That Day, Karen Deen [early readers .txt] 📗

take her face in my hands and begin kissing her. Not like the first kisses that were all hot and heavy. This is full of tenderness and caring.

“Did that fulfill your request, madam?” Lying down beside her and pulling her into my side with her head on my chest, I feel so peaceful.

“I’m sure you are what they would call an overachiever.” A little giggle escapes her.

“That wasn’t even my best work, you should see me out of the dark shadows.” I laugh along with her.

“Oh damn, don’t tempt me.” Oh, I want to tempt you alright. I think you will be hard to ignore.

What have I done? How do I recover from this tomorrow?

Asha said straight-up she wasn’t looking for more. I’m the stupid one who is feeling so much more than I should be for a one-night stand. Because that’s what this is, isn’t it?

Another clap of thunder sounds outside, but for the first time it actually sounds that little bit farther away.

“What was that?” Asha asks, sounding a little confused.

“Just thunder,” I say, mumbling a little.

“Not that, what was that… you know, between us?”

“Amazing.” One word is all that’s needed

“Agreed.” Her head feels a little heavier on my chest as we lie there, our bodies wrapped together, and finally Asha seems peaceful just listening to the chaos outside.

The storm outside sounds wild, but I’m sure there is much more electricity in here and certainly untamed.

I’m so screwed.

There is one thing about storms that always remains true.

As fast as it arrives with all its pent-up energy, it disappears just as quickly, taking with it the moment in time that’s been crafted by the force of nature but can never be exactly replicated.

A single moment etched in history.

For some it’s monumental, and yet for others, it’s a passing blip that is forgotten in a second.

I’ll never know… am I the monumental moment or just the blip in time?

With the sound of the storm leaving us hours ago, the darkness of night has set in. The power hasn’t returned yet, and to be honest, it could be a day or so depending on the damage. With all the fear and adrenaline rush Asha has gone through, she’s finally fallen asleep in my arms, relaxed, with a sweet little snore.

As for Coco who is still lying on the floor next to the bed, she’s now snoring louder than the storm that just swept through.

I wish I could close my eyes and sleep, but I can’t. Insomnia has been my best friend for years. When I moved back to North Carolina a while ago, I used to pace my house at stupid hours of the night, but I’ve now gone back to reading. When I was a child, and then as a teenager, I had a hunger for words and the stories of the far corners of the world. I started with wizards and dragons but finished with crime thrillers that I love to try to solve before the last clue is revealed. But life got in the way and I became too busy to find the time to pick up a book.

When I bought my beach house and finally unpacked some of the boxes I had been storing in my parents’ attic, I found some of my favorite paperbacks. I hadn’t realized how much I missed that part of my life. So, in my home office, I have a bookshelf now where they all sit and remind me of a simpler time in life.

Paperbacks aren’t my go-to anymore, but it’s still nice to have the memories held in them. These days I read e-books and love that I can be reading wherever and whenever I want to. Which is my problem now.

Tonight’s chain of events left me without my phone. Well, to be honest, I’m without anything but a pair of wet sandy shorts that have dog hair all over them. Everything else is in my truck down in the parking lot. Besides the fact I don’t want to leave Asha, the rain is pelting down outside, and I don’t feel like getting drenched for the second time today.

Instead, I’m lying here trying to think of how I’m going to handle the morning.

So many scenarios are running through my head.

Asha could wake up and be embarrassed with how forward she was—which was so fucking hot, by the way.

Or she might just chat away, telling me thanks for the night and see you around the beach.

Either way, I can’t see her wanting me hanging around after she wakes.

I should be concerned by this, but I know it has to be like that. I can’t have a relationship with her. It’s just not what I need or can manage at the moment. So, while I lie here and enjoy a few more hours of her beautiful naked body wrapped around mine, I’m going to think of how to say what needs to be said, to let her off the hook and not sound like a douchebag.

Or maybe I’ll just lie here instead, and dream of all the things I’d love to do with this naked, sexy-as-fuck woman.

The second option is way more appealing.

I’m not sure how or when it happened, but sometime during the night, I must have drifted off to sleep. I’m sure it’s the heat of Asha lying with one arm and leg draped over my body that has me waking up in a sweat. That or the fact that I’ve woken up in a bed that’s not mine, with a fully naked woman that I met and fucked into a peaceful slumber within an hour of saying my first words to her.

Seriously, what the fuck is wrong with me?

That’s not my style at all, yet I willingly, or more to the point, couldn’t stop myself from taking her and enjoying listening to her screaming my name. Now I’ve gotten myself into all sorts of complicated shit, and I need to work out what the hell I’m