Page 44 of Playful Kris

I can’t speak, there are no words that I can coherently form anyways.

“I can’t believe I’m about to fucking say this.” His other hand releases my waist, and moves to the back of his head where he scratches before making eye contact with me.

My stomach drops.

“I can’t sleep with you tonight.”

A cold bucket of water might as well have been thrown on me. My skin that was on fire a few seconds ago is suddenly covered in goosebumps and the chill that runs through me is much different than the one I just experienced.

His eyes widen, and when I take a step away from him he stands in front of me, blocking me. “Let me explain. Shit. I’m seriously fucking everything up with you tonight.” His hand runs over his face. “It’s not that I don’t want to sleep with you, because trust me, that’s the only damn thing on my mind tonight. But you’ve had a lot to drink, and I’m not convinced that you won’t already regret everything that we’ve done so far.”

I suck in a breath, still feeling the sting of rejection, but at least it isn’t as bad as twenty seconds ago.

“Okay.” My chest is rising and falling and I realize how awkward this entire situation has become since I am still standing completely naked.

“Let me get you a towel.” He takes off downstairs, while I grab the clothes on top of my suitcase and put them in the bathroom.

I’ll need another shower now anyways.

Starting the water, I adjust the temperature and turn to find Kris standing in the doorway with one hand holding the towel in front of him and the other covering his eyes.

Like he didn’t just have those same fingers all over my naked body.

“Thanks,” I say, trying to hide my smile. Sometimes he’s such a dork, and it makes me forget we don’t necessarily like each other.

“I’m going to head down to bed, need anything?” he asks, eyes still covered.

“No, I’m good. Thank you, and goodnight.”

He nods before turning and pulling the door shut behind him.

I step back into the shower, washing myself carefully and letting the hot water warm me back up as I think about the events of the day.

Naturally I broke every rule I set for myself this weekend on the first damn day.

Of course.

But it’s Kris. And he’s always been good about making me lose my mind. Which is exactly what I’m doing, losing my ever loving mind on this trip.

I mean, I knew it was going to be hard. Being on a road trip with your ex that didn’t exactly end in an amicable split wouldn’t be easy, obviously. But whew, I didn’t realize I’d give in and let him fondle me on the first fucking night.

But here we are.

Mindless.

By the time the water runs cold, I figure it’s long enough that Kris is asleep down stairs and I don’t have the mortification of him seeing me naked twice in one night.

I make quick work of drying off and getting my clothes on. A simple pajama tank and short set from Walmart, nothing expensive or overly sexy but it’s the most comfortable.

Shutting the light off, I slowly open the door and peek outside, but it’s pitch black and Kris is nowhere to be seen. He’s more than likely asleep, like I figured he would be.

I’m halfway to the bed when a strike of lightning lights up the sky outside the bedroom window, followed by the loud boom of thunder, and my knees go weak. Storms terrify me, and always have. When I was younger, we had such a severe storm that a tree branch went through my bedroom ceiling. Ever since then, storms cripple me.

The sound of cracking branches outside has my chest tightening.

“Kris,” I try to yell, but it’s covered by the sound of thunder. The thought of having to walk down the stairs in the dark during a storm is even more terrifying, but what if I’m standing here when a branch comes through the roof?

I’m struggling to catch my breath, and feel my panic attack moving in. I try breathing out my nose, and not paying attention to how dark it is when my foot hits the first step to take me downstairs.

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