“What are you talking about?”
“It’s no secret that her parents spend every weekend in Blackhawk. What do you think they’d do if they found out their sixteen-year-old daughter was spending the night with an eighteen-year-old boy.”
“Seventeen.”
“Your birthday is next month.”
“So? We’ll still be legal and I’m not going to get her pregnant.”
“I’ve seen the way you two look at each other.”
“From what I hear, you have to do more than just look.”
“This isn’t a joke. At least tell me you’re using protection.”
“I’m not stupid. And we’re done with this conversation. Forever.”
Channie ran to the exercise room at the end of the hall and crawled out the window just as the basement door creaked open.
~***~
It was past ten o’clock, so it was dark and cold as Channie rode home. Heavy clouds, pregnant with snow, obscured the waxing moon.
Josh caught up with Channie just before she entered the Cherry Street underpass. The tunnel stank of wet concrete, magnesium chloride, and urine, but at least the darkness would hide her tear-streaked face. She stopped and put her feet down. Freezing water sloshed over the top of her right shoe. The mag chloride kept the water from turning to ice, but it didn’t make it any warmer.
Josh’s voice sounded hollow with a slight echo inside the tunnel. “Channie?”
She wiped her nose on her sleeve and said, “Over here.”
She was glad Josh couldn’t see her face, but she wished she could see his. Negative energy pulsated all around him. He was furious—with Channie.
“Why did you run out on me?”
“I heard what your momma said. She doesn’t like me.”
“And your parents wanted to kill me, but I didn’t run away and leave you behind.”
A single sob escaped Channie’s throat. She cut the next one off with a choking gasp and said, “She thinks I’m a whore.”
Josh’s keys jingled as a tiny beam of light shot out of his hand and bounced off the oily puddle of water at his feet. He guided the light to Channie’s face and said, “Oh, baby, come here.”
Channie soaked the front of Josh’s hoodie with her tears and clung to him for several minutes. She was still crying, so her voice hitched when she asked, “Why didn’t you tell your momma that we weren’t...you know …”
“Having sex?” Josh kissed the top of her head and said, “Because she wouldn’t have believed me. She’d ground me for lying.”
“But she won’t ground you for...you know.”
“She hasn’t yet.”
When she quit sniffling, Josh let go of her and pulled his cotton gloves out of his pocket.
“Josh, don’t.”
“What? I can’t even hold your hands, now?”
“You know you’re going to want to hold more than just my hands.”
“Come on, Channie. Eric was half-way to third base before he and Kassie had been dating a week. We’ve been together for two months, and you haven’t even let me unhook your bra.”
“You talk about...that...with Eric?” She pictured the two of them comparing notes and laughing about what a prude she was.
“No! Of course not. I never talk about our relationship with anyone. Especially not Eric. But it’s no secret that he and Kassie are having sex. Hell, everyone’s having sex...except us.”
Channie stepped away from Josh and tripped over her bike.
He grabbed her arm and said, “Channie, I’m sorry. I’m just a little frustrated, that’s all.”
She jerked her arm out of his grasp and jumped on her bike. She couldn’t outrace Josh, but she’d zap him into next week if he tried to follow her.
He didn’t.
~***~
Channie was so upset she didn’t even realize where she was until she got home. Momma and Daddy were already in bed so at least she didn’t have to endure their questioning stares. She launched herself onto her bed and dove, face first, into her pillow.
Twenty minutes later, Channie’s window opened with a screech. A blast of cold air took her breath away. Josh crossed the room and knelt on the floor beside her bed. “I’m so sorry, Channie. Please forgive me. I promise, I’ll never pressure you to do anything you don’t want to do again...please...don’t break up with me.”
Channie pressed the back of her hand against her mouth and stifled a sob. Josh climbed onto her bed and pulled her onto his lap. His whole body trembled.
She said, “I’m sorry too. I wish I weren’t such a prude. I wish I could be a better girlfriend. I wish—”
“Shush. You’re the best girlfriend in the world.”
“I wish I could kiss you.”
“That would be nice.” Josh kissed the top of her head. “But for now, I’ll settle for this.”
Channie pressed her head against Josh’s chest and let the rhythm of his heart calm her. She snaked her hand up his shoulder and behind his neck. She wished they didn’t need to wear hooded sweatshirts all the time. “Do you want me to work on your shield? Try to fix it so we can kiss?”
“I thought you needed to wait until winter solstice.”
“It would be easier then, but it’s not necessary.”
“What if it doesn’t work? I don’t want to lose what we have.”
Right now Channie was more afraid of losing Josh. How long would he be willing to court a girl he couldn’t touch, much less kiss?
“I have better control of Chastity’s magic now and Enchantment grows stronger every time I use it.”
“Are you sure? I don’t want to go back to getting zapped every time I look at you.”
“If I mess up your shield, I’ll just make you a new one.”
Josh nuzzled Channie’s head with his chin. “Do you want to do it now?”
“I need to refill my heart-of-hearts first.”
“How do you do that?”
“By absorbing positive energy.” Channie blushed. “Usually from you.”
“I have positive energy?”
“And negative.”
Josh leaned to the side and twisted Channie’s shoulders around. He gazed into her eyes and said, “Explain.”
“When you feel positive emotions like compassion, joy and love—you produce positive energy. If I’m close enough, Enchantment takes it and stores it in my heart-of-hearts.”
“What if I’m angry?”
“Then you produce negative energy and that goes straight to my power-well which fuels Chastity’s curses.”
“What about sexual energy?”
Channie licked her lips and said, “Most of the time it’s negative, but sometimes— it’s positive. I don’t understand it.”
“I think I do.”
“You do?”
Josh put his hands on Channie’s hips and slid her off his lap. She sat beside him and snuggled under his lifted arm. He said, “I think it’s the difference between love and lust,” then closed his eyes. “What kind of energy am I generating now?”
“Positive. You’re feeling...happy.”
He blinked his eyes open and smiled, then closed them again. “Okay. What am I feeling now?”
A golden glow reached out from Josh’s heart to Channie’s. It was just like the magical conduit they’d shared at the award ceremony two months ago. Except this time, instead of an announcer’s voice severing their connection, it was a blast of lust.
It had only lasted for a few seconds, but the positive energy produced by their brief exchange of heart-magic was far more potent than the lust that Josh was still struggling to control. Channie crawled off the bed to make it easier for both of them.
He said, “Did you feel it? The first part, before I sort of lost it?”
“Yes. I felt it.”
“Do you know what that was?”
“It was heart-magic.”
“It was love, Channie. I love you. And I want to be with you. I admit that th
ere’s nothing chaste about the way I want you, but it isn’t just lust. I want to be as close to you as I can possibly be. I know you don’t feel the same way. I know it’s only my shield making you want me—”
“You’re wrong. It’s not your shield that makes me want you. You make me want you. Your shield just makes it harder for me to resist.”
“Why do you want to resist?”
“I’ve always been taught that good girls wait until they’re married.”
“You don’t have any problem breaking the rest of your parents’ rules.”
Channie’s muscles involuntarily stiffened. Josh kissed the top of her head and said, “I’m not trying to talk you into anything, I just want to understand what’s holding you back.”
“Momma says that...s.e.x. is something that women have to put up with to get and keep a husband, and to have babies. Daddy says that adolescent boys only want one thing from a girl and once she gives it to them, they don’t want her anymore.”
“Is that what you believe?”
“I used to.” Channie leaned back and twisted around to gaze into Josh’s eyes. “But, I don’t think I do anymore.”
“What changed your mind?”
“You.”
“Channie.” Josh breathed her name like a prayer. “I love you so much.”
He pulled her back onto his lap and said, “Is this okay?”
She nodded and said, “As long as it doesn’t make things too hard for you.”
Josh chuckled and kissed the top of Channie’s head. “You are so naive. You have no idea what you just said, do you.”
“All I said was that I didn’t want to tempt you.”
“Ah, but you do tempt me. There’s no help for it. You’re so beautiful.” Josh ran his hand down Channie’s arm. “When you said that I changed your mind about sex, what did you mean...exactly?”
“Well, I don’t think it’s dirty anymore or that it should be used like bait to catch a husband.”
“So...does that mean that if you fixed my shield so we could touch, that maybe...we could take our relationship to the next level?”
“What next level?” Channie was pretty sure she knew what Josh meant.
He wrapped his arms around her and said, “What’s the matter? Are you cold?”
“I’m fine.”
“You’re shaking so much you’re practically vibrating.”
“I’m just a little scared that’s all.”
“Of me?”
“I feel a little...out of control.”
“Channie, look at me.” Josh waited until she met his gaze. “I would love for you to fix my shield so we could at least kiss—and I promise I won’t pressure you for more—but if you feel safer leaving it the way it is, that’s fine too.”
“No. I want to fix your shield.”
“And then?”
“And then I want to kiss you.” Channie buried her face in Josh’s shoulder. “I’m just not sure I want to do much more than that. At least not right away.”
“Okay. I promise, we won’t do anything except kiss—until you’re absolutely sure you’re ready for the next step.”
She said, “I know you were hoping for more, but—”
“Not until you’re ready.”
“But, you’re a boy.”
“That doesn’t mean all I care about is sex.”
“But you do care about it?”
“Well, yeah. It ranks right up there with winning the Olympics. But it doesn’t have to be tonight.”
A high-pitched wail from the trip’s room sent a chill down Channie’s back. Savvy cried out for his momma.
Channie scrambled off Josh’s lap, grabbed his arm and drug him to the window. “You gotta get out of here before Momma and Daddy wake up. They’ll sense your energy field.”
Josh scurried out the window, hung from the porch roof and dropped to the ground instead of climbing down the fake-rock siding. His bike was chained to a bench in plain sight of the house. Channie watched until he disappeared into the shadows, then went into the boys’ room to comfort them.
Momma and Daddy never even opened their door.
Chapter Seven
BLOOD, SWEAT AND MAGIC
They waited until Saturday to work on Josh’s shield. It was after midnight when he texted Channie to let her know he was on his way. When she opened the door, he handed her a bouquet of a dozen red roses and said, “Happy anniversary.”
“Our anniversary was last Thursday and I thought we agreed we weren’t going to exchange gifts every month.”
“Fixing my shield will be the best present anyone has ever given me. Besides, I don’t need an excuse to bring you flowers.” He kissed the top of her head. “I can’t wait to kiss you.”
Channie buried her face in the velvety fragrance of the roses and smiled. “You just did.”
“You know what I mean.”
Channie nearly lost control of Chastity’s energy as she imagined Josh’s mouth on hers. She wasn’t the only one struggling with self-control. She didn’t need magic to feel Josh’s gaze wandering over her body as he followed her into the kitchen.
She pointed to the cabinet over the icebox. “Can you hand me that glass pitcher. I want to take care of these flowers before we go upstairs and get started on your shield.” Channie knew that once the last barrier between them was gone, they wouldn’t be able to think of anything else.
Josh towered over her as he retrieved the pitcher. He was so close she could feel his body heat. His pupils dilated as he stared down at her.
She put her palms on his chest and pushed him away from her. “Don’t do that.”
“Do what?”
“You are positively glowing with lust. It makes it hard to control Chastity’s energy.”
“Sorry.”
Channie shoved the roses into the pitcher and pricked her finger on a thorn. She popped it into her mouth and sucked to ease the sting.
Josh licked his lips and hit her with another blast of lust.
“Josh! I’m serious. If even the tiniest bit of Chastity’s magic gets into your shield it will contaminate the whole thing.”
Josh blushed and started reciting his litany of disgusting thoughts as he followed her upstairs and into her room.
Channie pointed at her bed. “Sit down and cool off while I go put a be-calm spell on the trips. The last thing we need is for one of them to wake up and catch you in my bedroom.”
Josh was still muttering about maggots and fried liver when Channie got back, but at least he wasn’t generating any lust. She said, “I need you to be quiet so I can concentrate.”
His lips twitched occasionally, but he didn't utter another sound.
Enchantment’s magic stirred to life and spread its warmth throughout her body as Channie gazed at Josh, but Chastity’s energy buzzed, just below the surface. She focused on how much she loved him to conquer her baser instincts.
She poured Enchantment’s energy into Josh’s shield and marveled at it’s beauty as it grew stronger, brighter, more powerful.
When she finished, Josh ran his hands over his chest, across his belly …
Chastity’s magic erupted out of Channie’s power-well and slammed into Josh’s shield with so much raw power it should have knocked him flat on his back. It didn’t.
“Channie, are you okay?”
She swayed on her feet as the room spun. Josh sprang off the bed and grabbed her arms, steadying her. Her fingers floated towards his face as if in a dream. His cheek was clean-shaved and baby-soft.
They could touch.
He smiled and lifted his own hand, inch by inch, and cupped her cheek with his palm.
His touch released a monster inside Channie’s body—a fire-breathing dragon that devoured her will-power, her morals and all her inhibitions. Her pulse thundered in her ears. Even with Josh’s support she could barely stand up. But she didn’t want to stand up. She wanted to lie down. With Josh. On the bed.
She skimm
ed her hands over his washboard belly and kissed a trail across his chest, inhaling his intoxicating sandalwood and lemon scent through the barrier of his turtleneck sweater. She ran her fingertips along the waist of his jeans from the center of his back to his hip bones.
Josh grabbed her wrists and stepped sideways away from the bed. “What are you doing?” His voice was rough as pine bark.
“I want to make love with you.”
“You said all you wanted to do was kiss.”
“I was scared when I said that. I’m not scared now.” Channie tried to wiggle her wrists out of his vice-like grip. She needed her hands on his body the way she needed air to breathe. But he refused to let her touch him.
He was generating every bit as much lust as she was. Why was he fighting her?
He said, “Let’s just cuddle...okay?” and loosened his grip enough for her to slide her hands up his forearms.
Cuddle first. Get him on the bed. Then rip his clothes off. “Okay.”
Channie took a backwards step towards her bed.
Josh followed. His chest rose and fell faster with each shallow breath.
Channie’s heart skipped a beat. She tightened her grip on his arms and took another step back.
He froze.
She tugged a little more insistently—then a lot more insistently. He was as immovable as a mountain. Fine. If he wouldn’t come to her, she would go to him.
He grabbed her shoulders and held her at arms length. “Channie. Slow down.”
Tears of frustration welled up in her eyes. “I thought you loved me.”
“I do. That’s why I’m stopping this.” Josh was still generating plenty of lust, but now it was tempered by compassion. He pulled Channie against his chest and wrapped his arms around her. “Do you have any idea what you’re doing to me?”
Guilt twisted Channie’s stomach, but her need for Josh overpowered it. Besides, he needed her too. He was only resisting out of some misguided sense of duty to her.
Josh ran his hands lightly over the back of her sweatshirt. She knew he was only trying to comfort her, but his touch left behind a trail of fire. Chastity’s magic pulsed from Channie’s body like blood from a severed artery. Josh’s shield soaked it up and glowed red, converting Chastity’s energy into his own seductive magic.
Fever-hot and suffocating, Channie arched her back and lifted her chin to get a breath of air.
Josh’s lust resurfaced—more intense than ever.
His breath, hot and sweet on her cheek, sent a delicious tingle over Channie’s skin. She felt his agony as he teetered on a razor’s edge of indecision.