My eyes fixate on a drop of water that is sliding from his hair, working its way down the column of his neck and running down his cheek.
“Seriously woman, I am not a piece of meat. If you don’t stop, I’ll have to return the favour,” his voice is husky and makes my stomach flip as my eyes slowly travel back up to his.
I blame the guys, they unlocked my hormones and have made it impossible for me to not think about sex. Even if it is wholly inappropriate.
“I think I better go for mine now,” I say as my cheeks heat and redden, and I snatch up a towel and try to make my way past him but he moves into the doorway and refuses to let me pass.
“Harrison, what are you doing?” I ask my voice breathy, almost sultry and that’s new territory for me.
His breathing falters slightly as he steps closer, his eyes clouding over before he shakes it off and moves out of the way, clearing his throat in the process.
“I won’t be long,” I say as I rush inside and jump in the shower. It’s now that I realise I didn’t bring any clothes with me, but I am not going back out there just yet, there is way too much tension in the air. Our chemistry is electric and I don’t want to think about how good it would be if we ever crossed that tenuous line we have between us. No, I won’t go there. My heart and body already belongs to three guys, I won’t throw a fourth into the mix.
WE MAKE it to the facility bright and early, the tension between us is getting worse and he looks at me as though I’m the worst person in the world to be stuck with.
We sit in the waiting room for a member of staff to take us to see Damon, getting them to believe Harrison was a family friend or at least his parents were, was easy enough. I feel a bit uneasy about lying on the sign in sheet, but it’s probably the safest option.
We get led to a garden area to see a guy in his twenties sitting in a wheelchair, staring into space but his eyes chill me. They’re so lifeless, almost as if there’s no one inside.
“Damon,” I say gently as I crouch down in front of him but he’s staring right through me.
“Does he ever speak?” Harrison asks the nurse and she looks at us with sympathy.
“He does have moments of awareness and clarity but it’s few and far between. Maybe today will be a good one for you,” she lays a gentle hand on his shoulder with a soft smile before walking away and giving us a semblance of privacy.
“I don’t know why we’re here, is this stupid?” I ask, looking up at Harrison as the voice of reason.
“Probably, it was your idea after all,” he says, spitting vitriol at me, great back to this how fun.
I meet Damon’s eyes and we stare at one another, but he’s so...empty. Until, he’s not and his eyes widen just a little as he takes me in. I go to move back a little but his hand grips my wrist tightly.
“Monterey!” He screams at me and I can’t get free, Harrison is trying to pry him off of me but it’s no use. “You’re dead!” His eyes are filled with fear but there’s nothing I can do.
A couple of nurses rush over and help to remove him and I’m in shock, why would he scream at me like that.
“Dead, dead, all dead,” he says it repeatedly, his voice growing quiet as they give him an injection and he slumps back into his chair.
We leave in a daze, the nurses apologise for what happened but they’ve never seen him do that before. I guess I bring it out of him, but what does it mean? And how did he know what my surname was?
“WELL, THAT WAS A WASTE OF TIME,” Harrison says mockingly and I really want to slap his smug face.
“Maybe not,” I say as I look out of the car window and think about how he screamed my name at me.
“There’s no way he could know who I am, but there’s only one other person who shared my eyes and that’s Elliott. I think he knew him, I just can’t see the connection yet. Do you think he looked angry?” I ask, hoping Harrison saw more as I was too preoccupied by the grip he had on me which has left finger marks on my skin.
“No, I think he looked scared. If I had to hazard a guess I don’t think he even saw you, I think he saw your brother. The way he screamed about you being dead, maybe this isn’t the first time he thinks he’s seen Elliott,” Harrison makes a good point, but it only raises further questions.
Did Elliott and this Damon guy know one another? And if so, were they enemies, acquaintances, friends or...something else?
“Earth to Henleigh, can we get going now?” He asks brusquely and I shake off the fog as I throw my car into gear and head back to the travel inn so we can grab our things.
“Can you turn your phone off please, the music is really irritating,” yes I’m filled with attitude right now, but he’s bringing it out of me.
“No can do love, that’s your phone,” he says being as smarmy as anything. I roll my eyes before pulling over and pulling my phone out.
Noah.
I guess Elijah has passed on my number, why do tears have to prick my eyes right now. With Harrison staring between me and my still ringing phone, can he see the havoc that is raging within me?