by Susan Reid
‘Ok, rmber 2 call me. Luv u.’, I texted back.
‘Luv u 2. Details!’ She replied with a smiley face.
“Everything ok?” Cam suddenly asked.
I supposed it was rude to be sitting her texting rather than speaking. I nodded with a smile, “Yeah, sorry.” I said as I put my cell phone back in my purse.
“It’s ok.” He shrugged a shoulder.
It remained quiet save for the soft opera music he had playing, and as I listened to it for a while, it began to grow on me, making me think of dying alone, for some strange off the wall reason.
“Why does opera have to be so depressing?” I then asked in a joking way.
“Not all of it is. No more than country or blues anyway,” He replied.
True, “Well, I guess it is relaxing though. Maybe it’s better to not know what they’re saying and just enjoy the melody.” I then said.
He smiled and nodded, “I’ve always thought so. Anything to relax the mind is always a good thing.” He then said.
“So you speak Italian?” I asked.
“I speak several languages actually.” He answered.
I raised both brows in pleasant wonder.
“Really? Which ones?”
“French, Italian, Latin, Mandarin, Arabic, German, Spanish to name a few.” He replied.
“Prove it, say something in Italian.” I challenged playfully.
He thought for a moment with a smirk, liking my flirtatious game without a clue as to me baiting him to get the down low. If he could speak all of those languages, I would be impressed…adding more fuel to the growing fire inside of me.
“Sei molto bello e particolare,” He said rolling each ‘r’ so fluently, that the mere sound of his voice along with his linguistic perfection of each syllable, literally made my nipples stand at attention. I swallowed and bit my lip, “Translation?” I asked.
He looked over at me, “It means, you are very beautiful and special.” He smiled.
Was it getting hot in here now or was it just me?
I smiled almost shyly, “Nice, okay…now Latin.” I said next, shifting in my seat.
“Nec nocte venturum,” He coolly obliged with perfect pronunciation, without even having to think about it.
“And that means,” I raised a brow.
He seemed to pause for a moment, as if thinking about something before he glanced over at me.
“I don’t want this night to end.” He then said softly.
My heart was picking up a rapid cadence in my chest, and I felt a sudden onslaught of intense passion and lust that brought only one thing to the forefront of my mind.
I know I said I had wanted Joel to be my first, but that was just talk, I didn’t even think it would happen mainly because it would ruin things and he’d be hurt if something were to…happen to me.
But here I was with Cam. I liked him…a lot. He was gorgeous, and I was extremely attracted to him both physically and mentally without a doubt. I was not, nor have I ever been that kind of girl obviously, especially on the first date, but technically this was our third date if you counted that night at his friend Ray’s diner and then the Purple Tomato. Not that it made it any better…it was all too soon, but it was part of my bucket list, number one to be exact.
Damn, I wanted Cam in ways that I’d never wanted a guy in my entire life, and he provoked erotic thoughts and feelings, lying hidden in the back of my imagination. I wanted to kiss him, to feel his hands and mouth on my naked body, to pleasure him, and even more so to feel him inside of me.
I hadn’t even realized I had let out a light breath that sounded like a part wail, part moan. The sensation of smoldering heat snaking through my veins made me tremble ever so slightly at the thoughts that seemed to amplify and manifest physically on their own. My nipples were stiff and sore, rubbing against the material of my bra and silky shirt, and my face burned with erotic heat the more I pondered it all.
I heard him laugh softly, “You okay?” he asked.
Oh, he knew what he was doing to me.
“Mhmm,” I simply nodded, while crossing my legs.
It was silent for a moment, and as we passed rows upon rows of dark trees and not much else all along the stretch of highway. The sky was clear though, and I’d never seen such a smattering of stars that sparkled like sprayed glitter on a black velvet blanket. The moon was round, and hung low in the sky with a soft white luminescence. It was all beautiful, like a perfect painting of nights’ serenity as it was meant to be.
I was beginning to wonder where we were going until I saw a billboard on the right for the ‘Sky Point Lounge’ up ahead, a mile and a half. It advertised fine cuisine and star gazing on the patio deck beneath its banner logo, along with the address, phone number, and a plate displaying lobster tail and filet mignon.
“Have you had any more incidents?” He asked then, and it caught me off guard initially, though I wasn’t sure why.
I hesitated.
“No.” I shook my head and answered before I could even understand why I lied.
I think it was because it was easier. Then I didn’t have to explain anything or go into a deep discussion about anything negative, paranormal or religious right now. I didn’t want to.
For one night, this night I didn’t want to have to think about all of that or talk about me —we were going to discuss him.
He nodded and I already knew he didn’t believe me, but I didn’t care.
“Really? Well that’s good.” He replied.
Yeah, he didn’t believe me.
“I wanna hear about you? How was work?” I then asked slyly.
He shrugged a shoulder, “Same thing. Driving around, writing tickets, making arrests…the usual.” He looked over at me with a smirk.
I nodded.
“I haven’t seen you around campus yet. What shift are you working?” I asked.
“Late night right now. I’m pretty sure you’re already in bed by the time I roll around,” He then said.
“Oh. I guess that works out then.”
He chuckled a bit, “Why’s that?” He asked looking over at me.
“People talk and I don’t like people knowing my business, especially where I live, gossip and stuff like that travels fast.” I then said.
He nodded, “Oh, got it.” He replied.
I thought about what I would ask next. If the movies and certain books were accurate, demons couldn’t stand any kind reciting of religious texts, or the praising of God.
I tried to remember a verse in my limited knowledge of the Bible, mouthing the words in a barely hushed whisper.
“To open their eyes so that they may turn from darkness to the light and from the power of Satan to God that they may…” I began.
“Receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those that are sanctified by faith in me…Elohim. Acts twenty six verse eighteen,” Cam finished word for word casually, along with citation of the verse.
I stared at him in shock and disbelief for a long moment. I didn’t even know what to say, let alone expected that from him. I hadn’t even thought he’d heard me. I was speaking so softly, and with the music playing on top of that — how the hell had he been able to hear me? I could barely hear myself.
“Why are you reciting biblical texts?” he simpered curiously, apparently amused.
“You heard me?” I was staggered.
“I’ve got pretty good ears. It’s a cop thing,” He looked over and smiled at me with a wink.
Or a demon thing, I wanted to say.
I licked my lips, “It was something that just came to mind, I don’t know why. I forgot that you study theology and spiritualism in your spare time. You call God Elohim?” I replied and then asked.
He laughed at my initial shock, “That is his true name.” he then said.
“He has many names.” I said.
“Many names given by man. I’m talking about his one true and original name.” He said.
“Oh.”
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nbsp; I hadn’t wanted the conversation to continue to take this turn, so I changed the subject quickly. That experiment was no doubt, a fail on my part.
I made small talk about things going on at the University, and my stomach growled once we arrived at the restaurant.
It had been the Sky Point Lounge he took me to, and to my surprise it was a gorgeous building set in seclusion, perched on a hilltop to overlook the city, and a medium sized man-made lake below.
Cam had already reserved a table for us inside a solarium room, set apart from the main dining room, made completely of windows from the floors to the ceiling. There were several high powered telescopes you had to pay to be able to view in order to stargaze or look into space.
The hostess sat us in the solarium room. The view over the moonlit lake, along with the reflection of lights from the city skyline beyond, and the twinkling night sky above, was breathtaking, romantic and well thought out…human or not, I was falling love.
“I reserved this entire area, so we’ll have some privacy,” Cam said, seeing me look around in wonder as to why we were the only ones in here.
“Are you serious?” I smiled in surprise. This couldn’t have been cheap.
“Why not?” he said.
I liked his style.
We ordered appetizers of bruschetta, fontina cheese and wine to start, and the waitress didn’t even card me. I was sure it was because Cam turned on the charm and dazzle, and she was too enthralled and in awe of him.
“Now, how did you hear about this place?” I asked as I scanned the menu.
“I’m a big fan of places off the beaten path.” He answered.
“I see. Well, tonight I want to know about you and your family. I don’t have much else about myself to talk about let alone anything interesting.” I then said.
He smirked and leaned back in his chair. The way he eyed me made my knees go rubbery, and I licked my lips as my heart pounded.
“You want to know about me and my family? Okay, what do you want to know?” He then asked.
“Where specifically are you from?” I asked then.
“Everywhere. Canada if you want me to be more specific. I was an orphan, I never knew my family and I still don’t to this day.” He then said.
I instantly felt badly for asking him, thinking maybe that was why he did seem mysterious and secretive, and hadn’t said much about his history and family. That was sad.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to ask and make you talk about that.” I then said.
“Stop apologizing, what else do you want to know?” He smirked.
I sighed and thought for a moment.
“I’m not asking to be rude or anything, I just want to know for me. How old are you?” I then asked.
He smiled, “You don’t like older guys?” He teased with a raised brow.
I laughed, “That depends.”
“How old do I look?” He then asked with a smirk.
“Well, you’re obviously young and not in college, but being what you do… I’ll say twenty four, twenty five?” I began guessing.
He smiled, “Okay.” He affirmed, humoring me.
I appreciated his humor, though a bit on the cocky side.
“Which is it?” I asked.
“Pick either one, it’ll work for me.” He grinned, and then bit his bottom lip, giving me a look that conveyed both lust and desire, and it was hitting me as if he were casting some sort of spell on me.
I shifted in my chair, gazing over my menu with pursed lips, and shook my head at his wit.
“So, we’re going dutch right?” I affirmed, looking at the description of the mouth-watering surf and turf lobster and filet mignon.
He leaned forward with arms folded, and resting on the table. He had raised the sleeves of his shirt again, and the corded muscles in his forearms flexed beneath his perfect tanned skin — well perfect with the exception of all the intricate tattoos. He looked at me pointedly with a devilish, and knee weakening smile.
“Not for dinner,” He said in a low, seductive tone.
Suppressing the urge to leap across the table, jump into his lap, straddle and make out with him right this second was becoming more and more difficult, so I reminded myself of the things I wanted to ask him.
I glossed over his tanned, muscled forearms, and at the dark tattoos again, looking for more tale tell details that I may have missed before. It was more so to refocus my attention away from the burning passion that kept rising from deep within me.
“What do you mean by that?” I asked.
He laughed a bit and leaned back, turning to look over at one of the telescopes standing out on the balcony beyond the glass windows.
“I think you have to pay to gaze. I’ll let you pay for that if you want.” He then said.
We placed our orders when the waitress returned to serve and pour the wine, I got my surf and turf and Cam ordered the rosemary lamb and baked potato paired with a red Pinot Grigio. Again, she failed to ask for my ID, and I realized that being a supposed cop, Cam had no qualms about letting me drink alcohol either. The blatant flirting on her part went beyond fishing for a good tip, and it was irking the hell out of me now.
She finally sashayed away after taking her time to go over our order, options, and explanation of using the telescope along with how much it cost — more so to Cam anyway.
“Well, we’ve got some time to kill, come on…my treat,” I nodded towards the telescopes as I scooted out of my chair.
Cam picked up our wine glasses, and we headed out onto the balcony.
The night was crisp and cool, and the view was extraordinary. The soft piano music playing in the background added ambiance to what would and should be an ordinary romantic evening with gorgeous guy, but I knew better.
Cam sipped his wine, watching me as I deposited a dollar fifty in coins into the high powered telescope, which unlocked the lens cap.
“I love looking up into the sky at night. It’s almost like everything is just so…clear and peaceful, and I wonder sometimes, if Heaven is past that somewhere,” I then said as I peered through the eyepiece attempting to focus the lens.
“You’d be surprised what lies right before your eyes. People are limited to what they can see for a reason, but I’m with you. There is definitely a lot more out there,” Cam commented.
“Yeah, I definitely believe that. They’re so bright. I see some winking too,” I said, scanning the spray of millions of sparkling dots against the night sky.
“They know a pretty girl when they see one,” Cam commented.
“You are a charmer.” I smiled, while still peering through the eye piece at all the stars.
I zoomed in as close as I could, to see several shooting stars randomly streak across the sky behind the others, in awe. Then, a handful began to shift and move, which I found fascinating, as they all moved in line and slowly began to form…a heart.
The outline of stars formed a clear and distinct heart shape that sparkled like diamonds.
“Oh — wow…” I gaped.
“See anything interesting or unique?” Cam then asked.
I looked away, feeling heat coming from him right behind me, because he was standing really close to me now. The smell of him was almost intoxicating, and he was handing me my wineglass with his arm curled around me as if he were about to hug me from behind.
“Thanks. Uh…that was really freaky. The stars they…I don’t know,” I gestured towards the sky, and then peered back into the eye piece.
The star-formed heart shape was still there.
“Let me see,” Cam said moving in close, but not allowing me to step away. Our bodies were mere inches apart, as he leaned over my shoulder to look for himself.
“The stars moved into the shape of a heart. I didn’t know they could do that,” I then said as I looked up into the sky. I couldn’t see it anymore, at least not without the telescope.
“I don’t see anything,” Cam then said as he turned to face me.
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nbsp; My breath caught. His face and mouth were within a breath of mine, and my heart began to pound faster to help rekindle fire that was spreading throughout my body by his close proximity to me. He was leaning in first, as if he planned to kiss me, but was hesitant as if wanting me to make the first move.
I wanted to kiss him but what would he think of me?
Wait, what was I thinking? I needed to know a few things first before anything like that would happen. I couldn’t kiss him…yet.
I moved to back away a bit and sipped my wine.
I could see him smirk when he straightened up; as if he just knew he’d get me before the night was over. He just might.
“Maybe they moved and formed something else I guess,” I shrugged, but I knew what I saw.
He nodded, looking down at me as he finished his wine.
It was quiet for a moment, and I eyed him as he leaned in to look into the telescope again.
“Do you believe in life on other planets?” He asked me.
“I’ve had dreams about spaceships ever since I was little, but I don’t know. I guess one day we’ll all find out for sure.” I replied looking behind him…at his back and trying to figure out where and how he’d hide them if he did have wings. Why couldn’t I see them now?
I felt a knot of nervous apprehension twist in my gut when I thought of the questions I wanted to ask him. It was now or possibly never and I needed to know, to know that I wasn’t crazy in believing both he and Drake were supernatural.
I hadn’t realized he had turned to watch me curiously until he spoke, “What are you doing?” He asked softly.
“Huh? Nothing,” I shook my head, and moved back beside him as I finished the rest of my wine in one gulp.
I was beginning to feel a bit more relaxed already, as I turned to face the view of the twinkling city lights and the light of the moon dancing on the water in the distance. I set my empty wineglass on the balcony railing, glad we were alone here. This was really nice and romantic.
“Are you cold?” Cam asked moving in behind me.
Before I could answer, his arms were around me gently, pulling me into him close, and melding me to his warm, firm body.
