Taint (Formerly Claimed) Dark Midnight 1

Chapter 22

            Still, she couldn’t help but glance back at the foyer with a shudder, as she pushed the front door open and slipped onto the porch. 

            The air was icy and still, like a slap to the face.  She winced as she took the porch steps two at a time and trudged through the snow to the main road.  The ice stung at her bare legs almost making her regret the outfit choice…    

Almost.  Because the look Eliot was giving her through the car’s dark glass made it oh so worth it.

His eyes bulged.  His jaw tightened.  He stared as she shakily mounted the curb. 

Though Miriam was willing to admit that it could have something to do with the fact that a bright red Christmas dress hung down to her knees, paired with her purple rain boots. 

It was on old thing back from the years they used to spend the holidays at the fancy business parties of her Dad’s professional colleagues.  It was a deep, burgundy scarlet with long silky sleeves and a sheer neckline that danced around her throat.

She hadn’t worn it in ages and it was slightly too small. In hindsight, she didn't even know why she put it on; impulse?

 The desire to make him stare?

Shatter that icy cool?

Though, as her legs began to tremble, she realized that maybe a fall dress in the middle of winter wasn't such a good idea?

            But, she was forced to admit that even the icy chill biting at her wrists was so worth it just to see that look.

Their eyes met, like burning embers meeting coal. 

She saw shock in them, and confusion…along with something else that made her very glad that inches of glass and metal separated them now. 

She didn’t like the way he eyed at the bared flesh of her throat.  

Or maybe she did…?

It was getting so hard to think straight with him staring like that.  Thankfully, the closer she came, the harder he tried to pretend that he wasn’t.

           He ripped his gaze down to the steering wheel, fingers clenching around the leather as if he wasn’t sure what to do with it.  In the end, he settled for bracing his hands against the dash as she drew level with the passenger-side window.  He didn’t look up even as she marched past in her heavy boots.

            So, she kept walking.  She could feel the back of her neck prickle, but she didn’t stop even as she heard a car door open and slam shut behind her.  Heavy footsteps approached. 

  Slam!

Thump, thump, THUMP!

Eyes straight ahead, she focused just on moving forward.  One foot in front of the other.  Just one foot in front of the other.…

            “What the hell are you doing?”  The hiss accompanied the cold hand clamped around her wrist that spun her around so harshly she nearly fell. 

            Thankfully someone’s hard chest was there to brace herself against—a ‘someone’ who was so cold they almost felt like ice.  Shakily, she tilted her head back and came eye-level with a face so handsome it stole her breath away…

            Crowned by two perfectly intense amber eyes. 

            “What are you doing?”  Eliot repeated, yanking her back by her wrist once she regained her balance.