Eternally Bound

by T. A. DeMellet

  “It’s so good to finally meet you,” I whispered in his ear.

  “You have no idea how happy I am to see you,” he said, wrapping his arms around my waist. He gently kissed my cheek. “Where are my manners! Come on inside. I’m sorry to keep you in the doorway,” he chuckled.

  “It’s perfectly alright,” I said, walking in behind him.

  “I can’t believe you’re actually here,” Damien confessed. “I’ve seen you in our shared dreams, of course, but you are even more beautiful in person.” he admitted, grabbing a lock of my hair and letting it slowly slide through his fingers. His touch made my body tingle all over.

  He gestured for Bentley to bring my bag inside. Bentley! How long had he been standing there behind us? I was so lost in the beauty of the moment, that I had completely forgotten about poor Bentley, and my bag.

  “Bentley, thanks again for going to pick up Madelyn. I appreciate it, man.” Damien put a hand on Bentley’s shoulder and looked at me saying: “This guy is one of the best people you’ll ever meet.”

  “Aw shucks, you’re gonna make me blush. And that’s hard to do,” Bentley joked. “So, you two just gonna stand in the foyer the whole time?” he added.

  “Come on, I’ll take your bag and show you to your room,” Damien said, grabbing my carry-on for me. “I’m sure you’re tired and would like to relax for a bit.”

  “Actually, I’m not tired at all,” I said, following him. Damien grabbed my hand and lead me to an expansive great room. He never once took his eyes off of me.

  “I don’t know why but I feel like I’ve known you my whole life,” he said, echoing my earlier thought.

  “I feel the same way,” I admitted, blushing slightly.

  I finally tore my eyes from his and noticed the spectacular room he was walking me through. The wall to the left was nothing but glass. The whole space was very light and open. Damien’s furnishings were modern, yet still looked homey. The floors were a gorgeous rustic mahogany, and the furniture and walls were all different shades of cream, sea glass and charcoal. It was contemporary, masculine, and yet not overly so. It still appeared comfortable and inviting. I was admiring the wooden beams on the ceiling, which were a lovely, warm contrast to the other modern elements, when Damien noticed my observation of it and said, “The beams were reclaimed from an old barn on my family’s property. My great grandfather built the barn himself. It was falling apart, and my dad was going to tear it down, so I took all the wood and had it shipped here.”

  “Wow, that’s amazing. What a great, sentimental way to add character to your home. I love the warmth the wooden beams add to your modern scheme,” I told him.

  “Thank you. I hope you like the rest of the house. I bought this place because I loved the open concept and all the natural light that comes in. It also has an incredible view. But it was a bit too cold and contemporary for my liking. That’s why I added the beams, and the wooden floors in this room. And I’m sure you’re designer’s eye will notice the other changes too,” he said, smirking.

  “Can’t wait to see the rest of the place,” I replied. Damien led me down a long corridor and into a spacious guestroom, where he placed my bag.

  “Here’s your room,” he said.

  “Thank you. This room is beautiful - very serene and inviting,” I said turning toward Damien.

  “That’s what the designer said when she planned this room,” He laughed. “I hope you’ll find it comfortable. I’ll give you some time to settle in, then we can have lunch. I’ll be out by the pool when you’re ready.”

  “Sounds wonderful. Thank you again, Damien.” I smiled at him and he responded with a dazzling smile of his own, which took my breath away. He walked out, closing the door behind him. I exhaled softly and went over to the bed, sitting gently on the soft, luxurious duvet. I admired the architectural details and furnishings around the room, completely in awe of whose home I was in. I was exhilarated and nervous all at once, and I didn’t want to be away from Damien for a second. I had only two days to get to know him, and I wasn’t going to waste one moment.

  I headed into the ensuite bathroom and turned the faucet on, letting the cold water run over my wrists to cool me off. I fidgeted with my clothes, making sure everything was in place, then went to find Damien.

  I wandered through the long corridor which had led to guest room, peeking in at the other rooms as I passed. The master bedroom did not appear to be on this wing of the house, I noticed. I walked through the great room, admiring all the beautiful details once again, then headed for the huge floor to ceiling wall of windows that overlooked a spectacular outdoor living area. I opened the glass door that led out to the pool deck and noticed Damien sitting on a rattan lounge chair, admiring the view. It was, as he mentioned- incredible. The edgeless pool appeared to reach out into the ocean, and both sides of the house had such lush landscaping, that one felt truly secluded. It gave the feeling of being in your own magical, private lagoon.

  “This is breathtaking,” I said. “I absolutely love the effect of the edgeless pool.” He stood up quickly as soon as he heard me speak and walked over to where I was. I couldn’t help noticing how effortless and fluid his movements were. He seemed quite graceful for someone so tall and broad.

  “Thank you,” he smiled. “Maybe we can go for a swim later.”

  “Maybe,” I said reluctantly. I wasn’t sure if I felt ready to get into a bathing suit so soon. Just then, Bentley came outside with two drinks in his hands.

  “The two of you could probably benefit from a beverage,” he announced in his southern drawl. “How do you feel about margaritas, Madelyn?”

  “I feel they are perfectly refreshing and I can’t wait to taste one. Thank you, Bentley.”

  He chuckled as he handed me the glass. “I think I’m gonna like her,” he said to Damien.

  “I already do,” Damien admitted, holding my gaze.

  I grabbed the proffered drink from Bentley, grateful to him for the thought of a cocktail. Hopefully the effects from the margarita would help me relax and quiet the tornado of emotions surging within me.

  “Where are you from, Bentley? I noticed your southern accent earlier at the airport,” I said in an effort to keep conversation flowing.

  “Louisiana, ma’am,” he answered.

  “I’ve never been, but I absolutely love Cajun and Creole-style food.”

  “Be still my heart! Does that mean I can make you some down-home cooking for dinner tonight?” he asked, looking between Damien and myself. Damien nodded and smiled.

  “That sounds delicious. Can’t wait to try what you make,” I exclaimed.

  “Whenever y'all are ready, I have a baby spinach salad, topped with strawberries, feta and grilled chicken for lunch,” Bentley said.

  “Yum! Thank you, Bentley,” I told him.

  “That does sound great. Thanks, B.” Damien smiled at him and took the other margarita from his hand. Bentley went back inside, leaving me and Damien alone.

  “Cheers,” Damien said, lifting his glass toward me.

  “Cheers,” I repeated. “So, how long have you lived in this house? I mean, the word house is an understatement. It’s more palatial than house-like…” I trailed off.

  “I bought it three years ago. The first year was spent mostly renovating it, making it more my style.”

  “I love what you’ve done. The contrast between the modern and rustic elements is perfect.”

  “I’m glad you like it. Madelyn?

  “Yes?”

  “Can we… I mean, I’d like to talk about us for a minute, if that’s okay?” He pulled out a chair and gestured for me to sit, then took the seat opposite mine and set his drink on the table. His expression was suddenly serious, making my stomach clench.

  “I’m curious about what theories you have regarding this connection we share. Ever since you told me what Madame Yelena said about our souls, I haven’t been able to stop thinking about it. I just keep trying to make sense of it all in
my mind…” he said, trailing off.

  “Um… well, I have a few theories, but they are just as fantastical as the thought of our souls being the reincarnated ones of someone else. I think it’s just a difficult concept to accept, especially in western cultures. But first, I have something to tell you. Strange things have been happening to me over the last few days, and I’m wondering if maybe the people whose souls we now carry lived in a different period of time, or were from a culture that was more accepting of the notion of reincarnation and rebirth.” I wasn’t sure if my convoluted thoughts were making sense.

  “What weird things are happening? You mean besides the visions we’ve both experienced?”

  “I’m not sure how to explain it, but I guess I’ve been having hallucinations or something like them. The first time it happened was when I was in Madame Yelena’s shop. I was standing there with my friend Emily, when I suddenly felt like I was wearing a heavily beaded garment, and I could feel the weight of my hair which wasn’t really my hair, falling down past my waist in a thick braid. Then, during the psychic reading, I looked down at my hands and they were darker than my own skin color and covered in what appeared to be henna. I have no way of explaining these illusions. As soon as I registered what I was seeing, I blinked and the images disappeared.” Damien looked at me for a long moment, his expression wary. Maybe he was questioning my sanity and if he had made the right decision in bringing a possibly crazy girl into his house.

  “Why didn’t you tell me this was happening to you?” he asked finally.

  “I don’t know. It was all so frightening. Has anything similar happened to you?”

  “No. Not yet anyway. But who knows, maybe it will start happening to me next.” We both looked over as Bentley opened the sliding glass door and peeked his head out.

  “You two hungry yet? The salad is wilting. Why don’t you talk while you eat, huh?”

  “Bentley gets upset if you don’t eat his food in a timely manner. You can’t let it get cold, or go stale, or God forbid… wilt,” Damien explained. I laughed at their exchange. These two were a funny duo. It was easy to see why they were such good friends.

  “Come on, then. Let’s eat. We can talk more about what’s been happening on a full stomach.” Damien grabbed my hand and led me back inside.

  ***

  The rest of the afternoon and evening went by in a blur of laughter and margaritas. Damien was so easy to talk to and Bentley was a riot. It felt as though we had all been friends for years. At the end of the night, when all of the food was gone and the margarita pitchers empty, Bentley quietly excused himself and left Damien and me by ourselves. We drifted into the living room and continued talking until late in the evening.

  “I can’t believe the time. I feel like I just got here,” I said, as I felt myself stifling a yawn.

  “You must be exhausted after your long flight. Do you want to head off to bed? I’m sorry to keep you up so late.” We both paused and silence stretched before us. Although we were on opposite sides of the couch, it seemed as though the space between us was no more than a few inches. I could almost hear his heart beating in his chest, matching the rhythm of my own heart. I could feel his breath as he exhaled it slowly. Our eyes locked and, as if on cue, Damien came over to my side of the couch. I barely took a breath before his lips came down upon mine in a sweet, sensual kiss that I swear I felt down to my toes. My arms automatically went around his neck and into his hair and we sunk into the cool leather cushions of the couch. His body radiated heat and the contrast sent shivers down my spine. I felt my thoughts swirling around like ink in a glass of water, the depth of my emotions battling between the intense and surreal feelings I had for Damien, and the reality of us practically being strangers. His smooth, toned arms wrapped protectively around my body, enveloping me in warmth as if promising to never let go. In that instant, I felt that if I didn’t take control my emotions, I would surrender myself to him forever. But it was just too soon to get lost in our animal instincts and I broke the kiss.

  We stared into each other’s eyes for a long time, trying to catch our breath and steady our emotions. Damien closed his eyes and brought his lips to my forehead, planting a feather-light kiss before pulling himself to a standing position from the couch. He held out his hand and I gingerly placed mine in it. As he helped me stand, I frowned at the thought of having to say goodnight, but knew it was for the best. There were so many thoughts spinning around in my head and I needed to work through them before relinquishing what little restraint I had over this bewitching man.

  “Now that I have you here, I don’t think I can ever let you go,” Damien purred as he pulled me close and wrapped me in his arms again.

  “I don’t think I want you to,” I said boldly.

  “Well, how about this? I have a mean movie collection, as you can imagine. We can just sit here and watch movies all night. I promise we won’t watch any of the movies I’m in, and I promise I’ll keep my hands to myself.” He crossed his heart with his finger and smiled.

  “That sounds great… watching movies, I mean! And I’ll watch any movie you’re comfortable with.”

  “Perfect,” he chuckled.

  And that it was, I thought as he headed to pick out a movie.

  CHAPTER 20

  DAMIEN

  I woke up Saturday morning feeling warm and perfectly at home tangled up in blankets with Madelyn nestled against my side. She had her head on my chest and her hand curled up right by her chin. I looked up at the screensaver on my flat screen TV, which was still on from the night before. We had both apparently fallen asleep watching the end of For Love of the Game, after finishing both The Breakfast Club and The Princess Bride. It had been a picture-perfect evening, minus the continuous and intense need to be close to her. We were magnets, drawn to each other. I tried to focus on the movies, but her scent - that intoxicating mix of cinnamon and citrus blossoms - pulled my attention away. With every breath, I felt my body stir with lust and I had to force myself to focus on the screen in hopes of distracting my mind from errant and erotic thoughts.

  I stared back at Madelyn, not believing she was actually right here on my couch with her tousled hair and full, pink lips. I lingered on every part of her face to try to capture the way she looked in my arms. The moment felt so natural. It was unlike anything I had ever felt before. She was home to me and we had only known each other for less than 24 hours. After a few moments, and at the risk of her waking up while I was blatantly staring at her, I gave her a soft kiss and carefully snaked my arm from underneath her.

  It was a bright morning and I decided I would make breakfast before Madelyn woke up. I was flipping pancakes and frying bacon when Bentley walked into the kitchen, furrowing his eyebrows at me. I was surprising him yet again in his domain.

  “Dude, that’s twice you’ve entered my territory. What’s going on with you?”

  “I can’t help it. Let’s just say I’ve been inspired,” I said while I plopped another pancake on the leaning tower of flapjacks.

  “Inspired, huh? Madelyn as your muse… sounds promising. Any details you want to share about your late night on the couch?”

  “Bentley…” I half-jokingly warned as I shot him a sideways glance.

  “Whatever, as long as your crush doesn’t put my job in jeopardy,” Bentley laughed as he grabbed the orange juice from the fridge.

  “She’s not a crush… this is different. It’s all so different with her.” What in the world was happening to me? “Besides, like your job could ever be at risk. Now, you’ll just have another person to win over with your culinary skills,” I added. Flattery always worked on Bentley and I needed to steer this conversation away from the topic at hand. I had no clue what was going on between Madelyn and myself, but I didn’t need Bentley picking apart everything I said. What I needed was to spend more time with her to see where this was going and what our connection was to those strange stories that psychic lady was telling her.

  “Earth to
Damien, come in, Damien!” Bentley snapped me out of my daydream just in time to watch the remaining pancake batter splatter right on the counter.

  “Looks like my job is safe after all,” Bentley joked, as he tossed me a roll of paper towels. “What’s going on in that head of yours?”

  “Nothing,” I uttered as I tossed the paper towels right back at him. “You can manage from here, right?”

  “Oh sure, after the fun part is over.”

  “The fun’s over?” Madelyn asked as she rounded the corner into the kitchen. “I was hoping the fun was just beginning. Good morning, Bentley. Good morning, Damien.”

  My name slipped through her mouth like honey and I felt the instant urge to cross the room and kiss her square on the lips in front of Bentley and anyone else that decided to walk in at that moment. Memories of the kiss from the night before crept into my brain and the urge grew, but was quickly shattered when I saw Bentley out of the corner of my eye smirking and raising his eyebrows. I chose to ignore the bait, pulled myself together, and focused on Madelyn instead.

  “Good morning. I woke up a little early and thought you’d like some breakfast to start the day. I’ve scheduled a wonderful tour of the most inconspicuous places in LA, devoid of paparazzi and meddling managers.” I was starting to sound like a cruise director, but I wanted Madelyn to have a good time while she was here and I would do just about anything to make sure of it, even if it meant risking a few shots by the rats. I’ll deal with the fallout of any pictures and the wrath of Nick after she went home. If I was being honest with myself, I didn’t want to think of any of that at the moment. I just wanted to focus on her while she was here.