Page 16 of Beautiful Storm

“I have no interest in your panties, Amelia,” David says as he gestures toward the ladder. “Can you both hurry up?”

Luke groans before stepping onto the bottom rung and huffing out a breath. “I’ll see you up there.”

He climbs slowly, each step putting me a little more on edge until I’m not sure what’s worse—spending an hour with Luke, or spending an hour stuck in a dusty old attic.

And it takes all of two seconds for me to find out.

Ashiver runs through me as the cold night air seeps into my bones. I was wrong. There is nothing easy about this dare. I’m confused as to why everyone talks about the barn being haunted, when this attic looks like something straight out of a horror movie. Dusty ancient furniture, a strange-looking box that’s begging to be opened, and a random door that leads to God knows where but is too small for any regular-sized human to fit through.

Yet, none of that’s what has me rattled. It’s the tiny space and the darkness.

I’ve never been claustrophobic, but there’s something about being locked in here with stifling air that’s making me extremely uncomfortable.

Not to mention, I’m here with Luke.

As if the mere thought of him compelled him to speak, he steps forward. “How long has it been since we were last alone together? Four, maybe five years.” He stretches his arms beforesitting on an old chair and laughing when a puff of dust shoots into the air. “It’s not exactly my idea of a good date, but it’ll do.”

I’d usually snap back with a smart-ass response, but the longer I’m here, the more uncomfortable it is, and I can’t bring myself to answer. Something doesn’t feel right, but I can’t put my finger on what.

Luke falls silent, and I hate that it draws my gaze. I may not be able to see much in the darkness, but it's impossible to miss the whites of his eyes as he stares at me.

“What’s wrong?” he asks after a beat.

“Nothing.” I suck in a sharp breath. “I’m fine.”

“You’re not fine.” He stands and walks over to where I’m leaning against the wall, stopping a few feet in front of me. “Amelia, what’s wrong?”

The more he asks, the more an irrational panic runs through me until I’m struggling for air. “I don’t know what’s going on. But I can’t…” Breathe.

“Do you want out? I’ll tell them you can’t handle it.”

What? “Icanhandle it. I’m just…” I try to suck in another breath when a strange noise booms in the silence, making Luke’s brows furrow.

“Amelia, you need to quit.”

“I can’t.”

“Why are you being so stubborn?”

“Becauseno onequits. And I don’t want them to start talking about me again.”

Luke’s eyes widen before he curses quietly. “People always quit. They just get new dares.”

“I can’t.” I shake involuntarily and blow out a shallow breath, hoping he didn’t notice. But he did.

“Amelia.”

“No.” My breathing increases to an alarming rate, and I’m no longer sure if it’s the attic that has me rattled or the thought ofgoing back down to the group before the time is up. But either way, I’m struggling.

“Shit.” Luke hisses and my eyes flash his way to find him stalking toward me. “Look at me, Amelia.” He grabs my face in his hands, his eyes boring into me as mine fight to focus. “I need you to take slow, deep breaths. Can you do that?”

“What?”

“Breathe in.” I breathe in.

“Breathe out.” I breathe out.

“Now repeat that again.”

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