Whispers on the Wind Chapter 3

Late in the evening, Pa Nyia was on the bed facing the wall and Nxtoua was on the ground staring up at the ceiling. She could still make out his facial features by the light of the moon from the curtains. The rain was still going on strong and she was staring at him. All thoughts of her father had been washed clean by his presence. It then occurred to her about how his mother had been so upet this morning. Taking a deep breath, she decided to ask.

“Your mother was worried about you. You disappeared,” Pa Nyia said.

He laughed. “Don't worry about me, princess. I can take care of myself.”

“I'm sure you can. I just thought...I thought your father wasn't in your life anymore.”

When he spoke next, his voice was thick with emotion. “He isn't. He comes around from time to time, but that doesn't mean he's in my life.”

“I'm sorry. It must have been hard not having a father.”

“I'd rather have a good father who supports me than have one around who doesn't know I even exist.”

She bit her lip and shrugged her shoulders. “I guess you're right. I should know.”

The sound of shuffle was heard. “You know?”

“Yes.”

“How, princess?”

She frowned. “Why do you call me princess?”

He laughed. “Isn't it obvious?”

“Not to me.”

“You're spoiled.”

She gasped and sat up. She tossed the pillow at him and she heard a surprised gasp. She smiled, but was shocked when he tossed it back to her and it hit her in the face. Angry, she sat up and drew her hands high up to him harder, but she didn't judge how far she was on the edge and she fell off the bed. She landed not on the ground, but on top of Nxtoua. She stared into his eyes and all breathing stopped. She felt his heart beat underneath her palms and felt every inch of muscle rise with his breathing. His hands were on her arms and she was straddling him in a much too intimate position. She opened her mouth to apologize, but he beat her.

“My, princess, if I had known you were this willing, I'd have slept on the bed with you.”

Pa Nyia screamed and slapped his chest with her hands. He laughed as she stood up and turned to leave. But in the darkness, she tripped over his legs and she gasped as she fell right back into his arms. He laughed harder and before she knew it, she was cursing out loud at him. And to her surprise, he slammed his lips against hers. When he pulled away from her, Pa Nyia felt her lips on fire. She was breathing hard, her hands locked around his neck, and her heart slamming against her rib. She was shaking inside and out as she unlocked her hands from his neck.

“Why'd you kiss me?” she whispered.

“It was the only way to shut you up,” he replied.

Anger shot through her and she tried to push away from him, but he tightened his grip on her. “Let me go.”

“No.”

His stern voice frightened her and when she tried again, he grabbed her waist and in one instant, had her pinned underneath him. She saw his eyes glimmering and she felt on fire where his skin could touch hers.

“Please,” she whispered.

“I haven't done anything yet, princess. Why would you beg me?”

She blushed, thankful for the dark so he couldn't see it. “I'm not someone you can take and then leave in the morning.”

“I have never thought of you in that way.”

When he lowered himself, she shut her eyes, but when she didn't feel his lips on hers, she opened her eyes to find he was looking at her. Blushing again, she swallowed as he slowly lifted himself up and helped her up. She got up and rushed to the bed as he chuckled and laid down again. Once safe in the bed, her fingers trailed to her lips and felt them. It still burned where he'd kiss her and she smiled.

Nxtoua slept poorly. The sounds that came from the bed above him drove him crazy with needed passion. Each time she switched positions, she'd make a little sound like a kitten purring. It drove him wild and at one point, he thought he'd wake her up and kiss her senseless so she'd stop making those damn sounds. Now she was sleeping with one leg over the bed and he noticed how slender it was. That leg was too damn good to be hanging over the bed; it'd looked much better drapped over his shoulder. He smiled, thinking of his stolen kiss last night. He hadn't expected to kiss her and when he did, he never expected to feel the way he did. It was as if fireworks were slamming into his brain, making him see color for the first time. He'd kiss women before, but had never experienced that before. It frightened him a bit; at the same time, it also excited him.

Unable to sleep anymore, he got up and walked to the shower. He turned on cold water, lord knew he needed that, and showered. When he was done, wrapped a towel around his waist and walked out to find her gone. Water dripping from his hair and body, he looked around the room and realized the card key on the table was gone. Cursing, he dropped the towel and bent down to grab his pants when the door open. He heard Pa Nyia's scream before he could see her.

“Why are you naked?” she cried as the door slammed shut.

He turned around and jammed each leg into the pant leg as quickly as possible and saw that she'd covered her eyes with her hand. In one hand, there was an ice bucket. He laughed and picked up the towel.

“All clear, princess,” he said.

She removed her hand. “Haven't you ever heard of dressing behind closed doors?”

“I was behind closed doors for your information. I thought you ran off.”

She set the ice bucket down and sighed heavily. “Why would I do that?”

“You tell me.”

She frowned and walked past him into the bathroom. He smiled and ran his hands through his hair. What a start to this day. He tossed the towel on the bed when he heard her screaming in the bathroom. He flung open the door and walked in as she had the shower curtain around her.

“Get it out!” she cried.

“What's wrong?”

“There's a spider in the tub!”

“Ok, so get out so I can get it.”

She blushed. “I can't. I'm naked.”

He smiled. “You saw my butt, princess. It's only fair that I see yours.”

“Are you crazy?! Just get the damn spider out of here.”

He crossed his arms. “How? If you're in there, how can I get it without taking a peek at you?”

“Nxtoua!” she cried.

Laughing, he walked to the tub and she gathered the shower curtain around her. The rings of the shower were cluttered together tightly. He looked around the tub and saw the spider at the base of the tub. It was crawling closer and closer to her small feet. He looked up at her and saw her frightened eyes.

“It's so small,” he said.

She glared at him with wide eyes. “Can you just get rid of it, please?!”

“It's crawling towards your feet-”

Before he could finish his words, she ripped the shower curtain down and came crashing out of the tub toward him. He caught her and held her as she screamed.