โTen-Degree Weather Gives aโ
Whole New Meaning to the Cool Kidsโ Table
โUm, yeah. Sure. Of course.โ As I turn to look at him, the words pour out of my mouth without any rhyme or reason, making me soundโand feelโlike a jerk.
Jaxon inclines his head, lifts a brow. โSo itย isย taken, then?โ
Forget sounding like a jerk. Iย amย a jerk. โNo! I mean, yes. I meanโฆโ I stop, take a deep breath, and then blow it out slowly. โThe seat isnโt taken. You can sit down if youโd like.โ
โIย wouldย like.โ He grabs the chair and turns it around so that when he drops down into it, heโs facing the back of the chair, one elbow draped negligently over the top.
Itโs a completely ridiculous way to sit, especially on a chair this elegantโฆbut itโs also superhot. And itโs pretty much been my kryptonite since Moises de la Cruz did it at a pool party when we were in seventh grade.
What can I say? Iโm weak.
Guess Iโm not the only weak one, though, because Macy makes another choked sound as she stares behind meโthis one worse than the last. I tear my eyes away from Jaxon long enough to make sure that sip of coffee isnโtย actuallyย killing her. Thankfully, itโs not, but the fact that the other members of the Order are currently settling themselves down at the table with us just might.
โHowโs your ankle?โ Jaxon asks, his dark gaze sliding over me in what I know is concern but what feels a little like a caress.
โBetter. Thanks forโฆyesterday.โ
โWhich part?โ The crooked grin is back, and this time when he looks me over, it feels aย lotย like a caress.
But just because Iโm flustered doesnโt mean Iโm a pushover. โThe waffles. Obviously.โ
One of the members of the Order snorts at my answer, then darts a quick look at Jaxon as he tries to smother the sound. Jaxon just kind of rolls his eyes, though, and gives a little nod in his direction. Which makes the guy laugh again and has the added effect of relaxing all the other guys as well.
โObviously.โ He shakes his head, looks away. But his smile doesnโt fade. โSo youโre planning on going to class today.โ
Itโs not a question, but I answer anyway. โYeah. Itโs time.โ
He nods like he knows what Iโm talking about. โWhatโs your first period?โ
โI donโt remember.โ I pull the blue schedule Uncle Finn gave me from my jacket pocket. โLooks like Brit Lit with Maclean.โ
โIโm in that class,โ says one of the other members of the Order. Heโs black, with friendly eyes and the hottest set of locks Iโve ever seen. โYouโll like her. Sheโs cool. Iโm Mekhi, by the way, and Iโm happy to walk you to class if you want, show you where it is.โ
Macy makes yet another choking soundโIโm beginning to think her death really is imminentโat the same time that Jaxon replies, โYeah, thatโs going to happen.โ
The other guys laugh, but I donโt get the joke. So I just kind of smile and say, โThanks, Mekhi. Iโd appreciate it, if you wouldnโt mind.โ
That only makes them laugh harder.
I give Jaxon a WTF look, but heโs just kind of shaking his head at them. Then he leans in and says, โIโll walk you to class, Grace.โ
Heโs so close that his breath tickles my ear, sending shivers down my spine that have nothing to do with Alaska and everything to do with the fact that I want this guy. That, despite all the warnings and bad behavior, I really do think Iโm falling for Jaxon Vega.
โThat wouldโโ My voice breaks, and I have to clear my throat a couple of times before I can try again. โThat would be nice, too.โ
โItย wouldย be nice.โ Thereโs amusement in his voice, but
when our eyes meet, thereโs no trace of laughter in his. Thereโs also no trace of the coldness thatโs as much a part of him as the dark hair and long, lean body. Instead, thereโs a heatโan intensityโthat has my hands shaking and my knees going weak.
โShould we head over now?โ The question is ripped from my dry throat.
He looks pointedly at my tray. โYou should eat now.โ
โYou should eat, too.โ I reach for the silver package on my tray, hold it out to him.
He looks from me to the breakfast pastries and back again. โPop-Tarts aren’t what Iโm hungry for.โ
This time, Macyโs not the one making the choking sound. I look up, tracing it to its originโthe only member of the
Order who looks like he might be Native Alaskan, a guy with bronze skin and long, dark hair tied into a neat ponytail at the nape of his neck.
โSomething funny, Rafael?โ Jaxon asks, eyes narrowed and tone silky smooth.
โAbsolutely not,โ he answers but glances at me even as he says it, eyes brimming with mischief and delight. โI think Iโm going to like you, Grace.โ
โAnd here the day was going so well.โ
He grins. โYeah, definitely going to like you.โ
โDonโt feel too flattered, Grace. Rafaelโs not exactly the most discerning guy around,โ says one of the others, a boy with twinkling blue eyes and gold hoop earrings.
โLike you are, Liam?โ Rafael shoots back. โThe last girl you dated was a barracuda.โ
โIโm pretty sure thatโs an insult to barracudas everywhere,โ chimes in another one of Jaxonโs friends, his Spanish accent sexily rolling hisย Rs.
โLuca knows what Iโm talking about,โ Rafael says.
โBecause Lucaโs dating history is so impressive?โ Jaxon drawls, joining the conversation for the first time.
The quip is so unexpectedโso what Iโm used to from his texts but not in personโthat I canโt help staring at him. Then again, everything about this morning has been unexpectedโespecially the dynamic among the members of the Order. Every time Iโve seen them, theyโve appeared so tough and unapproachable. So unfeeling.
But sitting here with one anotherโand no one but Macy and me to witness it, since Cam and his group took one look at who was sitting with us and headed in the other direction
โtheyโre just like any other group of friends. Except funnier. And way, way hotter. Knowing heโs got friends like thisโand that he canย beย a friend like thisโmakes me like Jaxon even more.
Jaxon catches me staring and raises a questioning brow in my direction.
I just shrug at him like itโs no big deal and reach for my glass. Then nearly choke at the look in his eyes as he watches me. Because thereโs a craving there, a dark and devastating desperation that has my breath stuttering in my chest and heat blooming deep inside me.
He holds my gaze for one second, two. Then he slowly blinks, and when he opens his eyes again, the emptiness is back.
And still, I watch him. Still, I canโt look away. Because thereโs something just as beautifulโand just as devastating
โin their emptiness as there is in their heat. Eventually, though, I force myself to look down. Mostly because if I donโt, Iโm afraid Iโll do something foolish like throw myself at Jaxon in front of the entire school.
Turning away from him, I forcibly yank my attention back to the conversation at hand, just in time to hear Luca say, โHey, now. How was I supposed to know Angie was a soul- sucking demon?โ
โUmmm, because we told you so?โ Mekhi answers.
โYeah, but I thought you were biased. You didnโt like her from the start.โ
โBecause she was a soul-sucking demon,โ Liam repeats. โWhat part of that are you not getting?โ
โWhat can I say?โ Luca gives a careless shrug. โThe heart
wants what the heart wants.โ
โUntil what the heart wants tries to kill you,โ Rafael teases.
โSometimes even then.โ The words are quiet, spoken from the haunted-looking guy sitting to Macyโs right.
โSeriously, Byron?โ Mekhi grouses. โWhy you always got to shut the conversation down?โ
โI was just making an observation.โ
โYeah, a depressing observation. You need to lighten up, man.โ
Byron just stares at him, lips twisted in a tiny little smile that makes him look like a modern-day embodiment of his poet namesake.
Mad, bad, and dangerous to know.
The famous quote from Lady Caroline Lamb goes through my mind. But Iโm not focused on Byronโs wavy black hair and dimples when I think about her words. No, in my head, theyโre all about Jaxon, with his scarred face and cold eyes and smile that borders on cruel at least half the time.
Definitely bad. Definitely dangerous. As for madโฆI donโt know yet, but something tells me Iโm going to find out.
When I think of him like that, I wonder what the hell Iโm doing even contemplating feeling the way I do. After all, in San Diego, dark and dangerous wasnโt exactly my type. Then again, maybe thatโs because I never ran into the genuine article back home. Here in Alaskaโฆ Well, all Iโm saying is, thereโs a reason half the girls in the school are swooning over Jaxon.
Besides, thereโs more to him than meets the eye. No matter how angry he is, heโs never been anything but
gentle with me. Even that first day, when he was so obnoxious, he still never did anything that made me uncomfortable. And heโs certainly never hurt me. To everyone else, he might be as dangerous as Macy warns. But to me, he seems more misunderstood than malicious, more broken than bad.
Besides, Byron called it when he implied the heart wants what the heart wants, even when itโs bad. And no matter how many warnings I get about Jaxon, Iโm pretty sure heโs what my heart wants.
Suddenly, a weird kind of chiming sound cuts through Dvoลรกkโs โThe Noonday Witchโ (if Iโm not mistaken) thatโs currently playing over the cafeteriaโs loudspeakers. โWhat is that?โ I ask, looking around to see if weโre suddenly being invaded by a bunch of triangle-playing guerrillas.
โThe bell,โ Macy says. Theyโre the first two words sheโs managed to choke out since the Order took up residence next to us, and all seven of us turn to her in surprise. Which just makes her flash a small little smile before shoving half a Pop-Tart in her mouth.
โYou still didnโt eat,โ Jaxon says. And then he picks a Pop- Tart and hands it to me.
โSeriously?โ I take it, because I know heโs just going to stand there holding it until I do. But Iโm still going to call him on it. Because Iโm smart enough to know that if I let him get away with the small things, heโll try his best to steamroll me with everything else, too. โIโm pretty sure I can figure out for myself if Iโm hungry or not.โ
He shrugs. โA girlโs got to eat.โ
โAย girlย can decide that for herself. Especially since the guy
sitting next to her didnโt eat anything, either.โ
Mekhi lets out a little whoop. โThatโs right, Grace. Make sure he doesnโt walk all over you.โ
Jaxon gives him a look that sends a chill right through me, but Mekhi just rolls his eyes, although I notice that heย doesย shut his mouth for pretty much the first time since he sat down. Not that I blame him. If Jaxon looked at me like that, I think I might run for the hills.
โWhat classroom are you going to?โ Jaxon asks as we maneuver our way through the suddenly bustling cafeteria. Itโs easier than it should be, considering the mad stampede toward the doors that is currently going on. But as long as Jaxon is in the lead, the sea of students does more than just part. It pretty much leaps out of the way.
I fumble for my schedule again, but before I can so much as pull it out, Mekhi answers, โA246,โ right before he disappears into the crowd.
โApparently, A246,โ I repeat, tongue firmly in cheek. โApparently.โ He moves slightly ahead of me to push open
