Gifted Connections 1

Jemmy let out a wolf whistle. “Hot Mama! Those boys will be drooling. Just stay away from Rick.”

“I thought it was Ben!” I exclaimed with a laugh. “Besides! Look at you! I look like a child standing next to you. You are beautiful, tall, and so…infectious.”

“Are you trying to say I’m diseased?” she gasped.

I giggled. “No, I mean your laughter is infectious, your smiles are infectious. You spread love and happiness wherever you go.”

“Oooooh,” her eyes were bright with happiness as she linked her arm with mine and pushed my drink back into my hands. “Drink,” she insisted before we started skipping off to join Noah and Troy next to the fire pit.

We both laughed as some of my drink splashed on me and dripped down my chest. Rose and Stacey were already in the hot tub as we passed. I knew they were talking about us, but that only made us laugh even harder.

We stopped short of Troy and Noah as they were putting down the firewood in a neat stack next to the planter boxes. They stopped when they saw us coming.

Even in my happy haze, I was able to see the appreciation in both of their eyes as their eyes raked over me. I tried to hide my smile as I realized how good it made me feel.

“Want to help me build a fire?” Troy gave me his crooked little grin.

My eyes widened. “Sure! I’ve never built one before.”

He drew me into his arms and pulled me in front of him. “Grab my hands,” he whispered in my ear.

I shuddered at the feeling of his warm breath against my ear, and I saw him grin wider, knowing he was affecting me. I handed my drink off to Noah, who stood beside us with a soft smile on his lips.

“Watch our hands,” Troy said.

I looked at his hands and felt the warmth of them heat up until a flash of a fireball leapt out of his hands and onto the firewood. I felt the jolt of energy and it was exhilarating. It made me feel high.

I turned to him and I knew my eyes had to be bright with the alcohol and excitement. “You cheated!” I exclaimed. “I thought you were going to build a fire the old-fashioned way.”

He gave me an impish smile. “Why? When this is so much easier and faster?”

He placed my hand under his once more and a round ball of blue fire hovered above our hands.

I stared at it mesmerized, the warmth in his hands radiating to me. I was dressed in next to nothing on a chilly October night, and I wasn’t even cold.

With a teasing glint in my eyes, I looked up into his honey eyes. They weren’t even looking at his hands, he was looking at me with a fire in his eyes. “It’s almost orgasmic.”

He visibly swallowed and the fireball extinguished. “What did you say?”

Noah and Jemmy had heard our exchange and started laughing.

I felt strong arms around me and a water bottle was pushed into my hand. “Drink,” Remy said firmly.

“I have a drink,” I giggled.

“Drink,” he opened the bottle and held it to my lips. “You’ll be thankful in the morning,” he said gruffly.

I wiggled in his arms as I felt his soft touch on my ribcage.

His thoughtfulness was endearing.

The party was soon underway and no less than thirty people were milling around the pool, hot tub, and patio. Will had come back from shopping with snacks, pizzas, and wings. He didn’t stay long before carrying Ella into the theater room.

Jemmy finally told me what the rules were as we saw that we weren’t the only ones drinking that night. All keys were left in a basket in Will’s room, forcing people to call for an Uber, their parents, and/ or sleep there. Will knew that drinking would be inevitable, and it wasn’t like we were around normal teens. He didn’t allow them to touch his alcohol, but he wasn’t stupid enough to believe they weren’t smuggling in their own.

I noticed Troy and Noah had started to drink, openly sipping on their beer while us teens carried around red solo cups. They had come bearing coolers, so I imagined that’s where they were keeping their drinks.

Remy wasn’t drinking and seemed to be watching everyone to make sure they wouldn’t do anything stupid. He slipped me a bottle of water every now and then, and I knew he wouldn’t leave me alone until I drank it. It was no use fighting him, so I obliged.