The Summer Solstice ~ Enchanted by K.K. Allen

answers my
question. “The way she was touching you, and glaring at me. She called you
‘babe.’ She’s very possessive of you.”
    His expression darkens slightly. “Well, no, she’s
not my girlfriend – at all. Actually, I went on a few dates with her when
I first moved to town.” There’s a sinking in my chest. “She’d ask me to hang
out as a group, and then I’d get there and it would be just her and me. I
figured it out a little too late but I let her know I wasn’t into her.”
    “Wow – fighting the ladies off.” I can’t help
but grin.
    Alec grins too. “Yeah, being the new kid sure got
me a lot of dates.” He laughs as if remembering something. “Ava would ask me
out too. Iris found out and they stopped talking for a few months. But those
girls can’t live without each other. Once you get past their obsession with ruling
everything they are actually decent to be around.”
    “Ruling everything?” His words confuse me.
    He nods. “Yeah, you know. Captain of this –
my parents do this – one day I’ll rule this town – that attitude
just drives me crazy.” He shakes his head.
    I
noticed , I think sourly. I
look around the room and everyone wants to be around Rose. Why anyone had a
problem with her is absurd.
    He gives me a sideways grin. “Just in case you were
wondering. They glare at all pretty girls. You should take it as a compliment.”
    “So, you’re saying they’ll warm up to me?” I ask
this hopefully. Not because I’m interested in being their friend, but because I
really don’t want people hating me before they’ve even had a chance to get to
know me.
    He makes a face. “I’m not sure about that. I was
really just trying to tell you that I think you’re pretty – in case you
missed that part.”
    The compliment catches me off guard. He’s right. I
totally missed that part. I let out a laugh as my pulse quickens. I can’t
remember the last time I’ve been called pretty – Never by anyone as
attractive as Alec.
    “I’m sorry, I guess I’m bad at flirting,” he says.
His smile melts me to my toes.
    I let out a quiet laugh. “No, I guess I’m just bad
at realizing when someone is flirting.” The embarrassment lingers. My cheeks
are hot and I know that I’m red.
    My eyes look in every other direction except at
Alec. I’m afraid that if I look into his eyes one more time, my vulnerability
will shine through bright and clear. His hand has inched past the distance
between us and it’s on mine. His fingers twist into mine and I blush fiercely.
    I look at him now and meet his gaze. He likes
me.
    In the next few moments of silence I notice how
radiant the sun is at this hour. I am invigorated by its strength. It’s as if
the rays of the sun pour through my body. It’s so bright I have to shield my
eyes when looking up. When I look back down I’m still blinded by the white
light. I close my eyes but when the white light lingers I squeeze my lids
together tighter. Just then an electric jolt shoots through my insides, like a
spark igniting every vein in my body. Exhilarating. Not painful like that day
on the beach. There are no headaches this time. All I can feel is the sun transferring
onto me as the heat reaches my bones.
    My eyes slowly open
and close as dizziness takes over me. My head is foggy and I begin to plummet
forward into a deep white cloud of nothingness.
    The world around me is moving in slow motion. And
when I come to I’m blinking and finally opening my eyes. The blinding white
light is gone and I’m standing on the beach – alone.
    I gasp and whirl around myself. The house is just
above me. But, how did I get here? I was just standing on the back patio by the
pool with Alec. Confused and a bit disoriented at what’s just happened, I plop
down into the sand beneath me.
    I see a shadow in the sand – someone is
approaching. I look up, having to block the sunlight from my eyesight. It’s
Rose. I quickly stand up, brushing the sand off from my