Eternal Bond : (The Cursed Series, Book 3) Read online

  “What?” I snapped.

  He sat, then leaned forward, his mouth near my ear. His breath tickled my neck, and I fought to remain perfectly still, to not let him know how his presence affected me.

  “You’re jealous,” he said with way too much satisfaction.

  I glared at him over my shoulder.

  “If you want me to kiss you like that, all you have to do is ask,” he whispered.

  This time, I couldn’t suppress the shiver that shook my body.

  “What did I miss?” Trent asked, returning to his spot behind me.

  He now wore gray sweatpants and a black, long sleeve shirt. His hair was damp and messy and so incredibly sexy. I ran my fingers through his locks. He closed his eyes and moaned with satisfaction, his mouth lowering to mine.

  “Well, Jax gave Gina an X-rated kiss,” Luke said, an edge to his tone. “And now it looks like you two are going to go at it.”

  Was Luke jealous that Gina had kissed Jax? Did Luke have a thing for Gina?

  “So, it’s your turn, then,” Trent said to Jax.

  “Chloe,” he said, and my heart jackhammered. “Truth or dare?”

  I swallowed hard. If I chose dare, he’d probably make me do something to him or with him, and that would make Trent angry. But if I chose truth, he could ask me a question I really didn’t want to answer. Of course, I could always lie.

  “Truth,” I said.

  “What’s your biggest fantasy?” he asked.

  Kissing Jax and not stopping. Spending the night with him. Where had that come from? I cleared my throat and said, “Getting married and having kids.”

  He studied me for a moment, then leaned back in his chair, but his disappointment was clear as day—that wasn’t the answer he wanted.

  But did he really expect me to say something that involved him? Especially with Trent sitting right here? No, I had to bury whatever weird thoughts I was having about Jax and focus on what mattered—Trent.

  CHAPTER SIXTEEN:

  Fantasy

  I AWOKE, MY BODY SORE. TRENT was asleep beside me, his chest rising and falling with steady breaths. I watched him for several moments, memorizing every angle of his face, the natural curve of his lips, the way his lashes grazed his cheekbones.

  He was a picture of perfection, the single most handsome guy in the world. And he loved me. My heart swelled with that knowledge. Rolling onto my back, I stretched my arms over my head.

  Trent’s idea to go camping had been great. After a few more turns of Truth or Dare, the game fizzled out. Everyone decided to just drink and dance, though I hadn’t consumed a single drop of alcohol.

  Jax had spent the rest of the night flirting with Gina, which I knew he’d done just to upset me. And it had worked. Why, though? Why did I care so much what Jax did or who he did it with? Why did I keep having such intense thoughts about him?

  I glanced at Trent again. He was still sleeping. I needed some fresh air. Careful not to wake him, I crawled out of the tent, zipping it as quietly as possible.

  Lingering embers from the bonfire still burned, offering just enough warmth to chase away the night chill. I sat on the ground, arms wrapped around my knees, and tilted my head. The stars were brighter than ever, sparkling like tiny diamonds. The sound of a tent being unzipped behind me drew my attention. I glanced over my shoulder, fully expecting to see Trent.

  “Jax,” I breathed his name, afraid if I spoke too loudly, I’d wake everyone else.

  “Couldn’t sleep?” he asked.

  “Not really.” I once again tilted my head to the sky. “Sometimes, when it was really hot inside our house and we couldn’t sleep, Mom and I would go outside and lay in the backyard and just stare up at the stars. It’s very relaxing.”

  Jax remained silent, but his gaze was like a warm caress.

  “Being out here like this reminds me of her.” I rested my head on my knees, willing the tears to stay away. Would the pain of losing her ever go away?

  “Come with me?” Jax held out his hand. “There’s something I want to show you.”

  Against my better judgment, I took his hand, and he pulled me to my feet, straight to his chest. My breath hitched.

  Without another word, he led me away from the campsite and down the same path we’d taken earlier to get to the lake. But he veered off and stopped at the edge of a grassy clearing. Hundreds of tiny lights blinked and flickered to a rhythm only they could hear, lighting up the otherwise dark expanse.

  “Lightning bugs,” I said in amazement. “Wow. This is… beautiful.”

  “Not as beautiful as you,” Jax said, and I didn’t have to look at him to know he wasn’t staring at the same scene I was.

  I rolled my eyes at his cheesy line, and he chuckled softly, the sound seeming to echo through the night. Jax brushed my hair away from my neck, draping it over my shoulder. His fingers grazed the bite mark he’d left on me, and I sucked in a sharp breath.

  “You were jealous tonight,” he said, massaging the back of my neck. “When I kissed Gina. You didn’t like it.”

  I turned to face him. “No,” I admitted. “But I have no right to get mad. You’re free to kiss whoever you want.”

  He raised a brow. “Am I?”

  His hand moved around to the side of my neck, his fingers gravitating back to the bite mark, and I couldn’t stop myself from leaning into his touch.

  “Because we both know who I really want to be kissing.” He lowered his head, and I held my breath. The moon shone brightly behind him, silhouetting his form and casting him in a soft glow.

  “Jax.” But my voice was weak, much like my resolve, and my protest fell flat. “You know we can’t do this.”

  My God, though, I wanted to. I wanted to so badly it was a clawing, gnarling monster living inside of me.

  “But you want to, don’t you?” His thumb stroked over my cheek.

  “That’s not fair,” I whispered. For every moment I stood here with him, a little more of my self-control slipped away.

  “All right.” He stepped closer, and I was hit with the scent of his cologne.

  I closed my eyes and inhaled deeply. For days, that scent had surrounded me, comforted me as we waited for rescue, or death, and the smell of it now was like coming home.

  “At least admit you lied tonight,” he said.

  “About what?” I turned my head slightly, just enough to catch the tips of his fingers with my lips, and I kissed them.

  He groaned. “About your biggest fantasy.”

  I met his gaze. His eyes were the color of the sky around us, dark and mysterious.

  “I didn’t lie.” But I had, and he knew it. I could see it in his expression.

  “Tell me the truth, Chloe.” He took another step closer and cradled my face in his hands. “What’s your biggest fantasy? What do you want that you’re too afraid to admit to yourself?”

  “You,” I whispered. “I want you to kiss me like you kissed Gina. Only… I don’t want you to stop. Ever.”

  A faint smile tugged at his lips. “Is that all?”

  My heart beat an unsteady, tormented staccato. I licked my lips. “Yes,” I lied.

  Jax grazed his lips over mine. Once, twice… He tugged my bottom lip between his teeth, and I moaned, clutching the front of his shirt, demanding more. His mouth was on mine, his tongue twisting around mine. Teasing. Tasting.

  And then he lifted me off my feet. I wrapped my legs around his waist and speared my fingers through his hair, holding him to me. In a dizzying flash, I was pressed firmly between Jax and a tree trunk.

  The rough bark bit through the T-shirt I wore, but I didn’t care. Nothing mattered in this moment but me and Jax and the way he kissed me like he was drowning, and I was his only source of oxygen. Or maybe I was the one drowning. He eased his hand up the hem of my shirt, his touch causing goose bumps to erupt on my flesh.

  “Yes,” I hissed, tilting my head.

  He went straight for my neck, nipping at where he’d bitten
me, and it was like millions of fireworks exploded in my chest. “Tell me you want me, Chloe. I need to hear you say it.”

  “I want you, Jax.”

  I awoke, gasping, covered in sweat. My heart was in my throat, and no matter how hard I tired, I couldn’t draw a deep enough breath. I clawed at my neck and throat, desperate for air. My body tingled and throbbed with lingering need. My face felt like it was on fire, and my pulse pounded so hard I could taste it.

  “Chloe, honey.” Trent rubbed my back, his voice full of concern. “What’s wrong? Are you okay?”

  Finally, I managed to take a breath, and it was glorious and painful all at the same time. I inhaled several gulps of air, my heart slowly returning to a normal cadence. “I had a nightmare,” I said.

  “Want to talk about it?” He propped himself on his elbow, his hand continuing to rub soothing circles on my back.

  “No.”

  That dream had been so vivid. So intense. I could feel Jax’s lips on mine. His breath on my neck. His hands on my body. I rubbed my hands over my face and down my neck, my fingers trembling as they passed over the bite mark that wouldn’t seem to go away.

  I turned and buried my face against Trent’s chest, shame and guilt warring inside of me. Why was I fantasizing about Jax? I didn’t want him like that. Did I? Was my subconscious trying to tell me something?

  Trent wrapped his arms around me and eased onto his back, holding me tightly against him. “You’re trembling,” he said.

  I lifted my head to look at him, and then I kissed him, pouring out all my desperation and uncertainty. Trent palmed the back of my head, welcoming my kiss. I needed to erase the feel of Jax from my body, rid myself of whatever weird thing was going on with me.

  “I love you, Trent. So much.” My voice was shaky, but my feelings weren’t.

  I loved Trent. He was my everything. My future. And I needed him to know that. I needed to do something to show him how committed I was. Right now, becoming a vampire was out of the question, but I could let him claim me. Even though I was scared, I wanted to let him do that.

  He had me flat on my back before I could blink, my hands pinned above my head. My heart thudded against my ribs, and I licked my lips, waiting to see what he was going to do next. Slowly, he brought his mouth back to mine.

  “I love you,” he mumbled against my lips before moving to kiss my jaw and neck, and then lower, to my collarbone.

  Sighing, I closed my eyes. “Do you still want to claim me?”

  He pulled back just enough to peer into my eyes. “Why wouldn’t I?”

  I shrugged. “I don’t know. Because of what happened with Jax. Maybe you don’t—”

  Trent silenced me with a deep, lingering kiss that fried my brain and left my insides mushy. I wiggled beneath him, desperate to be closer.

  “I hate what happened between you and Jax, but it doesn’t change the way I feel about you.” He gently caressed his fingers down the side of my face. “I love you, Chloe. You’re my soulmate, and the day you tell me you’re ready to let me claim you…” He took a deep breath.

  “So, if I give you permission, you’ll do it?”

  “Yes,” he said without hesitation.

  It was on the tip of my tongue to give him permission right now, but giving my virginity to him in a tent while surrounded by all our friends wasn’t exactly how I pictured my first time, and I was positive Trent would agree this wasn’t the best time, either.

  “I have to know… this is a matter of when, not if, right?” he asked, his expression hopeful but guarded.

  “Yes,” I said with a laugh. “I want you to claim me, Trent.”

  “Oh, thank God.” He rested his forehead to mine, and then he kissed me again, his tongue languid against mine, as if we had all the time in the world.

  And for the first time in months, I finally felt safe.

  SOUNDS OF LAUGHTER DRAGGED me from a peaceful sleep. The tent was empty. I covered my face with my pillow and groaned. I hoped to God we weren’t back to Trent leaving before I woke up. Then again, this was probably the last morning we’d have the chance to wake up together, and he wasn’t even here.

  Reluctantly, I sat up and brushed my fingers through my hair the best I could before locating a pair of jeans and yanking them on. Then I climbed out of the tent. Everyone else was already awake.

  “I was just getting ready to go in there and wake you up,” Abby said. She held up a paper plate. “Jax made breakfast. It’s so good.”

  Yeah, I remembered how good of a cook Jax was. I also remembered mornings when it was just me and him, sitting at the kitchen island, eating and talking. But I pushed those memories away and scanned the group for Trent. I found him near his truck, his back to everyone.

  I approached and realized he was on the phone. I hesitated, not wanting to interrupt him. A second later, he ended the call and turned around, not all surprised to find me standing there.

  “I really hate waking up alone.” I pouted.

  He draped his arms over my shoulders, planting a kiss on my forehead. “I got a call and didn’t want to wake you. I’m sorry.”

  I snaked my arms around his waist. “I should go home today.”

  Even though I was eager to see Aunt Beth and Uncle Dean, I wasn’t ready to leave Trent, not when we’d only just gotten back together. I hadn’t had enough time with him.

  “I know.” He sighed. “But I promise I’ll still see you every day.”

  “You better.” I grinned. “Unless…” I glanced back at the campsite. “We spend the weekend here, and then I go home Sunday. I’m sure Abby won’t mind.”

  “I like the way you think,” he said. Smiling, he leaned down and kissed me, but it was cut short when his phone rang. He groaned and checked the screen. “I have to take this.”

  What was up with him this morning? He never got that many phone calls.

  “I’m going to go get dressed,” I said, glancing down at myself. Even though I had jeans on, I still wore Trent’s T-shirt, without a bra.

  And I was going to suggest spending the rest of the weekend here and see what Abby thought about it. Even if she couldn’t or didn’t want to stay, I might just so I could have more time with Trent.

  He nodded, answered the call, and turned around, putting several feet between us. That was weird, but whatever. I headed back toward camp. Abby, Ellie, and Gina were huddled together, gushing over the food.

  “Chloe.” Abby waved me over. “Get some food and sit with us.”

  “I’m going to get dressed first. I’ll be right back.” I made a beeline for my tent.

  “You look like hell,” Jax said, startling me.

  “Screw you,” I said before I could stop myself. I hadn’t meant to say that, but his comment wasn’t exactly nice, either.

  He was in front of me in a flash, his face so close I could feel his breath on my lips. I swallowed hard, my body frozen in place.

  “Is that an offer?” he asked, his eyes gleaming with desire and mischief.

  “You know it’s not,” I said quietly.

  “Hmm, too bad.” He put his mouth dangerously close to my ear. “Word of advice, Chloe. Don’t make offers you have no intentions of keeping, especially something like that, not to me.” He nipped at my earlobe, and I couldn’t stop the soft moan that pushed past my lips.

  Jax pulled away, a self-satisfied smirk flitting across his face. I blinked, fully expecting to wake up or snap out of whatever daze I was in and realize this was all just another dream.

  But I wasn’t waking up. I pinched my leg and grimaced at the pain. Nope. Still not waking up, which meant I was very much awake and all of that just happened.

  I shoved around Jax and scrambled into my tent. What was wrong with me? Not only was I having highly inappropriate thoughts and dreams about Jax, I could no longer tell what was real and what wasn’t. And that meant I was in a lot of trouble.

  CHAPTER SEVENTEEN:

  Welcome Home

  AS I’D
EXPECTED, ABBY HAD BEEN thrilled with my idea to spend the entire weekend camping, and that’s exactly what we’d done. So far, it had been the best weekend of my summer. But now it was over, and reality was about to set in.

  Trent pulled over to the side of the road and put the truck in park. We were a quarter of a mile from Aunt Beth’s house, and my nerves were frayed. It was a million times worse than the very first time I’d arrived here. Not that I was nervous about going home; I was more nervous about lying to Aunt Beth. And having to leave Trent.

  “Ready?” he asked, extending his arm along the back of the seat, his fingertips resting lightly against the back of my neck.

  “No.” I scooted across the seat so I was right next to him.

  He curled his arm around me, and I buried my face in his neck, letting his scent wrap around me one last time before I was forced—again—to be without him for long periods of time. Trent kissed my forehead, then lifted my face, kissing my mouth.

  But I refused to let him stop at a simple peck on the lips. I remained pressed to him until he parted his lips and kissed me like he meant it. Clutching a fistful of his shirt, I pushed closer, demanding more. He tangled his fingers through my hair and deepened the kiss until I didn’t know where he ended and I started.

  A tortured groan tore from his chest. “God, you haven’t even left yet and I already miss you.”

  I smiled, licking my tingling bottom lip, which he promptly captured in another searing kiss, cutting off anything I might have said. That was okay, though, because right now, talking was the last thing on my mind. I wiggled onto his lap and straddled him. The steering wheel made it nearly impossible, but that was a mild inconvenience for a few more moments with him.

  “Uh-uh. No way.” Trent removed me from his lap and set me in the middle of the seat. “I’m already contemplating turning around and taking you back home with me, and having you in my lap like that is not helping.”

  “I’d be okay with that,” I said, straightening my shirt.

  He sliced a look at me that made every nerve ending in my body whimper and beg for more. Seriously, how did he do that?