Chapter Sixteen

The next day, Vaughn was leaning up against my locker, which meant he’d wanted to see me first thing in the morning. I liked seeing him there, until the thought occurred to me that it could mean he had bad news.

“Hi, Vaughn.” I smiled at him, but he didn’t return it.

“I need to talk to you,” he said. “In private.” He took my hand and was already steering me toward the supply closet when I noticed Ashley, Vaughn’s ex-girlfriend, giving me the glare of death.

“First bell already rang,” she said.

“Thanks for the heads-up,” I replied. I was pretty sure she was more upset about Vaughn and me breaking a rule than she was that I was dating her ex.

I really wanted to flash my fangs at her, but Granny and I had agreed that knowledge that vampires existed would be shared on a need-to-know basis. And Ashley didn’t need to know.

Instead, I gave her my best I hope you swallow a stake smile, grabbed Vaughn’s hand, and pulled him into the closet. It was tiny and smelled like bleach, but then Vaughn pulled me close, and I breathed him in.

He smelled like sunshine, salt, and freshly washed guy. “Did you go surfing before school?”

“Not surfing. Paddle-boarding,” he said. “I missed our beach when I was in Texas.”

“Don’t they have beaches in Texas?” I asked. I missed spending the day at the beach with him, too.

“There wasn’t any time,” he said. “But you know what I missed more than the beach?” He stepped closer. “I missed you. We haven’t spent much quality time together.”

“I don’t mind hearing that,” I said. I liked where this was going. My boyfriend was looking hot in jeans and a gray tee with the words I LIKE A GIRL WHO READS across it.

“Did Granny give you this?” I used the question as an excuse to reach out and touch the letters on his chest.

He laughed. “Who else?”

His eyes were on my lips. “Maybe I should just show you how much I like a girl who reads.”

“You should. You really should,” I replied.

He didn’t kiss me right away. Instead, he brushed a stray lock of hair back from my face. “You are so gorgeous,” he murmured. “I don’t think I tell you that enough.”

“You’ve kind of had a lot on your plate lately,” I said. I kissed the spot just below his Adam’s apple, and a shudder went through him.

He pulled me closer, until our bodies were close enough that I could put my head on his chest.

“You know it doesn’t make a difference to me, right?” I asked.

“That I turn hairy and howl when the moon is full?” he replied. “I know.” He tilted my chin up until our eyes met. “Just like nothing could change the way I feel about you.”

I nodded because my throat was suddenly too tight to speak.

But I didn’t think Vaughn had pulled me in here to make out in the supply closet.

I cleared my throat. “What did you want to talk to me about?”

“I forget,” he said. He nuzzled my neck, and I nearly forgot my own name.

“We have approximately five minutes before your ex either tattles to a teacher or starts spreading the rumor we’re hooking up in here,” I warned.

He looked like he wanted to argue but then said, “I talked to Dad about his new girlfriend.”

“What did he say?”

“He wants me to meet her,” he replied. Vaughn and his mom had been really close, so it must be hard for him to think of someone taking her place.

He buried his face in my neck. “I need some of that quality time we talked about. Let me hold you.”

I stroked his hair gently while the embrace went on.

“He says they’re serious,” Vaughn finally said.

“How did they even meet?”

Vaughn choked out a laugh. “They met at a country-western bar.”

“Like The Last Stop?” Vaughn’s dad had always leaned more toward oldies rock and smooth jazz.

“Yeah.” He snickered. “He says they have matching cowboy hats.”

“What else did he tell you about her?” I asked.

“Not much,” he said. “Just that she’s great, and he thinks they’re in love.”

“So why are you worried?” I asked. “She sounds harmless.”

“I’ve just never seen him so…into anyone besides my mom,” Vaughn said. His mom had died when we were in fifth grade. I could understand why Vaughn would feel resentful about a new woman in his dad’s life.

“Come over tonight,” I said. He gave me a devilish smile that showed his dimples. “Not for that.” Then I smiled and added, “Okay, maybe a little for that.”

His dimples deepened as he leaned and nuzzled my neck. We were definitely going to be late for class. Someone yanked open the door. A tall, thin, frowning woman with glasses and a glare—the school principal. “Ms. Mariotti, Mr. Sheridan, my office. Now.”

It didn’t take a witch to know that Vaughn and I would be spending some quality time together. In detention.