Revealed (Unbound, Book 5)

Chapter Twelve

My stride remained slow until I passed the gates at the end of the driveway. It was impossible to run and keep the bag from hitting me. I started a text to Calin but discarded it before I hit send. I pocketed my phone and decided to go to Celestial Java first. Only once I was sure I was no longer in sight of anyone from the Manor, I picked up my pace.

When I'd moved to Wickenton, I had promised that the first person to be nice would make a friend for life. I liked that it was Maible, though never in my wildest dreams had I imagined she'd turn out to be my half-sister. If I used a backwards logic, I could reason that she hadn't been a friend because of our relation. That meant that Calin was the first person who'd been nice. It absolved me of any guilt that could linger over the severed relationship with Maible.

The reasoning made me feel free.

I looked up as a car approached, then down to kick a pebble.

The engine revved louder, once again earning my attention. I looked up as the car completed a two-point turn, the road too narrow for a U-turn. My stomach tickled like a million fireflies buzzed within. They zipped around in me, electrified. I smiled when the car pulled over on the shoulder of the road two car lengths ahead of me.

The driver's door opened. Calin stepped out and, for a moment, I was speechless as I admired how the sun haloed him. He looked ethereal. Swallowing, I forced my eyes to meet his gaze. I felt heat rise into my cheeks when he smiled as though he knew exactly what I'd been thinking.

"Hi," I said when he was a few steps away.

Instead of answering, Calin eliminated the space between us. He cupped my face, tilted my head up, and leaned down. His lips settled over mine. The kiss was hard, then softened. I began to lean into him. My hands came up to rest on Calin's shoulders. The zaps from my stomach expanded, setting free the electricity to course through my body.

All too soon and without warning, Calin stepped back. I almost stumbled and, though I didn't fall, felt... alone. When had Calin gained that kind of power over how I felt?

I stepped back, touched the tenderness of my lips, and then dropped my hands. Looking up, I smiled. "What was that for?"

Calin's smile was bright. "It was a reward?"

"I'm sorry?" I raised my eyebrows.

"A reward. I asked you not to leave without telling me, and you left a note. I'm rewarding you for it."

"Are you sure it wasn't a punishment?"

He smirked. "Okay, so I was punishing you to start with, but that definitely ended up being my reward. I called Luna when I woke up and had a shower because I figured you'd stay there, but by the time I arrived, you were gone. It wasn't rocket science to figure out where you went, but I promised I would kiss you until you agreed not to do it again."

I rolled my eyes. "Uh huh. That's why you stopped."

"Only because we are standing on the side of the road where anyone can drive by."

"Oh. Right. That's—"

"Why are we standing on the road, Nora?" Calin asked before I could verbalize that it was good one of us had been able to use logic. His brows furrowed, his gaze narrowing on me, and I swallowed. "Where is your car?"

"Would you believe I lost it?" I smiled, hopeful.

"Nora."

I sighed. "When I went to the Manor, Maible and Devland were home. The tour got postponed, I guess, and I ended up having to talk to them before I could leave."