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

probably commando under those shorts. I can never tell if you even have underwear on under those towels when you’re stripping off…” Her hand rushes to cover her mouth and the blushed cheeks from a few moments ago are now bright ruby red.

I can’t help but burst out laughing. It makes my dick pay way too much attention to what she’s saying, but watching her rambling is just adorable.

“Shit, can I make myself look like any more of an idiot today?”

“Come on, it’s a little funny. I’ve been watching you from the surf, and now I know you’ve been watching me from afar too. And to answer your question…”

“NO!” Asha yells and puts her hand up to signal me to stop. “Don’t tell me. It will just make this more awkward than I’ve already made it. I’m going to dry off and change, while I leave you to try to dry yourself as much as you can. I don’t have any clothes for you, sorry.” She turns and walks down the hallway away from me.

I’m kind of glad there are no guys’ clothes in this house. Not that it’s any of my business, but it just keeps me from even thinking about her with someone else. Besides, I’m not telling her that I would be more than happy to get out of these wet shorts for her and just hang around in a towel until they dried. Because that’s just asking for trouble.

Luckily, they’re boardshorts, so they’ll be dry in no time.

Waiting for Asha to come back out, I stand looking out the windows down to the ocean and my lone truck in the parking lot. Her house is situated on the edge of the beach and on the parcel of land that starts to stretch out to the ocean to form the headland. It’s higher than all the land around it, so it’s an amazing view from here, of both the beach and the parking lot. I wonder how many times she’s stood here and watched me coming and going, or even my stripping clothes off after work.

I think I’m getting a little too wrapped up in my own ego here. I need to start prepping her house for the storm that could hit later on tonight. She should be safe from the storm surge up this high, but the windows and outdoor furniture could be an issue.

I’m contemplating running down to get some rope and tape from my truck, but the thought is short-lived when the next clap of thunder booms loudly and the lightning hits a power pole down the road near the entrance to the parking lot. Sparks are flying and the lights flicker in the house, before we’re plunged into darkness.

Asha’s scream from down the hall. Rushing to her in a house I don’t know, in the dark, is difficult. I’m only getting the occasional small amount of light as each bit of sheet lightning streaks across the sky.

“Asha, keep calling out so I can follow your voice,” I bellow towards the direction I know she is.

“Kurt, I’m scared. Kurt, where are you? Please hurry.” It sounds like she’s on the left side of the hallway, and I start moving down the hall with my hands on the wall, until I almost fall as I hit something with my legs. The fur gives her away.

“Coco, where is she? Take me to her.” Feeling along her back, I grab her collar and she starts to move.

Asha’s crying gets louder.

“Kurt!” she yells again as I feel the door where I think the voice is coming from. Opening up the door just as another flash is lighting up the sky, I see Asha curled in a ball on the floor in the corner of her room—wearing nothing but underwear and clutching the towel she had been using to dry herself. Trying to memorize where the bed is, I edge forward, still hanging onto Coco until I’m close.

Letting go of the dog’s collar, I reach down, taking Asha’s hands in mine, as we get another glow of light through the window. Her eyes are wide open and completely petrified. She’s shivering, and I’m not sure it’s from being cold or the fear, or both. I’m not taking any chances, though.

“I’ve got you, Asha. Trust me. I promise I won’t hurt you.” Not waiting for her reply, I slip my hands under her knees and behind her back and lift her up into my arms as I stand. She is light as a feather. Half the weight of her damn dog. Her breathing is rapid, and the tears are still falling. I slowly shuffle backwards in little steps until I feel the back of my knee hit her bed, and I turn and lower Asha down onto it.

“No, Kurt, don’t leave me alone,” she cries.

“I’m not going anywhere. I need to get you warmed up.” Pulling the towel from her hands and feeling for a blanket at the end of the bed, I’m in luck when I feel something soft.

“I’m going to put this blanket over you to keep you warm, and I’m going to get rid of these wet shorts and wrap the towel around myself, okay?” She doesn’t reply, but in the next bit of light we get, I see her white knuckles hanging onto the blanket for dear life, tucked under her chin.

Waiting for the next black patch, I drop my shorts and wrap the towel around me, then climb onto the bed next to her. Making sure the blanket is completely covering her, I contemplate how she will react if I ask her can I hold her to calm her down.

Before I can get the words out, Asha has shifted sideways, as soon as I laid down with her, pulling her arms out from under the blanket and throwing them around my waist. She plasters her body to mine and hangs on to me like her life depends on it. Wrapping my arms around her as