Chapter 14
Even amidst the damp chill of autumn, the sun managed to peek out from behind the clouds as Texas and I drove towards the downtown Charleston market. The buildings passed as we headed over the Charleston-Mount Pleasant Bridge, the morning sun rising as joggers ran past puffing their breaths as music pounded in their ears. Texas reached over the front seat console and found my hand with his. Though I didn't look at him, I let his fingers twine through mine, closed my eyes and released abreath.
Though I had managed to get back to sleep the night before, I was still a bittired.
"Princess," he chastised. I ducked my head and pressed the top of my hairline against the window, avoiding his gaze as I stared over the marshes. "Spider-Monkey?" I grumbled a non-response. "Harlow,” he saidfirmly.
Finally, I turned and looked at him. "What are you worried about?" he asked. "This is supposed to be a day off, a date. Just you and me. No Teddi. Nothingelse."
I shrugged and leaned the back of my head against the headrest of the SUV's front passenger seat. "I know you want me to just stop thinking about it, but that's a lot easier said than done," Ireplied.
"The guys are working on it," Texas assured me. "We contacted the PI who followed us and Marv is taking care of it. For today, just do me onefavor."
I looked at him, outlining the side of his face with my eyes as he kept his head forward for the drive. "What's that?" Iasked.
"Just focus on me," he replied. "Try to smile. This is my first real date with you, I hope you realize." Texas' head turned and he grinned at me. "I'm kinda hoping to make a long-lasting impression onyou."
Texas' grin was infectious and even through my concern and the remnants of my nightmare the night before still lingered in the back of my mind, I felt myself smiling back. "You’ve already made a long-lasting impression on me, Texas,” I said. “But okay, I’ll try—foryou.”
His smile widened and he nodded decisively. "Good, then. I think we'rehere."
I blinked and looked towards the road. I hadn't even noticed when he'd gotten off the interstate, but he was right. The roads were just as crowded as they always were. People in straw hats and light sweaters milling about on the cobblestone streets and sidewalks. Tourists taking pictures in front of iron gates that closed off antiquated homes that spoke of centuriespast.
"Where do you want to go first?" I asked as Texas found a parking spot and pulledin.
"I thought the market place might make for a good start," he replied as he killed the SUV's engine and unbuckled his seatbelt. “That’s why we’re hereanyway.”
I unbuckled my seatbelt as well, reaching for thedoor.
"Harlow," he said, stoppingme.
I turned back and for a moment, all I saw were twin dark orbs coming at me as Texas leaned close and pressed his mouth to mine. My eyes slid closed all on their own and I relaxed into the kiss, kissing him back with just as much fervor as he was showingme.
My heart hammered against my chest as his hands came up to cup the back of my head. He held me to him as his lips slid over mine with an innocence that belied the way his tongue intruded. I shuddered as his tongue touched mine, but I didn't shy away. I wanted it. I wanted him. Texas kissed me like I was precious to him and I wanted to kiss him the same way. I wanted to kiss him in a way that showed him how much he meant to me, how he was never less than the others, how I cared for him—loved him—just asmuch.
His fingers against my scalp made my head tingle as I reached up and clutched his loose t-shirt in my fist. The fabric slid between my fingers as I latched on. I gasped against his mouth when he pulled back slightly. No. I wasn't ready to let go yet. I wasn't ready to stop. I followed his mouth over the console of the SUV, half-climbing over the gear shift as I kept my lips pressed to his. He made a sound of surprise, but when he realized I wasn't done, he renewed his kissing withenthusiasm.
"Harlow..." My name whispered on his breath made my stomach tighten. I moaned, the sound a quiet, rough noise in the interior of the car and he renewed his efforts, pressing his lips back against mine and devouring my senses as he rocked me back, his hands on my spine—between the fabric of my clothes and the steeringwheel.
By the time we finally did pull away—more for the fact that I needed to breathe rather than any notion of wanting to stop—we were both panting hard. My chest rose and fell and Texas' eyes went to it almost immediately before he looked away as a blush rose to hischeeks.
"Ready to go?" he asked, releasing me as he reached for the door handle. He didn't let me reply as he got out. I watched him walk around to my side of the car with a brief moment of lust-fueled confusion before I realized what he was doing and promptly rushed to get back over to my side of the car. Texas reached my door, grasping the handle and popping it open just in time. I took his offered hand and jumped out, letting the door close behind me as I adjusted myclothing.
This time, as we moved towards the street, I reached for his hand and took it in mine. He seemed a little surprised, but more than happy as he held it in his and squeezed. We set off for the Charleston market and I promised myself that I would truly try to do as he asked today. I would put Teddi from my mind and focus onhim.
"Hey look! Ice cream!" Texas tugged me in the direction of an upscale, name-brand ice cream shop and from then on, for the next few hours, it was as though he'd turned into a buzzing bee—flitting from one store to the next. From one shop stall to the next, pulling me along with him. I was caught up in the whirlwind that was Texas. We passed people—adults and children alike—sitting on cornerstones, wrapping straw into roses. We ate ice cream. We held hands. We listened to street musicians, and we flipped through different shops, through posters and books and fabrics of allkinds.
"See, I told you today would be fun," Texas said as he grinned while I sifted through a stall of handmadeclothes.
"I never said it wouldn't be," I replied coolly, even though I tried to hide my responding grin while I leaned forward and pressed my face between the hanging fabrics as though I were looking at a design veryclosely.
I blinked when a bright blue and pink dress caught my eyes. I grabbed the top hanger that held it and pulled it out. The thing was long, all the way down to the tops of my toes and even still an inch remained against the ground as I held it up to my chest. Blue, the color of sapphires glimmered as the silky fabric fluttered in the autumn wind that blew through the outdoormarketplace.
"That's pretty," Texas said as he moved closer to inspect thedress.
At the end, little petals of pink flowers had been sewn to look as though they were falling in a circle around the length of the dress. It was magnificent, is what it was. "I think it's a multiwear thing," I said, noting the looseness of the top section. The strands that would hold the dress up could be twisted to make it off the shoulder, two straps, one, or even strapless. I considered the possibilities as I held itout.
Texas' eyes sparkled as he looked at me. "This would be the perfect thing for you to wear at the masquerade," hesaid.