Page 26 of Visions & Shadows

He seriously got me a gift.

Why?

Feeling a little overwhelmed, I swallow hard before saying, “You hardly know me. Why would you give me something so pretty?”

“It’s to celebrate you giving me a chance and not kicking me to the curb,” he explains, a crooked smile on his face. “Can I help you put it on?”

“It’s an amazing gift, but it wouldn’t feel right taking it.”

He nods but then says, “I already got it, though, and it will definitely look better on you than on me.”

I let out a chuckle, and not wanting to be rude, I murmur, “Okay.”

My eyes widen when he leans into me, and feeling his fingers brush lightly against my skin, tingles rush over my body. Moving my hair out of the way, I suck in a deep breath while trying to calm my suddenly racing heart.

Ryan pulls slightly back, and when our eyes lock, he says, “I want you to know I’m here if you ever need me for anything. Just call, and I’ll be there in a flash.”

Stunned by the intimate moment, I mutter like a dumbass, “I don’t have your number.”

“Let’s fix that.” He pulls his phone from his pocket and says, “Give me yours, and I’ll call you.”

I recite my number, and a few seconds later, I feel my phone vibrating in my pocket.

“Now you can call me at any time,” he says, a hot grin curving his lips.

“Okay.” Lifting a hand, I touch the gemstones and whisper, “Thanks for the necklace. It’s beautiful.” I smile at him before adding, “I actually know a bit about the magical properties of the stones.”

“Yeah? What do these stones mean?”

I brush the tip of my finger over each stone as I say, “The hematite, emerald, obsidian, and lapis lazuli all carry similar properties. They’re all about improving memory and mental clarity.” I take a breath before continuing, “The amethyst is all about stability and strength, whereas the opal is for protection.” I roll the seventh stone between my fingers. “I’ve never seen this one before.”

Ryan leans closer again, and when his fingers brush against the stone and my skin, his touch wreaks havoc in my body as I’m engulfed with tingles.

“It is an azurite stone, also known as a stone of heaven,” he explains. “Azurite was a sacred stone, and it’s said that it helps awaken psychic abilities. Opal, by the way, is also known as a stone of happy dreams and changes.” He hesitates for a moment before he adds, “It helps bring on visions.”

Ryan’s eyes flick to mine, and it feels as if he’s waiting for some kind of reaction from me.

“Thanks for this.” I tug at the necklace then glance at our surroundings. The parking area is quiet, and clouds are rolling in.

“How about we have that talk now?” he says as he relaxes against the seat.

“What talk?” My heart begins to beat faster in anticipation of what’s coming. I was hoping he’d forgotten about my weird daydream earlier.

“What happened in class?” he asks.

I wave my hand casually in the air, brushing off the incident. “Oh, that. It was nothing. I just zoned out.”

I’m feeling anxious about the direction this conversation is taking.

“It didn’t look like you were just zoning out. I said your name a few times before you responded.”

“I’m just tired from the late night we had,” I whisper in a pathetic attempt to avoid telling him the truth.

The truth? I don’t even know what that is.

How do I explain that I had a weird ass dream while being wide awake?

With a slight shake of his head, he looks away and sighs. “You can trust me, A…Jane.” He clears his throat before looking at me again. “I know I’m new in your life, but I want you to know you can talk to me about anything. No matter how crazy it might sound.”

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