When Constellations Form (Light in the Dark 4)

“Maybe to you.”

I laugh. “Okay, okay—no to those things. I’ll try to come up with something fun and different.”

Surely, in a city as large as this one, there must be something we can do that we’ll all love.

The guys come strolling back into the yard.

“It’s starting to get dark,” Xander observes. “Let’s head down to the park.”

There’s a park a couple blocks away from his parents’ house that sets off fireworks—like the good kind, not shitty ones.

“Do you want to walk or drive?” I ask.

“I think we should walk, if we drive we might have trouble getting out of the lot and it’s not too far of a walk.”

“When you’re as out of shape as me, it might as well be five miles,” I grumble.

“If you get tired I’ll toss you over my shoulder.” His eyes sparkle with amusement.

“Or you could pull me in a wagon,” I reason with a shrug of my covers.

He grins and holds out his hands to help me up from the chair. “I prefer caveman carrying.”

I place my hands in his and let him haul me up. I fully expect him to let me stand on my own two feet, but the jerk hauls me up and over his shoulders.

“Xander,” I cry, kicking. “I’m wearing a dress,” I hiss in despair.

“Don’t worry, I’ll make sure the goods are covered.” He then uses his very large hand to cover my crotch and butt.

“Put me down,” I plead.

“No, too late now.”

“Xander!”

Our friends and parents laugh, completely amused by the whole thing and no help to me whatsoever.

Dickwads.

Xander carries me the whole way to the park, which is a good half a mile from the house, and the jerk isn’t even winded when he finally sets me down.

“Whoa.” I sway as the blood rushes back to my head.

He reaches out and grabs my hips, steadying me.

“You okay?”

I wait a moment, making sure the sudden influx of blood to my brain isn’t going to send me puking up my guts again. When I think I’m in the clear, I nod, and he releases me, taking my hand in his.

We follow his parents through the park, my mom and James behind us, and Jace, Nova, Cade, and Rae behind them.

We reach the center of the park where everyone is gathered and find a spot to sit in the grass.

Xander’s parents have brought a couple of blankets and they spread them out so we can all sit down and not itch to death from the grass.

Xander sits down and tugs me into his lap.

I giggle as he buries his head into my neck. I scream when I feel his tongue swipe against my skin.