by Nicole Grane
Chapter 17
The sun dipped behind the hill just as we began climbing the trees. Havoc had had enough of us and wanted her own tree for the night—wasn’t she special! Whatever—she could look after herself for once. I was sick of that little pest riding on my shoulder anyway . . . I wondered if she’d be all right over there?
“I didn’t know you cared.” Antonio grinned, lifting me higher up into the thick gnarled masses of branches.
“I don’t. I just promised Iris I’d bring her back. I could care less. And stop eavesdropping!”
“Will you two be quiet? I know the concept is foreign to you, Child of Light, being ugly and all, but one of us would like to get some beauty sleep!”
Little brat! I hoped she fell out of that tree and landed right on her—
“Evie,” Antonio warned.
“A girl can dream, can’t she?” I asked dryly.
He suppressed a grin. “Be nice.”
We settled on a thick branch, high up in the tree. Havoc was well tucked into a small hole in her tree’s trunk. Fitting! The little rat should sleep in a hole. How dare she call me ugly!
“She did save you,” Antonio spoke; playing the little devil’s advocate.
I tried to ignore him. There was a more pressing matter: “I’m not sleeping in these clothes. They’re covered in slime and puke.” Havoc had put me in a bad mood again, and the thought of sleeping in dried swamp scum made my skin crawl.
“I told you not to vomit!” Havoc called out loudly. A ring of pleasure coated her voice. “Don’t you ever do what you’re told? Wait. I’ll answer for you: No! That’s why we were attacked in the first place!”
I pointedly ignored her. I did not need to be reminded that if I hadn’t looked back while crossing the swamp, none of us would be injured now.
“It doesn’t matter,” Antonio addressed my inner guilt. “We’re alive.”
I sighed. He was right of course. I stood beside him, surveying our “branch” for the night.
“We’re fifty feet up a tree!” Antonio noted, staring at me in disbelief. I could barely make out his exasperated look in the twilight. He’d read my mind. “How are you going to change up here?”
I looked around me. This was not going to be easy. The branch below my feet was sturdy enough to hold the both of us, but this was going to require some fancy maneuvering.
“I can do this. Don’t look!” Turning away, I steadied myself on the thick branch. I brought my pack around and held it between my legs before I glanced back over my shoulder—Antonio had already sat and was leaning with his back to the trees trunk—his eyes were closed tight. I untied my shirt and pulled it up and over my head in one quick movement, causing my body to sway slightly on the limb.
“What are you—” Antonio had tried to avert his eyes but must have felt me falter, his hands were on my hips steadying me.
With my back to him, I crossed my arms over my chest, doing my best to conceal myself. “I told you not to look!”
“Well it’s kind of hard when we’re sharing a tree limb!” He snapped. I could hear the embarrassment in his voice. “And you’re welcome by the way.” He released his hold on me. “You nearly fell!”
“Clumsy girl!” Havoc mocked. “Maybe you should just jump, save us the anticipation of waiting for you to fall!”
I growled mentally at her. I couldn’t wait to hand her back to Iris.
“Turn your head!” I ordered Antonio, the frustration evident in my tone. I couldn’t change with him watching me.
“I’m trying not to,” he murmured under his breath.
I dug into my bag, feeling around for a clean shirt. I grabbed my underwear instead. There was nothing like clean underwear!
“Oh no.” I could hear the panic in his voice.
“I’m not going to wear slimy underwear. It isn’t hygienic.”
“You’ve got to be kidding me,” Antonio said, his voice sounding hoarse.
I sat down, straddling the tree limb.
“You’re practically on top of me,” he croaked.
I glanced behind. His head was still turned away, his eyes, doing their best not to peek.
“I am not. Now quit being a baby. I mean it; don’t look!” I quickly switched out into a clean bra.
“Hey, that’s cute! Do you think we could find something like that in my size? I love hot pink!” Havoc yelled out from her hole. Havoc couldn’t be discreet if her life depended on it. I could feel my whole body flushing at the knowledge Antonio now had. Damn pixie!
Sweet Deity . . . pink . . .
“Did you say something?” I asked Antonio as I pulled my shirt over my head.
“No,” he choked. “Are you done yet?”
“With my top,” I leaned back into him, and scooted out of my shorts.
“What are you—?”
I looked over my shoulder. His eyes were glued to me. They fell on my naked legs.
“Oh no, you can pull those right back on.” He reached for my shorts as I let them fall from the tree, along with my disgusting old shirt. “You are not . . . oh, God” He turned away again. His cheeks were glowing red in the moonlight—adorable.
I tried to act mature, but inside I was dying. Changing in front of a boy was not on my too do list! “I’ll be done in a minute. Pretend like it’s not happening!”
Yeah right. I knew exactly how he felt. It was a good thing the light was nearly gone from the sky . . . the two of us probably sported matching expressions of embarrassment!
“I wonder if we can find some matching panties for me too?”
“Havoc, will you be quiet!” Antonio shouted over my head. Like I need that visual!
I couldn’t help but smile. I pulled on a clean pair of pants then leaned back into him once again, trying to fasten the button. “There,” I said with a satisfied sigh of relief. It felt good to be clean. Well, cleaner. I made to move away, but Antonio’s hand caught my arm.
“Maybe you should stay here. So you don’t fall,” he added quickly. There was a shine of sweat on his forehead.
“Are you making a move on me?” I grinned.
“No, I’m not making a move on you! Especially fifty feet up a tree!” Damn. I’ll never get that image out of my mind.
You realize I can hear you, don’t you?
Antonio stiffened. “Can we please change the subject?”
I was still smiling. Even caked in dried swamp scum, Antonio was adorable. The fact that I’d managed to embarrass him made him look all the cuter. Although, “do you by chance have a clean shirt in that bag of yours? I’d hate to get all that . . .” I motioned to the residue on his chest, “ . . . on me.”
Zip
He shrugged out of his shirt and replaced it with another. “Happy?” he asked.
Hell yeah. He would make the cover of my Beach Volleyball magazine in a heartbeat. He had to work on those pecs twenty-four seven.
I shivered. The night air had a bite to it. I snuggled into Antonio’s chest, trying to absorb his body heat. He didn’t protest; his arms wrapped around me, warming me to perfection.
“This changes nothing:” his phrase of choice.
“I think it changes everything,” I announced bravely. “In fact, I think you're crazy about me.” Now I was smiling like the Cheshire cat.
“You do, do you?” His tone had gone dry. Why he bothered beating around the bush, I didn’t know.
“Yes I do. In fact, I think you want to kiss me right now.” A bold move I knew, but I was feeling confident. I’d seen the way he’d looked at me. I’d heard his thoughts. And although I’d been shy, not wanting him to truly see me bare, my heart fluttered knowing that he had—sort of. Besides, it was only a kiss we were talking about. What harm could come from that?
“Are you a mind reader now?” He scoffed.
“When I’m touching your body . . . yes.” Silence. Bingo! A little bit of information he kept forgetting. As long as I was touching his body, I could hear every thought
he was having. I guess you’re not the only ‘two-way radio.’
“Oh for all that’s evil, would you just kiss her!” For once I thanked Havoc for her rude interruption.
“You heard the demon,” I spoke over my shoulder to him. “Kiss me.”
Antonio’s hand was on my cheek, turning my face to his. His mouth claimed mine with a fierceness that made my heart pause. His other arm was wrapped around my stomach, pulling my body against his.
“You're right,” he breathed across my ear. “I am crazy about you.” He kissed me again.
This had to be Heaven in Hell. I wanted Antonio–always. And there was no way I was going to leave this place without him.
“Oh yes you are,” his lips whispered a kiss across my ear again, causing me to shiver—and this time it had nothing to do with the cold. “I mean it, Evie. This changes nothing. If you want your father back, there is no other way.”
“I won’t you both. I’m not leaving without you!” I spun around, my knees landing on his thighs for support. He looked taken aback, as did I. I didn’t mean to put myself in such a compromising position. I faltered. I didn’t know what to do. Kissing was one thing, but—
Antonio looked at me knowingly and smiled. “You’re safe with me.”
Of course I was. I smiled at him. Antonio was forever the gentleman.
He laughed outright. “You give me too much credit. I am a guy after all.”
He was most definitely a guy. My guy. This time, I leaned in…