Should Have Not Asked - New Adult Romance (Wattys 2014)

Chapter 27 - Stone

Chapter 27 – Stone

I know how pissed Damien had become when the rain came pouring in. His plans for the night had to be cancelled. Right after rowing the boat to the empty cabin in the middle of the lake, we went straight inside, and Damien started making a fire in the hearth. I look for blankets to warm us from the cabinets, and luckily I found enough to make our stay here less uncomfortable. I am quite sure the rain won't stop right away. It is havoc outside. I could hear the waves angrily smashing against the poles that hold the cabin solid on the lake bed. The heavy downpour clouds the windows with mist. It almost looked like it was snowing outside.

I wrap one blanket around his shoulders when I am done putting the spare ones in layers on the floor.

"Come on, Damien," I say, drying his hair with the tails of the blanket, "This is still romantic."

His lips are still on a rigid, thin line. I'm beginning to think it won't be easy getting rid of it.

"They told me it wasn't going to rain," he answers, turning to face me. He reaches for my blanket and tightens it around me. He must have seen I am shivering in the cold. "You're freezing. Come here." He pulls my arms together and leads me close to the hearth. Then he positions the makeshift bed near us. He adds more wood to the fire, and the room feels warmer and brighter.

"You sure know how things work here," I say.

"When I was a kid, my brother and I used to play here every afternoon."

"Like a playhouse?"

He nods. Finally, a gleam of delight shows on his face.

"But no dolls," he replies. "I know what you have in mind, Angel. I was no sissy. We played treasure hunting."

"Oh, so manly!" I tease back.

Damien reaches for the hem of his shirt and pulls it over his head. His washboard abs glisten with moist and the muscles on his arms bulge every time he moves. Suddenly, I feel the cold leaving my shaking body and replaced with a growing heat. If I continue staring at him, I think he'll notice the tinge of mortification spreading all over my cheeks.

I turn my back and pretend that I am in no way affected by his godlike features.

"Where are you going?" he asks.

"I'm going to see if the rain has calmed down." I can hear my voice shaking.

He smirks. "It's chaos outside," he says. "I can hear it from here."

"I think it's going to stop anytime soon."

"Angel..." I hear him moving. "Come here. I promise I won't do anything you won't like."

Before it rained, he was tempting me to respond to his carnal cravings though he was doing it rather gently.

"Or do you want me to resort to my infamous ways?" I am glad Damien is back to his old self after being so disappointed tonight.

I slowly turn to face him, still preventing the blush from growing worse. His smile is tempting, enticing me to fall straight into his arms and be consumed by this moment. I reach for his hand, and he slowly positions me close to him. Face to face, I kneel in front of him with the blanket tightly secured around me.

"I don't think this is too bad," he whispers so close to me, our faces only inches apart.

"I know what you are thinking, Mr. Etheridge," I say, smiling.

"Oh, yeah?"

"But I know you're not going to take advantage of me." I caress the side of his face with my thumb.