Cassandra jumped. “Jeez! You’ve really got to stop doing that. Did anybody ever tell you that you have a knack for scaring the bejesus out of people?”
“Like I said, I don’t usually have somebody here with me. It's actually quite bizarre for me to walk in and smell somebody else in here.”
“Smell me? Are you telling me that I need to take a shower or something?”
He looked disgruntled for a moment. “No, it's nothing like that.” He sighed loudly.
“Never mind, just forget that I said anything.”
That happened a lot. Antoine would say something that made basically no sense to her and then get frustrated with her when she didn't quite understand it. Cassandra really just didn't get what he was talking about half the time. He had a strange way of saying some things. Cassandra wanted to know what he really meant, but Antoine wasn’t good with answers. She didn't want to seem stupid though and ask, so she was unaware too much. She had already put her foot in her mouth more than once.
“Well, I did take a shower.”
He chuckled. “Cassandra, you smell wonderful.”
Then his face tightened up, like he didn't want to say that, either. Cassandra wished for a moment that she could know what it was that he wanted from her.
“So, how did everything go?”
He shrugged and looked weary. “It went okay, not as good as I was hoping, but I guess it's to be expected.”
“So, I'm still not going home yet, am I?”
He agreed that she wasn't, and Cassandra wasn't as bummed as she thought she was going to be. When she got used to her surroundings, and used to Antoine, she was sure that she could make the best of it. Cassandra had a knack for making the best out of any situation and considering that she was alone in the middle of the woods with a hot guy, it didn't seem like it was going to be that hard.
He asked her if she wanted to take a walk and she agreed, just to get over the awkward moment. There seemed to be a lot of weirdness between them and Cassandra didn't know if it was her fault or not. She just had so many feelings and emotions wrapped up in Antoine. He didn't seem to have many emotions at all, but apparently, she had enough for both of them. As much as Cassandra wanted to believe that she had a grip on things, she knew damn well she didn't. The longer she stayed with Antoine, the more she was going to want him. Considering that she already thought about being with him most of the day and all of the night, it didn't look very good for her.
She was able to forget it all for a little while when they went for hike. He seemed to know the woods like the back of his hand and seemed quite happy there. The smile that he had on his face was one of genuine glee and probably the happiest she had seen him since they'd met.
“You were made for this, weren't you?”
“What do you mean?”
“You know, the woods and everything. You just seem like you're very comfortable here. Maybe you’re just a bit more wild than everyone else.”
He relaxed and agreed. “Yeah, you could say that.”
“I didn't really understand why anybody would want to live this far out, but I think I get it now. It is so peaceful. I don't think you could get that anywhere else, not even at my place, and I thought I was pretty far out.”
Cassandra stopped, afraid that she would say too much. He just had this effect on her, one where she didn't know what to think or what to say. Her usual confident self was gone, replaced with unsurety and a desire to give him what he wanted. Cassandra wasn’t too experienced in the ways of men, but she knew enough.
The current state they were in was one of the hardest things for Cassandra to get used to. She didn't understand why it was so easy between them. They didn't know each other, had never met before that fateful day, but then again, it felt like she had known him her whole life.
She also found herself quickly falling for the man. While she told herself that it would do her no good, she couldn't help but feel something. He had awakened a part of her that Cassandra had thought was fast asleep. Now she knew better. Now she knew that all it took was the right man to awaken it.
Since it was awakened, Cassandra had to ask herself, what’s next? And when? When is it going to happen?
Chapter 8
Antoine
Things were definitely changing in Antoine’s household. Not only had Antoine never lived with someone in the cabin, save for a few weeks’ years ago with a cousin, it was a little bit harder to adjust to than he would have thought. He told himself that she was just staying for her safety. It wouldn't be long. All of these were reasons for him not to sweat it, but of course he couldn't stop thinking about it, thinking about her.
At night he could hear her tossing and turning, and although his friend Nathan found it hilarious that he was so bothered by his houseguest, Antoine was less than impressed with the results of it. He felt himself getting even crazier because he wasn't getting the proper amount of sleep. His fantasies had taken over his waking periods, and just as much of his dreams as well. Nothing worked, not even drawing.
Antoine started back to work and even though he was doing it remotely, he found a way to go to meetings to get away for a little while. He was out of the house more than he probably was ever before, and he knew that it was because of his houseguest. Cassandra made it hard for him to think of much of anything else. He didn't know what to say or what to do half the time when she was around. He kept snapping at her, making her come close to tears more times than he cared to admit.
He wanted to think that he had better manners, but then again, he was questioning if that was true or not. At the moment, all he could think most days was about ramming deep inside of her and doing it repeatedly, until neither one of them could walk. How was he supposed to do much of anything else when all he was thinking about was that? It left him feeling rather out of sorts.
