21. Damon #2
“Are you okay?” I ask, the question coming out more bluntly than I intended.
She nods, her chin tucked against her knees. “Yeah. I’m fine.” But then she pushes herself up, a sudden, jerky movement. “You know what, I’m just going to grab some water. Do you want some?”
“I’m good.”
She disappears into the kitchen. I hear the sound of the fridge opening, then the crinkle of a plastic bottle. She comes back, twisting the cap on a bottle of water. Her hands are shaking, and she can’t get a grip. The cap slips, spinning in her palm.
“Let me,” I say, standing up. I cross the room and take the bottle from her. Our fingers brush, and a jolt goes through me, hot and electric. I twist the cap. It comes off with a pop.
She’s shivering, I realize. A fine tremor is running through her body, visible in the way her shoulders are hunched.
I hand her the open bottle. Our eyes meet for a second before she looks away, taking the bottle from me.
She brings it to her lips and drinks, her throat working.
She sips almost half the bottle before lowering it.
“Did something happen?” I ask.
She sets the bottle down on the coffee table, her hand unsteady. “It’s nothing. Just a slight headache. I’ll be okay.”
“Okay.” The word is a concession. I don’t believe her, but I don’t have the right to push. I change the subject, circling back to the reason I’m really here. “We need to talk about what happened the last time.”
Her shoulders tense. “We don’t have to.”
“I do,” I say, my tone firm. “I acted like a jackass. I just wanted to make sure you knew that.”
She nods, her gaze fixed on the floor. “I get it. It’s not like you like me.”
The words hit me like a physical blow. I stare at her, completely thrown. “Why do you think that?”
She lets out a short laugh that sounds more like a sob. “C’mon, Damon.”
“No,” I say, taking a step toward her. I’m serious now. “Why do you think that?”
“Because you’ve never made a move,” she says, finally looking up at me, her eyes flashing with a mix of anger and hurt. “Not until… you know.”
“Before I fucked you, you mean?” The words are crude, intentional. I want to see her reaction.
A flush creeps up her neck, staining her cheeks pink. She looks away again. “That’s not what I meant.”
“It’s what you said.” I move closer, closing the distance between us until I’m standing right in front of her. I can feel the heat coming off her body. “I thought you were gorgeous. The first time I saw you. But I also knew you weren’t interested.”
“Damon,” she whispers, a warning.
“Were you interested in me, Caroline?” I growl. I’m not letting this go. I need to know.
She swallows, the movement visible in her throat. “This is complicated.”
“Were you?” I repeat, my gaze locked on hers.
“I don’t know,” she breathes out, and it’s barely audible.
I reach out, my hand cupping her cheek. Her skin is hot, almost feverish. “Look at me.”
She slowly lifts her eyes to meet mine. They’re dazed, confused, but there’s something else there too. Desire.
Fuck.
She’s so beautiful. Even like this, disheveled and shaky, she’s the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen.
“I have thought about kissing you every single day,” I confess. “For weeks. It’s been torture.”
“Damon,” she blinks, her lips parting slightly.
I lean in, my gaze dropping to her mouth. I’m going to do it. I’m going to finally taste her again.
My phone rings.
The sound is shrill and slices through the tension in the room. I want to ignore it. I want to throw it against the wall and take what I want. But I can’t. Not when I see the name on the screen.
I pull away from her, the loss of contact a physical ache. I swipe to answer, holding the phone to my ear. “Maggie, what is it?”
“Sheriff, it’s bad,” she says, her voice high and tight with panic. “Martha Hartwell just called it in. The pies at the Brass Lantern just exploded. All of them.”
“Shit.” I run a hand through my hair, my mind already shifting gears.
“It’s not just that,” she rushes on. “The Rift is flaring. Violent. Right in the town square. And people are saying their familiars are going wild, attacking everything in sight.”
I close my eyes for a second. “Any word from Noah?”
“Not yet, but there’s someone else waiting for you,” Maggie says. “Silas is in your office.”
“Of course he is,” I mutter. “I’m on my way.”
I hang up and turn back to Caroline. She’s standing with her arms wrapped around herself, her face pale with concern. “Is everything okay?”
“The Rift is flaring up,” I say. “It’s not safe. I need you to stay indoors. Lock the doors. Don’t go to work.”
“But I have to open the shop, the prescriptions—”
“This could end badly, Caroline,” I cut her off, my tone leaving no room for argument. “Stay. Here.”
She swallows hard and gives a small, tight nod.
I walk to the door, my hand on the knob. “I’ll call you later.” I pause, looking back at her. “And our conversation isn’t over.”
She nods again, her eyes wide.
“Be careful,” she tells me.
I cross the room in two strides and lean in, pressing a soft kiss to her forehead. Her skin is still hot. Then I turn and walk out, pulling the door shut behind me.
I’m halfway down the porch steps when I stop.
Fuck it.
I turn and stride back to the door. I don’t knock. I try the handle. It’s unlocked. I push it open and step inside.
She’s still standing in the middle of the living room, right where I left her. She looks up, startled.
I cross the room to her in three long steps. I don’t say a word. I just reach out, cup the back of her head with my hand, and kiss her.
I pour all the frustration, the fear, the lust of the last twenty-four hours into it. I slant my mouth over hers, my tongue tracing the seam of her lips, demanding entry.
She makes a small, surprised sound against my mouth, her hands coming up to grip my arms. For a second, she’s tense, but then she melts against me, her lips parting, her tongue meeting mine.
It’s everything I imagined and more. It’s a spark in a powder keg. It’s the answer to a question I’ve been asking for days now.
She still wants me.
I pull back, breathing hard. I rest my forehead against hers, my eyes closed. “Later,” I promise. Then I force myself to let her go, to turn and walk away.
I have a town to save.