My Soul to Keep (The Soul Keeper Series - Young Adult Paranormal Romance) (12 page)

"Very
good choice ma’am.
Please, allow me." Sam takes the tray and carries it up the stairs to the media
room. The room sits behind two navy blue velvet drapery panels. It's dark and
has a large overstuffed sectional sofa. I love this room. Sam sits on the end
of the sofa and invites me to cuddle in next to him.

I spend the whole
day wrapped up with him on that plush sofa. I fall asleep on his chest to some
superhero movie. I wake up to the sound of his stomach rumbling in my ear.

"Sorry, I am
such a horrible date. Are you ready to order the pizza now?" I say as I
pry myself off of his firm chest. He looks adorable smiling back up at me.

"Are you
kidding me? Having you in my arms for the past six hours has been the best date
I have ever been on."

"And now you
know how lazy I am when I declare pajama day."

"Pajama day
should be a nationally celebrated holiday. When you are president you need to
make that happen."

"I plan on
it." Sam chuckles and dials the number for the local pizzeria.

"What do you
like on your pie?"

"I like the
fresh mozzarella basil one they have," I reply as I go to freshen up in
the bathroom.

I stare at my
reflection in the mirror. Oh my goodness, I really like Sam. He is easy to be
with. This whole day has felt like I have been hanging out with my best friend.
He feels right. I brush my teeth and hair and hop over the back of the sofa for
one last movie. I scroll through the Netflix screen and decide on the true
test. Will he cry during
The Notebook
?

My doorbell rings and I leave Sam upstairs to answer it. It’s no
surprise Elijah is on my porch. He must have seen Sam’s truck parked outside
all day. I open the door only enough to stick my head out.

“Hi Elijah, thanks for bringing me home last night.”
 

“You are quite welcome Brennen, how are you feeling.” I hear Sam pad
down the stairs. Elijah zeroes in on him.

“I feel better, Sam is nursing me back to health. So thanks for
checking on me.” I go to shut the door and Elijah bravely puts his hand between
the door and jam to stop me. My mouth hangs open.

“Brennen, I ordered more than enough pizza if you want to invite Elijah
for dinner.” I smile curtly to Sam and turn back just in time to see Elijah’s
smug grin disappear off of his face. I open the door and allow him though.

***

After dinner and the last movie Elijah decided to stick around for, we
all go downstairs. I wonder if he has ever heard of the term third wheel.
However he didn’t show any objections to Sam and I snuggled up together
throughout the movie.

“This has been the best first date ever,” Sam whispers into my ear.

“Mm, agreed,” I say as he gives my neck a soft kiss.

“Did you like sailing with me the other day Brennen? I thought you’d
like to do it again one day soon,” Elijah spurts out. Okay he is going too far
with the jealousy.
Had he been eaves
dropping, how could he have heard us?

“Actually Elijah, I found it to be quite cold on board.”

Sam and
I both look at him with peaked brows. The look of resentment is thick in his
eyes. I stand up, breaking Sam’s hold on my hand, which is just a little too
tight all of a sudden. I guess he read into Elijah’s expression too.

“Who's
ready for strawberry cheesecake?”
 
I
throw out, hoping to curb the tension in the air.

“Why
Brennen, did you bake?” Elijah jests with what has now become our own little
inside joke.

“Oh yes
Elijah, I baked,” I say dripping with contempt.

     
I slice up the cake and serve it them. Sam
takes his plate outside and Elijah and I find ourselves in the kitchen alone.
He comes over and stands only inches apart from me.

“So have
you had enough of drinking too much?” He smiles that charming
I-can-get-anything-I-want-smile and he's right, I melt on cue, despite his
inane behavior.

“So what
is to you if I have or haven’t, are you coming over to play daddy now?” I am
still hurt by his dejection of me two nights ago. He smiles the same smile and
the butterflies inside me do the samba.

     
“If I was your father you'd be getting a
spanking from me after your friend goes home,” he says in an evocative low
voice. It makes me clinch my breath. He takes a bite of his cake and licks the
red glaze from his fork. He is purposely trying to turn me on. He looks humored
as he strides off.
 

     
Sam has found the ignite button for the
outdoor fireplace.
What is it with guys
and fire?
The flames wave delicately above blue shimmering glass beads. I
sit beside Sam on the sofa. Elijah lounges sideways in the chair and props his
legs up on the arm with his back to us as he dives in to his dessert.

     
“Brennen this is the best cheesecake I've
ever had,” Sam says with exuberance.
 
He has
already inhaled his cake. I still can't get the image of Elijah wanting to
spank me out of my head, or the fact that I was jealous of a fork.
           
“Thank you for dessert Brennen,
I should get home.” Elijah stands and shakes Sam's hand.

“You’re
welcome.”
 
He takes his dish into the
kitchen and emerges a second later bounding down the stairs.

***

Sam holds my hand
as I walk him outside. We linger in the doorway for a moment.

"Goodnight Brennen
and thank you for a night I will never forget."

"Goodnight
Sam,
thanks for being useless with me today."

"It’s a tough
job, but I promise I am the guy to get it done." He slides his hand to the
small of my back and gently presses his lips to mine. He pulls me close to his
chest and deepens his kiss. I feel my heart becoming undone for him. I lean
against the door jam and watch as he backs out of my drive way.
 

I insisted that Elijah ask someone out on a date to
this dance because I didn't want his eyes on me the whole night. So naturally
he asked Peyton and they are both downstairs waiting on me to get ready and for
the rest of our group to show up in the limo. Sam and I have been dating for a
month now. Tonight is the homecoming dance. Elijah is still not keen on Sam and
he still tries unsuccessfully to
not
flirt
with me.

I put on a pair of diamond studs that my dad gave me
our last Christmas together. I found a short black dress made of satin for
tonight. It’s gathered at the waist with a beautiful garnet colored broach. I
slip on claret red three inch heels and sing out loud about “My red high heels”
while I get ready. I am so glad Sam is tall.

My plan to get my hands on Elijah’s journal tonight
has been put into motion. Now I just have to wait.
 
The doorbell rings and I ask Elijah to get
the door while I teeter down the stairs trying not to break a leg. Sam is
watching me from the bottom stair looking dapper in his black suit and Cabernet
colored tie. His soft amber waves look silky and sexy. I bite my lip nervously.
He pulls me in and kisses my cheek.

“Baby you have taken my breath away, you are smoking
hot.” I blush, three shades of crimson. Elijah is standing beside Peyton with
his mouth hanging open, but his eyes are glued to me. Peyton snakes around him,
coyly straitening his tie.
 
He frowns at
her, and adjusts his own tie. I smile inside. We take the limo to Emily's house
where her mother and father gush over us, snapping a million pictures, and
posing us in different scenarios. Emily is in a lovely blush halter top dress
and silver satin strappy heels. Her hair is in a fun and funky up-do only she
could pull off.

The gymnasium has been transformed into the
cheesiest cliché of a homecoming dance ever witnessed, all by design of course.
Blue and gold streamers tent the ceiling complete with matching balloon towers
every few yards. Centerpieces of white mums adorn each table and golden
glittery claw marks are scattered everywhere imaginable. Go Eagles! Rah!

Our group fills up the large table and Emily and
Chris return with a round of surely spiked coke. Sam caresses my knee from
under the table sending warm heat throughout my core. I whisper in his ear. “I
love the way you look in that suit.” I pull suggestively at his tie and he
writhes under my spell. I return my attention back to my friends. I sip on my Coke
and taste the warm presence of some sort of whiskey ebbing in the aftertaste. I
glare up at Emily and she smiles wistfully shrugging it off. Peyton whispers
something into Elijah's ear and he rolls his eyes at the inane suggestion. He
looks very impatient with her. I down my drink wishing it would wash away the
image of Peyton’s tongue running along the edge of Elijah’s ear.

 
Sam scoots
back his chair, offering me his hand. I accept and we are on the floor before I
can blink. The song is a slow country song and I can't two-step. Sam places his
hand on my back and pulls me in so that we are clamped together and then he
moves. His long legs guide mine in step and his hand on the small of my back
lets me know just where he wants me. We are like one body moving effortlessly
around the dance floor. He twirls and spins me with grace and ease and I laugh.
I caress the back of his neck and he cuddles into my neck with kisses as soft
as butterfly wings. I could stay out here with him forever. He whispers in my
ear.
           
“I think I'm falling in love
with you.”

     
I kiss
his soft lips, the moment is stopped in time and I know I will never forget the
song and his scent and the way his lips are savoring mine at this very second.
The world and noise filter back in and I see Elijah on the dance floor with Peyton,
her back is to me and Elijah's face is deadpan. I hate how guilty I feel every
time he pays witness to Sam and me. I mean I gave him every chance and he
pushed me away. Sam has only brought me happiness; he has never made me shed a
single tear. The song ends and we take our seats.

“So I was thinking if you don't have any plans
tomorrow how about you come take a ride with me?” He said a ride not a drive
and I cock my head to the side.

“Um, as in a horse?”

“No.”

     
“Then what?”

     
“It's a
surprise.”

     
“Yeah,
no, I'm more of a planner.”

     
“I know
that what makes this so much more fun.” His eyes dance with anticipation. I see
Elijah shake his head no from the corner of my eye. I smile coyly and say.
“Okay.” I peek at Elijah's fierce scowl. Aw his little babysitting job just got
harder.

     
A fast
song comes on and Emily drags me out to the dance floor.
           
“Come on Peyton, you too she
says.” Peyton gives a fleeting look at Elijah hoping he would object but he
shoe's her into going. I giggle internally. She hasn't even been hanging around
her usual group of friends tonight at all. The bass is booming to some remix of
Lights and the spiked Coke has me moving uninhibited on the dance floor.

     
“Do you
think he likes me?” Peyton asks
. Not at
all,
but I don't say that.

     
“Elijah
is shy; I think you should make the first move,” I shout over the music. She
nods and stares over at him plotting her game. She starts dancing more stripper
like and other guys on the dance floor are giving her the once over. I peek at
Elijah and his eyes lock on mine. He's been watching me the whole time. I break
the hold and look at Sam who has the same expression on his face.
 
He's falling in love with me. I play back his
words in my head. Am I falling for him? I know I like him and I like how he
makes me feel.
“Well there ya go,” my dad
quips in my head
. No I don't think it's that simple.

     
 
A moment later Elijah is on the floor dancing
close to Peyton, he can dance well, his body moves with grace and confidence.
Unwanted jealousy floods through me. I want to be the one he is moving that way
with. Peyton keeps pushing herself against him, loving the fact he is finally
showing some interest. He isn't looking at me but off toward the door as if
he's miles away. I feel Sam come up behind me as he wraps an arm around my waist
and sweetly rocks with me. I close my eyes and enjoy his touch. When I open my
eyes Elijah is gone and Peyton is trying to recover her groove after his sudden
departure. I glance around trying to see where he went, but I can’t find him
anywhere. This could be my chance, I have to take it. I had Emily drive her car
up to the school today just in case this opportunity presented itself and I
have her keys. I told her that I would be leaving the party early to go home
and work on my lit paper.