It was amazing how attached she had become to him in the past week. She itched when he was not around; her skin was uncomfortable when he was not there to soothe the burning that his absence created. She still didn’t understand the strange power he had over her, the fierce connection that blazed between them, but she had accepted the fact that she had no control over it.
He had inserted himself permanently into her life, creating chaos where there had been none. But it was a chaos that she relished in, and needed as much as she needed air to survive. She would be completely lost without his strong presence, and the hope that he had brought to her life.
Her phone went off, the faint beep barely audible above the din surrounding her. Digging it out of her pocket, she flipped it open relieved to see the text from Devon saying that he was on his way. Flipping it closed, she shoved it back in her pocket, unable to stop the small smile that flitted across her mouth.
“Devon on his way?” Chris asked quietly.
“Yeah.”
He nodded as his blue eyes scanned the crowd. Though he still wasn’t completely relaxed around Devon, they seemed to have forged a strange friendship. They watched TV together every night when Devon came over to see her. They commented on this and that, laughing or groaning depending on what was on. They were both obsessed with The Deadliest Catch and Cassie found it highly amusing to watch and listen to them. She had grown accustomed to Devon’s visits after school, looked forward to the time they spent together in her room before she had to go back to the grind of her nightlife. She was still not used to having Devon in her room, in her life even, but she had grown to like having him there.
A loud shout drew her attention to Jack Wells. The quarterback was standing on one of the picnic tables, throwing French fries at anyone unfortunate enough to be close to him. Cassie rolled her eyes as Melissa heaved a large sigh. “What an idiot,” Chris muttered.
“Boys will be boys,” Cassie said softly.
“Shoot me if I ever act like that.”
“Oh, it’s a guarantee, and don’t forget I know how to use a crossbow.”
He grinned at her. “Yeah you do.”
Cassie scanned the crowd again; impatient to see Devon. Since she had made the decision not to fight her feelings, things had leveled out inside her, become more peaceful. She could concentrate on her training again; she was more settled, and more alive, than she had been in years. She was still a tumult of feeling and sensation when it came to him, and she was beginning to believe that that feeling would never change.
There was a ripple in the crowd, a slight shifting amongst the students. She knew instantly that he had arrived as his presence always caused a stir. The boys were still slightly wary of him, and the girl’s eagerly followed his every move. The girl’s had also started to give her angry, hate filled looks that she had not gotten used to receiving, and was perplexed by. She had done nothing to them; in fact she had considered most of them her friends. Until now. She knew it was jealousy over her relationship with Devon that fueled their anger, knew that they wanted him, but that fact didn’t make the resentment from them any easier.
He walked gracefully through the crowd, not acknowledging the strange or lustful stares that followed him. Jack stopped tossing french-fries as Devon moved past, not even he was crazy enough to throw a fry at Devon. Though, Cassie thought it might be entertaining to see. Devon didn’t even acknowledge the winning quarterbacks presence as he moved swiftly past. Until Devon had arrived, Jack had been the most sought after boy in school. Now Jack’s all American good looks couldn’t hold a candle to Devon’s dark splendor.
Cassie bristled slightly as Marcy stepped in front of Devon, halting his progress. It was not jealousy that broke through her, for he did not look at other girls that way. In fact, Cassie knew that she was often the only person he saw. He conveyed that to her with every one of his searing looks and gentle touches, for even now as he spoke with Marcy, his gaze was focused upon her. The smile on his lips was for her only. No, it was not jealousy that tore through her, but aggravation that Marcy had stopped him from coming straight to her. She needed him to ease the aching tension clinging to her.
He spoke with Marcy for a few moments, but his gaze remained firm upon her, his eyes warm and caring. Some of the anxiety eased from her, a small smile curved her mouth as she watched him. The bond between them was fierce, and they still hadn’t even kissed yet. In fact, they had done nothing more than hold hands and sit with each other. She ached for his kiss she just didn’t know what would happen when he finally did kiss her. His touch was enough to drive her crazy, she couldn’t imagine what his kiss would do to her, but she was dying to find out.
Yet, she did not rush it, did not try and make the first move. She knew it would happen eventually, and that it would be as thrilling as everything else with him was. For now, it was simply enough to be with him every day.
He nodded to Marcy, giving her a brief smile before stepping casually around her. Excitement tingled through Cassie as he came to her; her body instinctively leaned closer to his as his hand slid easily into hers. The burn and itch in her skin eased, allowing her to experience the bliss that he brought her. He was the only balm that could ease her discomfort.
He stood close beside her, his chest pressed lightly against her shoulder. The hand not holding hers wrapped possessively around her waist, and rested lightly upon her hip. A small shiver worked its way down her spine, her eyes closed briefly as she relished in the pleasure that his touch brought her. His scent engulfed her, filling her nostrils with the smell of fresh air tinted with the crisp hint of spices. It was a scent she had grown used to, and she welcomed it with every fiber of her being.
His hand lightly stroked her hip, his fingers set up a firestorm within her that only he could start, and put out. “You look beautiful tonight.”
His soft words and gentle breath blew against her hair, ruffling it slightly. She shivered again, leaning closer to him as he gently nuzzled her neck. His lips brushed over her skin, briefly caressing the nape of her neck. For a moment Cassie feared that her knees would buckle as her legs began to tremble fiercely.
He chuckled lightly, his hand tightened on her waist. Pulling her closer against him, he gently supported her suddenly weak legs. Cassie’s hand tightened around his. “Oh!” A loud shout echoed through the air, reverberating beneath the metal overhang of B’s and S’s.
Cassie looked up as Jack did a back flip off the table, landing perfectly on his feet. “What an idiot,” Chris said, tossing his empty shake into the trashcan.