Page 44 of When the Storm Breaks
When we’re done, the kitchen is spotless. The last traces of dinner fade into the quiet drone of the dishwasher and the faint scent of dish soap.
Chase leans against the counter, stretching his arms with a carefree smile.
“Movie?” he says, voice light, like he’s already decided we’ll sayyes.
Truthfully, it’s the last thing I want to do.
But I can’t deny that sitting in the same room as Calla for another two hours has its appeal.
My mind starts to wander, picturing her curled up on my couch under a blanket.
Knees tucked to her chest. A glass of wine in her hand.
Her body relaxed, face soft in that way I haven’t seen enough of today.
But she shuts it down.
“I should probably get going.”
Disappointment flashes across Chase’s face before something more thoughtful takes its place. He’s starting to notice, even if he’s not saying anything.
“Okay, no worries,” he says, tone easy. “Thanks for coming.”
He pauses, glancing at me before turning back to her.
“Oh—before you go, maybe grab Haiyden’s number? Just in case. I leave tomorrow and I’m gone for a while, so if you need to get into the bar or… whatever.”
I expect her to brush it off. To make some excuse. Hell, I expect her to look at Chase like he’s lost his mind for offering this on my behalf.
But she doesn’t.
She just nods, pulls out her phone, and hands it to me like it’s nothing. Like giving me that kind of access doesn’t mean anything.
She presses it into my palm, her fingers barely grazing my skin, but it’s enough.
Enough to remind me how small her hand is compared to mine.How warm she is, even with that chill still rolling off her in waves.
I should be focused on typing in my number.
But all I can think about is the way she’s watching me.
Guarded. Like she’s waiting for this to feel like a mistake.
I send myself a text and hand the phone back, but my fingers hesitate against hers. They drag slightly before I let go.
I shouldn’t. I know I shouldn’t.
But I want to.
I want to touch her, pull her in, press my lips against the spot just beneath her ear and see if she’d shiver for me.
Instead, I step back and focus on the slight twitch of my fingers, willing my body to get its shit together.
She’s sad, and I’m hard.
Fantastic.
But it’s not just that. I don’t just want to fuck her.
