Deer in the Headlights

Part 61 - The Painting

[Adam's POV]

March 30th

My eyes scanned across the calendar to April, specifically to the 14th, Brielle’s birthday, in just over 2 week’s time; admittedly I was already planning the day out in my head. Since I couldn’t be with her last year while on tour and the year before that had felt pretty crummy, I was making sure to plan early and make it the best birthday ever. It was only what she deserved.

Maybe I should play the song...hm, but is that a bit much? Maybe it’s too romantic and out there, surely a nice meal would suffice, but what should I buy her-

My thoughts were cut short by Brielle’s voice beside me.

“So how’s the next track going?”

I blinked sharply as I jolted back into reality, my cheeks flushing a rosy pink as I realised, with a knot in my stomach, that I’d been miles away; Brielle had obviously picked up on that.

“I err- yeah it’s really good!” I stammered in a poor attempt to get back on track talking about the new album. Brielle didn’t buy it for a second.

“What were you daydreaming about?” She teased with a playful poke to my ribs.

I squirmed beneath her touch and a snigger loosed its way past my lips, she had well and truly ratted me out, even if I was a little too proud to acknowledge how easily she’d done so.

“Um- nothing much.”

Brielle tilted her head forwards slightly to throw me an incredulous look, her sharp eyes fixing me with a knowing stare. The sheer power in that look caused me to shuffle about on my seat and smirk stupidly, I had to be honest I was relishing the moment where her attention was on me, even if I was pretty powerless beneath her stare.

With a hefty sigh I attempted to muster a straight face but in the end failed miserably, whether she knew or not Brielle was certainly causing my mind to run into overdrive. However after a while I eventually found my voice again.

“I was just thinking about-“ I stopped myself as I pondered whether I should really reveal about her birthday, I really enjoyed catching her off guard with surprises and I was a little unsure whether to ruin it now. That was of course if I could even manage to collect my thoughts, I had so many ideas rushing around inside I was unsure which to follow. Though I did figure watching movies all day at my house wouldn’t be massively fun, although it did stir up inside the memories of the storm night. Boy was that a good night! An unstoppable grin slipped onto my face as a beautiful tingling sensation soon enveloped my whole body, so reminiscent of Brielle’s touch on me. Rather consciously I had to double take and stop myself thinking any further, I was drifting way off topic. “I-I have something to show you.”

I swallowed a lump in my throat as I found myself a little shocked by what I’d said, the thought that rushed into my head only a split second before had rather too easily slipped out of my mouth.

Shooting me a flirty smile Brielle continued to watch me with keen interest, her resolve to discover what I was thinking seemed totally undiminished.

Sighing again as I realised there was no backing down now I quickly stood up and slipped my hand into hers, carefully leading her out of the kitchen, beyond the hallway, and finally into the living room. I could tell the intrigue was biting at her thoughts, which was how another idea flashed into my mind, causing me to turn around with another stupid grin on my face.

“Close your eyes.”

Brielle frowned in confusion, a sweet smile touching her lips. I knew her mind would already be racing, and I mean, I had to admit I was being very sketchy about what I had planned, her puzzlement was only justified; and boy it didn’t half fire me up further.