Page 11 of The Storms Between Us
nine
DidI just invite her to use my shower? Yeah, I think I did. I've never allowed a woman into my space before. I've never been interested in anyone long enough to bring them into my home, but here I am inviting Ember to share my bathroom like it's totally natural. But it does feel natural. Being next to her feels completely organic, like something is telling me that's where I'm supposed to be. I feel a pull to her I don't quite understand or want to acknowledge right now. Something in her eyes every time she looks at me tells me she feels it, too. What would Everett have to say about this, though?
Everett has been my best friend for four years now. He and a few others joined our unit straight out of bootcamp. They dropped us all in the desert, experienced or not, gave us guns and left us to clean up the mess. That kind of circumstance creates a bond between people that most don't understand. Those are men I would die for and I know they would do the same for me. Maybe that's why these feelings stirring in me feel like a betrayal. What would he think if he knew the things I've been thinking about his sister? He's always told me stories of how protective he's been over the years. According to him, she's always had a propensity to attract total douchebags. I'm far from a frat boy, but I don't think I'm the guy anybody would want around their sister.
I scoop the sopping wet towels off the floor and toss them into the tub. Ember is standing awkwardly in the doorway and it's so damn cute I can hardly look away. Her hair is up in that sexy messy bun girls always do and her white tee is practically see-through at this point. I stand and take a step closer to her, almost like the magnetic pull is too much for me to resist. I can hear her breathing pick up as I brace my arms on the door frame on either side of her. The air surrounding us thickens, and I can see that sexy red blush creeping up her neck.
"You might wanna grab a new shirt," my voice comes out gravelly and the tension in my body has me flexing my shoulders to try to alleviate the strain. My eyes burn a path all the way down her sexy as sin body, coming back to lock on to the perfect peaks of her nipples pushing against the fabric of her t-shirt. She lets out a small gasp and clutches the towel to her chest tighter, looking up into my eyes. I swear this woman can see straight into my soul. If it were anyone else, I'd be scared shitless. But somehow with Ember, I almost want her to see those parts of me.
"I don't know, I'm kinda ok with this one," She says, shrugging as if she's unconcerned. But the nervousness in her eyes betrays her true feelings. I reach out and brush a loose strand of her hair behind her ear and her eyes flutter closed.
"Look at me, Sunshine." I say, my tone tight and demanding. Her eyes snap to mine instantly and I can see the lust flaming in them. She likes a little alpha in a man, that's obvious. If that's what she wants, I'm more than happy to oblige. "Don't hide from me," I say with authority. "I'll always find you."
"What is this, Elijah? Tell me I'm not the only one who feels whatever this is," she says, surprising me. I didn't expect such a forward question from her, but I appreciate a direct woman.
"I honestly don't know." I grasp her chin in my hands and stroke the soft skin of her cheek. "But I know I wanna find out. And I'm not sure how much longer I can go without knowing how your lips taste," I tell her, my face only inches from hers.
"So, find out," she says in a whisper. I can feel her shallow breaths brushing across my lips and I can't take it anymore. The tight wire I've been walking snaps and I crash my lips down onto hers. Threading my fingers through her hair, tugging just enough to tilt her head back, I take the kiss deeper and deeper. She tastes better than I could ever have imagined. Like sunshine and cinnamon, a spicy sweet mixture that intoxicates me and I already know I could never get enough. I nip at her bottom lip, causing her to gasp, and I take my opportunity to slide my tongue into her mouth. She lets out a small moan, rising up on her tiptoes, her arms sliding up and around my shoulders. I push her back against the bathroom wall, taking and taking anything she's willing to give me. God, this woman could become an addiction stronger than any drug. Just the feel of her skin brushing against mine is enough to make my cock swell hard as a fucking rock. My grey sweats do nothing to conceal my body's reaction to this seductress and I don't even fucking care. I want her to know exactly how she affects me. The feeling of her nails dragging across my scalp makes me groan in pure satisfaction.
The repetitive pinging of a cell phone drags us away from each other. We're both panting, staring at each other, the fire in both our eyes barely banked. She reaches for me again, only to be stopped by the sound of her phone ringing from across the room. She closes her eyes, breaking our connection. Pulling away, she walks to her nightstand and answers the phone.
"Hey Kelsea, what's up? Isn't it kinda early for you? It's before noon," she laughs, obviously comfortable with whoever is on the other end. Watching the sun hit her face through the window, I take a minute to appreciate just how beautiful she is. Her soft feminine features look so delicate, but I don't think she's easily broken. I'm dying to know every facet of this beautiful creature in front of me.
"What?!" I immediately hear the panic in her voice and I come closer to try to hear the other side of her conversation. "How did he even get in, Kelsea? I left the next day. He didn't even know I was gone." Her voice is shaking and I can feel the fear radiating off of her in waves. "Ok, just be careful, please. Don't do anything insane, even if you want to. It won't help, babe," a tear rolling slowly down her cheek. She swipes it away quickly, but I know whatever is going on here is obviously tearing her up. "I love you too, girl. Please be safe," she wipes at the moisture around her eyes and hangs up the phone.
"You wanna tell me what the hell that was about?" I ask, with confusion and worry. She turns her back to me, but the shaking in her shoulders shows me she's crying. I cross the small distance left between us and wrap my arms around her, not giving her the chance to pull away. "Hey, it's okay. Whatever it is, it's gonna be fine. Shhh."
"I shouldn't have come here," she whispers so softly I almost don't hear her.
"What do you mean?" I try to push for any hint of information she's willing to give me.
"It's not safe to be around me," she tries to push me away and I loosen my grip, but don't let go. "This can't happen, Elijah. It's not a good idea."
"You don't know that." I know I shouldn't argue with her about this because she's probably right. This could be a huge mistake. But something in her eyes is so familiar to me. That look of someone trying to escape is one I know all too well. I see it in my own eyes every time I look in the mirror. Lost souls, the both of us.
I kiss her hair softly as she clings to me. I don't know what just happened during that call, but at that moment, I decide I'll protect her from anything. That realization rocks me to my core. Typically, a thought like that would scare the shit out of me. But I'm already hooked on this woman after just one taste.
