Page 104 of Lightning Angel
“No, but I thought you might not want to attend this year. That’s when Tristan happened.” Cassie smiled at her wistfully in the mirror. “He’s brought back the old you, minus the blushing machine—ouch!” She jerked back with a laugh as Alexa nudged her in the ribs playfully. “You can’t deny I’m right!See,you’re blushing now.”
Alexa narrowed her eyes at her sister’s laughing reflection. “I’ll get this back at you when you and John are finally together.”
Cassie blushed crimson and Alexa laughed in triumph. “We—Alexa, Itoldyou he’s being just a good friend to me, as always.”
“Oh, come on Cass, I wasn’t born yesterday.” She enjoyed teasing her sister about John too much, as she always had, before Brandon stepped in. Now it felt like they were back to the old times when Cassie still harbored a crush for her best friend and told no one but her loyal little sister about it. But of course, being loyal didn’t mean Alexa wouldn’t tease her sister mercilessly every opportunity she got. “I’m still waiting for your first kiss with him.”
Cassie’s face turned scarlet if possible, and Alexa doubled over. “You little twit, Iwon’ttell you if it happens one day.”
“Oh, please, that’s old news, Cass. Couldn’t you come up with something new and more creative?”
“Is that a challenge?”
She smirked. “We both know I’m the first one you turn to if your biggest dream is fulfilled.”
Cassie rolled her eyes.
“See, you’re not protesting!” She pointed out gleefully, this time earning a coy smile from Cassie instead of another glare.
“Fine. I never stopped loving him.” Cassie held up her palms in surrender and sighed. “I didn’t realize it when I was still with Brandon.” Her mouth twisted saying his name. “But now that Brandon’s out of my life, I realize I feel for John the same as I’ve always felt. And with the way he’s been attentive toward me, I can see glimpses of his restrained feelings too. But, I’m not going to rush us. We’ll take it slowly.”
Alexa tilted her head and smiled at her sister sweetly. “I’m so happy for you Cass.”
“As am I for you.” Cassie took her hands in hers. “Tristan is a sweet boy with a wonderful personality. I’m so glad you have him. In all my life, I’ve never seen so much light and life in you.”
“That’s what Mom said too,” Alexa whispered.
“As if she knows you likeIdo.” Cassie pressed her lips together in a disapproving way. She opened her mouth to continue but clamped it shut as the intercom buzzed. “That’s either John or your prince Charming.”
“You meant to say, ‘that’s either my prince Charming or yours’?”
Cassie groaned, trying and failing to suppress her smile. “You’re grating on my nerves, you know that?”
“I love you too, sis!” Alexa called after her with a laugh. She turned back to her mirror and took a deep breath, closing her eyes.
If it was Tristan…
Her heart raced imagining him in a tuxedo and his reaction when he saw her.
Or perhaps it was John. He had promised Cassie a friends’ movie night. Either way, Tristanwouldbe here any moment.
She opened her eyes and—
“Mirror, mirror, on the vanity—” said her favorite voice from behind.
She gasped and spun on her heels, but he was nowhere in sight. Before she could groan and askreally,his familiar hands clasped on her bare shoulders and pivoted her back to the mirror.
“—who is the fairest of them all?”
Alexa spluttered a laugh. “Really?”
“Alexandra Ford,” he continued, unbothered by her interruption, and dropped his voice in a husky murmur, “is the fairest of them all.”
She held her breath as his minty breath tickled her neck, the heat of his presence wrapping around her like a blanket. His hands slid down her arms slowly, leaving behind a fiery trail in their wake, reaching her fingertips and withdrawing with obvious hesitance.
Alexa composed herself from the daze and reached behind for him, but her hands brushed with the airinstead. She spun around and reached again, but he wasn’t there.
“Tristan?” she called breathlessly.