Page 28 of Secret Gifts
“You do now.”
Oh damn. Yes I do.
His lips take mine once again, and the shower tries to clean us both of the scandalous thoughts spreading through our minds. My hands slide up his bare back, and I get ready to offer my body to him again as the steam rises to hide our dirty shower.
“So did the two of you ever… well, you know?” my sweet, filtered aunt murmurs through her girly squeal.
I roll my eyes as the human waitress brings our brunch out.
“A lady never tells,” I sardonically release while stifling a grin.
“Oh please. You’re Araya and Hale’s daughter. There’s no way you’re a lady.”
I laugh a little louder than I had meant to, and then I shake my head as the curious eyes leave my blushing face and return to their companions.
“Well, yes, we did, and then we did again. Happy?” I chuckle out while secretly screaming like a foolish teen on the inside.
She grins salaciously while shoveling in a piece of pancake, and then she leans back in her chair.
“Did you blood-”
“Of course not,” I interrupt, swatting away the unfinished question. Even though I really wanted to for the first time in my life. “It’s too dangerous. If he found out I was a descendent of an… well, you know, then he would be required by law to turn me in.”
Our whispered conversation is too low for anyone else to hear, but I still get chills, like there is someone listening in.
“So about the whole power thing,” she adds very cautiously. “Care to explain what that was?”
“I already told you I don’t know. Did you tell Mom?”
“Not yet, but she’s going to learn about it from someone. It should be from one of us.”
I sigh out while leaning back in my chair. Then my eyes catch the dark hair shimmering in the sun. Butterflies ruffle around in my stomach, frenzied with excitement when I realize it's Jase. The butterflies turn into spoiled goods when I see the very, very attractive girl joining him, kissing him on the cheek in a hello fashion. They're apparently friendly.
They sit down in a corner not too terribly far from us, but they're far enough away for me to hide behind the groups between us.
My heart sinks as my bottom lip tries to fall in my lap. I can’t believe this. I’m so fucking stupid. No wonder he was in a hurry to get out of there this morning. She’s fucking hot, and I’m just Aralia.
“What’s wrong?” Aunt Angelica asks as she turns to follow my broken gaze.
“Oh damn,” she sighs out. “It could just be a business meeting.”
“With a girl that looks like that?” I scoff.
Her perfectly pale hair goes well with her pale eyes, and she laughs as he says something she finds funny. I roll my eyes while slouching in my chair. I feel ridiculous enough in this low cut shirt and skintight leather my maniacal aunt bought me. My damn midriff is even exposed to add to my humiliation. Now I've fucked a guy who couldn't wait a solid two hours before finding his next bed-buddy.
I realize I didn't want to date, but that doesn't mean I didn't want him to be mine for at least a few days before moving on. I wasn't going to crowd him or try talking him into something more. I can't have that.
“She’s not that pretty, Aralia,” my aunt coaxes.
“You know you’ve always been a terrible liar."
She turns back to me, and her head tilts to the side. “She’s doesn’t have a tenth of your beauty, and you know dern well I’m not lying about that,” she scolds.
Sheesh. Dern? Really?
“Still can’t say damn?” I laugh teasingly.
She frowns lightly before rolling her eyes. “My mother frowns upon that sort of language, and my dad always did too. I can’t help it. Anyways, like I said, you’re far more beautiful than she ever thought about being.”
