Golden: A Paranormal Romance

by Ellis Marie

  No matter how much I try to listen to her and not only focus on Trent, I can’t help it. My eyes are drawn back to his tanned chest as he shakes his head like a dog, water droplets flying off him.

  Swoon.

  “By the way,” Kristie begins. I can hear the sly tone in her voice from the first word. “What did I interrupt in the car earlier?”

  A blush takes over my cheeks as I roll my eyes, crossing my arms in front of my chest and pulling myself out of her hold, turning to face her.

  “Nothing,” I state with a deadpanned look on my face. She shoots me a look that tells me she doesn’t believe me. “I’m serious, I thought for a moment we were going to maybe kiss, but then . . .” I trail off, not knowing how to explain it.

  “Wait, you guys haven’t kissed?” Kristie gasps with disbelief in her voice as I shake my head, frustration beginning to flow through my veins. “Why?”

  I almost laugh at her question, but instead, it just frustrates me more.

  Because he’s a confusing prick?

  “I don’t know,” I tell her, a frown forming without my realisation. “Maybe he doesn’t see me like that?”

  Even as I say the words, I know that they’re wrong. He said too much for me to ever think that, and if he looked at everyone the way he sometimes looked at me, then he would have the whole world at his feet.

  “Oh please, that boy likes you,” Kristie argues, bending down to pick up her cup. “I mean, good on you for having restraint.” She laughs, and I scoff. “I would definitely have caved and begged him to kiss me by now. I mean, this shirtless moment alone is enough to make me want to go over there and—”

  “Wait,” I interrupt, my mind beginning to whirl as I look at her in shock. “What did you just say?”

  She winces and holds up her hands apologetically. “I’m sorry. You’re right, I shouldn’t be talking about him like that when you guys—”

  “No,” I interrupt again, heart hammering inside of me. “Before that. What did you say?”

  “Um . . .” She looks uncertainly at me. “I said I’d probably have begged him to—”

  “To kiss you.”

  Not until you ask.

  Suddenly, it hits me; the conversation in Kristie’s back garden, the words he spoke to me, the promise he made that I hadn’t even thought about, but he meant it.

  “That sly bastard,” I murmur, watching him as he heads over to the group of his friends, their laughter making its way over to us.

  “Elle, you okay?” Kristie asks, a confused smile on her face as she glances between Trent and I. “Did he do something again?”

  I let out a small laugh, my stomach clenching.

  “Yeah, he did.”

  I’m going to wait for you to ask me before I ever make a move.

  “What did he do?” Kristie asks. I look at her with wide eyes, the adrenaline beginning to fill my body as my mind makes a decision.

  “He’s making me make the first move,” I explain to her. Her mouth pops open in shock before it spreads into the biggest grin I’ve ever seen. She takes a step back, motioning for me to leave.

  “Well then, I believe it’s your move.” She takes in my slightly panicked expression and smirks even more. “Give him hell.”

  I swallow the small bubble of fear in my throat before I nod at her and then begin to make my way across the sand, my target clearly in sight.

  I smile and say hello to people as I weave through the crowd. The music seems to pound in sync with my heartbeat as I push through the party, my goal the only thing prominent in my mind.

  He’s going to make me ask, to make sure I know what I really want. Well, I know what I want.

  The fairy lights above me dance across his naked back as I arrive at the group of boys that he’s with. The light from the flames licks up his muscles, attempting to pull my attention from the thought in my head but I can’t let it. If I second guess myself, even for a moment, then I’ll lose all the confidence that I have just mustered walking over here.

  I don’t stop walking until I’m directly behind him, and before I know it, my hand is on his shoulder, tapping it lightly as I finally let out the breath I’ve been holding, which only catches in my throat as he begins to turn around. The boys behind him all stop their chatter as he faces me with a smile on his face but confusion in his eyes as he takes in my fierce stare and shaking hands.

  “Elle, are you—” He reaches towards me, but I stop him, placing my hand over his mouth as I take another step into him, our bodies only a breath away from each other. He glances down at my hand, one eyebrow rising in a question and I take a deep shaky breath.

  “I’m not asking. I’m telling.” The words leave my lips, and all confusion leaves his face.

  I swallow down my fear, sliding my hand from his mouth and onto his chest. His hot flesh below me pulses with his own drumming heartbeat, watching me, a fire in them lit.

  “Kiss me.”

  The first time that I kissed Matt, I thought that I would never experience another feeling like it. My hands are clammy, my breath shaking, and my heart wouldn’t stop pounding in my chest. When he finally pressed his lips against mine, the giddy feeling washes over me like a cool breeze. It makes me wonder what kissing Trent would be like.

  I stand, waiting for him to say something. The silence around us is deafening as he doesn’t move. He stares at me, unblinking. All the confidence I have races out of me, and my hands now shake out of nervousness, out of embarrassment.

  So much for that idea.

  I slowly take my hand away from him, but he doesn’t seem to notice; it’s as if he has turned into a statue.

  One which, apparently, didn’t want to kiss me.

  I clear my throat and glance at the boys beside him who are all staring at me with the same awestruck expression, except, occasionally, their eyes dart to Trent as if they are waiting for him to make a move.

  “Well then,” I half-shout, my voice unnaturally high. I quickly cough as I take a step back, trying to cover up the fact that tears are starting to pool in my eyes. “I’m just gonna go.” I manage to laugh out before I spin rapidly and start power walking my way across the sand, determined to get back to Kristie before my tears betray me.

  What am I thinking? That Trent would just kiss me? F*cked up, ruined, and emotional mess me? Yeah, sure.

  I look up at Kristie, expecting to see her running towards me with open arms, ready to comfort my idiotic idea and wipe away my tears. Instead, she’s standing with her hands clasped together, jumping up and down on the spot. And so are the girls beside her.

  What the—

  Before I can process the idea that everyone is loving the most embarrassing moment of my life and that I will most likely never be able to show my face in school again, I hear a sound behind me.

  I only manage to turn half around before an arm wraps around my waist and pulling me the rest of the way, straight into a warm and toned figure that towers above me.

  As I go to lift my head up, a hand cups my jaw and does it for me. The gentleness but strength in it makes my stomach flip. I barely get a chance to catch my breath before lips are pressed against my own. I wish I can say that I will remember every single detail of this moment. That I will still feel how his arms felt around me, tightening with every second that we are pressed together, or how it feels to wrap my arms around his neck and twist my fingers into his hair. How his lips feel against mine.

  But I can’t.

  All I can feel is bliss.

  It pulses through me from my fingertips to my toes. It’s not butterflies in my stomach; it’s a hurricane that picks up all the feelings of doubt that I’ve ever had about him and throws them from my being.

  All that’s left is us. All that’s left is this connection, this string that’s wrapping around the two of us and dragging us together like an unstoppable force that’s determined to make us one.

  It’s mind blowing. It’s euphoric. It’s comforting.

 
; It’s . . . Trent.

  I pull away with a gasp as my lungs scream for air, but his arms lock me in place, only letting me move about an inch away from him so that as soon as I open my eyes, all I see are his eyes, staring back at me.

  Simultaneously, our faces split into the biggest grins we’ve ever had. I can’t help but stare at the gorgeous smile that takes over his features. It’s almost like an aura around him lights up, glowing with happiness.

  “Wow,” he whispers, his eyes glazed over. I giggle and bite my lip, trying to control the urge to smile even wider. “You, mi cielo . . . you have no idea what you do to me.”

  Although a blush rises in my cheeks, I smirk at his words, pulling myself closer to him. As I rise on my tiptoes, his fingers tighten around me, steadying me.

  Please kiss me again.

  “Oh really?” I ask. “And here I thought you weren’t going to kiss me.”

  He shakes his head as he lets out an inaudible scoff, one of his hands leaving my body to hold my face while his fingers gently push back my hair.

  “It took me a minute to understand what you had said.” He glances at my lips. “I thought I was dreaming.”

  All the confidence I had before dies as I swoon over his words, my heart melting at the soft gaze he stares at me with.

  “Well,” I mumble out, trying to slow down my breathing. “It’s not a dream.”

  I think.

  He raises an eyebrow in response as he thinks about it for a second, the smirk on his lips itching to break free.

  “I’m not so sure,” he tells me with a click of his tongue and a mischievous look in his eyes. “I might have to do it again to be sure.”

  A noise of agreement makes its way out of my throat almost immediately in response to his words. His cheeky expression darkens at it, clenching his jaw as he wraps his hand around the back of my head and pulls me against him without warning, splaying my hands on his broad chest.

  Our lips collide almost feverishly this time, and now, I can feel everything that’s happening to me—every touch of his fingertips against me as he tries to pull me closer to him, every breath of his that graces my skin as he draws in a ragged breath.

  When his tongue runs along my lip, I’m so grateful for his arms because my knees give out and I accept it, completely at his mercy as he devours me, sucking every breath from my waiting lips as fire ignites through my veins and right to my core.

  I couldn’t have even dreamt that it would be this good.

  A bolt of courage shoots through me as I tug lightly on his hair, causing an almost animal-like noise to emulate from his chest. It encourages me to pull his lip into my mouth and gently bite it.

  In an instant, he pulls his lips away from me, squeezing his eyes shut and clenching his jaw as he holds me to him with my forehead against his. I wince at the reaction.

  Maybe he didn’t like that.

  As nerves swoop over me, my hand finds the pendant dangling from my neck—which seems to be becoming a habit of mine—and almost immediately, Trent pulls me back into him, his breathing ragged.

  “I would enjoy nothing more than to continue,” he whispers, the words almost seeming to strain his voice as he takes deep breaths with his eyes closed. “But I promised myself that I would never lose control with you.”

  He snaps his eyes open and my body heats up at the intense gaze in them.

  “However, I didn’t account for the fact that your lips would make me crumble under them and forget about that.” The honesty in his voice shocks me. I bite my lip again, not sure how to respond, but that only makes him groan and kiss me again with his mouth firmly against mine.

  The kiss is brief, but my legs shake like jelly for seconds after it as I try, yet again, to catch my breath that he has stolen from me. Thoughts race across my head as my fingers run over his biceps that are curled around me, the heat of his skin making my own flame up in desire.

  “I think stopping the kissing, for now, would probably be best for both of us,” I admit shakily, slowly looking up at him as he chuckles but nods in agreement.

  “I think we’ve put on enough of a show,” he whispers with amusement coating his features. I freeze, finally looking around us to see that pretty much every single person is watching us with gobsmacked expressions. Except for one person.

  “Yeees!” the person screams, throwing their hands up in the air. “That was so hot! Get it, b*tch!”

  I groan and hide in Trent’s chest as it vibrates with laughter, a groan escaping my lips.

  “Thank you, drunk Tom. The support is much appreciated!” I shout, my words muffled by the chest that I’m currently burying myself into.

  I hear a holler back from him and then the chatting restarts, and I can relax a little when I don’t feel eyes on me anymore.

  Trent laughs for a moment before gently lifting my head up to him, despite my moans of protest about how embarrassed I am that everyone is staring.

  “It’s okay,” he reassures, making me open my eyes, ready for his comforting words. “You can ‘get it’ anytime you like.”

  My mouth pops open and his laughter follows. I shove him away, trying to seem annoyed but the smile on my face betrays me.

  “Well, for that, you’re not getting anything.”

  He gasps at my words as I nod, walking away from him and towards my friends. “You, sir, can think about what you’ve done.”

  His smirk is almost blinding as he folds his arms across his chest. “Oh, trust me.” He winks, almost sending me tumbling over my own feet. “I’m going to be thinking about exactly what I’ve just done.”

  I stammer over words as my whole body flushes. I quickly turn away from him. Instead of trying to speak verbally, I throw a middle finger over my shoulder in his general direction. I don’t think I’m strong enough to look at him again.

  “Aw, babe, don’t be like that!” The words make me freeze. I spin around in shock, replaying what he’s just said.

  Babe.

  The most surprising part of it is that Trent seems to be more surprised at what he’s said than even I am. His face has lit up in a red hue, his hand awkwardly scratching the back of his head.

  “What?” I ask, holding in my laughter. He winces, trying to think of something, but eventually, he just grimaces and begins to walk away.

  “I’m getting a drink!”

  I watch him walk away from me and into his friends who all start shouting and laughing at him, their hands slapping his back. Before I know it, there’s a weight on my back and limbs flying around me.

  “OMG! OMG! OMG!” Kristie squeals in my ear, the shrillness of it making me flinch. I notice Rochelle and Laura do the same, their faces twisted for a second into a flicker of pain.

  Strange.

  “Elle, I always knew you were destined for great things, but boooy.” Tom fans himself dramatically as he sips his drink. “There are great things and then there are even greater things.”

  Kristie and I look at each other and immediately start laughing. Drunk Tom always came out with stupid things that oddly made sense. He sighs, sinking down into the sand at our feet.

  “I mean, you two, when you kissed, just like fit, like a . . . what’s the word again? Oh, jigsaw! Like two parts of those weird him-and-her salt and pepper shakers you get in tourist shops!”

  I laugh at his amazed expression, his wide eyes lit by the fire crackling beside us.

  “You mean, like the ones your mom bought that are like two people hugging?” I ask incredulously, not able to contain the smile I have due to his excited one.

  “Yes!” he shouts, grabbing my hands and throwing his cup behind him in the process. “That’s the one!”

  We all laugh at his thoughts as we lift him up, helping him over to the logs set up like chairs around the fire as we guide water into his awaiting hands.

  “You’re such a lightweight,” Kristie chides, rolling her eyes at his lulling head. “You were trying to keep up with Laura and Rochelle and look
what happened.”

  “Pfft,” he grumbles, almost falling back off the log. “They were trying to keep up with me!” He points at himself and then proceeds to slide on to the ground, the water in his hand spilling all over him. We erupt in laughter as all of us slide together into the ground.

  After a few moments, we calm down and sit drinking, looking at the scenery.

  “I wish Cam was here,” Kristie sighs with a slight pout on her lip. I immediately feel guilty. I haven’t even thought about him.

  “Did he say why he couldn’t come?” I ask. She rolls her eyes, shrugging.

  “Something about family. He got all weird when I said we were coming here. I don’t think he likes the boys.”

  I frown at her words and glance over at the people who have welcomed us with open arms and were probably the most fun group we have ever met, then I remember the day in the cafeteria. Maybe they have a history?

  “But enough to not come here with us? That doesn’t sound like Cam,” I state. Kristie just gives another shrug.

  “Maybe it’s because he doesn’t like them taking things he thinks are his,” Tom chimes in. I look at him, his blond hair plastered over his face. “Maybe he doesn’t like competition.”

  I laugh, shaking my head as I hand Tom another glass of water.

  “He knows we’re his friends. What would he be competing for?”

  Tom opens his mouth as if to speak, but before he can, a voice speaks from behind me, which immediately catches all my attention.

  “Fancy a drink?”

  I don’t think I ever would have described Trent as timid, but that’s what he seems to be now—deep in thought and almost apprehensive to interrupt our conversation.

  I look at the cup in his hands and wrinkle my nose up, peering into it in an attempt to figure out what it is.

  “It’s Fanta.” Trent chuckles, passing it to me. “I heard you’re not a fan of alcohol.”

  Butterflies flutter through my stomach as I stand up, accepting the cup and what it means.

  “So you’ve been asking about me then?” I question. He laughs, a mischievous smile on his lips.