Stupid. Sexy. Asshole...

Chapter 36: Violets, Liliac and White Lillies

Right, so I quite desperately want to just finish this book- the next chapters should be far more exciting, hopefully, for those of you who are confused- well, oops *giggles nervously* sorry about that, it's supposed to be a little confusing, but hopefully not so insanely annoying that you jst give up, it's kind of just a bit more subtle, there are some clues, perhaps not right your face or anything, but the last chapter was supposed to kind of build a littleplatform for a more well-rounded reveal, which will come, probabaly over the next fw cha[ters, fingers crossed I don't delay that, YIKES, well that was long and boring... it's too early for me to functio as a normal human... zombie santa out.

Vote? COMMENT! FOLLOW?! (fan, follow, argh they changed it huh? also as much as watty looks cooler and neater in the "my works" section, why the fuck are some of  my chapters now not published... ugh, forget it, I don't care, i'm going to go chomp on people's brai- I mean sleep, i need sleep)

Chapter 36:

Present

Hot as coals, burning. My skin heats at his touch and I shy away from his fingertips giving him a warning look.

His mouth curls to one side, a dimple peeks out then disappears in a moment, his eyes warm with mirth and wickedness.

My eyes widen, wary of his intentions as I duck out of the kitchen to the dining room where the ranch hands begin to sit, rubbing their eyes and yawning intermittently. I don't look back, instead I straighten my shoulders, exuding a coldness I don't feel, my face still a little hot.

Tensions had been running a little high around the ranch, the long awaited "hoedown" was finally coming up in a little less than a week, although no one seemed all too excited about it anymore. Seth and I had decided to keep our distance, or at least maintain a farce of it. The steel of Adonis' gaze between the two of us made aloofness the safer option.

And now, this was the hard part. The pretending. The fear and thrill and aching of it all. He'd pull me into a corner, catch me about the waist and kiss me, secret, stolen kisses that left my heart beating a little too fast. Much too fast.

To the rest of them though, we'd grown apart, our rapid hot and cold relationship all too familiar with them to question much of it. Well, except Adonis, although he is a detective, one hell of a fucking shady one at that though.

Sometimes I'd wake up at night and roll onto my side to see Adonis and May whispering in hushed, hurried tones by her bed on the other side of the room. One night, she'd been crying, trying to pull away from him, he'd caught her wrists, the bright flash of his teeth close to her face. Not liking what I saw I had coughed and made a show of 'waking up' which quickly caused his retreat from the room.

I heard her still crying hours later. I pretended to sleep and sleep and sleep.

I don't want to pretend anymore. I need to talk to May, psychotic bitch or not.

A prickle of unease buds inside my stomach, unfurling to the beat of my pulse as I catch Adonis studying me from the far end of the table. Dan apparently notices too since he's sitting next to me and proceeds to glare in Adonis' direction for a good five minutes, by which time Seth finally comes out of the kitchen and seats himself directly opposite me; Adonis' dark eyes move to him instead.