Fire & Ice

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Sixteen

Journal entry:

I understand why Portia's doing what she's doing, and I really appreciate the constant effort of trying to make things easier on me, but I find myself going crazy. I'm not a piece of glass that will break if she doesn't "handle" me exactly right. I think I'm going to have a little talk with her. I need her to kiss me like she means it again!

She's honestly trying to help, but she's going to the extreme. I almost choked over the clothes she wore to school today. Turtleneck sweater, sleeves to her wrists, linen dress pants. If she had worn gloves and a ski mask every inch of her would've been covered. Sadly, I spent most of the day imagining myself peeling her out of all those clothes, and redressing her in different outfits in my head, until I realized my restyling had her romping about nearly naked in my imagination. This was not a good thing to have to take care of in the locker room under yet another cold shower.

***

Staring at the ceiling, I stretched out on Portia's comforter, waiting for her to finish getting ready for bed. It wasn't long before the bathroom door opened and she emerged. Under any other circumstances, I probably would've laughed at her comical appearance. She was wearing thick flannel bunny pajamas that were clearly a size too big, complete with matching bunny slippers. Her hair had been pulled into a very messy bun on the top of her head, and she'd washed off all her makeup.

Honestly, she'd never looked sexier. My blood instantly rose in temperature. "It isn't working, you know."

"Hmmm?" She gave me a questioning glance, lifting her eyebrows as she pursed her lips.

"The clothes—those horrible things you've been wearing. Shirts to your chin, pants down to your ankles, the bad hairdos, the quick kisses and hugs, none of it's working."

"What do you mean?"

So, she was going to play the innocent card. This made me want to laugh too. One small sneak inside her head and I knew exactly what she was doing.

Getting up, I strode to where she was standing, wrapping both of my hands around her upper arms, and yanked her firmly against me.

"I mean, it isn't working," I said again, my voice low, lips brushing across her forehead as I spoke. "You're trying to help and you're making it worse."

She didn't move at all, only the sound of her accelerated breathing filling the air.

"When you wear your hair like this, I want to rip it down so I can run my fingers through it." A flick of my magic caused the band restraining her luscious locks to break, instantly allowing it to fall down, framing her beautiful face. Sliding my hands upward, I fisted my hands in her hair, gently tugging it so it caused her face to tilt toward mine.

"And your clothes." I shook my head, knowing I was treading on dangerous ground. "Let's not even discuss what I'd like to do with those."

Closing my eyes, I worked to calm my raging desires, trying to shove the flashing images of what it would be like to undress her from my mind. It was an impossible feat, and I took a deep breath before opening my eyes to stare hotly at her.

"You don't get it, do you? I could be blind, and you'd still attract me. Your blood sings to me as it races through your veins. I feel every increase in the rhythm of your heart, every catch in your breath, and sometimes every thought meandering through that silly little noggin of yours."

She only stared at me, apparently speechless, her eyes never leaving mine.

"Don't hold yourself back from me, Portia. It doesn't help. It only makes it worse because then I crave you even more." I hoped I was getting through to her. She'd been driving me insane. "Do you understand?"