Moondust by J.L. Weil

wrong; I was eternally grateful that he had been at right place at the right time.
    One side of his mouth tipped up. “I wanted to surprise you. Valentine’s and all…”
    “Valentine’s Day sucks,” I murmured.
    He shoulders moved in a silent laugh. “I believe you now.”
    Now that I was fully awake, t he griminess was getting to me. I wanted to scrub away the memories, erase them from my brain. “I need to clean up. Don’t leave, okay?”
    He grinned. “I wouldn’t think about it.”
    Making haste to ward the bathroom, I glanced at him over my shoulder right before I closed the door. It was a tempting sight, seeing Gavin sprawled out on my bed with all that bad boy, yummy goodness. I took the fastest shower ever known to mankind, then quickly threw on a pair of shorts and a baggie t-shirt. I didn’t want to give him the chance to sneak away.
    A steam of fog followed me out of the bathroom when I remerged. He was right where I had left him, and those warm fireflies returned, darting around in my belly. “I’m happy you’re here,” I said, climbing back into bed with a huge grin on my lips.
    “And ?” He had a hand behind his head.
    I lifted my hand, running my fingers through his silky hair that tumbled over his brow. “Stay,” I whispered. “I can’t bear to be alone.” I needed him. His presence was the only thing that was going to calm me. Inside, I felt icy, and Gavin was the one person who could melt that cold.
    His eyes drifted shut as he leaned his forehead against mine and my breath caught.
    “You’re killing me,” he sighed.
    A smile swept across my face.
    His eyes popped open suddenly. “I didn’t mean that literally.”
    I wrapped both my arms around his neck. “I know.”
    His e yes darkened and his lips brushed across mine in the most tantalizing way. “If anything had happened to you…”
    “It didn’t. You were there.” He was always there.
    In soft caresses, his fingers slowly trailed down the underside of my arm. Tiny blue sparks skimmed over the surface. It was unearthly. Then he was kissing me and his lips were cosmic, out of this world. I was transported to another galaxy—just where I needed to be: no worries, no one threatening my life, no Lukas.
    His mouth was warm over mine with a hint of coolness coming from the silver hoop in his lip. My lips tingled, but it wasn’t long before my entire body was sparking. What started off as tentative and sweet soon spiraled, creating a yearning inside of me. Our hearts beat heavily, quickening.
    The sensations he enticed ignited something deep within me: the knowledge of what I wanted—him. I wanted Gavin. Holy moonbeams. I was love-struck, spellbound, hypnotized by his touch, and I wasn’t alone in my feelings….
    He made a guttural sound in the back of his throat as his fingers made quick work of the thin straps of my tank top. Hooking a finger under the light material, he brushed them off my shoulder, pressing a kiss where the straps had been. “If you don’t stop me soon, I won’t be able to.”
    I’m counting on it. Instead of telling him with words, I showed him. Crushing my body to his, I deepened our kiss, sweeping my tongue against his in a seductive game of tag. I was blown away, not only by the intensity of my feelings, but also by realizing that I had this strong, violent emotion inside me—love. It took me by surprise.
    If someone had told me last summer that the edgiest, not to mention the hottest, boy at school would be in my bed, I would have laughed in his or her face—heck, I probably would have snorted. But a lot had changed; I had a changed. Four months ago I didn’t believe in witches, and here I was, not only believing in them, but also knowing that I am one. That was one heck of a pill to swallow.
    Now I was approaching a different milestone , a much more intimate one, and I knew to the very depth of my core that I had made the right choice, fate and premonitions be damned.
    I got hung up on the