Behind Closed Curtains (Desires of the Forbidden)

Chapter 7

"Leah, Kaleb," he called, gaining both of our attentions as we swiveled on our feet, bringing us face to face with Dave's aggravated face.

"Jesus, it's like Ice town over there. I need you guys to get with it and start acting like the couple you're supposed to be in this scene. You're at a museum looking at art, so act like you're in a museum looking at art instead of trying to freeze each other out. You're in love. Act like it, please."

Dave's eyes were on us as he finished, his eyebrows raised in a challenging manner, daring us to speak out against him.

Neither of us did. I nodded my head at Dave, mumbling out my apology.

"Thank you," Dave said with a brisk nod and went back to working with Meg and Jackson.

I could feel the bundle of nerves start to roll around in my stomach as I turned back to Kaleb. His lips were pursed, his jaw tensed, and I could tell he was annoyed with me.

Yet, he remained professional enough as he reined in his emotions and held his hand out to me.

Oh no. I'm not in character right now.

My mind started to swarm as I tried to conceive some plausible way out of any physical contact. My eyes were trained on his outstretched hand, staring at it as if wishing that it would simply fall off and I would never have to touch it.

"Leah."

My name was but a sharp whisper coming from Kaleb's lips. My wide eyes settled on his as I tried to look as if I wasn't having a complete mental breakdown inside.

"We're a couple." He wriggled his hand out to me again, signally me to grab for it.

"Uh, yeah," I replied in a wispy voice, the terror ramming around inside of me stealing away most of my volume.

I had no other choice.

As slowly as I could, I raised my trembling hand towards his steady one. I watched with cautious eyes as his hand went to grab mine, bracing myself for the contact.

An embarrassing, audible gasp pushed through my lips when his hot hand enveloped mine.

"Holy shit. You're freezing," Kaleb cursed out as he laced his warm fingers through mine, his heat radiating through to my skin as he brought his other hand up to place over my hand as well.

Now, both of his hands were encased around my much smaller one, warming me through and through with his touch. He ran his thumbs over my knuckles in an attempt to warm them.

His actions, as comforting as they were meant to me, had my stomach flipping and my mind thrashing about, crying to wretch my hand from his hold.

This was too much.

"You're shivering, Peaches," he said, his voice deep and concerned.

And then he moved his arm. My entire body stiffened, the muscles in my shoulders tensing as I sensed what he intended on doing.

A pathetic whimper left my throat as Kaleb's entire arm came around my shoulder, pulling my considerably smaller body into his massive one. I felt his free hand splay out over the small of my back, pulling my body into his chest as he wrapped me in his warm embrace.

I felt like screaming. I had never been this close to anybody in the last two years that hadn't been Zach, and I hated it just as much when Zach and I were this close.

 I couldn't handle it. I could feel it coming. Myheart was thrumming wildly and working its way up my throat, lodging itselfthere and constricting my air flow, causing panic to ensue