Shine: The Knowing Ones by Amy Freeman

strength by the moment.
    “Eeeeek! Hurry, Vig!” Anna shrieked, squeezing him from behind, burrowing into his back as he pulled his motorcycle into the Sage Point parking lot. He had barely shut off the ignition when she scrambled off the bike. She scampered to the porch, still wearing his passenger helmet.
    “Geez, Anna—it’s water,” he said, pulling off his helmet.
    “It’s pouring, Vig!”
    He held his hand out and turned to Trin who had just climbed out of his truck. “It’s pouring,” he said.
    Trin shook his head, laughing. As he pulled Sam’s door open, she too darted underneath his arm, running for the porch, squealing. Vig raised an eyebrow. “...Pouring.”
    Trin lifted his chin, letting the rain mist his face. He glanced at Vig. “Totally sucks.”
    “Will you two get over here?” Anna stomped her foot on the porch.
    Vig climbed off his bike with a sarcastic grin. “Did you seriously just stomp your foot?”
    “Viggo!”
    Trin threw Vig a wary glance.
“Viggo.”
    Vig put his helmet on the back of his bike. “I’m in trouble.”
    Trin clapped a hand on his shoulder, grinning as they walked toward the door. “Sorry, bro.”
    “I’m always in trouble.”
    Trin didn’t stifle his amused chuckle.
    Vig pulled the door open and they all headed inside. Anna hit the lights and went for the fridge as they made their way into the front room. Sam glanced at Trin, only to find him watching her. She flushed, lowering her head and led him to the couch. Vig sat down, adjacent to them and began searching for the movie they wanted.
    “Does anyone want a water bottle or anything?”
    “I’ll have a beer,” Vig announced with enthusiasm.
    “We don’t
have
beer in this house.”
    “Freakin’ athletes,” he mumbled as he messed with the TV.
    “Hey,” Sam said, kicking him in the leg.
    “I know,” Vig said. “I’m surrounded.”
    “Just find the show, movie boy.”
    Vig looked at Trin with his hands in the air. “See what I mean?” he said. “I get no respect.”
    “That’s wrong, bro,” Trin replied.
    Anna waltzed in with a water bottle for herself and sat down next to him.
    “Stop whining. You know I love you.”
    Vig shook his head, finished the set up and pressed play. Anna curled up into him. Sam pulled her legs up underneath her and leaned against Trin. He put an arm around her and pulled her close. A euphoric thrill zipped through her and she snuggled more deeply into his sculpted chest.
    The movie began to play. Both Sam and Anna had wanted to see this film since it came out in theaters, never having the time to go see it. But Sam’s mind was so jammed with the events of the past twenty four hours she no longer cared what was happening on the screen. She noticed nothing but the intoxicating flush of contact with Trin’s body, the feeling of security, the overwhelming sense of protection, the sensual thrill dancing in her abdomen and traveling downward from there. His strong arm tightened around her shoulder, pulling her closer, drenching her in a healing electric charge and she wondered how she would ever let him go home.
    He knew how to deal with the traumatic events she continually experienced. He could see what she saw and he had nearly destroyed her car to protect her from it. Yet he was also able to discern what it was and the accompanying level of threat. Sam spent the moviecontemplating discreet ways to keep him from leaving once it was over. Now that she had found him the thought of being away from him didn’t seem to be an option.
    Before she realized it, the movie was over. Anna sat with a smirk on her face. “That sucked,” she said. “What a total let down.”
    Vig threw a hand up. “I told you it would. You never listen.”
    Ignoring him, Anna leaned in front of him toward Sam. “The ending totally sucked. It was great until the ending—what was
that
all about.”
    Sam shrugged. “They botched it for sure,” she said. She hadn’t seen a minute of it.
    Anna