Mark grasped my own hand in his and I felt his healing touch working its magic over me.
"I'm sorry the training is so tough," he murmured into my ear as we topped the last step. There was just something about his lip touching my ear, breathing his warm air into me that made my pulse race with pleasure.
He chuckled lightly as he picked up my thoughts. His relief that I was feeling good enough to get hot and bothered was palpable. Leaning in even closer, he blew gently in my ear, rustling the hair around it. Goosebumps popped up along my arms as a delicious shiver raced up my spine, making my scalp tingle in anticipation. I turned fully into his embrace, wrapping my arms snugly around his neck. He pressed his lips gently to my neck trailing light kisses up to my ear. My legs turned to jelly.
"Go pamper yourself." Smiling now, he loped down the steps as I sagged weakly against the railing. Holy crow bear, he killed me sometimes.
Sam and I spent the remainder of the day preparing ourselves for our big night out. By the time the guys were clamoring to get the show on the road, we had both given each other pedicures, dolled up our hair, and added just a tad bit of makeup.
I felt like a bundle of nerves as I pulled the elegant dress out of the bag and slipped it off the padded hanger the sales clerk had sent home with me. I hoped against hope that it still looked as good on my stick figure body as I remembered from the day before. The satin of the dress caressed my skin as I slid it on. Stepping in front of the mirror, I gasped in pleasure when I saw the sparkling girl staring back at me. With my hair pulled up in the intricate knot that Sam had concocted, the touch of make-up, and the beautiful dress, I felt like a princess. My eyes sparkled and my mouth spread into a smile as Sam stepped up behind me adjusting her own dress.
"Oh my God Krista, you look so flipping beautiful. Mark is going to have a coronary when he sees you," Sam said delighted.
The excitement of the night began to grab me as I reached over and gave Sam a quick hug. "I'm glad you talked me into this. You were right, who cares what those cows think. It was crazy thinking we should skip it. Why give them the satisfaction?" I asked, echoing the same argument Sam had been making for last few weeks.
"Ha, they're going to die when they see how hot you look," she quipped, tucking a stray hair back up into one of the countless bobby pins on my head.
"Well, it's not like you don't look pretty spectacular yourself," I said, giving Sam a once-over. The midnight blue dress could have been tailor made for her with the way it accentuated her every curve. The strappy heels she wore made the full skirt swish around her in a very flattering way. I had piled her hair on top of her head, leaving several tendrils to hang down to curl attractively around her heart-shaped face. As a last touch, Sam had added glitter eye shadow to the top of her eyelids, which could have looked cheap, but instead made her eyes sparkle and dance. Had Sam been a foot taller, she could have easily walked the catwalk as a topped billed model.
"You guys read? Wow, you two look fabulous!" Lynn said, opening the bathroom door. "Um, you two are going to leave those three gossip hounds you're always talking about with tongues wagging tonight," she added.
"Aww, thanks Lynn," Sam said, giving her a smacking kiss on the cheek as the three of us strolled toward the racket in the living room. It was quite obvious the guys were getting impatient. Sam and I exchanged a knowing look as we stepped around the corner, stopping in the doorway.
All sound evaporated from the room as Mark and Shawn finally got their first look at us.
Lynn broke the silence with a knowing snort behind us.
"Told you guys you looked hot," she said, joining Robert on the plush couch.
They weren't the only ones struck silent.
Mark in a tux was enough to send my heart racing and my skin tingling. The cut of the tux emphasized his lean but muscular body. He was McDreamy and McSteamy all wrapped up in one delicious ball.
"Dudes, you might want to close your mouths," Robert mocked from the couch. He roared with laughter as Mark and Shawn became aware of his teasing.
I couldn't help the smile that tugged at my mouth when they both seemed to shake their head as if to clear the haze. Sam giggled next to me as Robert and Lynn both openly laughed.
"You look beautiful," Shawn told Sam, finally regaining speech as he joined us. Sam's giggles stopped in mid-giggle as Shawn tenderly cupped her cheek and pressed a light kiss on her lips.
I glanced away feeling intrusive. Instead, I focused on the one person who mattered the most to me. "You look unbelievable," Mark said, reaching for my hand and pulling me into his arms for a quick embrace. There was no need for Mark to kiss me, his eyes said it all. I could feel my cheeks heating up as he appraised my appearance from head to toe making it quite obvious he was pleased with what he saw.
"You are beautiful." The thoughts he flashed in my head confirmed it as we joined the others in the living room.
Chapter 4
As per my mom's request, Mark swung me by the hospital so she could admire our formal clothes. I could tell right away she was not a happy camper as we strolled into her room.
"What's wrong?" I asked
"My ignorant doctor is under the impression that I need to stay an extra week in the hospital. I can't stay laid up here another week. I have things to do. Your graduation is coming up, not to mention my poor plants are going to die," she added in an agitated voice.
"Mom, come on, graduation is still weeks away, and really, what can possibly still need to be done. I have my graduation robe, my pictures are taken, and my class ring is on its way. It's not like we have any family flying in. Everyone I want there is already here. As for your plants, I've been watering them every day. It's not like you would be able to go home and do all that anyway. I for one am glad they're keeping you here. That way I can make sure you really are better," I said truthfully.
"I know. I'm sure they know what's best, it's just so frustrating. I feel like I'm missing too much of your last few months at home," she said, suddenly teary eyed.
"Mom, you're not. I'm here most afternoons anyway, right? Plus, we have the entire summer, and it's not like I'm moving far away."
"I know, I'm sorry. I'm an emotional wreck lately," she said, wiping the tears away with the corner of her bed sheet. "You look beautiful, by the way. That dress looks absolutely stunning on you. I should have started off with that instead of venting," she said apologetically. "All of you look great," she added, indicating the others that were lounging on the chairs by the window. "Did you take pictures?"
"Yeah, we had Lynn take them," I said. I had recently brought Lynn and Robert up to meet her. She had a vague idea about our connection and knew that we were all drawn to Santa Cruz, but she thought it was for some unknown reason. I deliberately kept our most recent findings to myself. I was always afraid that when I visited her I was going to let something slip. She and I had been close my entire life and I was used to confiding in her about most of my fears, but these were best left unsaid.
"We better head out," Mark said, knowing what I was thinking without having to use any mind tricks. He knew how much it bugged me to lie to her even if it was for her own good.
"I'll come back tomorrow Mom," I said, dropping a kiss on her cheek.
"Okay, don't come too early. I'm sure you guys will be exhausted after being out late tonight. No drinking and no getting in the car with anyone that has been drinking," she said sternly to all of us as we left the room. I paused in the doorway to blow her a kiss and chuckled when she made a swooning face at Mark's back.
The drive to the Swan Resort was short, and before I knew it Mark was handing his keys over to the valet. Swallowing back a knot of nervousness, I glanced up at the elegant building in front of me. The architecture was breathtaking and reminded me of something you would see in a movie from the Victorian era. Wide, sweeping porches graced both levels of the building with ivy running in abundance over the round pillars and railings that separated the dual porches. Wooden white-painted planters filled with pretty mauve flowers hung from the rafters and brackets mounted to the railings. It was obvious each detail had been well thought-out and added accordingly.
Shawn and Mark helped Sam and I exit the vehicle. Mark wrapped his arm around my waist, sliding his fingers along my ribcage and pulling me tight against his side.
"I know I've already said it, but you look absolutely beautiful tonight," he said in a husky voice that sent my pulse into overdrive. If we lived a hundred years together, I would never get tired of the way our connection made us so hyper-aware of each other. I loved that I could almost sense where he was at all times now. I'm sure an observer would say I was shackled to him, but it was exactly where I wanted to be.
We could hear the party in full swing as we climbed the sweeping marble inlaid staircase toward the ballroom. I couldn't help noticing that the small pieces of marble matched the mauve flowers that were scattered about.
One of doormen tipped his hat formally at us as Shawn and Mark handed him our tickets. The second doorman opened the doors grandly for us, allowing us to pass. Sam and I both gasped in pleasure when we took in the sight of the wide spectacular ballroom in front of us. The room was massive with elegantly draped tables surrounding a dance floor that would have rivaled the gymnasium floor at any professional arena. Each table held glass bowls filled with floating candles that illuminated the faces of those that were seated around them. The perimeter of the room was broken up by an entire glass wall that overlooked the ocean churning beneath the cliffs. Drapery swaged the walls around us, each decorated with thousands of twinkling lights that made the walls appear to move. Instead of a tacky disco ball or a typical chandelier illuminating the dance floor, the center of the dance floor was lit up by thousands of dancing lights that seemed to drop from the ceiling. It was by far the most elegant room I had ever entered. Even the deep midnight blue carpet under my feet was the plushest flooring I had ever walked on. I fought the temptation to slip my strappy shoes off so I could sink my feet into it.
"Wow, they weren't kidding," Sam finally squeaked out beside me, breaking our trance.
Shawn chuckled "I guess not, I guess this is what being rich is like, right buddy?" he said, nudging Mark.
Mark shrugged. He had grown up with a different lifestyle than the rest of us, but he never flaunted it. His dad had obviously made his money in some corrupt way, and I knew from thoughts I had gleaned from him that Mark was torn about what to do with the large amount of money in his account. Shawn had convinced him that for the time being we should at least keep it at our disposal since we had no idea what we faced. The two of them had gone to the bank on Tuesday and moved the money to a different account that his father could not access if he chose to. Mark added both Shawn and my names to the account so we could both access the funds. I felt uncomfortable even thinking about using the money. Like Mark, I felt it was dirty, blood money.
Mark guided us to an unoccupied table in the far corner, closest to the glass wall. I looked out the window in awe from the vantage point. From where we were standing, it looked as if we were floating above the ocean below. As beautiful as it was, it was still a little unnerving to think of how close the building was set on the cliff edge. I had yet to experience one of the earthquakes California was famous for, and I definitely didn't want to experience one tonight. I could just imagine the building crashing into the churning waves below.
"Well, if it isn't St. Briggets most scandalous couple," a snide voice said behind me.
Cringing, I turned around to face the three catty girls that had made it their mission to torment my last few months of school. Mark grasped my hand, sending me his thoughts. Just ignore the three of them, it isn't worth it.
"Well, if it isn't the Lush Trio, Sam replied in a mocking voice."Where did you get those dresses, Tramps R Us?" Sam asked with just a touch of bite to her tone. Surprised by Sam's uncharacteristic cattiness, I fought the urge to laugh at their expressions. How they could deny it, though, based on their get-up. All three wore strapless dresses that barely covered their skinny butts. Topped with what my mom would say "Hooker Heels." They would have fit in on a street corner somewhere. I knew they were going for the trendy looks that graced the covers of most glamour magazines. But what they lacked was the poise to pull it off.
Lacey, the ringleader of the group, stepped forward. "Well at least I didn't buy my dress in the children's section," she said sarcastically, turning on a heel, trying to save face in front of the now interested onlookers.
"That's the best you've got?" Sam asked, snorting with laughter.
Impulsively, I reached over and hugged Sam, feeling proud of her. The three of them had given us enough grief over the last few weeks and I loved Sam for her quick wit.
Mark and Shawn led us to the dance floor where more than one set of eyes followed us. I guess I should have expected it. Being new to the school this year, my relationship with Mark, and the way he was let go from his intern position, made us the most infamous couple at prom.
"Don't worry about them, you look beautiful," Mark said, addressing the comments the dreaded trio had made as he slid his arms around me to pull me close. I looped my arms around his neck and rested my head against his muscular chest where his heart beat steadily. I had discovered when he was in the hospital that this was my favorite spot on earth. I loved to feel his heart beat against my ear knowing that it was connected to me.
"See, this isn't so bad, right?" he asked.
"No, this is nice, but I'm still not doing any fast songs," I said, reminding him of our compromise from a couple days ago.
Chuckling softly, he pulled me closer. I let my eyes drift closed as we swayed around the dance floor. At moments like these, I could imagine that this is how it would be if we were a normal couple and the most stressful thing I had to worry about was passing finals. But having the weight of using my power to change someone's life seemed just a little more important.
Mark stepped back reluctantly as the song ended and a chest thumping rhythmic beat began belting out of the speakers surrounding the dance floor.
"Guess this one's out?" he asked with a grin.
"Um yep, this one's out," I said returning his grin, as I made my way through the exuberant dancing around me to walk to the edge of the dance floor. We stood on the sidelines watching the other couples on the floor. My jaw dropped when I saw Shawn and Sam dancing like pros to the fast-paced song. They looked like they belonged on "Dancing with the Stars." Their natural grace made the complicated song look like a simple ballad.