“That sounds nice, Damien, but I was thinking that maybe we could just hang here for the day. You know, spend some time together out of view from the public?”
“Really?” I asked, secretly hoping she actually meant it.
“Really?” echoed Bentley.
“Is that weird?” she said looking back and forth between us nervously as she mindlessly wrung her hands. “We can definitely go if you want. I’m just here for such a short time and…” she hesitated before finishing her thought then decidedly clasped her hands together in front of her and stated, “I just thought we could use the time to get to know each other.”
Bentley took that as his cue and quietly gathered up the messy paper towels he was using to clean up the pancake mess, tossed them in the trash, and proceeded to take the bag outside. We were alone and I did exactly what I wanted to do as soon as I saw her enter the kitchen; I walked right up to her, gently cupped the sides of her face, and kissed her beautiful lips.
“Madelyn, I know this is your first time in LA, are you sure you don’t want to do a little sight-seeing? I am more than happy to oblige… ”
“Damien, the only reason I am here is because of you.” She said as stood together, our faces inches apart. “I don’t care about the sights. I just want to figure out this connection between us… see where it takes us, if anywhere. Besides, I’m hoping this won’t be my last trip out here.” She looked up through her lashes and smirked.
I smiled back. “Definitely not. You’re sure you don’t mind camping out here for the day?”
“Nothing would make me happier. Except, of course, some pancakes and bacon. They smell delicious!” She wriggled free from my arms and headed over to the food.
“Trust me, they run a far second to cinnamon and citrus blossoms.”
Madelyn gave me a puzzled look and I laughed as we dove into breakfast with hearty appetites and lingering promises of the future.
CHAPTER 21
MADELYN
After breakfast, I helped clean up, even though Damien insisted I relax while he put Bentley’s kitchen back in order. I refused, stating that the cook shouldn’t have to clean as well. We ended up compromising and working together to leave the kitchen in tip-top shape. We barely spoke, but our bodies moved about in unison as if they had spent years together instead of just one day. I felt so comfortable in his space that on several occasions, I caught myself smiling. Just as I was wiping down the stainless steel stove, my fingers slipped off the sponge and grazed over the hot burner. I instantly held my hand to my chest and ran over to the sink to run cold water over my fresh burns.
“Are you okay?” Damien asked. “Man! Did I forget to turn off the stove?” He walked over and pressed the sleek black button at the top of the stove and the little red light switched from on to warm. “I’m so sorry.”
“No worries, I’m fine,” I replied, as the stinging began to subside. “This happens all the time. I swear I burn myself every time I’m in the kitchen.” I laughed as I looked down at my hand. All of a sudden, my vision blurred and the water slowly collecting and swirling at the bottom of the sink turned to ash. Soot covered my hands and the smell rose up to my nostrils. I swayed as the scent crept down my throat and into my lungs, making it hard for me to breathe. In a flash, Damien was by my side and the vision was gone, my throat clear once again.
“Hey, are you sure you’re alright? You look like you’ve just seen a ghost.” He grabbed my hand and took a good look at it. “It seems okay. I’m really sorry. Do you want to put something on it?”
“No, no, really, I’m fine,” I murmured, still trying to get the image out of my head, but wondering if I should tell Damien about the vision I just had. I decided to keep it to myself for now and changed the subject. “The kitchen is almost finished. Why don’t I get the last few things tidied up, while you figure out what we should do next.”
“Well, I’ve been thinking about that. How good are you at chess?” The sparkle in his eyes told he was probably pretty good, so I decided to play along.
“I think I’ve played it once or twice, but not since I was a kid.”
“Well, then, I may just have to go easy on you. Meet me in the living room?”
“Sounds good. Let me just finish up and I’ll be right there.”
“Okay, are you sure you don’t want a bandage for your hand?” The concern on his face tugged at my heartstrings.
“Yes, I’m fine. I’ll be right behind you,” I smiled.
As soon as he walked out of the kitchen, I splayed my hands across the cool counter and took a few steady breaths. What in the world was happening to me? First the dress, and the henna, then the snakes, and now ash? If I didn’t know any better, I would say I was having a psychotic break. I waited until the anxiety subsided, took a few more deep breaths, and made my way over to Damien.
When I walked in, he had already set up the chess board on a small table in the corner of the room by a large window facing the ocean. Two big, comfy leather chairs sat on either side with fluffy pillows set up on the backs for what I could only imagine was support in anticipation of a lengthy game. Maybe even a series of games.
“You take your chess very seriously, I see.”
“My dad used to play with me all of the time after dinner. It was sort of our thing,” he said sheepishly.
“That’s really sweet. It’s nice that you spent so much time together. My parents were always working and I usually found myself pouring over magazines and rearranging and redecorating my room every other week.”
“Hence your work as an interior designer?” he asked.
“Probably,” I laughed. “I figured out exactly what I wanted to do with my life as soon as those magazines only served as a starting point to my other bigger and better ideas. My parents weren’t thrilled at first about me going to design school to chase fabrics and color swatches, as they put it, but I knew what I wanted to do. See, both my parents are lawyers and it was their dream that I go to law school and join them at my father’s firm, but apparently I was destined to be a disappointment to them. Oh well… I followed my heart anyway, and I’m glad I did because I love what I do. What about you? What made you become an actor?”
“Oh, no you don’t. You can’t sneak out of playing chess. Let’s turn this into a more interesting game. For every one of our pieces captured, we have to answer a question of the other player’s choosing. Whomever gets checkmate gets to hear one of the loser’s deepest secrets. Deal?”
“Deal,” I agreed, laughing.
It was a perfect day of learning everything there was to know about each other. He told me about his family, growing up on a farm in Missouri, and how he started his acting career on a fluke. I divulged details about my childhood in the city and told him about my college days where I spent every waking minute studying and putting together design ideas to make sure I could make it on my own. He admitted that part of him missed the simple life on his family’s farm, where no one knew him and he could get lost working the land and helping his father plant and grow crops, and I confessed never really feeling close to my parents growing up and even though they pretended to support my career now, they had never approved of me settling on a career path with so many uncertainties. Although Damien and I had completely different upbringings, I felt like I could easily fall in love with him. Part of me believed I already had.
In the middle of our second chess match, Damien’s phone rang; the shrill sound causing both of us to startle.
“Sorry, it’s my agent. I’ll be quick,” he said.
“No worries. Take your time,” I replied, smiling at him.
There were a lot of “uh-huh’s” and “sure thing’s” from Damien’s side of the conversation, and I could pretty much hear everything his agent was saying, considering how loudly he spoke, but I tried hard not to overhear and not to make a sound. But as luck would have it, I felt a sneeze coming on and it blew my cover. I was mouthing, “Sorry!” as I heard Damien’s agent as
k, “Who is that?”
“Oh, um, just a friend who’s visiting. Don’t worry about it. What were you saying?” Damien said dismissively. “Yes, the amended contract is signed. I just have to courier it over. Uh-huh. Yeah, no problem, I’ll do it on Monday.” They spoke a few minutes longer before ending the conversation.
“I’m sorry, Madelyn. That was my agent, Nick. He’s a bit long-winded,” he said as he scribbled a note to himself to sign and send the papers.
“No big deal. I was able to scrutinize the board while you were talking. I think I might have a pretty good strategy up my sleeve now,” I taunted.
“Oh really?” Damien said, arching a perfect eyebrow at me.
***
We spent a good portion of the morning playing chess, taking a break sometime in the early afternoon so I could make us lunch. Damien had already prepared breakfast for us that morning and I felt odd having Bentley feed us yet again when I was perfectly capable of making sandwiches. After lunch, we decided to take a swim in the pool and bask in the warm California sun. We raced from one end of the pool to another and played basketball in the pool with one of those floating nets. It was silly, carefree, and probably one of the best afternoons I’ve had in a long time. He was not-so-surprisingly agile and athletic, and looked just as beautiful without a shirt as I expected: lean, tan, muscular, and pretty much every bit as delicious as he appeared on screen.
After the pool, we retired to our rooms to take a shower and freshen up for the evening. I had packed my favorite sundress and thought that after a day at the pool, it was a perfect night to wear it. I walked down the corridor and Damien was waiting for me. He looked adorable in jeans and a white linen shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows.
“Good evening, Miss Greene.” He smiled and my heart melted.
“Good evening, Mr. Pierce.” I replied.
He grabbed my hand, bringing it to his mouth; his lips lightly grazed against my knuckles. He then led me to the wall-to-wall sliding glass doors that opened up to the outdoor living area where we had spent our amazing afternoon. I saw him glance outside the window and look at the view of the white sandy beach behind his house. I followed his gaze, blinked a couple of times, and looked closer to make sure I was seeing what I thought I was seeing. Right on the beach, just beyond the pool and outside the gate, was a round table covered in a white, shimmery tablecloth, with lit candles and scattered red rose petals.
“What… How… ?” I covered my hand with my mouth before any more nonsense came pouring out.
“I caught Bentley in the hallway after grabbing some water and snacks for us and asked him to set up a nice quiet dinner on the beach. It was the least I could do after having you locked up in this house all day.”
“So that’s why Bentley has been MIA! It looks so beautiful, but you didn’t have to go to this much trouble. I loved being here with you all day. It has been one of the best days I’ve ever had.”
“And I’m hoping to make it that much better,” he whispered as he leaned in to give me a kiss. “Now, let’s eat. I’m starving.”
We went outside; the cool crisp air and ocean breeze causing a pleasant shiver. I wrapped my sweater tighter around myself as we made our way down to the beach to see the amazing table Bentley had set up. The votive candles cast a warm glow on the shimmering tablecloth and metal plate covers. Bentley had outdone himself. I picked up the little menu card he had made and proceeded to read it aloud: “‘crab-stuffed artichokes with a cajun remoulade sauce, classic shrimp étouffée in a tomato-based sauce with aromatic vegetables, served over rice, and for dessert - the iconic New Orleans favorite: powdered beignets with choice of cappuccino or espresso.’ This is amazing! I can see why Bentley is your personal chef,” I said approvingly.
“Oh he isn’t allowed to cook like this on a regular basis. It’s mostly grilled meats and vegetables. He’s having fun now, especially since you claimed to enjoy cajun food,” Damien explained, smiling.
We quickly sat down and uncovered the dishes. The tantalizing aromas made us suddenly ravenous and eager to tuck into the delicious meal. Damien gestured to the two bottles of wine on the table, which due to how hungry I was, had completely escaped my notice.
“Do you prefer white or red?” he asked.
“Red, thank you. What are we having?”
“The red is a petit syrah from Napa.” Damien poured the dark ruby liquid into each of our glasses and we raised them in toast to a wonderful weekend.
We ate the exquisite fare with gusto, then enjoyed our coffees and beignets (which were like little pillowy clouds of love). After we had had our fill, we decided to take a walk along the beach, holding hands and talking, appreciating the star-filled night and the gentle lapping sounds of the water along the shore. The setting was picture-perfect, but once we made our way back to the house, we both quieted down and my stomach began fluttering in anticipation of having to say goodnight.
Damien opened the gate and we made our way through the stepping stones back to the house, both seemingly lost in thought. He paused at the back door and turned to me as if he wanted to say something, but then stopped himself.
“Hey, what’s on your mind?” I asked quietly.
He hesitated then said, “I don’t want to say goodnight.”
“We don’t have to,” I responded, lowering my head and wringing my hands. “This is my last night here. I’ll have to go home tomorrow and I’m not sure when I’ll see you again. Let’s make tonight count.” I couldn’t believe those words were leaving my mouth, but I knew I meant them. I had never felt this way about anyone before and I couldn’t let this moment pass me by - pass us by. I knew he felt the same way as I did. There was no denying the connection between us.
He reached over and grabbed my chin, lifting my face up to meet his eyes. The look in his smoldering gaze told me I was right about his feelings towards me. The kiss that followed provided further validation. His arms glided around my body and pressed me into him and our hearts beat in unison once again. I could feel his warmth radiate through me and my body responded with its own concoction of heat and passion. It was as if we picked up right where we had left off the night before… and it was magic. We got lost in the taste of each other’s kiss as he led me through the house, into his bedroom, and onto his bed.
Slowly, we began undressing each other and savoring every moment of the reveal. He unhurriedly pushed my sundress up past my thighs and over my stomach and breasts, kissing every inch of skin his hands grazed over. My body tingled with each brush of his lips and I arched my back in anticipation of more. He covered my breasts with his mouth, licking and softly biting my nipples. I wasn’t sure I could take much more. I grabbed the end of his shirt to pull it over his head and provide me a little reprieve of his deliciously tormenting attention. My hands explored his smooth, tan chest while my fingernails traced the curves of his muscles. I felt him shudder as my fingers trailed down his abdomen and hooked onto the waistband of his pants. I reached my hands around his back to push him down to me and his lips crushed against mine, our tongues finding their way into each other’s mouths once again. His hands were entangled in my hair and his hips were pressed against mine as his lips began traveling down my throat and up my neck to my ear.
“I want you so bad,” he sighed. “I think I’ve wanted you from the very first time I saw you in my dreams.”
His words threw me over the edge and I found his lips, once again drowning myself in his kiss. He rid me of my bra and panties and I stripped him of his pants and boxer briefs in one swift motion. We explored each other in a sea of kisses and caresses until we couldn’t take it anymore. Damien slid into me and my breath hitched in my throat as my eyes closed and my body accepted him. We moved as one, slowly at first, and as our passions mounted, our bodies melded together and we quickened our pace until we both got lost in our climax.
Once we came down from our amorous high, Damien sweetly kissed me and we settled against each other - just
existing - the need for communication satiated through our passionate embrace. This felt right. It felt more than right; it felt like home.
I nestled into the crook of his arm and Damien instinctively turned onto his side and leaned into my embrace, absentmindedly stroking my hair. I closed my eyes, feeling completely at peace, and drifted off to sleep.
The dream started almost immediately.
CHAPTER 22
DELHI, INDIA 1738
Satvi ran her long, delicate fingers through Namesh’s curls, wrapping the silky black locks around them as she spoke, “You know what would happen if we were ever caught…” she trailed off, unable to finish.
“Yes. It would mean our deaths, darling,” he said, clearing his throat. He rolled over and pinned Satvi’s body beneath his, kissing and biting her neck playfully. “Your father would have you killed - discreetly of course, and then he would have me drawn and quartered, tied to a horse and dragged through the streets. A most unfortunate and painful demise.”
“Mmm… quite,” Satvi agreed. Although they were making light of the situation, the panic she felt was reflected in Namesh’s eyes. “I would never let that happen,” she told him.
“You would never have a choice in the matter, my sweet.” He kissed her slowly, passionately. Just as her body began to respond with a fervent need for more, he stopped abruptly and rolled off the bed. His movements were always so fluid, Satvi thought. Cat-like even. She remembered watching him when they were young and envying how agile and elegant he was. He was beautifully built with long, muscular limbs and skin so golden brown one would almost believe he was designed by the gods themselves.
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