Luminescence Trilogy: Complete Collection Read online

  Smiling, he gave Carla my order and his, black coffee. Of course. Carla scurried to get our drinks. I didn’t remember the service being this good. The coffee was great, but the service was usually crap.

  “So is it just you and your aunt?” Gavin inquired, bringing my focus back to the present.

  “Yeah, my parents died when I was five,” I confessed and glanced around the room. My paranoia must be setting in, it was either that or everyone was staring at us.

  “That must have been hard.” There was sincerity and compassion in his expression.

  I shrugged. “I don’t really remember it much. It’s always been the two of us.” I kept taking a peek to see if anyone was looking our way.

  “And what about your other relatives? Do you see them?” He was just full of questions.

  I hadn’t thought about my family in some time. My aunt was mostly it. I did have a grandma on my mom’s side that I visited, but I couldn’t picture one face from my dad’s side. “I have a grandma not far from here, but no one else really,” I admitted, slightly sadden by the lack of people in my life. “What about you?” It was time to turn the table. “Do you have any siblings?”

  He relaxed his posture and smirked. That said everything. He adored his family. “I have an older brother and a younger sister. Jared is in college, and Sophie is a sophomore in high school.”

  “At our school?” I was taken by surprise. I hadn’t seen her yet.

  He nodded his dark head. “I’m sure you’ll see her around. She’s eager to meet you.”

  “You told her about me?” My tone was skeptical.

  He laughed. The huskiness of it flooded over me and packed my belly with the heat of fireflies. “It’s kind of unavoidable. She has a way of pulling information out of you without you knowing. A small talent of hers. You’ll see what I mean.”

  Carla returned with our drinks and asked Gavin pointedly if there was anything she could do for him. I fought the urge to kick her from under the table, anything to get her attention elsewhere.

  “That will be all, thanks,” he said graciously, dismissing her.

  “Is your sister psychic or something?” I teased.

  He grinned. “Not quite.”

  “Okay, now I’m intrigued and a little afraid.” I took a sip of my macchiato and closed my eyes as the sweet and acrid flavor hit my tongue. Swallowing the hot liquid, I opened my eyes to find Gavin staring intently at me. They lured me into unexplored territory.

  “You are not at all like I thought.” There was a low, husky strain to his voice.

  His admission caused a powerful flush that had nothing to do with the coffee and everything with the way he looked at me. Absently turning the cup in my hand, I tentatively asked, “I’m not?”

  He stared at me as if I was a mystery waiting to be solved, ironic considering, I was trying to do the same with him. Neither of us could figure the other out.

  “No, you have my mind spinning in circles. I can’t figure you out,” he admitted, not entirely happy about it.

  “What’s there to figure out? I’m just a girl from a small town.”

  He sighed. “I don’t know. It’s more complicated.” He tugged on his lip ring, looking lost in thought. “Come on… I should get you home,” he said, before I could ask him what was so complicated. I wanted to press the subject, but the confusion in his expression stopped me.

  The car ride to my house was death-defying. He drove at speeds I had never ventured to. Yet, somehow I never felt like my safety was threatened. Everything about this guy screamed danger, but I only felt safe in his presence.

  The porch light glowed its welcome as he walked me to me to the front door. I shuffled my feet on the sandy wood planks. That was one of the downfalls of living by the ocean; there was sand everywhere.

  He held out his hand. “Let me see your phone.”

  I eyed him warily, but gave it over. Our fingers touched for a split moment, and a static shock tingled at the spot where our fingers met.

  If he had felt anything, he never led on. Scrolling through the menu, he punched on the keys. There wasn’t much of a glow from the porch light, so I couldn’t see what he was doing.

  “There.” He handed the device back.

  “Thanks, I think.” I stood in front of him, uncertain how to say goodbye. When he traced his fingertips alongside my face, tucking loose strands behind my ear, a bolt of shock and something more caused my head to snap up.

  His eyes glimmered, but I swear behind the twinkle was a hint of regret. “Sweet dreams, Bri.”

  I walked inside and leaned up against the closed door. The roar of his engine rippled through the night, and I sighed, with a smile on my lips.

  The next morning I woke up mystified. On one hand, I was ecstatic about spending time with Gavin. On the other hand, he was a puzzle. I was pretty good at puzzles, so the idea of trying to figure him out was appealing. As I lay there staring at the ceiling, I tried to sort out the little I already knew about him. I couldn’t let go of this nudge that there was something peculiar about him. Call it a hunch or whatever, but it gnawed at the back of my mind.

  Sundays were lazy. I didn’t work at the shop, and mostly spent the day catching up on household chores, finishing my homework, and watching my DVR. Growing bored of staring at the ceiling, I got up and pulled a hoodie over the tank I slept in, padding my way downstairs.

  My aunt was at the breakfast bar with her morning coffee, the aroma tempting. “Morning,” she beamed between sips of her steaming mug.

  There was a hint of something sweetening the air, mixed with the bitter coffee grounds. I plopped my but down on a burgundy stool, running a hand through my tousled hair and grumbled an incomprehensible response.

  “Coffee?” She spun around, going to the pot still on the warmer.

  Our kitchen was ornamented in cranberries and ivy. They were woven around the chains of the chandelier and intricately staggered above the dark cherry cabinets. The whole ensemble had a country living vibe.

  Nodding my head, she set a steaming cup in front of me. I placed my hands on either side of the mug, letting the warmth soak into them.

  “I made cinnamon rolls, if you would like one,” she offered, leaning her elbows on the counter, grinning at me.

  It was killing her, waiting for me to say something about last night. She was all but bursting with fervent impatience. I glanced over at the clock and noticed there were only a few more minutes before she needed to leave for the shop.

  “You’re killing me.” She echoed my thoughts.

  I rolled my eyes. “It was nothing,” I insisted.

  She didn’t believe me. “He sure didn’t look like nothing.”

  You’re telling me. “I know…this is so bad,” I whined, shoving my face into my hands.

  She laughed. The sound was like home. Comfort. Security.

  “I think he wants to be friends,” I scoffed. The last word was said with annoyance.

  “The way that boy looked at you was anything but just friends. Give it time, you’ll see. For now, be yourself. He won’t be able to resist.”

  Who was she kidding? How was I supposed to be myself when I barely even knew who that was?

  Exhaling, I said, “I think I’ll take one of those cinnamon rolls now.”

  She placed a sticky bun on a plate and handed it to me. “I can’t believe my angel has a boyfriend.” She had a silly grin on her face.

  Groaning, I laid my head on the countertop. “He is not my boyfriend.” The words were muffled by the granite.

  “See you by five,” she sang out over her shoulder and headed to the garage.

  The DVR was currently playing the previous week’s episode of my favorite series. I had my feet tucked beneath me, a blanket wrapped around my legs, and I still wore the hoodie from this morning. The bad reality show on screen only had part of my attention. Before I could prevent it, the memory of last night with Gavin came back to taunt me. What was it about him that caused
my hairs to stand up and get my blood pumping, all at the same time?

  He struck a chord in me, and I started to regret not pressing him on our complication. Maybe that was part of his angle, to remain aloof and mysterious to keep me interested. Little did he know, I was way past interested. I might have just slammed into what I was sure was an unhealthy obsession. Why couldn’t I get him out of my head?

  Halfway into the show, my phone vibrated on the cushion beside me. I unlocked the home screen, the text icon blinking with a new message.

  What are you doing? It read, popping up Gavin’s name next to the message. He had added himself to my contacts last night.

  Nothin. Did you steal my number also? I sent the response with a squiggling smiley face.

  The phone hummed again seconds later. One of my many tricks.

  Oh, I’m sure it was. Grinning, I tapped away on the keys. I would have given it to you.

  Not as much fun!

  And you’re all about fun… I replied.

  There’s nothing wrong with a little fun. You going to school tomorrow?

  I rolled my eyes after reading the last text. Where else would I be?

  Somewhere with me?

  Funny… See you in Chem.

  Ugh… Fine. If that’s the only way I can see you. I could almost hear the aggravation in his text.

  Returning my attention to the last half of my show, the night wore on. And on. And on.

  Finally, out of sheer boredom, I climbed the stairs to the sanctuary of my room. My homework was done and the laundry washed.

  God, I was so lame.

  My bedroom walls were glistened in lilac frost, accentuated by the silvery moss comforter that spread across my bed. There were always fresh flowers in the vase at my nightstand, a perk of having an aunt who owned a floral shop. I believed the current flower was hydrangea, filling my room with its sugary aroma.

  I whipped my hoodie off and tossed it into the corner, heading to the small desk housing my ancient, barely functioning laptop. Flipping the power switch, I waited for it to boot up as my mind wandered, his dark, poetic features clearly impressed into my memory.

  A deep sigh heaved from my chest, and I shook my head, mentally trying to erase his hotness.

  The homepage on my computer loaded, and I logged into my email. Nothing significant: a bunch of spam, a few jokes from Austin, and one from school reminding me to sign up for email updates on my grades. I sifted through the junk, read Austin’s and sent most to my trash folder. Frustrated with the snail speed of my internet connection, I shut the computer down and closed it with a satisfying snap.

  This day was dragging butt.

  I grabbed my iPod, flung myself on the bed, and scrolled down the long menu of songs. Within seconds, Alanis Morissette was singing at the top of her lungs. I was determined to drown out all images of Gavin Mason, steaming ones included.

  The dream hit me faster than ever. One instant I was listening to Alanis belt ‘You, you, you oughta know’, and the next I was in a clearing, enclosed by fields of lavender. The transition was normally gradual, but not this time. It was like being sucked down a waterslide.

  Chapter 8

  Lukas was sitting next to me, close enough that his arm brushed mine. It was easy comfort with him. The sandy blond of his hair moved slightly with the gentle breeze that mixed with the lavender essence. His emerald eyes sought mine.

  “Hey.” The warmth of his breath flushed my cheeks.

  “Hi,” I replied. “I didn’t think I’d see you so soon.”

  He smiled charmingly, illuminating the golden boy face. “Me either… I’m not complaining, though.”

  At times he seemed too good to be true, or in this case dream about. I was pretty sure my mind wasn’t that ingenious.

  “Earth to Brianna,” he called mockingly.

  “What?” I startled from the random thoughts.

  He was eyeing me coolly. “You were a million miles away.”

  I huffed. “Sorry, it’s been a hectic week,” I apologized.

  Taking both my hands in his, he pulled me effortlessly to my feet. “Good, let’s do something.” The head rush caused a little hitch in my breathing. “Come on,” he said, a second before taking off into the meadow of lavender, his golden hair bouncing with his hurried movements.

  Not missing a beat, I bolted out after him. “Lukas!” I shouted. “You better not lose me.” Forgetting he was way more athletically built than most guys at my school, he could have been a track star. Yet this was a dream, so how far could he really go?

  Well, it seemed pretty far, because it wasn’t long before I lost sight of him, or he was in a great hiding spot.

  Reaching the edge of a pond immersed with lily pads, I paused in my search. My lungs were ragged from chasing and then losing him. Maybe it was time I hit the gym. Before I caught my breath, he snuck up behind me. Encircling his arms around my waist, he spun me in dizzying circles. His arms felt amazing. Real or not, I still appreciated being held by him. I collapsed us to the ground. He took full advantage of his position and tickled me until I couldn’t breathe. I choked on my laughter.

  “Stop,” I sobbed between giggling gasps.

  His fingers were hitting just the right spots to make me curl in tickled torture. “What did you say, more? It’s hard to understand you when you’re laughing so hard,” he teased in his honey-smooth voice.

  “For real—can’t—breathe,” I spit out between gasps.

  “Okay, okay…I’ll stop,” he conceded, but grinned impishly. He rocked back into a sitting position, swiping grass off his clothes.

  Smiling into his emerald eyes, a huge boulder lifted from my back. A few stolen moments of childish pleasure relaxed my body. I felt weightless.

  “You have no idea how special you are.” His dreamy voice had softened.

  Who doesn’t dream of a guy saying those exact words? The problem was… it was a dream. I fleetingly pictured Gavin’s dark looks, and his smirk that was becoming all too sexy.

  “I’m really not,” I protested. “I’m just some girl.”

  “Not just any girl—trust me.”

  Trust him. Did I, trust him? How could some mysterious guy show up in my life and I trusted him uncomplicatedly, but I couldn’t decide if I did indeed trusted Lukas, who I’ve dreamed of for virtually my entire life.

  Our feet dangled over the pond’s edge. He sighed, the carelessness gone. “Who was the guy that showed up last time?” There was a disapproving edge to his tone. He tried to hide it.

  Strange, only a moment ago Gavin had been on my mind, and now Lukas was asking about him. I shrugged, my fingers wringing together. “No one.”

  He arched an eye.

  “Okay, he’s a new guy at school,” I confessed.

  His lips thinned in a straight line. “Is he something more?” There was a disapproving quality about the way he asked, like a bad after taste.

  “No,” I said shaking my head. “Just a friend. Why?” I wanted to know why he even cared.

  “It was just…weird.”

  I assumed he was referring to the nightmare ending from our previous encounter. Weird was an understatement. I was still unclear how my mind came up with these dreams. “It was weird. I don’t understand any of this.” I threw my hands in the air on a whim of aggravation.

  “Were you thinking of him while you were with me?” he asked, a speck of jealousy lacing it.

  I didn’t like the insinuation behind his tone, like I’d done something wrong. Chewing at the bottom of my lip, I contemplated my answer. No matter that Lukas was being unreasonable; I didn’t want to hurt him. Was it possible to hurt a dream’s feelings? Because that’s what I was afraid would happen.

  Craziness.

  “I don’t know… I guess I was,” I grudgingly admitted. “Does it make a difference whether I was or not?”

  The expression in his face fell, and it sunk my heart. “Not really. I’m just not used to sharing you. You’ve never brought
anyone else into the dreams.”

  True, I hadn’t, but I never really realized I could. It hadn’t been intentional. I thought about Gavin, and somehow my subconscious had thought it was a good idea to include him into the mix, regardless that it ended in a very hot mess. My mind was playing tricks with me.

  I’m sorry,” I said sincerely. “I’ll try not to do it again.” Was I really apologizing for something I couldn’t control? I wanted to appease him, to see the lightness in his emerald eyes. Not the heavy emotion that shone. It didn’t feel right upsetting Lukas. I mean, what harm could it do appeasing my imagination. He seemed satisfied with my apology—for now.

  Our fingers entwined, he played with the ring on my hand, twisting and turning it. “I believe you.”

  Well, that only made one of us, because I wasn’t so sure I could stop thinking about Gavin any more than I could stop dreaming about Lukas. Gavin’s name alone was enough to have my heart racing, even while I was sleeping. As guilty as it made me feel when I was dreaming of Lukas, I couldn’t stop my mind from drifting to Gavin. Lukas used to be all I dreamed of. I didn’t know what changed, which made it worse, because Lukas was also aware of the shift. The whole situation stunk like yesterday’s garbage. It bothered me more than it should, considering none of it was real.

  As if my dream was sudden angry from my straying thoughts, a growling roar erupted, long and vicious.

  I awoke with the sound still ringing in my ears.

  The following weeks at school were different. I was actually excited about school. Don’t get me wrong, I loved to learn, but I also really loved sleeping in. Somehow, I didn’t mind the early wake up calls if it meant I got to see Gavin.

  His mysterious presence in my daily life was becoming something I depended on. My friends accepted the newcomer as part of our group as easily as he’d fit into my life. Austin found him extremely sexy, like a magazine cover he could ogle and appreciate. Tori was more watchful. She was aware there was something between us, but couldn’t figure it out what.

  That made two of us.