The Haunted - Jessica Verday [22]
I jerked my hand away. I should tell him not to… not to… something. I had to tell him something.
But then he smiled at me, and all my misgivings vanished. “Want to dance?” Of course. This was happy. This was fun.
… right?
He pulled me close, and suddenly the music was louder, completely enveloping us. I glanced around and noticed that the diner was empty. No waitresses, no staff, not even any other customers.
He steered us to a corner. Hidden from view of the register, the counter, even the kitchen, it was our own private stage. The music pushed in, crowding around us and filling my ears.
My head ached at the sound of it. Over and over again, the same song played.
Ben spun me once, and I landed against the wall. Dizzy and out of breath. He came closer. “You’re so beautiful, Abbey. Have I ever told you that? I don’t know.…” Those words sent a shiver down my spine, and I closed my eyes. Was this the feeling I’d been waiting for? His feet nudged mine as he slid one leg closer. I pressed my back to the wall and arched my spine. I don’t know why I did it, but it felt good… right.
He accepted my wordless invitation and came up flush against me. I blushed when I looked down and realized I was straddling his leg.
I started to move away, pull back.…
“Don’t,” he whispered, catching both of my hands, pinning them to the wall on either side of me. “Stay.…”
I was helpless in his grip. I didn’t feel trapped, yet he was holding me in place. Bending down, he started kissing my neck, and my knees went limp.
“Abbey, Abbey… ,” he said.
The music flared and then died down to a low buzz. It was like it was playing directly on a soundtrack inside my brain. Again and again the loop repeated: “I only have eyes… for you…
for you… for you…”
His murmurs bled together, and I closed my eyes again, feeling the beat of my heart thumping in tune with his words. “Abbey… Abbey… Abbey…
“Astrid.”
My eyes flew open, and I held desperately still. What did he say? What did he just call me?
Ben must have felt my body go rigid, because he raised his head too.
“What did you…”—I licked lips gone instantly dry—“say?”
“Abbey,” he replied, clearly puzzled. “I called you Abbey.” I held his gaze and searched his eyes, looking for something… anything.
He smiled at me again and leaned in until his lips were just a fraction of an inch away from mine. “Do you prefer Goddess? Light of my life? All that I desire? I’ll gladly name you any of those things.”
That shiver came back again. This was what I wanted. This was real, and I wanted it.…
Him.
I slid my hands out from underneath his and wrapped them around his neck.
“I like Goddess,” I whispered back.
He grinned, a very sexy grin. “Goddess it is.” And then his eyes changed to green.
I slammed back against the wall, wrenching myself away from him. Horror clawed its way up from the pit of my stomach and lodged in my throat.
Brown eyes gazed at me in concern.
“Abbey, what’s—”
“Why did you do that?!” I screeched.
“Do what?” he asked.
Change your eyes to green! my mind screamed. You changed your eyes! But I couldn’t force the words past the lump in my throat.
I took in every square inch of his face. It was his face. Not Caspian’s. It was just me and Ben. Here. Together. Didn’t I want this? This was normal. I was being normal.
I took a step closer and threw my arms around him again. “Forget it,” I whispered in his ear. “Bad memory. Now, where were we?”
He turned his head and our lips met. I pushed away the feeling that I was doing something wrong. Reaching up, I threaded my fingers through his hair. But instead of curly, his hair was long and smooth.
It flashed in and out before me. Changing from dark brown to that shocking, shocking pale blond. I moaned from the confusion and frustration of it all, and Ben moaned too. Then deepened the kiss.
I was frozen in place when his eyes changed again. Green eyes, blond hair. A strand of black appeared, and my stomach dipped.