Page 35 of What if I Told You

His words tonight just made it feel so real. Like from a real man’s perspective, because let’s be honest, August is who I picture any time I talk about masculinity or men in general. He’s the hot guy with the strong jaw, the sexy man bun, and the well-kept short beard. He’s got arms of steel and rock-hard abs. There’s nothing about him that isn’t perfect. Me on the other hand, I’m simply an average Jane with features that wouldn’t turn on a horny dog let alone some random hot guy.

Once I hear August close the door to his bedroom I toss back my covers and tiptoe to my bathroom one last time before I go to sleep. Standing in front of the mirror in my sleep shorts and frumpy t-shirt, I tilt my head and study my reflection. I know my body isn’t perfect. I have my flaws and areas I don’t love just like every other woman on this earth but dammit, I like my body. I’m proud of the woman I’ve grown up to be. I’m not a little kid anymore. Feeling a wave of confidence and courage I march back to my room and pull open the top drawer of my dresser. I rifle through the assortment of sexy lingerie I bought before moving here in case I met my soul mate and needed to look my best and pull out my favorite piece. A plum-colored lace crop cami with matching lace trimmed shorts that show off the shape of my ass perfectly. Tearing off my clothes, I slip into the sexy sleep set and study myself in my bathroom mirror once again, only this time I’m smiling and giving myself a confident nod of approval.

“You are a sexy ass queen.” I push my breasts up with my hands and then tell myself to, “Just look at those beautiful tits. Auggie can fuck all the way off with his bevvy of big, busted women.” I flip the bathroom light off and head back to my bead, slipping under the sheets and feeling like a million bucks in my sexy outfit. “Some hot man out there will appreciate whatever I have to offer because I’m a fucking catch.”

Setting my book on the bedside table, I hit the button to turn off my lamp and fall fast asleep, the memories of hours ago slipping from my mind, replaced by whatever dreams may come.

I’mstartled awake by the sounds of glass breaking and items crashing to the floor. My bed rocks underneath me causing my entire body to freeze, my muscles tightening in fear. My hand grips at the sheets beside me and my heartbeat races as I glance around my darkened room for any explanation.

Am I dreaming?

Is this a dream?

What the hell is happening?

“AUGGIE!” I scream with a tremor to my voice. The rumbling sounds grow in intensity, my bedside table shakes causing my lamp to tip over and roll to the floor.

This is not normal!

“AUGUST!

“ELLA!” I hear him scream back at me from somewhere outside my room. “ELLA, I’M COMING! STAY THERE!”

“AUGUST!” No way in hell am I staying where I am. I need the fuck out of here right now. Trying to get to August as fast as humanly possible, I jump from my bed and reach my door just as he pushes it open.

“Ella!” He takes one look at my frightened face illuminated by the moonlight and whatever streetlights glow from outside and instinctually pulls me against him, his arms covering my head as he buries me against his bare chest. “It’s an earthquake Ella. You’re okay. We’re going to be okay.”

“Auggie,” I whimper, gripping his bare skin as hard as I can, wishing I could do more to get closer to him, forgetting that just hours ago he pissed me off and hurt my feelings. August has always been and will always be my safe space. “Fuck, Auggie. That scared the shit out of me.”

“I know. I’m sorry.” He has to speak loudly in order to be heard over the knocking of furniture against walls and items falling to the floor. “This is one of the stronger ones we’ve had in a while. We had a few mini ones just before you got here so I had a feeling a bigger one was coming. I’m so sorry. I should’ve told you.”

“What do we do? We can’t just stand here, right? Shouldn’t we go hide or something?”

“No babe. Right here in this doorway is actually the safest place for us until it stops. We’re away from anything that could fall off a wall. Just stay right here with me.” He squeezes me against him as if I could possibly get any closer and smooths a hand down my hair. Furniture rattles around us and a few more knickknacks from around the apartment can be heard falling off their respective shelves and tumbling to the floor. My body flinches with each crashing sound and I squeeze my eyes closed.

August leans his head down so his cheek rests against the top of my head. “Just breathe, Ella. I’ve got you, alright?”

“Mhmm.”

“Take a deep breath. This won’t last more than another couple seconds. I won’t let anything hurt you. I promise.”

I nod my head against his chest and try to take a deep breath. It’s a shaky one for sure, but the mere scent of him helps bring me back to my senses. Finally, the movement around the apartment stops and all is quiet except for a few car sirens we can hear from somewhere outside.

“There. See?” August murmurs softly as he strokes his hand up and down my back. “All done. You just lived through your very first California earthquake.”

“Yeah, I’ll be okay if that never happens again.”

He chuckles against me. “Uh, I hate to break it to you, Ella, but California and earthquakes kind of go hand in hand. In fact, there will probably be aftershocks throughout the rest of the night. But if it makes you feel any better, you do get used to it the more times it happens.”

“Aftershocks?”

“Yeah. Tiny little quakes. I like to think of it like the Earth is trying to go to sleep but it’s just not quite comfortable yet so it has to shift until it finds a comfortable spot.”

“Ugh. I don’t think I’ll ever get used to this,” I say with my eyes still clenched shut. “I don’t ever want to be startled awake to the feeling of a poltergeist under my bed ever again.”

August curls his hand around my hair and softly brushes through it with his fingers. “Do you want to sleep in my room for the rest of the night?”

I don’t even have to think about it. “Yes please. No way am I falling asleep alone after that.”

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