Page 28 of Creep
I stare back, blinking when rain gets into my eyes. I’m offering him sex, andthisis his response? Unbelievable.
“Of course, because nothing saysI want you so muchlike running away onto the cold roof,” I shout, hoping the rain drowns out my voice, and we won’t make a spectacle of ourselves. The cabins might be decently spaced out, but I do have neighbors.
Creep covers his head with his hands. I’m not sure if he’s trying to hide from the rain, or if it’s a gesture of frustration.He’sthe frustrated one? I’m the one having to peel the onion that he is and not cry in the process.
“I just wanted to sleep under your bed!” he yells back.
Wow. Just… wow.
“That makes no sense,” I call back as the rain soaks my T-shirt, making it stick to my skin. I glance over my shoulder when something creaks. Lo and behold, I spot a face in the window of the nearest dwelling. “Get down from there! I’m not talking to you like this, with people listening in like we’re two clowns in the circus!”
Creep opens his mouth, then closes it several times but says nothing. Great, now we’re not only clowns. We’re also mimes.
“I’ve had it! I’m getting up there,” I say with new determination, and climb the balustrade, though I don’t yet know how to get to the roof. Creep is taller than me, and seems to have experience with things like this, but it won’t deter me.
My threat wakes him up at least, and I hear some shuffling on the roof as I grab the drainpipe. It’s slimy, perhaps because of moss, but I ignore the unpleasant sensation.
“Don’t. You’ll slip!”
“Oh, sonowyou’re worried?” I challenge him, leaning back a little in an attempt to catch a glimpse of him. “But you’re leaving me no choice. Might as well break my leg trying to join you up there or go down with pneumonia,” I call out, closing my eyes when a huge drop of water falls straight on my forehead. If he doesn’t care about his own wellbeing, maybe he’ll care about mine enough to end this madness.
I try to pull myself up as I continue talking, “You know, I’ve never been good at this kind of stuff. When I was a kid, I broke my arm falling off a chair. Freak accident.”
“Okay! Okay! I’m coming down,” Creep says and slides off the roof with the agility of a cat, then drops to the wet ground with just as much grace.
A part of me freezes, as if I’m a mouse that’s carelessly tempting a predator closer, but I can’t help wanting him back with me. My heart beats faster when his shadowy figure approaches, but I keep holding on to the damn drainpipe, because everything is slippery, and I do worry about ending up with a sprained ankle or worse.
I haven’t thought this through.
Before I can consider asking for help, Creep’s arms are around me and he helps me down with the strength of a much bigger guy. I don’t get this thing with him. He’s not even kissed me. This thing between us is so messy. But also… different, like nothing I’ve experienced before.
“Go inside, don’t catch a cold,” he mumbles, stepping away. Now that he’s wet, the hair covers even more of his face in sticky streaks.
“Only if you come with me. We can talk inside, but you have to promise you won’t just run,” I say and reach for his hand. It’s surprisingly warm, as if he generates excessive heat and could keep me warm even in this rain.
Is it wrong that I find the dark eyes watching me from behind damp tresses sexy? He lets me lead him back inside.
“I mean, we’re both wet now anyway,” I laugh, locking the door behind him. “So what’s with the shower? Do you have a secret waterfall in the caves that you prefer? I did hear there are hot springs nearby.”
Creep’s… trembling and hunches his shoulders even more than usual. “It’s loud. So loud. I hate that moment when it starts, and hits the tiles, and then it just doesn’t stop making noise.”
Oh…Oh.
Regret and guilt wash over me with such intensity they’re making my stomach ache. “Why… why didn’t you just say that? I’m so sorry, it didn’t even occur to me,” I mumble, rubbing his arm up and down. He smells of the rain now—a cool, earthy aroma, with just a hint of musk. “So you’re sensitive to noise, huh—”
"Because it's stupid, so I deserve this. Who's afraid of the fucking shower? Icouldhave it. No one can tell me what to do," he mutters and, to my utter shock, slaps the side of his head.
I grab his wrist and touch the reddened spot on his cheekbone. “No! Don’t hurt yourself! I’m sorry!”
Goddamn it, now my voice is cracking, because I’m an emotional wreck. No wonder normal guys stay away from me. Unfortunately, I don’t have a tub I could fill up for us, so the shower is our only option, but it’s not like this place has crazy water pressure anyway.
“How about we put on a very weak stream, so it just drizzles out and doesn’t bang on the tiles?” I will be investigating much deeper into what’s going on with Creep, but I don’t want to overwhelm him with questions on day one.
I want to cuddle him so badly, but I’m not sure if that wouldn’t be too much for him right now, so I let him take his time instead of babbling on as usual.
“That… maybe. Can you turn it on yourself?” he whispers.
I nod, offering him a smile I hope is encouraging. “So it hits my skin instead of the tiles? Yes. And you can choose how hot you want it too. I don’t mind.”
