The Crescent

by Jordan Deen

table. A kind older woman passed by the table and gave Jillian and me a red rose each. She said something in Italian that I didn’t understand and she kissed either side of our cheeks.

  “She said you glow with love.” Alex whispered after the kind woman had left.

  You speak Italian?” I asked amazed.

  “One of the benefits of traveling so much.” He kissed my hand. “I agree with her.”

  Thankfully, dinner went smoothly and I didn’t end up wearing any of my food or drink. The dance went just as quickly as dinner had. The four of us claimed a spot on the dance floor near each other and danced the night away. Alex and Gavin both were excellent dancers; Jillian and I did our best to follow their lead, but I stepped on Alex’s feet several times. Each time I did he said I’d have to make it up to him with a kiss; I definitely obliged. By midnight I realized why Cinderella really ran off from the ball, ditching one of her high heels along the way. My feet were killing me and while this dress was beautiful, it was horribly confining.

  “I have one more surprise for you.” Alex ran the tip of his finger down my arm to claim my hand in his.

  “Gavin, you ready to go?” We walked hand in hand to the limo and he helped me back inside to our spot. My cheeks started to hurt from smiling so much. Alex caressed my arm, slowly brushing his hand up and down the length from my elbow to my wrist. My heart raced when we pulled up in front of the Fremont Hotel, the swankiest hotel in the area with its huge columns and grand ballroom.

  “What are we doing here?” I tried to hide the excitement in my voice.

  “It’s a surprise.” Alex gave the driver a tip and dismissed the limo. My mind raced at the possibilities. If I didn’t go home tonight, my parents would kill me, but if I walked away from him again, I don’t think he’d give me a third chance.

  My body slightly shook as he led me inside the hotel and past the check in desk to the elevators. Jillian was smiling ear to ear in the elevator. I couldn’t tell if she was in on this surprise or not, but she didn’t seem nervous at all.

  Alex slid the key card into the door and flung it open to reveal a huge suite. My jaw practically hit the floor. There was a living room area decorated in roses and orchids in large crystal vases. There was a large cart with various deserts and a wine bucket chilling a large bottle. I laughed when I realized it was apple cider, not champagne or wine.

  “I know you don’t drink.” Alex whispered against my neck and then took off his jacket to rest on the chair. “Ok ladies, there are clothes for you to change into in the room over there. We have a selection of movies to watch and video games to play. There is even a pool and a spa downstairs if you guys are interested.” Alex grinned. I hadn’t expected there to be activities; usually when a guy takes a girl to a hotel it is for one thing and one thing only. I was motionless for several moments looking at Alex. Jillian and Gavin were wrapped in an embrace that made me look away.

  “Don’t be nervous.” Alex whispered. “Go ahead.” He gestured to the door as Jillian finally pulled herself away from Gavin.

  Jillian and I went into the bedroom and found sweats, shorts, jeans, swim suits and shoes to change into. Jillian slid easily into a low cut tank top and a form fitting pair of jeans. I slid into jeans and a tank top that matched Jillian’s and a pair of flip flops, my feet so thankful to finally be out of the heels, but my mind feeling ready to explode.

  “This is amazing, isn’t it?” Jillian said as she fixed her makeup in the mirror. “The dance was awesome!” She slicked on another layer of frosted pink lip-gloss. “Can you believe how everyone kept staring at us at the dance? I swear, Courtney looked as though she was going to kill you when we were dancing.” I watched as she carefully applied another coat of mascara; my friend had really changed and I’m not sure it was for the better.

  The mark in the palm caught my eye as she restyled her hair; it was more pronounced and definitely did not look like a burn. I couldn’t tell from the reflection what it was and the last time I asked her about it, she blew me off.

  “You ready?” Jillian grabbed my wrist pulling me out of my stare. “That bracelet is gorgeous. You’re not really going to give it back, are you?”

  “I have to! I can’t keep something this expensive.”

  “Yes you can.” Jillian winked and nudged me with her elbow. “Just Alex may expect something in return.”

  Something … I hadn’t let my mind get to that yet.

  c h a p t e r

  SEVENTEEN

  Alex’s strong hands swirled through the water lifting my legs to rest across him in the spa. The churning bubbles in the water covered my hair and face in mist. I knew my hair would be flat by the time we got out of the spa. I tried in vain to keep my hair out of the water and from the mist. I pushed it up and back to rest over the side of the spa, but I could feel the ends were already limp and damp. I gingerly ran my hands over my cheeks to wipe away some of the water, but every time I did I felt my makeup smudging.

  Alex stilled my hand as I passed my fingers under my eye clearing more mist away. “Don’t worry, you look wonderful.” He winked and then held my hand on his leg under the water stopping my fidgeting. His other hand rested perfectly on my thigh, his thumb mindlessly rubbing a lopsided circle. I wasn’t sure if it was inexperience, afraid of getting caught, or my sickness but my nerves were shot.

  Gavin had his back to us in the pool and Jillian was pressed against him. We could see her hands twisted in his hair and hear her giggling. She’s moving too fast with him, I thought as she laughed louder. I had never seen her head over heels for anyone; she was cautious with her feelings like I was. She had crushes, but none that had really gone any farther than that.

  I jumped when Alex brushed his hands across my collarbone distracting me from my thoughts of Jillian. “What’s on your mind?”

  “Nothing, why?” I was sure my voice gave me away.

  “You seem worlds away right now.” Alex squeezed my hand. “Do you want to go home?” Alex was hoping that I would say no. He pulled me back to our own situation, my own slip with my emotions.

  “It’s not that. I don’t want to get in trouble …” I looked over at Jillian and Gavin still making out hot and heavy. I tried to deflect the attention from us. “Is he a good guy? I mean … really? I don’t want her to get hurt.”

  Alex grinned. “You don’t trust easily, do you?”

  Caught off guard by his accusation, I asked. “What?”

  “When I told you I loved you, the look on your face told me that you doubted it. Now because your friend is happy and seems to be in love, it can’t be real because it happened so quickly?”

  I took my legs off his lap and sat upright in the spa. “I told you I haven’t really had a boyfriend before. I don’t know how things are going to go and this has just happened so quickly.

  Alex fired back, “So you think because things have been easy that it can’t be real? That my feelings can’t be real?” Alex scooted half of a seat away from me.

  We were having our first real argument; I started to get more frustrated. He probably had dozens of girlfriends and had been in love more times than I could count. How could I get him to understand that love didn’t come easily for me. I couldn’t understand how Jillian, who was more like me than anyone else, had completely transformed in less than a month to be a mushy, lovey-dovey princess, and worse, how could I make him understand without sounding like a jealous bitch over her happiness?

  “I knew you wouldn’t understand.” It was easier to walk away than to try to explain the relationship with my friend of more than ten years. I got up and exited the spa, covering myself with a towel and stormed off towards the hotel room. Tonight had gone perfectly and now it was ending in disaster. I slammed the bathroom door and jumped into the shower to take off the rest of my makeup and get the hair spray out of my hair. I toweled off and slid my dress back on leaving the clothing that Alex had bought on the counter and the beautiful diamond bracelet next to it. I was sure after
my mature exit from the spa that he would regret giving it to me; regret bringing me here.

  I picked up my purse and forcefully threw my makeup into it. I took out my cell phone to call a cab to come take me home and wondered if I should force Jillian to leave with me that night itself. I didn’t know what I would tell them, or for that fact, what Alex might have already told them about my abrupt exit from the spa. I was sure this was the end for us. Monday he’d probably move onto Courtney or Ashley.

  I walked out of the bathroom, determined that my friend would have to leave with me. I didn’t trust leaving her overnight with Gavin. Besides, after how much Jillian had changed, I was not sure I could trust her here either.

  “What did I do?” Alex stood from the bed as I walked out of the bathroom. His eyes were red as if he had been crying.

  “You didn’t DO anything.” I answered but headed for the door. Alex wrapped his forearm around my waist stopping me.

  “Talk to me.” He pulled at my side to face him. Heat radiated off his bare chest against my shoulder and I closed my eyes for a moment enjoying his smooth touch. I took a deep breath trying to calm myself. “Please just tell me what is wrong. I don’t want you leaving mad at me. If I’ve done something I want the chance to apologize, or explain my action.”

  Alex’s hand rested at my jaw line. Small red lines like spider