Air: Elementalist Book 1 by Rebecca Wolf (christmas read aloud .TXT) 📗

“Done,” I said. “I give you my word that this will stay between us.”  I called Penny over and briefly explained the situation. Penny took him to fill out the paperwork and show him what his job would entail. I let out a mournful sigh. I wished that I could feel surprised or horrified, but all I could muster was depressed resignation. This happened here far too frequently for me to be surprised. I mentally made a note to stop by his house and check on his mother and siblings.

Wednesday night rolled around. Everyone had left, and Aiden was gathering up the last of the bowls. I emptied the big dish tub and refilled it with soap and hot water from the urn. It was always easier to clean up after soaking all the bowls and utensils for a bit. I was exhausted. It had been a long day. We were still getting harassed and threatened at the bar, and it was taking a serious toll on us. Today three young idiots had pelted the inside wall of the bar with a whole carton of raw eggs before we could chase them off, and Penny and I had spent the last half hour cleaning it up before it could fully dry.

I sighed with pleasure as my hands dipped into the warm soapy water. It was definitely a new low when the chore of washing dishes suddenly felt like I was taking “me time”. I needed a vacation, and stat. Maybe I could convince Penny to close the bar for a couple days so we could take a break.

As I began washing the bowls, I slowly slipped into one of those lucid dreams, not quite awake, not quite asleep. I was in the bathtub, naked, bubbles just peeking over my nipples. And suddenly Aiden was there. His large, muscular form took up most of the bathtub, his legs overlapping mine. I reached out a hand on impulse and felt his skin, silky, wet beneath my fingertips. I lathered soap between my hands and slowly rubbed it in slow circular motions onto his body, starting at his chest, going up to the tendons of his neck, stroking him down along his muscled shoulders and back, past his taut abs to the v ridge where his pants normally met his hip bones, I reached below the water to feel his-

“Need any help with that,” Aiden asked me, almost giving me a heart attack.

“What?” I squealed, voice at a higher pitch than usual.

 “Relax, it just looked like you were having a tough time cleaning those dishes.”

“You want to clean them?” I asked over my shoulder, feeling irritated and flustered by his timely interruption.

“If you need the help, you know all you have to do is ask,” he said, stripping off his t-shirt. Ok, this right here was the reason I was having all these dirty thoughts about him. Seriously, he needed to start keeping his shirt on. I made to move out of his way, but he sidestepped me, caging me against the sink, his arms sliding down mine as he began soaping the dishes. He had to bend slightly over me to reach the sink, and his bare shoulder pressed against my cheek. His heady scent of cloves and pepper seemed to envelop me. TOO CLOSE!TOO CLOSE! my mind shrieked, as a delicious mixture of arousal and alarm seared through me. The industrial sized kitchen suddenly felt too hot, and too small.

“Back off, Aiden,” I said forcefully, proud that my brain was still calling the shots.

“Is that what you really want?” he whispered in my ear.  I shivered involuntarily. He put his wet hands on my shoulders and turned me around to face him “Look me in the eye.” He said as he tilted my face up to his. My gaze rose to meet his, “you want me.”  he stated, his eyes heated and filled with surety.

Is this another daydream, I wondered frantically. “I-” I started, not sure what I was going to respond. He growled and lowered his lips to mine, soft and full of heat. I was not fully ready for the need that pierced through me. It went all the way to my toes, causing me to arch up into him until his bare chest met with mine. His hands threaded through my hair, cupping the back of my head. This is happening too fast, a small part of me thought in panic. I don’t even really know this guy! All thoughts became drowned out by the chanting of yes! More! playing on a weird base loop in my head.

All the teasing of the past two months had created a sexual vortex of need that his hands and his mouth were promising to fulfill. He slowly withdrew, his jaw clenching as he gave me a piercing stare that felt like it wrenched at my very soul. Now THAT is a hot look, I thought dazedly.

His face slowly transformed with a knowing smirk, breaking the moment, “Available for me after all,” he breathed, his forehead still pressed against my own.

“What?-oh you ass,” I said, remembering my first words to him. I reared my head back from his and reached out blindly next to me on the counter. My hand finally grasping a still-full water pitcher and I dumped it on him.

“I hope you enjoyed that, because it’s as wet as you’ll ever get from me.” I spat, moving away quickly in a temper,

He pushed his wet hair out of his face. “Wait, Zephyr, he said, grabbing at my arm with his other hand, “I was just teasing.”

I jerked my arm out of his grasp, “I don’t like jokes that make me feel sexually vulnerable.”

“Duly noted, it won’t happen again.”

I nodded stiffly crossing my arms in front of my chest.

 “So,” he said, “I’m going to take you on a date.”

 “A date?” I asked incredulously.

“Yes, Zephyr, a date. It’s when two people who are attracted to