Free Betwinx (Paranormal Erotic Romance Novella) by Lilah

she had to convince him to go . I f Ms. Delores was right, he might be her true love. I f he was , he would be able to see Lorna and she’d go into the light with Travis instead of being left behind all alone . That thought left a heavy feeling in her heart.
    “You’re just scared of things you don’t understand.” Midge poked him in the chest.
    “Watch the claws!” He stepped back to lean a gainst the life guard stand and stared at Valerie. “ What did Ms. Delores tell you anyway?”
    “You’ll find out tonight,” Midge said.
    Philip gave his sister a look meant to shut her up.
    “ You’re dead set on going there?” Philip asked Valerie.
    “I have to.” She nodded.
    “How do I always get myself into these situations?” Phil shook his head. “ Wait , I don’t! It’s the two of you . You’re always pulling me into something that I don’t want any part of. I f I don’t go then who’ll protect you? ”
    “ You’re coming with us ?” Valerie asked. She smiled and leaned into him.
    “Yeah, I’ll go. I’ d do anything for you. D on’t you know that by now?” Phil grabbed her around the waist and pulled her against him to kiss her .
    “So, when’s the wedding?” Midge teased . “ You know bro, I can legally perform marriage ceremonies now .”
    She winked at Valerie to remind her of the one she’d be performing tonight for Travis and Lorna . H er fir st .
    “What do you say?” Philip smiled down at Valerie. “Do you want Midge to marry us?”
    “Are you proposing to me, Phil ip ?” Valerie laughed. Her voice betrayed her nervousness and the sound was too high pitched and squeaky.
    “Maybe.”
    What kind of answer i s that? Either he was or he wasn’t. Valerie didn’t dare hope. The crush she’d had on him had started in eleventh grade, the year she’d moved to Lighthouse Inlet and now, in their final year of college… No, he was kidding. He’d always been Midge’s big brother and never paid attention to his sister’s friend. They ’d only been dating a month and hadn’t even had sex yet. She wondered why she’d held off with him, maybe because she loved him and didn’t want him to just throw her away like his past girlfriends. She’d taken a chance that he’d do that anyway by asking him to wait until she was ready to have sex . A nd now he was teasing her about marriage? She rolled her eyes at him. “Whatever, you big kidder .”
    “I think he’s serious,” Midge said in a loud whisper that Phil ip could hear.
    “Ummm humm , I think I am , too.” He leaned in and kissed Valerie again .
    “You guys can get a room tonight after we’re finished.” Midge pushed them apart. “ Right now, we need to make plans.”
    “ What costumes are you two wearing to the party ?” Philip wiggled his toes in the sand and kicked some at Midge.
    “Cut it out, Phil!” Midge stepped away. “How about Ninjas? Then we can wear all black to the party and not be seen later.”
    “I thought I was going to be a knight.”
    “ I know you’re my gallant knight, you don’t really have to dress up like one. Ninjas are perfect. W e should leave at eleven thirty . ” Valerie said. “That’ll give us a half hour to walk over to the Hutchinson p lace.”
    “We can get there in ten minutes. What are we going to do for the other twenty ?” Philip said , turning so the wind blew the hair from his eyes .
    “We wait.” Midge grabbed Valerie’s hand and pulled her along the sand toward the boardwalk. “See you later, bro!”
    “Girls.” Philip rolled his eyes, gr abbed his boogie board and ran to the ocean.
    * * * * *
    “ Lorna , wake up.” Travis jostled her shoulder. “It’s late. We need to get ready.”
    She stretched and opened her eyes. He was resting on one elbow, gazing down at her. “Were you watching me sleep?”
    “You snore.” A grin spread across his face.
    “I do not!” She stretched and wrapped her arms around his neck . “I didn’t mean to fall asleep. We wasted