Chapter 12
In the days following our incident, I took extreme care how I conducted myself around Vance. I found myself dressing as modestly as possible, covering any exposed skin that could be construed as seductive, and I also paid special attention to how I touched or kissed him. I only held his hand now, instead of running my hand down his arms or across his chest, and when we kissed, I was careful to keep it chaste and pure, pulling away before things could get too intense. I assumed these things were helping him, since he didn’t mention it and life seemed to progress forward as usual.
On this particular evening, we were sitting on my bed, working on some of our homework. I snapped my math book closed when I was finished, using a magic to float it over and neatly place it on my desk.
“Hey, I’m getting ready for bed now,” I said, placing a tiny peck on his cheek. He hardly acknowledged me, giving a slight grunt as he continued to work on his English homework.
I went to my dresser, lifting the shopping bag which contained the items I’d purchased today after school, and went into my adjoining bathroom to change. I took out the thick flannel pajamas—a size too large for me and covered in bunnies—looking at the childish design. They’d even come with a pair of bunny slippers.
After quickly dressing, I shoved my feet into the slippers and turned to check my reflection in the dressing mirror on the back of the door. The image was totally what I was going for—completely unflattering and very unattractive. I couldn’t even make out my shape underneath, so I figured it should be okay to wear around Vance.
Pulling my hair back from my face, I twisted it into a tousled bun on the top of my head then washed off my makeup and brushed my teeth. Checking the mirror one more time to be sure I looked positively wretched, I opened the door and stepped through.
Vance had apparently finished his homework during my absence and was lying stretched out on my bed. Resting with his arms behind his head, his legs drawn out with his feet crossed at the ankles, he was staring at the ceiling, looking completely lost in thought. He glanced in my direction momentarily and averted his gaze back to his study of the ceiling.
I smiled to myself. Success, I thought. He barely looked at me.
“It isn’t working, you know.” his voice interrupted my thoughts.
“Hmmm?” I questioned, lifting my eyebrows and pursing my lips.
“The clothes—those horrible things you’ve been wearing. Shirts to your chin, pants down to your ankles, the bad hairdos, the quick kisses and hugs, none of it’s working.”
“What do you mean?” I was trying to appear as innocent as possible.
He sat up suddenly, getting off the bed and striding over to me. He grabbed both of my arms and yanked me roughly against him.
“I mean it isn’t working,” he said, his voice low and seductive. His face was so close to mine his lips brushed across my forehead when he spoke. “You’re trying to help, and you’re making it worse.”
I was paralyzed. I couldn’t have moved if I wanted to.
“When you wear your hair like this, I want to rip it down so I can run my fingers through it.” Without him moving a muscle I felt the magic emanating from him. Instantly, my hair was released from its bonds, falling to cascade down around my face. His hands moved along my body until he reached my face and slid his fingers to tangle in it. He grabbed a couple of fistfuls, pulling back on it, causing my face to angle up toward his.
“And your clothes,” he continued, sighing in exasperation with a slight shake of his head. “Let’s not even discuss what I’d like to do with those.”
He closed his eyes for a minute, and I could feel him trying to regain control. He took a deep breath, but when he opened his eyes, I could still see the intensity burning through them.
“You don’t get it, do you? I could be blind, and you’d still attract me. Your blood sings to me as it races through your veins. I feel every increase in the rhythm of your heart, every catch in your breath, and sometimes every thought meandering through that silly little noggin of yours.”
I was breathless, captivated, not knowing what to say, so I just stood there drowning in the blue pools of his eyes.
“Don’t hold yourself back from me, Portia. It doesn’t help. It only makes it worse because then I crave you even more.” His eyes searched deep into mine. “Do you understand?”
I nodded woodenly, and bit the corner of my lip. “I’m sorry. I didn’t realize. I thought I was help—”
“Enough talking,” he growled, cutting me off. “Kiss me already.”
I wrapped my arms around his neck and leaning toward his mouth. He met me halfway in a crushing grasp. He kissed me hotly, longingly, until neither of us could breathe properly, and even then, he didn’t stop. My lungs began to ache. They felt as if they were on fire, but I couldn’t let go. My pulse was racing at a fevered pitch, matching his beat for beat until he finally released me all at once, taking a step back from me, and I fell to the floor.
I sat up, confused.
He reached a hand out to me, a look of concern passing briefly across his face. “Are you okay?”
“Were we . . . floating?” I asked, suddenly noticing his feet were a few inches off the floor.
“Sorry. I thought you knew,” he said apologetically, stepping back onto the ground. “I wouldn’t have let go so abruptly.”
“We were actually levitating?” I asked again, my voice sounding uncertain.
“Haven’t you ever heard witches can fly?” He chuckled, sounding a bit like he was teasing me, but I couldn’t tell for sure.
“Seriously? I thought that was like some broomstick legend,” I replied, trying to grasp what he was telling me.
“Well, there’s some truth to the rumors, although they may not be completely accurate. Care to go do a fun experimentation with me?” He grinned.
“Sure.” I glanced quickly down to my attire. “Do I need to change though?”
“Don’t worry about it.” He waved his hand in dismissal. “The bunnies are starting to grow on me.”
He took me to the window and jumped easily down to the ground before turning and gesturing for me to do the same.
“Think light on your feet,” he called softly, keeping his voice low in the quiet night air.
I did think light and found I landed quite easily. Not at all the sort of impact I would’ve expected.
We went to his motorcycle and hopped on. I cringed a bit at the loud sound of it starting. He turned left when we reached the highway, and to my surprise, he took me to the football field at the high school.
“We need some space to work with,” he explained as he helped me off the bike.
“What if someone sees us?” I asked nervously.
“Don’t worry. It’s late and the lights are off, so we should be fine,” he replied, after a quick glance around. He took my hand and led me through the gate at the top of the guest side stands and out into the middle of the field. “Okay. So using this power is more about levitation than flying really. Witches don’t actually soar over the moon on their broomsticks. It sure would save on airfare if we could, though.” He laughed slightly, reaching his hand out and pulling me toward him once more.
“I want you to kiss me like you did, only this time, I want you to think about feeling as light as air while you’re doing it. Don’t worry, I won’t let go.”
I happily did as he instructed. Kissing him was so easy. However, I soon found I was totally wrapped up in the kiss, forgetting about why he was doing this. He pulled away from me once again, only this time he continued to hold me around the waist. I looked around curiously and found we were indeed floating about two feet in the air.
“Can you center your emotions on the feeling running through you right now?” he asked.
I searched for my center and nodded.
“Okay then. I’m going to let go now,” he warned. He loosened his grip and took a step back, releasing me. I continued to float in the air beside him
.
“This is awesome!” I said in amazement, looking all around myself.
“All right, now I want you to take a step toward me.”
I did, and he backed away a step, so I took another step toward him. He moved back again. I noticed we descended slightly with each step until finally, we were back on the ground.
“Why did we lower?” I asked. “I didn’t feel as though I was consciously doing it.”
“We’re still bound by the laws of gravity. I guess you can say we’re bending the laws. That’s why a witch can’t actually fly away on a broomstick. You could make a broomstick levitate and you could hop onto it. But every movement you take would bring you closer to the earth again, making it a poor choice of transportation.” He laughed, and so did I at the image he’d created.
“So what good is levitating then, other than being for fun?”
“Well, it’s useful for standing outside someone’s window,” he said with a chuckle and a wink.
I laughed again.
“It’s also good for combat maneuvers, if we needed to protect ourselves,” he added.
“Show me,” I said, settling down onto the field.
“For instance, running and jumping. You can do things higher, farther, and faster. Hang on. I have an idea.” He started to run off the field. “Be right back,” he called over his shoulder.
He returned a couple of minutes later, holding a football in his hands.
“I’m going to go downfield,” he said, tossing me the football. “I want you to throw this to me as hard as you can when I tell you to.”
I nodded, and he ran off in the other direction.
“Any time,” he yelled back to me.
I took the football and threw it hard, straight at him.
He ran toward the ball, and suddenly it was like he was climbing an invisible staircase. He caught the ball easily in mid-air, flew into a somersault, and ran a few steps before descending back down to the ground.
“Why don’t you go out for the team?” I asked, amazed at the stunt he’d performed. “You’d fly by the competition every time!”
“It would be kind of obvious, don’t you think?” He grinned.
“No wonder you aren’t impressed by sports.” I laughed at him. “They must seem positively dull to you.”
“Not always. A lot of those athletes have great natural ability that’s fun to watch. Come here,” he said, changing the subject and grabbing my hand so he could lead me toward the school. “I want to show you something else.”
I followed him to a place where the sidewalk narrowed between two of the buildings.
“The same concept applies here,” he said, gesturing between the walls.
He jumped high, stepping one foot on the side of the building, then bounced to the wall of the other building, repeating the processes until he had climbed to the roof in a matter of seconds.
“Now you try it,” he called down to me. “Don’t worry. I won’t let you fall.”
It took a second to suck up some bravery, then attempt to copy exactly what I’d seen him do. I wasn’t quite as graceful as he was, but I made it easily to the top. I threw my arms out and wrapped them around his neck while he spun me around.
“Fun, isn’t it?” he said, his eyes sparkling, alive with enjoyment.
“Yes,” I agreed, totally immersed in the enjoyment of learning. “Show me some more.”
Soon we were scaling across the rooftops of the school, jumping from building to building, floating and flying across the gaps until we ran out of roof. We then descended to the ground beneath and crumpled on a grassy spot, laughing.
“That was great!” I said breathlessly, gazing at the twinkling stars overhead.
“Yeah, it was,” Vance said, rolling onto his stomach so he was the only thing in my vision. He stared at me, his eyes taking on new meaning while he looked at me. “I love you,” he added, brushing a wayward hair to the side.
“I love you too,” I replied, stroking his face.
“I wish I could show you what I really feel for you. Words don’t ever seem like enough.”
“I know, Vance. I feel it too.”
“Sometimes it’s like my life is just beginning. It’s a new awakening for me. Even when I knew you were the one for me, I had no idea it would be this strong.” He ran his thumb over my lips. “It’s not only the physical part of it either. It’s everything. I don’t know, it’s like I was only halfway living before now.”
I placed my finger on his lips to quiet him.
“You don’t need to try and explain,” I said. “I feel it too, like my heart’s always on the verge of overflowing, or about to burst.”
“I wish I could marry you right now,” he whispered seriously. “I want to show you everything.”
“Someday, Vance,” I replied. “Like you said earlier, it isn’t time yet.”
“I know.” He dipped his head toward mine.
This time he kissed me softly, almost reverently. It was a sweet, innocent kiss, but my heart raced all the same. Then he kissed both of my eyelids, followed by my cheeks and the tip of my nose, then settled on my mouth once more.
When the kiss was done he lay back on his side and pulled me to spoon against him, and we stared at the stars. He quietly stroked my hair and occasionally down my arm until I finally fell asleep.
When I woke later, the first light of morning was starting to crest on the hills around town and Vance was staring at me.
“I didn’t want to wake you,” he whispered. “You’re so pretty when you’re sleeping.”
I rolled over and wrapped my arms around his neck, giving him a long kiss. He pulled away from me much too soon for my taste, though, and I tried to bring him back for more, but he held firm.
“I need to get you home before it gets any lighter. How will it look to be riding through town at first light with you in your pajamas?”
“I don’t care what people think,” I said, not wanting to leave this moment.
“I know, but it’s time to go just the same.” He stood and pulled me to my feet after him.
“You’re so beautiful,” he said, kissing me lightly once more.
“Of course I am. With my messy hair and bunny pajamas, I’m sure I look peachy,” I grumbled, rolling my eyes at him.
“Yes, you do.” He smiled devilishly. “Like a peach I could eat again and again, and never get tired of.”
“Oh hush!” I shoved him playfully and raced off toward his parked motorcycle.
He caught me easily, and I was “punished” with another breathless kiss before he pushed me away again.
“Come on. Let’s get you home. We have school today!” He helped me onto the bike, and we were soon on our way down the deserted road.