“Right, that’ll fix them right up,” Shannon said with a sharpness to her words.
“I’m sorry, Shannon,” Nick said. “I’ve never seen anything like this before, have you?”
“Of course I haven’t,” Shannon said.
“I’ll go find her some pain relievers. I’m pretty sure I packed something,” I said, my voice trembled. I was nervous that I might piss Shannon off more than she already was and I didn’t really want to do that. At least not at the moment.
As I walked away, I heard Shannon mumble that they wouldn’t be in the mess if they wouldn’t have tagged along with us. She wasn’t sure why she’d agreed to it.
I found the bottle in my pack and when I turned around Shannon was standing behind me. My voice felt as though it had gotten stuck in my throat.
“Thanks,” Shannon said grabbing the bottle out of my hands. “I think you and your friends have probably done enough.”
“Shannon,” I said keeping my voice calm, “I’m sorry this is happening to Monica, but it isn’t our fault.”
Shannon looked me up and down before turning away from me. It wasn’t long before Bronx, Jamie, Nick, and Blair joined me in the storage room. Even Blair didn’t want to be in the same room with them.
“My turn for watch,” Jamie said as he walked by.
“It’s almost morning,” I said.
He smiled at me. “I guess my turn will be short then.”
“We’ll be taking turns throughout the day too,” Nick said.
That was all that was said until the sun came up. Not that it was easy to tell when that happened in the storage room, but in the main room, the light found a way to brighten the blue cloud.
Throughout the morning Shannon and Monica whispered on and off. I could hear Monica frequently complaining about her foot. It seemed to alternate between unbearable pain, and her not having any feeling in her feet at all. Perhaps the pain medicine was helping, or maybe it was just how the poison worked.
I couldn’t stop thinking about Jamie. If Monica’s foot had turned black, what had happened to Jamie? His respiratory system had been affected but had that been all?
At the end of his shift, I marched into the main room and grabbed his hand. Blair rolled her eyes at me as I hauled him toward the women’s restroom.
“Get a room,” she groaned, and it surprised me just how easy it had been to ignore her.
Once we were inside, I locked the door and turned to him. He was smiling, but confusion filled his eyes.
“What’s going on?” Jamie asked.
“I’m worried,” I said staring at his chest.
“We all are,” Jamie said raising a brow.
I shook my head. “Take off your shirt.”
“That’s an unusual way to deal with worry, but I can’t say I’ll complain.”
“No, seriously, take it off.”
All traces of his smile disappeared.
“Why?” Jamie asked.
“Did you see her foot?” I said pointing at the door. I turned my finger and pointed it toward his chest. “I want to make sure that isn’t happening to you.”
“I told you I’m fine,” Jamie said.
“Well, then prove it,” I said taking a step closer.
Jamie’s eyes moved down and then back up to meet mine. His face lacked emotion as he grabbed the hem of his shirt and pulled it over his head.
There wasn’t a single speck of imperfection on him. Jamie’s body was absolutely perfect.
“Well?” he asked, and I swallowed hard.
“Nothing there,” I said, and he turned toward the mirror. He looked himself over as if wanting to make sure for himself.
Jamie turned back toward me, his chest rising as he drew in a breath. He reached out and grabbed my hand placing it on his warm, silky chest.
“I told you,” he said looking directly into my eyes. “I’m fine.”
Jamie let go of my hand, but I held it in place. I took a step closer, unable to look away from him. I should have walked away. I should have left the room, but I didn’t.
I slid my hand down his chest, my fingertips gliding over every inch of his smooth skin. The outside world vanished, and I wanted to keep it that way.
Jamie’s hand cupped my cheek, his thumb moved softly over my skin as his other hand slipped around my waist. He pulled me closer, so close my body was pressed against his.
He exhaled slowly. “I’ve wanted this moment for so long… I’m not going to screw it up, not this time.”
The temperature in the room rose, and in an instant, his lips were on mine.
Thirteen
Every fiber of my being tingled with a heated excitement that threatened to scorch my insides. I felt like I was at the top of a roller coaster about to plummet down toward the ground below.
Jamie’s lips moved down my neck as he pressed himself into me. My breath hitched at the feel of him. I curled my arms around him, holding onto him so tightly my fingertips felt numb as I dug them into the muscles of his back.
His mouth moved hungrily over my skin, erasing every memory of the outside world from my mind. Jamie slid his hands down my sides, stopping when he reached my hips. He lifted me off of the ground with ease, turning me, and lowering me down on the countertop.
I twisted my fingers into his soft hair as he kissed up and down my neck, devouring me as if I were a delicate piece of fruit… the last of its kind. My body melted into his as I wrapped my legs around his hips, arching my back and allowing my body to fill with the heat of the moment.
I felt intoxicated. I felt free.
Jamie’s hand glided up my body, roughly cupping my breast. I bit my lip and tilted my head back allowing myself to enjoy the pleasure of his touch. He grabbed the hem of my shirt and yanked it up over my breasts, kissing every inch of exposed flesh.
“God, you’re so beautiful,” Jamie said in a low voice filled with desire. His words made me feel weightless, and the only thing I could think of was just how badly I needed him.
I reached down and undid the button on my jeans. Together we worked to get them off of me, letting them fall to the floor with a soft thud. Seconds later, Jamie’s pants made the exact same noise.
He grabbed my hips and pulled me close to his body. A gasp escaped between my parted lips as I felt his skin against mine.
When he eased himself inside me, my head fell back uncontrollably, and I grabbed him tighter. I was afraid if I let go, I’d float right out of the building and into the dangers looming around us.
He rocked into me holding me tighter with each movement. It was as though he was afraid I might just disappear.
“Oh, God,” I whispered. “Don’t stop.”
“Never,” he said back in a breath.
He let out a soft groan as his lips hungrily moved across my jaw. His body was hard… tense as he thrust himself deeper and deeper, filling my need and satisfying his own. I moved closer wanting him more and more.
It was an intense desire that was unbreakable. We wanted each other desperately. The truth was, I needed him. Oh, dear God, I needed him.
Jamie grabbed my breast, thumbing my nipple through the thin, silky fabric of my bra. It was enough to drive me to the edge, and there wasn’t anything I could do to stop myself from falling down into a cool pool of ecstasy.
“Oh, yes,” I said, pressing my mouth against his shoulder to muffle my words. My pleasure crashed down around me like fireworks exploding through my body. He groaned, and we rocked as one, letting the intensity of the moment slowly crumble away bringing me back to reality.
I felt recharged, but at the same time slightly saddened when I remembered the world that surrounded us. Jamie and I were in a gas station bathroom… trapped inside by a poisonous, mysterious cloud of disease, and probably death.
I looked down away from Jamie’s eyes, but his fingertip touched my chin, raising my head, forcing me to look into his eyes. His eyes were glassy and filled with both happiness and worry.
“Yeah, of course,” I said swallowing down the lump at the back of my throat. “You were amazing.”
“As were you.” He grinned. “But I can tell, something’s wrong.”
I shook my head. “What makes you think there’s something wrong.”
I hopped off of the counter and quickly pulled on my jeans. He buttoned his pants as I was straightening my shirt.
“It’s in your eyes. Something is on your mind.” Jamie looked at the floor and the back at me. “I just want to make sure I didn’t somehow manage to fuck things up.”
“No, no, of course not,” I said as I looked around the room. “It’s just that… well….”
Jamie nodded. “This isn’t at all how I imagined it would be, but it doesn’t really matter where we are as long as we’re there together. Someday, I promise you a much better location.” He smiled at me although it was a fairly weak smile. “I guess I just couldn’t help myself. You do that to me.”
“You’ve imagined it?” I said with a questioning look.
“Yeah,” Jamie said lowering his voice as he cocked his head to the side and leaned closer. “Haven’t you?”
Shit.
What was I doing?
He reached out and wrapped his arms around me, pulling me in for a gentle hug that didn’t help me feel better. The problem wasn’t the bathroom, in fact, that barely had crossed my mind.
I screwed up.
I should have backed away.
Things shouldn’t have gone as far as they had.
I took a step back. Now, I was the one sending mixed signals, and I didn’t feel very good about it. I cared about Jamie… a lot, but I shouldn’t have let this happen. Not until we had things figured out. Everything figured out.
Bronx was still on my mind, and the last thing I should be thinking about after being with Jamie was another man. I was a terrible person. But did it even matter? Did any of it matter?
Bronx had made things clear, and even if he hadn’t, I probably wouldn’t have stopped the moment.
If the red sky hadn’t come, neither Jamie nor Bronx would have given me the time of day. They hadn’t given me the time of day. The only reason things had changed was because I was here. I’d survived.
I’d lived next to Jamie for a long time and not once had he asked me out. Instead, he was busy having a casual relationship with Blair. That was his type. Blair. Girls like Blair. Not me.
“We should get back out there,” I said taking a step back toward the door.
Jamie eyed me, suspicion filled his eyes. “You’re sure everything is okay?”
“Yeah,” I said with a smile that felt off center. I took a quick step closer and placed a soft kiss on his cheek. For a split second, I could see on his face that he didn’t believe me. In fact, he was probably assuming he’d done something wrong. But he hadn’t. He’d done everything right. The problem was me.
“See you out there,” I said as I turned to leave the room. I could feel his eyes on me as I walked toward the door.
I walked through the main room feeling the warmth of my pink cheeks, but Blair didn’t even bother to look in my direction. I wasn’t going to feel bad about what had happened. In fact, I felt great about it. Jamie was amazing, and if things were different, I’d be daydreaming about the next time. He was sweet, perfect, but I was the one that had made a mess of things because I shouldn’t have let it happen. Maybe I was selfish.
Bronx had made it clear that he was over me, or whatever he’d said, but that didn’t mean I could be with Jamie. I couldn’t let it happen. I couldn’t allow my heart to go there.
As long as I didn’t fall for him and he didn’t fall for me, it would be okay. I had to protect my heart, and I had to protect Jamie. I cared too much about him not to.
I didn’t regret a second, but I couldn’t let something like that happen again. No matter how much I couldn’t stop thinking about how it felt to be with him.
“Hey,” Nick said the second I turned the corner into the storage room. “Where have you been hiding?”
“Sorry?” I was pretty sure my pink cheeks had turned red.
“Nothing,” Nick said shaking his head. He turned his head toward the office. “She’s not doing too well.”
I crossed my arms hearing movement behind me. Jamie walked into the room and images of being with him flashed through my mind.
“Is there anything we can do for him?” I asked clearing my throat at the end of my sentence.
“If there is I have no idea what.” Nick’s head moved side to side slowly. “Jamie,” he said and my body tensed. “You have any ideas?”
“Wish I did,” he said opening one of the boxes. He ripped open a bag of chips and started snacking.
I looked around the room and peered into the office. “Where’s Bronx?”
“He’s with Blair,” Nick said as he knelt down and unzipped his backpack. He sifted through the items. “I just wish I could think of something.”
“Maybe there isn’t anything,” I said keeping my voice low.
Nick’s eyes met mine. “That’s what I’m afraid of.” He pushed his backpack to the side and kicked it for good measure. “Fuck!”
I watched as Nick reached into one of the smaller boxes near the wall, he pulled out a bottle of whiskey and opened it. He took a long drink before offering it to Jamie.
Jamie took a drink and passed it over to me. Normally I would have refused, but under the circumstances, I could use a break from the thoughts shifting through my mind. I didn’t even have the energy or the desire to judge Nick for taking the first swig.
Bronx stepped into the room, his arms were crossed as he looked at Nick. There was a coldness to his shoulder that seemed to radiate a chill out from his whole body.
“What’s going on?” he asked glancing briefly at the bottle in my hand.
“A break,” Nick said, and I held out the bottle. Bronx turned and looked at me and then at the bottle. He yanked it out of my hand and walked away as if I was infected with a contagious disease.
Bronx took a swig, and then a longer drink. He didn’t pass the bottle back instead he took it over to his sleeping spot and sat down on the ground, resting his back against the wall.
“Um, okay,” Nick said reaching into the box. He pulled out another bottle.
“Blair wants a break,” Bronx announced after he took another drink. I watched him as he swung the bottle around with his fingertips between his legs. “Maybe Jamie or Gwen should take a turn.”
My insides swirled with a myriad of emotions. Bronx’s tone hurt, and it had made me angry.
“It’s my turn,” I said stepping out of the room, wanting nothing more than to be alone.
Fourteen
Nick had tried to relieve me from watch duties twice, but I’d insisted I was fine. I was enjoying being alone although it would have been better if I didn’t have to stare at the swirling blue cloud outside the window.
It was near dinner time when Jamie came stumbling into the room. He laughed at himself as he walked into one of the shelving units.
“Excuse me,” he said bowing politely to the shelf.
I exhaled slowly. If Jamie was wasted that wasn’t a good sign. My brother’s tolerance was probably insane, but there had been a lot of booze in the storage room.
“It’s my turn,” Jamie said, dragging out each word several seconds longer than normal. “I’ll take watch turn now.”
“You’re drunk,” I said not even attempting to hide the fact that I was annoyed.
“You’re not. You should be!” Jamie clapped his hand.
I shook my head. “No, I shouldn’t be. What if something happens?”
“Oh shit,” he whispered. “I real
ly fucked it up this time, didn’t I?”
“Just go sleep it off, please,” I said keeping my voice calm.
Jamie leaned closer, and I winced at the strong scent that wafted out of his mouth. “Will that make you happy?”
“The happiest, now please, go lay down.”
“Anything for you my love,” Jamie said taking a bow as he weaved his way back to the storage room.
I followed him, making sure he made his way to his sleeping area. I was almost surprised when he actually flopped down and closed his eyes. He almost instantly fell asleep.
Whispers came from the office, and I tried to listen between Nick’s snoring and Jamie’s heavy breathing. I was pretty sure they were talking about leaving and not waiting for the cloud to dissipate.
I looked around the storage room to see if I was the only one listening. Nick wasn’t alone on his blanket, Blair was next to him, her arm wrapped around his middle.
Just as I was about to leave, Bronx rolled over onto his side. His open eyes happened to land on mine for a second before he looked away. He was listening to the women, and he really didn’t want to look at me.
I went back to my post. If the women wanted to leave, I wasn’t going to be the one to talk them out of it. It was a suicide mission that I was almost certain of, but I guess that was their choice to make.
I crossed my arms and leaned back in the chair we’d brought to the window. My body jolted upright when the floorboards behind me cracked.
“Sorry!” Bronx said holding up his hand.
I pressed my palm to my heart and drew in a deep breath before I was able to relax back into the chair.
“What are you doing out here?” I said too harshly. I hadn’t meant for my words to come out that way at least not consciously. “How come you aren’t drunk like the others?”
“Who said I’m not?” Bronx grinned but then shook his head. “I’m not. You heard what they were saying, didn’t you?”
“I did.”
Bronx shifted his weight from one leg to the other. “And you don’t think we should say anything?”
The Red Sky Series (Book 2): Blue Cloud Page 8