Intended Series Collection: Books 1-6 by Abigail Grant (most important books to read TXT) 📕

across his face, along with his entertained voice, brings me back to reality.

“Aella. I really would like you to continue, but you do realize that you’re currently holding a shoe and we haven’t even said hello to one another yet, right?” He cradles my cheek in his warm palm.

I close my eyes and take a deep steadying breath, dropping my forehead to his chest. “Hello, Gavin. How are you this afternoon?” I say, wanting to crawl in a hole somewhere to stop my never-ending embarrassment as of late.

The deep rumble that radiates from within Gavin has me shaking my head with a huge understanding grin. “Hello to you too, Aella. You look beautiful today, although I’d really like to see your face, if you don’t mind.”

I take my head off of his chest and smile sheepishly up at him. “Thank you, and you look very handsome… which is probably why we might need to start greeting one another through the door for now.”

He shakes his head. “I don’t think that will be necessary. I’d never want to speak through a door when I could hold you in my arms like this.” He snakes both of his arms around my back and kisses me sweet and slow on the cheek.

I sigh, relishing in the contact with both my mind and my out-of-control body. I return his hug. “I very much agree. I wanted to thank you for the knife belt. It’s really beautiful, and I love the engravings.” I look up into his eyes, so grateful to have him.

“Your welcome. I saw all of the potential you had with my throwing knives, and I had to do something.” He smiles down at me. “Should we get going?”

“Are you going to tell me where we’re going for lunch?”

“Nope!” Gavin picks me up and swings me around in circles. I laugh uncontrollably and hold on tighter to him even though I know he wouldn’t drop me. The beige walls fly past us as we spin, and he sets me down on the bench at the foot of my bed. “You will definitely be needing shoes though, so hand it over.”

He takes the shoe I’m still holding and slides it over my pink polka-dotted sock. He ties the laces in half a second with supernatural speed and my eyes go wide. “I cannot imagine ever being used to that. Though, I’m super excited to be able to do homework in half the time as usual.”

“It does have its perks at times,” he says with an evil look in his eyes. He raises a single eyebrow at me, and the corner of his mouth lifts up in a teasing smirk.

“Gavin…” I say in warning, knowing I might not be ready for whatever he has planned.

Before I can say another word, Gavin lifts me in his arms and the world around us becomes a blur. I squeal in both fear and delight as the house disappears from our view and a comforting evergreen scent fills my nose.

As quick as he started, Gavin stops running and my back is against the lush green grass. The ground is cool, but the high sun overhead warms us in the open meadow. All around us are wild flowers and an almost perfect circle of different colored trees. The entire setting is magical in its beauty. No wonder Gavin thinks of this as one of his favorite spots. I can’t even imagine how beautiful it would look covered in glistening snow.

Gavin leans over me, and his previously neat hair is now loose and hanging across his forehead again. I reach up and ruffle his hair to the usual messiness and giggle at him. “I like it better this way,” I say.

He rolls his eyes. “I knew it! I told Lex that the gel was unnecessary, but she insisted that I needed it.”

“I’m pretty sure I’ll like you no matter what at this point, Gavin.”

His grin stretches and he shakes his head at me. “Can you promise me something?” he says in almost a whisper.

I nod. “Anything.”

His eyes flick to my lips. “If I kiss you, will you promise to do your best to keep your hormones under control? I’m trying my best to be good, but I really need to kiss you right now.”

I stop breathing and all I can do is nod again past the thick lump in my throat, before Gavin’s soft lips crash into mine. The kiss is desperate but gentle. Gavin’s hand rakes across the dewy grass behind me and finds the back of my head, pulling me closer to him. It takes all that I have to not grab onto him, as I’m fully aware of my lack of control when touching him. I grip the patches of ground on both sides of my hips and let Gavin’s lips continue their marvelous assault.

Every inch of my body heats up and the earth beneath us begins to rumble. Gavin pulls away and completely separates himself from me. He scans the area around us, and I follow his gaze. As the ground continues to shake, I notice small plant roots from below the ground start to break through the dirt, and entwine themselves around my arms and fingers. I gasp and try to pull myself free, but my freak-out only quickens the Earth’s assault.

Gavin turns my face to look up at him. “Aella! You need to take a deep breath and let it out slowly. Please, don’t freak out. Get your mind under control.” Too late.

“What is happening? Why can’t I get away?” I shout and keep pulling harder.

He brushes my hair from my face and touches his forehead to mine. “You are doing this, Aella. It’s one of your gifts and only you can stop it, so please just breathe.”

I am doing this. The realization of his words sinks in and I try to follow his instructions. I close my eyes and I steady my breathing. I pull in the scent of Gavin with each deep breath