Read Online September Storm by Brenda Jernigan - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Brenda Jernigan
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the game up for now. The way the wind is howling, the hurricane must be very close."
He glanced over his shoulder. "I think you're right."
After they put the game away, Dani walked over to the glass window and looked out while Adrian positioned a few candles around the room. “Oh my.” Dani’s hand flew to her mouth. All she could see was water. A mountain of water. And it was headed right for them! An involuntary scream slipped from her lips as a wave crashed on the deck and slapped against the glass doors. Pain shot through her head as a gush of saltwater doused her.
Adrian jerked her backward. "What the hell. Don't you know how dangerous glass can be during a storm?" Adrian spun her around. "Christ," he swore, holding her face between his hands. "You have a piece of glass in your head. Hold still."
The saltwater stung her eyes, causing her to blink several times. She winced. Adrian reached up and pulled a shard of glass out of her forehead as water sprayed in through the broken window.
Dani reached for the spot and felt sticky blood between her fingers. "How bad is it?"
"You could use a couple of stitches, but we're going to settle for a bandage." He took Dani’s hand and led her to the kitchen. He jerked open a door, grabbed a dishtowel and said, "Here. Hold this towel over your cut while I block up that hole before the ocean makes it bigger."
"Wait!" She grabbed his arm. "It's too dangerous. You just said so yourself."
"I know what I told you. But, as you can see, the water is coming in through that hole faster than I’ll be able to mop it up. If I leave it, it'll only get worse."
She held her breath while Adrian stuffed a towel in the hole, then took a thin cutting board and placed it over the hole. Another wave smacked the door, drenching him. He wiped the water from his face and tried again, holding the board in place with some wide, silver duct tape. He was losing the battle so Dani came to the rescue with a dry towel.
“I told you to stay in the kitchen!” When he saw that she wasn’t going to move, he added, “Jesus! You’re hard headed!”
“I know. Now hold the board and I’ll tape it.”
After several anxious minutes, he finished his task and once again they held the sea at bay. Adrian took a deep breath and said, “Thanks. Let’s get back to the safety of the kitchen.”
He stopped to pick up a kerosene lamp before returning to the kitchen. After he set the lamp on the bar, he turned up the wick so he could focus his attention on her.
"Lean back against the counter, and I'll get a wet cloth and some adhesive bandages. Here, keep some pressure on the cut," he said while he searched in a drawer beside her.
"You need to dry yourself off first," Dani suggested.
He looked down at his shirt. "I guess you're right." He rubbed his hair vigorously with a blue towel then disappeared into the bedroom. In a moment, he returned dressed in a red plaid pullover. He moved her hand from her forehead and examined the lump. Dani’s heartbeat soared.
"This could have been much worse," he commented, gently washing the blood from the wound. “Let me put some salve on the cut. Mom says it cures everything.”
“You have a smart mother.”
“Of course. She had me.”
Dani smiled, but that faded the minute he touched the cut.
“Hold still and I’ll give you a treat when I’m finished.”
She flinched from the pain but held still while he fussed over her. She definitely didn’t want to miss the treat.
Awareness swirled through Dani. Adrian’s warm breath teased her forehead and reminded her that she could reach out this very minute and touch his lips. She could kiss him while sober to see if it had been as good as she remembered or merely a figment of a sodden mind. Probably the latter, she tried to convince herself. Closing her eyes briefly, she couldn't seem to stop her trembling . . . and her
He glanced over his shoulder. "I think you're right."
After they put the game away, Dani walked over to the glass window and looked out while Adrian positioned a few candles around the room. “Oh my.” Dani’s hand flew to her mouth. All she could see was water. A mountain of water. And it was headed right for them! An involuntary scream slipped from her lips as a wave crashed on the deck and slapped against the glass doors. Pain shot through her head as a gush of saltwater doused her.
Adrian jerked her backward. "What the hell. Don't you know how dangerous glass can be during a storm?" Adrian spun her around. "Christ," he swore, holding her face between his hands. "You have a piece of glass in your head. Hold still."
The saltwater stung her eyes, causing her to blink several times. She winced. Adrian reached up and pulled a shard of glass out of her forehead as water sprayed in through the broken window.
Dani reached for the spot and felt sticky blood between her fingers. "How bad is it?"
"You could use a couple of stitches, but we're going to settle for a bandage." He took Dani’s hand and led her to the kitchen. He jerked open a door, grabbed a dishtowel and said, "Here. Hold this towel over your cut while I block up that hole before the ocean makes it bigger."
"Wait!" She grabbed his arm. "It's too dangerous. You just said so yourself."
"I know what I told you. But, as you can see, the water is coming in through that hole faster than I’ll be able to mop it up. If I leave it, it'll only get worse."
She held her breath while Adrian stuffed a towel in the hole, then took a thin cutting board and placed it over the hole. Another wave smacked the door, drenching him. He wiped the water from his face and tried again, holding the board in place with some wide, silver duct tape. He was losing the battle so Dani came to the rescue with a dry towel.
“I told you to stay in the kitchen!” When he saw that she wasn’t going to move, he added, “Jesus! You’re hard headed!”
“I know. Now hold the board and I’ll tape it.”
After several anxious minutes, he finished his task and once again they held the sea at bay. Adrian took a deep breath and said, “Thanks. Let’s get back to the safety of the kitchen.”
He stopped to pick up a kerosene lamp before returning to the kitchen. After he set the lamp on the bar, he turned up the wick so he could focus his attention on her.
"Lean back against the counter, and I'll get a wet cloth and some adhesive bandages. Here, keep some pressure on the cut," he said while he searched in a drawer beside her.
"You need to dry yourself off first," Dani suggested.
He looked down at his shirt. "I guess you're right." He rubbed his hair vigorously with a blue towel then disappeared into the bedroom. In a moment, he returned dressed in a red plaid pullover. He moved her hand from her forehead and examined the lump. Dani’s heartbeat soared.
"This could have been much worse," he commented, gently washing the blood from the wound. “Let me put some salve on the cut. Mom says it cures everything.”
“You have a smart mother.”
“Of course. She had me.”
Dani smiled, but that faded the minute he touched the cut.
“Hold still and I’ll give you a treat when I’m finished.”
She flinched from the pain but held still while he fussed over her. She definitely didn’t want to miss the treat.
Awareness swirled through Dani. Adrian’s warm breath teased her forehead and reminded her that she could reach out this very minute and touch his lips. She could kiss him while sober to see if it had been as good as she remembered or merely a figment of a sodden mind. Probably the latter, she tried to convince herself. Closing her eyes briefly, she couldn't seem to stop her trembling . . . and her
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