Gifted Connections 1

I saw the tension leave his shoulders. “Yes, after French toast and bacon.”

Everyone cheered.

“Are we still on for our date tonight?” Troy asked over breakfast.

I dipped my bacon in my syrup. “Yeah sure, if you still want to go.”

“Wait, you have a date tonight? Is that okay?” Jax demanded. He looked over at his dad, then the guys, then me.

Will stuck his hands up. “I don’t know why you’re looking at me. I wasn’t aware of any rules or guidelines. Ella, dear, what would you like to do today?”

Ella took a drink of her milk. “Can we go swimming?”

“But it’s a school night,” Jax said.

I looked over at Will, I hadn’t thought of that. I never had rules before. I never needed them. Until recently, and when I hadn’t been able to physically go to school, I never missed a day.

Will shrugged. “Okay, I guess same rules I started with you and Jemmy this year. Home by ten since it’s a school night and if you’re late for school in the morning, curfew is nine.” Then he turned to Ella. “Want to go upstairs and change into your swimsuit, and we will meet back down here in five?”

Ella jumped up and started to run out of the room.

“Your plate,” I gently reminded her.

“Oh yeah,” she blushed and came back to load her plate into the dishwasher.

“Anyone else want to go swimming?” Will asked.

“I do,” Jemmy chimed in.

Noah looked down at his phone. “I’m running out for a bit.” By his evasive look, I knew he was going to see Stacey.

It irritated me that he thought he had to lie to me. I had already told them that they were free to explore relationships with other people. Maybe he felt guilty that he still wanted a relationship with someone other than me.

“I’m going to practice for a little bit since my audition is tomorrow,” I said as I picked up my plate and stuck it in the dishwasher.

“I’m coming,” Drake stated.

“I’m heading down to get my workout in,” Troy said.

Jax remained silent as everyone got up to get changed. I started cleaning up the pots and pans from breakfast and Jax stood up to help.

“What’s wrong?” I asked.

He shrugged. “Well, I guess when we found you I thought I could finally do something with you. You’ve already connected with Drake and now you are going out on a date

with Troy. I guess I felt we could have something unique to us.”

I stopped and turned to him, reaching up to grab his broad shoulders. “I never planned on connecting with Drake first. It’s not like I put a number on each one of you. It just happened. And Troy asked if I wanted to go to dinner. What was I supposed to do? Tell him no. No dating or going out with anyone I need to make a connection with? We do have something unique to us. I’ve known you the longest. No one else can hear my thoughts. You just broke up with your girlfriend, are you sure you’re ready for another relationship?”

He bent down and gave me a sweet, exploring kiss, “Does that answer your question? I’ve been ready for years. I tried to imagine you a thousand times over the years and you’re more beautiful and better in so many ways than I could have ever imagined.”

I buried my face against his chest. “I used to do the same. I used to think of you as my imaginary boyfriend. It helped me when I saw other kids our age dating, partying. I thought I had something better than them, though. I had someone who practically knew everything about me, the good and the bad. You were there every time I needed you.”

He picked me up and placed me on the counter. Positioning himself between my legs. He put a hand behind my head and pulled me in for a kiss. His kiss was full of yearning and hope. I melted further into him, my body wanting to seek his warmth more. He obliged, putting my softness against his hardness. As he continued to kiss me, he rubbed me on his hardness. His hands were on my butt guiding my hips.

I moaned into his lips.

He picked me up and carried me backward, so we were now standing in the laundry room. He kicked the door closed. He never broke our kiss and I could feel a fire building within. I was experiencing a delicious heat between my legs that I had never felt before.