Read Online Storm the Author's Cut by Vanessa Grant - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Vanessa Grant
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chances of survival. But she knew she had been weakening, willing herself to die rather than face her own guilt. Her leg was broken. She knew from years living in the north that hypothermia was what would kill her. The only thing she could do was to fight with her mind, and she must do that.
If she lived, she would have to try to make up to her parents for the loss of Shane. No more daredevil stunts. It was time she grew up, time she started thinking about someone besides herself.
Two days later a search plane spotted the wreckage. Laurie was the only survivor.
Chapter 6
Earlier, when Luke walked across the wooden floor to put wood on the coals, Laurie had been asleep, her eyes closed, black lashes against her cheeks, and her dark curls tousled. She had rolled over as he watched, cradling her head on one arm, drawing her legs up as if for warmth. The blanket he had given her earlier was folded over the back of the sofa.
His eyes had traced the route along her bare arm to her shoulder. The covering over the rest of her body did nothing to inhibit his imagination, especially when she turned restlessly, the curve of her hip thrusting out. Her breathing did not have the slow, even rhythm of deep sleep, but the quick shallow breaths of uncomfortable dreams. As he watched, she rocked her head slowly in protest, a whisper of a moan escaping her lips.
When her breathing slowed, he had returned to his bed, listening to the wind and watching the pattern of the flickering firelight on the walls, telling himself he was a fool. Finally, he slept again.
He woke to soft sounds and a glimpse of Laurie as she moved about the room. He lay motionless as she tended the fire, her bare feet silent and purposeful on the wooden floor. Listening, he wanted badly to cross the room to her. He knew that she had been dreaming, and he had a strong conviction that she needed comfort. He felt certain of her need, yet he lay silent as if he were asleep.
Laurie represented danger to him. Her voice on his radio was one thing; but down here she was too close and too real.
When he heard her open the door, then slip outside, he was finally able to relax. He breathed slowly in the dark, deeply, willing sleep to return.
A solitary gust of wind shook the cabin, and then subsided. Luke drifted into a waking dream, reliving agonizing battles between his mother and father all those years ago. Memories better left buried.
If Laurie had gone to the small outhouse down the path, she would be back by now. There were no dangers on the island, no wild animals—only the birds. She was somewhere outside, walking the island paths, or soaking in the hot mineral waters of the pool. If she were tense and wakeful, a long soak in the hot springs would be incomparable therapy. He had a vision of her, half sitting, half floating in the pool at the top of the hill.
When he got up, he realized that he had intended to follow her from the beginning. He put on his mostly-dry jeans, leaving his feet and his chest bare.
He walked softly on the path outside. He was a fit man, but when he climbed the path his breath came short, especially as he passed the shelter with its two steaming tubs. She wasn't there. He walked silently up the path to the pool above, forcing his breathing silent. The pool was empty.
He walked on, following the path to the top of the hill.
She stood at the edge of the cliff, looking out over the world below. A gentle breeze molded the blanket to her. He was seduced by the darkness, by the image of her standing at the edge of the cliff. He hardly knew where he was or what he said; but when he touched her he felt the coolness of her skin through his whole body.
She turned to face him. The mountains and the sea watched as he touched her face. His hand came away wet with her tears.
"Earlier... you were asleep with sadness in your face."
She shook her head slowly and he held her arms with his hands, needing the ivory smooth feel of
If she lived, she would have to try to make up to her parents for the loss of Shane. No more daredevil stunts. It was time she grew up, time she started thinking about someone besides herself.
Two days later a search plane spotted the wreckage. Laurie was the only survivor.
Chapter 6
Earlier, when Luke walked across the wooden floor to put wood on the coals, Laurie had been asleep, her eyes closed, black lashes against her cheeks, and her dark curls tousled. She had rolled over as he watched, cradling her head on one arm, drawing her legs up as if for warmth. The blanket he had given her earlier was folded over the back of the sofa.
His eyes had traced the route along her bare arm to her shoulder. The covering over the rest of her body did nothing to inhibit his imagination, especially when she turned restlessly, the curve of her hip thrusting out. Her breathing did not have the slow, even rhythm of deep sleep, but the quick shallow breaths of uncomfortable dreams. As he watched, she rocked her head slowly in protest, a whisper of a moan escaping her lips.
When her breathing slowed, he had returned to his bed, listening to the wind and watching the pattern of the flickering firelight on the walls, telling himself he was a fool. Finally, he slept again.
He woke to soft sounds and a glimpse of Laurie as she moved about the room. He lay motionless as she tended the fire, her bare feet silent and purposeful on the wooden floor. Listening, he wanted badly to cross the room to her. He knew that she had been dreaming, and he had a strong conviction that she needed comfort. He felt certain of her need, yet he lay silent as if he were asleep.
Laurie represented danger to him. Her voice on his radio was one thing; but down here she was too close and too real.
When he heard her open the door, then slip outside, he was finally able to relax. He breathed slowly in the dark, deeply, willing sleep to return.
A solitary gust of wind shook the cabin, and then subsided. Luke drifted into a waking dream, reliving agonizing battles between his mother and father all those years ago. Memories better left buried.
If Laurie had gone to the small outhouse down the path, she would be back by now. There were no dangers on the island, no wild animals—only the birds. She was somewhere outside, walking the island paths, or soaking in the hot mineral waters of the pool. If she were tense and wakeful, a long soak in the hot springs would be incomparable therapy. He had a vision of her, half sitting, half floating in the pool at the top of the hill.
When he got up, he realized that he had intended to follow her from the beginning. He put on his mostly-dry jeans, leaving his feet and his chest bare.
He walked softly on the path outside. He was a fit man, but when he climbed the path his breath came short, especially as he passed the shelter with its two steaming tubs. She wasn't there. He walked silently up the path to the pool above, forcing his breathing silent. The pool was empty.
He walked on, following the path to the top of the hill.
She stood at the edge of the cliff, looking out over the world below. A gentle breeze molded the blanket to her. He was seduced by the darkness, by the image of her standing at the edge of the cliff. He hardly knew where he was or what he said; but when he touched her he felt the coolness of her skin through his whole body.
She turned to face him. The mountains and the sea watched as he touched her face. His hand came away wet with her tears.
"Earlier... you were asleep with sadness in your face."
She shook her head slowly and he held her arms with his hands, needing the ivory smooth feel of
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