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“Not just you,” she laughed. “Say it. We smell like sex.”
“Yes, we smell like sex, but you also smell like me. Iridescents emit a strong odor, it’s primal. I hope you don’t mind.”
“Mind? I love it, hmmm, so sensual like—sandalwood, yes,” she whispered, “sandalwood. That’s exactly what you smell like.”
He kissed her again just as the house fell to darkness and the music stopped.
“Well now,” he sighed heavily, “that’s a good excuse for being out all night. We lost power. Now answer your phone.”
Donja rose to her feet, nude with her locks falling softly. She fumbled in her purse and found her phone. She tucked her hair behind her ears, leaning into the fireplace for light, fingers flying over the screen. “Darn, she sighed, there’s no signal, the tower must be down.”
“Hmm,” he moaned with a furrowed brow. “We’ve broken all the rules, first the Council and now your mother. Let’s get you home, there’s gonna be hell to pay—from both.”
~~~
Pulling up to Hampton Manor in Torin’s black Land Rover which luckily, they used for the trip back for the roads were near impassable with downed trees, powerlines and debris, Donja glanced to the clock. Six fifty a.m.
Damn.
Lisa and Carson met them at the door.
“This is unacceptable, Torin!” Lisa blurted. “How dare you keep her out all night.”
“She tried to call you,” Torin sighed, his voice a bit rueful, “but the winds were dangerous and unfortunately, we lost power. My landline was dead and even the towers were down so our cells were useless.” He met Lisa’s fury, attempting to disarm it. “I’m sorry that you were worried, I fully understand, but I had to keep her safe, so we waited it out.”
“We lost power here about two a.m.,” Carson said, “it was quite the storm.”
“You can say that again,” Torin replied.
Donja swallowed hard. “He’s right, Mom,” she said, “it was just too dangerous to try and get back. I’m sorry I worried you, but I want you to know that I’m safe with Torin,” she whispered, unable to control her eyes which strayed back to his face. They shared a look, which seemed to linger a bit too long and sensing Lisa’s anxiety, Torin broke the tether. “Mr. Hampton, you have several trees down on your drive and I had to drive through the meadows and a ravine to get here.”
“Oh wow,” Carson said. “Is it passable?”
“Not without danger and you’ll need four-wheel drive, but if you’ll grab your chainsaw, I’ll help you clear it out.”
Carson scratched his head. “I don’t have one.”
“No problem, I brought mine just in case. Come on, I’ll help you and the good news is you’ll have a nice stack of firewood for the winter.”
“Thanks,” Carson said as he and Torin headed toward the Land Rover.
Watching them leave, Donja turned to Lisa and without warning, hugged her. “Mom,” she whispered, “I’m in love.”
“In love, oh honey,” she said painfully. “Are you sure of that?”
“Yes, yes, yes,” Donja beamed, bouncing up and down, “hopelessly, beyond the shadow of a doubt in love. Oh, Mom,” she gushed, “I can’t live without him…I just can’t.”
Shocked, Lisa hugged her tight, eight hours of walking the floors worried beyond words, fading. She fought her tears then pulled back studying her face. She swallowed hard, brushing Donja’s locks from her cheek. They locked eyes and in that moment with unspoken words flowing between them, Donja shivered. “I love him,” she whispered softly.
Lisa exhaled. “I can see that,” she said with a near whisper, “and I don’t like it. It’s scaring the life out of me.”
“Be happy for me, Mom, please, I love you.”
Lisa hugged her tight, sobbing, and after the longest time, she whispered, “I’ll try, it’s just the age differences, it scares me, not just you and Torin, but Gage and Makayla. I love you both…I just don’t want either of you hurt.”
Inside the house with light afforded by candles, Lisa and Donja sat in the golden glow drinking coffee while a silver coffee pot atop the propane stove percolated.
“I didn’t even know you had one of those old-fashioned coffee pots,” Donja said.