Forbidden Love

46

Luna

I wake up to someone kissing my forehead.

My eyes shoot open, and Jaxon jumps back. "Luna! You keep doing that. Open your eyes like a normal person next time."

"Sorry, I forgot you were here." I cringe and rub my eyes. "What are you doing?'

"It's four in the morning, baby girl," he tells me as he throws his shirt on. I wish he wouldn't. "I have to head home and shower."

"Do you have to?"

A sly smile takes over his gorgeous face. "I could always shower here."

"Never mind. Go home."

He laughs low. I watch as he turns to the door, but he pauses. "Hey, Luna?"

"Yeah?"

My eyes find his and there's something in them that I wish I could figure out. But he hides it well.

"Jaxon?" I prompt.

"It's not important actually," He shakes his head. "I'll see you in a couple hours."

I nod my head and watch him leave my room. I let myself snuggle deeper in my blanket craving its warmth. I slept through the entire night, and I fell asleep easily. One moment I was reading and the next I was dreaming. I look over to my side table and see my book sitting there, a bookmark where I read last. Jaxon did that for me. The scent of him sticks on my sheets and I can't help but burrow myself deeper in it. Shivers crawl up my spine when I think of last night.

I get the urge to run out to his car and hold onto him. But I'm not some sort of animal.

A couple minutes later, when I'm drifting off to sleep again, I hear someone walking in the hall. I make my way out of my bed praying to God that Jaxon didn't get caught by Corey and is now being held hostage.

I open the door and relief rushes through me when I see JJ. Relief and...curiosity. "JJ?"

She pauses and looks at me wide-eyed. "Luna?"

"What are you doing up at this time?" I question. "Corey usually has to drag you out of bed."

She shifts awkwardly. "I— uh—"

I notice the keys in her hand. "Where are you going?"

"Would you believe me if I said I was going to buy milk?"

"No." I narrow my eyes. "Are you going to buy drugs or something?"

"Why would I sneak around for that?"

"So, you admit you're sneaking around?"

She groans in exasperation. "I'm going to meet a friend."

"What friend? Olivia? Kalani?"

"Just don't ask me questions and I won't ask about who you were with last night." She eyes me challengingly. My heart drops. "Yeah, I heard him leave this morning. You were my only suspect since our dear brothers are loners."

I shift awkwardly on my feet. "JJ—"

She waves me off. "You're lucky it was me and not Corey. He would flip that a guy was leaving your bedroom. Anyway, I'm off." She turns around. "I'll be back before we leave. Make sure you don't mention this to anyone, and I'll do the same."

I don't respond. I just let her walk down the stairs away from my view. She's crazy.

~

I don't have a headache and I'm not that tired. My eyes don't even want to shut. I feel refreshed for once in my life.

JJ got home at six and pretended to sleep—or maybe she really did fall asleep again. I'm not sure. I avoided her. It's one thing to let Jaxon stay the night but it's another to let my siblings know he stayed. Maybe I wouldn't mind telling Joseph, but JJ would definitely tell Corey. She couldn't keep it to herself even if she tried.

When we all headed for the car, I took the driver's seat. Corey didn't complain. He was up late last night for work.

"Why are you so chirpy today?" Corey asks as he leans on the passenger side window.

"Yeah," JJ asks from the back. My eyes lock with hers on the rear-view mirror. "Why are you so chirpy today, Luna? Do tell."

"Guess I had a good night." I shoot her a glare. She merely shrugs.

"I heard something this morning at, like, four. Who was up so early?" Joseph asks.

JJ and I answer at the same time.

"Luna was!"

"JJ was!"

We glance at each other and talk at the same time again.

"I was."

"I was."

Joseph and Corey both frown.

"We ran into each other. We had to pee." I say.

"Yes, you know Luna and her small bladder." JJ smiles.

I roll my eyes. Joseph catches my eyes in the mirror, but he looks away quickly. Weirdest Sibling Award would go to him right now.

The second we get to the academy, I jump out of the car and quickly make my way to my locker. Paxton's already there. He's flirting with a girl. As per usual.

"No way!" She squeals at whatever he said. "Do you mean it?"

He nods and winks. "Of course. Tomorrow, I don't have anything going on if you want—" I clear my throat and Paxton glances to me. "Sorry, pumpkin. We'll pick this conversation up another time."

I watch her saunter off with a frown. "New girlfriend?"

"Wouldn't say new. More like old girlfriend that I'm seeing again."

I fumble with my lock and open the door. "Don't you ever want a real girlfriend?"

"Oh, trust me. They are very real. Nothing fake about them."

I pretend to throw up. "I hope you meet someone that makes you rethink your life choices."

"Never will." He winks. "We kissed once. I don't see you regretting it."

"When did we kiss?" I bark out a laugh.

"At Leo Valensky's party last summer, remember?"

I blink at him. "I don't go to parties."

"Yes, you do—" He cuts himself off. "You know, maybe it wasn't you. It could have been Lola Kevins."

"Lola Kevins and I look nothing alike."

"Sure you do, white skin, black curls." He messes with my hair.

"Just because we're the same skin tone with the same hair type doesn't make us twins. She has brown eyes for one—"

"Wait so you and I never...?"

"No." I shake my head with great emphasis.

"Hmm," He leans against his locker. "I told Jaxon we kissed and everything. Guess I was wrong."

My eyes widen. "You did what? Do you go around telling everyone who you kiss?"

"No, not everyone. Only Jaxon." Paxton says. "And Julia on occasion." He glances at something behind me and then focuses back on me. "But apparently Jaxon and you don't. Since you kissed twice and didn't tell me."

We kissed much more last night, I think mildly.

"Sorry, we aren't weird." I shrug.

His eyes light up. "Did you hear that Jaxon? You guys are a 'we' now. How does it feel?"

"I heard it." A chill runs down my spine and the scent of Jaxon fills me.

"You're here. Of course, you're here." I don't bother turning around.

He walks over and stands next to Paxton. They do a little handshake or whatever. Jaxon turns to me and winks so fast that I almost miss it. But it makes my stomach flip.

Jaxon with his beautiful hair and beautiful smile. I could fall for that over and over again. Maybe my taste in men isn't as bad as I thought. I could do a lot worse than Jaxon Gray.