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A blast of arctic air couldn’t have doused the heat any faster and I pulled away, giving her a nod and some space. I began to realize this was going to be a very complicated relationship, one that was going to test my patience.
“What happens if I never get to that point?”
The dread in her voice smoothed the aggravation and I sighed, meeting her gaze. What happens, indeed? I didn’t have an answer, so I went back to cleaning the last of my blood from the slate.
“Damian?”
“I don’t know,” I answered watching the slow swipes of the mop on the floor. I didn’t turn at the shift in the air around me, nor did I when her fingers ran down my bare back. I just kept up the slow movement across the floor, cleaning all traces of my close call from view.
“Are you angry?”
The mop stopped and I closed my eyes, giving a shake of my head as an answer. My heart ached and I sighed, analyzing the emotions sweeping through me. The pendulum swung from one extreme to another almost as if I was a hormonal teenager again, and it irked me. I opened my eyes and turned my gaze to her.
“I am sorry,” she whispered.
“Don’t be.”
Her eyes drifted over me again and I saw the spark light up in her eyes.
“Maybe I should get dressed,” I said, her hungry gaze tempting fate and I had to distance myself a little from this crazy brew in my blood.
“Maybe you shouldn’t,” she said and crossed her arms, cocking her head, her teasing tone getting under my skin.
“You better make up your mind, girl, because this hot and cold shit is going to drive me up the fucking wall.” I turned and grabbed the bucket, heading into the laundry room and stashing the cleaning equipment. I leaned against the wall with my back to the door, regretting the harshness in my tone, but she didn’t comprehend the pending storm.
“Damian?” her soft voice implored.
I turned, leveling my best stay away glare and she took a step back. The fear that flashed in her tight features diffused the ticking bomb inside me. When she turned and ran toward the bedroom, I didn’t follow.
Instead, I went back into my office and slumped at the computer, pulling up my latest online class. I hadn’t checked the lesson plans in over a week and the number of lessons stacked up yanked a groan from my throat. The last thing I wanted to do right now was homework, not with Naomi sulking in the bedroom.
“Damn it,” I cursed and pushed the chair back, storming across the expanse and pushing the door open.
She lay stomach down on the bed with her face buried in her crossed arms. “Look,” I started and her glare shut me up.
“Maybe I should find another place to stay,” she said and rolled to her side. Her tearstained face tugged at my nerves just as much as her statement.
I glanced at the ceiling, trying to find the right words before I brought my gaze back to hers. “You don’t need to do that. I can find somewhere else to go if that makes you more comfortable.”
She tensed and under the aggravation, I saw a flare of pain.
“It’s not that I don’t want to be here with you,” I started back-tracking and stopped, blinking away the need to babble until that hurt look evaporated from her eyes. Jesus, what the hell is wrong with me?
Her lips pressed together and I sighed.
“Naomi, this whole thing is new for me and I’m not entirely sure what to do with you,” I said, laying it out for her with no excuses.
Her face relaxed and she sat up, crossing her legs Indian style. “You’re overwhelming to me, too,” she said.
I laughed and crossed the floor, taking a seat on the bed facing her. “Well, I guess it’s good that’s mutual.”
She smiled and studied me for a moment. “Are you in love with me?”
Her question took me by surprise, so did the silent plea in her eyes and I shrugged. “I don’t know. Logically, it’s way too soon.” I dropped my gaze, not adding that I would be if I could figure out how to break down the last of the crumbling brick around my heart. Instead, I asked, “Are you?”
“I’m at the same place you are,” she said and I glanced into her eyes, seeing the conflict. “Being with you feels right. Natural. Like it was meant to be, but I can’t fathom that.” She glanced around the room. “I can’t fathom any of this.”
I nodded, dropping my gaze. “It’s funny how things turn out.”
“I can’t reconcile my feelings right now, Damian,” Naomi whispered and I met her stare. “On one hand, I am still very pissed off that you did this to me and on the other...” She trailed off and her gazed drifted over my still bare chest. She inhaled and continued, “And on the other, you create such a heat in my soul that I can’t ignore it, but I’m not sure if it’s going to ignite or explode.”
The smirk came naturally and she swatted my arm.
“I’m serious.”
“I know, it’s just your description is dead on and you’re not telling me anything that hasn’t crossed my mind.”
Dimples appeared in her cheeks and she fought the smile, but lost and I shifted, crawling over to her with a predatory hunger, and she giggled.
“Heat, huh?” I said and pushed her back, nuzzling my face into her neck. “I can show you a heat that’s out of this world.”
Her laughter filled the room and I joined her, tickling her sides with my fingers and nipping at her neck and she squirmed under me. Naomi’s hands found my only ticklish spot, an obscure spot on my natural waist and I jerked away, my laughter turning to a squeak of surprise. The mischief in her eyes bloomed and she went on the offensive, tickling relentlessly, until I caught her wrists and stretched them over her head.
Both of us continued to shake with laughter and I moved to nip her neck again. She pulled her shoulder up, blocking access. I tried the other side and she blocked me again, the game repeating through a half dozen times before I let go of her wrists and settled over her, propping myself up on my elbows.
The laughter wound down and she reached out, sliding her palm over my cheek.
“Thank you.”
“For?”
“For making me laugh,” she said.
I turned my lips to her hand, placing a kiss at the heart of her palm. “I can’t remember the last time I laughed like that,” I said and sighed.
Her smile faded and she stared at me with those beautiful chocolate eyes.
“What’s wrong?”
“Nothing,” she said and offered a ghost of a smile.
I inhaled her sweet scent and then pulled away. “I’m way behind in my studies,” I said and rolled off her and glanced at the clock. “And I only have a few more hours before nightfall, so...”
“So, you’re bailing on me?”
“Yes. If you want something to read, I can show you to my library.”
Her eyebrows rose.
“Either that or you could go exploring. There are quite a few sections of this place you haven’t seen.”
“Really?” she asked and smirked. “And here I thought you were shallow and just had places to screw around.”
I couldn’t help but grin. “I’m sure you’ll find more than enough intriguing places for us to screw around, if that’s what you desire.” With that, I slipped off the bed and headed out of the room.