One more chapter to kind of get to know Onyx and Collin before Daenarys is introduced! Let me know what you think of the story so far!
{Collin POV}
I found her laying on the beach the next day, face down, I'm assuming to get a tan on this rare sunny day. I didn't notice until I got closer... she's topless. Wearing nothing but a pair of skimpy little bikini bottoms. I mean, that makes sense, who wants white stripes on their nice tan bod. Still... why does she have to be so tempting?
"Hey Onyx?" I say, not intending for it to sound like a question. I'm already screwing this up… She sat up, leaning on her elbows.
"Yeah, that's me. Sorry, your name is..." she snapped her fingers. At least she remembers that she met me…
"Collin." If she doesn't remember my name, then she probably doesn't remember how awkward I was, right?
"Right. Collin, sorry. I met a lot of people last night. Wait, what time is it?" She asked, squinting up at the sky.
"It's around 5ish," I say, checking my phone. "It's 5:20."
"Oh shit… I need to get home. My show is on soon." She starts to get up, being careful to keep her hair over her chest – which I do appreciate.
"Do you want me to drive you home? It's going to get dark pretty soon." I offer, hoping she'll take me up on it.
"I live just over that way," she gestured to the hill with the rich people houses on it. I stifle my reaction. "Wanna walk with me up there?"
"Absolutely. Um… I might have a t-shirt or something in my car, wanna check?" I feel my face heat up as I address the elephant on the beach.
"Okay, but if you don't, it's no biggie." She said, leaning down to brush the sand from her skin. I bit my lip, trying to look away, but I couldn't tear my eyes off her. Curse this imprint making me a horny pervert…
"Kay, let's go," she faced me, the gentle breeze blowing most of her hair back, intent on taunting me. I realized she was waiting for me to show her to my car.
"After you..." I gestured in the direction of my car. She grinned and started walking in front of me. I forced myself to keep my eyes on her face rather than her long, long legs, or her pale pink hair covering her- Collin! Don't even start thinking about the tips of her hair brushing the smooth skin over her hip bones, damn! Her hair is long! or the visible patch of skin over her flat stomach... or her toned thighs... I'm a lost cause.
Her body is so fit that Zoe would be jealous. I tried to ignore all this to focus on her words as we got to the parking lot.
"Which one is yours?" I pointed to my most prized possession, a shiny green Volkswagen. She smiled as she took in my pride.
"Bought and repaired yourself?"
"Yeah... she was a piece of crap when I found her, but I fixed her up."
"I'm guessing you're into cars and mechanics?" I nodded, unlocking the car and opening the trunk to look for clothing of any kind. Most of the stuff in there was to repair the car, or the bikes, or basically anything in the world that could possibly break. I finally found an old shop jacket, stained with grease and oil from back when I used to protect my clothes from those things. Back when I used to wear shirts... I saw Onyx had gone around the side of the car to sit on the backseat, and my breath caught in my throat as I came up to her. She'd put all her hair behind her shoulders and sat giving me an unrestricted view of her chest. She looked up at me.
"What?" She asked. Does she honestly not know how little control I have? I dropped the jacket in her lap and covered my eyes. I feel like a pervert, I can't be thinking about her like this.
"I'm sorry, um... here, sorry it's not clean."
"I-okay..." She touched my forearm, and I didn't react... outwardly. She put her hand on my bare side and it occurred to me she wanted me to look at her. I took away my hand from my face. She had the jacket on and was getting up, so I backed away from the car a little.
"Sorry, I kinda forgot." She said, a faint blush coloring her dark skin. I nodded. I'm so ashamed that I can't even look at her.
"I'm so sorry, Onyx. You're gorgeous, and I'm really... yeah…"
"No worries, we all have our own styles and what we're used to. I lived in Africa for a long time, so I guess a lot of their habits came with me." She tied the bottom corners in a knot over her stomach.
"Africa?"
"Yeah, a tribe in Uganda. That's where I met Reia, who was my caretaker slash housekeeper a few years after I moved here. She didn't like me to go to parties a lot, but she moved back there a couple weeks ago. I miss her, but she missed her people too."
"Oh, got it. So now that she's gone, you're kind of... on your own?"
"Yeah, basically," she smiled.
We walked in silence as the sun set and it got darker. Everything was calm and peaceful here. There was nobody around, just me and Onyx, walking up the dozens of steps to what I'm assuming is her house.
"You know what? You do you, Onyx. You don't have to wear that thing if you don't want to." She looked at me sideways, one eyebrow raised. As I thought about it more, I got more embarrassed at having made her cover herself up.
"If you're comfortable being topless, who am I to stop you? It's not my place to control what you do because I can't control myself. Besides, I'm half-naked too, I'm a huge hypocrite." She laughed and nodded, taking off the jacket and handing it back to me.
"We need more guys like you in the world."
It was mostly dark out, but I could still see her flawless figure.
"You have..." I put my hand carefully on her shoulder to turn her. "You have some grease on your back..." I wiped the smear of car grease off her smooth skin, breathing heavily as I realized I'm touching her naked back.
"Thanks." She smiled, examining her chest to make sure she had no more there. I tried to look away, I really did. She smirked at me.
"I'm working on it…" My voice was quiet and husky. Her hand found mine. I squeezed it softly. Yes, I want her, and would leap at any chance she gave me. But as her imprint, my first job is to protect her, and right now, I have to protect her from me. I have to wait. We went up the last few stairs to the patio, and I walked with her to her door.
"So quiet, Collin." Her voice broke my concentration and I, like I always do, said the first thing on my mind.
"Good things come to those who wait." What the... She laughed nodding.
"I mean, I guess. You're pretty okay, Collin." She stepped up onto her porch, turning back towards me. Lifting her hand, she traced my collarbone with a feathery touch. I went weak in the knees. It felt so intimate.
"I haven't decided what I think about your friends, but you're okay in my book." She smiled. Gosh her smile...
"Thanks. Means a lot coming from your lips." She tilted her head to the side.
"And why's that?" Isn't it obvious?
"Because you're confident, smart and beautiful. If you're cool with me, I'll be around a lot more often."
"I can't say I mind you being around a lot more." Her fingers went to the stupid dimple that made an appearance every time I smile. I took her finger and held it to my lips. I inhaled her scent, wondering how she could possibly smell so fantastic.
"You're intoxicating, my dear." I kiss her finger before taking it down from my face.
"For someone so ridiculously adorable and awkward, you're really good at romantic. Words are your thing." She cupped her hand under my chin and brought it closer to her face, her lips near my ear as she whispered,
"Goodnight, Collin." She kissed my temple and let go, slowly turning around and disappearing behind her front door. I sighed, waving awkwardly after she was gone, being the moron that I am.
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