Page 89 of Cloudless
“Can I make your cake?”
“Did you wait till I left the room to invite everyone on purpose, Sullivan?” The grin on Dax’s face betrays the stern tone of his voice.
A lightness enters Lila’s eyes that’s a far cry from the clouds I’ve gotten so used to seeing. She mimes zipping her lips and tossing the key over her shoulder as a smile takes over her face. “I’ll never tell.”
CHAPTER 40
THAT’S NOT LOVE
LILA
I envy the cocoon of soft blankets and peaceful dreams I left the twins in upstairs. My palms grow sweaty and my spine turns rigid as the naïve girl on the screen ventures further into the never ending cave.
I know one thing for certain: I would make a horrible scary movie protagonist. At the first sign of a ghost in my house or a creepy creature in a dark cave, I wouldnopeout of there so quickly the movie would end before it even began.
The sound of her friends’ voices fades behind her as the darkness envelopes her like a pool of ink. My heart beats a relentless rhythm in my chest as my fingers dig into the thick blanket covering my legs, as if it alone is what keeps me from following her into the darkness.
A silent, white blur flashes behind her as my mind fights my body's need to run from a fictional situation that poses no real danger other than to my blood pressure.
The colorless creature stalks her from the shadows as she ventures further from the safety of her friends. Every breath the creature takes, I can feel against the back of my neck like I’m stranded alongside the girl who takes far too many risks with her life for my taste.
The clicking of the creature's talons against the ceiling,yes, the freaking ceiling, feels like nails on a chalkboard. The girl’s steps falter as the unnerving sound finally reaches her ears.
Her eyes search the cave floor, completely unaware of the danger that lurks just above her head. Her gulp feels like my own as she slowly looks up to the ceiling of the cave to find the creature that will haunt my dreams for weeks. A scream builds in her chest as the creature descends.
The screen flashes to the horrified look on her friends' faces as her screams echo through the cave they never should have been in.
A chill runs down my spine as a commotion sounds from the kitchen behind me. I levitate off my seat and land firmly in Kam’s lap as a scream escapes my lips that rivals the actress on the screen.
My fingers dig into the hair at the nape of his neck as I bury my face in the warm safety of his neck. Tremors wrack my body as he clutches me to his chest.
His chuckle vibrates through me as my eyelids glow from the overhead light being turned on. I hadn’t even realized I closed my eyes.
Mace’s voice holds a lightness I’m not sure I’ll ever feel again. “I guess you were right, Ranger.”
I pry my face away from Kam’s neck and blink away the sting from the bright lights. Wyatt stretches his arms as he unfolds himself from his spot on the couch. “I told you to stack those bags of candy better than that. I’m surprised it took them this long to fall.”
Ellie rubs the sleep from her eyes as she stretches her arms over her head. “I guess this is a good time for a snack break. Anyone want anything?”
Dax shoots from his spot on the couch with a grin on his face. “I’ll make some popcorn.”
In unison, Kam, Wyatt, and Ellie all say, “No!”
Dax rolls his eyes as he crosses his arms over his chest. “I won’t burn it this time.”
I relax my grip on Kam’s neck as their voices fade into the kitchen. “Sorry for my death grip. You might have lost a few hairs.”
His laugh vibrates against me as he rubs small circles against my lower back. “I’m happy for the sacrifice of a few hairs if it gets you in my lap like this.”
My leggings glide against his jeans as I wiggle into a more comfortable position. I halt my movements when I feel a very firm bulge against my thigh. We both turn rigid as heat envelopes my face.
Careful of the growing bulge, I fix my eyes on the ceiling as I try to maneuver off his lap. The blanket holds my feet hostage as I try to free myself from Kam’s hold and this embarrassing situation. “I, um, I’m sorry. I, uh, I’ll just, uh?—”
His firm hands circle my waist as he lifts me like I weigh nothing to sit me firmly on my feet in front of him.
I don’t take the time to look at his expression before I bolt from the room. I don’t have a destination in mind as I race through the back door. My bare feet connect with the rough wood of the deck as the chill in the air cools my heated face.
My fingers dig into the railing as I count my shallow breaths. The full moon illuminates the smoke from a distant bonfire that lingers in the air as I try to fixate on anything besides the heat coursing through my body.
