Storm At the Gaillardia

Landfall

The next day...

Arny and Pete went out to get last minute supplies since the storm looked to be coming at them. Callie and Danny just finished closing up the house's shutters to protect the glass of the windows. The wind was not too bad when the boys left out, but now it was howling something fierce. Callie sent a message to Arny, saying to stay in town at the shelter if it got worse. Arny sent her a thumb's up.

Callie and Danny were on the patio, placing the furniture in the outer building when she heard something like a freight train heading towards her. Looking to the ocean, she could see the solid storm cell straight out ahead. The waves were massive, crashing on the dune grass. Callie had never seen a storm so violent with such speed. At the moment, she felt so insignificant in the world.

The heavy rain hit, soaking them in the matter of a second. Danny yelled out to her, getting the last of the furniture inside and locking the door. Callie was still in a daze of the power of the storm that was now bearing down on them. Rushing over, Danny picked her up in his arms like a bride, shaking her from the hold. She clung to him as he managed to get the both of them inside. Setting her down, he grabbed the protective sliders for the French door of the kitchen, locking them in place.

"Oh my god, I have seen a storm move this fast." Callie moved into the kitchen, grabbing Danny a dish towel for his hair and face. Their clothes were drench, luckily, they left their phones on the kitchen table before heading to the patio.

Danny was about to take the towel until there was bang from the living room, the sound of shattering glass. It was one of the shutters that had come loose in the wind, breaking the windowpane as it slammed against the glass. Danny reached out through the broken window, grabbing the shutter to lock it back in place.

"Shit, you're bleeding." Callie said, wrapping the towel around Danny's forearm. The broken glass scraped his forearm, leaving a nearly four by two-inch scaping wound, while he was reaching to grab the shutter. She led him back to the kitchen. He held the towel in place as she got the first aid kit. Callie quickly cleaned and wrapped the wound up in gauze and sticky medical tape. As she finished tending to his wound, the power shut off. Callie jumped at the sudden dimness of the house, moving closer to Danny. Instinctly Danny wrapped her into his embrace, to give comfort.

At moment where Callie's eyes were reflecting the same fear and worry that Danny was feeling. Danny lowered his mouth, finding her lips. A tiny gasp left her body as Danny kissed her. It was a gently kiss, testing the water to what was between them. Danny started to pull away, yet Callie cupped his face, pulled him closer, deepening the kiss.

Danny let a soft moan while he wrapped his arms around her waist, his lips exploring along with hers. Like the wind outside the house, the kiss became strong, growing more passionate. Danny gripped the cheeks of her butt and set her on the counter of the kitchen. Their hands were roaming over the wet fabric of their clothing. Callie's hands were starting to slip under his shirt.

A thud, something hitting the side of the house, ended their kiss abruptly. With heavy breaths, they moved just an inch away from the other. Callie was gathering her wits about her, pulling her hands from the hem of his shirt. That was one in a lifetime kind of kiss. So long since she had been kissed with even a fraction of desire Danny gave.

Danny lifted his face, stroking her jaw line. He had never kissed with such intensity before. It was her, the storm and the feelings he tried to keep a bay. The combination made him want to throw caution out the window, let it blow away just to have her. Not for the moment, or over the time he was there. Here and now, for the rest of his existence.

"We...should get some dry clothes on and get to the tub in the master suite on the first floor. It will be the safest place to be if something happens to the house." Callie choked out, looking up at him. Danny nodded, lifting her off the counter. She told him to hurry for fear of what may come. She pulled a flashlight from the drawer and handed it to him to light his way.

Rushing up the stairs to the third floor, Danny made it to his room with a towel he snagged from the bathroom. Shedding off his all his wet clothes, even his damp briefs, Danny dried off quickly. Danny listened to the wind and rain on the tin roof as he got dressed in long pants, socks, and his favorite anime shirt. Carrying the flashlight and a pair of dry shoes, he made his way to the master suite.

Callie was already there, wearing another set of denim capris and a plain yellow t-shirt. Her hair was loose and the curls were drying wild. There was a camp lantern set up on the counter of the bathroom. She had bought in pillows and blankets to the huge antique clawfoot tub.

"Settle in and we will keep the blanket close if we need to cover our heads." Callie told Danny. He climbed in, sitting down on one end. Callie took the other end. She was tucking herself as small as possible to give him the room for his longer legs.

"Fuck it, come here." Danny reached for Callie. He pulled her to his chest, laying back in the tub. Using the pillows to cushion his head and back, Danny settled completely down in the tub. Callie was flat on top of him. Her head was on his shoulder. Grabbing the blanket, he covered the both of them up.

"Danny..." Callie started to say, but Danny cut off her words with a tender kiss on her lips. She relaxed her body over his, feeling the warmth from his skin. His arms were about her waist, caressing her back. She knew that she should not take advantage of the situation they were in, but it felt so good to be held like this. She about hated herself that she was allowing this to happen.

"This is not going to lead to pointless sex during a freaking storm. What we both need now is closeness, intimacy. We need to feel safe and that is you in my arms." Danny told her. "I need to hold you and you need me to hold you." His voice was tight for fear as the winds howled outside. The shutters at the bathroom window rattled fiercely.

"I don't want to lead you on." Callie told him, ghosting her fingers over his heart above his shirt. Danny took her hand. Lifting up his shirt, he placed her hand on the skin of his chest, where his heart was pounding. "I don't want you to be hurt since there is such a difference in our lives. Oh damn, I want this so bad." She buried her face on his shoulder, shaking at her confession.

"You are not leading me on. I initiated everything with the kiss in the kitchen. I want this too." Danny spoke into her hair. "For whatever it may be. Friendship, or more." Danny told her, kissing the crown on her head. They laid silently together, listening to the winds that whipped about the house. Clinging on to one another as fiercely as the wind blew.