“Rock,” I bellowed, shouting out one of the few words I knew. I loved this song. No way could I fall asleep to this one. “Rock,” I shouted out again, fist-pumping and feeling at one with the music. I heard something then—something that was not part of the song. Opening one eye and squinting against the bright sun, I pulled the earbuds from my ears.
Bryce stood over me, shaking with laughter. He was home early and I was embarrassed beyond belief. I jumped to my feet, covering myself with the towel as quickly as I could.
“What are you doing here?” I blurted.
“It’s good to see you too, Alisa,” Bryce said, still laughing. “I was able to take an earlier flight. I tried to call you several times, but you didn’t answer.”
“I guess I didn’t hear it,” I said, mortified.
“No wonder,” he said, gesturing toward my I-pod. “So, I decided to come over. I couldn’t wait another minute to see you. I knocked on your front door and had almost decided you weren’t home until I heard a strange sound coming from the backyard.” He started laughing again. It wasn’t my fault I couldn’t carry a tune.
“Sorry, I…” I didn’t know what to say. I had expected to meet Bryce at his house. It was rather disconcerting to see him here, hours ahead of schedule, standing in my backyard. The fact that I was half-naked didn’t ease my sense of discomfort. So much for the cute outfit I’d carefully chosen and the hours I planned to devote to looking my best before I saw him. I clutched the towel more tightly around me.
“Why are you so nervous, Alisa?” He took a step toward me. His voice was deep and smooth, sending shivers across my sunburned skin. He looked bigger than the last time I saw him—more muscular and…well, big. I blushed and took a step back.
“God, I’ve missed you,” he said, reaching one hand out to me. That was my undoing. Gone were all my reasons for being nervous, and in their place was pure joy and relief at being near him at last. I stepped into his embrace. We stood there for a long time, my head against his chest, his heart beating against my ear. He stroked my hair and whispered, “I’ve missed you so much.”
After an eternity, we pulled apart. I couldn’t quite look Bryce in the eye. My shyness was back in full force. “Um, I should go change,” I stammered.
“Why? You look great,” he commented, his eyes traveling the length of my towel-clad body. “I guess you could lose the towel, though.”
“Funny. I need to take a shower. Can you give me, like, twenty minutes?” I asked, wondering what I would do with him while he waited. “Do you mind waiting?”
“If you need some time, I can come back,” he offered, but the look on his face made it clear he preferred to stay.
“No, no, no, no,” I insisted, afraid to let him out of my sight. “I’ll hurry. You’ll have to wait outside, I think. I’m probably not supposed to have guys in the house when my parents aren’t home.”
“Probably not?” he asked, one eyebrow lifting.
“The subject has never come up. I’ve never had a boyfriend before, so I’m just guessing,” I said. “My dad would probably go ballistic if he came home and saw you inside.” I blushed, annoyed with myself for using the word boyfriend.
“Should I be afraid of your father?” he asked warily.
“He likes to hunt and he has a lot of guns. You decide.” I shrugged and walked toward the sliding glass patio door.
“I’ll wait here,” he said. “Take your time.”
Wise choice.
I showered at the speed of light. Ultra-aware of the passage of time, I had an irrational fear Bryce would leave the second my twenty minutes were up. After running a brush through my tangled, damp hair, dressing, and brushing my teeth, I flew downstairs. I grabbed the Tupperware container filled with the cookies I’d baked and rushed to the back door.
As promised, Bryce was still waiting. He’d stolen my lounge chair, though, and looked like he was half asleep. Hovering in the doorway, I stared open-mouthed at his long, muscled, jean-clad legs. The sleeves of his blue t-shirt stretched tight over his bulging biceps. The spot where his shirt had come untucked revealed a stretch of taut, ebony skin on his abdomen. I blinked to clear the fog of desire from my brain and shut the sliding glass door.
“Hey, you’re tan enough, show-off,” I said. He sat up and looked at me, again giving my appearance a once-over. I hoped he didn’t find me lacking.
“What took you so long?” He smiled and stood up, stretching. Spotting the container of cookies, he asked, “Is that what I think it is?”
“Maybe. Are you ready to go?” I was getting anxious to leave before one of my parents got home. I didn’t think I could endure the painful introductions that would lead to the inevitable questions later about what I was doing hanging out with a grown man. In reality, our age difference was only a little more than two years, but Bryce looked…well, old. Not like an old man, but he didn’t look like a teenager either.
Bryce could not keep his hands off me. Not in a sleazy way, or anything. He just kept touching me. He hugged me before we left my backyard. He held my hand on the way to his truck and again after he backed out of the driveway. He actually paid more attention to me than the cookies, which was both impressive and unexpected.
“Look, I want to spend time with you just the two of us, but not today. I barely saw my mom before I ditched her to come get you. I haven’t seen my dad or Jace yet. Is it okay if we hang out at my house today and then go off together tomorrow?” he asked.
“Yes, definitely. Your mom and dad have missed you so much. I didn’t mean for you to leave them and come get me. I could have borrowed my dad’s truck when he got home,” I apologized, hoping Jerica didn’t think I’d stolen her son away.
“Why are you apologizing? I couldn’t have waited another second to see you. I’ve never been so desperate to see someone in my life. So, is my little brother used to the idea of us as a couple?” He didn’t look very worried about how Jace would react. I think he rather liked the idea of causing a stir.
“I guess we’ll find out,” I replied, my stomach churning.
He grabbed my hand again the second we got out of his truck. I tried to pull my hand away when we went inside, but he wouldn’t allow it. My stomach was in knots at the thought of Jerica’s reaction to her son’s display of affection. Sure, she knew the two of us had developed a close relationship, but I didn’t know exactly what she expected. It would kill me if I saw even a hint of disapproval on Jerica’s face. I’d hoped Bryce and I would kind of play it cool over the summer and let everyone get used to the idea of us as friends before we tried to shove hand-holding and hugs down their throats.
Bryce clearly had other ideas. Still grasping my hand in his and dragging me along for the ride, he went in search of his mother. We found her in the kitchen, which was convenient, because much like his younger brother, Bryce’s eventual destination was always food.
“Hi, Mom. Alisa made cookies. Do you want some?” He finally released my hand and pulled milk out of the refrigerator and cups from a cabinet.
“No. I’m making dinner. Save the cookies for dessert,” she scolded. “Hi, Alisa. It’s good to see you, sweetie. Abe, Jace, and Rachel should be here in a while. We’ll have a welcome home party.” Her back was turned to me as she said this, the knife in her hand moving at warp speed as she chopped vegetables.
Bryce completely ignored his mother’s instructions to lay off the cookies. I declined his offer to join his eating frenzy, and watched while he ate a cookie in one bite and washed it down with an entire cup of milk. Abe and Jerica’s grocery bill was about to increase substantially.
“Do you need any help?” I asked Jerica.
“No. I’ve got it covered. Why don’t you get my son out of the kitchen before he eats everything in sight and spoils his dinner?” Jerica suggested, turning around and waving the knife menacingly toward her son.
Bryce, taking the hint, put the lid on the cookie container, stowed away the milk, and put his cup in t
he sink. He made a hasty retreat from the kitchen and I followed.
“Do you want to head downstairs and go a few rounds in Dad’s studio?” he asked, a wicked gleam in his eyes.
Remembering the last time we’d sparred, I blushed at the memory of me lying flat on my back with Bryce on top of me. Judging from the huge smile spreading across his face, he was thinking along those same lines.
“Um, maybe some other time,” I stammered.
“Okay let’s just go downstairs and hang out,” he suggested, leading the way. He grabbed the remote for the TV and sat down on the sofa. I sat at the other end.
“Come sit by me,” he said. I moved a little closer, not looking at him. “Alisa, look at me. Why are you so nervous around me? Did I do or say something to upset you? Have you changed your mind about us? Just tell me and I’ll back off.”
The idea of him backing off sent waves of pain and panic right through me. “No. You didn’t do anything and I definitely didn’t change my mind. You know I’m not good around people,” I tried to explain. “I just don’t know how to act around you. And I’m not sure how this is going to work between us. You’re so…perfect. You’re older and more experienced and magically gifted.”
I began to tear up just thinking about Mordecai’s insistence that the male Spellbringer was drawn to the female’s magic. I had none—how could Bryce possibly be attracted to me?
“Alisa, what you have is better than magic,” Bryce said, wiping a tear from underneath my eye. “I have enough magic for both of us. Remember what I told you? You don’t need magic to be special.”
“But still, I’m average in every way possible. I’m short and plain and boring. I can’t even carry on a normal conversation. I’m just waiting for the moment you’ll realize you could have so much more than a naïve high school girl from Hicksville.” I was on a roll now. That was one of my biggest problems. Once I opened my mouth, everything I thought came pouring out unhindered by common sense.
Bryce laughed. He moved closer to me and put his arm around me, pulling me against his chest. “There is nothing average about you. And you are never, ever boring. You’re beautiful, breathtaking. As for your height, I’m willing to overlook that. And I mean that literally. Did you know that if I’m standing behind you, I can see right over the top of your head? We’re made for each other. We’re the two most insecure, neurotic people on the face of the earth. We shouldn’t be set loose on the streets of Oaktree. It’s not fair to the rest of the population. It took me three flights to get home, and I worried through all three. I thought once you saw me again you would remember all the times I made a total ass out of myself. I’m still worried the excitement will wear off once I’m around all the time. I’m worried you’ll see me as an ordinary community college student with a bad attitude.”
I was surprised by the depths of his insecurity. “I like your bad attitude, so that’s not an issue. The short jokes will have to stop if we’re going to have a chance,” I said with mock seriousness.
He eased away from me and looked into my eyes. “I think I know what part of our problem is. It’s the anticipation. Maybe I should go ahead and kiss you now. You know, get it over with, so we can both relax.” Bryce tried to keep a straight face. “It’s for the greater good, Alisa. We can’t risk letting all this tension spill over. It could infect the rest of my family.”
“Well, if it’s for the good of all,” I said, hardly able to draw enough breath to say the words aloud.
He leaned over and pressed his lips to mine. It was different than the light kiss he gave me on New Year's Eve. I’d thought that was my first kiss, but I was wrong. This was my first real kiss and it was everything I’d always dreamed of and more. His lips were light and soft upon mine at first, then building in intensity. I melted into him, an act of complete surrender. When we finally pulled apart, we were both breathing erratically.
“I love you.” He leaned into me once again.
“I love you too,” I said. Bryce whispered in my ear—words unintelligible, yet beautiful. And though I couldn’t decipher the exact meaning of each individual word, I understood in my soul. “What was that?” I asked softly.
“It’s the language of the Fae. I don’t know the exact interpretation, but I can give you a rough translation,” he said, pulling away from me and looking me in the eyes. “I promise to protect you and take care of you until you decide you don’t want me anymore. I offer this honestly, willingly, with my heart and soul.”
My body trembled in response. In sharp contrast to his earlier joviality, he now seemed unusually solemn and serious. The words he spoke reverberated in my heart and I felt a deep connection as the words he spoke took root. He lowered his lips and grazed my neck.
Heavy footsteps pounded down the basement stairs. We sprang apart just as Jace entered the room, Rachel following closely on his heels.
“So, Bryce,” Jace said. It wasn’t difficult for him to know exactly what had been going on before he came downstairs. I’m sure my cheeks were flushed and I had a guilty look on my face. “You and Alisa, huh?”
“Yes, I’m Bryce and this is my girlfriend, Alisa. You remembered our names. Good for you.” I loved it when Bryce was sarcastic. And I loved it when he called me his girlfriend.
“Hey, I don’t have a problem with it. I’m just surprised by Alisa’s bad taste, but if she’s responsible for the generous mood you’ve been in since Christmas, then I’m all for it. Get married. It’s fine with me,” Jace offered magnanimously. “Mom said to come up in a few minutes. Dad’s on his way and we’ll be eating soon.”
We all trekked up the stairs to wait for Abe, who undoubtedly would be anxious to see his newly returned son. Rachel gave Bryce a hug and told him it was good to see him again. Then she turned to me.
“Alisa, I’m so sorry I haven’t returned your phone calls.”
“That’s okay. I know you’ve been through a lot,” I said.
“No it’s not. That’s no way to treat my best friend.” She pulled me into a hug and we both had trouble keeping our tears in check. I glanced at Jace just in time to see him roll his eyes in response to our emotional moment.
I was relieved to see Jace and Rachel were back to normal. They held hands constantly, and when they thought no one else was looking, they exchanged tender kisses.
The reunion between Bryce and Abe was joyous and touching. To my immense relief, the family seemed to accept the idea of Bryce and me as a couple. This was a good thing because he didn’t stop holding my hand or putting his arms around me all evening long. Abe and Jerica took it in stride. I guess after raising three boys with dangerous and unpredictable magical powers, nothing fazed them anymore.
Unfortunately, the same thing could not be said for us younger folks. When Jerica made her big announcement, we were astounded.
“We wanted to wait until everyone was together again before we told you,” she said, her face glowing with pure happiness. “We’re having a baby.” Complete silence met this announcement. Then the room erupted with noise.
“Oh, Jerica. That’s wonderful. A new baby,” I exclaimed.
“Seriously? When did you find out? Have you been to the doctor? Is everything okay?” Bryce was clearly worried about his mother’s health.
“Aren’t you too old? How did this happen?” Jace asked, much to Rachel’s displeasure. She scowled at him before offering well wishes.
“Congratulations,” she said. “What wonderful news.”
Abe was largely ignored through all of this. I glanced at him and smiled at his obvious pleasure. “Thanks Alisa and Rachel. Bryce, of course we’ve seen a doctor. Your mother is fine. She’s in perfect health. Jace, lots of women in their forties have healthy pregnancies. And if you don’t know how it happened, then we’ve failed as parents.” Abe laughed at his son’s embarrassment when he said this.
I fought back tears of joy. After everything this family had been through, Jerica deserved every bit of happiness that came her way.
They all did.
***
“Bryce, it’s almost midnight,” I said, looking at my cell phone. “I have to go home. I promise we’ll see each other tomorrow.”
“Just a few more minutes,” he insisted. “Please.”
“No. Now,” I urged.
“Fine,” he said, kissing me on the lips. “Let me tell my mom we’re leaving.”
He left me on the patio and disappeared inside, leaving the sliding glass door open just a crack. Jerica’s voice drifted outside and I was surprised to hear her crying.
“Do you realize what you’ve done, honey? I’m so worried for you, Bryce. If she refuses you…”
“How did you know?” he gasped.
“When you speak the Claiming Words, the initial ties form. I have Perception, honey. I can see what you did,” she said.
I couldn’t imagine what she was talking about.
Spellbound (Spellbringers Book 1) Page 26
