I really wanted him to pick me up to spend more time with him, but I couldn’t tell him that, so I took my key off the ring and placed it in his waiting palm. My fingers grazed his warm skin, and again the same electricity shot up my hand and traveled along my entire arm. I shivered, pulling away, and wrapped my arms around my body.
“You better go inside—you’re cold.” His voice was low, huskier than normal, sending another thrill straight through me. I wondered if he knew it wasn’t the cold that made me shiver. Was it possible, given the change in the octaves of his voice, that I had the same effect on him?
I searched his eyes, but no hint of anything more existed.
“Goodnight, Amelia.”
“Thank you again for the ride, and the drinks.”
He smiled, and to my chagrin, my heart melted.
Chapter 16
The Foreboding
Idreamed about Karson.
His breath on my skin. His fingers grazing my nipples. My nails clawing his back. My thighs spread. His cock hard against my core. His lips soft and warm against my throat, a sharp sting as his teeth sunk into my neck.
I woke with a gasp, my underwear was wet, and my skin was damp with sweat.
It was just a dream. Pity. But finally, a dream I’d happily have again.
The sun streamed through my window, landing on the comforter. I sat up and yawned, turning my head to outside. My car was parked by the cabin. Karson had brought it back during the night. I was quietly hoping he might return it this morning so I could see him again. My mind flashed a vision of him standing outside, peering through the window, watching me sleep. It was ridiculous—as if he would do something like that. He wasn’t a psychopath. I stretched my arms up high, loosening the tightness between my shoulder blades, and jumped up with surprising vigor. I got dressed and headed to the kitchen to make coffee.
I stopped dead, a chill whisking over my skin. On the bench was my car key beside a small white box.
He’s been inside my house while I slept.
The earlier thoughts of psychopath crowded my mind. Underneath the key was a note, and my heartbeat kicked up as I moved closer. The note said:
Amelia,
Lock your door!!!
I didn’t lock the door? I must’ve forgotten. Maybe he knocked and I was so tired I didn’t hear him and he came in to check on me, and left the note here. If he was a psychopath, he wouldn’t let me know he’d been in my house, after all. I picked up the box. It was heavy for something so small.
I opened it and there was a snow globe with a replica of the Eiffel Tower inside. On top of it lay a handwritten white card. I pulled it out, reading the black, calligraphy-style writing, which would put my messy scrawl to shame.
One day, if you will allow me, I would like to take you there. K.
Smiling like an idiot, I shook the globe, watching the snowflakes flutter over the tower and it felt as if those flakes danced inside me too, so bright and shimmering, it almost felt like hope.
A high-pitched voice from outside dragged my attention away. “Obi. Stop!”
I wandered to the porch, lifting a hand to my forehead, and squinting into a bright sun. My eyes landed on the whirl of dust trailing up the gravel road. A little bobble of blond hair was pedaling furiously in my direction, followed by another blond-haired figure sprinting behind, yelling, “Obi, come back! Mom said no, Obi!”
I popped the globe on the chair and sauntered down the stairs as Obi pulled up with a skid in a whirl of dust and laughter.
The little girl pulled to a stop a few moments later, placing her hands on her hips. “Obi, you’re in big trouble,” she declared.
They were the most gorgeous little kids I’d ever laid eyes upon. Both had white hair full of bouncing curls. Obi’s sat a little past his ears, the little girl’s cascaded over her shoulders. Both children had olive skin and large-set eyes; they were a female and male carbon copy of each other, with the exception of their eye color. Obi’s were blue, the little girl’s dark brown.
“Hello,” I said with a smile. “My name’s Amy. What’re your names?”
“Obi,” the boy said, puffing out his chest.
“Summer,” the little girl said between heavy breaths.
