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I felt the car slowing, then he glanced into the rearview mirror and gently steered the car off to the side of the road, putting it in to park. The only sound now was of crickets outside.
I shifted my body in my seat and looked around, confused. All I could see around us was the field and some trees, along with a breathtaking number of stars above us. The moon was full against the dark sky. The humidity began to suffocate me, but the silence that now filled the car demanded my attention.
“What’s wrong?” I practically whispered.
He sat casually in the driver’s seat and placed one arm on the armrest, then turned to look at me. “Do you always have to know what I’m thinking? I thought you were so good with silence.” He flashed his signature killer smile. “Please do explain.”
“It’s different. I don’t know. Your silence makes me uncomfortable. But in a good way. I mean, I want to know what you’re thinking. All the time. I don’t feel that way around other people. And you don’t exactly wear your emotions on your sleeve.”
“I don’t?”
“No.” I paused. “But you reveal a lot when you’re thinking.”
He didn’t break his stare, just motioned with his hands for me to continue.
I shrugged. “I mean, your silence says a lot. I can see you processing your thousands of thoughts ... see you analyzing them. But I can’t see the thoughts themselves. It makes me curious. Makes it harder to be quiet with you. I constantly want to hear you.” I realized I was rambling, so I waited for him to respond.
“That sounds like it’s frustrating for you,” he said. “Especially since I told you that your thoughts are transparent to me.”
“To say the least.” I laughed.
“If it makes you feel any better, I only meant I can see you’re genuine. It’s proof that you act and think exactly as you feel. And I like that.” He reached out in the darkness, and I felt him take my hand.
“Okay, but ... why did you stop again?”
“You’re relentless.”
“You’re dodging.”
“Well if you really must know, seeing you get all worked up about that song made me think about how crazy I am about you, that’s all.” He leaned toward me across the armrest, lifted his head slightly to peer at me, his faint smile making an inexcusable assault on my lungs. “And just think, it’s only a twenty-first-century rock band. What would you say if we listened to Mozart or Beethoven? I don’t know if I could handle an outburst of that proportion.”
“You wouldn’t have to.” I swallowed nervously, suddenly aware of his intention. “Beethoven? That expression of love can’t be verbalized.”
I knew it was coming, but his face being this close to mine was something I hadn’t had time to get used to. Each time his skin had touched mine before now, in even the minutest of ways, I became faint. Now the proximity of his mouth was making my heart pound straight out of my chest. I had never felt this way about anyone. It terrified me.
“You’re right,” he declared, nodding. “It’s only felt.” He leaned in farther, placed his hand on the side of my face, pulling me toward him. I didn’t flinch, as I so often did when Andrew touched me. Instead, I welcomed him. I was fiercely aware that the instant his mouth touched mine, I was no longer my own. He would love me or break me, the choice was his.
He slid his hand underneath my hair around the back of my neck. His fingertips glided over my skin, giving me goose bumps. Nope, definitely not the same chills Andrew gave me.
“Breathe, Camille,” he whispered. “I won’t bite.” He chuckled softly. “But I would like to kiss you.”
I let a small breath escape my unreliable lungs as I nodded. The soft collision of his lips on mine shocked me with a jolt of pure electricity. My thought of a moment before had been correct. There would be no more war permitted in my mind’s battlefield, for I had surrendered to being made his immortal captive.
Our lips parted and I lifted my hand to graze my fingers across the scar on his forehead. Looking into his eyes, my fresh existence inhaled, desperate for its first breath of air.
“Camille? You all right?” He sounded winded. No words yet.
“Camille. Talk to me. Are you all right love?” He looked concerned now.
Still nothing.
“Camille?” He grasped the sides of my face.
Finally, an alien on a new planet, I made my attempt at communication with the beautiful creature in front of me. “What are you?” I gasped, my eyes locked on his.
“Uh ... excuse me? What?” His look of concern turned to confusion.
“No human being can possibly have this effect on someone,” I repeated, still fascinated with my new discovery. “What are you?”
He backed away slowly, leaned back in the driver’s seat. “Camille, I didn’t know kissing you would ...” He hesitated at my smile, took a deep breath. “I mean, I didn’t know a human being could have that effect either.” He leaned back toward me, relaxed again. “You have no idea how good this feels.”
I laughed, more comfortable now with my foreign acquaintance. “Believe me, you couldn’t possibly be more surprised than me right now.”
Sounds great right?! Believe me when I say it is! Congrats to Rachael firstly for releasing her print copy of this, must be awesome to see your book finally printed on paper! So hope you all check out the launch party and win yourself some goodies! :)
Also, don't forget to enter the "Undead" signed book giveaway, running INTERNATIONALLY till October 15, so hit THIS link and enter with a few easy clicks! :D
Also, don't forget to enter the "Undead" signed book giveaway, running INTERNATIONALLY till October 15, so hit THIS link and enter with a few easy clicks! :D
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