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“Jane,” I repeated. “I like that.”
“You’re just saying that. Jane is such a boring name no one ever really likes it.”
“Well, I do,” I said, as I climbed to the front porch, where there was a swinging bench swaying in the breeze. I eased her onto it and took a step back in order to give her a bit of space.
“So, what’s your deal?”
“Deal?”
“You and your buddy,” she said but it really didn’t clarify what it was she was talking about. She waited for me to say something but when I failed to do so, she elaborated further. “What were you guys doing on the beach? Do you make it a habit of saving drowning women or something, because you seem to have this little routine down pat.”
“I’ll have you know that I auditioned for Bay Watch.”
She laughed. “That would make you about a million years old.”
“And maybe I am a million years old.”
“Yeah, sure, and you’re a werewolf.”
“Wolf shifter,” I corrected. “I would rather die than become a werewolf.”
“I think maybe the saltwater has made me delusional but I actually think you’re pretty funny and it takes a lot to make me laugh these days.”
“Oh?” I raised an eyebrow in question. “Why is that? A girl with a face like yours should be smiling all the time.”
“Did you work for Hallmark while auditioning for Bay Watch, or something, because that was the cheesiest thing I have ever heard.”
“Cheesy or true?” Before I knew what I was doing, I took the few steps necessary to stand right in front of her. Gently, I placed two fingers underneath her chin and lifted it so that she was looking into my eyes. “Because I truly believe you’re the most beautiful girl in the world.”
Chapter 4: Jane
What did he just say? I thought to myself because I was as sure as hell that I hadn’t heard him correctly.
Most beautiful girl in the world? Who does he think he’s kidding? I’m nothing more than your average plain Jane. I’m pretty sure that’s why my mother gave me the name.
Even with these thoughts going through my head, I felt myself gravitating forward, like there was some kind of force drawing me nearer and nearer. Was I really about to share a kiss with a complete stranger? For all I knew, this guy was a sociopath who preyed on girls like me. Doing this was downright idiotic, so why did it feel, oh, so right?
His warm breath brushed against my lips. I shivered with delight, as a warmth washed every inch of my skin. What was going on and why did I like it so much?
“Ahem.” Landon had returned with my bag in hand but that didn’t make any sense. He had gone to the beach and back in record speed. Even if he was some sort of Olympic runner, he couldn’t have managed to get back here so fast.
I tried to convince myself that I had simply lost track of time talking to Roman, but the doubt lingered.
There was something strange about these two. A part of me was screaming, ‘run for the hills!’ but the part that remained was being reeled in like a moth to a flame. They held a mystique about them and I wanted to unveil the cloud of smoke and figure out who they really were.
They exchanged a glance that seemed to mean something, almost like they were speaking to one another with their eyes alone. It was easy to tell that these two had some sort of connection with each other. Maybe they were brothers. No. They looked nothing alike. Friends, then, I decided.
Landon held out my bag and I took it from him. Accidentally, I brushed my hand against the back of his hand.
He sucked in a breath of air between his teeth, like I had just electrocuted him with a tazing wand or something. For a split second, his green eyes were flecked with gold that hadn’t been there before or perhaps I had simply failed to notice them.
For some reason, I kept my hand on his. It was like they were glued together and no matter how hard I tried to pull away, I couldn’t.
His eyes became golden. There wasn’t a speck of green left.
What’s going on? I wondered, unable to move a single muscle.
Then, I blinked.
