He whispers softly in my ear, his lips trembling against my skin, "I don't know about you, but I am not in the mood for sitting around chatting or watching any more movies. I would rather like to get to know you better, like what your star sign is. I already know your favourite colour, movie, and book."
I turn back toward him, smiling warily. "So, you were paying attention to me on the beach?"
" Why wouldn't I?" He grins.
Smoothly he pushes me up into a standing position and gets up off the chair. Taking my hand in his, he leads me out of the lounge. From the corner of my eye, I catch Sarah giving me the death glare.
Go away!
Jared opens the door leading onto the porch and as the sub-zero wind blows in, Connell yells from the lounge, "Close the door, it's bloody freezing."
Jared quickly pushes the door shut, looking self-conscious as hysteric laughter wafts from the lounge to us.
Everyone in the lounge starts talking at the same time and I hear Connell say he is going to light a fire and Sarah asking for music requests.
Without saying anything, Jared takes me by the hand and I follow him up the stairs and into a room off the upstairs hall. I assume it is Connell's room. It is messy!
Jared moves all the stuff on the bed onto the floor with one hand, and then he sits down on the bed, still holding my hand.
He looks up at me apologetically. "We can't talk in the lounge and you would catch your death if I took you outside. You have not gotten used to the winters here and they can be harsh. We could sit on the floor if you preferred and…" He smiles his crooked smile. "I promise I won't lead you into temptation."
I sit down beside him on the bed, folding my one leg in under me and then I turn myself so that I am facing him.
Letting go of my hand, he leans forward and rests his elbows on his knees, entwining his hands in front of him. Looking back at me unsure, past his arm, he takes a deep breath and then he says seriously, talking fast, as if he needs to get something off his chest before he loses his nerve, "Before we can talk about anything else, I have to make sure of something and if I seem to come on too strongly, I am sorry. So …" He pauses briefly, and then he starts, "I am sure you have already heard all the rumours about me and…" He trails off again.