him physical pain. “I came to you when your power called me, most likely around the time you first started hearing inside people’s minds. I wasn’t sure if your power would ever fully surface so I pushed my way into the PD so I could keep an eye on you.”
“You did not! I know you Luke. I know that I have feelings…” She could feel her cheeks heat with embarrassment and her heart skipped a beat. Nicole didn’t know what to say so she just shut up. Melancholy began to replace her embarrassment. What if my feelings for Luke aren’t my own? Oh god, please don’t let it be true. Out of the corner of her eye she saw a glow of orange. Her eyes went wide as she realized Luke’s hand was ablaze.
“Two things you should know; I will never use any of my powers to hurt you,” he tossed the red flame from hand to hand as he talked, “and I will never do anything dishonorable. If you hate me it’s because you hate me and if you care for me,” he turned to look her in the eyes as the flame in his hand burned brighter. “it’s because you care for me.”
“Luke” she stammered, “Don’t set my dad’s car on fire, he will be pissed,” she said in an effort to change the subject. This was way too much information to absorb at once. To say she had mixed emotions right now was an understatement. I’ll just focus on getting Dad home safe then I can sort out all this with him. He’ll know what I need to do.
Luke chuckled as he let the flames go out. Nicole thought it was symbolic of what she had been doing to him for a long time. How long have I known him? she wondered. This is going to haunt me forever. I feel like I’m Neo hung in the matrix wondering if I would’ve broken that damn vase if he hadn’t said anything.
Chapter 8
The heavy traffic of Birmingham didn’t help Nicole’s mood. She was comfortable in her own small town traffic where she had only one red light to deal with. This was a living hell and she was running out of time. She began to tap her fingers nervously against the steering wheel, itching to blow the horn at the diesel truck in front of her. They had been stuck in place for almost five minutes.
“How about I drive the rest of the way?” asked Luke.
“You can’t move the traffic any faster than I can, so thanks but no thanks.” she said in a snippy tone. She waved her hand at the never-ending line of traffic in front of them. “We should have driven the police car, at least then we would have lights flashing so these people would move.”
“Nicole, please just calm down. Everything is going to be fine. We will make it.” He gave her a confident look as he laid his hand over her trembling hand.
A tranquil feeling began to course throughout her body. It was the same feeling she experienced after her last full body massage. She looked over at Luke, noticing how his face had a rugged look. The five o’clock shadow was deepening the contours of his sculpted features. She felt a burning start deep in her belly as her eyes lingered on Luke’s plump bottom lip. She wanted to feel it against her mouth and to feel the heat of his breath. She licked her lips in anticipation. She watched with eager attention as the corners of his mouth began to curl up into a cocky smirk.
A horn blew from behind her snapping her out of the trance. Nicole blinked her eyes in an effort to clear her head. Anger jolted into her as she realized what was going on.
“You egotistical asshole!” She swatted his hand away from her. “Don’t you ever do that again, do you understand me?”
“I just helped you calm down. I’m not responsible for where your mind goes when it’s not worried.” he laughed, rubbing his hand where she slapped it.
“I don’t need your help.” Another honk from behind her had her pressing hard on the gas again.
“You did not! I know you Luke. I know that I have feelings…” She could feel her cheeks heat with embarrassment and her heart skipped a beat. Nicole didn’t know what to say so she just shut up. Melancholy began to replace her embarrassment. What if my feelings for Luke aren’t my own? Oh god, please don’t let it be true. Out of the corner of her eye she saw a glow of orange. Her eyes went wide as she realized Luke’s hand was ablaze.
“Two things you should know; I will never use any of my powers to hurt you,” he tossed the red flame from hand to hand as he talked, “and I will never do anything dishonorable. If you hate me it’s because you hate me and if you care for me,” he turned to look her in the eyes as the flame in his hand burned brighter. “it’s because you care for me.”
“Luke” she stammered, “Don’t set my dad’s car on fire, he will be pissed,” she said in an effort to change the subject. This was way too much information to absorb at once. To say she had mixed emotions right now was an understatement. I’ll just focus on getting Dad home safe then I can sort out all this with him. He’ll know what I need to do.
Luke chuckled as he let the flames go out. Nicole thought it was symbolic of what she had been doing to him for a long time. How long have I known him? she wondered. This is going to haunt me forever. I feel like I’m Neo hung in the matrix wondering if I would’ve broken that damn vase if he hadn’t said anything.
Chapter 8
The heavy traffic of Birmingham didn’t help Nicole’s mood. She was comfortable in her own small town traffic where she had only one red light to deal with. This was a living hell and she was running out of time. She began to tap her fingers nervously against the steering wheel, itching to blow the horn at the diesel truck in front of her. They had been stuck in place for almost five minutes.
“How about I drive the rest of the way?” asked Luke.
“You can’t move the traffic any faster than I can, so thanks but no thanks.” she said in a snippy tone. She waved her hand at the never-ending line of traffic in front of them. “We should have driven the police car, at least then we would have lights flashing so these people would move.”
“Nicole, please just calm down. Everything is going to be fine. We will make it.” He gave her a confident look as he laid his hand over her trembling hand.
A tranquil feeling began to course throughout her body. It was the same feeling she experienced after her last full body massage. She looked over at Luke, noticing how his face had a rugged look. The five o’clock shadow was deepening the contours of his sculpted features. She felt a burning start deep in her belly as her eyes lingered on Luke’s plump bottom lip. She wanted to feel it against her mouth and to feel the heat of his breath. She licked her lips in anticipation. She watched with eager attention as the corners of his mouth began to curl up into a cocky smirk.
A horn blew from behind her snapping her out of the trance. Nicole blinked her eyes in an effort to clear her head. Anger jolted into her as she realized what was going on.
“You egotistical asshole!” She swatted his hand away from her. “Don’t you ever do that again, do you understand me?”
“I just helped you calm down. I’m not responsible for where your mind goes when it’s not worried.” he laughed, rubbing his hand where she slapped it.
“I don’t need your help.” Another honk from behind her had her pressing hard on the gas again.