chapter 6
La Bise
The four of us were silent in Gavin’s Maserati, a somber mood filling the cramped space. In the last week, we’d all returned to Cafe Des Amis several times, went fishing and kayaking, and watched about a thousand movies, including all of Gavin’s favorite Hitchcock flicks. Before I was ready, it was time for Audrey to go back to Seattle, and I wasn’t the only one feeling the weight of her pending departure.
Gabe and Audrey sat in the backseat, her suitcase piled on Gabe’s lap, ready to sentence her back to Seattle. Helping her pack that morning, I tried convincing her to leave the Pacific Northwest and come live in the gator-infested swamps to be closer to Gabe and me. She rejected the idea, as I’d suspected she would. Then she gave me hell for retracting my promise to go to the police when she left. I reminded her that Andrew had forgotten about our date anyway, and that he hadn’t called since the night at Café Des Amis. Both true. I added that things would be safer now that Gavin was around, too, and that seemed to finally mollify her.
From the backseat, Gabe complained, “This thing doesn’t have much room, Gav. We should’ve taken my truck instead.”
“Deal with it,” Gavin snapped back. “Camille and I are going out after we drop Audrey off. I’d kind of like to have my ride with me, if you don’t mind.”
“God you guys, don’t hold back the enthusiasm or anything. Lighten up,” Audrey said, oddly upbeat considering the circumstances.
“How are you possibly in a good mood right now?” Gabe scrunched his face, looking annoyed.
She sighed. “Well excuse me, but I’d prefer to actually enjoy our last few minutes together instead of sulking about it.”
I raised my eyebrows at Gavin, then at Gabe. “She has a point, guys. Can we cool it with the dramatics? Please?”
“Thanks, Cam,” she said. “Put these boys in their place. Man, and guys say we’re the drama queens?”
I laughed, happily agreeing.
“Call it what you want,” Gavin said, “but you ought to be glad we’re the way we are. Like with that guy at the restaurant last week.”
She chuckled. “I believe that’s called over-protective, not over-dramatic.”
“Whatever, babe,” Gavin said, propping his hand on the armrest between us. “You have no idea what kind of scum these guys are, checking you out. It’s disgusting. We don’t have to guess what they’re thinking when they’re staring you girls down, believe me.”
I placed my hand on his arm and gave him a smile. He smiled and then shifted his eyes back to the road, but I saw anger in his balled-up fist as it moved to rest on the shifter. Maybe Audrey had hit a nerve. Maybe these guys were too sensitive. I glanced out the window, realizing I already missed my best friend.
From the airport, Gavin and I drove Gabe back to his place, then decided to grab dinner out on the way to my house. We made our way toward Saint Martinville with the windows rolled down, Breaking Benjamin blasting through the speakers. “For the record,” I called out, “this is one of the best songs ever. Great medicine.”
He turned the volume down as the song ended. “I always thought so. Quite epic.”
I nodded, relieved to have him to myself after the commotion from Audrey’s departure. I watched as we passed aphotic waves of a sugarcane field swaying gracefully, the night breeze pushing them into motion, luring me in.
Gavin remained quiet, his eyes on the dark stretch of road in front of us. I subtly examined him as he drove, loving the expression that swept over him whenever he stumbled off into thought. My curiosity burned, thirsty to know what he was thinking behind those dark chocolate eyes. His poker face gave no hints.
I felt the car slowing, then he glanced into the rearview mirror and gently steered the car off to the side of the road, putting it in to park. The only sound now was of crickets outside.
I shifted my body in my seat and looked around, confused. All I could see around us was the field and some trees, along with a breathtaking number of stars above us. The moon was full against the dark sky. The humidity began to suffocate me, but the silence that now filled the car demanded my attention.
“What’s wrong?” I practically whispered.
He sat casually in the driver’s seat and placed one arm on the armrest, then turned to look at me. “Do you always have to know what I’m thinking? I thought you were so good with silence.” He flashed his signature killer smile. “Please do explain.”
“It’s different. I don’t know. Your silence makes me uncomfortable. But in a good way. I mean, I want to know what you’re thinking. All the time. I don’t feel that way around other people. And you don’t exactly wear your emotions on your sleeve.”
“I don’t?”
“No.” I paused. “But you reveal a lot when you’re thinking.”
He didn’t break his stare, just motioned with his hands for me to continue.
I shrugged. “I mean, your silence says a lot. I can see you processing your thousands of thoughts ... see you analyzing them. But I can’t see the thoughts themselves. It makes me curious. Makes it harder to be quiet with you. I constantly want to hear you.” I realized I was rambling, so I waited for him to respond.
“That sounds like it’s frustrating for you,” he said. “Especially since I told you that your thoughts are transparent to me.”
“To say the least.” I laughed.
“If it makes you feel any better, I only meant I can see you’re genuine. It’s proof that you act and think exactly as you feel. And I like that.” He reached out in the darkness, and I felt him take my hand.
“Okay, but ... why did you stop again?”
“You’re relentless.”
“You’re dodging.”
“Well if you really must know, seeing you get all worked up about that song made me think about how crazy I am about you, that’s all.” He leaned toward me across the armrest, lifted his head slightly to peer at me, his faint smile making an inexcusable assault on my lungs. “And just think, it’s only a twenty-first-century rock band. What would you say if we listened to Mozart or Beethoven? I don’t know if I could handle an outburst of that proportion.”
“You wouldn’t have to.” I swallowed nervously, suddenly aware of his intention. “Beethoven? That expression of love can’t be verbalized.”
I knew it was coming, but his face being this close to mine was something I hadn’t had time to get used to. Each time his skin had touched mine before now, in even the minutest of ways, I became faint. Now the proximity of his mouth was making my heart pound straight out of my chest. I had never felt this way about anyone. It terrified me.
“You’re right,” he declared, nodding. “It’s only felt.” He leaned in farther, placed his hand on the side of my face, pulling me toward him. I didn’t flinch, as I so often did when Andrew touched me. Instead, I welcomed him. I was fiercely aware that the instant his mouth touched mine, I was no longer my own. He would love me or break me, the choice was his.
He slid his hand underneath my hair around the back of my neck. His fingertips glided over my skin, giving me goose bumps. Nope, definitely not the same chills Andrew gave me.
“Breathe, Camille,” he whispered. “I won’t bite.” He chuckled softly. “But I would like to kiss you.”
I let a small breath escape my unreliable lungs as I nodded. The soft collision of his lips on mine shocked me with a jolt of pure electricity. My thought of a moment before had been correct. There would be no more war permitted in my mind’s battlefield, for I had surrendered to being made his immortal captive.
Our lips parted and I lifted my hand to graze my fingers across the scar on his forehead. Looking into his eyes, my fresh existence inhaled, desperate for its first breath of air.
“Camille? You all right?” He sounded winded. No words yet.
“Camille. Talk to me. Are you all right love?” He looked concerned now.
Still nothing.
“Camille?” He grasped the sides of my face.
Finally, an alien on a new planet, I made my attempt at communication with the beautiful creature in front of me. “What are you?” I gasped, my eyes locked on his.
“Uh ... excuse me? What?” His look of concern turned to confusion.
“No human being can possibly have this effect on someone,” I repeated, still fascinated with my new discovery. “What are you?”
He backed away slowly, leaned back in the driver’s seat. “Camille, I didn’t know kissing you would ...” He hesitated at my smile, took a deep breath. “I mean, I didn’t know a human being could have that effect either.” He leaned back toward me, relaxed again. “You have no idea how good this feels.”
I laughed, more comfortable now with my foreign acquaintance. “Believe me, you couldn’t possibly be more surprised than me right now.”