Intended Series Collection: Books 1-6 by Abigail Grant (best summer books .txt) 📗

my waist. I tighten my legs around him to keep myself up without his arms holding me. One of his exploring hands wraps around my back and the other finds the back of my neck below my ponytail, holding my head in place.

 My heart races behind my chest that is pressed firmly against Gavin and every tingle from his touch sends surges through me, charging my senses. I can smell the forest on his skin, I can feel more sensitivity across my lips from his, and I can hear loud footsteps pounding down the hallway toward us.

I press my hands against Gavin’s hard chest and he drops me to my feet. His breath is quick and my hands in his hair left it dishevelled and extra messy. I try to catch my breath as the extremely loud footsteps stop and a knock on the door pierces my sensitive ears.

My hands fly to my ears and I close my eyes, in pain from the pulsing drum in my head. Gavin lifts my head toward him and my eyes open to see worry across his handsome face.

“Aella, are you okay?” he asks me sweetly.

The bedroom door opens to reveal Gavin holding my face. I look over to see Aunt Mags watching us with wide eyes.

She starts to apologize but quickly stops when she sees my hands over my ears and pain on my face. “Honey, are you all right?” She steps closer and the sound moves past my hands and deep into my ears.

I close my eyes again and shake my head. “Everything is so loud!” I yell, but even the sound of my own yelling pounds inside my head, louder than I thought possible. I flinch and try to speak in a whisper. “What’s going on?”

Gavin talks next, quieter this time. “Your hearing is improving. Try to just breathe through it like I’ve told you about everything else.” He nods his head at me and his large hands cover mine on the sides of my head.

I take his advice and breathe in deeply and exhale slowly. I continue the deep breaths, trying to calm my nerves until the world around me slowly quiets down.

Gavin speaks to me again as he gently pulls my hands away from my ears. “Is it helping?” he asks.

His voice doesn’t hurt this time so I nod at him. “So much better.” I turn to Aunt Mags and grimace. “I’m sorry to worry you, mom.”

She smiles and shakes her head. Her green eyes are gentle. “I’m just glad you have Gavin to help you through it all.” She touches my cheek and studies the both of us. Her eyebrows raise again. “Now, come out here with the rest of us. We’re landing soon.”

Her eyes flick to Gavin’s messy hair and an evil grin stretches her cheeks. She chuckles softly and leaves Gavin and I standing together, caught canoodling by my mom.

Permanent humiliation… check!

Chapter 3

The sun is setting behind the large, white forest home in front of me. The backdrop framing the picturesque house brings me home with only the sight of it. The wrap-around porch invites me in to rest on its rocking wooden chairs. I left this house in the middle of the night almost a month ago, stealing from the occupants as I went.

Now I have to go in there and beg the two beautiful matriarchs for forgiveness.

Gavin squeezes my hand beside me and I smile up at the golden glow of the setting sun as it blankets his perfect features. Without his touch, I’d be tempted to turn and run from this place.

Neo stands by my other side along with Alexa, Kassy, Liam, and Aunt Mags. They each give me reassuring smiles to continue on.

I take a deep breath, but before I can make the next step along the crunching gravel below me, a wild red headed woman bursts through the front door with her elderly mother-in-law calmly following behind.

“Oh, my babies!” Camilla shouts at us and leaps past the three steps in front of her with ease.

The hug that slams into me takes all of the breath from my lungs and I’m forced to release Gavin’s hand from the impact. Camilla squeezes me tight and I return her embrace with all of the strength I have.

“I’m so, so, so sorry Camilla. I hate that I lied to you.” I speak the words against her wavy red hair that smells of fresh shampoo and a hint of hairspray. “To both of you,” I say, hoping Gram is listening.

Camilla pushes me to arms length and looks me up and down. “Oh, sweetie. I know why you did what you did, no matter how angry I am that you didn’t trust us.”

I flinch at her words and want to recoil inside of myself. “You’re angry?” I ask like a helpless child.

Her golden eyes widen and her perfectly plucked eyebrows lift to the center of her forehead. “No, No! I’m not angry at you!” She sighs. “I’m angry at myself for not making you feel at home enough here. I should’ve talked to you more.”

Aunt Mag’s voice joins into the conversation. “Trust me, that girl has a mind of her own, so do not blame yourself for her stubbornness. She gets it from her mother.”

I whip my head around to her. “Hey!” I turn back to Camilla. “But she is absolutely right.” I chuckle and shake my head. “How do I feel like I need to defend myself and apologize all in the same breath?”

Gavin grabs my hand again. “Because you are a whirlwind, Aella.” He winks at me and I want to kiss him right there on his mothers driveway in front of his grandmother and everyone else.

Camilla releases me, and she and Gram go around the group giving hugs and kisses to each person. They reach Neo and look him up and down in unison. Camilla smiles at him. “You must be the boy that helped El in Texas.”

He nods at