Demons ▪︎ Charlie Stoker ▪︎

▪︎ Chapter Three ▪︎

Cora leaned back in her wooden chair, staring at her open sketch book on the table. Her fingers moved rhythmically atop the wood surface, tapping absentmindedly while Charlie sat opposite her, watching her silently with folded arms.

He studied her closely as she reached for her pencil once more and moved it toward the page to add some finishing touches to the pair of eyes she had drawn on their drive over. He smiled as she purposely kept her head down, refusing to meet his eye.

"Welcome to Mr Dreams Ice Cream Parlour. What can I get you two?"

The older waitress spoke sweetly, holding a small notebook in hand with a pen in her other. She glanced between the two and smiled, waiting for their order. Charlie waited, wanting to be sure that Cora wasn't intending to make her own order before he turned his head to give the waitress his attention.

"Two vanilla milkshakes and a chocolate sundae please," he spoke smoothly, an underlying confidence in his tone.

"Okay, coming right up." The waitress turned away, retreating to the counter to make their order whilst Charlie turned his head, this time inspecting Cora's drawing of the eyes.

"You have a talent," he complimented whilst studying the eyes he felt he knew all too well. "Though, I must admit, they do look familiar."

"They're yours," he heard her murmur as she lifted her head finally, looking at him.

His own gaze strayed to look at her with a curious expression, "Mine?"

She tilted her head, returning her gaze to the pair of eyes on the page with a thoughtful expression. "Yes... there is something about them," she admitted as she looked up at him, staring into his deep eyes while her teeth nibbled nervously on her plump lower lip. "They captivate me with their intensity. I thought..." she sighs softly, shaking her head at herself while lowering her head once more and fighting the feelings his intense gaze filled her with in this moment. "If I could draw them, perhaps they would lose their power over me,"

Charlie leant forward, never straying his gaze from her as a simple, albeit desperate question left the confines of his mouth. "And?"

She flicked her gaze up, causing her breath to catch in her throat at his closeness. She stared back into his eyes, searching for an honest answer when her hand involuntarily lifted and moved tentatively towards his cheek, yearning to feel his skin beneath hers. They still have power over me, she mentally acknowledged as his gaze flicked to her hand without a hint of discomfort.

However, before her skin could make contact with his, a voice interrupted, shattering through the moment the two had been caught up in. "Two vanilla milkshakes and your sundae," the waitress said with a beaming smile, placing the three items on the table and dropping the bill on the table top. "Will that be all?"

"Yes," Cora nodded, unexpectedly replying to the woman. She leaned back, pulling her hand away from Charlie sheepishly and dropping her head awkwardly. She internally chided herself for acting without thought; for getting caught up in the moment with him.

Again, he was her uncle by marriage and that alone was reason enough to fight her unusual attraction and growing connection with him

"Okay, enjoy." the waitress said before nodding politely and turning to walk back the way she had come, leaving the pair in silence.

Charlie didn't move nor say anything as Cora tentatively reached out and slid her milkshake and the sundae towards herself. He simply watched her with his arms still folded on the table-top and a disappointment residing in his heart. He realised as he watched her thoughtful movements, that he had wanted to feel her skin on his. He wanted to feel her body heat and the gentle caress her hand could offer him.