Wanderlust Page 3

  Yet, here I was, holding up my spaghetti strapped tank, wondering if it would put a twinkle of desire on Ryder’s face. I wanted to look good for him. I needed to see whether I affected him, as well. Whether he would also find ways to stare at me—unable to keep from sneaking peeks when he thought I wasn’t looking.

  Then I wouldn’t feel like such an idiot. There’d been so many times when he’d almost caught me, earlier—the countless sidelong glances as he carried in my things, his muscles flexing beneath his tight shirt. When he blew across the top of his hot coffee, I all but sighed with longing, wishing his lips were against mine instead of the rim of the mug.

  Yep, he’d reduced me to the kind of girl who believed in love at first sight—lust even. I wasn’t immune to the way he smiled and laughed, the flash of his perfectly straight teeth. He was mesmerizing.

  I seriously wasn’t going to survive the date if I kept this up.

  Quit daydreaming and focus! I scolded myself. Sitting up, there was only one course of action. Back home, if I was drowning in indecision, Chrissy would help me. She was the best sister in the world, her ability to keep me from spinning off on a tangent, a lifesaver.

  Pulling out my phone, she was exactly who I needed to talk to right now.

  “Hey, sis,” she answered. Just the sound of her voice calmed me.

  “I have a crisis of monumental proportions!” I exclaimed, skipping over formalities and diving straight in.

  “Ahhh, then let’s hear it.” Chrissy chuckled. She was used to the larger-than-life theatrics of my conversations. We were a few years apart, but we were incredibly close. She was definitely the yin to my yang.

  “I have a date,” I confided, another flurry of excitement shooting through me at the admission. “And he’s hot!”

  Suddenly I regretted the distance between us as Chrissy exploded into rapid-fire questions. “Already? How did you manage that? What does he look like? Damn, maybe I should’ve moved with you! Tell me everything!”

  “His name is Ryder,” I started, relaxing as my apprehension melted away. “He lives around the corner and he helped me bring my stuff in from the car. A total gentleman.”

  “Oooh, sounds promising. Now give me a mental picture of what he looks like.”

  Some things never changed. It had become a tradition whenever we met someone new, someone who interested us, that we be as descriptive as possible—the more vivid, the better.

  “Imagine this: thick brown hair that’s short at the sides, but still long enough on the top to drag your fingers through. It kind of falls right above his eyes, which, seriously, are the most beautiful shade of blue, I’ve ever seen. His face, Chrissy, it’s like flipping through one of those fashion magazines you love and pulling one of the guys off the page. No joke. He’s all chiseled planes and strong jawline. And his mouth . . . his lips.” I couldn’t keep the excitement from my voice. The more I talked, the clearer Ryder’s flawless traits shone in my mind.

  “Wow, sounds like he made a pretty good impression on you. I can almost see the drool from here.”

  “Whatever.” I snorted, realizing how crazy I sounded. “You asked me to describe him, so I did. I could’ve just stuck with my original ‘he’s hot!’ comment.”

  “But where would the fun be in that? I’m glad you’re enjoying it there. I miss you so much already. Do you think you could convince your roommate to let me move in? If Harry Potter could live under a staircase, I’m sure I could survive camping out in your closet.” There was a wistful tone to her request, one that tugged at my homesick heartstrings.

  “Finish high school, first, and we’ll see what happens,” I promised. She was just entering her junior year and as much as I wished she were here, she had her own dreams to pursue. “Besides, my roommate is kind of scary. I still haven’t quite figured her out.”

  “Really? What happened?” All lightheartedness fled her response.

  “It’s nothing. I just don’t think she likes me.”

  “Yet. She doesn’t know you. Wait until you’ve been there a little longer and she’ll come around. You’re hard to resist, Skylar. If there’s anyone with the capacity to soften the hardest of hearts, it’s you.”

  I let out a sigh as I thought about my encounter with Heather. “I hope you’re right. It’ll suck living under the same roof as Heather if I can’t.”

  “How bad is it?” Concern edged her words.

  “Hey, don’t worry about me. Things always work out in the end. It can’t always be rainbows and unicorns,” I replied, laughing softly.

  “Unless you’re Skylar Blue, then you just paint the world however you want.”

  Her comment made me smile. “Exactly.”

  “So, unless this Heather is your problem of epic proportions, I don’t see how a date with McHottie is a crisis.” Chrissy paused, the other side of the call quiet for a moment. “That’s unless you need . . . you know . . . the sex talk. I thought you’d have gotten it from Mom already; but hey, I’m here for you. I’m a wealth of information.”

  This was not a conversation I was ready to have with my sister right now. “Umm, hello? I don’t need sex tips from my baby sister, thank you very much.”

  “You sure? Because I heard that boys love it when you . . . .” I barely caught the rest of her sentence from the pounding embarrassment ringing in my ears.

  “Oh my gosh! You did not just suggest I do that with Ryder!” My face instantly flushed, heat scalding my skin.

  “Ah, Skylar.” She giggled, not caring that the topic had taken a drastic turn from innocent to mortifying. “One day you’re going to discover that there’s a whole new world out there.”

  “Hey, I’m not a prude. I’ve kissed plenty of guys,” I quipped back.

  “I’m not saying you are, but it is pretty bad when your younger sister has had more action than you. I bet you’re bright red right now!”

  “La-la-la-la,” I sang, not wanting to admit that she was probably right. For all the teasing between us, I sometimes wondered how I ended up being the older one. Even with my creative passion, Chrissy was definitely the freer spirit. She grabbed life with both hands and embraced it. I simply studied it from a distance, choosing instead to capture it on canvas or film.

  That was part of the reason why I’d jumped at the chance to come to Arista. It was also why I didn’t want to screw up tonight, with Ryder. Fear whispered if I didn’t get this right, there was no do-over, a sad reminder that I was about to embark on a grown-up relationship.

  “I love you, sis. You know I just like messing with you. You’re going to have fun tonight, and this Ryder would be an idiot not to ask you out, again.” Her gentle advice brought the conversation back to the reason why I’d called.

  “I just don’t want to mess up. This isn’t like dating back home,” I confessed.

  “Why not? You’re a girl, he’s a boy. You both see something in each other you like. Talk. Laugh. Eat some good food, and see where it leads. You don’t have to make it so complicated.”

  And just like that, the crisis was over. “How did you get so smart?”

  “Well, when you hogged all the artistic talent and looks, all that was left was common sense. I work with what I’ve got,” Chrissy teased lightly, and I imagined her adding her famous smirk. I missed her so much. Being apart would definitely be an adjustment.

  “So, what should I wear?”

  She hmmm’d softly before answering. “Wear the blue jeans with the sparkles on the back pocket and your white top that slides off one shoulder. It’ll give just enough skin without broadcasting you can be hired by the hour.”

  That made me laugh. “Okay, anything else?”

  “Add one of your favorite scarfs and you’re good to go.”

  “Have I told you how much I love you?” I gushed, grateful to have her as my sister. “Thanks for talking me off the ledge. I know I’m probably being crazy for no reason.”

  “But that’s what makes you so adorable. Don’t forge
t to call me tomorrow with all the details, okay?”

  “Deal. Tell Mom and Dad I miss them, as well.”

  “Sure thing. Oh, and Skylar?” Her question kept me from ending the call.

  “Yeah?”

  “First kisses rock. Can’t wait to hear all about yours with Ryder.” Laughing, she hung up, leaving me staring at my phone with a dreamy grin.

  Kissing Ryder.

  Lips against lips, his hands around my waist as he leaned in close to press his mouth over mine.

  Ryder.

  Suddenly it didn’t really matter what I wore. It didn’t matter where we went or how we spent the evening, because all my thoughts would be gravitating to that one precise moment in time.

  Our first kiss.

  It would be incredible; the stuff dreams were made of.

  Chapter Four

  Ryder

  Knocking, I tucked my hands into the pockets of my jeans and waited, rocking back slightly on my heels as my gaze zeroed in on the brightly colored flowers in the large ceramic pot by the step. It was amazing to me how each world had its own very unique vegetation and colors. Even the very idea of color couldn’t accurately be transferred between worlds. There were simply some hues and shades that defied description, unless you saw them yourself.

  Briefly, I wondered what it would be like to take Skylar to the places I’d visited and watch her attempt to capture their beauty on canvas. Something about the thought of having a painting over my couch of the red and yellow refracted light bursting through the Anderian gas clouds at double sunset appealed to me greatly. Knowing that it was painted by Skylar’s hand would please me even more—having a piece of her to keep with me, always.

  I brushed the thought aside. There was no way Skylar could ever see the beauty of these worlds in person without becoming a Wanderer, herself. Our race was few, though, and there was a reason for that. Most who attempted to achieve this level of immortality never made it, dying and losing their souls forever in the process. To become a Wanderer meant to risk complete extinction, unless you were one like me—born to it, not made.

  My thoughts were interrupted when the door swung open and Skylar appeared, looking like a vision. Her red hair glowed like a halo from the light in the entry behind her. I couldn’t help letting my gaze travel over her, drinking her in. She was dressed casually, in blue jeans and a white shirt that slipped off her shoulder.

  That shoulder was going to kill me all night long, tempting me to run my tongue over it, tasting her. Again, I wished she’d be receptive to me taking her back to my place. I saw the flush of her skin—recognized the attraction that flooded her. She wasn’t immune to me; and that, at least, was promising. I’d have to force myself to behave for the time being, but there was no doubt in my mind the payoff would be worth it.

  Skylar cleared her throat, blushing furiously and I realized, in that moment, that I’d been gawking at her.

  “Forgive me,” I said, smiling. “You just look so . . . well, I don’t think there’s a proper word for how appealing you are.”

  Soft laughter escaped her and she continued to blush, stepping out the door and closing it behind her. “Thank you. You look great, too.”

  Offering her my arm, I briefly closed my eyes as the contact with her skin caused her essence to slip inside to mingle with mine. Immediately the receptors in my body lit up like they were on fire. I didn’t know what it was about Skylar, but I couldn’t seem to control my reaction to her. Gently guiding her down the sidewalk, I tried to drag my thoughts away from my raging hormones and the bewilderment of what her light touch was doing to me.

  “Um, where’s your car?” Skylar asked as we moved along together.

  “I thought we could walk tonight, if that’s all right. The diner I had in mind isn’t far from here.” The truth was, I didn’t have a vehicle. I didn’t need one—my abilities allowed me to get around much faster on my own. It wasn’t exactly convenient for going out with someone not of my race, though.

  “I think tonight is the perfect night for a walk. It sounds great.”

  I relaxed, happy to know I hadn’t inconvenienced her. “I actually don’t have a car, yet. I like to run a lot, so it hasn’t really seemed necessary—until now.”

  “If you don’t have a car, how’d you move here?” she asked, catching me off guard.

  “The easy way,” I replied good-naturedly. “By portal.” I glanced over at her, knowing I’d just told her the full truth.

  She snorted. “Great. I’m dating a sci-fi geek!”

  “What’s wrong with sci-fi?” I asked, enjoying steering her misconceptions in another direction.

  “Nothing. Unless you’re going to be one of those guys who end up at the San Diego Comic Con every year, dressed up like a Klingon or something.” She giggled, staring up at me and bumping me with her elbow. “Come on. Fess up. Are you a Trekkie?”

  By all the stars, I had absolutely no idea what she was talking about and I wasn’t sure how to fake my way around it. I settled on honesty. “What’s a Trekkie?”

  Coming to a full halt, her jaw gaped. “Seriously? You’ve never seen Star Trek before?”

  “Should I have?” I was treading on totally uncharted ground—lost completely.

  “It’s only one of the greatest movie franchises of all time—and Star Wars, too, of course.”

  Breathing a sigh of relief, I was grateful for the movie revelation. It made a bit more sense, now that there was context. “Are they good movies?”

  “You haven’t seen Star Wars, either?” Her voice raised several pitches. “You know that George Lucas lives not far from here on his famous Star Wars Ranch.”

  “Who’s George Lucas?” I asked, laughing.

  “Oh. My. Gosh! You really did come through a portal, didn’t you?” Her eyes widened dramatically and I worried for a moment that she might really believe my secret. “Consider this my official invitation to our next date,” she continued on. “We will be having a movie marathon. I consider it my civic duty to teach you some iconic pop culture.”

  Chuckling, I nodded and we continued walking. “Sounds like fun. How about my place? I’ll even provide the popcorn.” I knew enough about movie culture to know popcorn was considered the food staple of choice. And, I added mentally, I’ll even provide the bed afterward, if things go well.

  Skylar was mumbling to herself, now, but I could easily hear her words. “Doesn’t know what Star Trek or Star Wars are? What planet is he from?”

  I couldn’t stop my grin. If she only knew. Right now, I was pretty happy about my misstep—it had garnered me another date with her.

  “All kidding aside, what brought you here?” she asked. “Where’s home?”

  And we were back to the trickier questions. I found myself hesitant to lie to her. “Here and there, a little bit of everywhere.” I paused as I considered how to continue. “My parents traveled a lot, always moving around from place to place, eager to experience new things. I guess I kind of picked that up from them.”

  “So, you moved a lot? I bet that was hard during school.”

  School. She was referring to the human education system.

  “I didn’t have traditional schooling like you’re referring to. My parents taught me.”

  “Oh, you were homeschooled.” I didn’t correct her assumption. “Did you like it?”

  I nodded. “I did. I find hands-on learning to be much more entertaining and informative. It’s much easier to learn things when you can actually see them in motion versus just reading about them.”

  “But what about things like history and stuff like that? It’s kind of hard to have a hands on approach to that.”

  Normally, that would be true, but I knew history because I’d lived through it. “Okay, tell me what you know about King Henry the Eighth of England,” I said, referring to the last time I’d visited Earth. “I bet you can’t tell me the year he died.”

  Shaking her head, she laughed, the musical sound filling the
air around us. “Can you tell me the year?” she countered.

  “1547,” I replied, smiling assuredly. I’d been in France when it happened.

  “And how do I know you’re telling the truth?”

  “Yahoo it.”

  She snorted and began laughing, again. “Yahoo it? I think that’s the first time I’ve heard someone say it that way.”

  “What way do they say it?” I asked, wondering what I’d done wrong this time.

  “Google it. Usually.”

  Google. Damn. I remembered now. She was right.

  I shrugged. “I like to mix it up every now and then. Keeps things interesting.”

  “Well, I like it.” The light from the street lamps sparkled in her eyes. “And if it helps, I find you very interesting.”

  “You do?” I grinned at her as we turned the corner making our way along a wider street. “Why’s that?”

  She shrugged. “You seem like a nice guy—kind, helpful, funny—just really down to earth, you know?”

  I burst out laughing.

  “What?” she said, not understanding the joke she’d made.

  “Nothing,” I said quickly, trying to cover. Pausing on the sidewalk, the smile slid from my face as I stared at her. Moving slowly, I raised my hand, brushing my thumb gently across her cheek. “But I don’t want you to think I’m down to earth. I want you to think I’m out-of-this-world. I like you, Skylar.”

  Hoping I wasn’t pushing her too fast, I watched her facial expressions, all while absorbing her reaction through the contact of our skin, as well. Her pulse rate picked up and heat flooded through her.

  “What if I think you’re both?” she asked softly.

  I smiled. “I think I could live with that.”

  “Get a room!” A male voice yelled from a car that whizzed past us on the street, breaking the mood between us. Laughing, we broke apart and continued on our way.

  “Idiot,” Skylar whispered lightly, staring after the vehicle.

  “Really? I thought he had a pretty good idea,” I teased, testing the water.