All Grown Up (Eden High)

He must’ve felt my distress because he squeezed my hand and looked down at me questioningly, stopping halfway up the stairs. I couldn’t help the tears that started out of nowhere. And when he looked at me with worry and reached out to wipe my tears with his fingers, I just threw myself into his arms like a ninny and cried.

“Cassie, what the…” He cut himself off, and next thing I knew, he was lifting me in his arms and walking the rest of the way up to my room. He sat in the rocker near the window with me on his lap while I blubbered like a ninny for who knows how long. “I’m so sorry.” I tried getting off his lap, feeling embarrassed, but he just held me closer.

“You wanna tell me what happened?”

I wasn’t sure if I could put it into words without sounding like a complete idiot, so I just shook my head. “Look at me.” He waited for me to obey him, which took me a few seconds because I was about to die from embarrassment.

“There’s nothing you can’t say to me.” His finger under my chin kept my gaze on his though I wanted to hide. This isn’t the Alex who left me a year ago.

That Alex was a carefree boy with golden hair and sparkling blue eyes full of mischief. This Alex had a grown look and feel about him, and though his eyes still made me tingle, there was so much more there now. “Tell me!”

“I don’t want you to go back. When my birthday is over, I don’t want you to leave me again.” There, I said it; now I feel selfish and stupid because, of course, he has to go back. He has school and his friends, why would he want to stay…?

“I’m not leaving you; I’m taking you with me.”

His words made my heart race, and my tears dried up immediately. “Really?” I could barely get the word past the lump in my throat, But then reality set in, and I remembered my parents and the fact that they’d never let me go. I told him as much as my joy started to fade. Maybe it’s enough that he wants to take me with him.

“That’s already taken care of; you don’t need to worry.”

For some reason, his words and the look on his face when he said them sounded rather ominous. He didn’t say anything more, just kissed my head and patted my hip.

“Go say bye to your parents, babe, and stop worrying. It’s your birthday tomorrow; you’re not allowed.” Now I see why Sian gets that look on her face whenever she’s complaining about Jace being overbearing. There’s a certain kind of sexiness to this side of him, and for the first time, I’m no longer worried about our first time.

I left the room after one last look back at him, and my heart melted at what I saw on his face. I’ve never seen quite that look on his face before. His eyes were filled with intent, intent that made my knees weak and my pulse throb. It made me feel…desired. I smiled as I made my way to my parents’ suite. Can my life really be changing for the better? Can I truly be on the brink of my own magical love affair?

I stopped outside the door to my parents’ bedroom and said a quick prayer that all went well, that they didn’t try to stand in the way of whatever this is that was happening between Alex and I. He always said that he’d take me away, that one day I too would become part of their close-knitted family, and for the first time, I’m starting to believe it.

I had a sudden unwelcome thought about the notes I’d been getting but pushed it aside. For the next few days, at least, I’m going to enjoy this feeling of being loved.

Alex

I waited until she was gone to leave the room in search of the housekeeper, who I found downstairs talking to one of her underlings in a hush-hush manner. I don’t know at which point in the last day and a half I’d become this person who thought nothing of making plans for my woman without her input and not having an ounce of shame while doing it, but I seem to just slide right into it like I was born to it. I guess the others were right about that shit. It just comes naturally.

I say all this to say that I hunted down the older woman who I instinctually knew was one of the only people here who genuinely cared for my girl; I gave her a very important task to complete while we were gone. I got her attention and took her out of earshot, barely giving her time to keep up because I only had a few minutes.