Page 38 of Of Poison & Pumpkins
“I don’t. I can’t like you!”
Elias moves me until my back is pressed against the stall. He kicks my feet wide. His hips pin mine. Chest to chest.
“You could like me, if you allow yourself,” he whispers against my neck.
My pulse pounds loudly in my ears and a shiver of tingles trails over my body.
“Up or down?” He licks his lips.
“Wh-what?” My question comes out low and broken.
“I have a thing with restraints,” he says, his lips slide against my neck as he speaks into my skin. Everywhere his mouth slips on my throat feels like a bomb exploding deep in my core. “Do you want your wrists pinned up above your head, or down by your side when you beg me to kiss you for the first time?”
I swallow, nervous, excited; I don’t even know. “Up.”
He settles around me like a tent. I involuntarily moan. Can’t speak when his tongue flicks behind my ear. It’s like sensual needles shooting through my nerves. There’s a chance I’m whispering his name again and again.
“I’m back. Ready?” Viv’s voice sounds from the left.
My eyes fly open, and my body goes rigid. I duck, dip, and slide out of Elias’s hold and rake a hand through my hair. My breath is coming too fast. Elias chuckles and folds his arms across his chest. My eyes dip to his crotch, where his bulge is obvious. Shit. Viv will never let me return.
Quickly, I step in front of Elias to block his erection and start slapping my neck as if mosquitos are attacking. There must be marks all over my skin from his lips, teeth, and tongue, but I need to pretend like nothing happened. Because nothing will happen. How many times can I push him away without losing my sanity? Goddess, I want him badly, but I can’t let my guard down and open my heart to the one who has the potential to shatter it to pieces.
Viv motions for us to follow. “Before not showing up for dinner, Alex was talking nonsense, rambling on and on about someone who tricked her.”
Viv enters a small interior arena. In the middle, surrounded by hurdles, sits a woman in a trance-like state.
“There’s Alex.” Viv gestures to her niece, worry plastered on her face. “I’ve convinced her to eat some cheese. But that’s it. Otherwise, all she does is sit here and stare at the dirt.” Viv’s sigh is heavy and full. “Do you know what to do? I’ve called around and apparently, there’s some sort of virus going around. They’re calling it Dazed. Can you help her with your magic?”
My jaw drops. If Alexandra is cursed, then who stole my paint? Or maybe she poisoned herself by accident?
Thunder explodes outside the barn, shaking the entire building. I walk across the dirty arena, kicking up poofs of dust with every step.
I plop in the dust next to Alex. “Hi, I’m Rynn. Do you remember me?”
Alexandra doesn’t even blink, only stares at the barn wall. Viv leaves us three and heads into the rain. Elias sits next to me just as lightning flashes. It’s a strange type of omen. It could mean that he’s my light in the storm. Or it could mean he’s the threat striking hard and fast when things turn ugly.
“You think Goosie cleans his kittens?” Elias asks, drawing a cat shape in the dirt with his finger.
His wicked cat is not what we should be focusing on right now. This woman is lost and needs help.
Elias nods towards Alexandra, and I catch onto his tactic when he tries again. “I bet Goosie would love these unicorns. Did you see the purple one flying by the pines?”
“Yeah, if I could name one, I’d call her Plum.” I search Alexandra’s eyes for any sense of awareness. Her glossy eyes remain empty. “What about you, Alex? Do you like unicorns?”
Nothing.
Elias shrugs, then rubs my thigh. “Let’s keep trying. Maybe her passion isn’t animals like yours.”
How do I not know Elias’s biggest passion? If I had to guess, I’d say the only thing he’d never give up would be authentic friendship. Decades from now, his tombstone will say, ‘died happy beside someone he cares about.’
Elias is too loyal, too social, too playful to relinquish friendship. My urn of ashes will say, ‘the girl who chose yarn over people.’
Thunder rumbles and rolls while we sit in solidarity, the three of us ponder our own thoughts while the storm rages on. Elias is quiet for so long he may have fallen asleep.
“Rynnlee? Will you wear a themed costume on Halloween with me?” Elias sets his chin on his hand, leaning forward.
“No way. I’ve never dressed up.”
