"So this is Homecoming?" he asked. They drove slowly past three girls in skintight, glittering dresses and a few couples threading their way through the parked cars.
"Yes," Samara answered. "And I hope you're ready, because we're going to have the whole experience. We're going to dance, and drink watered down punch, and take pictures in front of a cheesy background. We are doing everything!"
Although it was still early, the parking lot was almost full. Lucian pulled into one of the parking spaces farthest away from the gym doors and looked at Samara uncertainly.
"Having doubts?" she teased.
"Maybe." Lucian peered out the window as two whooping football players ran past. "I was expecting something a little more romantic."
"I tried to tell you!" Samara unbuckled her seatbelt and threw open the passenger door. She dangled her feet out the side of the truck and dropped gingerly to the ground. "This is a critical element of the high school experience. You want to have the whole experience, so let's make the most of it."
Chapter 38
They walked arm in arm past boisterous groups of students to the gym doors. Coach Dobbs was sitting behind a battered folding table just inside the door. Lucian passed him their tickets, then put his arm around Samara's waist and guided her through the crowded foyer.
As they squeezed into the gym, a wall of sound smacked him in the face. Loud dance music was blaring from speakers on stands in each corner of the room, there were flashing strobe lights on the stage, and a multicolored disco ball spun from the ceiling. The bleachers had been folded against the wall to create more floor space, but even with the extra room, the gym was packed.
Samara tugged on Lucian's elbow, and he followed her as she edged away from the doors. She pushed her way past a cluster of gyrating couples and found an empty space beside one of the speakers.
"What do you think?" she shouted.
"What?" Lucian leaned down and put his ear next to her mouth.
"I SAID," she shouted directly into his ear, "WHAT DO YOU THINK?"
He looked across the gym. Groups of students were milling around the edges of the room, and a few disinterested chaperones stood with their arms crossed beside the punch bowl. Center court was covered with students shaking their arms and legs at one another and bobbing up and down.
"What are they doing?"
Samara pressed her lips together and he could tell she was trying not to laugh. "They're dancing."
He pointed to a girl who had hiked up her dress and was twisting her hips in circles. "That's dancing?"
Samara surrendered to her giggles and turned her back to the dance floor. "I've been wondering if you knew what you were getting into," she said. "Do you even know how to dance?"
"Yes!" Lucian said indignantly. "Duncan taught me!"
"Who?"
"Duncan!" Lucian spluttered. "My guardian. And it did not look like that!" He looked back out onto the floor; the girl had turned her back to her date and was rubbing her shoulders into his chest.
Before he could decide if he wanted to risk asking Samara to dance, Carin dashed up to them, dragging her date behind her, and flung her arms around Samara's shoulders. "You're here!" she shrieked. "You look so beautiful!"
She stuck her hand out to Lucian and shook it frenetically. "Hi, I'm Carin. I know who you are, you're Lucian! But we haven't actually ever met." Without waiting for a response from either of them, she grabbed the sleeve of the boy standing behind her and jerked him forward. "This is Ronnie!" she announced.
Ronnie staggered forward and caught himself against the wall. "Hi," he mumbled.
"He's a little shy," Carin whispered loudly. She wound both of her arms tightly around Ronnie's right bicep and threw her weight against his arm. He lurched to the side and struggled to keep from falling over.
Samara looked at Carin suspiciously. "Are you ok?" she asked. "You seem kind of wound up."
"I'm fine," Carin said. She twirled her hands in the air and brushed Samara off. "I was just so excited yesterday that I couldn't sleep, and then this afternoon when I was getting ready I realized I was really tired, so I drank three energy drinks. But I'm not tired anymore!"
Samara shot a sympathetic look at Ronnie who was standing in the corner shifting from foot to foot uncomfortably. "Let's do something calm," she said. "Like take pictures."
"Let's get some punch!" Carin cried.
"No!" Samara grabbed her arm. "You know the teachers have to stand over there because someone spit in it last year."
She shot a look at Ronnie and mouthed "no sugar" over the top of Carin's head. "Maybe Ronnie will just bring you a nice glass of water."
"Yeah, sure." Ronnie turned and fled off.
Samara turned Carin. "You have to calm down!" she exclaimed. "Your date literally ran away."
"I know," Carin groaned. "It's horrible!" She dropped her head into her hands.
Ronnie wove his way back toward them with a plastic cup in his hand, and the four of them joined the line to get their picture taken aboard a replica of the half-sunken Titanic.
"I don't know about this theme," Samara said. "It seems a little unfortunate." She blinked as the camera flashed in front of them. She could overhear Carin telling Ronnie to hang over the side of the boat like he was falling into the water, and she leaned her head against Lucian's shoulder. "Do you feel like you missed out, being home schooled and not getting to come to more of these?"
"Not at all." Lucian ducked his mouth close to her ear, and his breath tickled her neck. "There's nothing here that I want but you." He wrapped his arms around her waist and she snuggled into his chest.
Finally, they reached the front of the line. Samara sighed as she watched Carin lunge at Ronnie enthusiastically and knock him overboard. "Energy drinks should be banned for some people," she whispered.
After they took their own photo, they circled the room to the punch bowl. The gym was even more crowded. It seemed like every person that had been in the parking lot had come inside, and even though it was a cool night, the room was stifling. The dim lights enhanced the claustrophobic effect, and Lucian leaned close to Samara. "You were right," he said. "The punch is watered down."
They stood together and looked onto the dance floor, now teeming with students. "I guess all that's left," Lucian said, "is to dance."
He looked over at Samara and saw her trying to hide a small grin. "What's so funny?"
"You haven't had enough yet?" she asked. "I think you've gotten pretty much the whole experience. Minus the bumping and grinding." She pointed to a blonde that had her entire torso pressed against her date.
Lucian watched the blonde's gyrations and raised his eyebrows. "Are you sure you don't want to dance? This is your last Homecoming; I don't want to let you down."
She twined her fingers through his and looked up into his eyes. "I only came for you," she said. "Not the punch, not the Titanic, not Carin. Only you."
She gasped as a football player thundered past her and pushed her off balance. She fell against Lucian, and his strong arms encircled her and held her up. "We don't belong here," she said.
Lucian nodded in agreement. He spun her around in front of him, but kept his arms around her shoulders as a buffer as they pushed toward the exit. When they stepped outside cool, crisp air rushed over her skin. She bent over and rested her hands on her knees and drew in deep breaths of air.
He rubbed her shoulders. "Better?"
She looked up into his twinkling eyes. The night was dark, but he was illuminated by slivers of light escaping the gym. She felt sweaty and hot, but he looked radiant. She slipped her hand into his and felt a thrill. Always, when he touched her, a blast of heat took her breath away.
"Much better," she whispered.
He leaned down, and her eyes fluttered closed. Waiting for a kiss. He cupped her face in one hand and his thumb brushed her eyelids, her cheeks, her lips. Then he groaned and tugged her fingers gently. "Let's go."
The pa
rking lot was nearly empty. They had almost reached the truck when Jack and Amber passed them. Amber was adjusting her dress as she walked, tugging it down over her thighs and straightening her neckline. She flushed when she saw Samara and stared down at the toes of her high heeled shoes.
"Leaving so soon?" Jack drawled. He stopped in front of them, and Samara could feel his eyes on her face. "Such a shame. You make such a lovely couple."
He reached out to shake Samara's hand and squeezed it for several seconds too long. "For some reason," he said, "I thought you weren't going to be here."
Lucian angled himself in front of Samara slightly, and Jack dropped her hand. He stepped closer, until he and Lucian were almost toe to toe. "I know who you are," he said. "You can't hide from me."
He shot a withering glance at Samara. For a second his eyes narrowed and his lip curled and she felt afraid, but the look disappeared so quickly she must've imagined it. He grabbed Amber's hand. "Come on," he said. Amber glanced over her shoulder as they walked away, and then they both disappeared into the shadows of the parking lot.
They were both quiet as they walked to the truck and climbed in. "Why did he think you weren't coming?" Lucian asked.
"He asked me to go." She blushed as she said the words and looked down at her hands. "I told him I didn't like dances."
"Really." Lucian sounded intrigued. "When was this?"
"Um…," Samara bit her lip. "I think it was about two weeks ago. I feel bad showing up after I said I wasn't going at all, especially since he's your stepbrother."
"I said he's like my stepbrother. It's not exactly the same." Lucian turned in his seat and looked straight into her eyes. "He's not a nice person. You know that, right?"
"It doesn't matter," she said. "I didn't want to go with him." She reached out and rested her palm against his cheek. "I don't to go anywhere with anyone but you."
Lucian smiled, and she felt like she was drowning again. There wasn't enough air in truck to fill her lungs.
"Are you ready to go home?" he asked.
She shook her head. There were no words she could say that would express just how badly she wanted to stay with him. He lifted her arm and kissed the inside of her wrist. When he pressed his lips against her veins, she wondered if he could feel the hot pounding of her blood. "Then we won't."
Chapter 39
Lucian pulled out of the parking lot and turned the truck toward the outskirts of Wimberley. The highway slipped by as he drove through town, and after several miles he slowed down and turned off onto a side road that led to the top of Eagles Bluff. He drove slowly up the narrow road. It was unlit, and gravel crunched beneath the tires as they drove higher.
He and Samara rode in silence. Her hand rested on the seat beside her, and he covered it with his. The air between them felt heavy and bittersweet, laden with things said and unsaid. He knew they had crossed into dangerous territory, and a battle was raging inside. He should turn the car around and take Samara home before she got hurt. He had already crossed too many lines.
He knew what he should do, but it was too late. He was already past the point of no return. He was already in love with her.
They reached Aerie Overlook at the top of the bluff. The parking lot was deserted, and the sky in front of them looked endless, its deep, velvety darkness studded with stars. Lucian cracked the windows of the truck and turned off the engine. Without the sounds of the radio and the low rumble of the truck, a deep stillness rolled in.
"It's so peaceful," Samara said. She lay her head back against the headrest and looked out over Wimberley. The lights twinkled below them like handfuls of stars, fallen from the sky but still burning. "Like being caught between Heaven and Earth."
She turned her head so she could see Lucian's face. "It's hard to believe we were just at the dance. It seems so far away."
Her voice wrapped around him in the darkness. The dim light of the dashboard clock illuminated her face and made her look softer, almost ethereal. "Yes," he agreed quietly. "It feels like we left a lot of things behind."
He ran the back of his hand along her arm as she looked into the sky. "I've seen a lot of things," he said, "but this is the most beautiful." His eyes traced the gentle curve of her jaw, and he brushed a tendril of hair behind her ear. "So very beautiful."
Impulsively he opened his door and jumped out. He ran around to Samara's side of the truck and pulled her door open.
"What are you doing?" she asked.
"Dance with me." He reached down and slipped off her heels, then held out his hands.
"You're crazy," she laughed. "We don't have any music!"
"We don't need music," he said. "I learned how to dance for you, and that's an experience I don't want to miss." He beckoned to Samara, and she took his hand and slid out of the truck in her bare feet. The tail of her dress brushed the asphalt as he led her a few steps away.
"Tell me if I do this right," he said. He rested one hand on her shoulder and slid the other around her waist. She felt small, fragile in his arms, and the desire to protect her swept through him. Her arms wrapped around him and she stepped closer until they were only inches apart. A soft breeze curled around them and sent leaves swirling over the surface of the parking lot. "Listen," he said. "The wind is singing."
Samara closed her eyes. She could hear thousands of leaves rustling above them and crickets chirping from their hiding places. She shifted her weight as Lucian rocked her gently in his arms, and they moved in a slow circle, taking small steps that were matched by the rhythm of his breath.
She leaned her head against his chest, and he began humming quietly in her ear. The melody was one she had never heard before. It was beautiful and haunting, and made her feel like laughing and crying at the same time. She shivered, and Lucian shrugged out of his jacket and wrapped it around her shoulders. "Are you cold?" he asked.
"No." She snuggled against him as they danced slowly, their bodies moving together. She slid her hand from his shoulder and rested it on his chest. "I hear your heartbeat."
Lucian froze. He covered her hand with his and pressed it hard against him. She felt his breathing quicken, his chest rising beneath her hand, and then he took two measured steps away. His eyes were squeezed closed, and his face was a mask of pain.
"What's wrong?" she asked.
Lucian shook his head, and when he spoke his voice was rough with longing. "Have you ever had to do something that seemed impossible?"
He opened his eyes, and even in the darkness they looked wild and stormy. Even in the darkness she could see he was struggling, could feel his heart racing beneath her hand. "Things are possible if you have a little faith," she said. "Isn't that what you told me?"
She felt his muscles tense and harden and he looked away, over her head. "I don't know what to do," he whispered.
She took a step in his direction, closing the space between them. "I believe in you," she said. "I believe you can do whatever you have to do."
Lucian looked at her in anguish and disbelief. "You don't even know me!" He ripped himself out of her arms and turned his back to her. He walked to the edge of the bluff and stared down at the twinkling lights of the valley. "You've said it yourself. You hardly know anything about me."
"You're right," she said. "I don't know the details. Everything about your past, and your family, and why you came to Wimberley." She stepped closer, and when he didn't pull away she pressed against his back and slid her arms around his waist. "But I still know you.
"I know you," she repeated as she ran her hands up his chest, "because I see your heart." She leaned against him and his body stiffened in resistance. "Please," she whispered. She heard the undercurrent of a plea in her voice, and she didn't even care. "Don't push me away."
She felt the tension melt beneath her hands, and Lucian turned to face her. He was so close, his lips only a whisper away from hers. "I don't know what to do with you," he said. His eyes burned into hers, and his voice caught in the
back of his throat.
Samara struggled to find the necessary oxygen, and her hands grasped at his shirt as her knees wobbled and threatened to let her fall to the ground. "You could kiss me."
She saw her own longing mirrored in his eyes. He raised his hands to cradle her face, and she wondered dimly if he could feel her trembling. His fingers wound back into her hair, and then he lowered his head and pressed his lips against hers. He was kissing her like she had never been kissed before, hard and needing and full of abandon. His lips burned like fire, and for a moment she wondered why, but then she rose up on her tiptoes to meet him and all her thoughts were swept away.
Chapter 40
Samara stretched underneath her covers, unwilling to open her eyes. Her cheeks hurt, but she couldn't wipe away the smile that stretched across her face. Instead she flopped over and squealed into her pillow. When she sat up, she looked around her room. It was the same one she had slept in for the past thirteen years. She could hear Dina in the kitchen stirring sugar into a cup of coffee and the sound of a lawnmower outside her window. It all seemed the same, but she knew it wasn't. Everything had changed.
She pressed one hand gingerly to her lips. They felt swollen, almost bruised. Her heart constricted as their tenderness confirmed that last night was more than just a dream. She missed Lucian already, though only a few hours had passed since they were together. She couldn't see him today; he'd said he was going out of town when he dropped her off. She'd be forced to satisfy herself with the thought that she would see him at school in less than twenty four hours.
She lay back against her pillows and closed her eyes, remembering the touch of his hands on her skin and his lips on hers, until her reverie was interrupted by the jangling of the telephone.
She stretched across her bed and scooped the receiver up with the tips of her fingers. "Hello?"
"Samara, is that you?!"