
"Then cut that thing out of your ankle and come stay with me."
"I'm not having this conversation right now." She huffed. "We've already decided it's safer to wait until after graduation. I don't want-"
“Okay, fine.” Harrison’s mumbled reply hid none of his irritation. She knew it must drive him crazy knowing that his girlfriend was living with some guy that her parents wanted her to end up with. To compound the problem the guy was gorgeous, likeable and way too clear in his intentions. Gemma felt her body shiver as she relived the kiss. Harrison would never get over it.
“I know this is hard for you. I don’t like it either, but I need you to trust me.”
“I do trust you, I just don’t trust him.”
Gemma rolled her eyes. Simeon had been in their lives less than a week and this was the seventh time they’d had this conversation!
“Sometimes it feels like the same thing. Just believe me when I tell you I’m yours.”
“I do, I just-”
“I can’t do this right now.” She kept her voice gentle, hoping to soften the sting. “The sooner I sleep, the sooner I can see you.”
“Gem…”
“Good night, Harrison.”
She wanted to hang up right then, but couldn’t bring herself to be that nasty. Reminding herself that she loved this guy she bit the inside of her cheek and gave him the right of rebuttal.
“Good night.”
That was it. The phone went dead in her hands and her spirit deflated on the spot. Crawling out from her closet she dove under the covers and hoped the evening would fade into non-existence when the sun came up.
Chapter Nineteen
St Augustine, Florida – 2011AD
The sun was brilliant the next morning. Harrison drove to school wanting to relish it, but all he could think about was Simeon and how totally unfair it was that the guy had got to spend an entire weekend with his girlfriend.
Thumping his way into school, he let the jealousy fester around him. What was the point of fighting it, the second he saw Simeon within a foot of Gemma, he knew it would spring on him like a malignant virus. He flung his locker open and grabbed out the books for his first class.
“Hey.”
Her voice was sweet. It brought an instant smile to his lips, which stayed there when he turned around. Simeon was no-where to be seen.
“Good morning.”
Gemma gave him a quick kiss. Stepping back, she kept her hand on his chest and fidgeted with his shirt buttons as she looked to the floor.
“I’m sorry about last night, I’m just so sick of this conversation. I feel like I could tell you the same thing over and over and you still won’t believe me. This jealousy thing… I don’t know how to deal with it.”
He stilled her fingers. “I know. I hate that I feel this way too, but… I hate this. I hate that he gets to live under the same roof as you and spend all this time with you. I missed you so much this weekend and it was made ten times worse knowing you were with him.”
“I know…”
“I can just see how much he wants you and I’m not there to stop him.”
“But I am and I will… if he tries anything.” Her eyes flickered over his face then back to the floor. “You’ve got to believe that.”
“I do.”
“No you don’t.”
He frowned and let go of her hand.
“Babe, if you did believe that, you wouldn’t be behaving this way. I just can’t do this anymore.”
An instant fear tore through his body. “Are you breaking up with me?”
“Of course not!” Her head shot up to look at him. “I’m just asking you to stop letting Simeon under your skin. I want you to start acting like the confident guy I fell in love with. The guy who repeatedly told me that nothing would ever come between us.”
He looked away from her. She put her hand on his face and made him look back.
“Can you do that for me? Can you just ignore Simeon and remember that you have a girlfriend you owe multiple kisses to.”
His grin was instant. He touched her face and placed a light kiss on her lips.
“I’ll try.”
“No more sour mood?”
He shook his head with an impish grin.
“No more sulking at the table when Simeon sits with us?”
He shook his head again.
“No more seeing red when he tries unsuccessfully to flirt with me.”
He couldn’t quite make his head shake convincingly so she grabbed his melon and did it for him.
She rewarded his grin with another succulent kiss. His hands pulled her hips towards him, elongating their interlude. When they finally parted her eyes were dancing with firelight and her bruised lips were holding a hungry smile.
“When’s your next free period?”
“Fourth.”
“I’ll meet you in our alcove.”
Her smile was delicious and tasted divine with her farewell kiss. He let it simmer over his lips as he watched her walk away. Flicking off the green virus, he let his eyes linger over Gemma’s retreating form one last time before smiling his way to class.
His smile vanished when he rounded the corner and saw Simeon leaning against a very familiar locker. He could hear a sweet twitter and knew who it belonged to. He tried to draw on his reservoir of calm as he approached the duo.
“Hey Rosie.” He beamed her a smile as he stepped around Simeon and came into view. She shot him a look that screamed, “Piss off!” He decided his sister’s anger would be better than a second more of Simeo
n’s flirting.
“Hey Granger. How’s it going, dude?” Simeon’s eyes sparked.
“Fine.” Harrison tried for an easy smile, but was positive what crossed his face was more of a grimace.
“Do you want me to walk you to class, Rosie?”
“No!” Her blue eyes were rimmed with an angry hue. He would be paying for this for weeks.
“You don’t want to be late.”
Her mortified expression made him feel a little guilty, but he couldn’t stomach the thought of Simeon going after his sister as well. Feeling the awkward silence worth the cost, he stood his ground and was pleased to see Simeon take a step back, creating a more socially acceptable distance between him and the sophomore.
“I’m heading the same way you are, why don’t you let me walk you to class.” Simeon’s velvet smooth voice and snake like smile made Harrison’s insides quake. Rosie’s swooning didn’t help either.
“Thanks Simeon,” she breathed. She gifted him a sticky sweet smile before shooting Harrison the blackest look he had ever seen. He took it with a steady gaze then watched them make their way slowly down the hall. Simeon’s tall frame made Rosie look like a petite doll. Harrison felt his insides smolder as the guy looked over his shoulder and shot him a wicked grin before putting his arm around Rosie.
The heady high of Gemma’s kissing was shattered as Harrison stomped to class and spent the rest of the morning fuming.
Free period was straight after Italian. If he was going to enjoy it at all, he knew he had to get something off his chest first. Sauntering up to Simeon’s locker, he stood behind the guy as he finished loading his bag and laughing at some girl’s giggly joke.
“We need to talk.”
Simeon turned to face him with an arrogant grin. “What’s your problem now, Granger?”
Harrison waited for the young brunette to scuttle away. “Leave my sister alone. She’s young and impulsive. I don’t want you messing with her.”
Simeon tipped his head, a thoughtful expression making his lips turn. “I can’t help it if she likes me.”
“Yeah, you can. You can stay away from her.”
“Might hurt her feelings.”
“I don’t care. It’ll do less damage now than later.”
Simeon shoved his hands in his pockets and casually leaned against his locker.
“You’re a bit of a tight ass, aren’t you, Granger? What does Gemma see in you anyway?”
“I’m just being a good brother.” He clenched his jaw.
“Well, maybe if the girl I wanted was available, I wouldn’t have my eye on anyone else. You know what I’m saying?”
“That’s not going to happen.” Harrison fought the black haze, keeping his voice as even as possible.
“After the weekend we had together, I’m not so sure.”
Harrison didn’t know if it was Simeon’s malicious grin or the images of Gemma in the olive guy’s arms that made him do it, but his fist bunched into a tight knot and shot straight into Simeon’s face before he could stop it.
The guy’s head smashed back against the locker causing every eye in the hall to glance their way. A girl close by gasped as Simeon righted himself and dabbed at the blood on his lips. The bubbling anger dancing over his features evaporated only to be replaced with the stunned expression of an innocent victim.
“I’m sorry, dude. I didn’t mean to offend you,” Simeon said.
Harrison’s face puckered with confusion. He turned to follow Simeon’s gaze. For once, Gemma’s face was hiding nothing. She looked at him with everything from outrage to disappointment.
“Gem…”
Shaking her head, she spun on her heel and ran for the door. He didn’t feel ready to deal with the aftermath so stayed in his place. Turning back to glare at Simeon he felt as though his chest was being trampled. The Californian’s triumphant grin was unmissable.
Totally defeated, Harrison walked past the stunned gazes and headed for the alcove. He knew Gemma wouldn’t be there, but at least he could call and apologize in private.
Chapter Twenty
St Augustine, Florida – 2011AD
Gemma’s bike fishtailed to a stop on the grass. Unbuckling her helmet she dumped it on her seat and stomped to the door. She pounded on the metal and waited with eyes closed, recapturing the morning in vivid color.
The door swung open, making her jump and she looked up with relief to find Gabe was home. He took one look at her face and didn’t need to say a word. Stepping back he let her squeeze past him and slump down into the squeaking booth seat.
She sat in fuming silence while he calmly extracted a can of soda from the fridge then rustled in the miniature cupboards.
“Don’t worry about it. I’m not hungry anyway.”
Taking the can with a grateful smile, she took a long swig then slammed it down. It landed on a pen and fell to its side. Cola fizz glugged over the table.
“Crap!” She righted the can and caught the cloth Gabe threw at her. She dropped it over the bubbling puddle and watched it turn brown.
Gabe’s lips twitched with a smile as he slid into the seat opposite her. The phone in her pocket buzzed. She knew who it'd be, but she didn’t want to talk to him. Glancing at the screen, she scowled then turned the phone off before shoving it back in her pocket.
“So, bad day?”
She nodded then let out a long sigh. “I’ve been meaning to come and see you, but getting away has become even more of a challenge.”
“What’s up?”
“Last week I got home to find this stranger in the kitchen.”
“Stranger?”
“His name’s Simeon. He’s an exchange student from California who my parents have taken in for the rest of the year. He’s in every one of my classes bar one and I have to spend every waking minute with the guy and Harrison is going crazy! I mean-"
“Wait a second.” Gabe’s face was pinched. “Your parents found this guy and are just letting him live in your house?”
“It’s worse than that actually. I think they want me to get together with him.”
“Get…? As in married?”
“Eventually.”
“Who is this guy?”
“A family friend?”
“Is he a time spirit?”
“I assume so. To be honest I haven’t actually asked. I have spent a lot of time with him, but we don’t tend to chat about that kind of thing.”
“What do you talk about?”
She shrugged. “I try to keep the conversation as shallow as possible.”
Gabe’s eyes glimmered. “How does he take that?”
“Pretty well, I guess. I mean at home my parents are there waffling on most of the time and when it is just us I try to stay busy doing stuff so we don’t have to talk. At school it's way easier because he’s surrounded by his groupies…”
“Groupies?”
“He’s… beautiful and charming and… dynamic.”
Gabe leaned back in his chair and took a swig from his can. “No wonder Harrison’s going crazy.”
“If only he knew!”
“What do you mean?”
Gemma felt her cheeks warm as she bit her lip. Gathering up the sodden dishcloth she went to wash it out at the sink.
“Simeon kissed me last night. I pushed him away, but still…” She switched off the faucet and wrung out the cloth. Turning to face her father, she sighed. “Harrison would die.”
“Do you think he likes you or was he just being a jerk?”
“I’m not sure. Maybe he’s bought into all this stuff my parents have been spoon-feeding him. It was almost like he felt entitled.”
Gabe frowned.
“Don’t worry. I made it abundantly clear that he wasn’t.” She wiped down the table and threw the cloth in the sink. “He’s promised he won’t kiss me again, but I’m sure as hell going to keep as far away from him as I can.” She slid back into her seat.
Gabe nodded, but the thoughtful look hov
ering over his features made Gemma nervous. She began to play with the tab of her soda can, hoping it would go away. After a minute of silence Gemma looked up from her task and noted that distant expression was still embedded on his face. His lips curved down slightly and Gemma knew what was coming.
“Please don’t say it. Don’t make me do that. Harrison will kill me!”
“Gem, you have got to find out about this Simeon guy. You can’t honestly believe that your parents just randomly brought in this boy for you. They’re up to something and you need to find out what it is.”
“It can’t be to do with the box, I already text you about the Decimus piece.”
“I know, but this is weird. Have you seen this Simeon guy travel?”
“No. We’ve hardly done any traveling lately. I think they’re still hoping to find the last piece and then we’ll probably do a trip then.”
“I want to know more about him. Find out his history, get him talking about past trips, his family, anything you can think of.”
“Dad!” Gemma’s face bunched. “I can’t. Harrison…”
“Look he’s just going to have to get over it!”
“But he’s so jealous. It’s driving me crazy. I’ve told him he can trust me, but every time he’s around Simeon he just turns into this surly, unlikeable creature that I don’t even recognize. You know what he did this morning?”
“What?”
“Punched Simeon. In front of everyone, he just clocked him straight in the jaw. Thankfully no teachers were around, but who knows if some kid reported him. I was so black I just had to get out of there. If Harrison’s name ever gets mentioned in my house he’s dead! He just doesn’t get it! A fight in school! What the hell was he thinking?!?”
“I’m guessing he wasn’t.” Gabe chuckled.
Gemma huffed and shook her head, slamming her back into the seat. In contrast, Gabe leaned forward and gave her a crooked smile.
“You know your mother and I met when we were fourteen. We were both across the line for different reasons and destiny brought us around the same corner. The second I looked into those eyes I knew she was meant to be mine. I only managed to get her name before circumstances ripped us apart, but the second I got home I began searching for her.
Pure Blood (Time Spirit Trilogy, #3) Page 11
