Kiss of Fire (Imdalind, #1)(32)

“Oh, great! You could have at least told me she saw you. I told her you were a janitor!” Wyn’s voice sounded almost hysterical as she shrieked out. The tall man turned toward Wyn, staring down at her. Wyn bowed her head, her lips moving in some form of apology I couldn’t understand before lowering in an unmistakable curtsy. That wasn’t normal.

“Will someone please explain to me what’s going on?”

“Joclyn, Ilyan. Ilyan, Joclyn,” Wyn introduced. “Ilyan is my brother, Jos. And, apparently a big jerk. Sorry; if I knew it was him you kept seeing, I would have told you.”

Ilyan turned on her again, but this time, Wyn stood her ground. They stared daggers at each other for a minute as if engaged in some form of silent conversation. Definitely brother and sister.

“I’m so sorry if I scared you,” Ilyan began, his accent rolling his vowels in odd ways. “I am working on my thesis concerning high school peer groups and how they affect the grades and future outcomes of children and adolescents. I have been conducting my research here.”

“Ummm.” I didn’t really understand all that just came out of his mouth. “So, not a member of a cult then?” I spoke my thoughts aloud without thinking, and my hand flew to my mouth in embarrassment.

Wyn and Ilyan only burst out laughing.

“No, no cult,” he lilted with a curious half-smile.

I let out a big sigh of relief. Good, maybe my dad hadn’t acted on his craziness yet. I couldn’t stop looking at his eyes; they were just so familiar. I kept staring, expecting their mystery to jump out at me. I guess I had been staring for far too long as Wyn cleared her throat beside me.

“So, what are you named after? Ilyan isn’t a very common name.” I spoke the first thing on my mind, hoping to end the rather awkward silence. “Are you named after a king or something; I know Wyn is named after a queen.”

“I guess you could say that,” Ilyan laughed with a rich, happy sound that seeped through me. Even Wyn joined into the joke. I must be missing something.

“What?” I asked, looking between them. They shook their heads in unison; the joke, one they didn’t want to share. I looked away in irritation to see the school grounds devoid of inhabitants.

“Oh, gosh! We are going to be late!” I whisked Wyn away from her brother without even bothering to say good-bye.

We parted ways at Wyn’s locker and I kept running, thankful that it was an A-day and to have gym, instead of French with Madame Armel, who would notice my tardy. Hopefully, I would have time to dress down before class began.

I ran into the locker room, my heart plunging to see it empty. Even if I dressed and went in, the teacher would make me run the mile. No, thank you. I sat down on one of the many metal benches. I was not having a very good track record—first, two classes yesterday and then, gym today. My mom was going to kill me.

I leaned against the locker, intending to sleep through the hour long block. For some reason, sitting still caused the smell from Ryland’s jacket to increase. I didn’t move, letting the delicious scent waft around me. What was I going to do about him, or even about me, for that matter?

Without any warning, a vision of our bodies intertwined together filled my mind. His heavy muscular form pushing against me as he wrapped his arms around me in a passionate… what was I doing? I shook my head in frustration, emptying the fantasy from my mind. It was obvious he wanted to kiss me, and I knew, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that I wanted to kiss him. My mom was right; we were both hormone-driven teenagers. What harm could one kiss do, though? He was leaving after all; I might as well make the most of it.

I slammed my head into a locker. Even with all my rationalization I still had made my mother a promise. As much as my heart broke, and as many times as I would have to repeatedly convince myself of it, I had to keep that promise. Until Heaven and Hell broke loose and we could somehow be together, no matter what, I would keep the promise.

My mind jerked out of its heart-breaking reverie as my phone buzzed in my pocket.

How’s the jacket?

I couldn’t help the smile that spread across my face.

Large, warm, and very hideable. Thanks.

I tucked the phone in the pocket of the hoodie and leaned my head back again. He must be ditching class, too, because the next message came right away.

Hideable?

It’s a word! I knew it wasn’t, but it should be.

Uh huh… I guess it’s good you are a junior, because you obviously still have some leprosy to deal with. ;)

Leprosy? My loud laugh echoed around the walls of the locker room. I covered my mouth, scared I would get caught ditching gym.

Spell check! I meant learning.

Right; and I’mthe one who needs extra ‘learning’? It took a long time for him to reply, and by the time he did, students were already making their way back into the locker room, so I stood and made my way out of the room before I was discovered.

Be warned, we are doing pie tonight.

Pie.

We hadn’t done pie for months. Although it wasn’t as cool as it sounded, “pie” simply involved taking a chocolate crème pie—my favorite—up the canyon and hanging out at the fire pit. Normally I would be excited for pie, but right now, it just seemed like a bad situation that would end in forbidden kissing. My heart sputtered and my stomach swooped. I would keep my promise to my mom. I had to.