When she walks through the door and cheerfully says: "Morning sunshine! And how are feeling this morning?" he releases the breath that he wasn't even aware of holding in.
"I slept well thank you Clare. And yourself?" he answers carefully, waiting for the bomb to burst. Clare sits down on the bed next to him and feels his forehead.
"Oh I slept well thank you very much. The sound of the storm lulled me through the night and I woke up this morning very refreshed!" she answers him in that same cheerful voice.
"Mmm... your fever broke again during the night. Now listen to me mister Storm! If you want to get up you call me, is that clear?" She mock-growls at him. And thankfully that she apparently knows nothing about what happened during the night he smiles at her when he answers her.
"Yes ma'am!"
"That's the spirit! Now you can either lie here and wait for breakfast, the pancake batter should be matured enough by now, or you can go take a shower quickly. I brought you another set of my brother's clothing, it's there on the chair."
Frowning Storm looks at the clothes and tries to clear something that is weighing heavily on his mind.
"Clare, will your brother not mind me using his clothes? I hope he doesn't keep just a few sets of clothing here."
"Relax," Clare assures him, "he is currently overseas working on a passenger boat as a crewman. He only uses this place as his base when he is in the country. He has more than enough clothes here and if he should complain he can buy himself a new wardrobe, he earns enough as it is with nowhere to spend it."
Relief floods through him at her words and as she leaves to go and prepare breakfast he slowly sits up in preparation to go and take his shower. It is easier than he thought and the dull throbbing in his head has abated even more. He smiles to himself, things are looking up! The next thing to work on is his memory, somehow it seems very important that he needs to know if he has a wife or girlfriend somewhere...
Clare walks back to the kitchen with a huge smile on her face! A-hah! Gotcha mister Storm! Her smile widens even more when she thinks on how he was trying to fish about what she was feeling after what happened during the night. Then she blushes slightly, realizing what she did in broad daylight was different than doing it in darkness. Then a sobering thought surfaces, what if he has a girlfriend somewhere? Or even a wife? She shakes her head at the thought and realizes, she has to keep her distance from him. Starting by sleeping in separate beds. Then the treacherous little voice in the back of her mind asked: and if something happens during the night and he needs you?
"Ok, Ok!" She says to the voice. "But only until he is completely better."
Fine. Her smile returns as she pours the batter into the pan, thinking back to Storm's embarrassment when he woke up. Humming and singing she carried on with the pancakes, in between getting the fresh cream out of the fridge and the half full bottle of canned peaches. She was almost finished with the pancakes when she felt his presence behind her.
"Didn't I tell you to call me if you want to get out of bed?" she scolds him, her back still to the door.
He sounds a little sheepish but strong when he answers her.
"Yes ma'am. But I felt strong enough so I took the chance. And I am okay, really. I feel better than yesterday this time. Is there anything I can help with?"
Looking over her shoulder to assess him she is struck by how good he really looks. He actually looks yummy and at that thought her mind jumps to the incident during the night and she flushes. Stammering a little she says:" No...I mean...uhm...y-you can get the plates if you feel up to it, I-I am almost done with the pancakes..."
Damn-it!! Why am I stuttering and blushing like a teenager? Moments ago it was funny! By the time she finishes the pancakes she has herself under control (sort-of anyway) and she smiles again as she turns to the table with the plate of pancakes in her mitten-ed hands. Serving Storm with a huge serving of pancakes with whipped cream and peaches, still sitting there with a foolish expression on his face, she decides to take a little pity on him.
"You are looking a lot better, I am glad. I think you can sit in the living room for a few hours this morning, until you get tired then it is back to bed with you."
She ruffles his hair as she speaks and the next moment a strong arm grabs her and pulls her closer to him so that they are touching. The electricity that crackles between them is almost palpable and she gaps softly at the intense feelings that run through her as he touches her. She looks down and the mysterious twinkle in his eyes makes her stop there and almost drown in their murky depths. Then her gaze drifts down to his mouth, and the slow smile makes his lips extremely inviting and she starts thinking how those lips would feel kissing, exploring every inch of her body... she suppresses another gasp as his arm hugs her and she can feel the world reel.
"Thank you Clare, for everything." he says softly, and she almost kiss him but then he lets her go and the world tilts back upright.
"It's a pleasure."
The husky voice she answers him with sounds foreign in her ears, especially as she sees his pupils dilating at the sound and a wave of lust rolls over her like a tsunami. She walks back to her seat with knees feeling as if they were made out of jelly and she plonks down I her chair. Taking a moment to get her equilibrium back she absentminded dishes up for herself. She realizes what she is doing only when Storm says with an amused sound in his voice: "Are you that hungry or do you have a sweet tooth?"
She looks down and is embarrassed to see that she has placed three pancakes in her plate and has heaped all three with peaches and cream. Her eyes are as large as saucers when she looks up and finds Storm grinning at her. She feels herself blushing until a deceptive calm overtakes her.
"Me cave woman...me hungry..." she says with a deep voice.
They burst out laughing simultaneously and in that mood finish breakfast, Clare finding that she has an enormous appetite and actually clears her plate. Storm eats healthily as well and after clearing his plate as well he leans back in his chair contently.
"You make caveman fat cave woman..." he says in a deep voice, similar to the one that Clare deployed earlier.
Clare laughs heartily while blushing at the same time, thinking to herself that with a body like his it is not likely. Then she realizes what she is thinking and her blush deepens. Jumping up to hide her embarrassment she clears the table quickly and cleans the kitchen refusing Storm's help, citing his condition. As she cleans the dishes she hums a popular song to herself and Storm sits back in his chair, looking at her fondly.
"What are your plans today Clare?" he asks conversationally.
"I have finished the farm chores already but I need to do some washing Storm. Then a good old fashion clean up and I should be ok except keeping an eye on a certain Storm so that he can get enough rest. Anything specific you would like for supper?" she answers him. Then she realizes that they are talking like an old married couple, and she finds that she likes it. She likes it a lot. She smiles to herself and keeps on humming and finishes the dishes.
Storm looks at her with a fond smile on his face, also thinking that they are like an old married couple. He finds himself liking the feeling. Liking it a lot...
Clare helps Storm to the living room where he has a good view of the farm and makes him comfortable before carrying out her chores. Storm is content to just sit and look at the landscape, the bustle of Clare in the background comforting. It is late in the morning when Clare walks into the living room to clean there and finds Storm fast asleep in his chair. She covers him properly with the blanket that has slipped and smiles down at him. Brushing the hair off his forehead her heart goes weak at the innocent expression on his face and the next moment she bends down and kisses him softly on the lips. The next moment she feels him kissing back and it is like a stream of electricity passing between them. She gasps against his lips at the sensation flowing through her. This causes a small growl from him and the next moment strong hands are pulling her down into his lap, and she her treacherous body complies willingly. Their kiss deepens and her hands travel out of their own violation across his chest and around his neck. He pulls her tight against him and his hands on her back and hip causes a firestorm in her loins. She gasps again as she feels that she is sitting on his arousal and like the night before she slowly rubs against him, and her heat increases as she feels his arousal increase. Her core feels wet and eager and as she is about to increase the passion of their kiss, she feels him slowing down and he breaks off the kiss and leans his forehead against hers. She opens her eyes and sees that his is still closed, but he looks exhausted. Concern for his well-being flood through her and she berates herself for threatening his health. Then the realization of what they were doing flood through her and she blushes like a sunrise. This is awkward with a capital A! Storm surprises her however when he softly speaks, tiredness evident in his voice.
"I absolutely insist on being woken up like this every time..."
She smiles at the emotions in his voice, and taking her arms from around his neck she instinctively stays where she is and wraps her arms around his chest and leans her head on his shoulder. Her lips are millimeters away from his neck and acting on another impulse she kisses him softly on the pulse she sees throbbing in his throat. His body stiffens and she can feel his arousal that was subsiding a bit stiffen again as well, as she smiles naughtily to herself. The next moment a thunderclap and the sound of rain on the tin room jerks her out of her reverie and she wails as she jumps of his lap.
"NO!!!!!!! My washing!!!"
