"In the kitchen, sweetie."

The sound of the knife hitting the chopping board punctured the air as Bryan lumbered into the kitchen and wrapped his arms around his wife. After kissing her cheek, he headed to the fridge for a beer.

"Hey, Harrison." He screwed the top off his bottle and threw it in the sink. "You're home late today."

"I had a meeting after school."

"What's her name?" He didn't miss much.

Harrison took a swig of drink and grinned. "Gemma."

"Well, I want to meet her. Why don't you invite her over for dinner sometime." Helen's crystal blue eyes had cleared back to their usual brightness when she glanced up at him.

"Mom," he pleaded.

"It's about time you got yourself a girlfriend." Bryan's eyes danced with amus.e.m.e.nt as he slapped Harrison on the back.

"How about this weekend?"

"No way. Give me a break, Mom."

"Well, how about next weekend then?"

"I don't know. She's kind of shy. It'll take a bit of convincing."

Helen grabbed the crumpled towel off the bench and dried her hands. "Look, Harrison, if you're serious about this girl, then you'll find a way to persuade her. We have to meet her eventually, right?"

"Yeah." Harrison looked down at his soda. "Eventually."

His insides quivered. He was pretty sure Gemma would hate the idea of meeting his family, but he was certain his mother wouldn't back off. She knew him too well to think this was a casual fling. She'd keep needling until Gemma was standing on their doorstep.

One evening meal couldn't be all bad, could it? He'd make sure things stayed light and casual. It's not like anyone would ever guess Gemma's secret. But how did he persuade his new girlfriend of that?

"So." Bryan grabbed his shoulder. "What makes this girl so great?"

Harrison shook free of his stepfather's grasp and headed for the hallway. "Well, for a start..." He turned and played thoughtful for a moment. "She owns a Ducati."

Harrison's smile was smug as he walked out of the room listening to his mother's giggle. "Close your mouth, dear."

By the time Harrison arrived at school the next morning he had concocted a few different conversations to convince Gemma to meet his family. He decided to sit on them for a couple of days first. He knew today would be challenging enough for her. She hated how people talked and they would definitely be talking when they saw them together.

Harrison grinned. He couldn't wait to walk up and wrap his arms around her. Her bike wasn't in the lot yet, so he decided to get himself organized then wait for her at her locker.

"Hey man." He met Darren in the hallway and walked with him to their lockers, keeping his eyes peeled for the brunette beauty while the guy chatted on about the movie he watched last night.

He dialed the combination and flicked back his locker, shoving books in and out of his bag with speed.

"Hey Harrison."

Dana's hand caught him by surprise as it glided up his arm. Harrison stepped away from her with a friendly smile. "Hey."

He closed his locker and nodded at Dana's lengthy story about something. He kept his eyes on the steady flow of human traffic and muted out her voice.

The girl he was waiting for appeared around the corner with her brother and sister. He watched her bid them goodbye then walk towards him. He kept his gaze on her, ready to beam her his best smile. Intros to his friends would be first then he could take her hand and walk her to cla.s.s, maybe steal a quick kiss.

His chest constricted when she walked straight past him with her head down and her gaze locked on the floor. He immediately tried to follow her, but she scuttled away.

"Harrison? Are you coming?"

He looked at Darren and after a moment's hesitation gave his friend a sullen nod.

The day didn't get any better. He ran from his first period cla.s.s to wait outside Gemma's room, but she'd already left. Second period, he sat with his leg jiggling under the table, waiting for his next chance, but he missed her on all counts. It was like she was avoiding him on purpose.

His anger bubbled slowly throughout the day, growing in heat and intensity. Finding the library empty at lunchtime made him want to explode. As he stomped towards the cafeteria, he spotted her. She was just leaving the bathroom. When she turned his way, he jumped behind a row of lockers, knowing he would need an element of surprise to catch the sneaking beauty.

The hallway was practically empty as he crept up behind her. He kept his steps light and wrapped his arm around her waist, lifting her off her feet, capturing her arm before it could hit him and carrying her towards the janitor's closet.

"Don't even think about kung fu-ing my b.u.t.t." He opened the door and didn't drop her indignant body until they were firmly shut inside.

She spun to face him, but there was no way she was ent.i.tled to the first word.

"What the h.e.l.l is going on? What's the matter with you?" he said.

"Nothing! What's the matter with you?"

He raised his arms and huffed in complete confusion. "I don't understand you. Are we together or not? Did yesterday mean nothing to you?"

"What are you talking about?" She placed her hand on his chest, looking pained that he would even think that. "Of course we're together. I just didn't see why everyone else had to know that."

"Great, so I can have you, but I can't have you."

"I'm sorry." She ran her hand up to his shoulder, distracting him with tickling fire. "I'm just not ready for the whole school to start talking about it. People always expand the truth and it's embarra.s.sing. You wouldn't understand."

Harrison stepped away from her with a scoffing laugh. "I wouldn't understand? I've lost count of how many times I've been the new kid at a school. Gossip. I get it. It chases you down every hallway."

Gemma frowned and bit the edge of her lip.

He let out a long sigh and reached for her hand. "I don't care what other people say. I'm proud to be with you. I don't want to have to hide."

"Hiding will keep us safe. I'm not ready for everyone's opinion."

"Why not?"

"Because I know they think you should be with someone better."

He couldn't help a small chuckle. "Gemma, that's not possible. There isn't anyone better than you."

She tipped her head with a frown.

Stepping forward, he placed a hand on either side of her face. "People can think whatever they like. Nothing is going to make me change my mind about you."

Her blushing smile was sensational, but it disappeared within seconds. Grasping his wrists, she squeezed and looked at him with two pleading eyes that he knew he'd have to say yes to. His heart sank a little.

"Please, just give me a little more time. There are things I need to explain."

"Alright fine, but after school today, you're all mine."

She winced. "I can't today, I have to get home, but..."

He dropped his hands and stepped away from her.

"Hey." She took his hand and pulled him back. "My parents are away this weekend. Meet me at the mall, we can go for a drive, spend the day together."

"The whole day?"

She smiled. "The whole day."

"I'm keeping you to that." Placing his hand behind her neck, he pulled her into a kiss that had his body igniting with fire and left his senses reeling. They staggered away from each other and the only comfort to watching her sneak out the door without him, was the goofy grin on her face.

Chapter Thirteen.

Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida - 2011AD

"And where do you think you're going?"

Gemma spun around with a gasp and placed her hand on her chest.

"Oh my gosh, Dom, you scared the c.r.a.p out of me."

He stood tall and intimidating on the other side of the kitchen counter. His hair was tousled, his t-shirt a crumpled mess from sleeping.

"Where are you sneaking off to?" He folded his arms.

"Just..." She shrugged. "Going for a drive."

His eyes narrowed. "And would you be going for this drive if Mom and Dad were home this weekend?"

She blushed and bit back her grin. "I'd be trying to, but probably failing."

He picked at the grapes in the fruit bowl and popped three into his mouth. His expression was a little dry when he sniffed, making Gemma's nerves do a quick disco number in her stomach.

"Guess you better make the most of it then."

Gemma released a grateful sigh.

"It's the Granger kid, right?"

"Uh-huh."

"He seems okay."

"He is." She spun to leave, then turned back. "Can you not tell anyone..."

"I won't, but just be warned that Ruby figured it out when you floated in the door on Thursday afternoon. Luckily Mom and Dad were too busy preparing for this weekend to notice you. Be careful. They may not miss it next time."

"Thanks for the warning." Her eyebrows wrinkled together.

"Just remember, light and..."

"Casual. Yeah, I got it."

Dom took his handful of grapes and left the kitchen with a grin. Gemma watched him throw them in the air and catch them in his mouth as he went.

She felt like he'd just hosed her down with cold water. The excited giddiness of spending the day with Harrison had fled, only to be replaced with the reminder that she was walking into a scalding hot fire that would burn and destroy.

She jiggled the keys in her hand thinking of Harrison and if she should bail, but one image of his smiling eyes and soft lips was enough to get her legs moving out the door.

There's no way she was strong enough to walk away from him. She couldn't help a grin as she strapped on her helmet and started up her bike.

The sun was warm on their faces as they leaned against the pier at Flagler Beach. Harrison stood behind her, his chin resting on her left shoulder. He played with her fingers as they watched the water rise and swell below them.

Harrison's lips brushed the nape of her neck and Gemma felt her insides jump with giddiness. She wanted to giggle, but she'd already done that an embarra.s.sing amount throughout the day, so suppressed the urge.

Avoiding the whole "let's keep this a secret" topic had been easier than Gemma thought. She expected to have to get it out of the way in the morning, but when Harrison had greeted her with a long stemmed rose and whispered "Happy Valentine's Day" in her ear, she hadn't wanted to ruin the tone. So they got chatting about other things and the trip down the coast had been filled with laughter and meaningless conversation.

Being totally unknown at Flagler Beach gave Gemma the freedom to hold Harrison's hand and pretend like they were a normal teenage couple. They had walked along the beach, eaten at a small diner, popped in and out of shops laughing at merchandise and trying things on. Not once had the conversation turned serious, but Gemma knew they were running out of time.

She opened her mouth to talk, but clamped her lips closed again. This moment was too perfect to ruin with a discussion that would most likely end in a disagreement.

"So I was thinking last night," Harrison whispered in her ear. "I never asked you... are there more time spirits?"

She looked around to make sure no one was eavesdropping, but the only people nearby were two old men fishing and three raucous boys dropping rocks off the pier. She turned and spoke softly. "According to my parents there are, but I've never met any of them. At least, I don't think I have. We do meet up with old friends of my parents when we travel each year, but they never talk about "travel" when we're around, so I'm never sure."